Tania

Too many repeats of stories in other collections

Revisado: 08-10-22

Although the stories and the narration was as entertaining as always, I had a major issue with the fact that almost half of these stories were already in his other books. Especially since the blurb states that this is "his first new collection of personal essays".

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Great, intelligent series.

Revisado: 02-10-19

I am normally quite bad at sticking with any series that includes more than three books, obvious exceptions being Harry Potter and Outlander.

Although this was not my favorite installment, I think I will finish the Sean Duffy series, for the below reasons:
1. I love the humor - every book has me laughing out loud a few times.
2. The setting - I have never read any other books set in Belfast in the Troubles.
3. The narrator - I listen to this on audio, and Gerard Doyle has a beautiful voice, and does a great job with all the different accents.
4. The plot - Unlike many other authors, Adrian Mckinty, seems to assume that his readers are intelligent, so there is no spoon feeding of information. If you missed something, you missed it - pay more attention next time.

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Packs and emotional punch!

Revisado: 02-10-19

The beautiful, heart-breaking story of Carey (15), who was hidden away by her mentally ill and drug addicted Mama in the woods, and who had to fend for herself and her younger sister, Jenessa (5). Written in a straight-forward, uncomplicated but deeply affecting style, which I thought was perfect as this is classified as YA, and because this is the way a young, self-schooled girl would express herself.

I listened to the audio, and highly recommend this to everyone. The narrator, Tai Simmons, brings Carey to life and really deepens the emotional impact of the book. I also adored her Southern accent.

I am so glad I gave this book a try as I don’t normally read a lot of YA titles. Carey’s voice will stay with me for a long time.

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A heart-felt look at mental illness

Revisado: 11-11-18

I loved everything about this amazing debut novel, including the quirky opening line above. Everything Here Is Beautiful covers many themes, but the most central is the effects of mental illness on the person affected, as well as everyone that loves them. The story is told in chapters with alternating points of view from the four main characters - Miranda, Lucia, Yonah and Manny. The author creates insight and empathy for all of them, as they all have very distinct voices. Each chapter is long enough that each of these complex, vivid characters start to feel like real people with real issues.

Lucia, is diagnosed with a mental disorder. We meet her when she is a witty, vivacious and impulsive young woman, and then witness her struggle with the serpents in her head as she experience delusions and has to be hospitalized. The chapters inside Lucia's head was so powerful, for the first time I really understand how real these delusions are, why someone may not want to take their medication and how, once diagnosed, you are forever worrying if you're tipping over into madness again. She also has to deal with the stigma of being diagnosed with a mental illness.
In Crote Six, they said I “suffer” from schizoaffective disorder. That’s like the sampler plate of diagnoses, Best of Everything. But I don’t want to suffer. I want to live.

The reality is that loving someone with a mental illness is draining and scary. You feel helpless, guilty and quite often the person you are trying to help, won't agree with the choices you made for them. Miranda, Lucia's sister, sometimes comes across as uptight and judgmental but to be fair it's not like she can be as free-spirited as her sister. Someone has to be the responsible one and be there when everything falls apart. With Manny, Lucia's boyfriend, the author show us how this is even worse when that person is not equipped to deal with the situation - be it because of cultural differences, legal status or unfamiliarity with mental illnesses. The chapter narrated by Yonah, Lucia's ex-husband, tore my heart into a million pieces - so much love, joy and kindness in one person.

This beautifully written, compassionate and multifaceted novel shows us that there are no easy answers, and no correct way of dealing with these type of difficult situations. I highly recommend this to everyone.

#Fiction #Contemporary #Mental-health #Literary #Beautiful #Recommended #Best-narration #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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Thought-provoking, original and fresh

Revisado: 11-11-18

I loved that this was so original and fresh. I listened to the audio and Sean Chrisden is now one of my favorite narrators, second only to Davina Porter (The Outlander series). The writing is beautiful, eloquent and filled with unexpected moments of humor. In Roy, Tayari Jones, has created a voice that has joined my short list of favorite characters. He is ambitious, funny, charming, complicated, chauvinistic and flawed in so many other ways - one of the most authentic characters I've ever come across. You know that an author is doing a brilliant job when you can love and hate all the characters at different times in the story, but in the end you feel deeply for all of them. I loved that this book did not focus on one thing only - it felt like real people dealing with real life situations. One of the most enjoyable things about reading is getting a glimpse into someone else's way of life, and this was such an interesting and thought-provoking look into contemporary African American culture. At it's heart this may be a story about wrongful incarceration, but it goes much deeper and wider than that. I sincerely recommend listening to the audible for this emotional and intimate story.

The Story: After only a year of marriage, Roy and Celestial find themselves faced with an obstacle that seems insurmountable: Roy is sentenced to twelve years in prison for something he didn’t do.

#Fiction #Oprah #Contemporary #Racism #Best-narration #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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A laugh with a tear

Revisado: 11-11-18

This is now officially my favorite David Sedaris book. The audio version was great, and I would strongly recommend that you listen to the author tell these stories, as it really enhances the experience.

Sedaris has always been funny, but in Calypso there is always a keen sense of regret and/or sadness. Almost all the stories focus on his family, especially on his mom who passed away a few years ago and his sister who committed suicide. I laughed out loud and shed some tears, often doing both while listening to one paragraph.

This is probably not for everyone, but I think it takes quite a bit of talent to write about nothing and still make it interesting, humorous and touching.

#Memoir #Funny #Author-narrated #Family-focus #Recommended #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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Intense, beautiful and distressing

Revisado: 11-11-18

What an intense, beautiful and distressing story.

Based on the kidnapping of 11 year old Sally Horner in 1948, this book caused such powerful emotional reactions in me that I was sometimes shouting at characters, sometimes begging them out loud to make different choices and sometimes just sobbing and sobbing. The writing is exquisite and the author has the ability to create characters that you dislike but still have empathy for. Thank goodness there are always people like Al and Ruth to offset the evilness of people like Frank. Most of us is somewhere on a continuum between these two extremes as shown by all the other characters in the book.

To take the bare bones of what little was know of this abduction and add so much thought, feeling and depth to it, takes true talent. I listened to the audio and the narration was perfect.

I know that part of the hype around this book is that Nabokov's Lolita character was somewhat based on Sally, but for me I think it's much more important that this little, lonely girl, who had so many things taken from her are remembered by us, if only for a while.

One of the best-written, most upsetting and deserving books I've read. One of my top 2018 reads. Right up there with the heart's invisible furies, everything here is beautiful, an american marriage and white chrysanthemum.

#HistoricalFiction #Truecrime #Emotional #Abduction #Best-narration #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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Perfection!

Revisado: 11-11-18

I need to start by saying that I expected nothing more than a 3 star experience from Circe. I know next to nothing about Greek mythology and have no real interest. I'm not even a big fantasy reader. But Madeline Miller won me over with her exquisite writing. I sometimes felt like I could taste her words and descriptions, they were so utterly perfect. Circe is such a vivid and strong character, and we get to know her in all her capricious moods.

I'm definitely picking up a theme in the 2018 books I'm reading. The Great Alone, Where the Crawdads Sing and this book explores isolation and loneliness. Nature plays an integral role in all these novels. And last but not least they also all comment on the fact that women are treated differently to men.

I listened to the audio and Perdita Weeks is now one of my favorite narrators, second only to Davina Porter.

I would highly recommend that you give this a try. I think Madeline Miller is doing for mythology what Philippa Gregory did for historical fiction.

#Mythology #Atmospheric #Beautiful #Best-narrator #Recommended #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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The perfect escape from reality

Revisado: 11-11-18

I've read very few classics, and always worry that I may not "get" them when starting one. No reason to fret about this with Pride and Prejudice, even though this was written in the 1800's, I found it to be an easy and very enjoyable read.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Rosamund Pike, which was amazing. I was swept away to a time were things were much simpler, and it was great to spend some time surrounded by such sweet characters. Even the worst of them, were not evil or horrible. Character is a big focus in this novel, and we see that everyone has some flaws, be it a tendency to be too judgmental, prideful, frivolous or pompous.

I didn't expect this to be so funny. The writing is intelligent and witty. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, especially was the cause of many giggles. In many stories one or two characters are created for comedic relief, but not here - everyone gets a turn.

Jane Austen is definitely a new favorite, and I have already downloaded Emma. If you are one of the very few people who have not read this yet, I highly recommend the audible. Pride and Prejudice is charming, clever and amusing. It absolutely deserves its status as a classic.

#Classic #Jane Austen #Charming #Best-narrator #Funny #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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Awe-inspiring!

Revisado: 11-11-18

This was absolutely awe-inspiring!

The performance by Carey Mulligan was incredible. I was captivated from word one, and I actually wished for more traffic, so I could finish this almost 2 hour audible play.

I would never have known about this play if not for the fact that audible now gives us the option to choose two free audible originals every month. Be prepared for an intense roller coaster ride - while listening to this you will experience many emotions, but boredom will certainly not be one of them.

As a few people have mentioned if you are a sensitive reader/listener then best you research this a bit more before diving in.

I can't wait to listen to many more audible theater offerings.

#Play #Audibleoriginal #Shocking #Rollercoasterride #BestNarrator #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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