No Genre Left Behind

House of Teeth

Revisado: 01-06-23

I really enjoyed listening to House of Teeth by Dan Jolley. Josh Hurley was a wonderful narrator that expertly gave voice to the characters’ personalities. And there are some really great personalities. Henry and Wren make an amazing team, but you can still see the family disagreements that so often occur between cousins.

The entire concept of rootcrafters and using teeth to work magic was new to me. And I found it fascinating. There was much thought put into the various aspects of each tooth. The entire magical system was one of the most creative I’ve read. I do not know if it’s based on a real mythos. I’d love to learn more about it if it is.

The action is just about non-stop. There is always something exciting or new happening that will keep not only the interest of middle-graders but any adults listening along as well. The story was left open for more some day, but it also reaches a very satisfying conclusion wrapping up the major loose ends.

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The Bookshop on the Corner

Revisado: 06-28-22

I fell in love with Jenny Colgan’s books a few years ago, and The Bookshop on the Corner lives up to all my expectations. Nina Redmond is such a darling character! She’s who I want to be best friends with and talk to every day for the rest of my life. Oh, the bookish conversations we could have.

But Nina doesn’t start off in a very good place. The library she works at is closing and being consolidated into an I don’t know what, techy, hyped up, no book place? I didn’t even understand what the place was supposed to do, and neither did Nina. So she packs it all in and heads to Scotland. I mean, why not? And starts a book shop on wheels. Why not?

Now things get interesting. From finding and buying a humongous van, renting a cute little barn/cottage, and meeting some very interesting men while almost dying. This all sounds very exciting (and yes, some of it was very thrilling on the page), the story rolls out slowly like a stroll across the meadow, stopping to birth a baby lamb when needed.

The question of “what is romance?” is the thread that holds this story together. Along with a few snips of what is home, and where do I belong. The questions don’t always play nicely together, but in the end, they figure most of it out.

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Dragon on Trial

Revisado: 06-22-22

Scratch, the dragon, is in trouble. He’s on trial for eating the Golden Goose. And while he’s quite happy she’s gone, he swears he didn’t do it. But all the signs point to him. Zoe doesn’t believe that Scratch would (or could) hurt the goose, so she rounds up Logan and Blue to prove he’s innocent.

Dragon on Trial was a delight. While I wish more of the clues had given me a chance to guess what happened before the kids did, I really enjoyed discovering right along with them. It’s quite a twisty journey, and they get to make a new and unexpected friend along the way.

Logan is starting to find his place in his small group of friends. And seeing him discover that feeling of belonging that he had been missing was more than just a little cool. Although I have no idea how they all manage to do “ALL THE THINGS” in the time span in the book. Time flies so fast and things just keep zipping right along.

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Viva Durant and the Madness of Madame Bouchard

Revisado: 06-21-22

Viva is back in the Audible Original Viva Durant and the Madness of Madame Bouchard. This time, she’s teamed up with her grandmother – who is an excellent detective – to clear the name of the renowned New Orleans chef, Madame Bouchard. Accused of poisoning her diners, Madame Bouchard is in danger of losing everything she’s worked so hard to build.

This case is a tricky one. And there’s a lot more on the line than her previous mystery. But Viva is up to the challenge. It all comes down to the details this time, and Viva will need to pay really close attention.

Another fun addition to the Viva Durant mysteries, and I hope there are more eventually. I could see how this series could get a little addicting to listen to. My only complaint is the breaks between chapters are really really long. Long enough that I thought my device had stopped playing for some reason.

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Viva Durant and the Secret of the Silver Buttons

Revisado: 06-20-22

`When Viva Durant hears about a missing treasure linked to a set of silver buttons. She just has to follow the clues and see if she can find them. Her investigation takes her deep into the jazz history of New Orleans, and she has a chance to visit some pretty incredible places.

While she tries to keep her sleuthing a secret, she’s still a kid, so she ends up finding ways to get assistance in some pretty inventive ways. She never gives up, even when she seems to be facing a dead end, and her intelligence and persistence just might pay off.

This Audible Original title is a great listen for middle graders that love to solve puzzles.

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You Can Thank Me Later

Revisado: 06-20-22

You Can Thank Me Later by Kelly Harms is an Audible Original (only available there as of writing this). Sophie Dickenson is telling the story of several Thanksgiving dinners with her siblings – where is the chef and host (mostly). This is an interesting way to really capture how much can change over the course of a year. Each Thanksgiving there are changes, big and small and sometimes world-changing, that we get to glimpse as Sophie gets ready for and serves dinner.

At first I was a little hesitant about this whole concept of telling stories through Thanksgiving dinner – but Sophie won me over from the first minute when her voicemail greeting – it was a gem. And as I got to know a little about her siblings and their families through the messages they left, you could just her the love among them. But don’t worry, this isn’t a story told in voicemails, it was just enough to give me a small glimpse into who these people were before they all showed up to eat.

You Can Thank Me Later is a quick listen that really brings out all the feels. Be careful if you listen in the car, because you may tear up a few times – pull over if necessary.

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The Woman in the Window

Revisado: 10-18-19

A lot is going in The Woman in the Window. Anna fox has experienced a trauma, and now she has very severe agoraphobia. She wanders her house alone (living with just her cat) drinking and not quite taking her medication correctly. The circumstances leading up to her situation are vague, and we slowly learn everything as the story continues.

She passes her time watching her neighbors – like hardcore spying on them with a zoom lens - playing chess and learning French online, and talking to other agoraphobics in an online community. She’s happy – mostly – and chats with her family quite often.

A.J. Finn does a fantastic job of drawing you into Anna’s strange world and making you doubt everything you think you know. As we spiral through life and the strange things Anna has witnessed right along with her. I enjoyed being able to follow her train of thought. It brought me into her mind and emotional turmoil when she started doubting everything about herself.

While most of the book is a meandering journey through potential craziness, the end was a heart-pounding rush leading up to a gentle settling of sorts. Don’t expect too much action and thrills from this one. But don’t discount its ability to test what you believe right along with all the characters.

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The Endless Beach

Revisado: 09-25-19

The Summer Seaside Kitchen series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The small island of Mure is anything but dull, and the people of the island, both generational residents and new, make the community a very interesting one.

The book continues its primary focus on Flora as she navigates her new-found love for her old home, but with new troubles brewing. Her former boss and current boyfriend, Joel, is away on business, and this starts a downward spiral for them. He refuses to open up to her, and she constantly wonders if she's really enough for the hot-shot city lawyer.

But I was also introduced to two new storylines. Coltan, Flora's brother's boyfriend, has a secret - and it's an awful one. He drags Joel into it, and it's such a big secret that Joel can't really handle it all. This mystery hovers over the story like a fog bank. It's there, but most people don't realize how thick it is. It plays out throughout the story, and when it's all revealed, there's a lot to take in. Jenny Colgan handles it all beautifully, showing that her characters have a depth and feeling that really brings them to life.

I was also introduced to Saif, the refugee that has found somewhat of a home as the island's doctor. His story is another sad one, having been separated from his wife and two children in the war. He walks the beach just waiting for that miraculous moment when a boat shows up to reunite them. But after waiting for so long, he's having a hard time hanging on to the hope.

Not all of these intricate storylines are entirely wrapped up at the end of the book. But they do seem to reach a natural position of concluded for now, but with more to tell. As I get to know more of the island's residents, I fall in love all over again.

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Now That You Mention It

Revisado: 09-23-19

Now That You Mention It was a bit different than what I expected. When I first meet Nora, she seems a little insubstantial. Like there was really nothing to her personality. She's a successful doctor, dating another successful doctor - until she gets hit by a car - and then dumped while she believes she's actually a ghost. The scene was devestating for her, but Kristan Higgans gave it just a bit of a lighthearted feel somehow.

The bulk of the story takes place when Nora returns to her roots - Scupper Island. Everything and nothing has changed, and Nora still feels like she doesn't belong. Throw into the mix her mother, who still can't seem to show any affection, and her niece, a moody and withdrawn teenager whose mother is in jail, and Nora puts on a brave face and starts to pretend that everything will just be OK.

But, of course, it isn't. There are old high school rivals, bullies, and mean girls to contend with. And a few are still holding a very serious grudge. But Nora tries not to let that get to her. She's determined to make the most of what she has - even if it doesn't seem like much at times. I loved how determined Nora was, while still showing a vulnerable side, and I really loved how much she loved her family and was willing to do just about anything to reconnect with them.

In the long run, Nora grows into someone far more complex and likable that she was at the beginning. There a a few fantastic twists and turns with the people around her, and I was really surprised be a couple of them. I highly recommend this book. It was an enjoyable, relaxing listen with just enough excitement laced throughout.

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Sixth Grave on the Edge

Revisado: 07-31-19

Charlie is faced with a couple of tough cases this time around - both with some surprising results. Her life with Reyes is humming along mostly smoothly, but she determined to find out more about his past - which leads to yet another surprise!

I sort of wished the cases had wrapped up with an intertwined plot somehow. I feel like this one stretched Charlie too far, and I didn't really fall into each individual case and get swept away by it. I got tossed back and forth between the two instead.

I did enjoy learning more about Reyes. His past keeps getting more and more complicated - I hope we're at the end of the earthly complications because it's getting hard to follow his life story. I do love how the relationship between Charlie and Reyes is growing. I also think Cookie is really becoming a co-star in some cases instead of just a side character - I love Cookie.

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