Audiobooks discussion

I'm starting the month with the novel Time After Time, which I purchased after listening the author's Good Behaviour. Excellent narration.

I'm finishing The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece. There are a couple sections not narrated by Tom Hanks, but it is almost all him. There is a lot of detail about moviemaking, and I might have found it dull with another narrator, but he is always wonderful.

I started Rivers of London yesterday and while the plot seems to have veered sideways for the time being, I'm enjoying the dry humor very much.

I have about an hour of Witchling left

then my hold for Skirts: Fashioning Modern Femininity in the Twentieth Century came in at the library - totally random pick but it looks intriguing

I'm currently a bit frustrated/stalled with When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: A Hip-Hop Feminist Breaks It Down. I think I'm gonna DNF it. :(

I'm in the middle of Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen. Takes place in Ireland during the troubles. Going well so far.

I have decided that today is the day. I’ve started my Expanse re-listen with Leviathan Wakes. I’m so excited! It’s already so good.

I’m starting the month with Fairy Tale by Stephen King. 24 hours, yikes! I hope it’s worth it.

Becky wrote: "I have decided that today is the day. I’ve started my Expanse re-listen with Leviathan Wakes. I’m so excited! It’s already so good."

I keep telling myself I'll get to these one day! Have fun, Becky!

Finished The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, which is a sort of love letter to the craziness of making a movie. The message is that it's a good story, real emotions, and lots of behind-the-scenes anonymous workers who make the movie a success. If you get the audio, be sure to download the extra material.

New month - and I'm *still* listening to Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone 39 hours in and still have 20% to go. Gah.

Ashley Marie wrote: "Becky wrote: "I have decided that today is the day. I’ve started my Expanse re-listen with Leviathan Wakes. I’m so excited! It’s already so good."

I keep telling myself I'll get to these one day! Have fun, Becky!"

You really should. I blew through 5 of the 9 novels in the series on audio last summer and IMMEDIATELY wanted to start over, it was so good. The fact that I made myself wait 7 months was pretty impressive I thought. LOL

I'm doing the full re-read this time. All 9 novels and the accompanying stories. I've read a couple of those, but most of them will be new to me. I'm so freaking excited.

Finished The Golden Doves by Martha Hal Kelly narrated by, Saskia Maarleveld and Jeremy Carlisle Parker This was a good book if a little longer than it should have been and as much as I love Saskia I wish it had been her narrating the American Josie and Kathleen Gati for Arlette JMHO!

Now starting for book club Weyward by, Emilia Hart narrated by, Nell Barlow, Aysha Kala & Helen Keeley

I think A.J. Cronin is a fantastic author. Again I' m giving another one of his novels five stars. Its title is A Song of Sixpence.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It's the first of a duology. I am continuing now immediaely with the second--Pocketful of Rye.

I finished The Nameless Restaurant, first in the Hidden Dishes series by Tao Wong. This is a cozy fantasy wwith extreme focus on the cooking and serving of the malasian dishes that were the special for that evening. This was truly a cozy fantasy with interesting customers and a very interesting chef/restaurant owner. Very little actually happens, but somehow I enjoyed it.

This is a part of the universe of the author's Hidden Wishes series, but it didn't matter that I hadn't read any of those... although now I'm considering doing just that.

I also read Deadline, another Cherringham short by Neil Richards and Matthew Costello. It was a good little mystery as usual.

I finished Luck of the Iris, latest in the Village Flower Shop cozy mystery series by Nancy Warren. This one was enjoyable.

Today I finished Pocketful of Rye by A.J. Cronin. It's the second of a duology. I prefer the first of the two. In my review I explain why.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I will soon begin The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. Eleanor Roosevelt praised the author.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher wrote one of my favorite childhood books, Understood Betsy. I think The Home-Maker is on my Wish List.

On a slight pause at the end of last week, I listened to George M Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue - 4 stars.

Wrapping up Rivers of London today - 3 stars. I'm not sure what I was missing here, but the characters felt a bit flat and something about the pacing was off.

I'm listening and enjoying two audio books from my unlistened Audible pile:

Kristin Lavransdatter - 45 hours for the trilogy

Wuthering Heights - I think I picked this up when it was a freebie. I listened to it 20 years ago, maybe, as audio cassettes from the library, and only remembered it as a dark story. The characters are a disagreeable bunch!

Kathleen wrote: "I'm listening and enjoying two audio books from my unlistened Audible pile:

Kristin Lavransdatter - 45 hours for the trilogy

Wuthering Heights - I think I picked this up w..."

Kristin Lavransdatter was a solid 5* for me. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

After owning a print copy for nearly a decade, it's finally time to read The Name of the Rose. My audiobook is narrated by Sean Barrett, Nicholas Rowe, and Neville Jason.

In one of the 'read around the world' sales I picked up All the Lies They Did Not Tell. Two investigative jounalists delve into a 'satanic panic' that gripped two small Italian towns in the late 90s. I switched between reading and listening to an unbelievable story. There were a lot of names to keep track of and I felt as though there was also a fair amount of repetition of events. All in all it's a 4* for what the journalists uncovered. The irony is that children and families were devastated by the very people who were supposed to protect them.

Now I'm listening to Where Serpents Sleep, #4 in the St. Cyr mystery series narrated by Davina Porter. A nice combo for me.

Finished Leviathan Wakes & The Butcher of Anderson Station last night in my publish order re-read of the full Expanse series.
Moving on to Caliban's War!

I'm about 80% through Territory of Light and it's a slog. Up next is Geisha, a Life.

I have thoroughly enjoyed The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. I saw it on a list of books that ought to be read more often.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I liked it so much I've immediately picked up anothe by the same author--Understood Betsy.

Chrissie wrote: "I have thoroughly enjoyed The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. I saw it on a list of books that ought to be read more often.

My review: https://www.goodreads.c..."

Great to hear, I do plan to get to that one eventually.

I’ve finished Fairy Tale by Stephen King, 5 stars. Pretty darn good. DNF’d Find Your People by Jennie Allen and now about 25% into Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, but I’m loosing steam, I might dnf. Sorry I don’t have links, i’m using my phone and the app.

I finished Waybound, twelfth and final book in the cradle series by Will Wight and narrated by Travis Baldree. This was the kind of ending the series deserved and a far better example of how to wrap up a series than most such books I've read. The first book in this series is viewed by many fans as the weakest in the series, but it sets up the journey the MC embarks on and gives deeper meaning to it. The final book brings the story absolutely full circle in a way that is so very satisfying and makes the weaknesses of the first book seem like strengths. The narration was as perfect in the final book as it has been from book 1 and throughout all the ones in between. I've already begun the re-listen!

Robin P wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have thoroughly enjoyed The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. I saw it on a list of books that ought to be read more often.

My review: https:..."

She's also got a good children's book--Understood Betsy. I just finished it. Montessori teachings seep through al parts of the book.

Chrissie wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have thoroughly enjoyed The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. I saw it on a list of books that ought to be read more often.

M..."

I loved that book as a child, I didn't think of it as Montessori, but I see what you mean!

I enjoyed my second book by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, an author highly praised by Eleanor Roosevelt. The book's title is Understood Betsy.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I'm reading another book by Anthony Trollope. It's An Old Man's Love. It's free for Audible UK Plus members and is read by Tony Britton.

i wrapped up Skirts: Fashioning Modern Femininity in the Twentieth Century - it was actually an interesting look into women's fashion through skirts and dresses (i.e. the LBD, the wrap dress) and what was doing on in society at the time they became popular etc.

nearly finished with Sea of Tranquility - i'll wrap that up tomorrow - then i'll probably dig into my audible archive books - but i also have a few on hold at the library where i'm like first in line - so those will take preference over ones I own

Finished Weyward by, Emilia Hart narrated by, Nell Barlow, Aysha Kala & Helen Keeley it was very good I look forward to book club tomorrow for the discussion!

Now starting The Block Party by Jamie Day
Narrated by Megan Tusing; Suzy Jackson--Pub Date 18 Jul 2023

I finished (begrudgingly) "Territory...".

I decided to switch gears and read/listen works that make me a more informed ally during Pride Month. I started this on my drive home tonight: The Stonewall Reader: Edited by The New York Public Library.

Well - I finally finished Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. I can't say I didn't like it as I spent a full 24 hours with it (39 hours done on 1.5-1.75 speed) and I'd like to think I'm smarter than spending a full day with a bad book.

The narration is brilliant, as ever. The characters are familiar and loved - and the newer ones are worth hearing about. But dadgum this was alot of book about nothing. I sped through it and did not focus much (which doesn't bode well if Book 10 ever comes out and I read it that I will remember any of Book 9).

But there will for sure be a 10th book as this one just ended. Last words "I need your help".

Next up is Without Merit

Nancy wrote: "Well - I finally finished Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. I can't say I didn't like it as I spent a full 24 hours with it (39 hours done on 1.5-1.75 speed) and I'd like to think I'..."

My next one is Written in My Own Heart's Blood I finished An Echo in the Bone not too long ago. I like to space them out because listening to those too close together would probably make me like it less!

I'm currently listening to Waypoints: My Scottish Journey by Sam Heughan. He's Jamie in the tv series of Outlander. He narrates as the book as well, very adeptly. The book is about his journey walking along the West Highland Way, a long (96 miles) trek in western Scotland.

Interestingly, the audio comes with added material, at the end of the chapter there are his "at the moment thoughts" at the end of the day. There's other bits too. I have access to the eBook version and checked to make sure, yes this is added material in the audio! Anyway, I'm enjoying it, at about 30% through at the moment.

I've thoroughly enjoyed An Old Man's Love by Anthony Trollope. It's free for Audible-UK-Plus members. It might also be free in the States. The narrator is the talented Tony Britton.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I'm listening to English Journey by J.B. Priestley. I like the book, but don't like the narrator-Sean Baker. The tempo is too stop and start. He pauses after very phrase in a sentence.

My review of Downward to the Earth by Robert Silverberg

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This is an Audible Plus book.

Started listening to The Great War and the Birth of Modern Medicine - I was able to visit Ypres, Belgium last month (site of several crucial ww1 battles - and reading about some of the medical advancements has fascinated me - a lot of what we call emergency medicine today has its roots in WW1

Also listening to Between, Georgia - I’m normally not a huge fan of narrators doing their own stuff but Jackson is the exception

Dee wrote: "Started listening to The Great War and the Birth of Modern Medicine - I was able to visit Ypres, Belgium last month (site of several crucial ww1 battles - and reading about some of ..."

This looks very good, and reminds me of the many books out there about medicine during the US Civil War. Some of that is included in This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War, too.

I highly recommend the nonfiction classic English Journey by J.B. Priestley.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I have begun another book by A.J. Cronin--The Spanish Gardener. He has become one of my favorite authors! If you have not read this author, you must!

Jan wrote: "This looks very good, and reminds me of the many books out there about medicine during the US Civil War. Some of that is included in This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War, too"

adding to my list

I also added Lifesavers and Body Snatchers: Medical Care and the Struggle for Survival in the Great War to my list to read (unfortuantely library only has in print) and I read The Facemaker earlier this year

i started listening to i want to die but i want to eat ttaeboki

I breezed through Without Merit (of course 9 hours after 39 hours feels like a blip). Very disappointing book - I have typically liked Colleen Hoover's books, but not this one. Merit is a *very* angsty teen with lots of issues, most of which could be made 1000% better if she would just communicate with someone. Her family is a hot mess and this book all takes place over about 2 weeks and is just.... pointless. Kept feeling like it should get better (which it did *slightly*) but not one I would recommend. I do NOT get how this won Goodreads Best Romance in 2017?????

Next up If the Shoe Fits

I finished up Caliban's War, and the short stories Gods of Risk & Drive, and I'm over halfway done on book 3, Abaddon's Gate.

Loving this series so much.

I've finished The Spanish Gardener by A.J. Cronin and gone on directly to another of his--The Keys of the Kingdom. I so enjoy A.J. Cronin's books!

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Breezed through If the Shoe Fits - a cute romance book. Interesting combo of Cinderella + The Batchelor. Female character is a plus sized woman who is easy to love.

I picked up the 2nd in the series By the Book, which appears to be a current take on Beauty and the Beast. Interesting also is that each book in the series is by a different author which is kind of cool!

I've had horrific migraines the past two days in a row - this has never happened before and has me weirded out (not to mention exhausted), but I'm going to try and get through more of Name of the Rose today!