This post is a continuation of my post from yesterday which you can find here. I'm doing short reviews of all the audiobooks I've listened to since Thanksgiving. Let's get started with the rest of the group (listed in order of listening).
Title: Memory Man
Author: David Baldacci, Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy (narrators)
Published: April 21, 2015 by Hachette Audio
Length: 13 hours 17 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a harcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads
My review:
I admit that this was my first foray into any of Baldacci's books. He was speaking at my local Indie bookstore, so I decided it was time to see what his popularity was all about. While the book was well written, and fast paced, it just wasn't really my kind of book. I'm not a fan of any of those crime shows on tv, and this book would be way more popular amongst those who love the mystery/crime genre. It was engaging enough that I wanted to find out "who dunnit", but I probably won't go out of my way to secure any more books of this type. Narrators were fine, I had no issue with them.
Title: The Lowland
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri, Sunil Malhotra (narrator)
Published: September 24, 2013 by Random House Audio
Length: 13 hours 4 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads
My review:
It's easy to see why this was nominated and received so many awards. I have had this on my shelf for such a long time, and I'm so glad that the opportunity to listen to it came about. A fabulous story about two brothers and their family. Part takes place in India, and part in the US (Rhode Island). Beautifully written, with gorgeous dialog and descriptions of life in the poorer sections of India where unrest is ever present. The narrator was also part of my love for this book, with a soothing Indian accent that flowed effortlessly and was a joy to listen to. The only thing that caused me to bring it down to four stars is that I felt that it dragged just a bit in some places, and I wasn't as interested in all the revolution talk. Despite these minor qualms, it is well worth the read!
Title: We Are Not Ourselves
Author: Matthew Thomas, Mare Winningham (narrator)
Published: August 19, 2014 by Simon and Schuster Audio
Length: 20 hours 51 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a hardcover
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads
My review:
When a book is almost 21 hours long on audio, it's got to be good to receive the coveted 5 stars (only about 10% or less of my books get this in a given year). This book is not going to be fast paced, it's not going to be highly uplifting, and it's not going to make you laugh. It will make you think about many things....the will to better one's station in life, the effect of early Alzheimer's, the relationship between a son and each of his parents, the day to day struggles of a family. This character based novel is wonderfully crafted! My emotions for each of the family members changed many times throughout the course of the novel. Kudos to Mr. Thomas for all the accolades given to this book! I was thrilled with the narrator, I loved Mare Winningham back in her acting days (most notably St. Elmo's Fire!).
Title: The Beach Trees
Author: Karen White, Ki Gottberg and Gin Hammond (narrators)
Published: May 24, 2011 by Listen and Live Audio
Length: 15 hours 10 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperpack
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads
My review:
Good story, even better setting. Two women, one in present time, and one telling her story from the past. I felt maybe this was a bit long, and I wasn't convinced about Monica's reasons for avoiding her family for so many years. I thought there was going to be more made of a certain romance, and although it was hinted at, I was very happy that this did not become a focus of the book. A solid read, but not one that I will probably remember down the road. Narration was good, I enjoyed the narrator of Aimee more than Julie.
Title: A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty
Author: Joshilyn Jackson, Joshilyn Jackson (narrator)
Published: September 25, 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
Length: 12 hours 25 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperback
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads
My review:
Wow, what a difference having the author narrate makes! I've met Ms. Jackson, and she is a spitfire, which is exactly what she brings to this great story! Three generations of women in Alabama with a boatload of secrets, the most notable of which rests with the woman who, due to a stroke, can no longer speak. I loved the Southern charm of this book, the characters were wonderful, and it was a delight to listen to. Quirky southern novel is what Jackson does best, and this one is my favorite of hers so far.
Title: If You Were Here
Author: Jen Lancaster, Jamie Heinlein (narrator)
Published: May 3, 2011 by Penguin Audio
Length: 8 hours 28 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads
My review:
I loved the premise of this novel, and there were many, many laugh out loud moments while listening. However, the home repair gone wrong did start to get old toward the end of the book, and the ending felt rather flat after all the setup to get there. I love Jen Lancaster, but this is my first foray into her novels that are not based on her life. I could definitely see her humor infused into this, but I think the plot just got a bit carried away. Still a winner if you love home repair shows, and need some side splitting laughs. I had no issues with the narration.
Title: Flame Tree Road
Author: Shona Patel, Neil Shah (narrator)
Published: June 10, 2015 by Harlequin Audio
Length: 10 hours 27 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperback
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads
My review:
Another book about India (see The Lowland above), and this one was just as engaging. I love reading about Indian culture, particularly of interest in this book was what happens to women who are widows. The story starts around a family, but then gravitates more to the elder son Biren. The scene descriptions were wonderful, and there were many heart breaking moments amidst the hope for a better future for the young girls of India. Lovely narration, this is a book not to be missed.
And there you have it, I've clearly been listening up a storm for the past couple months. I've discovered how much more I can read when I can listen while doing mundane tasks around the house 🙂
