I haven't been prolific this month, at least in my reading. In part because one of the audio books was over 18 hours. Also in part because I'm nine months pregnant and don't have the focus or motivation! I've taken to listening to music in the car for now, and reading some, but not all nights. It is what it is, here's what I've got...
The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: This is a long audiobook, 18 hours, and I finished it last week, or maybe two weeks ago, but I'll still do my best, short, review. First of all it was very jarring to have one narrator (a skilled performer) for more than half the book, then suddenly, seemingly randomly, the author herself takes over narration. I have said in the past that the author narrating a book takes the experience to a whole new level. In this case though, I guess I wasn't in the mood. For the first hour or so I was really irked and wondered if the previous narrator would return (she does not). In the after notes, the author explained that the younger voice was for the character's younger years, still, the change was abrupt. In fact the two narrators pronounce the main character's name differently, (Cheeto vs. Chiro). I felt like an older stranger was sitting by my bedside reading and I was a little uncomfortable...
Now for the actual content, I loved the story! Trigiani took 20 years to write this book, loosely based on her own family's heritage. This makes the story all the more rich and meaningful, and fills me with hope that maybe one day I could explore and share my own Italian immigrant roots. The book follows Ciro and Enza from childhood in the Italian Alps to 'making it' in American. Complete with the ups and downs of love, loss, triumphs and tragedies. I teared up many times, but the overall feeling is uplifting of everlasting love and friendships. This was my first, and certainly not my last Trigiani novel.
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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love Juvenile Fiction for scratching the service of heavy topics but not being too involved. This novel followed Hazel, a 15 year old terminal cancer patient and her new found friend Augustus. Hazel shares the story in believable teenage cantor which lifts the mood significantly. Hazel and Augustus befriend each other over topics of movies, books, love and sex as one would guess any teenage couple might. The reminders of illness are pervasive but do not squelch the young people's enthusiasm.
If this book were geared towards a more mature audience, or were told through the parents, the teenage spirit would surely be lost. It's difficult to label a book about teenagers with cancer as uplifting, but somehow it managed to be. Their spirit is infectious, humor and love obvious, and resiliency inspiring. Perhaps only as adults are we weighted down but the crapiness of the situation.
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The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: Oh Sparks, predictable in your somewhat predictability. Listening to Sparks' books is fun in part, simply to guess who is going to die, be a ghost, be related, be the hero, etc. In this one, Dawson Cole had a tough life, and had to let go of the best part of it, Amanda Collier his high school sweetheart, so that she could go to college. Years and years pass, and the two reunite some twenty years later, under sad circumstances. Their reunion becomes heated, passionate, meaningful and tragic as is Sparks' way. Enjoyable, but somewhat forgettable too.
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And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
I read about a quarter of the book (100+) and just could not get into it. It could be my attention span right now, but I was simply not motivated to power through.
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The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana TrigianiMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: This is a long audiobook, 18 hours, and I finished it last week, or maybe two weeks ago, but I'll still do my best, short, review. First of all it was very jarring to have one narrator (a skilled performer) for more than half the book, then suddenly, seemingly randomly, the author herself takes over narration. I have said in the past that the author narrating a book takes the experience to a whole new level. In this case though, I guess I wasn't in the mood. For the first hour or so I was really irked and wondered if the previous narrator would return (she does not). In the after notes, the author explained that the younger voice was for the character's younger years, still, the change was abrupt. In fact the two narrators pronounce the main character's name differently, (Cheeto vs. Chiro). I felt like an older stranger was sitting by my bedside reading and I was a little uncomfortable...
Now for the actual content, I loved the story! Trigiani took 20 years to write this book, loosely based on her own family's heritage. This makes the story all the more rich and meaningful, and fills me with hope that maybe one day I could explore and share my own Italian immigrant roots. The book follows Ciro and Enza from childhood in the Italian Alps to 'making it' in American. Complete with the ups and downs of love, loss, triumphs and tragedies. I teared up many times, but the overall feeling is uplifting of everlasting love and friendships. This was my first, and certainly not my last Trigiani novel.
View all my reviews
The Fault in Our Stars by John GreenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love Juvenile Fiction for scratching the service of heavy topics but not being too involved. This novel followed Hazel, a 15 year old terminal cancer patient and her new found friend Augustus. Hazel shares the story in believable teenage cantor which lifts the mood significantly. Hazel and Augustus befriend each other over topics of movies, books, love and sex as one would guess any teenage couple might. The reminders of illness are pervasive but do not squelch the young people's enthusiasm.
If this book were geared towards a more mature audience, or were told through the parents, the teenage spirit would surely be lost. It's difficult to label a book about teenagers with cancer as uplifting, but somehow it managed to be. Their spirit is infectious, humor and love obvious, and resiliency inspiring. Perhaps only as adults are we weighted down but the crapiness of the situation.
View all my reviews
The Best of Me by Nicholas SparksMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: Oh Sparks, predictable in your somewhat predictability. Listening to Sparks' books is fun in part, simply to guess who is going to die, be a ghost, be related, be the hero, etc. In this one, Dawson Cole had a tough life, and had to let go of the best part of it, Amanda Collier his high school sweetheart, so that she could go to college. Years and years pass, and the two reunite some twenty years later, under sad circumstances. Their reunion becomes heated, passionate, meaningful and tragic as is Sparks' way. Enjoyable, but somewhat forgettable too.
View all my reviews
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled HosseiniI read about a quarter of the book (100+) and just could not get into it. It could be my attention span right now, but I was simply not motivated to power through.
View all my reviews
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