The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink, and Eat... Everything with Ranch by Charlie Berens

Charlie Berens is a journalist and comedian known for his hilarious videos on social media that celebrate life in the Midwest. Some of my favorites are his series on Midwest Nice:

Part 1 
Part 2
Part 3

What Charlie Berens does so brilliantly in The Midwest Survival Guide is that he made the culture of being a Midwesterner not just a source of poking fun, but also of pride. Despite his hyperbolic cultural touchstones of the Midwest, there's also a great deal of truth in his hyperbole.

As a born and bred Midwesterner, I have often felt that sense of being excluded from distinctive cultural humor and conversations of the United States. Not only is the Midwest considered flyover country, it also tends to get overlooked in terms of discussions about what makes a person culturally Midwestern. We hear all the time about what makes a person a Southerner or a New Englander, for example, but rarely do we talk about the culture of the Midwest. So when Charlie Berens talks about the fashion of the Midwest, the debate over casserole vs. hotdish, the long goodbye, and of course, the beauty, humor and practicality of the word "Ope," I have to say... I felt seen.

After a difficult year that left me in quite a reading rut, I read/listened to this book in less than two days. I highly recommend reading and listening to this book concurrently because you miss something from only doing one or the other. If you only listen to the book you miss out on all the charts, maps, and illustrations. If you only read the book, then you miss the very best part of the book in my mind, which is hearing Charlie Berens' endearing and exaggerated Midwestern accent.

This will definitely be one of my favorite books of 2021.

The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink, and Eat... Everything with Ranch by Charlie Berens*
Published: October 5, 2021
Publisher: William Morrow/Harper Audio
Pages: 272
Audiobook length: 6 hours, 5 minutes
Genre: Humor/Nonfiction
Audience: Adults
Disclosure: Library Copy/Audiobook provided by publisher

*Purchasing the book from the above Bookshop affiliate link supports independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 

Audiobook Review: Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan Van Ness

If you don't know who Jonathan Van Ness is, stop reading this review right now and go watch the first season of the new Queer Eye. He is the grooming expert who managed to be sweet, unassuming, and fierce all at the same time. He will quickly become your favorite of the Fab 5. 

So do yourself a favor if you're going to partake in this book: listen to the audiobook. Hearing Jonathan narrate his own story is essential for making it the most fulfilling reading experience possible.

This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster. Jonathan Van Ness has gone through so much trauma in his life that it's amazing what a positive, sunny outlook he has. He can come across so sunny and cheerful on Queer Eye that in the back of your mind, a viewer might wonder if he lacks substance.

Well dear reader, you need not worry. Johnathan Van Ness has substance in spades. Just be aware: there are trigger warnings all over the place in this book: drug use, sexual abuse, prostitution, and death. If you've dealt with any of these things that you might not be ready to tackle, it is probably best you set this book aside until you are ready.


Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness 
Published: September 24, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Physical book length: 288 pages
Audiobook Length: 5 hours and 50 minutes
Genre: Memoir
Audience: Adults/Queer Eye fans/LGBTQIA+ identifying and allies
Disclosure: Audiobook provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook Review: Beautiful on the Outside by Adam Rippon

When Adam Rippon became the media darling of the 2018 Winter Olympics, it was because he made the decision to soak in the experience of the Olympics rather than pushing to win the gold medal. At 28, he knew that was likely not possible. But what he didn't expect was that despite not going home with a gold medal, Adam Rippon really was the winner of the 2018 Olympics. He was joyful and sassy and shared every exciting moment with his fans.

Adam's sass has become his trademark personality trait, but sass can quickly come off as bitchiness if you're not careful. The reason his sass never comes off as bitchy in this book or in his life is because Adam is not a catty gossip. If he is talking smack about anyone, it is only himself. The only time he speaks overwhelmingly negatively about people in this book are when he describes the actions of a possessive, borderline abusive ex-boyfriend, when he describes the horrible behavior of his former coach Nikolai Morozov, and also when he discusses the manipulative behavior of Mike Pence when he tried to have a meeting with Adam before the Olympics. But as you learn in comedy, always punch up, not down. He spoke truth to power in those moments and used the rest of the book to be both hard on himself and to give himself some grace.

Verdict: I wanted to be BFFs with Adam before reading this and I want to be even more so now that I've read what an amazing, hardworking, honorable man he is -- despite the Khardashian-like trashiness he tries to portray himself as in front of the cameras. That facade is all a fun ruse, a joke he even lets the public in on, but if you don't know a lot about him, doesn't always translate for those who see him on TV in small doses. Also, other than missing out on the included photographs in the physical book, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook instead of the physical book because, of course, Adam narrates it himself.

My only criticism of this book is more a commentary on our culture. All I could think about when I was listening to the audiobook is how much the public would not allow or excuse Adam's behavior in a female skater. She WOULD come off as bitchy and ungrateful and be expected to not show any sort of humor or emotion. So as much as I love Adam, I also recognize that loving this persona that he has created would only be granted to a man and not to a woman.


Beautiful on the Outside by Adam Rippon
Published: October 15, 2019
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 256
Audiobook length: 8 hours, 19 minutes
Genre: Memoir
Audience: Adults/Skating Fans/ LGBTQIA + identifying and allies
Disclosure: Audiobook purchased with my Libro.fm credits, which supports The Brain Lair Bookstore

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook review: The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon

Lovers of Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, and Roald Dahl (there's quite the Trunchbull-like character in this novel) will surely find nothing dull about The Doldrums, the story of a young Archer Helmsley who lives with his parents in the house formerly occupied by his grandparents. While Archer has never met his grandparents, he feels very close to them and wishes he could accompany them on their great adventures around the world. Instead, he must be reminded daily by his mother that life should be lived with an abundance of caution because no one wants to end up presumed dead as a result of a rogue iceberg in Antarctica like his grandparents. 

But Archer is convinced that his grandparents are in fact alive and he enlists the help of his two friends -- Adélaïde L. Belmont who moved to their little town from France and claims she lost her leg to a crocodile, and Oliver Glub, who is as practical as Archer is impetuous -- to accompany him to Antarctica to find them. 

I listened to the audiobook of this novel, but also checked out a physical copy of the book at the library so as not to miss out on the stunning color illustrations that reminded me a bit of Molly Idle's style.

Bronson Pinchot narrates the audiobook and does a fabulous job. After listening to him narrate The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, I already decided that if I ever saw him narrate another audiobook, I would listen to it regardless if I wanted to read the book or not. His voices are always so full of life and character. I especially loved how Pinchot interpreted the character of Oliver Glub, someone who knows how to rock a lisp. 

I can't wait to read the next book in the series. 


The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon
Audiobook Narrator: Bronson Pinchot
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow/HarperAudio
Pages: 358
Audiobook Length: 6 hours, 19 minutes
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Audiobook download provided by publisher
 
If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook Review: Light of Day by Allison Van Diepen

One Saturday night, Gabby Perez goes clubbing with her friend Maria and their drinks are drugged. But before Gabby takes her first sip, she is warned by a mysterious and handsome stranger. Her  friend Maria, however, is not so lucky. Thankfully, Gabby manages to get Maria out of the club and away from the pimp who was planning on kidnapping both girls before the evening was over and forcing them into prostitution. The next morning, Maria has no memory of what transpired.

After that night, Gabby wants to find the mysterious stranger who saved her and her friend to thank him, but she also wonders what other girls haven't been so lucky. She uses her platform of her radio show to discuss these difficult topics, which brings the mysterious stranger, X, right to her. As their attraction grows, X enlightens Gabby to a dangerous side of Miami she never knew about, but when a friend of Gabby's goes missing and X agrees to help find her, Gabby can't help but wonder who X really is.

Light of Day is one of those books that kind of straddles genre/age group lines. It's young adult because the protagonist is still in high school and lives with her parents, but it definitely has that edgier, guilty pleasure new adult feel as well because Gabby has proven her independence, maturity, and ambition by having her own radio show. While a literary masterpiece it is not, Light of Day is some page-turning brain candy. It's a book you pick up when you don't want to think and just want to be entertained. And you know what? That's perfectly OK. We need books like that too.

The audiobook narrator, Marisol Ramirez, has a perfectly soothing voice to make the story entertaining and suspenseful yet not anxiety-inducing. I was surprised at how calm I felt throughout the story despite the tense plot. I'm convinced it had to do with Ramirez's smooth, dulcet narration.

After listening to Light of Day, I'm going to check out some of Allison Van Diepen's other books for when I'm in a reading or listening rut. I greatly enjoyed this audiobook experience.


Light of Day by Allison Van Diepen
Audiobook Narrator: Marisol Ramirez
Published: November 24, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen/Harper Audio
Pages: 320
Audiobook Length: 7 hours, 25 minutes
Genre: Suspense
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Audiobook download provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook review: Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Goodreads summary:

Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.

Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo. 

I normally like to write my own plot summaries before getting down to writing my thoughts about a book because I feel like a more legit book reviewer that way. But sometimes a book is so beautiful and complex that it takes your breath away and you can't even find the words to describe what it's about. You just know that it's a book that needs to be felt and no amount of plot synopses will convince someone to read it because it's one of those books you have tell people, "Trust me on this. Just read it." 

Echo is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, or listened to as it were. The listening experience I think is superior to reading the physical book. Because Echo revolves around the magic of music, hearing the pieces that Ryan describes adds an extra emotional element to the narrative that reading alone cannot fulfill. There were many times I had to stop what I was doing, close my eyes, and let the music take me away, like when Friedrich walked by a window and heard the melancholy melody of Beethoven's Für Elise.

At the next corner, he turned down the thoroughfare. When he reached the music conservatory, he could hear someone practicing the piano in an upper story Beethoven's "Für Elise." For this he stopped and lifted his head, becoming lost in the music. 

Unconsciously, his hand rose and bounced to the time of the song. Friedrich smiled as he pretended the musician was following his direction. He closed his eyes and imagined the notes sprinkling down and  washing his face clean.

 Or when Mike sat at the concert grand piano at Mrs. Sturbridge's house for the first time and played the longing and mournful notes of Chopin's Nocturne in  C-Sharp Minor. 

A music book stood on the stand. He flipped the pages until he came to the Chopin Nocturne no. 20. He positioned his hands, feeling the desire, like a magnet drawing his fingertips closer.

He played the opening chords. The room filled with the rich timbre of the piano and its full-bodied tone. It wasn't like any piano he'd ever heard before. The high notes sounded brighter, the now ones darker and more ominous. 

Those moments when I could actually hear the music and not just attempt to hear it in my mind, made the story so much richer and more impactful for me. I may have cried a time or two or four. 

Because the presence of the music in the audiobook was so integral to the listening experience, there was actually a moment toward the end of the book when the absence of music detracted from the narrative and made it feel like something was missing. When Mike was playing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, there was no music to accompany Ryan's descriptions. Since a soundtrack always accompanied the narration every other time music was mentioned in the story, this moment's absence it felt like there was a gaping hole in the audio production. If I had to venture a guess as to why it was missing, I'd say it likely had to do with permissions and copyright issues, so I hate to fault the audiobook producer for this missing element, but I do think it marred the listening experience just the slightest bit. It made me downgrade the audiobook from absolute perfection to pretty amazing – which is still a pretty darn good rating.

When I first saw the heft of Echo – and the fact that it was historical fiction – I initially balked. I could not imagine who I would recommend this book to. Historical fiction is already a hard enough sell, but then when you factor in the length, I thought Echo was doomed from the start. But I was too quick to judge. This book is beyond masterfully written – though it is that – with its delicately woven threads coming perfectly together to a seamless whole at the end. And while yes, this is historical fiction, it is also much more than that. There is an emotional element to this story that I find most historical fiction, no matter how compelling, often lacks. Echo is a book for not only the readers in your life who love music, but also for those sensitive readers who are looking for books to be transcendent – to give you an experience beyond your emotions, becoming almost a spiritual experience. And that is what makes Echo more than just a heartprint book for me – it is a book that feeds my soul.

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Audiobook narrators: Mark Bramhall, David de Vries, Andrews MacLeod, Rebecca Soler
Published: February 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 592
Audiobook length: 10 hours, 37 minutes
Genre: Historical Fiction, Magical Realism
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Audiobook library download/ Purchased hardcover

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook Review: Same Sun Here by Silas House & Neela Vaswani

Today the sun was out, and as I walked to school, I wondered if it was sunny in Kentucky, too. And then I thought to myself that it's the same sun here as it is there, and that made me feel like you're not so far away after all. 

Meena lives in New York City's Chinatown and River lives in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. On the surface, these two young people appear to have little in common, except for one thing: they were on the snail mail list for pen pals at school. So as Meena and River interact entirely through letters, they learn about each others' lives and cultures, celebrating their similarities and differences, as we watch them navigate the injustices of the world through the eyes of their wide-eyed, innocent pre-adolescence. This is one of those special books that hovers over the line between middle grade and young adult.

Told entirely in letters between two pen pals, Same Sun Here deals with heavy social justice themes with grace and sensitivity without being too heavy-handed. Candlewick graciously sent me a copy of both the book and audiobook, and while the book has some illustrations that you will miss by only listening to the audiobook, I highly recommend the audiobook anyway. Both authors narrate it and Silas House's deep southern drawl is one of the most soothing voices I have ever listened to. 

As most teachers and librarians know, reading helps build empathy, and Same Sun Here is a book that can definitely help expedite that process.


Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani
Published: February 14, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick and Brilliance Audio
Pages: 300
Audiobook Length: 5 hours, 47 minutes
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Disclosure: Book and audiobook provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook Review: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

From Goodreads:

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

There were a few points in this story where I said to myself, "Ugh! This is too much mythology inspiration for my liking." You see, I have an aversion to mythology. Ever since since I was in 6th grade and my English teacher made us learn about it through a series of horrifically boring worksheets, I cannot stomach even the slightest mythological reference. It is the literary equivalent to an allergic reaction. 

When the story was more realism than magical, I enjoyed it a great deal. But those fantasy/mythology elements just didn't seem to click right for me in my addled, traumatized mind.

Still, even with my mythology aversion, I enjoyed Bone Gap more than I didn't. The writing is both simple and lyrical and I love that the ending was a win for feminism. It is also really difficult for me to connect with third person narration, but Laura Ruby expertly navigates that point-of-view to allow readers to connect with many of the characters you are meant to empathize with.

What made the story even more enjoyable for me was Dan Bittner's gentle yet haunting performance of the audiobook. I'm definitely a fan of his narration style.  

Overall, Bone Gap was an enjoyable listening experience and lives up to the buzz it has been receiving among my book-loving friends. It's a quiet book that will likely have to be hand sold to just the right student, but I've already got a few students in my mind who I know would love it. 


Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Audiobook Narrator: Dan Bittner
Published: March 3, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray 
Pages:  373
Audiobook Length: 8 hours, 21 minutes
Genre: Magical Realism
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Audiobook received for review from publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook Review: The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman

Antsy (short for Anthony) Bonano meets a kid at school named Calvin Schwa who has powers of invisibility. But it's not quite the magical invisibility reserved for Harry Potter novels you're likely thinking of. The Schwa's invisibility for him means that people don't notice him even when he's sitting smack dab in the center of an empty room. In some ways the Schwa is a tragic figure even though he doesn't die in the story. Much of that air of tragedy that surrounds the Schwa has to do with his surrendering to his fate of being invisible (the Schwa Effect as Antsy and his friends call it), but as the story progresses, the reader begins to realize that a moment in the Schwa's own family history is what set his invisibility fate in motion. 

This is one of those special books that hovers between middle grade and young adult. In some ways it's too old for middle grade and too young for YA so it's perfect for 7th and 8th graders.

Neal Shusterman not only wrote The Schwa was Here but also narrates the audiobook and he does an amazing job. Given that the story takes place in Brooklyn, I adore his perfectly on-point New York accent. I know Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn so it's not much of a stretch for him to do an on-point New York accent, but he still manages to rock it.  


The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman
Audiobook narrator: Neal Shusterman
Original hardcover publication date: March 2, 2006
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group/Listening Library
Pages: 240
Audiobook length: 6 hours 3 minutes
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Disclosure: Library download

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.   

Audiobook review: Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Nate Foster dreams of one day starring in a Broadway show, so when he catches wind of an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, he and his best friend Libby begin hatching a scheme. While Nate's parents are away for the weekend, he decides to catch a bus from Jankburg, Pennsylvania to New York City with nothing but a backpack and his dreams.
 
Sassy, snarky, yet totally endearing, Nate is one of my favorite leading boys in all of kid lit. Better Nate Than Ever fills a need for a specific niche-reader: the drama club member or kid with musical aspirations. Fans of Glee and Raina Telgemeier's Drama will go gaga for Nate.

Better Nate Than Ever resides on the older end of middle grade... the time right before kids are ready for full-fledged YA, as there is still a sweetness and naivete to Nate despite his sass. There's some edgy language and situations, but not so edgy that it isn't appropriate for a middle grade reader. If a student is ready to move up to YA after reading Nate, a good rung up his or her reading ladder would perhaps be Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green. 

Tim Federle not only wrote Better Nate Than Ever, but he also narrates the audiobook. And given his theater background, it's no wonder this audiobook won an Odyssey award. It is a wonderfully entertaining production and one I highly recommend.

Reading the sequel, Five, Six, Seven, Nate is an absolute must for me now! My only regret about reading Better Nate Than Ever (well, listening to the audio) is that it took me so long to finally pick it up! 


Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
Audiobook Narrator: Tim Federle
Published: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 288
Audiobook Length: 5 hours, 54 minutes
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Library Copy 

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook review: After the End by Amy Plum

Juneau Newhaven has lived her entire life in the Alaskan wilderness believing that thirty years earlier, the world had been decimated by World War III. Her clan are the only people she has ever encountered in her short life.

One day Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that her clan has been kidnapped and they had been lying to her all along. World War III never happened and civilization not only exists, but is thriving. Now Juneau must figure out what in her life has been true and what has been a lie. But in the meantime, she must also figure out how to navigate a world she has never encountered, while also dealing with a new truth: someone is after her and she doesn't know why.

Told in alternating chapters of dual narration, both from the main protagonist Juneau and also Miles Blackwell, the boy who locates Juneau and says he'll help find her clan, but he really plans on taking her back home to his father, the man who is looking for her, for what reason she has no idea. 

Strange premise, but an engaging read. I enjoyed the writing and the storyline a great deal. I especially enjoyed Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton's narration of the audio. Both brought the characters of Juneau and Miles to life. Here's what I didn't like, however:  I still get really irritated with the trend in YA lit today that series books can't stand on their own and there has to be a "to be continued..." Cliffhanger endings are one thing, and I don't mind them as long as most of the conflict that has been building in the novel has been somewhat resolved, but to leave something completely unresolved just to pick it back up in the next book really bothers me.

Despite being perturbed by the ending, I am still interested to see how book two plays out and look forward to reading it or listening to it when it comes out. 


After the End by Amy Plum
Audiobook Narrators: Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton
Published: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen/Harper Audio
Pages: 336
Audiobook Length: 8 hours, 47 minutes
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Magical Realism 
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Audiobook provided by publisher


If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.   

Audiobook review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Goodreads Summary:
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


I have heard this book described on more than one occasion as "The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games." I'm sorry, but that is a ridiculous comparison. There is nothing even remotely like The Hunger Games going on in The Selection. You know what this book is like? The Bachelor. End of list. There's no "meets"anything . It's a royal version of The Bachelor. Period.

And the world building? Pretty much non existent. I honestly don't even know what genre to categorize this book. I've seen many people call it a dystopia but there's just not enough world building for that to be plausible.

Also, the audiobook narrator? She sounded like a slightly more animated version of Siri. I've never heard such a robotic audiobook narrator in my life. I'm surprised I was able to listen to the whole thing without attempting to press the home button and ask for directions or tomorrow's weather.

Please pardon my snarkiness. I did somewhat enjoy this book, kind of the way you enjoy a guilty pleasure but don't want to admit you really like it. That's me with The Selection. I will move on to the second book if for no other reason than to be able to talk about the series with the plethora of other readers I know who have enjoyed it. I, on the other hand, am just "meh" about it.


The Selection by Kiera Cass
Audiobook Narrator: Emily Rubinate
Published: April 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 336
Audiobook Length: 8 hours, 7 minutes
Genre: Dystopian, I guess
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Library Copy 

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.

Audiobook review: Starters by Lissa Price

Starters is about a time in the future where senior citizens can "rent" bodies of younger people so they can experience what it's like to be young again. While our young protagonist, Callie, has doubts about renting her body out, she knows how much the money will help her and her brother make a better life for themselves. Callie soon finds out, however, that her renter has something much more nefarious planned than just the typical banal partying and playing sports, and if she doesn't do something soon, she might find herself accused of murder. But in her attempts to stop her renter from killing someone, she unravels a much more macabre plot afoot from the very place that is renting out her body. 

This book was never on my radar so I'm happy Lissa offered me a review copy of both Starters and Enders. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook much more than I expected to and I am looking forward to reading the sequel. If you're someone like me who isn't a huge fan of science fiction, this is a good book to get your feet wet so to speak. It's not overly science-y, and the plot has a few twists and turns along that way that keep it interesting and page-turning.

Rebecca Lowman is the narrator for the audiobook and is probably most well-known for narrating Eleanor and Park. Her voice is both soothing and provocative at the same time, as she hits just the right emotional highs and lows. I'm definitely going to be seeking out the audio of the sequel as well.


Starters by Lissa Price
Audiobook narrator: Rebecca Lowman
Published: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte and Listening Library
Pages: 352
Audiobook length: 10 hours, 19 minutes
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Review copy provided by author, audiobook checked out from library

Audiobook review: Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Goodreads summary:
Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life... until now.

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

I first started reading this book back in June when it was still in ARC form and I abandoned it.
I just wasn't ready to read it then. But I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook this week so I decided to take it since I've seen this book on some mock-Newbery lists and the announcement of the award is coming up in a few weeks. I fully admit I like to be in-the-know when it comes to books considered for awards, and feel a sense of pride when I've read the book that is announced as the winner. So I decided it was time to give this book another go.

As far as the audiobook experience goes, I have to say what a difference an audiobook narrator can make. Robin Miles brought this book to life in a way the voices and expression I imagined in my head for each character could not. She got the mannerisms, cadences and subtleties of Willow just perfect, which is quite a feat given she was only using her voice to bring the character to life.

What is so endearing and beautiful about Counting by 7s is just what the publisher summary describes: despite the tragic hand Willow has been dealt, this is a book about coming back from the depths of despair and showing what a positive impact one person can make on a whole bunch of people's lives. Another perfect example of what Laurie Halse Anderson calls resilience fiction. The genre of Counting by 7s is realistic fiction but the way everyone is drawn to Willow despite her oddness gives the novel a slight feeling of magical realism.

At first I questioned whether Counting by 7s was a middle grade novel that kids would actually read or if it was a book labeled as middle grade but would be more popular with adults than kids. I still wonder that somewhat, but I think presented as a class read aloud or given to just the right kid, this is a perfect book to share with students. I'd be more likely to recommend it to older middle school readers who are on the cusp of reading YA than to a 4th grade reader. But like always, it depends on the kid.

Readers who liked the following books might also enjoy Counting by 7s:
Wonder by RJ Palacio
The Real Boy by Anne Ursu
Navigating Early by Claire Vanderpool
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Mockingbird by Katherine Erskine


Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Audiobook narrator: Robin Miles
Published: August 29, 2013
Publisher: Dial & Penguin Audio
Pages: 384
Audiobook length: 7 hours, 14 minutes
Genre: Realistic fiction
Audience: Middle grade
Disclosure: Library download

Audiobook review: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

They said I must die. They said that I stole the breath from men, and now they must steal mine. 

In 1828 Agnes Magnusdottir was charged with the murder of two men in Illugastadir, part of northern Iceland. Awaiting execution, the District Commissioner sends Agnes to a remote farm to live with the family of Jon Jonsson. The family is anything but happy to be housing a convicted murderer, but as her execution nears and Agnes slowly begins telling her side of the story to the priest she has chosen to be her confessor, the family realizes that perhaps Agnes isn't the monster they initially believed her to be. As the months go by and Agnes's death looms, Jon's wife and daughters wonder if there's anything they can do to save her before it's too late.

Burial Rites is Hannah Kent's debut novel, but she writes like a seasoned author. Her prose is dripping with vivid, haunting descriptions but not to the point where it seems overindulgent. Kent weaves seamlessly in and out of third person and first person narration, with the condemned prisoner of Anges taking on a first person narrative.

Agnes Magnusdottir was a real person convicted of murder and put to death in Iceland. She was in fact, the last person to be put to death there. Kent had a long fascination with Agnes Magnusdottir ever since she traveled to Iceland on a Rotary Exchange as a teenager. The author's note at the end of the book along with her acknowledgements show the vast depth of research she did to write this novel, but in reading the author's note, you get a sense that Kent's research began as something she was interested in learning and grew into an idea for a novel much later. Kent's use of language throughout the novel is both stark and poetic. I don't know if I would have enjoyed reading about Agnes Magnusdottir coming from any other writer. From the first few pages, you immediately get a sense that Kent was meant to tell this story.

It's not often that I read adult fiction anymore, finding YA and middle grade much more satisfying, but I was intrigued by the stark setting of 1800s Iceland. Having just returned from a trip to Iceland back in June and knowing what a bleak history the country has, I was curious to read a historical novel set there. Burial Rites did not disappoint. It is easily one of my favorite books of 2013. That is also in part because of the brilliant audio narration by Morven Christie. Her voice was like being cloaked in silk. She was both soothing and austere at the same time. While I initially began my journey with this book from the print galley I received ALA back in June, I soon decided that while I was enjoying reading with my eyes, reading with my ears might help me finish the book sooner. I'm glad I did because reading the book on my own didn't give me the same satisfaction as listening to the audio did. Christie's voice transported me to 1800s Iceland better than I think I could have done from just reading the words on the page.

I would highly recommend Burial Rites to anyone who loves historical fiction. However, don't let an aversion to the genre prevent you from picking this book up.  Just like Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, I think this book transcends genre preferences. Even readers who don't like historical fiction can find themselves swept away by the narrative Kent has created. 

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Audiobook narrator: Morven Christie
Published: September 10, 2013
Print Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Audio Publisher: Hachette Audio
Pages: 323
Audiobook Length: 11 hours, 59 minutes
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: Adults
Disclosure: Galley received at ALA/Audiobook purchased on Audible

The Real Boy by Anne Ursu

Goodreads Summary:
On an island on the edge of an immense sea there is a city, a forest, and a boy. The city is called Asteri, a perfect city saved by the magic woven into its walls when a devastating plague swept through the world years before. The forest is called the Barrow, a vast wood of ancient trees that encircles the city and feeds the earth with magic. And the boy is called Oscar, a shop boy for the most powerful magician in the Barrow, who spends his days in the dark cellar of his master's shop grinding herbs and dreaming of the wizards who once lived on the island. Oscar's world is small, but he likes it that way. The real world is vast, strange, and unpredictable. And Oscar does not quite fit in it.

But it's been a long time since anyone who could call himself a wizard walked the world, and now that world is changing. Children in the city are falling ill; something sinister lurks in the forest. Oscar has long been content to stay in his small room, comforted in the knowledge that the magic that flows from the trees will keep his island safe. Now, even magic may not be enough to save it.

While fantasy is not my preferred genre, I can't deny the flow, beauty, and simplicity of Anne Ursu's writing. The symbolism of Oscar's journey in discovering his own humanness was very real despite the fantastical setting. While Ursu herself has said that the main character of Oscar is not her son, it is clear Oscar's struggles are inspired by the fact that her own son is living with Asperger's, which is made further evident when you notice that the book is dedicated to him.

And even though fantasy is not my preferred genre, I love that Ursu found a way to write a story about a boy with Asperger's and place him in a fantastical setting rather than a typical real-life one. This is not a straight-up "issue book", which is refreshing to see a boy with Asperger's portrayed as the hero of a fantasy world rather than just a boy in a realistic fiction novel who learns to live with his special need. Not that those stories aren't powerful in their own right, but seeing a special needs character move beyond a typical "issue book" is a giant step forward in children's literature. For that reason I hope this is a book that the Schneider Family Book Award committee will take into consideration. Obviously there is a lot of Newbery buzz surrounding The Real Boy, but Schneider Award recognition would be a lovely testament to the beauty of this story as well. 

If you liked, the following books, give The Real Boy a try:
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Navigating Early by Claire Vanderpool


The Real Boy by Anne Ursu
Published: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Pages: 288
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: ARC received at ALA/audiobook received from the publisher 

Audiobooks are expensive. Here are some ways to bypass that expense.

 Living 42 miles away from my job for seven years made me an expert in all things audiobooks: listening to them, acquiring them, and certainly what makes for a good audiobook. I've also come to appreciate audiobooks for more than just listening to in the car. They are a great way to fill the time during tasks that involve little thought but prevent you from picking up an actual book and reading it: cooking dinner, doing the dishes, folding laundry, wrapping presents, etc.

What I'd like to talk about today is how to acquire audiobooks without spending a lot of money (or, you know, any money) because, let's face it, audiobooks are expensive.

1. Audible.com

If you join Audible they will give you a free audiobook credit download and then every month after that is $14.95 for one audiobook download. This is actually a pretty good deal when you consider how much physical audiobooks cost ($20-80). In the interest of disclosure, I will say that Audible offered me 2 audiobook downloads for my trial and I really liked how simple the process was (purchase from your computer and the audiobook syncs to your mobile device in seconds). However, if I'm being completely honest I will say that Audible is not my first choice in acquiring audiobooks because free is always better than inexpensive. I actually cancelled my Audible subscription not long after I received my free credits, not because I didn't like their service, but because I have so many resources at my disposal to acquire audiobooks for free, that paying $14.95 a month seemed unnecessary to me. So here are some of my free recommendations:


2. Your library's physical audiobook collection

Now I realize that not everyone's library is as wonderful as mine. My town's library -- shout out to the Canton Public Library, yo -- is the busiest single-branch library in the state of Michigan and their circulation rate is very high. It is always busy and is a centerpiece to our community. I have said to my husband many times that I never want to move because I love the Canton library so much. Anyway, their audiobook collection is quite extensive and very often if they don't have a book you're looking for, you can request it and they will acquire it.


3.Your library's e-audiobook collection

Many libraries have assembled quite a a collection of e-books and e-audiobooks for download onto your mobile devices. And if your library is anything like mine, this collection is growing! If you haven't become familiar with Overdrive Media Console, this is basically the free version of Audible and allows you to download audiobooks but for a limited time, you know, just like you were checking out a physical book from the library.


4. Library reciprocal borrowing

My town's library has an agreement with a few libraries in the area that you can borrow books with your Canton library card. In fact, I frequent the Plymouth District Library on an almost weekly basis due to the fact that it's on my husband's way home from work and they have a different selection of audiobooks to choose from.


5. State-wide library borrowing

I don't know if or how this works in other states, but in Michigan we have an awesome system called Michigan E-Library where you can request books from any library in the state and they will send it to your home library - for free. Yes, it takes longer to get the books because you have to wait for them to be sent in the mail, but if you're not in a big rush to get a particular audiobook, this could be a great way to prevent yourself from having to purchase an Audible membership if you don't want to pay $14.95 a month. As much as I love Audible's quick and easy interface, I would personally rather put forth a little bit more effort to get them for free.

Edited to add:
One of my Facebook friends reminded me of another great free resource:

6. Audiobook Sync

During the summer, this website allows you to download 2 free audiobook titles per week to your Overdrive Media Console: one YA, one classic, and both books are paired together because they have similar themes. For example, one week the books were The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen and The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. You can even sign up for a text message alert that will remind you every week to go on the website and download the new titles.



I want to thank Audible for offering me 2 free audiobook downloads to try out their service. For people who live in areas where going to the library is inconvenient or their selection isn't the greatest, I  say without hesitation that highly recommend Audible's service. But for me, my library is conveniently located with many resources for acquiring free audiobooks at my fingertips and so I prefer to go that route over a $14.95 a month membership fee.

Audiobook review: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

When Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, she doesn't realize what consequences she will set in motion for future generations. A mermaid abandoning her life in the sea for love on land comes at a price: a curse on the women in her lineage to die after the birth of their first child.

Over a hundred years later, sixteen-year-old Hester is seeking answers to the reason why women in her family die after giving birth. What she discovers haunts her to her very core and comes at a price of her own.

If you know me as a reader then you know three things: 1) As a rule, I don't like fantasy 2) I especially hate mythology (it's a long and storied tale that I'll save for another day) and 3) I don't do mermaid books.

And for those reasons, Monstrous Beauty should have never been on my radar except for three things:

1) This book won an Odyssey honor this year and I wanted to see if I would judge it worthy of such an honor.

2) Katherine Kellgren is the narrator and she is one of the best in the business. Her reading of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Wood is one of my all-time favorite audiobook experiences. She's one of those narrators who manages to make the book better by listening to it instead of reading it.

3) Elizabeth Fama graciously hosted a party at her house during ALA and even though she had never met many of us, she knew that we were all book lovers, and that was enough for her. After getting a chance to talk to Beth a little bit and to see what a wonderfully artistic family she has, I just knew that I would have to lift my mermaid moratorium and listen to this book.

I was not disappointed. In fact, I was quite shocked at how much I enjoyed this mermaid story. It is told in two different time periods: the late 1800s, and twenty-first century Plymouth, Massachusetts. There are so many facets to this story that make it more than just a book about mermaids. It's a historical fiction, it's a family saga, it's a ghost story; there's romance, violence, tenderness, and seduction. The writing is so lush and vivid that you feel all of your senses experiencing the story as it plays out, even if you don't want to be because, quite frankly, there are some rather uncomfortable, violent scenes that occur throughout the course of this book . And don't assume that just because this is a siren story with a mermaid on the cover that it doesn't appeal to guys. I could very much see young adult males reading this book and enjoying it. It very truly is a book with something for everyone, unless you're looking for a light, uplifting romance. Then maybe this isn't the book for you.

To learn more about Monstrous Beauty, check out this photographic tour of the setting over at The Midnight Garden.

Check out some other reviews of Monstrous Beauty:
Stacked
Bewitched Bookworms
Romance Around the Corner


Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
Audiobook narrator: Katherine Kellgren
Published: September 4, 2013
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux and Macmillan Audio
Pages: 295
Audiobook Length: 8 hours, 1 minute
Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Library Copy