Monkey Town

From Goodreads:

In Evolving in Monkey Town, Rachel Held Evans recounts her experiences growing up in Dayton, Tennessee, a town that epitomized Christian fundamentalism during the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. With fearless honesty, Evans describes how her faith survived her doubts and challenges readers to re-imagine Christianity in a postmodern context, where knowing all the answers isn t as important as asking the questions."

This book is also available, with this same ISBN entitled "Faith Unraveled: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask Questions"...with a published date of 2010 by Zondervan...it has the reddish cover, not this cover.

From Me:

3.5 stars!

A very interesting book about  soul searching, questioning, challenging and processing a growing and changing Christianity, within the author's self.

(if that makes any sense)

Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights

 

From Goodreads:

From one of the greatest writers of our time: the most spellbinding, entertaining, wildly imaginative novel of his great career, which blends history and myth with tremendous philosophical depth. A masterful, mesmerizing modern tale about worlds dangerously colliding, the monsters that are unleashed when reason recedes, and a beautiful testament to the power of love and humanity in chaotic times.
Inspired by 2,000 years of storytelling yet rooted in the concerns of our present moment, this is a spectacular achievement--enchanting, both very funny and terrifying. It is narrated by our descendants 1000 years hence, looking back on "The War of the Worlds" that began with "the time of the strangenesses": a simple gardener begins to levitate; a baby is born with the unnerving ability to detect corruption in people; the ghosts of two long-dead philosophers begin arguing once more; and storms pummel New York so hard that a crack appears in the universe, letting in the destructive djinns of myth (as well as some graphic superheroes). Nothing less than the survival of our world is at stake. Only one, a djinn princess who centuries before had learned to love humankind, resolves to help us: in the face of dynastic intrigue, she raises an army composed of her semi-magical great-great--etc.--grandchildren--a motley crew of endearing characters who come together to save the world in a battle waged for 1,001 nights--or, to be precise, two years, eight months and twenty-eight nights.

 

 

From Me:

This book was not the book for me.

1 star.

 

I might not have loved the book, but I do love the girls I discussed it with.

The Lit Wits!

(7 out of 22.  Sometimes it's like that)

All the Stars in the Heavens

From Goodreads:

Adriana Trigiani, the New York Times bestselling author of the blockbuster epic The Shoemaker’s Wife, returns with her biggest and boldest novel yet—a hypnotic tale, based on a true story—that dazzles with the signature elements of her previous work—family ties, artistry, romance, adventure—and introduces an unforgettable new heroine: Loretta Young, an ambitious starlet struggling to survive in Hollywood’s dream factory

In this spectacular saga as radiant, thrilling, and beguiling as Hollywood itself, Adriana Trigiani takes us back to Tinsel Town’s golden age—an era as brutal as it was resplendent—and into the complex and glamorous world of a young actress hungry for fame and success. With meticulous, beautiful detail, Trigiani paints a rich, historical landscape of 1930s Los Angeles, where European and American artisans flocked to pursue the ultimate dream: to tell stories on the silver screen.

The movie business is booming in 1935 when twenty-one-year-old Loretta Young meets thirty-four-year-old Clark Gable on the set of The Call of the Wild. Though he’s already married, Gable falls for the stunning and vivacious young actress instantly.

Far from the glittering lights of Hollywood, Sister Alda Ducci has been forced to leave her convent and begin a new journey that leads her to Loretta. Becoming Miss Young’s assistant, the innocent and pious young Alda must navigate the wild terrain of Hollywood with fierce determination and a moral code that derives from her Italian roots. Over the course of decades, she and Loretta encounter scandal and adventure, choose love and passion, and forge an enduring bond of love and loyalty that will be put to the test when they eventually face the greatest obstacle of their lives.

Anchored by Trigiani’s masterful storytelling that takes you on a worldwide ride of adventure from Hollywood to the shores of southern Italy, this mesmerizing epic is, at its heart, a luminous tale of the most cherished ties that bind. Brimming with larger-than-life characters both real and fictional—including stars Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy, David Niven, Hattie McDaniel and more—it is it is the unforgettable story of one of cinema’s greatest love affairs during the golden age of American movie making

From Me:

LOVED IT!

That's all.

Okay, that's not all.

I love old movies, I love old Hollywood.  I loved this book.

Having said that tho, I'm not sure this book is for everybody. I think it probably  suits a certain age group  (women of a certain age??? ACK! I can't believe I just said that) more than others, but who knows, I could be wrong.

4.5 stars.

I listened to the audio version and Blair Brown does an EXCELLENT job.

And on another note--- just for fun-- this video reminds me of this book!

The Golden Age of Hollywood.

Between the World and Me

 

From Goodreads:

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

 

From Me:

4 stars.

Yes, it is powerful.

Yes, it is eye opening.

Yes, it is thought provoking.

Yes, it is well written and well spoken.

Yes, I think everyone should read it.

 

While I might have disagreed with a couple of his observations, I choose not to, because I have never walked in his shoes.

 

I just hope that somehow he can also share a sense of joy about the world to his son.

In some way.  Somehow.

 

The author narrated his own book and I think he did an outstanding job.

 

I chose to read this because I am participating in Nonfiction November and I've seen this on a blog or two and it got great reviews from the bloggers.  I'm so glad that I've taken part in this event--it has opened my eyes to so many great reads that I was unaware of.

 

 

Kitchen's of the Great Midwest

From Goodreads:

When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter—starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.

 

From Me:

For me, this book had a funky structure until I got used to it and then about halfway thru the book it dawned on me that it was a series of connected vignettes. Once I had that down I sat back and enjoyed all the "Midwestedness" of it. 

 I loved the narration,  (Narrated By Amy Ryan, Michael Stuhlbarg   ) especially Michael Stuhlbarg.  He gave a great cadence to that Midwest accent. 

This book has really good reviews and I did enjoy it --- all the talk about regional food was wonderful, because I love regional cooking, but it was more than that.  It was a book about  self-discovery. 

 My favorite chapter had to be the one about 'bars'!  All my Midwest friends say 'bars'  (I'm gonna make some bars today)  Who doesn't love bars?

I give this book 3 stars.

61 Hours

 

From Goodreads:

Sixty-one hours. Not a minute to spare.

A tour bus crashes in a savage snowstorm and lands Jack Reacher in the middle of a deadly confrontation. In nearby Bolton, South Dakota, one brave woman is standing up for justice in a small town threatened by sinister forces. If she’s going to live long enough to testify, she’ll need help. Because a killer is coming to Bolton, a coldly proficient assassin who never misses.

Reacher’s original plan was to keep on moving. But the next 61 hours will change everything. The secrets are deadlier and his enemies are stronger than he could have guessed—but so is the woman whose life he’ll risk his own to save.

 

From Me:

While I do love Lee Child's Jack Reacher books, I tend to put them on the back burner for other books.  I put them on the back burner for months at a time, and now I'm thinking-- Why?

Full of suspense and mystery and an intriguing main character who always comes out on top.

It was a fun listen!

The Handyman's pick for a long car ride.

 

 

Audio Book Challenge Update

Back in January, I decided to do the audio-book challenge.

 

This challenge is hosted by  the Book Nympho and Hot Listens.

The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2015 than you did in 2014.

 Hey, I thought...I listen to audio, I could do a few extra and play along, right?

I thought it would be a fun one to do.   No pressure really--just do what you can do.

 

Originally, I thought I was a Weekend Warrior.  I could do between 5 and 10 books this year.  

Yep. 

I could do that.

 

As soon as one month went by and I had listened to a few already I knew that I would go beyond the Weekend Warrior level, so I figured I should  up my level to Stenographer.

levels:

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5 
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30-50
• Marathoner (Look Ma no hands) 50+

 

Guess what level I'm at now?

Come on...take a guess!!

 

Take a guess My Precious--take a guess!

 

THAT'S RIGHT--MY PRECIOUS!  I have listened to 31 audio books so far this year. And I'm in the middle of two more.  I don't think I'll make it to Marathoner, but... HOLY COW, that's a lot of books to listen to.

 

So far my favorite audio books have been:

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain

You can see my review here.

And...The Martian by Andy Weir

You can see my review of that one here!

Two great audio books!

 

If you've never listened to audio, I suggest you give it a try.

But my mere words are not going to convince you....so I give you

Stephen King:

(excerpt taken from Entertainment Weekly's article)

(for the whole article click here)

 

Stephen King, ladies and gentlemen:

Some critics — the always tiresome Harold Bloom among them — claim that listening to audiobooks isn’t reading. I couldn’t disagree more. In some ways, audio perfects reading.

 

There you have it!!

The master, Stephen King, loves audio books!!

You'll have to read the article to find out why.

 

But if audio books are good enough for Stephen King, they are good enough for me.

 

What are books/novels, if not stories?  Audio does story-telling at it's best.

Give it a try, I think you'll like it.

 

The Silent Sister

From Goodreads:

In The Silent Sister, Riley MacPherson has spent her entire life believing that her older sister Lisa committed suicide as a teenager.  Now, over twenty years later, her father has passed away and she's in New Bern, North Carolina cleaning out his house when she finds evidence to the contrary.  Lisa is alive.  Alive and living under a new identity.  But why exactly was she on the run all those years ago, and what secrets are being kept now?  As Riley works to uncover the truth, her discoveries will put into question everything she thought she knew about her family.  Riley must decide what the past means for her present, and what she will do with her newfound reality, in this engrossing mystery from international bestselling author Diane Chamberlain.

From Me:

I had been seeing all kinds of good posts about this book, so I decided to give it a go on audio.

I liked it very much.

   I think I enjoyed it more on audio  than I would have if I had read an actual book.  The narrator, Susan Bennett did a great job.

Every once in a while I like a good mystery and/or women's fiction, and this was a good one on both accounts.

I am giving this  3.5 stars.

Audio Challenge Update

This year I decided to join the 2015 Audio-book Challenge, which is hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens.

In the past couple of years, I have come to LOVE audio.

It's so easy and nice and, well, awesome, to listen to great read while you do the dishes!

Here are the levels we could sign up for:

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5 
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30-50
• Marathoner (Look Ma no hands) 50+

I went out on a limb and took the  Stenographer level.

I thought it might be hard, but  I thought I could I do it.

Could I?  That's a lot to listen to. 

Well considering today is March 24th and I'm listening to my 9th audio book as we speak, I think I can!

I should really bump myself up to Socially Awkward.

Right now I'm listening to Storm Front by Jim Butcher, narrated by James Marsters.

It's the first in the Harry Dresden series.

I've read it in print form, but it was on sale on Audible.com last night, so I figured, why not give it a listen?

James Marsters does a good Harry Dresden voice, and he has narrated the first 10 of the series.

I can't wait to listen to them all.

I have a slight crush on Harry Dreseden.

(this happens to me once in a while,--- crushes on characters, you?)

Sadly,

 The Dresden Files was adapted to television in 2007 by the Sci-Fi Channel, and was canceled after one season.

These are the audio book I've read so far this year:

The Martian by Andy Weir

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler

Delicious by  Ruth Reichl

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Should I bump up to Socially Awkward?

Probably.

Audio Book Challenge

I can't believe I did it!  I signed up for a challenge.  A few years ago, I decided not to sign up for challenges because I, not being as dedicated as most of my book blogging friends, SUCKED at finishing them!

But--this doesn't seem too hard.  After-all, I've already finished  3 audio books this month.

Let me share them with you ---

A quick, easy read.  I really enjoyed it  and loved the ending!

Some magical realism in this one.  I liked it too.

Loved this one!

Started slow but I ended up loving the characters!

and I am 1/4 of the way thru this one:

Okay, so that is more than 3.

Geez, I was going to sign up for the 10-15 book challenge  

(Stenographer --can listen while multi-tasking)

But now I feel I should really 'challenge' myself and sign up for:

15-20  Socially Awkward (Don't talk to me) level.

What do you think? 

Do I have to declare right now?

Or, rather, do I just become whatever level I end up?

I think this will be fun.

The 2015 Audio Book challenge is hosted by:

The Book Nympho

and

Hot Listens