The Elf in the Kitchen

The Days of Nicotine and Glory

Revisado: 12-13-24

As a baby boomer who spent her later adolescent years in a small town in Tennessee home to several farms like Talmadge Farm and the lines between races were clearly drawn, to say this book resonated is indeed an understatement. Tobacco was the cash crop that could make or break a family's survival. This book certainly captures the essences of the haves and the have nots, the cultured from the cultures, the honest from the pseudo honest, and the desire for always more from the essentials for barely 'gettin' by. The South is rampant tales of extreme wealth, crushing poverty, and the racial divide. This book certainly captures the essence of the South of the '50's. Thanks for the memories, Mr. Daughtry.

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This Book We Remember

Revisado: 11-06-23

It actually took me two times to get pulled into the flow of this book, much like the Alabaster River pulls one into it's swift and strong currents. But, when the hook caught, there was no turning back. A new narrator is often a challenge but we have to give CJ Wilson a huge 'High Five' for his capacity to bring life and texture to each of the multiple characters. We now have a 'new' narrator whose vocal acting we will definitely enjoy again.

Mr. Krueger has been a favorite of mine ever since reading the Cork O'Connor series; but my most cherished book of his is Ordinary Grace. The River We Remember is now second. The fascinating story, the beautifully crafted characters (albeit almost too many to keep track of), Mr. Krueger's continuing commitment to Indigenous Peoples and their detractors, and his intellectual prowess a terrific story all combine to present a winning novel. There were some sadnesses that I personally could have done without, but the author obviously had his reasons. Nonetheless, I will listen to this book again and maybe learn more and feel additional intensity. I sure wish we could get Mr. K to the Mississippi Book Festival someday; I'd sure like to meet him.

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I Couldn't Put Down My Ears....

Revisado: 08-13-23

I have been a David Joy fan from his first book and put him in the same category of writing excellence as another amazing writer, Michael Farris Smith. I am also from Mississippi so am more than aware of the depth of emotion and volatility that unfolds. Tackling racism head on, Mr. Joy's book pulls no punches as this story evolves and revolves around a young woman's passion for justice and awareness and the devastating reactivity to maintain the status quo. This book to me is Mr. Joy's best work so far and the amazing narration by one of the best around, MacLeod REALLY Good"

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No Words Can do Justice

Revisado: 02-18-22

Over the past couple of days, I listened to a most remarkable book, "Dear William" by Oxford's David Magee. To depart from my consistent predilection for reading strictly for entertainment, this book is the true and powerful story of a father's love for a son that fought 'tooth and toenail' to get and stay free from drugs. And, for a more potent punch, David Magee is the narrator. How he pulled it off is nothing short of miraculous but he did and did it like no one else could do. Please get and read or listen to this book; it is such a gift to us.

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Hail Yes for Hail Mary

Revisado: 08-03-21

Between Andy Weir’s superb and beautifully crafted, researched, and creative story AND Ray Porter’s absolutely amazing performance, this book is a winner, winner, winner! It is clever, it is provocative, it is educational, and it is moving. The repartee between the characters is enchanting, seriously. I loved The Martian though sci-fi is not a typical read of mine so thought I’d give Project Hail Mary a go...and boy howdy, I am so very glad. So, thank you Andy and Ray for thoroughly entertaining and thoughtful work.

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His Best Yet

Revisado: 09-29-20

When These Mountains Burn by David Joy
Narration by Andrew MacLeod

If you are a fan of Southern Gothic ala Mississippi, as we are, you must be familiar with David Joy’s North Carolina/Appalachian Gothic. His most recent book, When These Mountains Burn is his best work yet. Having read and/or listened to all of them so far, that is no small compliment. We’ve been a fan from the get go with his debut novel, Where All Light Tends to Go in 2015. Mind you, he is not an easy read; the stories he weaves are dark, painful, and haunting with woefully wounded, tragic, and flawed characters.

This book is not written; it is crafted via emotion, intuitive talent, and the love of his home state, warts and all. As a visceral reviewer, we do not claim to be an erudite literary (or as our creative writing teacher once called it ‘seri-ass literature’) critic. We do not dissect plots, stories, characters, or word usage. We do not read or listen to a book; we feel a book. And ‘boy howdy’ we felt this one from the first sentence.

We were pulled into the whirlpools of addiction, the the agonizingly beautiful love of a parent for an addicted man-child, the immoral world of those whose greed is their altar, the profoundly discouraging fight for justice, and the disappearing cultures of the Cherokee Nation and mountain culture of Appalachia.

Just as the literary voice of Mr. Joy is showcased in this book, so is the epic narration and talent of MacLeod Andrews. So, get this book and read it; then listen to it for an even more acute resonance.

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A Revelation of a Book

Revisado: 07-21-20

Bein' from Mississippi, reading the Quinn Colson books is like taking a bath in your own cultural tub. Every sayin', expression, phrase, and character reflect my soul. What a journey Quinn has taken me on; and 'boy howdy' do I appreciate it. Which means, Mr. Atkins, you've once again hit the southern nail on the complex head of southern culture. My husband, fondly known as 'Big Solid, is from Water Valley...the heart of Tibbehah Co Mississippi, meaning I get the hear the delightfully colorful language worn and offered with spectacular accuracy in describing a person and/or event. These characters are folks I've met, laughed with, and broken bread with, complete with a full arm on the table sporting a cap of sorts. So how can this get any better...well, as an audio book, it's performed by MacLeod Andrews. He is hands down the best at bein' 'suthern'. Thanks to both of y'all for a great ride that just makes me appreciate not only y'all's talent but my own homeland.

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Awesome listen

Revisado: 11-08-19

As an unabashed audiophile with thousands of listening hours in the bag, we have listened to books that were fun, books that were endearing, books that were scary, books that resonated, books that made us weep, and books that we just plain ole enjoyed. And then, there were the very few books that BROUGHT US TO OUR KNEES with depth, artistry, and the sheer power of the author’s ability to spin a magical story. Couple that with a narrator able to make the story-teller’s words come to life and you have an experience that will not let you go...for a long, long time. As a totally visceral reviewer, we have no choice but to respond to how we literally feel the book throughout all our senses. Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon is one of those rare finds.

We were totally not prepared for our reaction to Boy’s Life...it was an instantaneous deep breath that sustained itself for the entirety of the book. Seriously...as a child of the same time/age, living in a small southern town...the connection was immediate. The racial divide, the joy of a good bicycle, actually playing outside...hell, we had stick horse that we’d have sworn was real. Not understanding math but checking out 7 books a week from the local ‘liberry’. AND, that movie where an X was carved on the back of people’s necks!! Scariest movie we’d ever seen. Cory Mackenson and Your Book Elf have eversomuch in common.

This is now a book we will read so we can physically highlight passages of intensity and power, which may turn out to be nearly the entire book. Only one other book has reached that level of emotional sovereignty where every. word. is. important. Where a murder leads to not only a need to solve but also offers the seamless infiltration of some improbable events and intriguing people. While wondering about how one writer’s, uh, story-teller’s mind can invent people like Moonman, The Lady, and, our personal favorite, Nemo…it becomes very clear that these people are not formed out of thought, they were as real as could be. As was life of a boy named Cory, his family, his town,the people who lived there, and the events time handed them.

The narration of George Newbern was so compelling, we felt like we were watching a movie. He nailed the characters, the accents, the intonation and the emotion in a flawless performance. For a book of this length and magnitude, nobody got lost.

So, thank you Mr. McCammon for this most excellent book with a prologue and epilogue borne of the love of telling a story. And the story in between is indeed a splendid tale. Your book Elf can’t wait now to read it.

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Good but Not Her Best

Revisado: 11-04-19

The story line for this novel was developed in a different format that was both entertaining and often confusing. It's a nice story of the meteoric rise of a Rock Band--going from bar gigs to fame and fortune with a LOT emotional turbulence. The most troublesome thing for me was the narration. Being from the South and having family in New Orleans, the Cajun/NOLA accent just didn't fly. And, for goodness sake, have narrators pronounce city names correctly. It's not New OrLEENS. That only works in a song. On the flip side, no one does an epilogue like Ms Ashley. At Peace remains my favorite book of hers.

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The Blurred Lines that Held Me

Revisado: 08-26-18

It’s been a few days now since I finished listening to David Joy’s The Line That Held Us; and I’m still not sure I can speak to it in a worthy fashion. Mr. Joy’s first two listens were stunning, so this one had an uphill battle, so to speak. And, you know what, that uphill battle was conquered with his amazing talent for ultra dark, vivid and ever-so-flawed characters; his deftly exquisite prose to define and craft them; and the just sheer design of the story itself. The darkest yet, to me anyway, of his books, The Line That Held Us appears to have allowed the continuing depth of Mr. Joy’s talent to filter through and emerge. Dwayne Brewer is a terrifying, brutal, emotionally riveting man who is both the gold standard of rage and love simultaneously. If nothing else, listen to the book to get a glimpse of him. But, his presence does little to distract from the story and the other characters (both primary and secondary), though he does seem to be such a pivotal person. At various points during this book, I began to question Mr. Joy’s mental status UNTIL I realized that I was right there with him, my own viscera on constant alert for the next jolt. Top all this with the superbly brilliant audio presentation by Mr. MacLeod Andrews and you have a substantially challenging book. I did have some reservations regarding the somewhat lengthy ending chapters but I’ll go back and re-listen to make sure I didn’t miss anything in my stunned-into-silence last two chapters. The Line That Held Us offers lines that are drawn and lines that are blurred...and it’s those blurred lines that held me.

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