Review: Strangers on a Train

Strangers on a Train follows the adventures of Nancy Drew and her friends George and Bess as they continue their journey on the Arctic Star. The Alaskan cruise is nearly to the end of its route and the girls find themselves going in land to Denali National Park home of Mount McKinley. Nancy is still on the lookout for the individual who wants to hurt her. Other instances happen on the boat, the train, and at the park that made her ponder who on earth could wish her harm?

The story picks up right after book one Curse of the Arctic Star. I could not wait to listen to Stranger on a Train. Keene created great cliffhangers for this new series. Putting the two books together, it felt like watch television episodes or a movie split into two parts. The characters were familiar, but the setting different. New incidents, facts, and finds were introduced to keep the story going at a good pace. The danger to Nancy Drew is wrapped up with a great rescue. Nancy (as well as the reader) will be glad to go home to River Heights where danger will be far away. ... Or will it? I don't know. I'll have to find book three and discover what happens when Nancy returns home with George and Bess.

Jorjeana Marie returns to read Strangers on a Train. Again, her voice fit very well with Nancy Drew and the other characters. She is very believable as a teen/young adult and her voice is enjoyable. Her character voices are maintained well from book one to book two. I would listen to her again. You can listen to an audiobook sample on Oasis Audio's website.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Oasis Audio!

Audio Book Details...
Strangers on a Train by Carolyn Keene
Series: Book 2, Nancy Drew Diaries
Read by Jorjeana Marie
Produced by Oasis Audio
Number of Discs: MP3 download (12 parts)
Total Time: 3 hours 19 minutes
Release Date: May 2015
ISBN: 9781613757239

Review: PHC 40th Anniversary Collection

Have you heard A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor?  He's known all over the world, especially in the Midwest of America. I've known of Mr. Garrison Keillor and his numerous radio, comedy, and video appearances, but I've never tuned into A Prairie Home Companion. I figured it was about time with their celebration of 40 years and their 40th Anniversary Collection.

The 40th Anniversary Collection is from HighBridge Audio and I need to share that I am very impressed with their packaging. There was a paper sleeve over a hard plastic case. Besides the 4 discs, a booklet is included with an essay from Keillor, photographs and brief introductions about some of the people from the show, a disc index, and credits.

The four discs gives the listener a small, small glimpse of the 40 years of PHC. The collection shares "85 standout performances from four decades of music, stories, and laughter." It's a great mix of musical numbers both vocal and instrumental, skits and sketches, as well as so much humor. They lived up to their description!  Any of the discs are great to pop into a player and enjoy. I listened in the car as well as around the house.

I love a great radio show or a variety show and A Praire Home Companion is both. It's a classic type of entertainment that will tickle the ribs of everyone. There is something for everyone in the family
- parents, children, grandparents, ladies, and gents. 

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, HighBridge Audio!!

Audio Book Details...
A Prairie Home Companion: 40th Anniversary Collection with Garrison Keillor
Read by various
Produced by HighBridge Audio
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 4 hours
Release Date: April 2015
ISBN: 9781622315574

Review: The Zoo at the Edge of the World

Visit the Zoo at the Edge of the World! It is located in the jungles of South America. You will meet Ronan Rackham - conqueror and protector of the amazing wildlife found in the jungle.

Ronan Rackham left England to explore the jungle. He brought nothing with him, but built up a zoo resort empire with his sons Tim and Marlin. Older brother Tim follows in his father's conquering footsteps, but Marlin survives in the shadows of the zoo. His stuttering gives visitors the impression he is slow or mute, but he can talk his heart out to his animal friends at the zoo.

Another ship arrives with a boatload of guests and Tim takes over welcoming everyone. Father, Ronan, has been out hunting the dangerous and elusive jaguar. Ronan returns with the jaguar who brings animal magic to Marlin and the resort.

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The story Eric Kahn Gale created was captivating. (Yes, pun intended.) The main character, Marlin, was very likeable and the listener wanted to see this underdog succeed. I was also very drawn to the unique trait of stuttering that was given to Marlin. I cannot recall very many books that include a character with a stutter. It was very believable. The reader, Julian Elfer, did an excellent job of reading and stuttering through Marlin's words when he attempted to communicate with the humans in this story. His British accent also gave the story wonderful depth. I would listen to Elfer again.

I was surprised by the magic and darkness that was woven into the story. As the book continued, it seemed to get darker and darker as the characters struggled with how to keep the animals safe, the people safe, entertain the guests, and remain an amazing and beautiful resort zoo. It's a mix of fantasy, historical fiction, adventure, and conservation. I think the book was very well done, but it wasn't my favorite. I invite you to give it a listen (or read) and see how you enjoy the story. Everyone's experience is different!

I was greatly amused by the recommendation from Recorded Books at the end of this audiobook. They recommended Splendors and Gloom is you enjoyed The Zoo at the Edge of the World. I would completely agree with them! I think both titles were interesting, unique, historical, and a bit unsettling. I would recommend both titles to older listeners - middle school or late elementary.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Recorded Books!

Audio Book Details...
The Zoo at the Edge of the World by Eric Kahn Gale
Read by Julian Elfer
Produced by Recorded Books
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 4 hours, 45 minutes
Release Date: February 2015
ISBN: 9781490658766

Review: Curse of the Arctic Star

Are you familiar with Nancy Drew and her friends Bess and George? Carolyn Keene is the 'author' of the very popular mystery series for grade schoolers, middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults! Did you start with the original series first published 85 years ago or did you jump in and start reading the notebooks, graphic novels, or diaries published more recently?

I'll be honest and confess I have yet to read the original books. I started with the graphic novels several years and enjoyed them. I would recommend them to high schoolers who enjoyed Nancy Drew mysteries or graphic novel enthusiasts. When I read about Curse of the Arctic Star, I was curious. I have a dream of going on an Alaskan cruise and Nancy gets to go with her friends and solve a mystery while on board. Sounds like a winning story to me!

Oasis Audio produced Curse of the Arctic Star (as well as seven other titles in the Nancy Drew Diaries series). Jorjeana Marie narrated this audiobook version of book one. I really enjoyed Jorjeana Marie's voice. Her voice fit very well with Nancy Drew's age. Jorjeana Marie was a fair hand at juvenile and male voices. The various girl characters in the book were also distinctly different from one another. I would listen to Jorjeana Marie again and I was happy to see that she narrated the rest of Nancy Crew Diaries that Oasis Audio produced!

The mystery in Curse of the Arctic Star was very appropriate for young mystery readers. It's set at a good pace with lots of suspects to ponder along with Nancy. It's a story of thoughts and clue rather than using various detective gizmos. The cruise mystery wrapped up, but there is another small mystery cliffhanger that leads readers to book two, Strangers on a Train. The diary part of this Nancy Drew Diaires book is the opening and closing of the whole story. The main text of the story is the usual live action setting with dialog between characters and people going about their lives. I was wondering how Carolyn Keene would draw readers into the series and I will admit I want to hear book two. Well crafted story with a solid audiobook production. Very enjoyable listen that I would recommend to mystery readers or families going on a roadtrip together.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Oasis Audio!

Audio Book Details...
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
Series: Book 1, Nancy Drew Diaries
Read by Jorjeana Marie
Produced by Oasis Audio
Number of Discs: MP3 download (12 parts)
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Release Date: May 2015
ISBN: 9781621884972

Audiobook SYNC 2015 Wrap-Up

What a fantastic audiobook summer! If you were able to stop by Audiobook SYNC over the summer, you could download a wide assortment of free classic and YA books. It was fourteen weeks of sensational listening. (Week 14 goes until August 13, 2015 if you'd like to download the final two titles: Under a War-Torn Sky by L.M. Elliott, Read by Elizabeth Wiley and The Old Brown Suitcase by Lillian Boraks-Nemetz, Read by Sofia Bunting Newman.)

I want to share a huge THANK YOU to the audiobook companies that worked together to offer free audiobooks over the summer:

Bolinda Audio and Brilliance Audio
christianaudio
Full Cast Audio
Hachette Audio
HarperAudio
L.A. Theatre Works
Listening Library
Live Oak Media
NAXOS Audiobooks
Oasis Audio
Penguin Audio
Post Hypnotic Press
Recorded Books
Scholastic Audiobooks
Tantor Media
and
OverDrive

THANK YOU Audiobook SYNC for having another summer of fun. You will be missed #SYNC15.

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What did you think of #Sync15? If you have a moment, AudiobookSYNC would love to hear from you! Their survey is available until the end of August.

Review: Galgorithm

Meet high school senior Shane Chambliss. He is the "Hitch" or dating guru of Kingsview High School. He created the "galgorithm" or at least he said he did. Is it real? Does it work? Can a guy get a gal with an algorithm? It's not math, people. It's about building confidence of who you are and reaching for what you want.

The title Galgorithm was very clever. The plot I read reminded me a lot of the movie Hitch. I was very curious to see how and if they could be compared. (I have enjoyed watching Hitch on various occasions.) Yes, they share similar ideas, but they are independent of each other. The basic similarities are that there is a dude - Hitch and Shane - who want to help other people with their dating lives. Both end of up in very different situations, but both of their "businesses" are uncovered and ciaos ensues. It boils down to - did they do the right thing? Were they helpful? Did they create more hurt then love? Are they able to find a love interest of their own. As Shane's dad said to his son, "True love takes time." Overall their tips, "tricks," and advice were meant to help build a relationship and not tear it down. I enjoyed this YA read. It was good to hear a story from a guys point of view.

One off-balance storyline was the relationship with Shane and his math teacher, Bob Kimbrough. Mr. K comes to Shane for dating advise. Shane is uneasy at first but helps him out. I just can't picture a teacher asking dating advice from a student and then sharing the results of the advise. Yes, it is slightly amusing and necessary for the story, but it's just weird.

Jacques Roy read Galgorithm. I really enjoyed his voice and he was very believable as Shane. He also gave the other characters different voices by his inflection and tone of voice. I could hear the different personalities in each person. Timing of the text was also spot on. I would listen to Roy again.

Music was at the beginning and end of the audiobook. It was jazzy and smooth and I felt that it fit with the book.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Simon & Schuster Audio!

Audio Book Details...
Galgorithm by Aaron Karo
Read by Jacques Roy
Produced by Simon & Schuster
Number of Discs: MP3 download
Total Time: 6 hours, 26 minutes
Release Date: May 2015
ISBN: 9781442387829

Review: Island of Shipwrecks

Haunting and beautiful music begins the audiobook. Artimé and Quill are still at odds with one another. Island of Shipwrecks continues the story from Island of Legends (book number four). I would highly, highly recommend reading the Unwanteds series in order. Each book packs so much activity, emotion, and adventure in each book. When one book ends, I'm at the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment. (Island of Graves is next and it is coming out in September 2015!)

The Island of Shipwrecks is a new island that Alex and his crew discover. They sail toward it, only to find they are trapped in it's pull toward terrible rocks. They survive and meet the people who survive on the barren island. Meanwhile, back in Quill, Aaron is looking for away to still remain ruler of all. He goes to the Quillitry to seek assistance and is surprised by the presence of a leader who survived the first battle. Those are just a few opening details I think are all right to share without giving away too much. The Unwanteds is a series that I want to share all the information, yet none at all because they are so good. Oh my heart! I cannot wait for Island of Graves!

Steve West returns to read Island of Shipwrecks! Huzzah! I thought the voices were consistent with the previous titles he has read in the series. A couple a words in the text sound a little different because he's not originally from the US, but it never takes away from the story. I just want to repeat how he says it, then follow up with how I pronounce it. Quite amusing. (And I'm glad I ride only by myself as I talk back to the audiobook.) I am excited to share that Steve West finished recording Island of Graves, so the next book should sound wonderfully consistent. Again, huzzah!

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
Island of Shipwrecks by Lisa McMann
Series: Book 5, The Unwanteds
Read by Steve West
Produced by Simon & Schuster
Number of Discs: 8
Total Time: 10 hours
Release Date: February 2, 2015
ISBN: 9781442377523

Review: What I Learned From a Penguin

Fat Freddy, the penguin, made a life changing impact on Daniel Amen. Amen shares his story about this realization in a lyrical story. It's a children's book, but the message is truly for readers of any age. It's about looking for the good and building on the positive over the negative. Amen and Payne shared a fun story with a serious message. If you want to help people, you need to be positive and emphasize the good behavior over the bad behavior.

An annonymous female narrator shares the introduction, then Daniel G. Amen picks up the dedication and the rest of the book. The women returns at the end of the audiobook to share additional information of the book and the publisher. There is a muscial bed beneath most of the story. The music changes to fit the story (about six different times). It's cheery and upbeat. I don't think it distracted from the story. It give this lyrical non-fiction book a little boost. Amen did well reading his rhyming lines. Sometimes rhymes can follow a very definite (and annoying) pattern when read aloud, but he emphasized it just right. I would be interested to hear him again.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Blackstone Audio!

Audio Book Details...
What I Learned from a Penguin: a Story on How to Help People Change by Daniel G. Amen & Jesse J. Payne
Read by Daniel G. Amen
Produced by Skyboat Media and Blackstone Audio
Number of Discs: MP3 download (1 part)
Total Time: 9 minutes
Release Date: February 17, 2015
ISBN: 9781481529556

Review: Ms. Rapscott's Girls

A Mary Poppins type teacher who lives in a lighthouse? Read by Katherine Kellgren? Yes and yes!

Ms. Rapscott is the headmistress of Great Rapscott School for Girls of Busy Parents. She offers room and board to five students who arrive in (amazing) flying boxes. Along the way to school, one of the students goes missing and the other students must go out and find her...by not finding her. It's a fun, mysterious, and quirky little story that listeners of all ages will enjoy.

I truly appreciated Ms. Rapscott's quiet dogs, Lewis and Clark. They were always present in the book, but they never took on the speaking roles. They were surprisingly believable as they assisted in the classroom, on the road, and in the lighthouse.

The story wraps up well with fun twists and turns that are similar yet very different from the magic of Disney's Mary Poppins. I would be satisfied with just this one book, but if there are more in the works I would be delighted to hear what's coming next! The girls were only at school for a short (but dramatic) time before they went on a school break. I hope everyone returns after break!

Katherine Kellgren is one of my favorite narrators! Without reading much about the story, I knew I wanted to listen to Ms. Rapscott's Girls. Kellgren did not disappoint. The most surprising moment was when she read in an American accent. I was completely shocked, because up until this book I have only heard her read in her European accents. It was an excellent narration. With six different female characters who shared the spotlight, it must have been difficult to differentiate between each character. Well done, Ms. Kellgren!

Audio Book Details...
Ms. Rapscott's Girls by Elise Primavera
Read by Katherine Kellgren
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 3
Total Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes
Release Date: March 10, 2015
ISBN: 9781101890660

Review: I Will

The cover and the length of the I Will Nine Habits of the Outwardly Focused Christian interested me at first glance. The cover looks determined with capital letters and three bold colors - red, black, and white. The length of the audiobook is 3 hours which can easily be enjoyed during my short commute to work.

I was blown away by this short little book. It was packed full of good information about how to focus on God and others rather than yourself, while growing in faith. I'm never read (or heard) anything by Thom S. Rainer before so I didn't know what to expect from this non-fiction title. I enjoyed it so much! Before I finished listening to I Will, I was telling friends about it. Rainer talks about Christians in the Early Church, meeting together in small groups, praying, volunteering, corporate worship, as well as other topics. Every chapter ends with reflective questions. This would be a good book for a Bible Study or a Book Club. I would like to read I Will after listening to it. I want to underline, highlight, and talk to other people about this book. It brings to mind this Proverb in the Old Testament, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)

George W. Sarris narrates I Will. Again, another first for me! Sarris is a new narrator to my ears and he has a wonderful voice. Sarris reminded a little of Bill Pearce from Nightsounds. It was the cadence of Sarris' voice, the inflections he used rather than pitch of his voice. I would definitely listen to Sarris again!

I received this audiobook for free from christianaudio for this review. 

Audio Book Details...
I Will Nine Habits of the Outwardly Focused Christian by Thom S. Rainer
Read by George W. Sarris
Produced by christianaudio.com
Number of Discs: MP3 download (11 parts)
Total Time: 3 hours
Release Date: July 15, 2015
ISBN: 9781633892439