Still Missing by Chevy Stevens – Book Review

Jun 302010
 

4698120053 47d980363c m pictureStill Missing by Chevy Stevens

Annie O’Sullivan is a real estate agent who was just closing up at an open house when THE FREAK abducted her. He took her to a specially fortified cabin in the woods and proceeded to abuse her in a myriad of ways. Perhaps even scarier than the abduction and abuse, though, is how much he knew about her. This was clearly not a random abduction.

We know from the beginning of the book that Annie somehow escapes THE FREAK, because the entire story is basically the monologue of her recounting her ordeal to her therapist, beginning from the time she was abducted and moving more or less chronologically to what is happening in her life in the aftermath of her abduction.

I had a difficult time getting into the style of storytelling initially. For one thing, Annie’s voice bothered me a bit at the beginning of each chapter when she is directly addressing her therapist. I can’t put my finger on the exact problem, but something didn’t quite ring true for me. Then there was the fact that we clearly knew she was alive and had managed to walk away from her abduction. I was fairly certain that this setup was going to kill for me any suspense the book might have otherwise held, although I thought I would still like the book overall.

Boy was I wrong. About 50 pages into the book I decided to tell myself it was not a thriller, per se, and read it just as more general fiction. I still think that is a wise choice, but around page 100 “Still Missing” grabbed me and absolutely would not let me go. I thought I couldn’t become invested in Annie’s life as an abductee because I knew she would survive, no matter what horrendous things were done to her, but a situation arose during her captivity that left me breathless in fear and anticipation as I turned the pages, both wanting and not wanting to know what happened. Even once that situation was over, I was left incredibly invested in Annie, her ordeal, and her attempts to cope after the fact.

If you want a book that will suck you in despite a slightly slow beginning, “Still Missing” is a great choice. Recommended.

“Still Missing” is on sale in the US Tuesday, July 6th, 2010, but I have 3 copies to give away right now!

Buy this book from:
Powells.*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.*
Amazon.*

This review was done with a book received from Sarah at St. Martin’s Press.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.

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 Mystery  20 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , ,

The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst – Book Review

Jun 292010
 

4698108563 cf760a70d9 m pictureThe Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst

Octavia Frost is a very successful novelist, but she’s not entirely happy with all of her books. In fact, she would change the endings of many or most of them if she could. And, in fact, she’s reasonably certain that she can; in fact, Octavia’s latest book is not so much a story in and of itself, but a reworking of the endings of all of her previous novels. She is on her way to deliver this very work to her publisher in New York when she learns that her estranged son has been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend.

“The Nobodies Album” alternates between Octavia’s journey to find out what happened with her son Milo, a famous rock star in his own right, and her manuscript with the new endings to her old books. I was very hesitant about the idea of rewritten endings of imaginary books at first, but oh my gosh, did it ever work. Parkhurst deftly wove them together with Octavia’s story, exploring the Frost’s painful past and the reason for Milo and Octavia’s estrangement as well as the question of what happened between Milo and his girlfriend. Somehow Parkhurst managed to write and re-write endings to books that provided the reader with enlightenment as to Octavia’s own story while also making them into snippets of stories that pulled me in completely. I really, really wish that some of these were real books.

I loved “The Nobodies Album.” It just had so much going for it: family strife, murder, writing and publishing, a mother’s love and guilt, and mystery. All of these elements worked together to create book that I was able to completely lose myself in. If you liked Parkhurst’s first novel, “The Dogs of Babel,” “The Nobodies Album” is just as creative and an even better book. Highly recommended

Buy this book from:
Powells.*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.*
Amazon.*

This review was done with a book received from the publisher via Shelf Awareness.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.
 Contemporary Fiction  18 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , ,

Bad Marie by Marcy Dermansky – Book Review

Jun 282010
 

4669972858 07138b7cd3 m pictureBad Marie by Marcy Dermansky

Marie has just spent six years in prison for running off to Mexico with her bank-robber boyfriend who killed himself while incarcerated. Now that she’s out, she has found work for her childhood friend Ellen nannying for Ellen’s two-year-old daughter, Caitlin. Ellen, coincidentally, happens to be married to Benoit Doniel, the French novelist who wrote Marie’s favorite book ever. Marie adores both Ellen’s husband and her daughter – along with many other of Ellen’s things which Marie likes to appropriate for her own use.

Until one day, when Ellen decides that she doesn’t want Marie around her house, her husband, and her child. Marie can’t imagine leaving all of these things and, even more so, can’t imagine moving back into her mother’s house. Determined not to lose the things she has grown accustomed to in Ellen’s house, Marie seduces Benoit Doniel and absconds to France with him, Caitlin, and quite a few of Ellen’s things. Life with Benoit Doniel and as a mother, though, is not quite what Marie imagined it to be.

Marie was an absolutely fascinating character. She would come up with elaborate plans without ever thinking any of it through. She was an impetuous woman without a great deal of common sense. In prison, and later in Ellen’s home, everything was provided for her, and the framework of her day was already laid out. In Paris with a toddler, Marie was unsure what to do, how to act, how to provide what Caitlin needed. Marie had the potential to be a very obnoxious character, one who you just want to smack. And that would have been a problem because, really, “Bad Marie” is all about her. However, I found her to be complex and even sympathetic – surprising for a character who kidnaps a child and takes her abroad.

If you’re interested in a book with a main character who makes every bad (and even criminal) decision possible but is still sympathetic, I would definitely recommend this book.

Buy this book from:
Powells.*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.*
Amazon.*

This review was done with a book received from Erica at Harper Perennial.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.
 Contemporary Fiction  13 Responses »  Tagged with: , , ,

My Life in France by Julia Child – Audiobook Review

Jun 262010
 

4734181623 9ef3827b0f m pictureMy Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud-homme, narrated by Kimberly Farr

Synopsis:

This is Julia Child’s memoir of, you guessed it!, her life in France, including her time learning to cook. 

Thoughts on the story:

I know this was co-written with Julia’s nephew, but man, did it ever have a strong sense of Julia’s voice. I was also amazed at how completely the meals that Julia ate and created in the 1950s were described. How could she really remember what she ate for her first meal in France so well as to describe it in exquisite detail? The detail was exquisite, though. She described the food with such passion and love that I almost actually wanted to eat the fish she was talking about, and I do not eat fish. She also inspired me to cook more, and to borrow her cookbook from the library – although I never actually made anything from it.

My only qualm is that she seemed to jump quickly from ‘I don’t really cook’ to “I love to cook and want to learn more!’ It didn’t feel like a very smooth transition.

Thoughts on the audio production:

Fantastic. Kimberly Farr did a fabulous job matching her narration to Julia’s voice in “My Life in France.”

Overall:

I thought this was a lovely audiobook, with mouth-watering descriptions of food and enticing descriptions of life in France post-World War II.

Buy this book from:
Powells: Audio/Print*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound: Audio/Print*
Amazon: Audio/Print*

This review was done with a book borrowed from the library.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.
 Audiobooks, Memoir  18 Responses »  Tagged with: , , ,

Recommended Audiobooks – Audiobook Week Discussion

Jun 252010
 

If you wrote a post on this or any of my other discussion topics today, Friday June 25th, please leave your link in the Mr. Linky before midnight Central time (US) and you will be eligible to win a prize.

4629932963 f158331a61 m pictureI know that I’m the one who picked this question, but I still think it is a very difficult one!

For people who were new to audiobooks, I would probably recommend “The Help,” because I think that is a fantastic introduction to audiobooks. The multi-voiced cast is fabulous, and I think their narration really adds to the story. I’d also definitely recommend the “Harry Potter” audios as a good way to ease into audiobooks. I listened to and loved the Jim Dale versions, but I know people are crazy about the Stephen Fry versions as well.

For those already acquainted with audiobooks, I would recommend the following audios that I have loved:

  • “America, America” by Ethan Canin, narrated by Robertson Dean
  • “The Thirteenth Tale” by Diane Setterfeld, narrated by Ruthie Henshall and Lynn Redgrave
  • “So Cold the River” by Michael Kortya, narrated by Robert Petkoff
  • “Paper Towns” by John Green, narrated by Dan John Miller
  • “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” by Helen Simonson, narrated by Peter Altschuler
  • “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot, narrated by Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin
  • “Bad Things Happen” by Harry Dolan, narrated by Erik Davies
  • “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” by David Sedaris, narrated by David Sedaris

Added:

  • “The Little Stranger” by Sarah Waters, narrated by Simon Vance

I’m also loving “Feed” by Mira Grant right now, which is narrated by Paula Christensen and Jesse Bernstein, but I guess I can’t recommend it for sure until I finish.

What audiobooks do you recommend? I’m always happy to add to my wishlist!

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 Audiobook Week, Discussion, recommendations  25 Responses »  Tagged with: , ,

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson – Audiobook Review

Jun 252010
 

4732290408 7c991d9c8f m pictureMajor Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson, narrated by Peter Altschuler

If you posted an audiobook review today, Friday June 25th, please leave your link in the Mr. Linky before midnight Central time (US) and you will be eligible to win a prize.

Synopsis:

When Major Earnest Pettigrew’s brother passes away, he begins to evaluate his life. A widower, his only son living off in London and visiting infrequently, Major Pettigrew is a bit lonely, but somewhat annoyed by most of the women in his town. When Jasmina Ali, proprietor of the village shop, comes to check in on him, he strikes up first a conversation, then a friendship with her. Jasmina is witty and well-read, a perfect partner for Major Pettigrew. She is also a Muslim Pakistani woman, who isn’t always seen as an equal by some of the people in their small town.

Thoughts on the story:

“Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” is a novel about knowing when to break with tradition and when to hold tight to it; a sweet but not saccharine story of family and love. The ending was perhaps too quick and easy, but I adored the story as a whole. It was just insanely charming, and I’m not really sure what to say about it beyond that.

Thoughts on the audio production:

Peter Altschuler was the absolutely perfect choice to narrate “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand.” He had this perfect British accent and played the slightly stuffy and slightly sentimental Major perfectly.

Overall:

Lovely story, and even lovelier audiobook.

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Buy this book from:
 Powells: Audio/Print*
 A local independent bookstore via Indiebound: Print*
 Amazon: Audio/Print*

This review was done with a book borrowed from the library.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.
 Audiobooks, Contemporary Fiction  15 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

When Do You Listen to Audiobooks? – Audiobook Week Discussion

Jun 242010
 

If you wrote a post on this or any of my other discussion topics today, Thursday June 24th, please leave your link in the Mr. Linky before midnight Central time (US) and you will be eligible to win a prize.

4629932963 f158331a61 m pictureI know that some of us covered this on Monday, but I’m still curious about just where everyone listens to audiobooks.

When I first started listening to audiobooks, it was car-only. Really, I just wanted something to take my mind off of my commutes. I was a big NPR fan, but for some reason I didn’t find ALL THINGS CONSIDERED quite as interesting as MORNING EDITION, so I’d drive to work listening to NPR, and drive home listening to an audiobook.

Next, it was the gym. Yes, music got me pumped up to move, but after a few minutes I would be bored, bored, bored. I need plot to keep me interested in, well, pretty much anything, so I started bringing my audiobook with me on the bike and the elliptical.

Then it was those long, boring times when I was really doing a deep scrubbing of some room.

Now, as long as I have at least 5 minutes during which I will be doing something that does not involve me reading, writing, or listening to other words, I stick those ear buds straight into my ears: when I’m driving, working out, taking a walk, cleaning, folding laundry, drying my hair, coloring my hair, straightening my hair….

When do you listen to audiobooks?

Note: Mr. Linky seems to be down, please leave your links in the comments

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 Audiobook Week, Discussion  27 Responses »  

Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan – Audiobook Review

Jun 242010
 

4727530327 8bc4302882 m pictureBad Things Happen by Harry Dolan, narrated by Erik Davies

If you posted an audiobook review today, Thursday June 24th, please leave your link in the Mr. Linky before midnight Central time (US) and you will be eligible to win a prize.

Synopsis:

The mysterious David Loogan comes to Ann Arbor, Michigan to lead a quiet life and recover from his past. Unfortunately, he gets drawn into a working relationship with Tom Kristoll, publisher of the literary magazine Grey Street, which is devoted entirely to mysteries, who makes him an editor of the magazine. Oh, and he also gets drawn into a more intimate sort of relationship with Tom’s wife.

In pretty much every Grey Street story the same formula appears: ‘plans go wrong, bad things happen, people die.’  When this same formula begins appearing in Loogan’s own life, things get messy.

Thoughts on the story:

Here’s where I admit that I listened to this back in JANUARY of 2010 and am just not writing the review in June. Oops. Clearly I can’t tell you anything really detailed about the plot, since it has been six months. But here’s what I can tell you: if this book hadn’t been spectacular, I wouldn’t be bothering to write ANYTHING about it 6 months later. I love, love, loved this. It was this fun sort of gritty crime drama that had the potential to be a little cheesy but totally wasn’t.

Thoughts on the audio production:

As much as I enjoyed the story, probably the thing I loved most about this audio was the narrator. Erik Davies has this sexy sort of gritty hardboiled voice that just kept me absolutely enthralled. He was absolutely perfect for the story.

Overall:

I highly recommend this, especially in audio!

Note: Mr. Linky doesn’t seem to be working properly today, please leave links in the comments

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Buy this book from:
Powells: Audio/Print*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound: Audio/Print*
Amazon: Audio/Print*

This review was done with a book borrowed from the library.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.

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 Audiobook Week, Audiobooks, Mystery  23 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Audio Footnote App – Giveaway

Jun 232010
 

So, at the beginning of Audiobook Week I was approached by the developer of the Audio Footnote app for iPhones. Basically, this app allows you to record voice notes while you’re listening to an audiobook with your iPhone. Eric, the developer, says:

Notes are saved and sorted by the program you were listening to, the date recorded and your place in the book.

Sounds pretty interesting! Eric offered me a free evaluation copy, but I don’t have an iPhone, so it wouldn’t do much good.

4728015951 60f505d61e m pictureWe decided that, since I couldn’t use a copy of this app, maybe one of you can.If you listen to audiobooks on your iPhone, use the google form below to enter this contest.

Enter by 11:59 Central on Thursday, June 24.

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 Audiobook Week, giveaway  4 Responses »  

Audiobook Week Meme- Audiobook Week Discussion

Jun 232010
 

If you wrote a post on this or any of my other discussion topics today, Wednesday June 23rd, please leave your link in the Mr. Linky before midnight Central time (US) and you will be eligible to win a prize.

4629932963 f158331a61 m picture

Here’s something quick and easy for the middle of the week, just a short meme. Just copy/paste (and obviously change the answers to your own).

Audiobook are you currently reading/you read most recently: Feed by Mira Grant

Impressions?: LOVE. Like, hope for terrible traffic jams so I can keep listening love it.

How long you’ve been listening to audiobooks: I’ve done a little listening on and off in the past, but I started really getting into audiobooks last January or so, so about 18 months.

First audiobook you ever listened to: First one was some listen/readalong thing when I was super little. A couple of years ago I downloaded a couple of books from Librivox: ”Pride and Prejudice” and “The Little Princess”. My listening fizzled there, though, when I got to bad narrators, since all Librivox narrators are volunteers. At the beginning of my REAL audiobook listening, “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova was my first title, and I listened to it on a driving weekend away with my husband before our baby was born.

Favorite audiobook title: So difficult! For sheer amazing audiobook experience, probably “The Help.” I could probably listed 10 other ‘favorites,’ though.

Favorite narrator: Honestly, I’m not really sure. I have loved Erik Davies, Robert Petkoff, and Robertson Dean, though. There are lots of female narrators whose work I think is fabulous, but I really love me some sexy-voiced men.

How do you choose what to listen to versus read? Sheer luck, really. Usually it is based on what I’m trying to fit into my reading schedule that my library happens to have in audio. I try to avoid plots with non-linear chronological structure, though, because I find I don’t do well with them.

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 Audiobook Week, Discussion  21 Responses »  Tagged with: , ,
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