Almost wordless: I’ve had enough of the colorless world of winter. No snowy pictures this week, I need green. This photo was taken last year at Cantigny Park in early May.
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A Few February Rapid Reviews
In keeping with my goal for 2014, I am writing more short, concise, timely reviews with a quick overview and what I enjoyed or didn’t enjoy about the book.
Using a Rapid Review format I plan to stay caught-up. For audiobooks I’ll continue to mention my thoughts on the audio production.
Perfect by Rachel Joyce
Publisher: Random House Audio | January 2014
Format: Audio Download | 11½ hours | Rating: 4½ stars
Audio Listening Level: Intermediate
In 1972, two seconds were added to time. It was in order to balance clock time with the movement of the earth. Byron Hemming knew this because James Lowe had told him and James was the cleverest boy at school. But how could time change? The steady movement of hands around a clock was as certain as their golden futures.
Then Byron’s mother, late for the school run, makes a devastating mistake. Byron’s perfect world is shattered. Were those two extra seconds to blame? Can what follows ever be set right?
The story alternates between two individuals, each narrated in the first person: Byron in 1972 and Jim in the present day. At first they seem completely unrelated and not going anywhere, but I urge you to give this book a chance. About a quarter of the way in the reader begins to think they understand the connection and the story starts to flow. I thought I had everything all figured out, but several twists in the story made for engaging reading and an emotional ending. I never lost my connection with these two wonderfully developed, many layered characters.
After having thoroughly enjoyed Rachel Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, I was worried this would not live up to my expection. In the end, it exceeded them.
Audio production: The audio was capably narrated by Paul Rhys who’s British accent lent an air of authenticity to the novel’s setting on an English moor.
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Second Son by Lee Child
Publisher: Random House Audio | Dec 2013 (Orig pub 2011)
Format: Audio Download | 1½ hours | Rating: 4 stars
Audio Listening Level: Easy
Okinawa, 1974. Even at thirteen, Jack Reacher knows how to outwit and overpower anyone who stands in his way. And as the new kid in town, that’s pretty much everyone. His family has come to the Pacific with his father, who’s preparing for a top-secret Marine Corps operation. After receiving a rude welcome from the local military brats, Reacher and his older brother, Joe, intend to teach them a lesson they won’t forget. But it’s soon clear that there’s more at stake than pride. When his family’s future appears to come crumbling down, it’s the youngest Reacher who rises to the occasion with all the decisive cunning and bravura that will one day be his deadly trademark.
This very short story gives the reader a glimpse of Reacher as a teenager. While we learn a little about his background, his parents and his brother, we also find that Reacher is already a clever guy able to outwit anyone who tries to harm him or his family. It was an entertaining look at young Reacher and one that fans of the series will enjoy. I wish it were a little bit longer!
Audio production: Narrated by Dick Hill. The audio production was fine and the story easy to follow. This would be a great choice for those not yet comfortable with the audio format but wanting to give it a try.
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Source: Review copies provided by Random House Audio.
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Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
With all the snow we’ve had this season I’m amazed that the mail service and UPS can keep deliveries on schedule, but they do. I received three print books and one audiobook last week. I try to keep the snow cleared from my walkways but I’m running out of places to put it.
A bright spot in this dreary winter has a been a family of cardinals that have taken a liking to my backyard, although I’m sure the safflower seed and heated water keep them happy.
New Arivals
The Remedy by Thomas Goetz from Gotham Books.
The riveting history of tuberculosis, the world’s most lethal disease, the two men whose lives it tragically intertwined, and the birth of medical science.
Notorious by Allison Brennan from Minotaur Books.
A nationally renowned investigative reporter with her own TV show and a tough-as-nails reputation, Maxine Revere tackles cold cases from across the country and every walk of life. But the one unsolved murder that still haunts her is a case from her own past.
The Book of You by Claire Kendal from Harper.
A mesmerizing tale of psychological suspense about a woman who must fight to escape an expert manipulator determined to possess her, Claire Kendal’s debut novel is a sophisticated and disturbing portrait of compulsion, control, and terror.
The Future of the Mind by Michio Kaku from Random House Audio.
The Future of the Mind gives us an authoritative and compelling look at the astonishing research being done in top laboratories around the world—all based on the latest advancements in neuroscience and physics.
What are you reading?
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The American Black Duck is found in the eastern portion of North America and often flocks with the more common Mallard Duck. They are similar in size and shape to the Mallard but are shy ducks and usually stay away from people. While they are not endangered, their numbers have been declining. Habitat loss, over-hunting and possibly hybridization have contributed to the decline, and a hybrid duck’s offspring are often unable to reproduce.
American Black Duck on the DuPage River
From a distance this looked like just another American Black Duck swimming along the river, but with a closer look through the binoculars, I could see it had a bright green patch on the head. It was a Mallard-Black Duck hybrid.
The silhouettes of the two ducks species are the similar, but up close there is a noticeable difference in their coloration.
A pure-bred Black Duck will be mostly dark brown and black overall with paler tan face and a yellow bill. Male and female Black Ducks look similar. Mallard males and females look different. The males have a bright green head and yellow bill, and females are a lighter brown overall with an orange bill.
Male and Female Mallard Duck
The Mallard is extremely adaptable and tends to hybridize more than any other duck. At one time it was believed that hybridization was voluntary among the flocks but recent research suggests that Black Duck females do not pair up with Mallard males and that the hens are not willing mates.
Saturday Snapshot was originated by Alyce at At Home With Books. It is now hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
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Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
by Brené Brown
Narrated by Karen White
Genre: Non-Fiction / Psychology
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Publish Date: September 11, 2012
Format: Audio, 8 hours | 36 minutes
Audio Listening Level: Easy
Rating: 3 of 5
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a powerful new vision that encourages us to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives.
Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly. Whether the arena is a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation, we must find the courage to walk into vulnerability and engage with our whole hearts.
My Thoughts:
This was my book club’s February pick and not a title I would have chosen on my own. The author is a shame and vulnerability researcher who is, apparently, well-known in the field. This was my first exposure to her work.
I thought this was going to be a how-to or self-help psychology book and I am not very fond of those. Instead the book is written in a free-form style, almost rambling at times, and filled with stories and examples. Some sections were very relatable for me, such as workplace situations, and others, such as parenting dilemmas, not so much.
What did I learn? Perfectionism is a barrier to getting things done. I never thought of myself as a perfectionist, I thought I was just slow to finish things, but after reading this book I realize I’m slow because I go over every detail and want to be certain everything is done right. This explains why it takes me so long to finish writing a review.
The book did provide some stimulating conversation among group members with each of us finding a different lesson to learn or discovery to make about ourselves. We agreed that if you don’t try something you’ll never know if you can do it, and it is ok to feel vulnerable. Putting that into practice is a little more difficult.
Audio Production:
Unfortunately I didn’t care for the audio production. If I had more time before my book club meeting I would have switched to print, but I didn’t so I stuck with it.
The book was read by Karen White, a narrator I enjoy. I have always been pleased with her voice and narration, but this book was not a good fit for her style. For example, the author tells us her favorite bands were Whitesnake and Rush, and that when younger she had her own ‘wilder days’ that she wouldn’t want to tell her children about. Her classic voice didn’t suit the freewheeling image of the author that I had in my mind. It just felt wrong.
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Source: Borrowed copy.
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The Coopers Hawk has been a frequent visitor to my yard this winter. They will often hunt for food by watching the feeders for smaller birds. I took this through the glass door during Saturday’s snow storm. No birds were eaten.
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Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
I didn’t get a lot of reading done last week but there were a few new additions to the audio and print to-be-read piles.
I spent a lot of my time fighting with the computers in my house. I’m setting up a new system for my husband and it’s refusing to talk to either of the printers on the network and mine got hit with a persistent piece of adware that is defying all attempts at removal. It’s very frustrating and time consuming but better that this happens in the winter when I have extra time since it’s been too cold to even think about doing much outdoors.
Print Books
The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith from TLC Tours
Based on traditional Vietnamese ghost stories told to the author by her Vietnamese grandmother but updated to reflect the contemporary ghost of the Vietnam War, here is a mesmerizing collection of thematically linked stories, united by the first and last story of the collection.
Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh from Vine
Futuristic hardboiled noir. An addictive genre-blend of a thriller: the immersive sci-fi of Ernest Cline; the hard-boiled rhythms of Don Winslow; the fearless bravado of Chuck Palahniuk; and the classic noir of James M. Cain.
Panic by Lauren Oliver from Harper
In this gritty, spellbinding novel, bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping narrative of friendship, courage, survival, and hope.
Audiobooks
Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War by Robert M. Gates from Random House Audio
From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vivid account of serving Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon from Random House Audio
West Hall has always been a town of strange disappearances and legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who was found murdered in the field behind her house in 1908, a few short months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie, drove her mad.
What are you reading?
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