January's Book Club: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

This month I went to a new book club that was just formed.  It is a combination of some of the people from the day book club I used to be in a long time ago, and the evening book club, which only met a few times, and then stopped for some reason.  We met back in November to discuss what we might want to read throughout the year.  One of the members suggested a book I had already listened to the audio version of, called "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple. This time I decided to read it digitally.

Our book group met around dinnertime, so we have decided to bring food.  The food suggested was to "bring our favorite Antarctic dish."  I brought blue and clear JELLO jigglers (recipe found on Pinterest) that looked like ice!  There was also iceberg salads, cold fruit soup, hot tomato soup, gummy penguins, along with many other great things.

"Where'd You Go, Bernadette" is focused mainly around five people, so absorbed in their own worlds, that they cannot really see what is going on around them.  There is Audrey, the nosy neighbor, who is a gossip and a trouble-maker.  Audrey's friend, Soo-Lin, who likes to complain much about her personal problems and thinks more of herself than anybody else.  There is Elgin/Elgie Branch (pronounced El-jin, or L.G. - as the audio book pronounced it), who is a Microsoft big-wig who is completely absorbed in his work.  Elgin's wife, Bernadette, an eccentric, artsy, fashionable woman, is at the center of everybody's drama. Finally, there is Bee, the overly-enthusiastic teenage daughter, who wants to go to Antarctica, after receiving the best grades she could get from her current school.

The book was a big hit in my book club.  The book's main setting is in Seattle, and the Greater Seattle area.  All of us live in the Greater Seattle area, so it made it more personal for us, than maybe someone who lives outside that.  I have heard reviews of the book both ways.  Some people really love the book, some don't like it at all.  I can see why on both sides. 

In my group, there were a couple of women who moved from California, and there are a couple of others who husbands work for Microsoft.  When asked if they could relate to the book, they definitely felt like they could.

Being originally outside the Greater Seattle area myself, I could relate to some of the issues as well.  Some reviews I read/watched thought the characters were "too over-the-top."  Part of the reason why I may have not loved this book as much some, may be because I felt some of the characters were almost too real.  I could relate to them too much, having known people in my lifetime who have acted much like the characters in the book do. 

Audrey drove me crazy.  She was the character I loved to hate.  The book would not have been entertaining without her.  One person in my book group said that she was her favorite character, and she had the best arc.  Which is true.  Of all the characters in the book, Audrey has the best arc.

Bee was my favorite character.  The book is told from her side, through a series of letters she reads throughout the book.  I liked the style, reading the compilation of letters, and faxes, and whatnot.  I felt the format really makes the reader feel a part of the story.  In some ways, the reader is Bee, looking through all the information to figure it all out.  As a group we agreed that it could not work from anyone else's viewpoint.

Some reviews felt the title was misleading.  They thought Bernadette did not leave till late in the book.  This isn't entirely true.  However, it doesn't necessarily mean "gone" as in physically gone, either.  I think some readers might have missed that part.

Some reviews thought a couple of characters sounded the same.  I think it helped that I heard the audio version first.  It helped me keep track of which character was who, and I felt the narrator did a great job.

Something I didn't understand, when I was reading it digitally, is some words in a couple of the letters being in bold for no apparent reason.  Did anyone else notice this?  Did I miss something?

I could go on about the other characters, but I really don't want to spoil anything.  All I know is that we had a ton of people at this book club, and everyone there seemed to really enjoy it.

My Book Report: The Books I Chose to Read In 2015

According to Goodreads, I read a total of 13 books last year.  That is 10 books less than the year previous.  The past year was an accomplishment, however, because I finally finished the 1,472 pages of the book, Gone with the Wind, which was a New Year's Resolution of mine for 2015.

Here is my review of it from Goodreads:

Book #1  Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell  My rating:  4 stars.

Wow. I cannot believe I finally finished this book! It is a long book, and I took my time to fully enjoy it.

I was not expecting to like this book much, because I saw the movie years ago, and found the movie to be boring back then. The first time I fully watched it, I had a really bad sinus infection, so that might be part of the reason. I remember renting it again, and still finding it boring. Now, that I have read the book, I feel like giving the movie a 3rd chance. I thought the main actors chosen in the movie were great for their parts, at least.

I started this book years ago when my book club suggested it. I knew I wouldn't finish in a month, but I started the book, hoping it to be more interesting than the movie was. It started off well (but so does the movie). I was frustrated that it didn't have the text-to-speech feature, though - of all the books not to have that! I then became very busy at work, got distracted with life, other books, etc. I wound up putting the book down for a few years, and picking it back up because I really did want to finish what I started.

The book could have easily been a series of 5 books, and is actually broken into 5 separate parts, which I found interesting. It follows the life of Scarlett O'Hara and all the trials she goes through. There is also Rhett Butler, who appears in different stages of the book. Each character seems to develop, and reveal more about themselves with each section.

There were some surprises I didn't see coming, and some things I should have seen coming, but didn't. Reading this book was almost like watching a soap opera, set in the 1800s. Some parts made me laugh (which I didn't expect at all), some parts shocked me, other parts angered me, and some parts frustrated me - so many emotions on one book!

Even though the book is fiction, it gives some insight of how some people may have really thought of things back then, and how they interacted with each other over certain situations. There were some parts of the book that seemed irrelevant, which I feel could have been cut, but for the most part, I really enjoyed reading it.

Now I am just curious how the movie version will compare.

I borrowed the movie, giving it a 3rd chance.  I actually liked the movie this time.  I felt it did a pretty good job with the book, of course it had to omit several parts, but I remember overall liking it.  It seemed like the book helped me get a better understanding of what was going on in the movie, too.


Book #2  The Giver  by Lois Lowry.  My rating:  3 stars.  If you read this book, you probably liked it better than I did.

I decided to read this book because a reviewer wrote that one of the books I really liked, called "Matched," was "a total rip-off of 'The Giver.'" So, I expected this book to be just as good or better than the Matched series, that I like so much.

I felt "The Giver" had some good concepts, but I felt the plot was weak. I also felt the characters were underdeveloped, and their dialect was not very believable for their age group. I do understand that it is supposed to be a more advanced society, but still. Also, some horrific things happen, which I found fairly predictable.

There is an addition of magic that really doesn't make sense with the story. I overlooked the magic part, because maybe advanced technology could possibly create something that seems like magic in our time, but even so, it did not really seem to fit in well with the rest of the story.

I actually liked the ending, because it can be viewed in more than one way. I did not realize that this book in the series was going to end the story however, and there were some things brought up that were never explained, so it seemed pointless to even bring them up in the first place.

Matched may have been influenced by this book, there a few things that are the same, but overall, Matched is totally different, and a much better book.


Book #3  These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901, Arizona Territories (Sarah Agnes Prine #1) by Nancy E. Turner. My rating:  5 stars.

I am so surprised how much I liked this book. I started to read it a long time ago for my book club, but never had time to get into it. It was just recently added to my library as an audio version, which makes it easier to get through, since I can listen while I work.

The first part of the audio version, the narrator, Amy Rubinate, sounded a bit stiff, and I was wondering if she was right for the reading of it, but later on, I felt like she did a really great job.

The book itself put me through many emotions. I was grossed out by some things so much, I almost decided to stop reading. I also wondered if it would be too much like "Follow the River," which was also a good book, but I really did not feel like reading something like that at this time.

Luckily, it has more going on than the "Follow the River" book had, and the plot is totally different, once you get through the first part.

"These Is My Words" has some really gross, graphic scenes, but it also has humor, sadness, frustration, romance, and more. It is a great read and/or listen.


Book #4  Fighting Invisible Tigers: Stress Management for Teens  by Earl Hipp.  My rating:  5 stars.

This book was written for a younger audience than me, but I still thought it had some great tips, even for adults. I wish I read this when I was a teenager, it may have helped. The book is wonderfully illustrated, and gives readers tips on how to be more calm, positive, and goal oriented.


Book #5  The Perfect Scent:  A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York by Chandler Burr.  My rating:  4 stars.

I would have never picked up this book to read, except it was suggested for book club. I don't often wear fragrance because most female fragrances give me a terrible headache (which runs in my family, on my father's side).

I found this book to be fascinating. I really never thought about what makes a fragrance, or how it is made, but is explained as a piece of art that tells a story. After reading this book, it totally makes sense.

I wound up switching from the hardback book to the audio edition in order to get through the book faster. Mel Foster does the narration. His voice sounds smooth, and a bit clinical.

Foster's voice is a good match for the book, but I looked up Chandler Burr, who wrote the book, and wondered why he did not narrate it. Burr's voice is more animated, and I think he could have added more passion to his own story.

Nevertheless, I thought the book was interesting, and sometimes funny. I did zone out on some of the more technical aspects that were mentioned, however. I did not care to listen to the long list of compounds mentioned. I would have quickly skimmed the compound part if I were actually reading the words. The audio helped with the pronunciation of some of the words I did not know (there are a few words in French), and other complicated sounding brands such Hemès, which I was familiar.

It seems like it would be helpful to have an imagination while reading this book, because some scents described (like specific flowers), you may not necessarily know what they smell like. Some of the author's descriptions are downright hilarious, he doesn't sugar coat anything.

My favorite part of the book is Chandler's first meeting with Sarah Jessica Parker. She adds a cheerful lightness to the story, and I found her thoughts intriguing.

I wasn't sure I should go to Book Club, the week they had it on this book. The woman who suggested the book had a whole bunch of fragrances that she said we could smell and try on. I was worried about getting a bad headache.

I decided to go anyway, and found that most of the fragrances did not cause any problems. I really liked the "Lovely" fragrance. When upon hearing how much I liked it, the owner gave it to me as a gift to take home! I have even worn it a few times since then, I still really like it. It really smells lovely!

So whether you like fragrance, or are just curious about the process, this is a good book to listen to!

Book #6  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.  My rating:  4 stars.

I really liked this book, but I felt like it had so much sexual reference, drugs and abuse, that it overshadowed the main really good parts of the book. Some of it was essential to the plot, but I just felt it was overdone. It also seemed to make light of things that really should be seen as more serious.

I loved the format of the book. The letters really draw the reader in, and makes you feel like a character in the book, yourself. I felt I understood Charlie, even though most of his actions are so different from how I would act. I still found him relatable, despite our differences.

Most books I either feel happy or relieved when I finish them. This one I felt a little sad about finishing. That is all I will say.


Book #7  Stones Into Schools:  Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Greg Mortenson, Atossa Leoni.  My rating:  2 stars.

This was another book I started for book club a long time ago, but never finished. I just couldn't get into it.

When I saw it as an audio-book, recently, I decided to get through it that way. I liked the dialog parts, but only seemed to last about 25% of the entire story, in the center section. The narrator, Atossa Leoni, really added life to those parts. The rest of it made me zone in and out frequently. Every once in awhile I thought it would pick up, but then it didn't for me. It was mostly depressing, too. It was not a bad book, it just wasn't my cup of tea (pun intended).


Book #8  The Manga Japanese Cookbook:  Japanese Bento Boxes, Main Dishes and More!  (International Edition) The Manga University Culinary Institute, Chihiro Hattori (Illustrator).
My rating:  4 stars.

This is a very cute cookbook. I borrowed it from the library mainly because I wanted to know what dango had in it after watching Clannad. The book makes some references to other anime and manga between recipes.

The recipes look interesting and tasty. Maybe someday I will try them!

I was influenced by this book to put a bit of sugar in my omelets.  I think they taste so much better now!


Book #9  Lost Cat:  A True Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology by Caroline Paul, Wendy MacNaughton (Illustrations).  My rating:  5 stars.

This is a book about a woman obsessed with the goings on of her cat. It is humorous and entertaining, but it also made me cry. The illustrations are delightful! It makes a nice, quick-read for those who like cats.

Book #10  The Rules:  A Guide for People Owned by Cats by Max Thompson.  My rating:  3 stars.

This book was just okay for me. I guess my main problem, is that it felt inconsistent. Starting with the cover. I like the cover, it is a beautiful illustration. The illustrations inside really don't correspond. They seem amateurish compared to the cover. They could also be seen as quirky and fun, but the cover suggests otherwise.

The content is all very tongue-in-cheek. Is it supposed to be written (and illustrated) by a cat or a human? It seems to be one or the other at different times in the book. It has humor, but sometimes you wonder if the author is trying to convince you of things you should not do. Other times, it seems important that you should do what the author suggests.

There were some things that definitely made me laugh out loud, but overall, I was disappointed in this book.


Book #11  No More Bad Decisions by Sydney Finkelstein.  My rating:  3 stars.

This book made some good points, but I wished it was longer.

Book #12  The Mystery of the Green Cat by Phyllis A. Whitney.  My rating:  5 stars.

My 3rd grade teacher read this to our class, and I absolutely loved it then. This book, and a picture on the back cover of a little cat, inspired me to make a little ceramic cat in college that I still have.

I haven't probably read the book since 3rd grade, but I still found it intriguing today. Some things and phrases are quite dated, yet it still stands the test of time. I am surprised I could not borrow this book from the library. It is quite a classic.

(My Dad saw this book, sitting on my lamp table during the Christmas holiday.  He read it, and also really enjoyed it.  He thought it gave a great description of San Francisco.)


Book #13  Exploring Calvin and Hobbes:  An Exhibition Catalog by Bill Watterson.  
My rating:  5 stars.

I haven't even reviewed this book on Goodreads yet, but I absolutely loved this book!  When I read it, I felt like it was written just for me!  Of course, I knew it wasn't, but it was a very satisfying read.  In "Exploring Calvin and Hobbes...", there was a nice, long interview of Bill Watterson with smart questions about his cartooning, as well as some of his personal life.  He also included some favorite comics from other cartoonists, pointing out what he liked about them.  Watterson comes across as very intelligent and kind, which is probably explains why he doesn't want to hang around just anybody.  The artist showed off a little of his photography and painting as well.  He is obviously incredibly talented and continues to grow.  Most of his answers did not surprise me, except for the fact that he has a brother.  I guess I just figured he was an only child.  I wish he did answer the question of what the little gadget with holes in it was.  I have one of those, and I used it during cartooning class on one setting only.  I have no idea what it is called.  I guess if Bill Watterson doesn't know, it really doesn't matter.

My Year of Books and Reviews of Them (2014)

Hello everybody!  Welcome to 2015!  I hope everyone is having a good year so far.  Last year was just okay for me, but I did get a ton of reading done.

According to  Goodreads, I read 23 books in 2014.  I was surprised I even read that many.  I guess getting the Kindle Fire last year for Christmas really helped me read faster than I realized.  I have downloaded numerous digital books from the library, a few audio versions as well, and made a few select purchases.  I was surprised to see that I did not always wind up writing a review.  I meant to review all the books I have read, but got caught up in other things this year.  So, if I haven't written a review of one of my past year books yet, I will try to point out some things about it here.

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes: A Calvin and Hobbes Treasury by Bill Watterson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have loved Calvin & Hobbes for years, and was excited when the Kindle version of this particular book was on sale for only $2.99. Luckily, I had just got a Kindle for Christmas that would support this book's format (not every Kindle does).

This book starts at the very beginning, where Calvin first catches Hobbes. The book is superbly illustrated and written. It is humorous, and relatable, and reaches to all ages.

The only complaint of the Kindle edition, which is very minor, is that unlike most illustrated Kindle books, this one does not let you enlarge the pictures to see them even bigger. It seemed to imply that it could, after I first purchased it, but I could never get it to do it. The pages also have to scroll up, versus sideways, which I actually like for the format of this particular book. Someone said that the pages show upside down on the Kindle, but if you tilt it sideways, and then put it the way you want it, it should go the direction you want it to.

Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. I highly recommend getting them all in paperback as well. Calvin & Hobbes is truly the best.

The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 1: 1950-1952 by Charles M. Schulz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was a really excellent book, that starts at the beginning of Sparky's (Schulz's) career.  I was amazed how many of his strips felt before their time, and still hold up today.  There are a few that are dated, but some strips definitely influenced Bill Watterson's "Calvin & Hobbes," about 30 years before that popular strip came to be.  This is only one book in a long series.  There are still many great strips from the Peanuts gang, but this is where they got their start.


Sparky: The Life and Art of Charles Schulz by Beverly Gherman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was short, but well-written. I learned some things I did not know about the man, his comic strip, and the holiday specials. I really wish I could have met this cartoonist when he was still alive, he sounds like a really great guy. He was definitely one of the best cartoonists of all time.

Sammy Feral's Diaries of Weird by Eleanor Hawken

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was a great book! I was looking at books at my online library, and was drawn by the cover. There are cute little illustrations put randomly through the book. The book has suspense and intrigue. I suspect it may be too scary for little kids, but for young teenagers, it would be just fine.

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I decided I wanted to read this book after watching "Saving Mr. Banks" (which I really enjoyed). I listened to the audio version of this book while reading along. It is interesting to compare the original Disney movie, to the original book, to "Saving Mr. Banks."

Because I saw "Saving Mr. Banks" before reading the book, I feel there is a deeper meaning behind the characters, that I would not have noticed if I read the book first. I feel many of the characters reflect the author's father, and the way she dealt with it, was by writing it out, making a fictional story about it. I also can empathize on how she felt towards Walt Disney, because of how very personal this story is to her.

The narrator of the audio book does a fine job bringing it to life.

The illustrations from the book are fun, quirky, and amusing. The characters are quite the same. Some of the stories get quite bizarre, but I found that made them quite memorable. I am kind of interested now in reading some more of P.L. Travers works because of it.


The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Hmm... I started to read this book as a kid, but never finished it. Years later, I decided I want to listen to the whole thing.

It was not really what I expected. The title of the book seems a bit misleading... the title is humorous to me, but the book is not meant to be. There is a touch of humor in some places, but it is mainly a book to send a message.

I found the characters relatable, on some levels, but terribly dated. The father is emotionally abusive, which is difficult to listen to, The mother is overcompensating, which is annoying. The main character, a teenage girl, is highly critical of herself, which is understandable, due to her being a typical teenager as well as having a dysfunctional family.

The book feels a bit pushy for my tastes. However, it was written in a different time period, and much has changed since then.

I listened to the audio version of this book, which is unique in the fact that it has an entire cast of characters. I felt the cast did a pretty good job, though I feel they may have been directed to "overact" a bit.

Overall, I liked the book, I just wish there was more to it.


The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I believe I mainly listened to the audio version of this final book, that was not meant to be the end of this Stieg Larsson series.  He died before he could write the next books.

The voice actor did a better narration of this series over the other two books.  It was so much better, I thought it was someone else doing the narration.  Despite my dislike for the last book, this one was better.  It was not as exciting as the first book, and at times I got bored, but I still enjoyed it, and felt like it ended pretty well for a unfinished series.


The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Sometimes authors try something new with their writing and it works.  In this case, it really didn't.  I thought I would really like this book because it was written by one of my favorite authors, Shannon Hale.  Many of her other books are fairy-tales, and are exciting and adventurous.  This book is supposed to be set in  modern day, real life.

The characters are supposed to be adults in this, but I feel the main character to be a selfish, clueless brat.  She really annoyed me throughout the book.  She tells people why the actor could not be interested in her because of the way she looks.  I think he should not be interested in her because of her personality, that, and of course, she is married.  The book seems to try hard to push religion, but does not give enough to make the reader interested in it, and basically preaches to the choir to those that already know about it.  The characters are highly stereotypical, which also lessens my appeal to the book.

I also felt while reading the book, that the characters were sharing a personal joke that the reader was not allowed in on.  If you are going to have a personal joke between characters, the reader needs to be a part of it!

One good thing I have to say is that Hale did pick good actor names.  I actually had to look up "Felix Callahan" to see if it was the name of a real actor.  The other name was "Celeste Bourgnine."  Both names were believable celebrity names.

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had to quit my book club a couple of years ago because my new work schedule, but they formed a new one, that worked for me, and this is the book that we read.

This book is fiction, but based on true events.  It goes back and forth, from modern day life, then delves into the past.  I found the book very interesting, yet sad.  I never knew these trains existed before.  The book is fairly mild, yet it has one scene that I felt could have been written differently, or left out all together.  It is obvious that things happened, but until that point in the book, I would say it would be a great read for teens, but not with the way that scene was written.

Cybill Disobedience: How I Survived Beauty Pageants, Elvis, Sex, Bruce Willis, Lies, Marriage, Motherhood, Hollywood, and the Irrepressible Urge to Say What I Think by Cybill Shepherd

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kindle offered this book for free when I purchased it, and even though I took my time reading it, I liked it a lot.

Cybill Shepherd does not hold back when she tells about her life as a celebrity, which seems to disappoint and even anger some of her previous fans.  So, if you think Shepherd is the wholesome, girl-next-door type, and don't want to destroy that image, then maybe you should read another book.

I can totally see this book from Shepherd's perspective.  There are misunderstandings, there are elements of humor, there are bits of juicy gossip about other celebrities.

I used to watch Moonlighting as a girl, and really liked the series.  There are times I wondered why did Cybill's hair look like that, or why are they speaking so fast, or why do they look so tired?  This book had the answers to those questions I thought of years ago.

I also remember her show Cybill, vaguely.  She talks about that show quite a bit as well.

Overall, I really liked it.  It was also fun to remember the shows that I used to watch a long time ago, and go behind scenes, to hear what really may have been going on.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read. It had some mystery as well I am torn on what I think should happen later in the series.



Spells by Aprilynne Pike

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am continuing to enjoy the series. This one seemed to have a bit more suspense to it. I am intrigued to see what happens next, especially with that ending.



Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Some new characters have been added to this book to up the intrigue and suspense. I believe there is only one more book in this series? I have some thoughts on how it is all going to wrap up, and if I am right, I will be totally happy with it.


Destined by Aprilynne Pike

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I found this book particularly suspenseful towards the end. Some things were totally unexpected. I really enjoyed this book and series as a whole. I will miss the series, the main characters, as well.


Divergent by Veronica Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I decided to read this book a second time, before the movie comes out. To be honest, I did not remember most of it, till I read it again. It is much more violent than I remember it, and I am wondering if I am going to be able to watch some scenes on the big screen. It was still a page-turner for me. It was visually intriguing, and interesting how the characters interacted with one another. The suspense also grabbed me. Divergent is not very realistic, but I enjoyed the book, nevertheless.

(For the record, the scenes that bothered me the most, were not in the film).


Insurgent by Veronica Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was suspenseful and chilling. I would be reading along, and think, "just one more chapter," and have to read more.



Allegiant by Veronica Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I remember thinking how I did not like the two-person perspective in this book, since I felt like it wasn't a new concept anymore.  I had read it in the last book of the Twilight series, then in the last two books of the Matched series.  In both books, the format worked well.

I guess it was a bit necessary in this book for that kind of perspective, but I did not feel the characters "sounded" much different from each other, and I often got mixed up knowing which person I was reading.  I often had to check the beginning of the chapter to find out.

This book surprised me.  I did not realize they were going to take it this direction, but that made it more interesting.  Some of my friends did not like the ending, but I felt it was appropriate.

Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave by Richelle E. Goodrich

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book is probably my favorite in the series so far. The cover is my favorite too, really like the colors used, and I like how it has some depth perspective to it.

There are many memorable and interesting things that happen in this book. Like meeting the other civilizations on the planet, and how they live. Ian's new talent. Getting a peek into the past, to understand the characters better. I liked how it ended, too. I could even be okay if the series just ended there, leaving it up to the reader's imagination -- but I know that is not where it ends.

It will be interesting to see what happens next.

Eena, The Two Sisters by Richelle E. Goodrich

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A lot of interesting things happen in this book, and I am honestly torn on what I think of them. This book is the hardest to review, because if I say anything, it might spoil it for others reading the book. I can say I really like this cover. It has beautiful colors and a nice perspective. There are some definite surprises in this book. I am certainly curious where it might lead next. My mind is full of question marks.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened an audio version of this book in the car. It was funny, had some suspense, and some sad moments as well. The characters are pretty crazy. It is mostly set in Seattle, which made it interesting to me. It seemed a little wordy at the end. This book sort of reminded me of "A Confederacy of Dunces," (which I didn't like at all), but this book seems more to target a female audience, where "A Confederacy of Dunces" seems to target a male one. The narrator does an excellent job. There was a singing part which she also did very well. I liked it.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I am giving this book one star because I personally did not like it. My dad thought it was hilarious.

I borrowed the audio version of this book, and listened to it while driving. I mainly felt tense and irritated while listening to this book, thinking, "this book is horrible, I hate this book, does he have to constantly say that? It's annoying every time that other guy says, 'whoah!' I really hate this main character...a Master's Degree? In what? The only thing he has a Master's in is BS! My dad thinks THIS is funny? Okay, that was a little funny. Ugh, I hate this book. Does it ever end? When is it going to end? Maybe it is time to listen to some music instead. Do I want to finish this book? Might as well, my dad liked it. I like Trixie. "I am a very attractive woman..."

There were a couple of moments when the narrator forgot which role he was doing the voice for, and that annoyed me a bit, too. Then, I considered all the characters he had to change his voice for, and he really did not do a bad job. This annoying book is even more annoying when voices are involved. I felt like I was stuck in my car with people I would not associate with in real life, if possible.

I do understand why some people would find it funny. I think the author does a good job of creating a world of annoying characters with distinct personalities. If it was to my taste in books, I may even rate it 4-5 stars, but I can't, because overall, I really did not like this book.

The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed this audio book. It was recommended by a friend from work. It is about a woman who goes to cooking school in France. It has humor, heartache, annoyance, and frustration throughout the entire book. I like the narrator's voice, it almost has maybe a bored quality to it, but it is still interesting to listen to.

As someone who enjoys cooking, the book was particularly interesting to me. I am pretty sure I don't have a passion for it, because I could not stomach doing some of the things the students are asked to do. There is at least one recipe at the end of each chapter. I could imagine the taste of each recipe read to an extent.

A hard copy would be easier to try out the recipes, however, the audio is nice, in order to hear how some of the words are pronounced in French.

If you like to cook, you would probably enjoy this book.

By Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird CD [Audiobook] by -HarperAudio-

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have read this book several times now, and was excited to hear that not only is it available in digital form, but in audio as well.

Sissy Spacek does the narration for this book. She does a pretty good job. Her voice doesn't change much for the variety of characters, so sometimes I forgot which character was supposed to be speaking. Her voice is very soothing, however, so it makes it pleasant to listen to. There is one instance however, when she is doing a slightly different voice for one character, and it went into another character's line.

Even though I have read this book several times, I always seem to forget the humor that is in it. I think it is because it covers a very serious subject. It is one of those books where you can read it over and over, and get something more out of it each time. It is one of my favorites.



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Well, that is it!  I am not sure if I will read that many books this year or not, but I kind of hope to finish all the books I started and haven't finished yet by this year.  One I am currently reading is "Gone with the Wind," it is a long book, and it does not come with the text-to-speech feature on my Kindle, so it is taking me longer to read it.  I will feel accomplished if I can get through the whole book this year.

My Review of "Alice I Have Been" by Melanie Benjamin

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars on audio, 5 of 5 stars on digital.

My mom recommended this book quite awhile ago.  The book is about a woman who was the inspiration of the “real life Alice” of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass.”  At the time, my mom told me the book was fiction, and I started reading it, thinking it was purely fiction. Later, my dad looked online and told me that it appeared to be a true story, that “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” was inspired by a real person (which it was).  However, at the end of the book, it states that the book itself is fiction, with historical facts, which, in that sense, does make it fiction.  There is much speculation in the book, and I was starting to feel a little judgmental about certain characters, but after reading the afterword in the digital version, one cannot be sure if what was written really happened or not, or perhaps back then, for some reason, it may have been more acceptable, under the circumstances.  The afterword is not in the audio version of the book.

The book is funny in some parts, creepy in others, romantic, and heartbreaking.  It draws you into Alice’s view of growing up and growing old might have been like.

I started listening to the audio version first (as read by Samantha Eggar).  The voice actress has a pleasant enough voice, but there are a couple of times in her narration, that the tone seems wrong.  Like, for instance, when a character is supposed to say something calmly, and it comes out of the narrator’s mouth as agitated.  There are only a couple of incidents, but it was a bit distracting.


I might have been about half-way through the book, when I decided to also download a digital copy to read along as well.  I noticed it also had pictures, which always seems to bring the story to life a bit more.
The book was definitely intriguing.  I enjoyed reading it.  I wonder about some parts, hoping maybe the speculation was a bit misunderstood.



Because of this book, I am listening to an audio version of “The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass,” as read by famous actor, Christopher Plummer.  So far, he is doing an excellent job with the reading.  The voices are really perfect.


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The Great Gatsby: the Movies, and the Unabridged Audiobook

This book was required reading when I was in High School, and at the time, I just could not get into the book at all.  It bored me.  I could not relate to the characters or understand their situations.  I had my dad read it to me, just to get through it, but even then, my mind would just wander off.

After finishing the book, our class watched the 1974 version of "The Great Gatsby" with Robert Redford in class.  I remember thinking, "Is this the same book?"  I still felt disconnected from the characters, I did not completely understand what was going on, but I sort of understood a little better.

A few months ago, I went to see the 2013 version of "The Great Gatsby."  The movie to me, brought the book more to life, and I wondered how well it followed the book, since to me, it was much more entertaining and interesting, than the book or the earlier movie.  

The new movie really had some great qualities:  lots of color and movement in the beginning, retro versions of current popular songs, making them almost seem futuristic for the time, and I feel that Leonardo DiCaprio really kept true to the feelings of the Gatsby character in the book.

I put several versions of "The Great Gatsby" on hold from the digital library.  While I was waiting, I decided to watch the 1974 version of "The Great Gatsby" again.  As I watched the old movie, I felt the new movie was similar enough, just better.  The older movie did not depict the book as well as the new one did, but it did cover the main points.  There are sounds that let you know that there were parties at the Gatsby home, but they never actually showed one in the 1974 version.  There is one scene that is almost laughable, though.  When Myrtle gets so upset she hits the glass window, cutting her hand, and goes ballistic.  Some things in the older movie really would not work in today’s movies.

I finally got one of the Gatsby books on digital download.  It just happened to be an audio version read by Robertson Dean.  I instantly recognized the story-line, being true to both movies.  The narrator, Robertson Dean, has a very soothing voice.  He does an excellent job in bringing the book to life.  I felt a greater appreciation for the book, partly because the movies helped me understand it, but also because I felt my maturity has helped me understand the characters and recognize some of the symbolism that I was oblivious to before.  I changed my mind about thinking the book was boring; into thinking it is truly a piece of art.

John Green has done an excellent YouTube review of this book, and I have to agree that it is pretty much what I think as well.  I do, however, think Gatsby did love Daisy, even if it was a shallow love.

My Latest Hobby - Listening to Audiobooks

So lately, I have not had much time to read books, including eBooks (which are easier for me to read because they are so much more convenient in so many ways), so I have started a new trend, of listening to audio-books.  I have about an hour during one of my jobs that it is neither inconvenient or distracting to listen for awhile, so I am able to work and read at the same time, which is really nice.  It feels like I gain an hour of free time, when really I am just multitasking.

I believe the first audio-book I listened to (not counting the text-to-read Kindle feature), was 1984 by George Orwell and Simon Prebble, read by Frank Muller.   I had wanted to read the book forever, and when I went to look for it on my online library, an audio version was all they had.  It was a little hard for me to get used to at first, because sometimes I would just space-out, but it was awesome to be able to get housework done, and read the book at the same time.  The more audio-books I have read, the easier it has been for me to concentrate on what is being said.  I think it makes a difference too, on how well the voice actor portrays the characters and plot.

One of my favorite series on audio was the "Matched" series by Ally Condie, read by Kate Simses, Jack Riccobono, and Matt Burns.  It is a dystopian series about a girl growing up in a very controlled society and also focuses on two close friends of hers.  It focuses more on subtleties and emotions more than action.  I think it is often unfairly judged being compared to similar dystopian novels.  The Matched series probably appeals to teenage to young-adult girls mainly.  This series I also read the hard copy versions as well, sometimes I read along to the audio, other times I would just listen.

I also listened to and read all the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (another dystopian series) through audio and hard copy.  I liked them as well. It is quite violent.  A little less believable than the "Matched" series.  There is much action and creativity throughout the series.




1984 was chilling.  It was not my favorite dystopian novel, but it is brilliant, and way ahead of its time, as it was first published in 1949.



Aside from dystopian novels, I also listened to:

Follow the River by James Alexander Thom, read by David Drummond.  This book is based on the true life story of Mary Draper Ingles, not to be confused with any relation to Laura Ingalls-Wilder.  When I first started to listen to the book, I wondered if there was some relation.  After a little research, I realized there was not.  There is a lot of horrific graphic images portrayed in this book.  It was well written, but it was painful to read.  I liked the book, but it was difficult to endure.



A Yellow Raft In Blue Water by Michael Dorris, read by Barbara Rosenblat.  I listened this right after Follow the River.  The book is kind of depressing, but at the same time, it just pulled me in.  I highly recommend the audio version of this book, because the narration is so good.  A Yellow Raft In Blue Water focuses on three different women's point of view.  I found it highly intriguing from a psychological point of view.  The book is for a mature audience.  I would not recommend it to young readers, and some young readers who have read it and reviewed it think it is "boring."  I probably would have too, if it was recommended reading in high-school.



I am currently listening to The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson, read by Simon Vance.  It is second in the series of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  This has highly mature content in it.  The main character is a very interesting one.  I really liked the first book.  I started reading the digital copy of The Girl Who Played with Fire, but lately have found little to no time to read it, so I recently downloaded the audio version, so I can at least finish it.  I think this book would be a little easier for me to read in print, since it has some equations to look at, and it is read in an accent that sometimes pronounces things differently than in my country, but it is okay for now.  I will probably read it in print later, when I have a little more time.