Heartwood - Amity Gaige

Heartwood is Amity Gaige's new novel.

I love to peruse a book’s cover before I open it up and start reading. The cover for Heartwood was wonderful. The woman and the forestry intertwined. And it’s a harbinger of what we’ll find inside.

Valerie is hiking solo when she realizes she’s off the track. And despite her knowledge, she’s made things worse. Beverly is the State Game Warden at the heart of the search. And then there’s Lena, a senior in a retirement community. She is searching as well - but from her computer. I think Beverly intrigued me the most.She has fought to have her place.

I loved the descriptions of the forests, the plants, the trees, and the beauty of it. But on the flip side, it’s just as dangerous as it is beautiful.

The book’s narrative rotates through the three women. We’re privy to their memories, the triumphs, their losses, and what they see in their futures. Maybe. Gaige keeps the suspense high alongside.

 I find some stories better for me in an audio format. That is true with Heartwood. I appreciate the five narrators. Each have created a voice that matches their character. It makes it quite easy to know who is speaking. Everyone spoke clearly and was easy on the ears. All have captured and presented the author's work with their reading. Kudos to all.

Know Your Newlywed - Elena Armas and Hillary Nussbaum and Heather Taylor

I love audio books and I often pair one up with - cleaning the house, doing laundry, or maybe just a quick rest on the couch with my eyes closed.

Hillary Nussbaum, Heather Taylor and Elena Armas made it very hard to get back up off the couch with their audio book  - Know Your Newlywed!

 

Do you remember watching game shows that had newlyweds for contestants? And the prizes might have been a kettle or a fridge? This new version boasts a prize much larger than that! And that's what prompts Javi and Cleo to apply. Javi and Cleo are characters that you can't help but like. I had my fingers crossed for them! A wonderful rom-com plot ensues. 

I've often said that I get more immerged in a tale when I listen to it. The was definitely the case with Know Your Newlywed. I loved the two leads, Tyler Posey and Mary Mouser. Their voices were perfect for the characters. Posey has a little gravel in his voice that really works for the character and his nature. He doesn't rush. Mouser easily captures her character with a faster pace of speaking. Her voice matches the character. The supporting cast is one of the largest I've ever listened to. I really liked that - I never had to guess who was speaking. A large cast presents a richer listen for me. Everyone spoke clearly and was easy on the ears. And another nice detail was the background noises - telephones, clapping, horns, and more.

An excellent presentation of a excellent and fun rom-com!  An easy 5 stars,

4 hours and 54 minutes

The Writing Retreat - Julia Bartz

The Writing Retreat is Julia Bartz's debut novel. 

Alex works in the publishing industry, but what she really wants is to be an author. She jumps at the chance to attend a month long retreat at the secluded estate of writer Roza Vallo. There will be five attendees, including Alex's former best friend, but she'll deal with that.

From the first night, things feel a little off. Roza's behaviour is mercurial, challenging the five with somewhat uncomfortable discussions - and as things progress - actions. The five acolytes continue to rationalize what's going, until it can no longer can be ignored. There's something very wrong at this retreat...

The book is told through Alex's eyes. And if it was me, I'd be on the next bus home. But there's a snow storm that cuts off their communication, so we're now in a locked room situation. Add in some odd staff and a mansion with a history in addition to the peculiar host. The other attendees are a mixed bunch - almost like you would expect to find in a horror film. There's always one who chooses to go in the basement. 

What's happening in reality is somewhat mirrored in the novel Alex is writing. I do enjoy the plot device of having a book within a book. 

Bartz is a practicing therapist and I can see how her  background has added to the plot. Roza plays a lot of mind games with the five. She's cruel and then kind, keeping the would be authors on edge. Bartz has added a sexual component to her plot line as well as horror elements. (Gentle readers, there are many triggers in this book) 

I'm on the fence with this one. I liked the idea, but I didn't overly enjoy the delivery. Things got into the over the top territory for me. The epilogue tied up many loose ends, but went a bit too long for me.

I did choose to listen to The Writing Retreat. The reader was Gail Shalan and I thought she did a great job. She created a believable voice for Roza that was perfect. Roza is described as having a slight accent and Shalan's reading never missed this. Shalan's voices for Alex and the supporting players are just as good, matching my mental images of them. There's a nice, slight undertone to her voice that's quite pleasant to listen to. The speaking pace is just right. Shalan easily captures the menace and madness of the plot with her voice. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of The Writing Retreat.

Small Game - Blair Braverman

I admit - I have watched a few (okay, more than a few) survival shows. They're great escapist television that I'm happy to watch from the couch.

I was intrigued by the premise of Blair Braverman's new book - Small Game. 

Four participants, three men, two women, six weeks and the last one standing wins it all. For Mara, it sounds like an easy win. After all, she's been brought up with a survivor mind set and she actually teaches survival skills as her job. 

The book is told from Mara's point of view. We meet the others through her experiences and interactions. I was immediately on board with Mara. We are privy to her inner thoughts, doubts, and reasons for coming on the show. Braverman takes a deeper view with Mara's experiences. The others? Their actions speak volumes. Now, the first bit is as you would expect - setting up camp, getting to know the competition - and the behind the scenes machinations. I've always wondered about how much is scripted on this type of show. 

But things change with startling event - is it real or is it scripted? This is the part where I couldn't stop listening. Why? Well, their continued survival of course. But the second half of the book delves deeper into the here and now., leaving the past behind and hoping for more from life. If they survive. This facet was also well written.

Here's the  neat bit - Braverman herself has been on a survivor show and she's an adventurer and dog sled racer. Her writing benefits greatly from that experience. And I like the title that can be taken more than one way.

I chose to listen to Small Game. I find some books are just better for me in an audio format. This was very much the case with Small Game. I become immersed in the tale when I listen. The reader was Kristen Sieh and she did a fantastic job interpreting and presenting Small Game. Her voice suited the mental image I had drawn for Mara perfectly. Sieh's voice is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. She has a well modulated tone to voice that matches Mara's personality and demeanor. The speed is just right for this characters. She also provides different, believable voice for the other characters. She captures the emotions of the players very well. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of Small Game. 

The Whispers - Heidi Perks

I've enjoyed a previous book from Heidi Perks and was eager to listen to her latest - The Whispers. 

Anna and Grace were the best of friends as children, almost sisters you might say. When one of the families moves away, the friendship drifts to an end. But Grace misses Anna terribly and when the opportunity arises to move back to their British hometown, she doesn't think twice. Except....things aren't the same as she had imagined. Anna has a new group of friends and doesn't seem to want to rekindle the relationship with Grace. 

Well, I'm sure you've heard the phrase "Mean Girls'. How about Mean Mommies? Anna and her cohorts seem to fit the label. The title of the book brings to mind gossiping parents by the school gate.

I thought I had figured out where Perks was going to take her tale. Wrong. (Happily!) Anna goes missing. (Aha!) And Perks completely turns things upside down. (Captivating!) Both Anna and Grace are given a voice, so the listener is privy to both lead character's thoughts and actions. (Riveting!)

Perks explores friendships, the good, the bad and the ugly - and the secrets friends keep in The Whispers to great effect. A slow burn, but a good one!

The Whispers was read by Karen Cass, Nneka Okoye and Helen Keeley. I'm not sure who narrated what character, but they all did an excellent job. Each voice was clear, well paced and pleasant to listen to. The character of Grace had an Australian accent while the other two readers has British accents. All were excellent and true. The voices for the supporting characters suited and were different enough to know who was speaking. What made this book such a good listen to was the nuances, emphasis, tone and tenor used by the readers to capture Perks' plot. Listening to a book lets you experience the story in a much more intimate fashion. And this was definitely the case with The Whispers. Hear for yourself  - listen to an audio excerpt of The Whispers. Nine hours and twenty minutes. 

Local Woman Missing - Mary Kubica

Local Woman Missing is Mary Kubica's latest novel - and a first read/listen of this author for me. It won't be the last!

From Harper Audio:

"Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they'll find…"

Kubica opens the book with a nail biting scene featuring Delilah that guaranteed I would be staying up late listening to just one more chapter - and maybe another, and another. Kubica employs one of my favorite story telling methods - the back and forth of a past and present timeline. The tension builds as we start to piece together what happened eleven years ago with what has/is coming to light in the present. 

And - multiple points of view as well - another favorite device! I love knowing more than the individual characters and thought I had things figured out. Umm - no. Kubica fooled me many times and I absolutely didn't see the twists coming. I did find one twist needed a grain of salt - but just go with it.

I liked Meredith as the lead character. She's kind and good, but perhaps too trusting - I'll leave it at that. Her son Leo also has a voice and his is quite real - and heartbreaking at times and the same with Delilah's chapters. There are a number of supporting players (and suspects). As this is a domestic suspense read, you'll find many neighbours and friends with their own opinions - and agendas.

There are some dark moments for sure and some of those might be triggers for gentle readers.

I loved that Harper Audio decided to use a cast of readers for Local Woman Missing -  Brittany Pressley, Jennifer Jill Araya, Gary Tiedemann, Jesse Vilinsky. It just seems to make things more 'real' if you will. I've said it quite often, but I find I get more immersed in a book by listening and having a cast really adds to that. With four voices it was easy to know who was talking. Each narrator brought something to their character(s) with their voice - fear, anger, disdain, uncertainty and so many more emotions to their role. I thought each reader interpreted Kubica's work really well. Each spoke clearly, was easy to understand and the speaking pace was just right. The action was transmitted well also. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of Local Woman Missing.

Unsinkable - James Sullivan

Perseverance, endurance, bravery, tenacity. All of these describe those who fought in WWII. James Sullivan's latest book is Unsinkable: Five Men and the Indomitable Run of the USS Plunkett.

What first drew me to Unsinkable? The personal stories - the best tales in life are the true ones. And Sullivan has done a fantastic job bringing these five men's stories to life. Their families, homes, hopes, desires, fears, strengths and more are detailed. Sullivan has drawn from many sources such as diaries, reports, interviews and a family member. Rather than just an annotation in a dry history book, Sullivan's writing made them 'real' for me as he takes us from enlistment to war to final days.

While I am familiar with the battles of WWII, I learned so much from Unsinkable. Sullivan's descriptions of the Plunkett's role is comprehensive and again, well detailed. Unsinkable takes the listener inside the battles and puts us on the destroyer.

An excellent book, honoring those who fought for our freedom and the ship that carried them. The title is perfect, referring to both ship and men. 

I chose to listen to Unsinkable. I find listening to a book immerses me in the story. Even more so for this book. The reader was a favorite of mine - Jacques Roy. His voice is clear, easy to understand, well enunciated and pleasant to listen to with a gravelly undertone. Its calm and suits the subject matter. But, his voice does rise and fall with the emotions and actions. The speed of reading is just right, allowing the listener to take it all in. Listen for yourself - here's an audio excerpt of Unsinkable.

Looker - Laura Sims

Looker is Laura Sims' debut novel.

I found the cover interesting - a woman's image defaced by what seems to be various shades of lipstick. And the title as well. A looker can be used to describe an attractive woman or someone who simply watches. I was curious to see what I would find inside.

The narrator of Looker is unnamed throughout the book. She's a woman working a job she doesn't enjoy, living in a run down three floor walkup and her husband has left her. But the Actress lives at the end of her street. A woman who has everything the Narrator wants - a beautiful home, a family, a loving husband, fame and fortune. And the Narrator can't help herself - she watches, she imagines and she wants that life. When she actually has a small interaction with the Actress at the neighbourhood block party, the Narrator spirals even more out of control.

I chose to listen to Looker. Katherine Fenton was the reader and she did an absolutely fantastic job of capturing this mercurial, unpredictable and downright frightening character. The madness that is the Narrator's thoughts was really well conveyed through tone, inflection and intonation. Her reading absolutely matched the character. Five stars for her performance. Listen to an excerpt of Looker.

Sims' concept was a good one. I did find I had been expecting a different sort of book based on some of the publicity. This is not really a crime read. Instead, I found it to be a character study of a truly unhinged and mentally ill woman. We only hear from the Narrator - no one else. I was initially drawn into her narrative, but found myself drifting a bit as the book progressed. She goes over the same territory multiple times. But what is truth and what is her imaginings? I was waiting for 'something' to happen. It does, near the end, and it was good, but I found it somewhat anti-climatic after such a prolonged build up. I do want to say that Sims did a really good job of putting to paper the obsessive thinking processes of the Narrator. A decidedly different listen for me.

Emergency Contact - Mary H. K. Choi

Summer seems to be the time that I enjoy YA fiction the most. I'm not sure why - lighter reading or maybe I'm just trying to relive those younger years!

Whatever the reason, Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi was great summer listening.

Penny has finished high school (a relief) and is headed to university (lots of worry, but also a relief to escape her mother and start the next chapter) Sam works at a local cafe, sleeps upstairs on the floor and is stuck in his own pit of angst and despair. He wants more, but is having trouble climbing out and getting started again.

Now, you can see it coming, can't you? Yes, the two meet and.....well it's inevitable right? But of course there's a rocky road to the final pages. Lots of yes, no, maybe so. Along the way, Choi's story explores race, relationships (friends and parental), love and self awareness and exploration. Stepping outside your comfort zone and taking a chance.

Choi does 'amplify' her situations and her characters. They're a bit over the top, but I just went with it as I was looking for entertainment, not necessarily to the letter reality.

Emergency Contact was read by two narrators -  Joy Osmanski and Jacques Roy - both favourites of mine. Osmanski's voice fit the mental image I had created for Penny. It's smart and sassy, but still conveys her worry. Roy's voice for Sam is low, quiet and dare I say it - sexy. Both are easy to listen to, clear and well enunciated. Listen to an excerpt of Emergency Contact.

Emergency Contact was fun, fresh and yes, entertaining for this listener. Listen to an excerpt of Emergency Contact.

Sleeping Beauties - Stephen King and Owen King

I'm a long time Stephen King fan, having read everything he's ever written. His sons, Owen King and Joe Hill are also talented writers. Sleeping Beauties is a joint effort between father and son Owen.

Sleeping Beauties is set in a small Appalachian town where the biggest employer is the women's prison. I love the weirdness that creeps into King's small towns. This one is no exception. As the women of the town start falling asleep, they become covered by white, gauzy tendrils. And once they're asleep and covered, well, they don't wake up. If the covering is torn away - let's just say it's not good for the men. There's one woman who has no trouble waking and sleeping with no ill effects. Who is the mysterious Evie? As more and more women fall asleep, the men begin to panic....are they ready for a world with no women?

On the one hand, Sleeping Beauties is a classic King horror tale. Taking something as innocuous as falling asleep and running with it. I love King's sideways view of the world and the pockets of unreality he imagines. But you could also look at the book with a different eye as well - in a social commentary sense if you will. Women's rights, the abuse of those rights, sexism, violence and more. There's also a snake in a tree and a woman called Evie.......'nuff said. There's a choice to be made by the women in the book. (Yep, including the sleepers)

I chose to listen to Sleeping Beauties. I've often said that listening to a book immerses me more fully in the story than reading. This was definitely the case for Sleeping Beauties. The performer (because she did more than narrate!) was Marin Ireland - and she was fantastic! She has a bold voice, easy to listen to and so very, very expressive. There are many characters in this novel and she created numerous voices, accents, tones and cadences to illustrate them. Her interpretation of the book was spot on.

How much of the book is Steven and how much is Owen? You know, it's not something I ever tried to discern. Instead, I happily popped in my earbuds for twenty five hours of what if...... and enjoyed every moment of it. Listen to an excerpt of Sleeping Beauties.