The Candid Cover

Laugh out loud moments despite the tough issues!

Revisado: 12-29-16

There were some real laugh out loud moments in the book and I could easily relate to Greg, the main character. Greg is one of those guys in high school that is well liked, but never really fits into a particular group of friends. It is through Greg’s interactions with Rachel, the dying girl, and Earl that Greg suddenly realizes the importance of friendship.

Unfortunately, this is where I start to lose interest in the book. Now don’t get me wrong, the storyline and characters are very well developed. It is the vulgar content and language in the novel that really turned me off. I will concede that this is a young adult novel and there are young adults who act and speak with great crudeness. I, however, found it to be a bit over the top and it actually lessened my enjoyment of an otherwise fantastic book.

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Epic and gripping dystopian!

Revisado: 12-29-16

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey is an epic dystopian novel that is gripping, well-written and makes the reader think about the world around us.

First of all, how can one not fall in love with the amazing The 5th Wave series created by Rick Yancey? The frightening world that earth becomes when aliens have taken over the planet is realistically written through alternating perspectives, which gives the reader a very well-rounded impression of the scenes in the story. The major character in the novel, Cassie, is an average teenager who must turn into a quick thinking assassin in a race against time and to save her life. The reader is sucked into this alternate world that earth has become and is made to contemplate how the world we live in and our existence is a precious gift.

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Touching tale of innocence!

Revisado: 12-29-16

The Little Prince is one childhood book that everyone should revisit. The touching tale of the innocence of childhood, friendship and loss is presented in a way that children can relate to, but there is so much that can be taken and learned as adults from this beautifully written story.

The audiobook edition of The Little Prince is a well narrated story and really captures the attention of the listener. Although one must research the drawings that are included in the print edition to fully understand the context of the story, the audio version is one not to be missed. In a mere two hours, you can listen to the entire book and be mesmerized by the main characters, the aviator and the Little Prince. The listener can really get a feel for the emotions and the bonds that form between the various characters in the book through Humphrey Bower’s gorgeous voice and impressive ability to make his audience feel empathy and understanding of the message in the book.

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Classic Roald Dahl to warm your heart!

Revisado: 12-29-16

If you have ever read a book written by Roald Dahl, you will know exactly what I mean when I say that this story is classic Dahl. There is a fantastical world that the reader can get lost in, wonderful and vividly described characters and humorous word play. In the audio version narrated by David Williams, we are given a voice to these relatable characters that makes the listener feel like part of the story.

I have always enjoyed Roald Dahl’s novels and they bring back so many amazing childhood memories of my first reading experiences. Listening to David Williams bring the BFG, Sophie, and the Queen to life is an incredible adventure that makes this story that much more colourful. His vocal characterizations are prefect and they way he pronounces the plethora of made-up words in this book are so amusing. The special effects in the background also add another layer to the listening experience that will help the listener to envision the happenings in the book with greater intensity. While I can see that there may be some terrifying moments for children in this book, somehow the humour and the fact that the BFG (Big Friendly Giant) is so lovable, give the listener a sense of security.

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Fast paced and full of humour!

Revisado: 12-29-16

When you are in the mood to read (or listen) to a fun, upbeat and all round humorous book, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist will fit the bill. Written by co-authors Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, this book will have you wishing for a whirlwind of a night like Nick and Norah have.

First of all, I have read a few books written by both Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I love how rich and full of excitement these stories are. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist is a fast-paced book that takes place over a short period of time. The alternating perspectives in this particular book really add a wonderful flavour to the story and gives the listener quite a bit to digest as a new way of seeing the events unfolding is brought forth. I absolutely adored Norah’s character and her raw, edgy personality makes you laugh out loud as you are listening. Card and Heyborne both magically bring the characters to life with their narrations, making this one of my favourite audiobooks that I have listened to this year.

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A witty and interesting look at anxiety disorders.

Revisado: 09-10-16

A hilarious book with a family that is comical, Finding Audrey is one of the best books of 2015. It contains a clever, goal-oriented main character and plenty of humour. This book is a pleasant change from typical YA novels.

Finding Audrey is one of the funniest young adult books I’ve ever read! The main character, Audrey, is so sarcastic and constantly makes witty remarks that made me laugh out loud! Though the book may seem like a typical “sick-lit” novel, it doesn’t focus too much on Audrey’s anxiety. Whenever there is a sad moment in the book, a hilarious scene immediately follows it. Kinsella really knows how to pull at the reader’s heart strings and then turn it all around until your belly aches from laughter!

One of my favourite things about Finding Audrey is the family dynamic. Sophie Kinsella has created an amazing cast of characters in this book. Audrey’s family is actually pretty relatable. Her brother is obsessed with a popular video game and never takes his headphones out. The mom is over-protective and in love with The Daily Mail, a magazine offering advice that is false, unhelpful, and the rest of the family despises. She is probably one of my favourite characters in the book! Her lack of knowledge about popular culture is so entertaining to read about. She is also sharp-tempered, as the reader finds out in chapter one, when she tries to throw Audrey’s brother’s computer out the window.

I really enjoyed how Audrey has set goals for herself in an attempt to alleviate her fears. She tries to cure her anxiety by completing activities, such as going into Starbucks. Linus, her brother’s friend is also supportive and encourages her to go up to people and start a conversation of his choosing that is usually embarrassing and amusing. It is really incredible how everyone around her understands her condition and is so supportive of her and her decision to wear dark sunglasses. Finding Audrey is such a well-written book that readers will not want to put down!

Finding Audrey is a very quick read with only 288 pages that can be read in a single sitting. It is uplifting, which is a nice change from other YA novels. I strongly recommend this book to everyone looking for a lighthearted read.

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A uniquely written book with themes of family.

Revisado: 09-10-16

The Unexpected Everything is the perfect contemporary. This book is extremely unique and filled with characters that are well developed. Themes of friendship and family over romance really hooked me. This is classic Morgan Matson!

The Unexpected Everything is one of the most original stories out there! This book literally has everything: dog walking, a dad who is a politician, a love interest who is actually a fantasy author, and emojis! Of course, this is Morgan Matson, so I’m not surprised. Dog walking and politician fathers aren’t that original in YA, but the two of them combined? That’s definitely something I haven’t seen before. I really enjoyed seeing how Morgan Matson was able to flawlessly combine such contrasting concepts.

I honestly loved every single character in The Unexpected Everything. I’m sure that everyone will be able to relate to at least one of them. My personal favourites were Andie and Clark, the main characters. Andie is strong, logical, and organized. She is considerate of others’ feelings doesn’t really complain about anything, even though her life must be extremely difficult. Then there’s Clark, a shy and awkward fantasy author that you can’t help but love. Each character has an incredibly complex personality, which I adored.

What I especially enjoyed about The Unexpected Everything are the themes of friendship and family. The friendship in this book is actually goals. It also overpowers romance, which I always like to see. Reading about Andie’s family, however, is really touching. It is all about Andie trying to fix her relationship with her dad, who is always busy. He’s all she has, in terms of family, so I was really rooting for them. I love more serious, yet still pretty light contemporaries, so this was perfect for me.

The Unexpected Everything is a unique book with detailed characters and themes of family and friendship. This is the perfect book to kick back with this summer, since it has a nice balance of serious topics and fun. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!

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The perfect summer read!

Revisado: 03-13-16

The perfect audio book to spice up your summer! To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a book that explores the theme of family in a unique and witty storyline. The main character, Lara Jean, is an unbelievably relatable girl that readers will no doubt fall in love with. Narrated by Laura Knight Keating, who is the perfect Lara Jean and emulates her character beautifully in this novel.

If you follow Jenny Han on social media, you are fully aware of her clever, tongue-in-cheek comments. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a classic Jenny Han contemporary novel. Han really digs deep into the family dynamic and depicts the close-knit family of Lara Jean with ease. While this family is one that has the feel of a Norman Rockwell painting, it is also one that has flaws and issues that need to be dealt with. I love how realistic this book portrays families.

Lara Jean is a girl that is quirky, boy-crazy and flawed. She has all the components of a lovable protagonist. As Lara Jean gains perspective about herself and the people that she cares about through the course of this novel, listeners are pulled into her world. The discoveries that she makes and the sheer horror of having her private thoughts out there for the world to read is something that listeners will relate to.

One of the biggest draws to the audio version of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the superb narration by Laura Knight Keating. While listening to the sharp-tongued Lara Jean, listeners will find themselves laughing out loud at the fantastic vocal characterizations Keating bring to this novel. It is evident that this narration is well thought out and Keating has definitely found a way to resonate with her listeners.

If you have yet to read this series by Jenny Han, I encourage you to listen to this book. The warm fuzzies and many feels will be brought on by Jenny Han and Laura Knight Keating in this sweet story of family and coming of age.

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This is one book that will inspire and entertain.

Revisado: 03-13-16

There was so much hype surrounding this book when it was published that I became unsure if I wanted to read it. With a large TBR list, I found it hard to add this one on, so I opted for the audio version. Am I ever glad that I did because this book is so incredibly amazing! Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli is told in the male perspective of a lovable teen named Simon. This book explores the theme of LGBTQ in such a refreshing way. Also, the narrator, Michael Crouch, really gets into the skin of Simon and adds a wonderful flavour to this story.

Simon Spier is one of those characters that as a reader you can totally relate to. He is quirky, lovable, flawed and has an insane addiction to anything Oreo related. A character that you can envision as one of your best friends. Albertalli has incredibly brought to life a believable male teenager, that is a testament to her ability to write in the male perspective. A great deal of research must have gone into the birth of Simon, as the descriptions of his innermost thoughts are so well written. This is a character that will speak to you as you listen or read.

Along with this fantastic character is the important theme that surrounds him. Simon is a gay teen struggling with the idea of coming out to the world. From the start of the story, you are privy to emails that Simon is sharing with his love interest, Blue. Right away, Albertalli draws you into Simon’s world and makes you feel a part of the dynamic. As the story progresses, you meet the cast of characters that include his supportive family and friends. This portrayal is very believable and realistic.

Michael Crouch, our narrator, portrays all of the characters in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. His vocal characterizations are amazing and I can totally imagine Simon as he speaks. Crouch also adds his unique element of humour to the story as he is acting out the scenes in the book. There are some real laugh out loud moments that make listening a fun experience.

A wonderfully written book that is both inspirational, eye opening and entertaining. One that most definitely leaves you with a book hangover that even the tastiest of Oreos can’t cure! Add this one to your audio must haves.

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