Audio Book review of Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury Read by Kirby Heyborn and January LaVoy

Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury
Read by Kirby Heyborn and January LaVoy

From Goodreads:
When former national baseball star Tyler Ames suffers a career-ending injury, all he can think about is putting his life back together the way it was before. He has lost everyone he loves on his way to the big leagues. Then just when things seem to be turning around, Tyler hits rock bottom. Across the country, Tyler’s one true love Sami Dawson has moved on.

A series of small miracles leads Tyler to a maintenance job at a retirement home and a friendship with Virginia Hutcheson, an old woman with Alzheimer’s who strangely might have the answers he so desperately seeks.

A team of Angels Walking take on the mission to restore hope for Tyler, Sami, and Virginia. Can such small and seemingly insignificant actions of the unseen bring healing and redemption? And can the words of a stranger rekindle lost love? Every journey begins with a step.

It is time for the mission to begin… 

My Take:  I enjoyed this book and look forward to listening to or reading the next books in the series.  I liked the way that Karen Kingsbury  went about putting angels in the story doing small things to move the miracles along.  One of the things was just putting the tv on a certain station.  I liked how the story came together and the characters learned the lessons of forgiveness of others and themselves.  I liked the way that the author used the character with Alzheimer's.  This especially hit home as my father is suffering from this horrible disease.  It just proves that God can use us in whatever state we are in.  If you have enjoyed other books by Karen Kingsbury than you will probably enjoy this book.

Audio - I will have to be perfectly honest and say that I really didn't like Kirby Heyborn's reading of this book.   He is just alittle to monotone for me.  I just don't like him as a narrator.  I really have  enjoyed January LaVoy's parts though.  I have liked her in other things that I have listened to by her.

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest review.  

Audio Book Review of The Women of Duck Commander by Miss Kay, Korie, Missy, Jessica, Lisa Robertson and Alex Robertson Mancuso

The Women of Duck Commander

From Good Reads:

An Inside Look at the Robertson Women 

In the pages of this book, you'l find both fun and inspirational stories . . . 

Kay shares the honest story of her relationship with Phil and his wild and philandering years and the challenges of being a teenage mother. Even more amazing, she shares the forgiveness she offered Phil and how they have now celebrated forty-eight years of marriage. 

Korie tells of her first encounter with Phil when she was in just the fifth grade. At that first meeting Phil came right out and told her what good husbands his boys would make and that she should keep an eye on them. She also shares the reaction her parents had when she told them that she and Willie were getting married when she was only eighteen. 

Missy tells the story of their daughter, Mia, who was born with a cleft palate, and their adjustments to this condition and Mia's joyful spirit that inspires them all. 

Jessica recounts her first conversation with Jep and how unimpressed she was when Jep bragged that his dad was the Duck Commander Phil Robertson. She told him she'd heard of Daffy Duck, Donald Duck, and Duck, Duck, Goose but not the Duck Commander. 

Lisa reveals the serious marriage problems she and Al had problems that almost ended their marriage for good and how they worked through those issues to have a more stable and loving marriage than she ever imagined possible.

My Take:  I really enjoyed getting to know the women behind the beards in this book.  These women each have their own trials that they had to go through and there lives have not been all the glitz and glamour that they have today.  It is nice to hear how the family comes together for others in the family and rallies behind them when they are in need.  
Each women reads the sections that have to do with them and their families except Miss Kay who only reads the scripture before her sections and her granddaughter reads her sections.  Each women does not sugar coat there lives they share the bad along with the good but this is not a tell all book it is a book about life and all the mess and beauty that comes along with being humans.  

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Audio Book Review of Good Call by Jase Robertson and Mark Schlaback read by Jase Robertson and Missy Robertson

Good Call: Reflections on Faith, Family and Fowl by Jase Robertson and Mark Schlaback
Read by Jase Robertson and Missy Robertson

From Goodreads.com
The closer we look at the Robertson family, the more we discover the substance and authenticity below the surface of these well-known TV characters. In this enlightening book, Jase Robertson gives us a deep look behind his funnyman exterior. In addition to stories of life in the Robertson family and epic tales of hunting of all kinds, readers will get an inside look at Jase 's personal faith in the Creator of the outdoors he so dearly loves: 

My first thoughts about God came in a duck blind as I gazed upon the diversity and beauty of creation. There is nothing in nature that can be reproduced or equaled by humans. None of our computers, microchips, or cell phones can duplicate what God has put forth. Viewing the details of this magnificent earth is better than any sermon from any preacher I have heard about the evidence of God. 

More than a behind-the-scenes look at this beloved Duck Dynasty character, readers will be inspired and encouraged to implement Jase good call reflections on faith, family, and fowl into their own lives.

My Take:  Although I don't regularly watch Duck Dynasty I have enjoyed listening to all the books that the Robertson's have released over the last year or so.  This book is no exception.  I enjoyed listening to Jase's and Missy's story.  The part I especially liked was how they handle the knowledge of Mia's special needs and how they eventually helped other families in the same situation.  All of the Robertsons seem to be exceptionally nice people and they are people that I would like to know.  I like the way that they always turn to God in whatever situation they find themselves in.  Even though they are well off now it wasn't always that way and they seek out the Lord in all their situations.  Jase seems to have always had a good solid foundation and was always trying to witness to others.  He even relays a story of when he had a confrontation with a girl's boyfriend and he witness to him in the midst of everything.  That boyfriend ended up coming to church and getting baptized and is now a good friend of the family's.  This book is just packed full of similar stories.  I think you would like this book if you are a fan of the show Duck Dynasty or you just want an uplifting experience. 

Audio:  I sometimes like it when authors read their own books especially in the situation like this.  I thought that Jase and Missy did a good job of narration but you could tell that they aren't professionals.  

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Audio Book review of Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury read by Kirby Heyborne

Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury
read by Kirby Heyborne

Publisher's Summary

#1 New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury shows why she is America’s favorite inspirational novelist with this dramatic story about character, compromise, and the cost of having it all.

Zack Dylan has a dream. He wants to sing on the biggest stages, for the biggest crowds, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make it come true. But Zack also made a promise to his college sweetheart when he left Kentucky to compete on the popular TV show Fifteen Minutes: If he made it, nothing would change him or his faith in God.

Overnight, Zack becomes the nation’s most popular contestant, a country singer comparable to a young Tim McGraw. As his star rises, Zack is often asked to compromise and quiet his beliefs. Just as he’s on the verge of winning it all, his choices lead him to the brink of personal disaster. Meanwhile, a former Fifteen Minutes winner is searching for meaning amidst her own private losses. Can she warn Zack about the real price of fame? Or will Zack lose everything he loves for his fifteen minutes of glory?

From the novelist dubbed the "Queen of Christian Fiction" by Time magazine, Fifteen Minutes explores the cost of fame and celebrity set against the backdrop of America’s favorite singing competition.

My Take:  I usually like Karen Kingsbury books so I thought I would give this book a try.  I did like this book but not as much as some of her other books about the Baxter's.  I did like it more than The Chance.  This book takes a look at a singing show much like American Idol where the singers get their Fifteen Minutes of Fame.  Zach swears that he is in the competition just to try and get enough money to bail out his families failing Horse farm.  He also makes a promise to his girlfriend.  while Zack is waiting in line he meets a group of cheerleaders who's Zoey flirts with him.  The producers see them together and thinks they should be a couple.  They edit footage to make it seem as if they are together and after awhile of being together everyday things start to happen .. Will Zach compromise the promise he makes to God and to His girl back home?  This boo was interesting from beginning to the end as I use to watch American Idol every season up until a couple of seasons ago.  I liked the way Karen Kingsbury explored how the shows manipulate people for ratings and how what is seen on the show is not really how things are in real life.  I think this is very much done in the so called reality shows.  If you like Karen Kingsbury I think you will like this book. 

Kirby Heyborne did a fairly good job with the narrating.  It was kind of awkward when he read the lyrics of songs when the characters were suppose to be singing.  other than that he did a good job.  

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Audio Book Review of Red Hill by Jamie McGuire Narrated by Emma Galvin, January La Voy and Zachary Webber

Red Hill by Jamie McGuire
Narrated by Emma Galvin, January LaVoy, Zachary Webber

from the publisher Simon and Schuster Audio
When the world ends, can love survive?
For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone means fighting for tomorrow is an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can't remember what it's like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda's biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.
When reports of a widespread, deadly "outbreak" begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can't outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy - an enemy who no longer remembers what it's like to be human.
Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you'd die for becomes the one who could destroy you?
Red Hill grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go until its stunning conclusion. This is #1 New York Times best-selling author Jamie McGuire at her unforgettable best.

My Take:  This is a Zombie story told from a different angle.  It is not really about how the virus started but more about how three different people chose to survive.  The story is told from the point of view of three different people Scarlet a divorce mom of two who is separated from her daughters when the outbreak happens, Nathan a man who's wife leaves him and his daughter on the day of the outbreak and Miranda the daughter of a Dr. that Scarlet worked with at her hospital and did cleaning for him at his ranch called Red Hill.  After the outbreak these three people tell their story and how they all eventually end up at Red Hill ranch.  To be perfectly honest with I liked the first part of the book better than the last part.  The part about how they survived getting to the Ranch.  Once they got to the ranch it became more about how they were looking for relationships with each other and how relationships get messy.  I have never read anything by Jamie McGuire but from what I gather she is more known for her romance books and not for zombie books.  There is alot of cursing in this book as you can imagine there would be when people are being attacked and what not by the walking dead.  There is also one totally gratuitous sex scene which in my opinion could have been totally left out as it didn't do anything to move the story along and seemed like it was just thrown in to get the romance into the story.  Like I said before I liked the first part of the story which had you on the edge of your seat wondering how the survivors where going to continue to survive both the zombies and other people,  Once they got to the ranch much of the urgency was left out although they were far from being safe there. 

I thought the three narrators did an ok job with the book.  I have listened to January LaVoy before as she narrates the Women's Murder Club books by James Patterson.  I had not heard either of the other two narrators.  I thought that Zachary Webber did a very good job with the Nathan parts of the book.  Emma Galvin I was not really impressed with and I thought she gave a bit of a monotone performance of the parts for Miranda.

This is not a happily ever after book not all of the main characters make it to the end of the book which if you think about it would be the way it would play out if we were to really have a zombie apocalypse.

I would think if you like Zombie books more in line with The Walking Dead then this book would be up your alley. 

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion.

Audio Book Review of Joyland by Stephen King read by Michael Kelly

Joyland by Stephen King
Read by Michael Kelly

From Publisher Simon and Schuster:
"Joyland is a breathtaking, beautiful, heartbreaking book.... Even the most hardboiled readers will find themselves moved."
—Charles Ardai, Edgar- and Shamus Award-winning editor of Hard Case Crime.
Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, Joyland tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever. Joyland is a brand-new novel and has never previously been published.

My Take:  Once upon a time when I was much younger I read everything that Stephen King wrote.  I have always liked a good scary story and he seemed to know how to scary you.  I did grow weary of the swearing in many of his stories and his views of people who were religious were not always flattering.  I stopped reading after I listened to Cell.  I thought that he had lost what made him good at what he did.  I took a chance on Under the Dome and really enjoyed it.

This book is back to classic King.  There are no scary monsters unless you count the man behind the murder mystery which is really what this book is mostly about.  There is young boy who is suppose to have second sight but that really isn't the main thing in this book.  The whole mystery involves women who are being killed at amusement parks.  Devin and his friends that he meets during the summer while he is working at the Joyland Amusement Park Try and solve the mystery as one of the women was killed at Joyland and people have said that they see her ghost.  Although there is some paranormal things that happen the story is basically about Devin and his friends and how they had to learn that ways of the carny over the summer.  You will learn what it means to wear the fur.  A good solid story.

Michael Kelly does a really good job of making Devin come alive.  He tells that story so that you are hanging on every word and can't wait to get back to the story.

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion.

Audio Book Review of Happy, Happy, Happy, by Phil Robertson intro read by Phil Roberstson rest of book Read by Alan Robertson

Happy, Happy, Happy by Phil Robertson
Intro by Phil Robertson
Rest of book Read by Alan Robertson

from Goodreads.com

 This no-holds-barred autobiography chronicles the remarkable life of Phil Robertson, the original Duck Commander and Duck Dynasty star, from early childhood through the founding of a family business. Life was always getting in the way of Phil Robertson’s passion for duck hunting.

An NFL-bound quarterback, Phil made his mark on Louisiana Tech University in the 1960s by playing football and completing his college career with a master’s degree in English. But Phil’s eyes were not always on the books or the ball; they were usually looking to the sky.

Phil grew up with the dream of living the simple life off the land like his forebears, but he soon found himself on a path to self-destruction—leasing a bar, drinking too much, fighting, and wasting his talents. He almost lost it all until he gave his life to God. And then everything changed.

Phil’s incredible story tells how he followed a calling from God and soon after invented a duck call that would begin an incredible journey to the life he had always dreamed of for himself and his family. With great love for his country, his family, and his maker, Phil has finally found the ingredients to the “good life” he always wanted.

My Take:  I am not a die hard Duck Dynasty fan.  If it is on I will watch it but I really don't seek it out.  I find it amusing and sometimes have to remind myself that all of these people on the show have college degrees.  

This book is alittle different than the Duck Commander Family which focused more on Willie and Korie with a bit of the rest of the family thrown in.  This book focuses on Phil and gives more of the background on his life and the early days of the company.  It goes from his childhood of growing up in a log cabin.  It covers his college days when Terry Bradshaw  was second string to him.  It goes into his wild days when things got so bad that Miss Kay left him for a few months until he came to his senses and asked her to come back with the boys.  It tells of his conversion and his love for God, Family and Ducks.  It tells about the early days of the company and how they learned how to run the business by trial and error.  A great inspiring story about how with faith and hard work you can follow your dream.  

The Intro to this book was read by Phil but the rest of the book was read by his oldest son Alan.  I thought this was interesting as I had heard that Alan will be joining the show this next season.  I thought he did a good job on the reading and I couldn't help thinking about how hard it must have been to read the parts when his dad was not being the best dad.  

All in All I liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an inspiring book or if you are a fan of the show.  

I received a review copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest review. 

Audio Book Review of I'll See You Again by Jackie Hance and Janice Kaplan Read by Jackie Hance

I'll see You Again by Jackie Hance and Janice Kaplan
Read by Jackie Hance

From Goodreads.com

 I'll see You Again by Jackie Hance and Janice Kaplan

Read by Jackie Hance

 

In a powerful and intimate memoir, Jackie Hance shares her story of unbearable loss, darkest despair, and—slowly, painfully, and miraculously—her cautious return to hope and love.Until the horrific car accident on New York State’s Taconic Parkway that took the lives of her three beloved young daughters, Jackie Hance was an ordinary Long Island mom, fulfilled by the joyful chaos of a household bustling with life and chatter and love. After the tragedy, she was “The Taconic Mom,” whose unimaginable loss embodied every parent’s worst nightmare. Suddenly, her life-long Catholic faith no longer explained the world. Her marriage to her husband, Warren, was ravaged by wrenching grief and recrimination. And her mind, unable to cope with the unfathomable, reinvented reality each night, so she awoke each morning having forgotten the heartbreaking facts: that Emma, age 8; Alyson, age 7; and Katie, age 5, were gone forever. They were killed in a minivan driven by their aunt, Jackie’s sister-in-law, Diane Schuler, while returning from a camping weekend on a sunny July morning.

I’ll See You Again chronicles the day Jackie received the traumatizing phone call that defied all understanding, and the numbed and torturous events that followed—including the devastating medical findings that shattered Jackie to the core and shocked America. But this profoundly honest account is also the story of how a tight-knit community rallied around the Hances, providing the courage and strength for them to move forward. It’s a story of forgiveness, hope, and rebirth, as Jackie and Warren struggle to rediscover the possibility of joy by welcoming their fourth daughter, Kasey Rose Hance.
The story that Jackie Hance shares for the first time will touch your heart and warm you to the power of love and hope.

 

My Take:  This book tells the tale of a tragic occurrence  that took the lives of 3 beautiful girls, Their aunt and their cousin plus people in the other van.    We get the story of the family of the 3 girls with mention of the Aunt as to how she could do what she did.  Hardly any mention of the cousins or the other people in the other vehicle.  Make no mistake this book is all about Jackie Hance's loss and really no one else's including her husband.  Her Husband is a saint to put up with the treatment she gave him with the excuse of her grief.  He wasn't able to deal with his grief as he had to put up with her grief.  I do understand that she lost her three beautiful little girls but grief is no excuse for treating other badly and unfortunately those around her let her get away with it.  Image getting mad at friends because they wanted to have a Halloween party a year after the girls died.  I really tried to excuse Jackie's behavior also and kept telling myself that I don't know what she was going through and everyone handles grief differently but try as I might I could not make myself like Jackie Hance one little bit.  I hope that she isn't constantly comparing her youngest daughter to her ones that were killed because she will never live up to the idols she has made them.  

 

Jackie did not do a very good job reading this book.  Her delivery was stilted and void of any emotion.  At times she sounded like a robot reading .  

 

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster in exchange for my honest review.  

Audio Book Review of The Program by Suzanne Young read by Joy Osmanski

The Program by Suzanne Young
Read by Joy Osmanski

From Audible.com

Publisher's Summary

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.
Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone - but so are their memories.
Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

My Take:  I saw this book all over the blogosphere a few months ago and requested it for review from Simon and Schuster for review.  I was interested in this book for several reasons.  This book is set in the not so distant future where teen suicide has become an epidemic and the way that society is dealing with it is The Program.  I thought it very interesting that the very thing that should help with depression, letting your feelings out, is what gets you sent to The Program to start with.  I was also alarmed that the adults in the book just went along with the drastic measures that were being taken.  I did not agree that suicidal tendencies were being transferred from person to person like a disease.  I wouldn't recommend this book for early teens but older teens would probably like it.  There is some language and there is sex.  If parents would listen along with their children this would be a great discussion starter about suicide, depression and even government control.

The narrator did a fairly good job of emoting the feelings of Sloane as she is telling her story.

I received a review copy of this audio book from Simon and Schuster ins exchange for my honest opinion.  

Audio Book Review of Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark read by Jan Maxwell

Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark
Read by Jan Maxwell

Publisher's Summary

In this new novel by the #1 New York Times best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark, the reigning "Queen of Suspense", a dark secret from a family's past threatens the lives of two sisters, Kate and Hannah Connelly.
When the family-owned furniture firm, including the mansion where priceless antiques are kept, explodes into flames in the middle of the night, Kate must escape to save her life. But the suspicious circumstances point to her involvement. Was the explosion set deliberately? Why was Kate, a gorgeous CPA for one of the biggest accounting firms in the country, on the premises at that hour? And why was Gus, a retired and trusted employee, with her? Now Gus is dead and Kate lies in the hospital gravely injured. Hannah, Kate's sister and a rising fashion designer, must discover what drew them there and what dangerous secrets lies hidden in the ashes.
Step by step, in a novel of dazzling suspense and excitement, Mary Higgins Clark once again demonstrates the mastery of her craft that has made her books international best sellers for years. Daddy's Gone A Hunting presents the listener with a perplexing mystery and a fascinating cast of characters - one of whom may just be a ruthless killer.
©2013 Mary Higgins Clark (P)2013 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

My Take:

I haven't read a Mary Higgins Clark Book in a good long while so I thought I would give her latest book a try.  This book is just like the other books of hers that I remember.  The mystery kept me guessing till the twist was revealed and it was all done with no language or sexual descriptions (although several of the characters are portrayed as being very free with their sexual favors).  

I thought that Jan Maxwell did a good job with the narration and I will be on the lookout for other books read by her.

If you have read Mary Higgins Clark before you will probably like this audio book.  I would recommend this book if you are more the type of person who likes their mysteries on the cozy side.  I will be looking for more.

I received a review copy fo this book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest review.




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Audio Book Review of Carrie and Me: A Mother Daughter Love Story by Carol Burnett Narrated by Carol Burnett

Carrie and Me: A Mother Daughter Love Story by Carol Burnet
Narrated by Carol Burnett

From Good Reads:
 “More than anything, we are remembered for our smiles: the ones we share with our closest and dearest, and the one we bestow on a total stranger who needs it right then, and God has put us there to deliver.” — Carrie Hamilton

You are about to meet an extraordinary young woman, Carrie Hamilton. The daughter of one of television’s most recognizable and beloved stars, Carol Burnett, Carrie won the hearts of everyone she met with her kindness, quirky sense of humor, and wonderfully unconventional approach to life. Living in the spotlight of celebrity, but in an era when personal troubles were kept private, Carrie and Carol made a brave display of honesty and love by going public with teenager Carrie’s drug addiction and recovery. Carrie lived her adult life of sobriety to the fullest, enjoying happy and determined independence and achieving a successful artistic career as an actress, writer, musician, and director. Carrie’s passion for life and her humorist’s view of the world never wavered as she aggressively battled cancer. Carrie died at the age of 38.



Carrie and Me is Carol Burnett’s poignant tribute to her late daughter and a funny and moving memoir about mothering an extraordinary young woman through the struggles and triumphs of her life. Sharing her personal diary entries, photographs, and correspondence, Carol traces the journey she and Carrie took through some of life’s toughest challenges and sweetest miracles. Authentic, intimate, and full of love, Carrie and Me is a story of hope and joy that only a mother could write.

My Take:  I grew up watching Carol Burnett and her wonderful show.  I have always loved her in various things that she has been in especially the movie Four Seasons.  I knew that one of her children had a drug problem and I remember seeing her on her tv show Fame.  This is a story taken straight from Carol's correspondence with her daughter.  The last part of the book is the unpublished play that Carrie was working on right before she died.  I liked the spunk behind the girl and truly admired her attitude that she had about her cancer and how she was going to fight it.  It was interesting hear the various exchanges between Carol and Carrie especially after her struggle with drugs.  Carol didn't give up on her daughter and was there for her every step of the way.  

Now onto the play.  I didn't like it.  There was alot of language and it just felt wrong coming out of Carol Burnett's mouth.  I thought that much of the play was predictable and I had the surprise twist figured out long before the end.  

Carol Burnett did a great job of narrating the book.  She knew when to put in the right expressions and pauses.  

If you like memoirs or just grew up with Carol You would probably like this book.

I received a review copy of this book from Simon and Schuster in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Audio Book review of The Chance by Karen Kingsbury Read by January LaVoy

The Chance by Karen Kingsbury Narrated by January LaVoy

From Simon and Schuster Audio:

From number-one New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury comes a heartwarming story about childhood friends, broken lives, and a long ago promise that just might offer the hope of love for today.
Dubbed the "Queen of Christian Fiction" by Time magazine, number-one New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Karen Kingsbury is arguably America's favorite inspirational novelist with a dozen best sellers to her credit. In The Chance, she delves deeply into a theme that resonates with us all: It's never too late for those willing to take a chance.
Years ago, the day before Ellie moved from Georgia to California, she and her best friend, Nolan, sat beneath the Spanish moss of an ancient oak tree where they wrote letters to each other, and sealed them in a rusty old metal box. The plan was to return 11 years later and read them. But now, as that date arrives, much has changed. Ellie, bereft of the faith she grew up with, is a single mom living in a tired apartment trying to make ends meet. Sometimes she watches television to catch a glimpse of her old friend - Nolan, now an NBA star, whose terrible personal tragedies fueled his faith and athletic drive in equal measure. But Nolan also suffers from a transcendent loneliness that nothing has ever eased.
In their separate lives, as Ellie and Nolan move toward the possibility of a reunion at the oak tree, Kingsbury weaves a tale of heart-wrenching loss, the power of faith, and the wounds that only love can heal.

My Take:  I like Karen Kingsbury I really do but this book I really had make myself finish it.  I had a hard time with the characters especially Ellie.  Many times I wanted to yell at her and tell her to get over it.  I know alot can happen in eleven years and what her father did to her was not right but I felt like to suspend reality quite a bit.  I knew how things were going to end up.  It was good to see a Christian character that maintained there convictions like Nolan did.

I thought that the narrator did a very good job.  You could tell the difference between the characters and her reading wasn't distracting.

This book was just ok for me.  I have had a hard time with Kingsbury's books that weren't about the Baxter family or an extension of that series. 

I received a review copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Audio Book Review of The Duck Commander Family by Willie and Korie Robertson with Mark Schlabach read by Willie and Korie Robertson

The Duck Commander Family by Willie and Korie Robertson with Mark Schlaback
Read by Willie and Korie Robertson

From Goodreads.com
 Faith. Family. Ducks—in that order. This audiobook gives readers an up-close and personal, behind-the-scenes look at the family in the exploding A&E show—Duck Dynasty. This Louisiana bayou family operates Duck Commander, a booming family business that has made them millions. You’ll hear all about the Robertson clan from Willie and what it was like growing up in the Robertson household. You’ll sample some of Willie’s favorite family recipes from Phil, Kay, and even some of his own concoctions; and you’ll get to know the beautiful Robertson women. You’ll hear from Korie about the joys and hardships of raising a family, running a business, and wrangling the Robertson men while staying fashionable and beautiful inside and out. Discover more about the family dynamics between brothers Willie, Jase, Jep, and parents Phil and Kay. You’ll even meet a fourth brother who isn’t in the show.



The popularity of Duck Dynasty is skyrocketing, garnering a Wednesday-night top two finish in all of cable

My Take:  I throughly enjoyed this book.  Willie and Korie told the story of the Duck Dynasty Family with humor and warmth.  Each chapter would open with a scripture that would tie into the chapter in some way and each chapter would end with a recipe that tied into the chapter title.  To be honest I don't think I would make most of these recipes but that is because we are not a hunting family and we get all of our food from the grocery story . The recipes seemed to be fairly easy though.  

I was interested in how the company came to be and how Willie and Korie were brought up in two totally different ways but are seeming to be making it work for their family.  I was impressed to learn that all of the Robertson boys (I think all of them) have at least a college degree and several of them went to seminary.  They are all active in their churches and have strong Christina Beliefs.  

I thought that having Willie and Korie read this book gave it more of a down home homey feel and was the perfect choice for this book.  

I would recommend this book if you like the tv show or if you just want to read about an interesting family. 

I was given a review copy of this audio book by Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion. 



I am linking this review up with Soundbytes hosted at Devourerofbooks.com .  Head over there and check out what others are listening to and you just might find your next great listen.

Audio Book Review of Iscariot by Tosca Lee narrated by Jason Cusp

Iscariot by Tosca Lee
Narrated by Jason Cusp

From Goodreads.com
 In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One—a miracle-worker. The promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, Judas joins the Nazarene’s followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life.

But Judas’ vision of a nation free from Roman rule is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention—who seems in the end to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas—from his tumultuous childhood and tenuous entry into a career and family life as a devout Jew, to a man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus himself that forces us all to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous—and infamous—religious icons in history.

My Take:  If ever there was a person in history beside Hitler and Stalin and a few other dictators or crazy people that you  wouldn't want to have empathy for it would be Judas the betrayer of Jesus.  Tosca Lee does just that.  She takes us from his childhood and takes us all the way through his life and shows us not a horrible person or terrible person but a person who was trying to live his life through the Roman persecution and waiting anxiously for the Messiah to come and deliver the Jewish nation.  But Judas is expecting a military leader and Jesus is just not that.  Tosca Lee paints a picture of the life and times back then that at times you feel like you are transported back and you are right there with the characters.  This book makes you stop and think about what you would do if you were in Judas' sandals. It's easy to make judgements through the lens of history but what would you have done?  I am not excuseing what he did but I am just saying that we need to take a long hard look at ourselves. 

I received a review copy of this audiobook from Simon and Schuster Audio  and  in exchange for my honest opinion .
 

Audio Book Review of Fever by Mary Beth Keane read by Candace Thaxton

Fever by Mary Beth Keane
Read by Candace Thaxton

From Audible.com
Publisher's Summary

A bold, mesmerizing novel about the woman known as "Typhoid Mary", the first known healthy carrier of typhoid fever in the early 20th century - by an award-winning writer chosen as one of "5 Under 35" by the National Book Foundation.
Mary Mallon was a courageous, headstrong Irish immigrant woman who bravely came to America alone, fought hard to climb up from the lowest rung of the domestic service ladder, and discovered in herself an uncanny, and coveted, talent for cooking. Working in the kitchens of the upper class, she left a trail of disease in her wake, until one enterprising and ruthless "medical engineer" proposed the inconceivable notion of the "asymptomatic carrier" - and from then on Mary Mallon was a hunted woman.
In order to keep New York's citizens safe from Mallon, the Department of Health sent her to North Brother Island where she was kept in isolation from 1907-1910. She was released under the condition that she never work as a cook again. Yet for Mary - spoiled by her status and income and genuinely passionate about cooking - most domestic and factory jobs were heinous. She defied the edict.
Bringing early 20th-century New York alive - the neighborhoods, the bars, the park being carved out of upper Manhattan, the emerging skyscrapers, the boat traffic - Fever is as fiercely compelling asTyphoid Mary herself, an ambitious retelling of a forgotten life. In the hands of Mary Beth Keane, Mary Mallon becomes an extraordinarily dramatic, vexing, sympathetic, uncompromising, and unforgettable character.
©2013 Mary Beth Keane (P)2013 Simon & Schuster Audio

My Take:  I really enjoyed this book.  It kept my attention and had me listening to it when I normally wouldn't.  I was always trying to find reasons to listen.  I really didn't know much about Mary Mallon Or Typhoid Mary as she was called.  I found myself feeling sorry for her during her first confinement on North Brother Island but I just got frustrated with her when she defied the conditions of her release and went ahead and cooked anyway.  I mean even though she claimed that she wasn't the cause of the spread of typhoid through her cooking I would think that she would be extra careful if there even was a slight chance that she was the carrier.  I did have to remind myself that this was a historical fiction book as the author made it seem like you were reading a real account.  I did do some research myself and found out the facts about Mary and the author has it pretty spot on.  My least favorite character was Alfred and since he was made up I don't feel bad about that at all.  I disliked the way he would take advantage of Mary and them he basically just forgot about her when she was on the island the first time.  I did feel like the doctors could have explained Mary's situation better to her.  The way that she was taken into custody was pretty bad. Also according to the tests they took from her all the time she was benign at least 1/2 of the time.

I thought that the Narrator did an excellent job.  I liked the way she slipped into a slight Irish accent whenever Mary was talking.  

I would recommend this book to anyone.  It is very entertaining and you will learn a little too.

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from Simon and Schuster audio.

A very Rare Did Not Finish audio book review of Path of the Assassin by Brad Thor

Path of the Assassin by Brad Thor
read by Armand Schultz 

From Goodreads:
Brad Thor's national best-selling debut, The Lions of Lucerne, was hailed as "high-voltage entertainment reminiscent of Robert Ludlum" (Literary Journal). Now, he again delivers a non-stop action as one man's quest for revenge thrusts him into a battle to save his country....
After rescuing the President from kidnappers, Navy SEAL turned Secret Service agent Scot Harvath shifts his attentions to rooting out, capturing, or killing all those responsible for the plot. As he prepares to close out his list, a bloody and twisted trail of clues points toward one man -- the world's most feared, most ruthless terrorist, Hashim Nidal. Having assembled an international league of Islamic terrorist networks in an ingenious plot to topple both Israel and America, Harvath and his CIA-led team must reach Nidal before it's too late. One problem remains -- they have no idea what the man looks like. With no alternative, Harvath is forced to recruit a civilian -- a woman who has survived a brutal hijacking and is now the only person who can positively identify their quarry.
From the burning deserts of North Africa to the winding streets of Rome, Harvath must brave a maelstrom of bloodshed and deception -- before a madman's twisted vision engulfs the world in the fires of all-out war....

My Take: After about 4 hours of listening to this book I gave my self permission to stop.  I was not enjoying this book and I have so many other books waiting to listen to that I decided to stop.  Will pick this book up again?  I doubt it.
I love action adventure type of books and find them great to listen too but I have to get to care about the characters and what happens to them.  I just couldn't care that much about Scott Harvath.  Maybe it is because this was the second in the series and I hadn't read the first one. 

Many people have loved this book here and here are reviews from Goodreads and Audible.  Most are positive but a few are like me and didn't like it.  I would encourage you to read the reviews and make your own choice. 

I did think that the narrator did a good job with the material. 

I was given a review audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from Simon and Schuster Audio.

Audio Book Review of Three Good Things by Wendy Francis Read by Madeleine Maby

Three Good Things: A Novel

• UNABRIDGED
• by Wendy Francis
• Narrated by Madeleine Maby
•  LENGTH
• 8 hrs and 3 mins
• RELEASE DATE
  01-01-1
• PUBLISHER
  Simon & Schuster Audio

 

Publisher's Summary

Sisterhood, motherhood, marriage, baking, and books - these are a few of the things that make this delightful novel a recipe for getting through the tough stuff of life.
Filled with love, humor, and the scent of delectable puff pastry, Three Good Things tells the tale of two sisters who find their bond invaluable as they navigate marriage, heartache, poor grammar, and the surprising challenges that ultimately become the most fulfilling blessings.
Ellen McClarety, a recent divorcée, has opened a new bake shop in her small Midwestern town, hoping to turn her life around, but the past still haunts her - sometimes by showing up on her doorstep. Her younger sister, Lanie, is a successful divorce attorney with a baby at home. But Lanie is beginning to feel that her perfect life is not as perfect as it seems. Both women long for the guidance of their mother, who died years ago, but left them with a wonderful piece of advice: “At the end of every day, you can always think of three good things that happened.”
Wearing her big Midwestern heart proudly on her sleeve, Wendy Francis tells a story destined to be shared.


My take:This  was an ok book as far as I was concerned.  I liked the closeness of Ellen and Lanie even though they had quite a bit of an age difference.  I see this closeness between my  two daughters.  I liked that the author told the story from three different points of view the two sisters and Lanie's husband.  I was a bit frustrated at Ellen's wishy washy ness when it came to her exhusband and I thought at her age she would have more of a grasp of what was good for her and what wasn't.  I thought that her relationship with Henry  was cute and that Henry was a great guy.  There were several unanswered questions at the end and I found her ex husbands confession at the end a bit unbelievable.  Seems like alot of drama happens in small towns.  I liked the way each chapter opened with a quote from a book that was appropriate to the character the chapter was about.
I thought that the narrator did a good job.  Not really anything remarkable but a good job.

I was sent a review download from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for my honest opinion.