my books. my life.

Title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns)
Author: Mindy Kaling
Narrators: Mindy Kaling
Genre: Memoir; Humor
Pages: 240
Audio: 4.6 hours
Year: 2011
Publisher: Random House Audio
Source: Audible
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary/Thoughts:

Mindy Kaling, best known in her role as writer and actor on The Office, offers a refreshing perspective on life. In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me, Kaling talks about her life, her family, and her career, as well as sharing her thoughts on random matters like the funniest moments in comedy and the list of things her character Kelly Kapoor would do that she would not.

The thing I liked the most was how real Kaling seems. She doesn’t hide behind any type of Hollywood glamour. She worked hard to get where she is and doesn’t seem to have lost any of herself along the way. I kind of just want to hang out with her (and I also want to hang out with Amy Poehler even more than I did before Kaling described how awesome she is).

This book will naturally be compared to Tina Fey’s Bossypants, but I think Kaling holds her own even in that comparison. This book is entertaining, smart, and funny. I only wish it were twice as long.

Audiobook Thoughts:

Mindy Kaling narrates this herself. That’s really all I need to say. Fabulous audio production.

Others’ Thoughts: Anna Reads; Book-A-Rama; The 3R’s Blog; Reeder Reads

Buy It Now: IndieBound

Title: The Poisonwood Bible
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Narrators: Dean Robertson (not to be confused with Robertson Dean which may be why I picked it up…)
Genre: Fiction; Family Saga
Pages: 560
Audio: 15.3 hours
Year: 1999
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Source: Library
Rating: 3/5

Summary:

In 1959, Nathan Pierce uproots his family (his wife –  Orleanna – and his four daughters – Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth Mae) from Bethlehem, Georgia and moves them to a small village in the Belgian Congo where he will continue his evangelical ministry. The family arrives just in time for major political upheaval they don’t really understand. Told from the perspective of the five females in the family, The Poisonwood Bible is a tale of the family’s time in the Congo and how it forever changed each of their lives.

My Thoughts:

I’ve heard many wonderful things about The Poisonwood Bible. And throughout the first half of the novel, I found myself agreeing with them. Unfortunately, the second half of the novel happened.

This really could be two distinct books. In the first half, time moves slowly, and the family struggles together to adjust to life in the Congo. It is interesting to see it differently through each character and put the pieces together to see how the family as a whole is doing. I really did enjoy this part of the book very much. However, in the second half, time moves quickly and the family is less of a family. All of a sudden Rachel is 50 and I wasn’t really sure how that happened. I think it is the difference in how quickly time moves that is the most jarring but the whole book really becomes something different. It is less about the characters and more about the politics. There is an event that happens that can be seen as the impetus for the change in the story’s direction but I just never adjusted.

Kingsolver is clearly a talented writer who is not afraid to tackle some controversial issues, and I look forward to reading her again. I am glad that I finally got to this one, which has been sitting on my shelf for a long time (never mind that I ended up listening to the audio). I always find books set in the Congo to be fascinating because it has such a volatile political background. Perhaps if I’d known to expect the change in the novel, I would have enjoyed it more.

Audiobook Thoughts:

First point: Dean Robertson is a woman. She is not Robertson Dean. But she did a good job narrating this book. I thought the choice to use one audio narrator for all four narrators of the story was odd at first and was a bit confusing. But once I got to know the characters a bit, it worked. Her matter-of-fact narration allows the listener to interpret the book for herself.

Others’ Thoughts: Erin Reads

Buy It Now: IndieBound

Title: Liesl & Po
Author: Lauren Oliver
Narrator: Jim Dale
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 320
Audio: 5.9 hours
Year: 2011
Publisher: Harper Audio
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

Liesl’s father just died and she is trapped in the attic by her evil step-mother. That is, until Po (with his pet, Bundle), visits her from the Other Side. With the help of Po, Liesl decides to bring her father back to the home they once loved.

Meanwhile, Will, the alchemist’s apprentice, makes a terrible mistake and flees to the country. He has loved Liesl from afar and finally their paths cross in escape.

My Thoughts:

I already knew Lauren Oliver was talented. She impressed me with Before I Fall and then wowed me with Delirium. This is her first middle grade book, and Liesl & Po solidifies her place among the new generation of writers for young readers.

Liesl & Po is magical. The story-telling is suberb, pulling you in from the start with Liesl and Po’s first conversation and not letting you go until you know the last little detail.  For a middle grade book, it deals with some deep issues and doesn’t underestimate its potentially young readers. This book is smart and entertaining at the same time.

Reading Liesl & Po was a bit like being in a classic middle grade book (think Roald Dahl). Misfortune leads to adventure and happiness with the help of a bit of suspended belief on the part of the reader and impeccable timing on the part of the characters. In a world of very-real-contemporaries and vampire-filled-paranormals, it was refreshing.

Beautifully written, lovely, and charming, this is one for the whole family (and would make a lovely holiday gift).

Audio Thoughts:

Once I discovered Jim Dale was the narrator, I knew this was an audio, not a print, book for me. Jim Dale was fabulous as expected. He is so good with the different voices and really brings the story to life.

Others’ Thoughts: Fiction Folio; Presenting Lenore

Buy It Now: IndieBound

Title: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Author: Rebecca Skloot
Narrators: Cassandra Campbell (with Bahni Turpin)
Genre: Narrative Nonfiction
Pages: 384
Audio: 12.4 hours
Year: 2010
Publisher: Random House Audio
Source: Library
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Henrietta Lacks’ contribution to medicine is immeasurable. Her cells (called HeLa) – which are uniquely immortal – have been in continuous use in medical research since the 1940s and have given us the polio vaccine, advancements in cancer and HIV treatments, and much more. But Henrietta never knew this, nor did she consent to the use of her cell line when she went into Johns Hopkins for cancer treatment all those years ago. Should her family receive a piece of the success that HeLa has become? Rebecca Skloot sets out to investigate this question by researching HeLa cells and the Lacks family.

My Thoughts:

This is my kind of nonfiction. Informative but not dry; telling the story of both the science and the people involved in the science. Rebecca Skloot did an excellent job researching a topic that had very little research (despite the excessive research on her cells, Henrietta has long remained a mystery).

The story jumps between Skloot’s attempts to contact Henrietta’s family and the story of Henrietta and the HeLa cells. Which suits the book well and keeps it from getting bogged down in either the medicine or the family drama.

A few issues though. It was a bit long (or it felt long). And because of this I got a bit bored. I started this before I left for my month-long trip to Europe (I know I’m ridiculously behind on reviews) and I didn’t finish it until I was on the train heading toward our last city. Also, I was really hoping to find out WHY Henrietta’s cells are “immortal.” Do we just not know? (Or did I miss it?).

Despite these issues, I think this is definitely a book worth reading. It raises interesting ethical questions and contains some fascinating science. Plus, Henrietta deserves to have her story heard.

Audiobook Thoughts:

Cassandra Campbell did a fantastic job as narrator of this one. Some science-y books can have flat narration but Campbell kept the science just as emotional as the personal story. If you’re going to read it, I highly recommend this one in audio.

Others’ Thoughts: Book Addiction; Helen’s Book Blog; Take Me Away Reading;

But It Now: Amazon; IndieBound

Title: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Narrators: Wil Wheaton
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 384
Audio: 15.6 hours
Year: 2011
Publisher: Crown
Source: Library
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

Wade (or Parzival as he is known in The Oasis) is a teenager living in Oklahoma City in the 2040s. The world is in shambles thanks to rising energy costs. Poverty is everywhere. But people have an escape: The Oasis. The Oasis is a virtual reality where people can go to school, get jobs, and live their lives away from the “real” world.

When The Oasis’ creator, James Halliday, dies, he leaves his fortune (and control of The Oasis) to the first person to find his hidden easter egg within the world he created. But James Halliday was stuck in the decade in which he was a teenager: the 1980s. So the world must embrace that era once again.

Wade becomes a Gunter (someone devoted to hunting Halliday’s Easter Egg). He dedicates all of his free time to learning about Halliday and the 1980s. When he becomes the first person to stumble on the first of the three keys necessary to finding the egg, he is thrust into the spotlight and his knowledge is put to the test.

My Thoughts:

I really didn’t think that I would love this one as much as people told me I would. It sounds so geeky and too heavy on the sci-fi. But I totally embraced the geek and fell hard for this book. My fingers just typed sigh-fi by mistake but it might apply because it was SO GOOD. *sighs*

Ready Player One finds the perfect balance of world-building and moving the story forward. We get a ton of information on the real world and The Oasis. Although most of the action takes place in The Oasis, there is adventure, romance, and friendship. Plus there is a Big Bad in the form of an evil corporation. Now there is a good enemy.

The 80s references are too much fun. If you were born in the 70s (oh how I wish I were just a little bit older so I could experience this book like you), you need to read this book. But even I, who wasn’t watching much more than Sesame Street and Jem in the 80s, enjoyed it).

Audiobook Thoughts:

Please, please, please listen to this one. Wil Wheaton (of Star Trek fame or more recently known as Sheldon Cooper’s nemesis) is FABULOUS. The audio is not short, but I promise you that you will not want to stop listening. I found myself looking for extra chores to do just so I could keep listening.

Others’ Thoughts: Jenn’s Bookshelves; Devourer of Books

Buy It Now: Amazon; IndieBound

I am putting a little twist on this week’s topic. These are all books I want to reread, but I plan on rereading in audio. Audiobooks have become my preferred rereading method. It takes less time from my busy print reading schedule and gives me a new way to experience an old favorite. Here are eight books I want to reread in audio.

Middlesex

The Time Traveler’s Wife

The End of the Affair

Geek Love

The Night Circus (I know I JUST finished it but I really want to listen to the audiobook read by Jim Dale)

Their Eyes Were Watching God

The History of Love

To Kill a Mockingbird

What books do you want to reread? Do you ever use audiobooks to reread favorites?

Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted by the fabulous The Broke and the Bookish.

Title: The Lantern
Author: Deborah Lawrenson
Narrators: Kristine Ryan & Gerianne Raphael
Genre: Gothic; Fiction
Pages: 400
Audio: 10.7 hours
Year: 2011
Publisher: Harper Audio
Source: Review copy from publisher
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Eve and Dom meet on vacation.  They quickly fall in love and move to an old farm – Les Genévriers – in rural France.  But pretty soon Eve realizes how little she knows about Dom and his life before her.

Benedicte grew up at Les Genévriers with her sister Marta and her brother Pierre, both long gone from the family farm. When they start to haunt her, Benedicte recalls her story and reveals the secrets of Les Genévriers.

My Thoughts:

You know how some  books grab you from the start and while others slowly pull you in? The Lantern is the latter. While the writing is always superb, the book moves slowly and I wasn’t really sure what to make of it until I was more than halfway through. It was then that I realized I NEEDED to know the mystery. By the end, I had a hard time putting it down.

The Lantern is reminiscent of du Rebecca (and makes no attempt to hide this similarity). It is a gothic story told in modern times with that little-bit-creepy-yet-so-addicting feeling. If you enjoy novels like Rebecca and The Thirteenth Tale, I think you will like this one, although it didn’t quite reach their lofty levels in my estimation.

Audio Thoughts:

I think this book would have been a struggle for me in print, but the audio was so lovely that even when the story was slow, I enjoyed listening. Kristine Ryan was phenomenal. Her soft voice perfectly captured Eve with her unique American/English/French accent (even more impressive as it turns out she is simply American). I was also impressed with Gerianne Raphael and thankful for the two different narrators, which clearly distinguished the two separate story lines.

Others’ Thoughts: Book-a-Rama (print); Raging Bibliomania (print); Devourer of Books (audio); S. Krishna’s Books (print)

Buy It Now: Amazon; IndieBound

When I first read The Hunger Games trilogy, I flew through the books. It took me no more than 3 days to read any of them. You can read about it here, here, and here. Although I was mildly disappointed in Mockingjay, I wanted to reread the whole series at a slower pace. So I went with my rereading go-to: audiobooks. These are my thoughts:

• Carolyn McCormick as narrator took a little getting used to. The book is told in the first person by 16-year-old Katniss. McCormick is 51. It was a little strange but I got used to her. I wouldn’t say the narration was outstanding but it was certainly listenable.
• The first two books were just as engrossing for me the second time around. Although I knew what would happen, I was on the edge of my seat.
• Catching Fire is still my favorite of the three.
• Mockingjay got worse on reread. I am not a fan of Mockingjay at all now. This is an unfortunate consequence (my Deathly-Hallows-it-gets-better-the-second-time theory failed).

And that’s pretty much it (thrilling, I know). Has anyone else listened to the audio? What did you think?

This is the second book in the Newsflesh Trilogy. Please don’t read this review if you haven’t read Feed (actually you should go read it now and then come back because it’s SO GOOD). There are spoilers in the first book that would really ruin that experience for you. If you’ve read Feed, proceed. If not, you have been warned.

Title: Deadline
Author: Mira Grant
Narrators: Chris Patton and Nell Geislinger
Genre: Fiction; Post-Apocalyptic; Zombie
Pages: 608
Audio: 15.1 hours
Year: 2010
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Source: Audible
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary:

Buffy is dead. Georgia is dead. Rick is in the White House. Shaun is left to manage After the End Times on his own. When Kelly, a CDC researcher who everyone believes is dead shows up with some disturbing information about Kellis-Amberley, the new gang once again gets caught up in their search for the truth.

My Thoughts:

I wasn’t sure what to think going into Deadline. I knew it would be a different experience from Feed, which I adored. Shaun narrates this one and the book shifts to new main characters (by necessity). But I was not disappointed.

This felt very much like a middle-of-a-trilogy book to me. It moves along nicely but is clearly setting up the final book. For that reason, we don’t get all the answers and we are left quite the cliffhanger (I NEED the next book NOW). Yet there was enough action happening throughout to keep me satisfied.

Similarly, we learn more about the Newsflesh world and the way Kellis-Amberley has evolved, which is all very detailed and super interesting.

One of the things I loved the most in Feed was the politics. While Deadline doesn’t have an ongoing political campaign, there is plenty of bureaucracy, conspiracy, and power struggling to keep us sated (the CDC is EVIL, guys).

I am glad that Shaun is crazy and sees and hears Georgia because I would have missed her if she had been totally absent. It also made being inside Shaun’s head a little more interesting.

Audio Thoughts:

The narrators are different in this audiobook which made me a little sad because they were very good in Feed. But I can’t really fault either narrator in Deadline for anything other than being in the unfortunate position of following Paula Christensen. I highly recommend that audiobooks if you are interested in this series (which you should be because it is pretty awesome). I am certain that is how I will read the final book (which really can’t be soon enough).

Others’ Thoughts: Silly Little Mischief; Devourer of Books;

Buy It Now: Amazon; IndieBound

Title: Unfamiliar Fishes
Author: Sarah Vowell
Narrators: Sarah Vowell (with Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, John Hodgman, Catherine Keener, Edward Norton, Keanu Reeves, Paul Rudd, Maya Rudolph, John Slattery)
Genre: Nonfiction; History
Pages: 256
Audio: 7.6 hours
Year: 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Source: Library
Rating: 3.5/5

My Thoughts/Summary:

I have been meaning to read Sarah Vowell for a long time. I have had my good friend Lisa’s copy of The Partly Cloudy Patriot for AGES. So when I had the opportunity to listen to her newest book, Unfamiliar Fishes, I took it.

Unfamiliar Fishes is the history of Hawaii from the time the missionaries arrived in the early 1800s through annexation. From plate lunches to infertile monarchs, Vowell covers it all. And makes you laugh throughout.

My conclusion is that Vowell is a very good narrative nonfiction storyteller. And while I really had no interest in Hawaii’s history, she made me interested. But I struggled with the audio. I think it is partly my fault. I wasn’t really in an audiobook mood when I started. And then I must have listened to it on shuffle for awhile because things kept repeating. And I was distracted by the many characters narrated by many people and the music (I still heart you Grant Lee Phillips) and I honestly didn’t think that Vowell was the best narrator for the story. Sure, she captures her dry tone and sarcasm perfectly (since she wrote it) but her voice was hard to listen to for long periods. I recommend the book but I recommend reading this one in print.

Others’ Thoughts: Whimpulsive; Raging Bibliomania; S. Krishna’s Books; That’s What She Read

Buy It Now: Amazon; IndieBound