In The Tall Grass
by Stephen King and Joe Hill
Narrated by Stephen Lang
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publish Date: October 9, 2012
Format: Audio, 1 hours | 46 minutes
Audio Listening Level: Easy – Intermediate
Rating: 4 of 5
While on a car trip a brother and sister, Becky and Cal, hear a small child calling for help. The voice is coming from an area beyond the tall grass along the road. Stopping to help, they begin to walk into the grass but soon lose sight of each other. Now disoriented they become lost with only the chilling, frantic calls of a scared child to guide them. But something else lurks in the grass. Something evil.
This is a classic Stephen King horror story that he co-wrote with his son, Joe Hill. Twisted, creepy and more than a little gross, this is gory horror as only Stephen King can write. I haven’t read any of Joe Hill’s books, but I’ve read a lot of Stephen King and this was reminiscent of his older, darker works, like the short story collection Night Shift. There are more than a few parts of this tale that will make you say, “Eewwwwwwh! Gross!”.
At just under 2 hours listening time, it was sufficient length for me to reach the story’s intended revulsion. It is read with just the right amount of tension and urgency by Stephen Lang. There isn’t a lot of character development; we learn just enough to be uncomfortable and afraid for Becky, who is pregnant, and fears for the safety of her unborn baby.
I don’t know if ‘enjoyed’ is the right word to describe this book but yes, I liked it. I’m an old fan of Stephen King’s horror stories going all the way back to Salem’s Lot, so I wasn’t put off by the gross stuff. I haven’t read any Joe Hill, but I’m pretty sure I can guess the parts that were King’s contribution. This not for the more sensitive reader or easily frightened moms; but for everyone else who likes a good horror tale, go ahead, listen, be afraid!
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Source: Review copy.
© 2012 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
While out on a birdwalk last month we noticed two Eastern Bluebirds fly by and land together in a tree.
When I got closer I noticed they were snuggling together. I have no idea why they would do that, it’s not mating season, but they sat there for about five minutes. It was a windy day and they look a little fluffed up. Maybe they were cold.
Bluebirds are found across most of North America. The birds above are the Eastern Bluebird which is found in the eastern US, Mexico and southeastern Canada. Western Bluebirds are seen in parts of the western US and Mexico and the brilliantly colored Mountain Bluebird can be found in the western US, Canada and Mexico.
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
© 2012 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Welcome!
The Literary Blog Hop is hosted by Judith at Leeswame’s Blog.
The hop will run from October 27th – 31st. Over 50 blogs will be participating and each will be offering a book or bookish items of a literary nature. There is a list of participants below.
New visitors, feel free to take a look around. I’m an eclectic reader who enjoys a wide range of subjects and am especially fond of audiobooks. If you haven’t tried an audiobook, I’m offering an opportunity to win an audio CD.
My Giveaway
An Audio CD of This is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz. For my review and more information about the book, click HERE.
This is How You Lose Her
by Junot Díaz
This is a short story collection read by the author and is a National Book Award Finalist.
It’s an emotional collection of stories told through the eyes of Yunior, a young Dominican who has recently moved to the United States. The stories revolve around the various women in his life: lovers, friends, family.
If you enjoy authenticity, immersion into a gritty subculture and don’t mind a little rough language, I would recommend the experience.
How To Enter
- The giveaway is open internationally to anyone 18 years of age or older with a valid address to which the Post Office will deliver. You do not have to be a follower, although new followers are always appreciated.
- Leave a comment as your entry. Are you an audio fan or new to the experience? I’m curious.
- The deadline for entry is midnight October 31st, Eastern time. I will draw one random winner who will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond with a mailing address.
Contest has ended
[Winner: Rikki of Rikki’s Teleidoscope]
Read more…
And When She Was Good
by Laura Lippman
Narrated by Linda Emond
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publish Date: August 14, 2012
Format: Audio, 9 hours | 47 minutes
Audio Listening Level: Easy
Rating: 4 of 5
Helen Lewis spent her childhood in a dysfunctional home with an abusive father and a fearful mother. Eventually she runs away with her boyfriend only to find life on her own is just as difficult. After leaving her abusive boyfriend, she did what she had to on the streets to survive.
Today Helen, now known as Heloise, is a successful businesswoman living in a nice home in the suburbs with her young son. But Heloise has a dangerous secret. She is not the suburban mom she pretends to be. Her business is a front for a high-priced call girl service. And now things are starting to fall apart. One of her girls is trying to blackmail her. A local woman referred to by the media as “the suburban madam” has been found dead in her car, an apparent suicide. Plus a few other recent events have made Heloise fearful that she will be next. It’s time to get out of the business.
The story is told from Heloise’s point of view alternating between the past, her life as a young girl and how she became involved in prostitution, and the present. The technique worked well contrasting Helen with Heloise.
Helen/Heloise is an interesting, well-developed character. While not always the most likeable person, I often felt sympathy for her situation and understood why she became the person she is today. The reader receives a well-researched look into the world of prostitution and a few arguments on why it should be legalized.
I listened to the audiobook and Linda Emond was a pleasure to listen to. Her pleasant voice and even pacing made this an easy listen. This would be a good choice for new audio listeners. While the story does alternate with the past and present, the time frame is clear and the characters and plot are easy to follow.
Although a little slow in the beginning, the pace picks up as the suspense increased. There were also a few twists in the plot as we try to figure out who wants Heloise dead, and why. This book is a stand alone and is not part of the Tess Monaghan series. For those who have not read any Laura Lippman, this book would be a good choice.
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Source: Review copy.
© 2012 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Almost wordless: I didn’t expect the trees to put on such a nice show after the extremely dry summer, but they did.
Photos taken Saturday at Morton Arboretum.
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More Wordless Wednesday. © 2012 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Welcome to the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.
The hop runs through midnight, Oct 31st.
New visitors, feel free to take a look around. I’m an eclectic reader who enjoys a wide range of subjects and am especially fond of audiobooks.
My Giveaway
I am offering a copy of Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich. Click HERE to read my review.
Sex On The Moon
by Ben Mezrich
The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History
Genre: Narrative Non-Fiction
Format: Softcover Advance Copy | 320 pages
After Thad confides in his girlfriend and another female friend about his scheme to steal the rocks, they agree to help him. What follows reads more like a fictional thriller than a true story.
How to Enter
- Contest is open to those with an address in the US only, age 18 or older.
- To enter, fill out the form below.
- For extra entries: (can do both)
– Be a follower and tell me how you follow.
– Tweet the giveaway and provide the URL to the tweet. - The deadline for entry is midnight October 31st, Eastern time. I will draw one random winner who will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond with a mailing address.
Almost 500 blogs are participating in the Hop. Click HERE for a list.
[Contest now closed]
Winner: Debbie
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© 2012 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
The Dog Stars
by Peter Heller
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction
Publisher: Knopf
Publish Date: August 7, 2012
Format: Hardcover | 336 pages
Rating: 5 of 5
In the near future a virus rapidly sweeps through the human population followed by a horrific blood disease, killing almost everyone. Hig was one of the few survivors. His wife died, his friends died, everyone he knew is gone.
Nine years later Hig lives in a hanger at an abandoned airport with his dog, Jasper. The airport is one of the few places remaining with sustainable power: wind and solar energy and water from a nearby creek. Also, there is plenty of fuel for Hig’s small plane, a 1956 Cessna. Together with his only friend and neighbor, Bangley, a survivalist with an arsenal of weapons, they patrol the perimeter and guard against other survivors who would attack and kill them for their supplies.
One day while Hig is flying his plane he catches a short radio transmission. And then it’s gone. Is someone else out there? Hig wants to find out, but to get closer to where the signal originated Hig must fly beyond the half-way point, the point where he will have enough fuel to return to the hanger. He decides the trip is not feasible. A short time later something happens to change his mind and Hig believes it will be worth it to try.
The story is narrated by Hig. We experience his world as he relates it in the present tense. This is a reality filled with loss and pain and sorrow. He dreams of the past and of his wife. His dog is his best friend and co-pilot. He has a garden that he tends with love and care. The world he lives in is both bleak and at times beautiful, sometimes funny, too often sad. But he still has some glimmer of hope for the future.
The book is written in a very free-form, stream of consciousness style jumping from one thought to another, often leaving sentences incomplete and with little punctuation. I thought this would be disorienting but it wasn’t. It fit the style of the story perfectly and in no time I was right there with Hig, experiencing his world and feeling his loneliness. But for all the sadness and loss, this is not a depressing book. There is also action, adventure, a little romance and possibilities. I would have liked to know a little more about Hig’s world, (I always want more world-building), but we were provided enough detail to make most readers happy.
The story starts a little slow in the beginning, but by the second half I was flying through the pages. I wasn’t ready for this book to end. And while I was satisfied with the ending, I still wanted more. I loved this book and recommend it to everyone, even those who don’t usually read dystopian fiction. It’s not your typical post-apocalyptic story; there are no vampires, robots or zombies. Just a wonderful, heart-warming story about what it’s like to be human in the face of adversity. Definitely one of my top ten for the year.
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Source: Review copy.
© 2012 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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