Audiobooks

Brunstetter, Wanda. On Her Own. Barbour Publishing, 2006. unabridged.
 
Barbara Zook is a widow with three young sons and one more on the way.  Her late husband owned and operated a harness shop in this Amish community. As chance would have it, not long after her new son arrives, a man who grew up in the area and left to work in his cousin's harness shop returns home for his brother's funeral. So, naturally, he volunteers to help Barbara out in her shop while she recovers from childbirth. As you can imagine, the ending is expected from the beginning of the book. However, the misunderstandings and developing relationships along the way make it interesting. Since the story is set in Amish country, perhaps fans of Beverly Lewis would enjoy this lightweight Christian fiction.

Connolly, John. The Book of Lost Things. Atria Books, 2006. Recorded Books, 2006. Unabridged, 10 CDs. Narrated by Steven Crossley.

David is only 12 when his mother dies and he doesn’t quite understand things like his father’s loneliness, stepmothers and half-brothers. As he grows more resentful of his "new" family, strange dreams invade his nights and those dreams feature a man…a crooked man with a crooked hat who in due time also begins to appear outside his dreams. Soon he begins to hear a plaintive, impossible voice calling from the hole in the garden wall and, of course, he must investigate. So begins David’s quest to rescue his mother and it will take him on a deadly, horrifying journey through the heart of nightmares. A lion-witch-wardrobe story for grownups! I was by turns fascinated, repelled, grossed out, teary-eyed, and nauseated. I loved this book but I would NOT let my teenage niece read it because she’d never sleep again. I’ll tell you this….the Crooked Man no doubt haunts Freddy Krueger’s dreams.

Deen, Paula & Sherry Suib Cohen. Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'.  Simon & Schuster, 2007. Simon & Schuster Audio,2007. Narrated by Paula Deen. 6 cds

Many people are familiar with Paula Deen from television and cookbooks. They have heard about her successful restaurant in Savannah, Ga. They know that Paula cooks most everything with butter or mayonnaise. In this audio book Paula shares with us the rest of her story. She tells her life story including rough language, bad decisions and living by sheer determination to make it to the next day. Very little of this story has to do with the Food Network. Her first marriage, another man and Michael span the years of her journey to the Paula we see and hear on television. And, of course, she does talk about the people who are most important to her today. We don't get any recipes but lots of personal information.

Gerritsen, Tess. The Bone Garden. Ballentine Books, 2007. Books on Tape, 2007. Narrated by Susan Deniker.

Newly divorced Julia Hamill has struck out on her own and moved into a quaint old house. Julia is comfortable in her new home, working in her garden; that is, until she uncovers a skeleton while digging amongst the weeds in her backyard. A mysterious phone call from an old gentleman who claims to know the history of her old home soon follows; and the quest begins between Julia and her elderly friend to uncover the long history and story behind the old house. Moving back and forth between centuries (following the people behind the home's history), it is the 1800s, and young Rose has just lost her older sister to childbed fever. Now faced with caring for baby Meggy while avoiding her sister's abusive husband, Rose finds herself homeless and despondent. But she makes her way; Rose is a survivor, and finds her niece a wet-nurse to stay with, while also finding herself a place to lay her head at night. Meanwhile, Boston is besieged by a series of horrific murders, and the killer is dubbed the West End Reaper. The only two people to witness the killer are Rose and Norris--a dashing young medical student who cared for her sister during her illness. The two join together in their collective desire to see the killer caught--and in their need to protect Rose's young niece Meggy, who seems to somehow be at the center of everything. A novel chock full of suspense and romance, in addition to being rich in detailing the history of the medical profession overall. I loved this book and found it impossible to put down. However the narration is worth the price of admission. Susan Denaker as she moves from Boston Brahmin to Irish seamstress, from an elderly man's voice to a young woman's voice does an excellent job in making them distinguishable and entertaining to listen to as well.

Hannah, Kristin. Comfort and Joy. Ballentine Books, 2005. Brilliance Audio, 2005. Narratated by Sandra Burr. 4 unabridged cassettes.

Joy Candellaro was recently divorced from a man who gradually withdrew from her. Now she knows why-her sister is his new love. With Christmas soon approaching Joy decides to take a holiday apart from her current surroundings and takes a plane to the wilderness of the north woods. Her plane crashed before reaching its destination but Joy determinedly walked on to a lodge where she met Bobby and his dad
Daniel. She felt her heart care again as she was with these two needy people, getting to know them and helping prepare for Christmas . Then she came back to her daily reality.

Dean Koontz. The Darkest Evening of the Year. Random House Audio, 2007. Narrated by singer and entertainer Kristen Kairos.

Amy Redwing has dedicated her life to the southern California organization she founded to rescue abandoned and endangered golden retrievers. Among dog lovers, she’s a legend for the risks she’ll take to save an animal from abuse. Among her friends, Amy’s heedless devotion is often cause for concern. To widower Brian McCarthy, whose commitment she can’t allow herself to return, Amy’s behavior is far more puzzling and hides a shattering secret. No one is surprised when Amy risks her life to save Nickie, nor when she takes the female golden into her home. The bond between Amy and Nickie is immediate and uncanny. Even her two other goldens, Fred and Ethel, recognize Nickie as special, a natural alpha. But the instant joy Nickie brings is shadowed by a series of eerie incidents. An ominous stranger. A mysterious home invasion. And the unmistakable sense that someone is watching Amy’s every move and that, whoever it is, he’s not alone. Someone has come back to turn Amy into the desperate, hunted creature she’s always been there to save. But now there’s no one to save Amy and those she loves. From its breathtaking opening scene to its shocking climax, The Darkest Evening of the Year is Dean Koontz at his finest, a transcendent thriller certain to have listeners entertained until dawn. This summary was done by the publisher, but it is Dean Koontz and if you are a fan or a true dog lover, that’s all you need to know.

L' Amour, Louis. The Rider of the Ruby Hills. Batam Books, 1987. Blackstone Audio, 2005. Narrated by Jim Gough. Unabridged 4 cds.

Ross had talked with many cowboys who knew the Ruby Hills area and Ross had ridden through and studied the land himself. He had familiarized himself with the major ranches and the owners and knew how each spread came to be. He was ready to become a presence in this cow country. From the time he rode in and started asking questions, people wondered about him. Where did he come from? Was he a gunfighter or a cow hand? Did he work for one of the big ranches and if so, which one? Why was he asking so many questions? Ross was careful not to take sides in the "war" between the big spreads. But he knew what he wanted and he would follow his plan. Wait until the ranchers learned about his claims in the area. How would they react? Would he really be able to win the heart of the only woman that attracted him?

L'Amour, Louis. Sackett's Land. Batam Book, 2005. Blackstone Books, 2005. Narrated by John Curless. 5 cds.

This first book in the Sackett series begins in England in the 1500s where Barnabas Sackett grew up in the fens. His father was a soldier and was well read so he taught Barnabas how to read and how to fight. While travelling about Barnabas found some gold coins which had been lost and covered with mud. He was careful to take the coins to a dealer of antiquities and a man of discretion who bought them. Also while he was travelling he by chance made an enemy of a man of noble standing who vowed to see Barnabas pay for the embarrassment caused him. The idea came to Barnabas to deal in antiquities since he was familiar with Roman ruins but also he desired to see the new world of America. So he had to choose which direction his life would take.

L'Amour, Louis. Ride the River -The Sacketts #5. Batam Books, 2005. Blackstone Audio, 2005. Narrated by Jamie Rose. 3 cassettes

Echo Sackett grew up in a man's world in the mountains of Tennessee in the 1830s. She became very expert in hunting, shooting, tracking and dealing with wily characters. All these skills helped her when she travelled to Philadelphia to collect an inheritance. Echo went to the lawyer who had advertised for the youngest Sackett to collect money left to them. She was uncomfortable with his hurry to conclude the transaction on his terms. So she went to another lawyer who was very happy to meet her and willing to represent her interests. After she had the inheritance in her possession she left Philadelphia to return to her home and family. The trip was complicated by the people trying to steal her money. Fortunately, the lawyer who had helped her sent his nephew to protect Echo and see that she would arrive home with her inheritance. Echo's wilderness skills helped her to survive and best the criminal element along the way. But was it enough to see her successful arrival home? That amount of money would mean food and furniture to ease the lives of Echo and her family. How many killers and thieves could Echo and three other people fight off?

Lucado, Max. The Christmas Candle. Oasis Audio, 2006. Narrated by Greg Whalen, unabridged.

In the late 17th century, a candle maker and his wife in a small English village are awakened by a bright light. Out of the light, an arm reaches out and touches one candle. The one to whom the candle is given receives a miracle. Every 25 years, the angel returns to the candle maker's descendants and touches one candle. As the miracle occurs in the Advent season, the custom of the village is that the one receiving the candle shares their miracle at the church service on Christmas Eve. Two hundred years after the first visitation, the candle maker and his wife await the return of the angel. Many of the villagers come to visit them and ask that they receive the blessed candle. When the angel appears and touches a candle, the candle maker stumbles and knocks the rack of candles to the floor. Now, the blessed candle is mixed in with the other 29 and he doesn't know what to do. As he goes through the town with the basket of candles, he gives several to people who obviously need some hope in their lives; and his wife also gives several away. Who will get their Christmas miracle and who will be angry at the candle maker for giving them a worthless candle? Max Lucado is known for his non-fiction books on Christian topics and this story has faith as an underlying theme. The story is a Christmas parable that reminds us of our need for hope in God's goodness.

McCaig, Donald. Rhett Butler’s People. St. Martin’s Press, 2007. MacMillan Audio, 2007. Narrated by John Bedford Lloyd.

Margaret Mitchell's story of Scarlett O'Hara's and Rhett Butler's beguiling, twisted love for each other, set against the gruesome background of a nation torn apart by war, is by all accounts epic--so much so that it feels untouchable. No novel will ever be an adequate sequel to Gone With The Wind, and no writer will ever "complete" Mitchell's story. Gone With The Wind is an American epic, the tale of the fall of a doomed civilization and the dissolution and reunification of the Union. Against that backdrop, Mitchell portrayed a passionate, tragic romance between two characters with which readers themselves fall in love. No author will ever recapture the magic of the original, whether in a prequel, sequel, or "other story," because the novel is complete "as is." Like any work of fiction, the work ends where it ends. In the case of GWTW, the reader is left longing for answers, just as Scarlett longed for Ashley, Rhett longed for Scarlett, and, at the novel's conclusion, Scarlett schemes to win Rhett back. Yet McCaig's take on what many would consider a sacred cow of 20th-century American literature is a worthy suitor for Mitchell's many ardent fans, for reasons that may not be altogether obvious. It would be easy to look at Gone With the Wind and Rhett Butler’s People side by side and catalog what is accurate and what isn't and tally up the score. In doing so, however, the fan is apt to miss out on the best part of this whole book: Rhett Butler himself. McCaig's Rhett is thoroughly modern, both a product of his Charleston plantation and an emphatic rejection of it. He is filled with romance and ingenuity, grit and wit, and a toughness matched only by a sense of humility that evokes so gracefully the hardship and heartbreak of a society falling apart. It's not hard to love Rhett in his weakness for Scarlett's love, but it is entirely amazing to love him as he rescues Belle Watling, mentors her bright young son Tazewell, adores his sister Rosemary, dotes on dear Bonnie Blue, and defends his best friend Tunis Bonneau to the very end. To pluck a character from a beloved book and recalibrate the story's point-of-view isn't an easy thing to do. Ultimately, the new must ring true with the old, and this is where Rhett Butler’s People succeeds beyond measure. In the spirit of Mitchell's masterpiece, McCaig never questions that love--of family, lover, land, or country--is the tie that binds these characters to life, for better or worse. John Bedford Lloyd does a credible job as narrator. Recommended reading for open-minded GWTW fans who want to “know” more about Rhett Butler.

Martin, George R.R. A Game of Thrones: Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire. Bantam Books, 1996. Books on Tape, 2004. Unabridged, 28 CDs. Narrated by Roy Dotrice.

“When you play the game of thrones, you win…or you die. There is no middle ground ”So says Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Cersei Lannister, and she means it in deadly earnest. Court intrigue, icy honor, cruel deceit, insidious passions, heartbreaking loyalty…all of these and more lie at the heart of Martin’s first novel in the epic, high fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Some houses fight for the good of the kingdom, some for the good of their own coffers. Where will your loyalties lie once you begin the game? This audiobook is a monster at 28 CDs (that’s about 72 hours of listening time!) but what a world to lose yourself in! I kept changing my allegiances as the story progressed and at the end I STILL couldn’t make up my mind on several characters’ intentions. I can hardly wait to pick up the next one!

Mitchard, Jacquelyn. Still Summer. Warner Books, 2007. Hatchette Audio, 2007. Narrated by Susan Ericksen, unabridged.

Four high school friends plan a getaway cruise together twenty years later. One of the friends has to back out and is replaced by the teenage daughter of one of the women. The cruise turns deadly when a storm blows up and the two crew members of the small sailing ship go missing. It's bad enough that the women are struggling will little food and water, that the engine doesn't work and the sail was destroyed in the storm; some pirates arrive on the scene. A story of survival and friendships tested makes for an interesting read (or listen).

Winchester, Simon. The Map That Changed the World. Viking, 2001. Harper Collins Audio, 2001. Narrated by Simon Winchester. (Unabridged)

“Above one of the many grand marble staircases within the east wing of Burlington House, the great Palladian mansion on the north side of London’s Piccadilly, hangs a pair of huge sky blue velvet curtains . . .” So begins Winchester’s account of William Smith and his geologic achievements that earned him the title of “the father of English geology.” Smith did not seem to be marked for greatness in his early life; he was a commoner, the son of a blacksmith, and only gradually does his interest in geology emerge as he studies the English countryside while engaged in his tasks as a surveyor. While undertaking such pursuits as inspecting a coal mine or planning the best route for a canal, Smith was also taking note of the fossils found in various layers of the earth exposed by excavation; the ultimate result of his fascination was a magnificent map, hand-drawn in painstaking detail and published in 1815, entitled, “A Delineation of the Strata of England and Wales.” However, Smith’s ultimate fame was hard-won. His plebian origins were offensive to the more upper-class element of society with interests in geology; when the Geological Society of London was formed Smith was pointedly not invited to join, and some members of the Society plagiarized his work. Burdened with debt and married to a woman who was going insane, Smith spent time in debtors’ prison and it appeared that his name, reputation, and hands-on mastery of his chosen field would fade into obscurity. However, Smith did have friends who stood by him and did what they could to aid him, with the result that his work was finally given proper recognition, his credit restored, and a living for his old age secured. Winchester writes and reads beautifully, and the results would compel even the most reluctant student of science to finish the story. One small caveat in recommendations to patrons: Winchester frequently indulges in phrases such as “the fog of religious dogma” in reference to the Biblical creation account versus the fossil record, and tends to refer to religious belief as superstition to be burned away by the clear light of science. This may prove offensive to some of his audience or be the occasion of eye-rolling to others, but the story of Smith’s personal trials and geological studies is strong enough to stand on its own merits, and is highly recommended.