Audio Book of the Week - The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo

Narrated by Susan McInerney, Kathleen McInerney, Eileen Stevens, Ax Norman, Allyson Johnson

From Good Reads

 
The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died five years ago, Gaby's children have drifted apart, each one preoccupied by the turbulence in their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married-and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day—she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.
But the wedding isn't Gaby's only surprise—she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever. With deeply affecting characters and the emotional twists of a James Patterson thriller, THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING is a fresh look at family and the magic of the season.

My Take:  This is a good book for this time of year.  Nothing too heavy and nice a fluffly.  Great Holiday read.

Audio Book of the Week - Columbine by Dave Cullen

Columbine by Dave Cullen
read by Don Leslie

From Audible.com:

Over the course of this gripping narrative, Dave Cullen approaches his subjects with unrivaled care and insight. What emerges are shattering portraits of the killers, the victims, and the community that suffered one of the greatest - and most socially and historically important - shooting tragedies of the 20th century.
Ten years in the works, Columbine is a masterpiece of reportage, from the acclaimed journalist who followed the massacre from day one and reconstructed the psychological journey of two teenage boys who became killers.
©2009 Dave Cullen; (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc

My Take:  I have always wanted to know what makes people do things.  This book takes a look at the events that lead up to the Columbine Shooting and the aftermath for the families, victims and the families of the boys who did the shooting.  It takes a look at the coverup that the police tried to do so that it wasn't brought to light that the boys had fallen through the cracks.  Dave Cullen doesn't point fingers at anyone but just gives a straight forward accounting of the facts.  Although I know that it is easy to blame the parents in these types of situations I believe, as is the case in so many things, alot of little things lead up to these tragic events. 
The presentation of telling the story in alternating chapters about the boys, the shooting and after was a bit confusing at first in audio but after the first couple of chapters it became easier to follow.

I would recommend this book if you are interested in true crime.  A compelling listen.

Cozy Mystery of the Month and Audio Book of the Week - Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson

Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
Read by Barbara Rosenblat

From Amazon.com:
Get ready for a smorgasbord of delicious suspense prepared by Goldy Bear, an irrepressible mistress of menus and amateur sleuth. Filled with a cast of colorful characters and superb recipes, Catering to Nobody is the first in a series that has made Diane Mott Davidson a best-selling author and the Queen of the Culinary Mystery.

Goldy Bear, recently divorced, has made a home for herself and her young son in scenic Aspen Valley, Colorado. There, calls for Goldilock's Catering have been steady enough to pay the bills. But when a mourner is felled by rat poison during a funeral buffet Goldy is serving, the police quickly close her business. Now it's up to Goldy to find the rat who has tainted her food and her reputation.

Diane Mott Davidson whips up a spicy mixture of cooks and crooks, and veteran narrator Barbara Rosenblat brilliantly conveys Goldy's intelligence, wit, and energy. As the mystery unfolds, its tension is sweetened by delectable recipes, including Goldy's Dream Cake, Dungeon Bars, and Honey Ginger Snaps.

My Take:
I listened to this in audio so this is also an audio of the week.
The above description says that Goldy was recently divorced but I don't know how recently because there was a wife after her.
Anyway, I have wanted to read a book by Diane Mott Davidson for awhile so I decided to just take the plunge and listen to this one.
This was a pretty good mystery because it had me guessing until close to the end. One of the local teachers committed suicide and Goldy is hired to cater the funeral dinner. One of the mourners is poisoned by rat poisoning and her business is shut down. In order to get it opened again she must find out what is going on. There is alot of things going on in this little town. Goldy has a really weird relationship with her ex (to say they had a bad divorce is mild) and his family. She is also friends with her ex husbands second wife. Her son Arch seems to be slipping away into the world of role playing games. And her roommate is having mood swings among other things.
This book had a bit more language than I like but not an over abundance. I don't really know how I felt about the narrator. At times I thought she did a great job and at other I just found her voice annoying.
I still like HannahSwenson better but I think I will read (or Listen) to more in this series. If you want the recipes I would suggest the paper book as it is hard to follow in the audio and almost impossible to find after.
This was one of my Audible selections.

Audio Book of the Week - The Pilgrim Progress by John Bunyan

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Read by Robert Whitfield

From Audible.com:

Next to The Bible, The Pilgrim's Progress has probably been more widely read than any other book in the English language, and rightfully so. It is considered by most critics as the greatest allegory in any language. And to think that it was written by a jailed tinker who received very little formal education. This is the enthralling account of a Christian's epic journey. With a burden on his back, Christian reads a book that tells him that the city in which he and his family dwell will be set ablaze. Christian flees from the City of Destruction and journeys through the Slough of Despond, the Interpreter's House, the House Beautiful, the Valley of Humiliation, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Vanity Fair, Doubting Castle, and the Delectable Mountains, and finally reaches the Celestial City.
(P)1997 Blackstone Audiobooks; originally published in 1670, United Kingdom

My Take:  My Husband and I like to listen to the same books at the same time occasionally. This was one of those books.  This audio presentation includes the journey that Christian's wife and children took also.  Because of the old English I doubt that I would have made it through this book if I had been reading it. It was the perfect book to listen to while I was walking in the mornings, most times in the woods. It is amazing that John Bunyan had very little education. This book is one of those that makes you stop and think. 

This was from my personal library of audio books.

Audio Book of the Week - the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Read by Paul Baymer, Susan Dewidan, Rosilyn Landor, John Lee and Juliet Mills

From Audible.com:

I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb....
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends - and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island - boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature-lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
©2008 Marry Ann Shaffrer and Annie Barrows; (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

My Take:  This book was a wondeful experience in audio!!!  I hadn't read it before but I had seen it on so many others blogs that I thought that I would give it a try.  The book is told in note and letters from the different characters to other characters.  Each character has their own voice thus all of the narrators.  the story is about the way that the people on Guernsey survived during the occupation by the Nazis during World War II.  It is also a story of the aftermath of that occupation.  And in it's own way it is a love story. If you want to escape to the delightful island of Guernsey and all the wonderful characters that reside there I would suggest that you listen to this book.  Highly recommended.

Audio book of the Week - The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker
Read by John Glover


From Goodreads.com:

FBI Special Agent Brad Raines is facing his toughest case yet. A Denver serial killer has killed four beautiful young women, leaving a bridal veil at each crime scene, and he's picking up his pace. Unable to crack the case, Raines appeals for help from a most unusual source: residents of the Center for Wellbeing and Intelligence, a private psychiatric institution for mentally ill individuals whose are extraordinarily gifted.It's there that he meets Paradise, a young woman who witnessed her father murder her family and barely escaped his hand. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Paradise may also have an extrasensory gift: the ability to experience the final moments of a person's life when she touches the dead body.In a desperate attempt to find the killer, Raines enlists Paradise's help. In an effort to win her trust, he befriends this strange young woman and begins to see in her qualities that most 'sane people' sorely lack. Gradually, he starts to question whether sanity resides outside the hospital walls...or inside.As the Bride Collector increases the pace and volume of his gruesome crucifixions, the case becomes even more personal to Raines when his friend and colleague, a beautiful young forensic psychologist, becomes the Bride Collector's next target. The FBI believes that the killer plans to murder seven women. Can Paradise help before it's too late?

My Take:   I have a love/hate relationship with Ted Dekker.  About 90% of the time I really don't like his books.  But I keep reading them because I know that that other 10% there is a pretty good book.  This is in that 10%.  It is not my favorite of his but I was really engaged in the story and wanted to keep listening when I really should have been doing something else.  If  you have been visiting this blog for a while you know that I am a fan of thrillers and this book is one in ever sense of the word.  There isn't any language which is refreshing and the murder scenes are toned down quite a bit ( I still would not recommend to early teens or if you don't like that sort of thing).

There are quite a few twists and turns and several times I found myself saying to myself " I don't believe that happened!"  Great book!!  here's hoping I don't have to read 9 more of his books before I find one I like.

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry - Audio Book of the Week

From Amazon.com:

A Raisin in the Sun is a seminal American drama and a heroic testament of hope. This new recording of Lorraine Hansberry s classic play, starring Rutina Wesley from the HBO hit series True Blood, chronicles a working class African American family struggling to maintain dignity in a harsh world. With her late husband s insurance money finally in hand, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a better home. However, her children have other plans: Walter Lee wants to buy a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to go to medical school. What happens when family dreams drastically diverge? A full-cast performance featuring: Judyann Elder, James Gleason, Noah Gray-Cabey, Corey Hawkins, Deidrie Henry, Terrell Tilford, Rutina Wesley and Mirron E. Willis.

My Take:  I received a copy of this La Theater Works  production as a part of Audiobook Jukebox's Solid Gold reviewer program.  I chose this title in August but did not receive it till last week.

I usually listen to unabridged books that are at least 8 hours long and have one reader.  It is nice to break up that every once in awhile with a drama that has a full cast and is about 2 hours long.  These plays have all of that covered.

The cast in this particular play bring the character's to life and you truly are routing that eveything will work out for this family.  I would  highly recommend this production to anyone but be aware there is some language. 

This play brought the truth fo the fact that family can hurt us the most by the words that are said.  After listening to this I am going to be more aware of the words I say.. 

Audio book of the Week - The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Read by Jenna Larnia. Bahni Turpin, Octavie Spencer, and Cassandra Campell

From Goodreads.com:
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

This book was GREAT!!!  I liked the way that each chapter was told from the viewpoint from a certain character.  I grew up in this time and I remember some of the attitudes that were prevalent at this time.  I remember some of my family members using not so great language toward other races.  Back then it wasn't thought of as being a bad thing.  Reading (listening in this case)  this book coming from the point of view of today I cringed at some of the attitudes and was downright disgusted by others. We have come along way but still have quite a bit to go. 

I liked the way that this audio had different voices for the chapters.  This gave each chapter a unique voice  and I think that it was easier to relate to the three main characters. 

This book ran the gamut of emotions and did several things that I don't usually do  when I listen (or read) a book.  I both laughed out loud in several parts and cried by eyes out in others. 

This is a must read but definately for older readers because of the issues it addresses.

I have not seen the movie and will probably wait till it comes out on DVD but I would highly recommend that you read the book first.  I hear that movie does not take away from the book but the book is well worth the time. 

This book was taken from my personal library of audio books.

Audio book of the Week - Drums of Autumn by Diana Galbadon

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon Read by Davina Porter

From Goodreads.com:

It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle.  There, a doorway, open to a select few, leads into the past--or the grave.  Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once buy twice.  Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot whose love for her became legend--a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child.  Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in frontier America.  But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century.  Their daughter Brianna...
Now, Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown.  In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history...and to save their lives.  But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past...or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong...

My Take:  These books take forever to listen too.  This one over 44 hours long.  That being said with Davina Porter reading it is totally worth it.  I will say some parts do get alittle long and monotomous.  I think that the author could use a few less words to get where  she's going.



Brianna does some research and finds out some details about her mother and father. She thinks that if she travels back in time she can change history.  Of course Roger, her boyfriend, follows her through to try and rescue her but lands in a bit of hot water himself.  The last half of the book is mostly driven by a misunderstanding that was fairly frustrating and the resolution was just too tidely wrapped up.

Most of the story takes place in Early America, pre revolutionary War.   As with  the other book in this series, there is sex but most of it does occur between married couples and it is not quite as graphic as in the other books.

This is the fourth book in the series and really should be read after the other three. 

I will probably be listening to the next in the series but not for a while.  These books are better if given time in between.

This book was taken from  my personal library of audio books. 

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer Audio Book of the week

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer read by Nicole Poole

From Goodread.com:  Adelaide Proctor is a young woman with her head in the clouds, longing for a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a staid governess position on a central Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her romantic yearnings behind.

When Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America's wool industry, he never expected to become a father overnight. And five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon--and intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions. He has a ranch to run, a shearing to oversee, and a suspicious fence-cutting to investigate.
When Isabella's uncle comes to claim the child--and her inheritance--Gideon and Adelaide must work together to protect Isabella from the man's evil schemes. And soon neither can deny their growing attraction. But after so many heartbreaks, will Adelaide be willing to get her head out of the clouds and put her heart on the line?

My Take:  I really enjoyed this book once I got into the second half of the book.  The narrator did a really good job and used different voices for all the characters.  I saw the romance aspect of the book coming and was not surprised.  Some of the book caught me a bit off guard in a good way.  The last half of th book was definetly the climax. I thought the the very end was a bit anticlimatic and I was a bit disappointed. 
I do recommend the book but will say that it may take a bit before you get into the book but once you are ou will enoy the ride.

The Shelter of God's Promises by Sheila Walsh Audio Book of the Week

The Shelter of God's Promises by Sheila Walsh

From Goodreads:
In a world of uncertainty, pain, and struggle, where do you find solid assurance and unshakeable truth?




Gifted Bible teacher and inspiring Women of Faith speaker Sheila Walsh offers powerful, heart-filled teaching on ten bedrock promises of God, providing the foundation for daily confidence, joy, and hope.



In The Shelter of God's Promises, Sheila searches Scripture for what God has promised us, what God's promises mean, and how encounters with Christ are the eternal fulfillment of His unrelenting commitment to us. In this riveting walk through some of the Bible's most compelling stories, Walsh unveils ten foundational promises of God that secure our lives during even the most difficult times. Sheila weaves her hallmark storytelling, inspiring personal experience, and Scripture to help readers gain a trust in God that will sustain them for a lifetime.




 
My Take:
I received an audio copy of this book for review from Christianaudio.com.  I loved that Sheila red this book as I find her accent very pleasing to the ear.  
 
This book is about God's promises and how we can rely on Him not matter what.  Unlike our fellow humans (as well as Ourselves)  God never breaks His promises and we can take Him at His word.  
 
This is not a sit down at one sitting and read (or listen in this case).  This is a book that causes you to think and ponder.  That being the case it might be a better book to actually have a physical copy of instead of listening on audio but if you listen to it you will absorb the truths just as well. 
 
If you need a refresher course in just how much we can rely on God this is the book for you.  Highly recommended.  I gave is three stars on Goodreads just because I think it would be better in book form but worth the listen. 
 

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury Audio Book of the Week

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury Audio book

Read by Roxanne Hernandez

From Publisher:
Holden Harris is an 18-year-old locked in a prison of autism. Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden is very happy and socially normal - on the inside, in a private world all his own. In reality, he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different.

Ella Reynolds is part of the 'in' crowd. A cheerleader and star of the high-school drama production, her life seems perfect. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him... the way he is drawn to the music. Then, Ella makes a dramatic discovery - she and Holden were best friends as children. Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied, and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school, including her boyfriend, Jake.

Ella believes miracles can happen in the unlikeliest places, and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden's praying mother and the efforts of Ella and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden? This time, friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.


My Take:  I usually love anything by Karen Kingsbury.  According to my Goodreads Author Stats she is the number one author that I read.  For some reason this book didn't grab my attention like most of her others.  I was highly distracted by the reader's attempt at a southern accent.  Not sure that she really got it right and it was just plain distracting. 

The story is one that did finally got me into it after about half way through.  I felt for Holden as he was bullied and for the others that were bullied also.  I thought that the kids that were doing the bulliying should have been confronted especiallay after a tragedy occurred.  I was glad that Ella took the time with Holden and they rediscovered the friendship that they had.  

This was a good book but it does take awhile to draw you in. 



I listened to this from my personal library from  Audible.com.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore Audiobook of the Week

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Narrated by Neil Kaplan

From Audible.com:
Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books but we are real.


Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

And Number Three in Kenya.

They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

My Take: I wanted to read this book before the movie came out becasue I am pretty sure that my daughter will want to see the movie.  From the previews of the movie I think this might be one of those rare cases where the movie will be better than the book. 
Here is the trailer for the movie


Here is the book trailer


I think that I might have liked this book better if I had read it instead of listened to it.  When the narrator was just reading the book and being the voice of Number Four and his "father" the book was okay but when he was trying to be voices for other characters it is was just down right horrible. Would have been much better if he had just read the book without trying any voices. 
The story itself was okay.  I knew going in that it was written for teens but really I think that it is well below a teens level reading and intellectually.  I felt that the charcters were just to ready to except that Number Four was an Alien.  Come on ,really ,you just tell your girlfriend that your an alien and she just says that's okay I love you anyway? 
Sad to say that my favorite character was Bernie Kozar. 

There was a quite a bit of cursing in this book, no, I will not be giving it to my daughter to read.    

This was a nice piece of fluff but a great work of literature? No way. But fun in it's own way. 

I would suggest reading this instead of listening.  

This was taken from my personal library. 

Found: God's Will by John MacArthur Audio Book of the Week

Found:God's Will by John MacArthur

Narrated by John Hagg

From christianaudio.com
GET READY FOR A SURPRISE!

You may want to jump and shout when you read the sixth principle for knowing when you have found God's will.

The sixth principle is "Do whatever you want" as long as the first five principles are operating in your life.

Read about all six principles to better understand what the psalmist means when he urges, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart" (Psalm 37:4).

Dr. John MacArthur, Jr. is pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and president of The Master's College and Seminary. Known for his dynamic expository preaching. John is heard daily on the "Grace to You" syndicated radio broadcast and has a cassette ministry that has distributed more than ten million tapes. His many books include The Body Dynamic, Reckless Faith, The Vanishing Conscience, Different by Design, Anxiety Attacked, The Power of Suffering, and The MacArthur Study Bible.Reviews

My take:
I received a free download of this book from christianaudio.com for purposes of reviewing it.  This was a really quick listen at just 1.42 hrs. (the book itself is only 64 pages long).  I think that this book would be perfect to give to a new Christian as it answers alot of the questions that people have when they become a Christian.  I think it is an excellent book for people who have been Christians for awhile also to just to help them to remember some of the basic fact that are presented in this book. 

The main thing I took away from Listening to this book other than the 6 principles presented was the way that MacArthur does his Bible reading.  He takes a portion of Scripture and reads that same portion for 30 days.  By the time he is finished he really knows that Scripture.  Bible reading is an important part of the Christian life and this is a good way to incorporate into yours. 

I thought that John Hagg did a good job as the narrator.  His voice was pleasant and he kept a good pace and didn't rush.  No gimmicks here just a straight forward reading which was appropriate for this book. 

Cross Fire by James Patterson Audiobook of the Week

Cross Fire by James Patterson

From Audible.com
Detective Alex Cross and Bree's wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington D.C.'s most corrupt: a dirty congressmen and a scheming lobbyist. Next, the elusive marksman begins picking off other crooked politicians, sparking a blaze of theories - is the marksman a hero or a vigilante?

The case explodes and FBI agent Max Siegel battles Alex for jurisdiction. As Alex struggles with the sniper, Siegel, and the wedding, he receives a call from his deadliest adversary, Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in D.C. and will not relent until he has eliminated Cross--and his family - for good. With a supercharged blend of suspense, action, and deception, Cross Fire is James Patterson's most exciting Alex Cross novel ever.

Solve another case with Alex Cross.

My Take:

After reading some of the reviews of this audiobook I was wondering if I listened to the same book. Most of the complaints were about the new narrator for Alex Cross, Andre Braugher (he is an actor, currently in the show Men of a Certain Age). The other narrator is Jay O. Sander. I personally didn't really notice any difference in the quality of the reading. I did notice the voice change but I soon got use to the "new" Alex Cross.

This book brings back a super villian in the form of Kyle Craig. He goes to extremes to make sure that he can get close to Alex and get revenge. There are also sniper shootings going on in Washington D.C.

Alex's Ex Christine shows up to stir up some trouble with Ali. Seems like there might be more coming in future books.

I thought that the sniper story line was a little anti climatic at the end but the story line concerning Kyle Craig had me listening longer just to hear what happened.

The end gave a teaser that may be joining up Alex with Lindsey Boxer (my favorite Patterson series is the Womens' Murder club)

Altogether I thought it was a solid entry in the series. Not my favorite but a good one.

Definitely if your a Patterson Fan you should pick this up.

This is from my personal library.

Heaven is For Real by Todd, Sonya, and Colton Burpo Audio Book of the Week

This week's Audio Book of the Week is Heaven is For Real by the Burpo's and Read by Dean Gallagher




From Oasis Audio Site:
Do you remember the hospital, Colton?” Sonja said. “Yes, mommy, I remember,” he said. “That’s where the angels sang to me.”

When Colton Burpo made it through an emergency appendectomy, his family was overjoyed at his miraculous survival. What they weren’t expecting, though, was the story that emerged in the months that followed—a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy’s trip to heaven and back. Colton, not yet four years old, told his parents he left his body during the surgery–and authenticated that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital while he was being operated on. He talked of visiting heaven and relayed stories told to him by people he met there whom he had never met in life, sharing events that happened even before he was born. He also astonished his parents with descriptions and obscure details about heaven that matched the Bible exactly, though he had not yet learned to read. With disarming innocence and the plainspoken boldness of a child, Colton tells of meeting long-departed family members. He describes Jesus, the angels, how “really, really big” God is, and how much God loves us. Retold by his father, but using Colton’s uniquely simple words, Heaven is for Real offers a glimpse of the world that awaits us, where as Colton says, “Nobody is old and nobody wears glasses.”

My Take:
when I was offered the opportunity to review the Oasis Audio book Heaven is for Real I was not really sure how I felt about the whole out o boy experiences and visiting Heaven and coming back topic.  After listing to this book I really don't know if I think that Colton really went to Heaven or not.  A lot of the things that they pointed out that he couldn't have known I think that he might have heard from someone.  Growing up in a Christian home and church children tend to pick up things even if they seem to no be listening. 
But If Colton did go to Heaven he tells a tale of some really wonderful things that I would love to see when I get to Heaven.  He describes what Heaven is like, about the people he met, the angels and Jesus. A wondrous place to be.
The Narrator Dean Gallagher did an excellent job at reading the book and got across all the wonder that Colton was feeling when he was describing the various things from his visit to Heaven.
I would recommend that you pick up this book and make up your own mind about the topic.  And if Colton is correct then Heaven is for Real and it is a magnificent place.

I received a review copy of this audio book from Oasis Audio. I was not required to write a positive review.

New Audio Book Of the Week Posted in sidebar

The new Audio book of the Week has been posted in the sidebar

Salem's Lot by Stephen King

New Audio Book of the week

Thursday came and went without me posting the Audio Book of the week. 

The book for this week is

This Time Together by Carol Burnett.  The picture shown is for the kindle but I got my audio from Audible.com