The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was cute. I’m not much of a short story fan, but this fits the moment. I needed something to read after the last book left me an hour from sleep time. It is fun to finish a book in an hour or so.
I had this one tucked away in my Audible library. Jennifer Jill Araya, the narrator, was able to keep the characters fresh and sincere.
There are a couple more novellas following this one. I plan to get them and finish the story.
Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution by Neil deGrasse Tyson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Yawn! I was looking forward to our personal astrophysicist narrating his own book. But alas, they found the most boring narrator, JD Jackson. I could still hear Neil deGrasse Tyson’s sense of wonder and humor coming through, but if they were hoping to rev up some interest in science, this audiobook falls with my 8 AM monotone chemistry teacher from high school. I have always loved science. When the bus got us kids to school early, I’d run to the library and find Popular Science magazine. And despite Mr. ‘Chem teacher,’ I stayed true to my actual waking hours interests. And this book will not dull my science passion.
That said, I have to admit to being lost a lot. I let the narrator drone on and often found something interesting every now and then. Mr. Tyson, please read to us with your science enthusiasm shining through!
Still, maybe it is due to reading at bedtime? Maybe others will love this audiobook. In this case, I suggest a paper book or Kindle.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am quite the Kristin Hannah fan now. After The Women, I had to read this when it appeared as a suggestion on Libby. Knowing Julia Whelan, the narrator, sealed the deal. She is the most excellent reader. She seems to intuitively read Ms. Hannah’s characters, making the whole story alive and relevant.
Hannah can write historical fiction so that the facts, ‘names and dates’ type of history get lost in following love and family.
After following the book to the conclusion, I was happy to find a bit of discussion about the writing procedure and even Ms. Whelan’s way of narrating. I am still quite interested in that process.
We Baby Boomers can remember hearing about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression from our grandparents and parents. Even though I was forced to read Grapes of Wrath (ugh!) and remember dusty pictures in the history textbooks, this made the historical events real.
I highly recommend this audiobook!
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Carol Burnett (Narrator), Seth Meyers (Narrator), & 6 more,* including the author, actress, and comedienne Amy Poehler, made this probably the best memoir I’ve heard (read?). Yeah, I doubt it was nearly as fun in book form. These guests made the game of writing one’s autobiography nearly impossible to win.
I’m not much of a fan of Saturday Night Live, etc. But I do love experiencing stepping into other people’s lives. It brings about a bit of understanding for the world to see how similar we all are and enjoy individual differences.
I did have to be careful as this was my bedtime book. I about popped my eyeballs as I suppressed laughs. I didn’t want to wake the household. It was fun.
Maybe my favorite part was that Amy didn’t dwell on a tortured childhood. Sure, she had her share of problems, but she seemed to own her mistakes and forgive others’ errors as much as she could, making the book more about living life and things that have worked for her.
This was a Libby audiobook. I’m so grateful for how the libraries help us.
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Sometimes, I finish a Libby book with nothing to read next, and Libby suggested this. I thought, ‘Oooh, a little Italian to read. Not a lot, but it is situated in Italy, so the characters sometimes throw out a few words or cities that make me feel like I am traveling.
And to seal the deal, Marisa Tomei narrated. I felt I couldn’t go wrong.
I was wrong. I’ve been around Italian families and seen the passion of their discussions. Not arguments, disputes of passion. It was uncomfortable to be around, for me. I have never enjoyed conflict of any kind. And I have never seen a mind change during these extreme philosophical dilemmas.
Add in a preteen, and it blows up. Her hormones and anger set fire to the pages. Maybe when I was a raging teen, I would have liked it better. But this was too much. I saved it for my bedtime. Big mistake. I’d be angry with the kid, her parents, aunt, and friends as I drifted into slumberland unprepared.
Marisa Tomei put all the fire required for this reading into every beat of each sentence. For her part, I raised the rating from two to three stars.
Look, all the ratings go from five stars to zero. So, I think everyone comes into the book with their circumstances and upbringing, which can color how we perceive books and everything else in life. So give it a try and see if it’s for you.
My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh my! This was so different than any other memoir. It came at me like my own crazy memories. In and out. Mine are mostly English. But if I were raised with another language spoken around me, it might have sounded like this.
Cousins and relatives played a big part in this book. Exactly like my memories, just different.
If you have a lot of Spanish in your vocabulary, it might be even better. My meager amount barely got me by. At least the author, as she narrated, helped me hear her implications.
I picked up this Audible version after hearing about it on a talk show. I had the spare credit, so grabbed it. I’m thinking I will try to find the paperback so I could I can work on the Spanish more.
Please read some of the more eloquent reviews. Even if you have no Spanish, there is enough to absorb this beautiful story. I’m glad I own it so I can go back and enjoy it and Quiara’s voice and spirit again.
The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline by Dale E. Bredesen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I was in my forties, both of my grandmothers died of Alzheimer’s. As you can imagine, I am working hard to avoid what has been assumed to be my fate. Genetically, I seem to favor the heavier side of the family, so when 2020 warned us to lose weight or get hospitalized with COVID, I went on a fasting diet. After losing 30 pounds, I have kind of plateaued. Even still, in my 18/6 or sometimes 20/4 fast, I am trying to eat as healthy as I can: veggies and a little fruit. I don’t like meat, but I do eat salmon in my daily salad and minimize anything processed. Lots of water or tea. One or two cups of coffee. I have increased my exercise and am trying to get cardio and weights. I’m still not optimum on any of it. I try to get better and better.
Meanwhile I have increased learning a lot of new things. I have 11 languages I’m playing with on Duolingo. There’s a lot of knitting and diamond painting. And I am bringing back my piano playing, learning new songs while awakening old ones I had forgotten. I’ve since started playing recorders, soprano, alto, and tenor. Then I took up the ukulele, and now adding violin. I feel learning new things helps my brain. I work at my sleep hygiene aiming for 7 or 8 hours.
Imagine my surprise to see that I am doing a lot that Dale E. Bredesen recommends in his book. I was able to get the Kindle version through Libby. But now I have ordered the audiobook and my own copy of the paperback. The text-to-speech helped me read the book but I felt I could use a knowledgeable voice to read the technical terminology. And there are charts of the supplements and other aids that I want to be able to follow more closely. So, even after I return the library versions, I will have my own copy to refer to regularly.
I highly recommend this book. It’s quite user-friendly, not too sciency but you can follow the science if you like (I like).
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Can I give this book 20 stars? This was amazing! So many levels and people and places and stories to immerse in!
Abraham Verghese (Author/Narrator) is breathtaking. His writing, knowledge, and ability to voice all the characters so believably from an Indian accent to a Scottish accent, and for a man, his women were varied and respectable, all just astounded me.
I think I saw this recommended on a television show. I was able to pick it up on Libby. I’m so glad I did. But I loved this huge book so much that even though it took me days to read (listen to), I felt at a loss to bid my new friends goodbye. This goes on my wishlist for paperback, Kindle, and Audible versions.
It is a hefty book. But if you plug away at it, you will have lived through several generations and lands. How many books give you that kind of experience?
Please, if you get the chance, read or listen to this one. I doubt you will regret it.
Voice-Over Voice Actor: The Extended Edition by Yuri Lowenthal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The thought of podcasting and/or narrating books has run through my mind a few times, um, a day, for quite a while. I’ve done research and have played with ideas for a while. This book was fun and informative about it all. And the voice-over industry I hadn’t thought of.
The narrating tag team authors, Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt kept the information hopping and interesting. If one can read cartoons, that’s what it felt like at times, as the team has a population of voices between them.
Now, if only I can conquer the stagefright that silences me with distractions and anti-schedules to keep it organized.
I think this is a lot more that can be gleaned from the wisdom these two grant us in this book. And though I have the audiobook, I feel I need the paper copy to visualize much of the information.
THE ADHD ARTIST: STAY FOCUSED, CREATE MORE, LIVE ABUNDANTLY by Earth West
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I don’t know if it was the way the text sounds in text-to-speech as opposed to having narration or if, after a go-getter of a book about the same, this one was dull. Or could it just be that I had overloaded on the subject matter? But I couldn’t get into this book, and much of the information was a repeat of what I’d heard before.
But to give it a good chance I will try to find it on Audible and see if I like it better. I feel that, being a bit of a musician who enjoys artwork, I need more specific information about distraction and hyperfocus within those realms.
Still, I don’t want to discourage others from reading this. It may be just what you need. Or what I may need at another time.
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 100 books for the 2013 Reading Challenge! 115 of 100 (115%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 225 books for the 2012 Reading Challenge! 225 of 225 (100%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 200 books for the 2011 Reading Challenge! 204 of 200 (102%)
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