An Audiobook Adventure

October was over halfway through and the chosen book for book club still hadn't arrived at the library.  Ugh!  I didn't really want to buy it.  Especially not knowing how or if I'd like it.  And at this point, even if it arrived soon, I'd never be able to flip through all 500+ pages in time!  Between traveling one weekend and running a marathon the next, I was so close to just throwing in the towel on this one.  And then I remembered all those Audible Free Trial emails I kept starring for future reference. Problem Solved!  I downloaded All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr on October 21 finishing it with a few days to spare for our book club meet up last week!

To be honest, I wasn't sure listening to a book (especially a 16 hour one!) was going to be for me.  I decided to give it a shot on a short taper run as I finished up my marathon training.  It wasn't too bad.  I did run slower than usual at first, but once I got the hang of the app and figured out how it all worked I was able to pick up the pace.

Listening was perfect on the plane and train when I traveled over the course of those two weeks.  I really loved sneaking in a few chapters on my commute each morning.  And usually couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next as I left my desk for the day.  The audiobook also managed to get me through a few rough patches during the actual marathon!  In those tough quiet stretches you better believe I found myself absorbed in world of Werner and Marie-Laure.  By the end of the book, I was hooked.  Not only on the story, but also on the means!

Don't get me wrong though, when the library book finally did arrive - a mere week before our meet-up - I definitely flipped through it and read much of the second half as if I'd never heard the story originally.  I definitely don't prefer audiobooks over the real thing, but I'll certainly give it a shot again in a pinch.

Now, for my thoughts on the book itself.  Phenomenal!  I really loved the story.  I enjoyed learning about the characters and feeling as though I was right there with them.  So many fabulous details painted the pictures in my head.  And I am ALWAYS a fan of short chapters.  They advance the story, but leave you wanting more.  I love that!  And alternating between the present time (in the story) and the past (to show how they got to that present point in time) was also interesting.  Although, that feature was somewhat difficult to keep track of with the audiobook.  I often found myself going back and confirming which time period when I became a bit confused.  In the actual book, it was much easier to track.  I understood why the ending occurred as it did, but I wasn't 100% sure if I loved it.  I wanted a few more solid answers.  Especially after investing so much time and effort to get to that point.  Overall though, it was a simply beautiful story about a very wretched time in world history.  I found myself thinking about Werner and Marie-Laure so often.  About what it would have been like to be a child during those times - particularly a blind or orphaned one.  If you haven't managed to get your hands on this book yet, I highly recommend giving it a read...or listen.  I enjoyed every moment of both! 

Andrea :)

#collaboreads: Pre-2010 Horror

Fortunately, my Fab Four book club selected Misery by Stephen King for October.  It certainly fills the pre-2010 horror category and was the perfect book to set the mood for fall and all things Halloween!  This book was creepy and scary and horrifying, but SO good!

RIVETING.

What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?

I could not get enough of every part of this book.  Years ago, I watched the movie so I had an idea of how things would go, but I couldn't remember exact details.  This left me wanting more each time I put the book down.  And I put it down often because it just got too creepy for me after awhile.  I had to read in spurts to keep myself from having nightmares!  What a wild and crazy story!!  And I'm thrilled that Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf are slated to give it a limited engagement run on Broadway this winter.  Can't wait to see how everything is depicted on stage!

ELEMENTS.

How did you relate to/care for the characters?
What's your thought on the plot line and twists and turns?

There were really only two characters - Paul and insane Annie!  Both were fascinating.  I can't say I really liked either of them much.  Regardless, both managed to draw me deeper and deeper into the story.  When Paul became semi-mobile, the story really takes a turn and started to enter a point where I just had to know what happens next.  Many times I found myself thinking...just one more chapter!  The other part of this book that was incredibly interesting to me (and really revealed the most about Annie) was when Paul looked through her "scrapbook" page by page.  It was amazing how much detail and thought was put into this brief, but quite significant portion of the book.

ASSOCIATE.
What other books are like this one? If none, did it remind you of a particular TV or movie with it's themes and characters? Does it serendipitous-ly line-up with things going on in your life or the news right now? 

I am not a horror fan.  At all.  I don't read many books that give me the creeps for obvious reasons, but Misery did remind me a bit of some of the old James Patterson books I read WAY back in the day.  I'm talking about Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls.  Yeah...back in those days!

DESIGN.
You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? 
How did it relate to the contents of the novel? And the font and layout of the pages? 

The cover was ok.  A dark shot of a typewriter.  It certainly fit the story, but it doesn't necessarily draw me in.  The text of the book proved inviting though.  There were sections that appear to be typed on a typewriter.  Not just any typewriter, but the exact one that Paul is using.  The one missing an "n"...and eventually a few other popular letters.  I love how those sections of the book even included hand-filled n's.  So clever!  And I really loved the full handwritten portion of Paul's novel toward the conclusion of the book.  Unique way to connect readers with the character!

STARS.  
How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend? 

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.  The last .5 was withheld due to various parts that made me really squeamish.  Too much detail on some of the gore for this lady! :)    

Andrea :)

Book Club: Calling Me Home

Our rooftop desk served as the meeting spot for my NYC book club at the end of September. I pieced together some honey teriyaki glazed chicken kabobs with a side of quinoa for dinner as I played hostess. I wanted to make sure this lovely group was able to experience a gorgeous sunset and some time outside before it got too chilly for us to enjoy it! We always have a great time catching up...and eventually delving into a discussion on our most recent book.

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler is nothing short of phenomenal.  I read it in three days because I simply could NOT put it down.  And after I finished reading, I proceeded to regurgitate the whole story to Chris because I wanted to keep thinking and talking about it.  The main story in the novel unfolds as Miss Isabelle and her beloved hairdresser, Dorrie, begin a road trip from Texas to Isabelle's former stomping grounds in northern Kentucky.  They are headed to a funeral, but it remains a mystery as to who is being laid to rest.  In her present-day nineties, Isabelle divulges her young adult romance with Robert, a black man.  He assisted her father with odd tasks around the house while his mother and sister worked in the kitchen and did the cleaning for the McAllister family in this 1940's segregated way of life.  Obviously, the relationship was forbidden, but that didn't hinder Isabelle and Robert too much.  I'll stop there, but believe me when I say you will be hooked from the start with this book.

I selected this one for two reasons - the main story takes place in and around my native Kentucky AND interracial love is my reality today.  It was quite shocking to notice that while things have certainly changed, there is still much progress to be made in the way of racial equality. Chris and I have an official marriage license from the state of Kentucky, but many before us didn't have that luxury.  Times are changing, but not nearly fast enough.  I identified closely with Calling Me Home, but I believe this book has the power to resonate with all people.  I highly suggest this one! 

Andrea :)