Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac
This is the first audiobook I listened to for the Audiobook Tour of US History project and I highly recommend it! I learned a lot and Joseph Bruchac did an excellent job of narrating his book. I’m definitely interested in reading more by this prolific author. Talking Leaves is the fictionalized story of Uwohali and
Cold Fear by Rick Mofina
I listened to the audio version of Cold Fear by Rick Mofina. It was narrated by Christian Rummel, who did a great job. Emily Baker takes her 10-year-old daughter Paige, Paige’s dog, and her husband Doug to a remote part of the Rockies. She has been in therapy and has been unable to tell her
The Queen’s Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler
I listened to the audiobook version of The Queen’s Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler, read by Kate Rudd. The story opens with the Duke of Kiskaddon returning home from battle. His side was victorious, but there was a small problem, or rather a major problem. At a crucial point in the battle, when it looked like they
The Line by Bob Mayer
The Line by Bob Mayer was a fun read, or rather I should say listen. I listened to the audio version of the book on my phone. From the beginning, I was hooked. It is a military thriller and the writing and use of military jargon made it seem authentic. The story is about two
Camino Island by John Grisham
Camino Island by John Grisham is an easy to read book. The characters are interesting and the story has a lot of promise. After the rather long beginning, the story draws the reader in and it is a light, fun read. That earns the story 3 stars, but I expect more from Grisham. Spoiler alert.
The Gifting by K.E. Ganshert
“According to science, humans have no souls. There is no afterlife or guardian angels or ghosts or spirits or anything at all supernatural. Our world is purely physical. The government has systematically removed God from society.” So begins The Gifting by K.E. Ganshert, a dystopian science fiction story where “science won.” The protagonist of the story,
The Enhanced by T.C. Edge
I enjoyed reading The Enhanced by T.C. Edge. It is the first book of a series. The story takes place in the city of Haven which is a relatively safe place in a world that has been decimated by nuclear war. It is a class-based society. At the top are the Enhanced, people who have
Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti
I’m a big Scott Westerfeld fan and was pretty psyched to start reading Zeroes. It is the story about 6 teenagers who each have a unique, special power. I wouldn’t call them “super powers,” though they were pretty cool: Flicker is blind but can see through other people’s eyes. Crash is able to “feel” electric
The Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz by Michael Bornstein
Michael Bornstein was 4 years old when he was rescued from Auschwitz by Russian soldiers on January 27, 1945, which made him one of the youngest Auschwitz survivors. A few days later the Russians photographed the children that had been rescued to document the event. Michael Bornstein didn’t see the picture until he stumbled across
The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry
I thoroughly enjoyed this journey to 13th century France and I’m glad to have experienced it through a book and not in person! And for those who are “listeners,” the readers on the audiobook, Jayne Entwistle, Allan Corduner and Fiona Hardingham were absolutely amazing. The tale is told by three narrators: Botille, one of three
The Good Braider by Terry Farish
The Good Braider by Terry Farish chronicles the experiences of a South Sudanese girl and her family fleeing their war-ravaged country and making their way to the U.S. to start a new life. Although this is a fictional story, the author, Terry Farish, did a lot of research so that the experiences of her characters
Balcony on the Moon: Coming of Age in Palestine by Ibtisam Barakat
Balcony on the Moon: Coming of Age in Palestine by Ibtisam Barakat is a memoir about Barakat’s struggle to finish school and become a writer while growing up in the West Bank. It is about her search for an identity as a Palestinian, a people without a country, and her determination to be valued and