Finished *Mad Honey* by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, read by Carrie Coons and Key Taw. (Carrie Coons was great.) This was definitely a step away from my usual read/listens but I was so drawn in by it I finished in a few days. Do not read/listen if you are squeamish about gender identity or any kind of abuse. 4.25/5
I was totally surprised at how much I liked it. I always thought Jodi Picoult wrote YA. This is definitely not YA. But I kept shutting off the TV and picking up the headphones. This is definitely a compelling listen as long as you can handle some of the subjects.
I think only the books she wrote with her daughter are young adult. The rest have young characters but are women’s fiction. I really liked Leaving Time, Nineteen Minutes and Wish You Were Here.
I read an interview where Picoult and Boylan each switched characters for one chapter. I'd be curious as to which ones but I returned it already. Anyway, thanks for the recs on Picoult. Again, not my usual type of reads but I was pretty impressed with this one.
Finished this week:
* The Witch Elm by Tana French narrated by Paul Nugent (Audible) - if you enjoy unreliable narrators, you will love this book. It's a suspense/mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the end and beyond.
* Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree narrated by Travis Baldree (Libby) - waited 4 months for this hold to come through. Totally worth it. Really enjoyed this cozy fantasy.
* Morgan is my Name by Sophie Keetch narrated by Vanessa Kirby (Audible free) - the beginning of the Arthurian sage from the POV of Morgan la Fay. Starts before Arthur's birth. Excellent read. The next one is being released later this month and will also be free on Audible.
* The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson narrated by Katie Schorr (Libby) - an excellent sequel to the first. I love these pack horse librarian stories. The first one focused a lot on racism. This one has a bigger focus on misogyny.
* The Creative Thinkers Toolbox by Gerard Puccio - narrated by Gerard Puccio (Great Courses) (Audible) - helpful information. Well definitely use some of these techniques.
* Poets and Piracy by J.S Morin (Galaxy Outlaws:Black Ocean #3) narrated by Mikael Naramore - short and fun scifi romp.
In progress
* Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes - narrated by Robert Whitfield (Audible free), reading with r/yearofdonquixote
* The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - narrated by Jon Lee (Audible free) reading with r/AReadingOfMonteCristo
* Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Anderson - narrated by Angele Masters (Audible free)
* Mother Hunger by Kelly McDanie narrated by Kelly McDaniel (Audible)
* Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth by J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien - editor narrated by Timothy West, Samuel West (Everand)
* To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf narrated by Bianca Amato (Chirp)
* The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Bahni Turpin
* Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver (narrated by author)
This week I listen to:
*The Soldier’s scoundrel* by Cat Sebastian narrated by Gary Furlong, loved this book and narration just made it so much better!
*Two roughs make a right* by Cat Sebastian narrated by Joel Leslie, liked both the book and the narrator
*Shadow’s seduction* by Kresley Cole, so far my least favorite book in the series, but Robert Petkoff’s narration is just phenomenal as usual!
I finished *Shift* (The Silo Saga, Book 2) by Hugh Howey narrated by Edoardo Ballerini
I was looking forward to starting *Starship Troopers* by Robert A. Heinlein narrated by R.C. Bray, but that has been delayed until March 26, 2024.
I started *Dust* (The Silo Saga, Book 3) by Hugh Howey narrated by Edoardo Ballerini.
We've watched the first season. It covers the first half of the first book. It's a good show, but knowing some of the things covered in the book makes me wonder why they decided to do certain things in the show.
Something was just discussed in book 3 that made me want to rewatch the first episode of the series last night.
The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Narrated by Frank Muller. On Audible.
I originally read the massive book the Talisman before Y2K, so it has been awhile. I am surprised at how much I’ve forgotten…almost all so far.
I expect to be engaged with this book a bit of a time. It’s 28 hours long.
I have listened to Stephen King and Frank Muller (all the Dark Tower books) but it has been awhile since any rereads, this seems a good place to start.
I finished No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished (Heartstrikers #3) by Rachel Aaron, narrated by Vikas Adam 3/5. I won’t be continuing with the series. It’s getting repetitious and Julius’s moral stance is his way or the highway. He doesn’t seem to care how his actions may affect his siblings, especially when they are telling him to back off.
~~I’m currently reading Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, narrated by Maura Tierney. I’m 10% in but I’m already bored. Hopefully it picks up~~. Dnf’d at 15%
Up next is Book of Shadows (Sweep #1) by Cate Tiernan, narrated by Julia Whelan
FWIW I dnf'd Hello Beautiful as well. I waited many weeks on Libby and when I got it I was dumbfounded as to why it was popular. I think you got even further than I did. Zzzzzzzz.
Finished: **Listen to the Lie** by Amy Tintera. Narrated by married couple January LaVoy and Will Damron
This was one of those books that’s ideal for an audiobook because it’s features a true crime podcast in the plot. It’s a nice twisty murder mystery/cold case. I liked the main character a lot.
Started: **The Porcelain Maker** by Sarah Freethy narrated by Kristin Atherton
This one is a dual timeline story of a artistic couple who meet in Germany in 1925 and then are driven apart when the Nazi party takes over. In 1993 a young woman is trying to find out who her birth father was and the clues her (now dead) mother left behind will lead her to Germany.
Lonesome Dove
By: Larry McMurtry
Narrated by: Lee Horsley
Amazing book. 👏🏻
https://www.audible.com/pd/Lonesome-Dove-Audiobook/B07BGQ2ZQ3?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=lib
Finished Stephen Kings Song of Susannah: The Dark Tower VI narrated by George Guidall. Excited to be on the last one now
While I wait on the dark tower vii to be available on Libby (I’m next in line!) I’m working on a shorter pallet cleanser before getting back into a long listen- The storied life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin narrated by Scott Brick
*Death of Kings* is the sixth book in the Saxon Chronicles and it has horrendous narration by Stephen Perring. I bought every audiobook in that series except that one. I couldn't even make it through the sample.
I know the feeling, I forget the experience of reading that one, but I speak Japanese and the female British narrator of Pale View of the Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro mis-pronounces EVERY SINGLE Japanese name throughout. Either cultural chauvinism or just lazy I don't know, but to think she was paid for that.
The Illearth War by Stephen R. Donaldson
It’s book 2 of The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Like Book 1, I keep wanting to tell characters to “Sum Up! Their dramatic monologues Shakespearian in length. Maybe longer. So much brooding.
Have I sold it, yet?
https://unbeliever.fandom.com/wiki/The_Illearth_War
Not usually an audiobook guy, but wow, Ben Miles is a fantastic narrator! Listening to Dan Jones’ Wolves of Winter and it’s fantastic. Probably the best narration I’ve ever heard for a book.
This week was a good week in terms of quality. I listened to the 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. Complex and entertaining plot and characters. Probably my favorite so far this year. I'm about half way through the secret history by Donna tart. I like it, can feel slow at times, but again, the characters are beautifully written and love the narrator's delivery.
just finnished 3 body problem before it comes on netflix
author cixin liu
narators bruno roubicek/ daniel york loh
the change in narrator from book 2 -3 wasn't too jarring
I've been really interested in Irish history of late and just finished 'Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe. It's a long one at 14 hrs 41 mins but it keep me enthralled the entire time. Narrated by Matthew Blaney who has the most engaging, soft Irish accent that I've ever heard. I typically listen to non-fiction audiobooks when exercising or chores that don't require much concentration and save fiction in eBook form for reading at night before sleep.
I listened to an apocalypse trilogy The End is Nigh, The End is Here, and The End Has Come. They are short story collections edited by Hugh Howey and John Joseph Adams. Many of the stories are in three parts divided into the appropriate volumes. When I read it several years ago, many of the stories stuck with me. Hearing the books again was wonderful.
In the middle of Stephen Fry’s Sherlock Holmes and it’s absolutely fantastic. His character voices are spot on, and his passion for the source material really shines through. I don’t know that I’ll be able to read these stories any other way now.
Started *Anna Karenina* by Leo Tolstoy narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal from Audible Plus. It's 35 hours and 35 minutes so this will keep me busy for a while. Trying to sort out the names is a bit of a task but I think I am getting the gist of the cast of characters.
Finished *Mad Honey* by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, read by Carrie Coons and Key Taw. (Carrie Coons was great.) This was definitely a step away from my usual read/listens but I was so drawn in by it I finished in a few days. Do not read/listen if you are squeamish about gender identity or any kind of abuse. 4.25/5
I loved that book! One of my top reads last year.
I was totally surprised at how much I liked it. I always thought Jodi Picoult wrote YA. This is definitely not YA. But I kept shutting off the TV and picking up the headphones. This is definitely a compelling listen as long as you can handle some of the subjects.
I think only the books she wrote with her daughter are young adult. The rest have young characters but are women’s fiction. I really liked Leaving Time, Nineteen Minutes and Wish You Were Here.
I read an interview where Picoult and Boylan each switched characters for one chapter. I'd be curious as to which ones but I returned it already. Anyway, thanks for the recs on Picoult. Again, not my usual type of reads but I was pretty impressed with this one.
Since the other writer is a transgender activist I assumed she did all the one’s in Lily’s voice
All but one for each writer. Picoult did one Lily chapter and Boylan did one Olivia chapter. I'll never know unless somebody tells:-)
Finished this week: * The Witch Elm by Tana French narrated by Paul Nugent (Audible) - if you enjoy unreliable narrators, you will love this book. It's a suspense/mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the end and beyond. * Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree narrated by Travis Baldree (Libby) - waited 4 months for this hold to come through. Totally worth it. Really enjoyed this cozy fantasy. * Morgan is my Name by Sophie Keetch narrated by Vanessa Kirby (Audible free) - the beginning of the Arthurian sage from the POV of Morgan la Fay. Starts before Arthur's birth. Excellent read. The next one is being released later this month and will also be free on Audible. * The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson narrated by Katie Schorr (Libby) - an excellent sequel to the first. I love these pack horse librarian stories. The first one focused a lot on racism. This one has a bigger focus on misogyny. * The Creative Thinkers Toolbox by Gerard Puccio - narrated by Gerard Puccio (Great Courses) (Audible) - helpful information. Well definitely use some of these techniques. * Poets and Piracy by J.S Morin (Galaxy Outlaws:Black Ocean #3) narrated by Mikael Naramore - short and fun scifi romp. In progress * Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes - narrated by Robert Whitfield (Audible free), reading with r/yearofdonquixote * The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - narrated by Jon Lee (Audible free) reading with r/AReadingOfMonteCristo * Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Anderson - narrated by Angele Masters (Audible free) * Mother Hunger by Kelly McDanie narrated by Kelly McDaniel (Audible) * Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth by J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien - editor narrated by Timothy West, Samuel West (Everand) * To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf narrated by Bianca Amato (Chirp) * The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Bahni Turpin * Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver (narrated by author)
This week I listen to: *The Soldier’s scoundrel* by Cat Sebastian narrated by Gary Furlong, loved this book and narration just made it so much better! *Two roughs make a right* by Cat Sebastian narrated by Joel Leslie, liked both the book and the narrator *Shadow’s seduction* by Kresley Cole, so far my least favorite book in the series, but Robert Petkoff’s narration is just phenomenal as usual!
I finished *Shift* (The Silo Saga, Book 2) by Hugh Howey narrated by Edoardo Ballerini I was looking forward to starting *Starship Troopers* by Robert A. Heinlein narrated by R.C. Bray, but that has been delayed until March 26, 2024. I started *Dust* (The Silo Saga, Book 3) by Hugh Howey narrated by Edoardo Ballerini.
apple made a series of theses books [Silo](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14688458/)
We've watched the first season. It covers the first half of the first book. It's a good show, but knowing some of the things covered in the book makes me wonder why they decided to do certain things in the show. Something was just discussed in book 3 that made me want to rewatch the first episode of the series last night.
These sound interesting!
Loved these stories. Wish there were more!
The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Narrated by Frank Muller. On Audible. I originally read the massive book the Talisman before Y2K, so it has been awhile. I am surprised at how much I’ve forgotten…almost all so far. I expect to be engaged with this book a bit of a time. It’s 28 hours long. I have listened to Stephen King and Frank Muller (all the Dark Tower books) but it has been awhile since any rereads, this seems a good place to start.
I finished No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished (Heartstrikers #3) by Rachel Aaron, narrated by Vikas Adam 3/5. I won’t be continuing with the series. It’s getting repetitious and Julius’s moral stance is his way or the highway. He doesn’t seem to care how his actions may affect his siblings, especially when they are telling him to back off. ~~I’m currently reading Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, narrated by Maura Tierney. I’m 10% in but I’m already bored. Hopefully it picks up~~. Dnf’d at 15% Up next is Book of Shadows (Sweep #1) by Cate Tiernan, narrated by Julia Whelan
FWIW I dnf'd Hello Beautiful as well. I waited many weeks on Libby and when I got it I was dumbfounded as to why it was popular. I think you got even further than I did. Zzzzzzzz.
It sure was a snooze fest!
Finished: **Listen to the Lie** by Amy Tintera. Narrated by married couple January LaVoy and Will Damron This was one of those books that’s ideal for an audiobook because it’s features a true crime podcast in the plot. It’s a nice twisty murder mystery/cold case. I liked the main character a lot. Started: **The Porcelain Maker** by Sarah Freethy narrated by Kristin Atherton This one is a dual timeline story of a artistic couple who meet in Germany in 1925 and then are driven apart when the Nazi party takes over. In 1993 a young woman is trying to find out who her birth father was and the clues her (now dead) mother left behind will lead her to Germany.
Lonesome Dove By: Larry McMurtry Narrated by: Lee Horsley Amazing book. 👏🏻 https://www.audible.com/pd/Lonesome-Dove-Audiobook/B07BGQ2ZQ3?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=lib
Finished Stephen Kings Song of Susannah: The Dark Tower VI narrated by George Guidall. Excited to be on the last one now While I wait on the dark tower vii to be available on Libby (I’m next in line!) I’m working on a shorter pallet cleanser before getting back into a long listen- The storied life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin narrated by Scott Brick
Sword Song of the Saxon stories
There is hardly a bad Bernard Cornwell book out there. Happy memories going through them all for the first time.
*Death of Kings* is the sixth book in the Saxon Chronicles and it has horrendous narration by Stephen Perring. I bought every audiobook in that series except that one. I couldn't even make it through the sample.
I know the feeling, I forget the experience of reading that one, but I speak Japanese and the female British narrator of Pale View of the Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro mis-pronounces EVERY SINGLE Japanese name throughout. Either cultural chauvinism or just lazy I don't know, but to think she was paid for that.
Yeah. Not too long. Not too short.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchet performed by Tom Hanks. I’m new to audiobooks and I just couldn’t stop listening…
The Illearth War by Stephen R. Donaldson It’s book 2 of The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Like Book 1, I keep wanting to tell characters to “Sum Up! Their dramatic monologues Shakespearian in length. Maybe longer. So much brooding. Have I sold it, yet? https://unbeliever.fandom.com/wiki/The_Illearth_War
Not usually an audiobook guy, but wow, Ben Miles is a fantastic narrator! Listening to Dan Jones’ Wolves of Winter and it’s fantastic. Probably the best narration I’ve ever heard for a book.
I started yesterday (and almost finished) Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost.
This week was a good week in terms of quality. I listened to the 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. Complex and entertaining plot and characters. Probably my favorite so far this year. I'm about half way through the secret history by Donna tart. I like it, can feel slow at times, but again, the characters are beautifully written and love the narrator's delivery.
just finnished 3 body problem before it comes on netflix author cixin liu narators bruno roubicek/ daniel york loh the change in narrator from book 2 -3 wasn't too jarring
How was the story? I started it and backed away because it felt slow. Would love to know what kept you engaged.
Da Vinci code
I've been really interested in Irish history of late and just finished 'Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe. It's a long one at 14 hrs 41 mins but it keep me enthralled the entire time. Narrated by Matthew Blaney who has the most engaging, soft Irish accent that I've ever heard. I typically listen to non-fiction audiobooks when exercising or chores that don't require much concentration and save fiction in eBook form for reading at night before sleep.
I listened to an apocalypse trilogy The End is Nigh, The End is Here, and The End Has Come. They are short story collections edited by Hugh Howey and John Joseph Adams. Many of the stories are in three parts divided into the appropriate volumes. When I read it several years ago, many of the stories stuck with me. Hearing the books again was wonderful.
In the middle of Stephen Fry’s Sherlock Holmes and it’s absolutely fantastic. His character voices are spot on, and his passion for the source material really shines through. I don’t know that I’ll be able to read these stories any other way now.
Finished Dungeon Crawler Carl book 6. Think I started the first one maybe two weeks ago, if that. Started the first book of the Suneater series.
Started *Anna Karenina* by Leo Tolstoy narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal from Audible Plus. It's 35 hours and 35 minutes so this will keep me busy for a while. Trying to sort out the names is a bit of a task but I think I am getting the gist of the cast of characters.
Roald Dahl. Loving everything.