What fun this novel was! I adored Korean author Miye Lee’s “The DallerGut Dream Department Store”. Shoutout to translator Sandy Joosun Lee because it What fun this novel was! I adored Korean author Miye Lee’s “The DallerGut Dream Department Store”. Shoutout to translator Sandy Joosun Lee because it seemed as though this was written in English.
Lee begins her story with an Author’s Note. She queries: why do we dream? One third of our lives are spent sleeping. Are our dreams subconscious illusions or are they more profound? She created a story about a shopping village where you can only enter when you are asleep. She includes furry Noctilucas who clothes those who arrive naked. Let’s be real, we’ve all had those naked dreams…. But this isn’t about nightmares of realizing you’re giving a company presentation while nude. No, this is a whimsical look at a place where you can purchase a dream of your choice.
Penny, our protagonist, has arrived at the Department Store for an interview. She gets a job at the front desk; each floor has different dream options. As Penny learns the different dream offerings, it becomes a novel of interconnected stories.
One of my favorites was Precognitive Dreams. Those result in Deja Vue moments in waking life. These are dreams that show events that will happen in the future. Conception dreams are precognitive dreams. FYI, one cannot get a precognitive dream that would provide future lottery numbers. You cannot ask for a specific precognitive dream. You just get a dream of something that will happen in the future.
There was a snippet of a dream of eating. It gave many dreamers pleasure. I’ve done that, but it was a nightmare. I was dieting and had a dream that I binged eating too much food, to my horror. It was my nightmare. I never thought of reframing it to a happy dream of eating when I wasn’t allowing myself my high-fat yummy goodies.
Yes, there are uses for bad dreams…your nightmares. What they can do, is makes you less scared. For example, if you are afraid of rats, you’ll have nightmares of rats, until you conquer your fear! Or a recurring dream of taking a test you didn’t study for (guilty).
Each floor of the department store sells specialized dreams such as flying dreams, childhood memories, visiting dead beloved friends or family. Each floor is whimsical and fun.
If you’ve ever pondered dreams, their part in your emotional life, this is an interesting novel. It’s a fun look at dreams, both nightmares and otherwise. Night is the official moment of resolving the past to enter the present and be prepared for the future.
I appreciated translator Joosun Lee’s translator’s note. She admitted it’s a love letter to this book. She read it in Korean, after her sister gave her the book. She loved the unpretentiousness of the story. She loved all the whimsical and beloved characters. She tells of her choices that she made in wording the story including choice in verb tense.
I highly recommend this wonderful story to anyone who loves quirky and sweet stories. Also, if you are a person who would go to a dream store if available, this is the book for you!
2.5 stars Ok, don’t hate me, but I am not as enthused about Canadian author Robyn Harding’s “The Haters” as most. It most likely is because I used the 2.5 stars Ok, don’t hate me, but I am not as enthused about Canadian author Robyn Harding’s “The Haters” as most. It most likely is because I used the audio, with narrators Megan Tusing and Jess Nahikian. Megan Tusing portrayed protagonist Camryn (Cam) Lane as whiny, annoyingly whiny. While I appreciated the jest of the story, and the frightening problem that is real, internet trolls, and the lack of capacity to do anything to stop internet trolls, the message was loss in the delivery.
Cam is a high school guidance counselor by day, aspiring author by free time. She just published a novel and has attained a publisher and publishing team. She’s a divorced mother, sharing custody of her high school daughter with her ex. She’s got a boyfriend, 9 years her junior. Her ex and his wife live close by to make it easy for her daughter. Her new book has a teen protagonist who is living on the streets, getting by with her gumption.
Cam’s book has been available for sale for a few days, and she initially got great reviews. But one reviewer accused her of using her job as a Guidance Counsellor as fodder for her book, exploiting the students in her care. Long story short, there is a snowball effect, and her ratings drop significantly. There seems to be one internet troll who is making it her life’s mission to destroy Cam.
Kuddos to Harding for exposing how much power book influencers have. Goodreads had a problem with that a while back. Harding shows what little influence authors have over bogus reviews, or reviews that are out of line. Furthermore, even if the internet troll is identified, little can be done.
One huge niggle I had, while listening, is the repeated use of the phrase “why does she hate me?” To me, Cam sounded like my daughter when she was in middle school and high school…the excessive use of the word “hate”; Cam sounded like a high schooler, rather than a high school guidance counsellor(the whiny tone added to the immaturity).
Another slight niggle was that Harding also included excerpts from Cam’s “Burnt Orchid”, the book in question. I’m not sure what the point of including the excerpts was, other than to prove to the reader that Cam was not pilfering from her student’s lives, as she was accused of. What also seemed off about Cam was her strange behaviors. She did some juvenile things while attempting to discover who the troll was. She became a hysterical trainwreck. I wouldn’t want my kid to be counselled by such a person; she was unhinged.
The ending was impressive. I suspected a few different people as the troll. I was wrong. I do enjoy being duped. The mastermind behind the intent to hurt Cam was a surprise, although some of the extenuating factors (some who were part of the scheme) was not a surprise.
My rating is for the audio. I believe that if Cam was portrayed more emotionally strong, which one would expect from a school guidance counsellor, this could have been a stellar audio....more
3.5 stars I was not a fan of narrator Kate Reading’s performance in “Barriers to Entry”, written by Ariel Lawhon. I enjoyed her latest novel, “The Froz3.5 stars I was not a fan of narrator Kate Reading’s performance in “Barriers to Entry”, written by Ariel Lawhon. I enjoyed her latest novel, “The Frozen River” and eagerly purchased this short story, one in the Blaze Collection. The Blaze Collection is about incendiary women who dare to defy convention.
This short story showcases Frances Glessner Lee. Ms. Lee is recognized as the “godmother of forensic science”. A bit of background: She was the country’s first female police captain and the creator of the “Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death”. What she did is create dollhouse-sized crime scene dioramas as inventive tools in solving crimes. She created the “Nutshells” during the 1940’s to help train forensic investigators. She constructed domestic interiors, including the blood-stained figures, blood spatters, in the diorama which included details, such as the exact books in the bookcase, blankets on the floor, lights that were on and were off. She found her passion for forensics through one of her brother’s friends, George Burgess Magrath. Magrath was a professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School. He persuaded Ms. Lee to fund the nation’s first university department of legal medicine at Harvard. This is where the story begins.
It's 1945, and Frances (aged 67) has six men to whom she will be instructing. A couple of the men are aghast that a woman is the instructior. Lawhon writes Lee with clever humor. Lee sees the way some of the men regard her. She muses the one of the wary men was one of those men who “were born to wear boat shoes.” Another wary man has “the third” in his moniker. She thinks, “the 3rd always wants to be in charge”. She’s a funny woman. Lee decides to pair them, one medical student and one detective. She wants the medical students to think like a detective, and the detective to look at medical evidence, to think like a doctor.
At the beginning narrator Kate Reading informs the listener that there are photos of the real dioramas and suggests that the listener find them online (search: three room dwelling by Frances Lee) while listening to the story. I did, and it added to the story. While the 3 teams attempted to solve the murders, we can follow along as they build their cases.
I started this listen 3 times and finished it because I wanted to know the story. The narrator grated on me, but I persevered because I wanted to know more about this woman! The story deserves 5 stars. The narrator, 2 stars. The author’s notes are the best parts of the story. It’s an hour and 15 minute listen. ...more
Brittany Pressley can elevate any story as a narrator and Audible along with author J.T Ellison knows this. Ellison is a skilled literary author of thBrittany Pressley can elevate any story as a narrator and Audible along with author J.T Ellison knows this. Ellison is a skilled literary author of the thriller, mystery, and suspense genre. She is adept at building tension in her narrative. With a great narrator who adds to the tension, Audible has a winner.
“These Cold Strangers” is a short story in the Audible’s “We Could Be Heroes” which is a collection of short stories that examines heroic intentions versus their real-life consequences. Ms. Pressley narrates the voice of Addison Blake.
Addison is a reporter in the Washington DC area. She left her hometown after her family was butchered by her old boyfriend. Addison wasn’t home; she snuck out to score some drugs. Her guilt from that night scared her straights and caused her to avoid her hometown at all costs.
This changes when she sees a grainy footage of a man resuscitating another man who was left for dead. A multitude of people just walked by this dying man, without pause. Only 1 man stopped and tried to resuscitate him. That man vaporized after the event. No one knows the man’s identity, and the press wants to honor him. When Addison sees the footage, she recognizes the man; he’s from her high school. She wants to build her career and believes if she can get this guy to talk to her on the record, her career will take off.
Ellis writes a tight suspense story, only 90 minutes long. Addison ruefully returns to her hometown and must confront her past. The trip though, causes her to confront more than her history.
Excellent story. Excellent narrator. I am a huge fan of the audible collections of short stories.
Irish author Claire Keegan captures the seedy underbelly of Irish male misogamy in “So Late in the Day”. I listened to her incredibly short (50 mins) Irish author Claire Keegan captures the seedy underbelly of Irish male misogamy in “So Late in the Day”. I listened to her incredibly short (50 mins) short story about a man, Cathal (FYI the name sounds like the name Carl), who contemplates how he got to where he is. If he had a different father, would that have made a difference? Bleak. Ms. Keagan narrates. It’s an amazing listen, but don’t give it a shot if you don’t want to be left crushed....more
“Sandwich” by author Catherine Newman is a double entendre title. This takes place in Sandwich, MA, on Cape Cod. Yet, it’s also about the “Sandwich ge“Sandwich” by author Catherine Newman is a double entendre title. This takes place in Sandwich, MA, on Cape Cod. Yet, it’s also about the “Sandwich generation”: those who are the parents of just launching adults and at the same time the child of declining senior parents. Those who are 50 years or older, who feel the need to parent both their parents, and their emerging adult children will identify with this story, especially if you have children that are now curious about your life when you dated or curious about your marriage. Oh, and Rocky does make a lot of sandwiches on this trip. A triple entendre perhaps?
This is compared to Ann Patchett’s “Tom Lake” in that it takes place in one location, with adult children who decide this is a great time to get to know their parent’s history, or particularly their mother’s. Do you ever finish a book and think there aren’t enough stars to express your pleasure? Or a book that makes you reconsider all your previous ratings and want to knock them down a star? I rated “Tom Lake” 5 stars. This exceeds “Tom Lake”.
Rachel, AKA Rocky, is in her mid 50’s. She and her husband have taken their family to The Cape for a couple of decades to vacation. This year, her son brings his girlfriend for whom he’s been dating for over 5 years. She’s part of the family. Her daughter, a few years younger, is adorable. She finds a girlfriend there (she’s gay) and gleefully enjoys her week of vacation.
I listened to the audio, narrated by Nan McNamara who was outstanding. I adored the voice she used for Willa, the daughter. Every time Willa said in an exaggerated voice, “MOM!”, I heard my own daughter. In fact, Rocky muses that the statement “OH MY GOD MOM!” should be etched onto her tombstone. I so relate to that. I believe that’s both my children’s battle cry.
Rocky waxes poetically about menopause. If you’ve had the opportunity to see the musical, “Menopause, the Musical” and thought it was hilarious, and accurate to boot, you will enjoy Rocky’s musings. She discusses her dry vaginal issues (men be forewarned), the need for everything to be biopsied. Oh, and the “vintage brown skin” that we all seem to acquire, and let’s not go into “liver spots”. I understood her agony. Luckily for me, I didn’t have her history for getting pregnant. Although I didn’t identify with some of her reproductive issues, I had compassion. Newman wrote Willa so amazingly well. Although Rocky didn’t want to divulge much, Willa was a compassionate listener.
When Rocky’s parents arrive, Newman writes them accurately. Rocky’s father asks Willa, “Why do I have so much Spam in my Spam folder?” Willa replies, “I don’t know Grandpa, is it because it’s for Spam?” He retorts, “Well I don’t like it.” Willa offers to show him how to delete his spam, but Grampa states “I don’t care enough about it to learn how to delete.” I swear this happened with my father-in-law.
Many revelations are made during this family vacation. Rocky narrates this beauty, and McNamara’s performance voicing Rocky made this a magnificent audio. Newman’s characters are well educated, well-adjusted, and happy. Rocky has her anger moments, but her rage is tinged with humor.
Author Catherine Newman is a self-described “55-year-old white half Jewish cis queer menopausal woman. I am neither half Jewish (although my husband is Jewish), nor queer. Yet, I identified with so much in this short novel. It’s short of a 6 hour listen, and I was sad when it ended. I’d love to be Rocky’s friend.
“Jackpot Summer” by Elyssa Friedland is a fun, light, and silly summer read. I chose the audio format with Therese Plummer narrating. Her pe3.5 stars:
“Jackpot Summer” by Elyssa Friedland is a fun, light, and silly summer read. I chose the audio format with Therese Plummer narrating. Her performance elevated the story for me. If you haven’t had a chance to try her, you are missing out!
Friedland starts the story with 4 blurbs of lottery winners, and their ultimate demise. They are cautionary tale vignettes. And then we are introduced to the Fantastic Foursome, the four Jacobson siblings: Sophie, Laura, Noah, and Matthew.
Their widower father is selling their childhood home on the Jersey Shore. The siblings unite to help their father get ready to move to Florida and sell their house. Each sibling has their own personal issue, mostly financial. Matthew and his wife are financially sound, but Matthew hates his corporate lawyer job. Both he and his wife are on partner track. Laura is married to a dentist, but it appears he could be cheating. Sophie is a struggling artis. Noah, the baby, just can’t get his adult life together and is scraping by doing cheap tech support.
Noah decides to try his luck at the Power Ball Lottery. He asks his siblings if they want him to purchase a ticket for them. All but Matthew contributes funds for Noah to purchase tickets. Long story short, one of their tickets is one of the two winning tickets. Hence, three of the four siblings are millionaires…awkward!
After receiving their portions, each sibling goes on with their lives, but not with the same sibling dynamics. In their joy of winning, purchasing stuff, and living large, they find that their lives are even more empty than before the win!
Plummer did an excellent job voicing the characters. There is much discussion fodder: what would you do if you won the lottery? The sibling relationships are interesting. Their changing relationship with their father had some snort-worthy moments. Laura’s concern for the state of her marriage is relatable. Noah, as the family baby is typical in his failure to launch. Sophie’s struggle to gain notice in the art world has embarrassing moments.
This is a warm and funny story. I laughed out loud. I call this pure book candy! Rating based on the genre....more
Thank you, GR friend Ann, for reviewing “Dressed for a Dance in the Snow: Women’s voices from the Gulag” by Monika Zgustova and translated by Julie JoThank you, GR friend Ann, for reviewing “Dressed for a Dance in the Snow: Women’s voices from the Gulag” by Monika Zgustova and translated by Julie Jones.
Zgustova felt that there is an omission of the accounts of female prisoners who were sent to the Gulag during Stalin’s reign. Many historical documents have been written about male prisoners, but few have taken efforts in finding women who suffered as political prisoners in the Gulag. Spanish author and translator Monika Zgustova took oral histories of nine women. These women were sent for knowing someone whom Stalin deemed an enemy of Russia, or, for being adjacent to an alleged enemy. One woman was late for work because of train issues. Each woman tells her story. What each woman had used for survival were literature and friendship. Books (always pilfered) and poetry fortified them.
Zgustova introduces each woman by describing the women’s apartments, kitchens, or living rooms and their initial interactions. And then she allows the women free flow in thought while recalling their time in Siberia.
The best known of the group is Olga Emelyanova who was sent with her daughter Irina. Olga, the inspiration of “Lara” in “Doctor Zhivago, was the girlfriend of Boris Pasternak, the author of “Doctor Zhivago”. Irina was sent for receiving foreign currency from the royalties from “Doctor Zhivago”. Zayara Vesiolaya, the daughter of author Artem Vesyolya was sent for being his daughter.
Actress Valentina Iyeveleva was sent after her father was executed as an enemy of the people. She informs the reader that women, even pregnant, worked as loggers in frigid temperatures. Galya Safonova was born in the gulag. She still has the hand-sewn books that were gifted to her by other women prisoners; it’s her greatest treasure.
This is a collection of oral histories recorded in 2008. Zgustova notes that the women hold their memories because of the unimaginable circumstances. The survivors are all strong women who found ways to feed their soul, either through poetry, literature, or friendship. Although the stories are soul-crushing, their survival stories are uplifting as testaments to the human spirit. Each woman is an avid book collector, some with books piled from the floor to the ceiling.
I chose the audio version, narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya. I was not a fan of Araya’s performance. I wanted a different voice with different inflections. My husband and I listened to this while traveling cross country. We both thought it was very interesting and informative, but nether of us enjoyed the narrator. This was a more difficult listen for my husband. He got depressed.
As an aside, my son is married to a Russian woman. When I talked to her about the book, she said her Great grandma was sent because she was 2 minutes late for work. But she was there less than 2 years; my daughter-in-law shrugged it off. In her mind it wasn’t that bad. Her Great Grandma still loved Stalin! Apparently, most of the people loved him because they thought he improved Russia. My American mind can’t wrap my head around that.
Rating: 1.5 stars for narration. 4 stars for content. ...more
Thank you, GR friend Linda who reviewed Mick Herron’s, “Slow Horses: Slough House Book 1”. This has been made into an Apple TV series, staring Gary OlThank you, GR friend Linda who reviewed Mick Herron’s, “Slow Horses: Slough House Book 1”. This has been made into an Apple TV series, staring Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, the main protagonist. Kristin Scott Thomas is Diana Taverner (aka Lady Di). Those two actors are perfectly cast, in my humble opinion.
Slough House is an administrative purgatory for M15 intelligence officers who basically messed up. The motley bunch are referred to as “slow horses”. The hope is that the tediousness will motivate them to quit. Jackson Lamb runs the group of misfits. Jackson is disheveled, rude (passes flatulence loudly and constantly). He’s the definition of sloven. Gary Oldman is perfect.
The story opens with River Cartwright being the fall guy for a training exercise blunder. Lamb assigns him to carry out surveillance on a journalist who allegedly is associated with far-right politicians. River’s grandfather, a M15 legend, issues him a warning that this assignment could blow up in his face, and because it’s a Slough House assignment, most likely the M15 are using him. Herron sets up this thriller with a hint of betrayal.
Meanwhile, a British-Pakistani student is kidnapped by the far-right group, Sons of Albion who announce that they will behead him on livestream at sunrise. No ransom has been issued. Just a promise. Now where is this student being held? Who’s behind this and why?
The rag-tag team at Slough House determine there could be connections between what they are doing, observing the maybe-crooked journalist. If they crack this case, maybe they’ll get out of the pits of the Slough House and redeem themselves.
This is a highly entertaining thriller. Herron’s prose is witty and at time snarky. My husband and I listened to the audio while driving cross country. We were constantly snickering. Many snarky comments are said as an aside, almost under breath. We rewound a lot just to make sure we enjoyed it completely. The banter alone is reason to read/listen to the book.
Gerald Doyle narrates this 11-hour audio. This is book 1 in a 8 book series. Apple TV is about to release Season 4. When we finish this trip, we shall watch Season 1.
It’s road trip time, and that mean’s road trip book club. One of the genres my husband and I agree upon is the thriller genre. We have not read any of
It’s road trip time, and that mean’s road trip book club. One of the genres my husband and I agree upon is the thriller genre. We have not read any of Edgar Award-Winning Author Meg Gardiner’s work, and her “Unsub” series is highly rated. It clocks in at 12 hours, so sounds good!
Gardiner grabs you from the start with a dark foreshadowing prologue. Twenty years later, Caitlin Hendrix is a narcotics detective in the San Francisco Bay area. A serial killer re-emerges. The reader will learn much about Mercury, from the planet, the element, the astrological meanings attributed to Mercury. The ancient sign for Mercury, the killer’s signature, is etched into the victim’s flesh. Caitlin is familiar with the unsub because her father was the one who identified the kills as the same suspect. All murders seemed random except for the Mercury sign.
Listening to this book reminded me of the TV show, “Criminal Minds”. The same sort of OTT scenes occurs in this book, but you don’t care! You are there for the ride. There are cryptic clues which leads the investigators to classic literature references. As the clues accumulate, Caitlin must find where the clues are leading.
I asked my husband for feedback, and he said: “A great read for long trips in the car. Captivated my attention from the start. I enjoyed it.”
Hillary Huber narrates the story. At first, I didn’t think she was the right fit. After listening for a time, I got into her voice, and I enjoyed her performance.
Both my husband and I give it a solid 4.5 stars for sheer entertainment. ...more
3.5 stars: It is amazing that Ireland didn’t allow divorces until 1995. The fear that people would leave their marriages in droves if divorce was allow3.5 stars: It is amazing that Ireland didn’t allow divorces until 1995. The fear that people would leave their marriages in droves if divorce was allowed, plus the Catholic Church’s stronghold on the country, kept the government from legalizing divorce. It was the women who struggled and had little agency over their lives as a result.
Author Alan Murrin penned a fictional account of three women, all with unhappy marriages, who live doleful lives in a gossipy, intolerant, small town in Ireland.
One brave woman, Collette, had an affair and left her husband and three sons. When the affair ended, she came back to her small town in hopes of establishing relationships with her sons. This is a small town, and the townsfolk are cruel and judgmental. Her husband (she is not divorced) will not allow her to see her boys.
When Collette returns, she befriends Izzy, who also endures a troubled marriage. Collette is a poet. For cash, she decides to offer writing lessons, which Izzy attends. Izzy helps Collette see one of her sons. Izzy’s husband is a government official, and controls Izzy’s life. Izzy suffers from bouts of depression after her husband took her florist store away from her.
Dolores is a mother of three and married to a womanizer. She discovers she’s pregnant again at the start of the novel. Dolores’s marriage is stifling. Her husband constantly criticizes and belittles her. Collette rents a cottage from Dolores and her husband; they didn’t want to lease to her, but they need the money.
It’s 1994, and there is talk of legalizing divorce. It is through Izzy and her conversations with the local parish priest that the reader learns of Ireland’s potential legalization of divorce. What Murrin has done is shown how repressive life was for women in Ireland at that time. The story is bleak, and it is Murrin’s prose that kept me engaged. Also, it does have a “soap opera” feel to it which makes it into a page-turner.
I listened to the audio, which was close to 8 hours long, narrated by Jessica Regan. Regan did a fine job.
“Agent 355” by Marie Benedict and narrated by Emily Rankin is an audible original production about a female spy in the late 1700’s. Benedict is known “Agent 355” by Marie Benedict and narrated by Emily Rankin is an audible original production about a female spy in the late 1700’s. Benedict is known for her historical fiction stories of women who changed history. Agent 355 is an unknown woman who worked as a spy who is thought to have a major role in exposing Benedict Arnold. Because this agent is, to this day, still unknown, Marie Benedict used her imagination to create her protagonist and the situations under which she lived.
I’ve become a fan of Audible Originals. The sound production and the attention to production details make these short stories a pleasure to listen to.
I recommend this because it’s an interesting piece of history that is brought to life with a fantastic imagination....more
“We’re made of stories, and if you don’t know them, the ones that make us, how can we be fully realized? How can we be who we really are?”
T3.5 stars:
“We’re made of stories, and if you don’t know them, the ones that make us, how can we be fully realized? How can we be who we really are?”
That is protagonist Charles Lamosway’s battle cry in Morgan Talty’s “Fire Exit”. Talty explores the gritty existence in Maine’s Penobscot reservation: loneliness, longing, alcoholism, guilt, grief, heritage, dementia, amongst others. Charles is a white man who was raised on the reservation his whole life. His mother, who is white, raised Charles on the reservation with her Penobscot Indian husband. Hence, Charles identifies as Indian in his soul as he loved his stepfather and his life on the reservation. Yet, the tribe doesn’t acknowledge him because he has no Penobscot blood. Talty writes “To think that the reservation is what makes an Indian and Indian is to massacre all over again the Natives who do not populate it.”
As the story opens, Charles is in his late 50’s, living across the river from the reservation. He can see his daughter Elizabeth, who he fathered out of wedlock. Mary, Elizabeth’s mother, convinced Charles that he could not claim paternity. Their daughter would not be recognized by the tribe as being full blooded, and she would not receive the benefits afforded from the reservation. Charles himself was evicted from the reservation once he turned 18. Only full-blooded Penobscot can live on reservation, or those who have married full-blooded natives.
Charles also has guilt that he is suffering. He is estranged from his mother, who is suffering from dementia. She blames him for Charles’ stepfather’s death. We learn that Charles has had his bought with alcoholism which adds additional guilt.
Charles past has a strong hold on his present. Charles contemplates his past and how it has affected his present life. He has many regrets. His number one regret is that he doesn’t know his daughter. He wants her to know her heritage, her background.
This is a grand story about culture and identity. It’s about grief and longing and belonging. I recommend this for those interested in learning more about Indigenous cultures in the USA.
I listened to the audio, narrated by Darrell Dennis. He did a fine job....more
This was one crazy story! Author Alyssa Cole writes an interesting story with a protagonist who is plagued with dissociative identity disorde2.5 stars
This was one crazy story! Author Alyssa Cole writes an interesting story with a protagonist who is plagued with dissociative identity disorder (DID). Ken, short for Kenetria, is the main “identity”, but when she goes dormant, she doesn’t’ know what the other identities have been up to. As the story opens, she awakens after being dormant for 6 years, and she discovers one of the other identities (alters) must have accepted a job at a creepy castle on an island in the Hudson River. She is perplexed as to how she got here. There’s a gothic feel to this thriller. An isolated island…a storm is approaching…a creepy castle….an unsettling feeling…
Given all the alters (different personalities), just keeping track of all the different characters was a chore. What I did enjoy is that Cole shows that it’s generally trauma that creates DID, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that all those with DID are serial killers. All the alters serve a purpose. Ken is under psychiatric care, so through her, the reader/listener learns about the disorder.
Most thrillers are predictable and follow a formula. Cole writes something incredibly original. Am I glad I stuck with it? Yes. Would I recommend this to the average thriller reader? No. This is one funky, yet satisfying in the end, read. ...more
“Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life” by Helen Fisher is a beautifully written gentle read. Joe Nuthin is reminiscent of the innocent, sweet, earnest Forrest G“Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life” by Helen Fisher is a beautifully written gentle read. Joe Nuthin is reminiscent of the innocent, sweet, earnest Forrest Gump. Both Joe and Forrest are blessed with mothers who provided the most secure, kind environment possible for their sons. As with Forrest, the reader understands how Joe sees the world…with few or no filters.
What I appreciated in Fisher’s story is that she did not rely on overwrought emotional circumstances to tug at our heartstrings. Fisher told a story of a neurodivergent man who was fortunate enough to have caring parents. His mother, understanding that she most likely will die before Joe, did all she could to help him navigate life when he was alone. She worked with him on how he could find a community, how he could live a good, decent life. She always told him that he didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Remember the famous Forrest Gump line “Life is like a box of chocolates”? Well, Joe’s mom wrote Joe a yellow book of advice for him to consult if he ever has questions. There’s a Blue book as well. The entries in the books of advice are charming and thought-provoking, without being overly mawkish.
I chose the audio, which a perfect format for this story. Alex Wingfield narrates this 10 hour and 27-minute book. It was a perfect book for my mood. I needed a sweet, gentle story that was not only life-affirming, but showed what kindness, understanding, and compassion can do to make all our lives better. It was perfect for me as I did my chores, especially housework. Need to deep clean your tiles? Get a great audio…. ...more
I am enjoying the Audible Original short stories. It’s a fantastic way to sample author’s writing styles.
Paula McLain was asked by Audible for a shorI am enjoying the Audible Original short stories. It’s a fantastic way to sample author’s writing styles.
Paula McLain was asked by Audible for a short story, and she decided to fulfill her interest in writing an historical fiction account of Georgia O’Keeffe. McLain focuses her story on one transformative summer in O’Keefe’s life, when O’Keeffe was searching for a way to live her life authentically.
Cynthia Nixon brilliantly narrates the 1 hour and 22-minute short story. In that short time, the listener feels O’Keeffe’s frustration with her lot in life in 1929. Women were not allowed independence that men were afforded. She decides to go to New Mexico, alone, to find her creative spirit.
I didn’t know much about O’Keeffe prior to listening to this short story. I am now motivated to learn more about her life. ...more
3.5 stars: Oh Marie Benedict, you have me googling historically remarkable women even with your short story! In “Amelia’s Shadow” Benedict illuminates 3.5 stars: Oh Marie Benedict, you have me googling historically remarkable women even with your short story! In “Amelia’s Shadow” Benedict illuminates the pioneering woman of flight, Ruth Nichols. Ruth Nichols was the only woman to hold simultaneously the women's world speed, altitude, and distance records for heavy landplanes. She soloed in a flying boat and received her pilot's license after graduating from Wellesley College in 1924, becoming the first woman in New York to do so
Ruth and Amelia Earhart were neighbors in Rye NY, and both were charter and founding members of the Ninety-Nines. Benedict used her imagination and created a closer friendship than probable.
This is a short story from Amazon’s Blaze Collection. The collection is a series of short stories about incendiary women across the decades who dare to defy convention. Well, Ruth Nichols sure embodied that description.
Thank you Ms. Benedict for educating me in yet another, little-known woman of history who deserve more accolades! ...more
What fun I had listening to Kaliane Bradley’s genre defying story, “The Ministry of Time”. It’s part science fiction, speculative fiction, rom/com, spWhat fun I had listening to Kaliane Bradley’s genre defying story, “The Ministry of Time”. It’s part science fiction, speculative fiction, rom/com, spy thriller, and drama. Time travel, when done right, is intriguing. Bradley’s idea: take unsuspecting historical figures, bring them to current day London to assimilate to modern day. What could go wrong?
The Ministry of Time is a government department, highly secret, that found a way to “gather” (read extract) different historical figures. One such figure is Commander Graham Gore who was an officer on the 1845 Artic expedition led by Sir John Franklin (a real expedition and real historical characters). Others extracted: an army captain from Somme; a plague victim from the 1600s; a soldier from the 1600’s; and a widow from revolutionary France. These historical figures are called “expats” and the Ministry has placed them with “bridges” or liaisons. The bridges are to help the expats adjust to modern times. Author Bradley has some fun with this.
Bradley focuses on Commander Gore and his bridge, our unnamed narrator. The bridge was told she’d be working with refugees of high-interest status. She didn’t realize she’d be working with refugees of time. She was also told that they, the expats, think of themselves as kidnap victims.
Gore died in 1845 during his expedition to the Arctic. He was a military man. Now he must adjust and live with an unmarried woman! Gasp! All the expats are encouraged to socialize with each other for support. Each expat has interesting journeys. Each came from a different time, living in a drastically different culture. Now, they must adapt to more than a change in culture, they need to be updated to the political changes in the world. So, the story begins with quirky “fish out of water” characters trying to make sense of this new reality.
Beyond learning about modern plumbing, Gore learns how to ride a bike. He is flabbergasted at women’s independence. It comes close to mad cap comedy when the different expats explore the new world.
But the reason to read this is Bradley’s keen wit. At one time, the narrator thinks “She looked unwell, but who knows what her plastic surgeon thought she should look like” when talking to her boss. In a different scene, Gore quips “I think this era ascribes too much importance to what people consider themselves in private…ridiculous to make an identity out of habits” when he learns of the sexual revolution (gay, straight, lesbian etc.). When introduced to her boss, the narrator thinks “she had an eye patch and blond hair the same color and texture as hay.” Furthermore, Bradley writes “the Vice Secretary of God knows what, tucked a blond strand behind her ear with an audible crunch. When thinking of her Buddhist mother’s influence on her career: “Regrettably she also drilled the karmic repercussions of gossip and lying into me — the fourth Buddhist precept is unambiguous on this—and thus at the age of eight my political career was over before it began. —and thus at the age of eight my political career was over before it began.” Bradley has beautiful prose as well as clever quips. A couple of examples: ** Language informed experience .. we did not simply describe but create our world ** Forgiveness and hope are the time travelers: they let you change your life
** Past and trauma determine your future
This becomes a spy thriller when it appears someone is messing with the expats. It’s very clever.
Now to the romance. It was a bit too steamy and spicey for me, but it wasn’t distracting. Was it necessary? It added to the differences in sexual norms and morality of the different time periods. But I believe it was Bradley having some fun.
The BBC has commissioned the book for a six-part drama series, which is produced by A24 for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series will be distributed internationally by A24.
The audio is narrated by Katie Leung and George Weightman. Both did a fine job. It’s 10 hours and 22 minutes long.
The incredibly talented Cassandra Campbell narrates Claire Messud’s autofiction tome “This Strange Eventful History”. The audio is over 16 hours in leThe incredibly talented Cassandra Campbell narrates Claire Messud’s autofiction tome “This Strange Eventful History”. The audio is over 16 hours in length, covering seven decades, of this French family without a homeland. Ms. Campbell’s expansive linguistic skills including different accents, cadence, voice inflections, of the varying characters in the story made this a remarkable listening experience.
Messud’s paternal grandfather handwrote a memoir for his granddaughters. She used the memoir as an outline for her fictional story. She includes the French colonization of different countries, such as Algeria, in addition to WWII and Germany’s assault on France which adds to the displacement of Messaud’s fictious family, the Cassar’s.
Although the family history begins in 1927 with Gaston Cassar marrying the love of his life, 13 years his senior (which the reader learns more about in the epilogue), Lucienne, the story opens in June of 1940 when the Germans conquered Paris. At the time, Gaston is serving at the consulate in Greece. His wife Lucienne and their two children have fled Greece and are in their family home in Algeria. History intervenes again when Algeria won independence from France in 1962, and the family was exiled.
Messud allots time and space for each family member, including the granddaughters. Francois and Denise are Gaston and Lucienne’s children. Francois marries Barbara and they have two daughters. Each of these characters are relegated to their own personal story in which the reader become involved.
Again, it was Cassandra Campbell’s theatrical skills that kept me listening. Messaud’s writing shows how political history, along with personal choices, affects lives, certainly her family’s lives.
I highly recommend the audio. The story is perfect for narration. While Campbell narrated, I pictured clearly in my mind, the story. This would make a fine film....more
2.5 stars: Expectations worked for me here! Most reviewers of “Cut and Thirst” a short story by Margaret Atwood, were very disappointed. So, I went int2.5 stars: Expectations worked for me here! Most reviewers of “Cut and Thirst” a short story by Margaret Atwood, were very disappointed. So, I went into it expecting to be disappointed.
Was I? No because I thought it would be terrible. It’s a clever story about three devoted friends who want to avenge their friend Fern. A group of malicious male poets undermined Fern’s writing career. At the time Fern wanted to be a poet, but she needed to pivot into writing romance.
These three women meet every Thursday for wine and cheese. At these soirées they plot how they will take vengeance. It’s funny. No one wants to get caught, but they do want some humiliation or at least bodily pain. Ex-Lax anyone?
This is an audible original, 1 hr and 2 mins long, narrated by Joyce Bean. It works because it’s only an hour. Bean does a great job. ...more
Loading...
