8 Best Books of 2018

I know we’re not quite halfway through December and there’s still plenty of reading time left. Still, I thought I’d share my best of the year list today.

I haven’t divided my selections into audiobooks and print or into genres. And what’s more, I have only 8 titles on my 2018 list. Although I read plenty of books I liked and many I’d recommend, when I went through my reviews, these are the books that really jumped out and made me say, "Oh, yeah—that was a great book."

So here, in alphabetical order, are my top 8 reads of the year. The links lead to my reviews/thoughts.

• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Press): a novel set in Alaska in the 1970s. I liked the difficult themes (PTSD, domestic violence) and the tribute to the stark and beautiful Alaskan landscape.
• Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books): a novel about a group of special-needs sixth graders, set in New York. Through the voices of the children we learn how many of the larger contemporary social issues affect even the most innocent.
• The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara (Ecco): a novel set in New York at the start of the AIDS epidemic (based on true events). A heartbreaking story of the Latino ball scene and the boys and men who were rejected by their families and society, left resource-less with few options for survival.
• How Long ’Til Black Future Month? by N. K. Jemisin (Orbit): a collection of short stories; speculative fiction. The powerful and fully realized pieces in this book explore feminism, fertility, being different, motherhood, and other themes universal to Jemisin’s work.

• I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (Harper Books): investigative journalism; true crime. An engaging yet graphic account of the search for the Golden State Killer; includes details on the crimes, victims, and suspects.
• Look Alive Out There by Sloan Crosley (Macmillan): a collection of personal essays. Through sharp observations and a dose of humor, Crosley explores adulting in contemporary New York.
• Only Killers and Thieves by Paul Howarth (Harper Books): a novel set in the Australian outback in the late 19th century. A coming-of-age story of two very different brothers finding their place in a harsh world in the aftermath of a family tragedy.
• Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison (Viking): a novel set in Rocky Mountains in the 1880s. The story of survival, choices, and consequences as a young woman searches for her brother, an outlaw with a bounty on his head. A fresh look at the lawless American west.

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: 6 Good Books

I skipped my review post last week for no particular reason than I was feeling lazy. Instead I posted extra-short reviews on Twitter. I give you similarly short thoughts today, just to keep a record here.

This was a slow reading week, which is the weather's fault. I did yard work, started cleaning the deck for summer, and had to dig out my summer clothes. It was also the first week of our outdoor farmer's market, which is where we buy the bulk of our food until it closes in late October.

Yay for summer.

Before I get to my reading life, here are some things to look for this coming week.

On Wednesday on the AudioFile Magazine blog I'll recommend five audiobooks that will each give you a new perspective on nature, animals, and the world around us. I concentrate on fun books to help you get in the mood for easy summer living.

On Friday, I will share my thoughts on the upcoming Cinemax miniseries C. B. Strike, based on the first three Cormoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling). The show debuts on June 1, so mark your calendars. I'll have more information later in the week.

What I Read Two Weeks Ago

• Sloan Crosley's Look Alive Out There (Macmillan, April 3) is a collection of essays about living in New York, working freelance, traveling, making reproductive decisions, and dealing with neighbors as well as other musings about contemporary life. Humor mixed with spot-on truths. Recommended. (Audiobook review available soon from AudioFile)
• Luke Barr's Ritz and Escoffier (Clarkson Potter, April 3) is a dual biography of how Ritz and Escoffier rose from humble beginnings to become trusted sources of elegance and good taste (no pun intended) at the turn of the last century. Fascinating and easy to read. Recommended. (Audiobook review available soon from AudioFile)
• Sylvain Neuvel's Only Human (Del Rey, May 1) is the third (and final?) book in the Themis Files series. This installment had me laughing at the pop culture references, even as I became wrapped up in the main characters' struggles to adjust to a changing Earth. Audiobook is the best way to read the series: the fantabulous full-cast performance is not to be missed (start with book 1). (Review copy provided by the publisher)
• Jane Harper's The Dry (Flatiron, 2017). I did a quick reread of this great crime novel set in a small town in Australia. The protagonist, Aaron Falk, is a federal agent in the Australian finance division, who becomes involved in a murder investigation when he returns to his home town for the funeral. Recommended. (Review copy provided by the publisher)

What I Read Last Week

The Force of Nature by Jane Harper (Flatiron, February 2018), is the second entry in the Aaron Falk series. In this outing, Falk is back at his office in Melbourne and has a new partner, Carmen Cooper. They are called to the bushland, when an executive at a bank they're investigating goes missing on a corporate outdoor weekend, meant to encourage bonding and trust. The Giralang Ranges is true wilderness, and the question is whether Alice Russell's disappearance is an unfortunate accident, bad judgment, or something very sinister. And, of course, no matter the circumstances, is she alive or dead? Harper weaves the complex relationships among the five women and five men on the retreat with the spooky reputation of the Giralang Ranges, the current Falk/Cooper criminal investigation, and other factors. Good tension and solid plotting pulled me in, and I was unable to figure out the solution before it was revealed. The Falk books are now among of my favorites in crime fiction. I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Macmillan Audio; 8 hr, 53 min) read by Stephen Shanahan. As I wrote last week, Shanahan has a natural, fluid style and masterfully works the tempo to keep the tension tight. Good characterization . . . plus I love his Australian accent. Recommended in print or audio. (Both print and audiobook copies provided by the publisher)

I listened to Andrea Camilleri's The Shape of Water (Penguin Books, 2002), which was translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarell. This is the first in a long series that stars Salvo Montalbano, a police inspector in Sicily, and I decided to start the audiobooks on the recommendation of SuziQoregon from Whimpulsive blog. The book is a combination of mystery, social commentary, and humor and even includes some good food references. Montalbano has no problem stepping a little outside the strict confines of his duty and has a creative way solving crimes. I liked his personality and the comings and goings of the town, including the ongoing feud between two mafia families. Despite appearances, Montalbano respects his job and wants to uncover the truth. He seems particularly skilled at dealing with the local community, taking an Everyman's attitude more than wielding his power as a policeman. The crime itself involved a death that may or may not have been murder but left the dead man in a compromising position. My impression after book 1 is that the series is fun, adult reading. This isn't hard-core crime fiction, but isn't as light as a cozy. I plan to continue the series. The unabridged audiobook (Blackstone Audio; 4 hr, 4 min) is read by Grover Gardner, who does a great job distinguishing the voices and giving the characters an Italian and Sicilian flavor without tripping into parody. He delivers the humor as easily as the more tense-filled moments and kept me listening the entire afternoon. And good news for audiobook fans: Gardner reads the entire series (19 books are currently available). (Audiobook: personal copy)

Current Books and Television

I'm currently listening to Rachel Kushner's The Mars Room and reading Julia Fine's What Should Be Wild. Both are excellent, and I'm having a hard time deciding which book to read when. Sweetbitter started on Starz over the weekend. I plan to watch tonight. I really loved the book of the same title, written by Stephanie Danler (though I know it got mixed reviews), so I'm curious about how it comes across on film. The actress who plays the main character, Tess, doesn't match the image I had in my mind. We shall see, and I shall report back. If you get Netflix, I hope you're watching David Letterman's My Next Guest Needs no Introduction. We've watched all five current episodes, and each one was excellent.

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: Books I Loved, Books I Didn't

For everyone who lives in Florida or the Caribbean, my thoughts are with you. I hope your homes, your family, and your pets are safe and sound. The photos and videos look so scary. I can't imagine what you all are going through.

Some of you know that I've been on a great organize my books project. My ultimate goal is to put all my unread books--print, e, and audio--into a single database. I've been keeping up with my print books for months now, and as of Sunday morning, I'm totally up to date with my audiobooks. My big stall is the eBooks. I'm not sure why, but I just haven't gotten a handle on them. I'll figure it out one of these days (I hope).

I had an "interesting" workweek getting used to my new computer and Windows 10, but I love my new machine and my productivity is speeding up.

What I Read Last Week

Leigh Bardugo's The Language of Thorns (Macmillan, Sept. 26) is a collection of three dark fairy tales or fables that involve trickery and magic. I loved the stories, the haunting world, and the beautiful illustrations that accompany the text. One story involves a clever fox, another a witch in the woods and a mystery, and the final story is about rich man and his daughter. As all good tales, each one teaches a life lesson. I read a review copy from the publicist and am a little confused because the back cover mentions six stories, although my advanced reader copy contains only three. Regardless, I always like Bardugo's work and can highly recommend this collection to her fans and fans of newly minted fairy tales.

Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere (Penguin Press, Sept. 12) is going to be on everyone's best of 2017 list. Set in the Cleveland-area community of Shaker Heights, the novel exposes the glossed-over underbelly of a small upper-middle-class neighborhood of privilege and expectations. Ng nails the dialogue, the sociocultural mores, and the consequences of meddling in other people's business. Race, class, education, family, dreams, life choices -- so many fires with such far-reaching destruction. A starkly truthful story that grabs you by the collar and pulls you in close. Run out tomorrow and buy this book. I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Penguin Audio, 11 hr, 27 min) read brilliantly by Jennifer Lim, who erased the wall between listener and earbuds. It was near-impossible for me to hit that stop button. (audio review copy from the publisher)

Marta McDowell's The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder (Timber Press, Sept. 20) should be on your holiday gift list for Little House fans of all ages. There is so much to love about McDowell's examination of Wilder's connection to the natural environment. Wilder fills her work with references to the flowers, wild fruits, garden produce, and cash crops that sustained her family on their journeys back and forth across the Great Plains. It's a delight to see the links between episodes in the beloved books with the realities of farming or buying seed or foraging that the Wilders and other families like them contended with. The style is down to earth and respectful and the full-color illustrations (some from various editions of Wilder's novels), maps, and photographs really bring the text to life. Biographical and historical details inform the botanical information, helping us see a fuller picture of Laura Ingalls Wilder's universe. The last part of the book includes information for visiting places where Laura lived, seeing period gardens, and for creating your own little prairie. Plant lists and resources round out the book. I picked up an advanced reader copy at BEA but have preordered a finished copy because this is a book to treasure.

Books I Broke Up With

I had high hopes for Solar Bones by Mike McCormick (Soho, Sept. 12), but the one long mostly unpunctuated sentence was just too much for my editor's brain. I may give it a second try, but I kind of doubt it. Everyone else seems to love this Irish story, and the novel was long-listed for the Booker Prize. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercombie (Orbit, Sept. 2015) has been on my audiobook list for a couple of years. It's billed as epic fantasy with plots of war, politics, and conspiracies. I wanted to love this, but I just didn't. I'm not sure if the issue was Steven Pacey's performance or the book. Or maybe it just suffered from being next after Little Fires Everywhere. I plan to try again in a few months. (both books were provided to me by the publishers)


What I'm Reading Now

I'm currently listening to Ken Follett's newest entry in his Kingsbridge series, A Column of Fire (Penguin Audio; 30 hr, 19 min). I adore this series, which is set in a cathedral town in England. This installment takes place during Mary Tudor's reign, and religious turmoil is coloring our favorite characters' everyday life. Thank goodness the wonderful John Lee has returned to perform the audiobook. I love his characterizations, accents, pacing, and level of expression. I can tell already that this long audio is going to be worth every minute of your time. It comes out tomorrow.

I'm in between print books as I write this post, and I'm not exactly sure what I'll read next. I think I'll pick either a contemporary thriller or a contemporary middle grade novel. I have several books in mind in each category, and I think either would provide a good contrast to Follett's historical fiction.

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12 Books from the Big Publishers (BookExpo 2017: Part 3)

My final roundup of BookExpo highlights books from the big publishing houses. As I did for my previous posts (5 books for your wish list; 8 books from smaller presses), I'm leaving out the really big authors, whose books you're unlikely to miss (for example, both Alice Hoffman and Philip Pullman have novels coming out this year). My intent is to share just some of the books I discovered in New York. You'll be hearing about more over the coming months.

The following 12 books are a mix of fiction and nonfiction, and all but one is geared to an adult audience. Pay attention to the publishing date; some will be in bookstores this summer, but most won't be available until fall.

• The Address by Fiona Davis (Dutton, August): When the New York City apartment building the Dakota was built in the late nineteenth century, it was considered to be in the hinterlands, a haven for the rich and famous. This novel takes place in two time periods--the 1880s and the 1980s--and explores life within the walls of the iconic building.
• Calling My Name by Liara Tamani (Greenwillow, October): Set in Houston, Texas, this story is told from the view point of an African American girl, who reflects on her teen years, from middle school through senior year of high school. In the short chapters of this emotionally strong novel, we see Taja trying to balance the conservative values she learns at home with her experiences in the outside world.
• The Dark Lake by Sarah Bailey (Grand Central Publishing, October): This first in a new police procedural thriller / mystery series is set in rural Australia. As Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock investigates the murder of a former high school classmate, her own past secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. The novel has been billed as being dark and complex.
• Island of the Blue Foxes by Stephen R. Brown (De Capo Press, November): Did you know that Czar Peter the Great funded a major expedition through Siberia and the polar waters into North America, ultimately "discovering" what is now Alaska. Led by Captain Vitus Bering, the adventure had mixed success: it opened up the northwest fur trade but cost dearly in terms of human suffering. This is the true-life account of that Russian journey of exploration.

• The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan (Touchstone, September): I couldn't resist picking up a copy of this true story about Edith Dresser who married George Vanderbilt and was one of the key forces behind keeping the beautiful Biltmore house and estate running smoothly, even during tough economic times. Although many of us have heard of the magnificent North Carolina chateau and the Vanderbilt family who occupied its rooms, few of us know Edith's role in preserving the grounds and her husband's legacy.
• A Moonless, Starless Sky by Alexis Okeowo (Hachette, October): Written by a journalist who was once based in Nigeria, this book follows four threads that expose real life in today's Africa. The people we meet are from different countries and have had different experiences, some unimaginable to those of us in the comfortable West. The publisher's summary to this nonfiction account says it's about "ordinary people doing the extraordinary" to make lives better for all Africans.
• A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan (Redhook, September): This novel was pitched as a family saga, spanning several generations, and set in France and England. It focuses on mother-daughter relationships and, of course, has a bit of magic.The story spans the early 1800s through to World War II and is billed as being good for fans of Discovery of Witches.
• Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak (Berkley, October): I couldn't resist the premise of this novel: A family is quarantined in their home over Christmas week because one member has just returned to the UK after being part of a team that treated victims of a viral epidemic in Liberia. No one can leave the house and no one can enter. Will they survive each other's quirks while keeping their own secrets to themselves?

• Sourdough by Robin Sloan (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, September): What happens when a non-cooking Bay Area software engineer inherits a sourdough starter? In this fun foodie novel, Lois is transformed by her new charge, learning to bake and getting involved in San Fransisco's underground food culture.
• South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby (Picador, July): This novel introduces us to a young painter who is accepted into a National Science Foundation retreat program for artists and writers. Sounds like heaven--that is, if your idea of heaven is Antarctica, with six months of no sun and subzero temperatures. Personal growth, the politics of climate change, and making unlikely friendships are at the heart of this book.
• The Twelve-Mile Straight by Eleanor Henderson (Ecco, September): Set on a family farm in 1930s Georgia, this novel explores family secrets, racial tensions, violence, and economic hardship. This multigenerational story shows us both the strength of individual spirit and the ugliness that arises from hate of those who are different from us.
• Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown (Spiegel & Grau, July): This novel's tagline caught my attention: "Who you want people to be makes you blind to who they really are." Billie, a seemingly happy and successful woman, goes missing while on a solo hike in the American west, leaving behind a daughter and husband, who can only assume she has died. When father and daughter begin to search into Billie's past for clues of her fate, they realize they never actually knew her at all.

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Today's Read: A Fireproof Home for the Bride by Amy Scheibe

What if you unquestioningly accepted the fact that you were to marry the young farmer you've known all your life . . . until he shows you a dark side of himself you didn't expect. Would you go through with the marriage, set your eyes on someone else, or try to go it alone? In the late 1950s, Emmaline Nelson weighs her choices and their consequences as she tries to envision her future.

The day after her eighteenth birthday, Emmaline Nelson sat with her spine hovering a good two inches away from the straight, cold back of an oaken pew, her feet planted next to each other on the pine floor, knees pressed together as she'd been taught. Her wool serge skirt should have been cozy, but the nylon slip her mother had insisted she wear crackled like electric ice against her dark stockings from its contact with the charged January air. Her coat hung cold and useless out in the makeshift foyer, where her mother had made her leave it, even though the inside of the church was not much warmer than the air outdoors.

—A Fireproof Home for the Bride by Amy Scheibe (St. Martin's Press, 2015, p. 9 [Chapter 1 opener])

Quick Facts

• Setting: Minnesota & North Dakota, late 1950s
• Circumstances: Emmy grows up in a loveless home and is destined to marry an older local farmer, who is far from sweet & gentle. Calling on her inner strength, she breaks the engagement, leaves her rural home town, and moves in with an estranged aunt to work at a Fargo newspaper. While starting her new life, Emmy not only uncovers some ugly family secrets but is exposed to new ideas and different ways to live.
• Characters: Emmy and her family; Ambrose, her finance; Bobby an ambitious Catholic boy; various teachers, friends, and colleagues
• Genre and audience: coming-of-age, historical fiction; new adult
• Themes: family; love; small town vs. small city; faith; race and gender issues; independence; tolerance
• Why I want to read this: Although some reviewers noted that Scheibe attempts to address a lot of issues in one story, all agreed that this is a winner of a novel. Emmy is easy to care about, the period details are excellent, and the issues are thought provoking.
• Extras: Scheibe grew up in the area in which she sets her novel, adding authenticity to the story. A reading guide is available at the Macmillan/St. Martin's website. For excellent television interview with Scheibe (North Dakota edition of The Today Show), click here.

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Review: The Rise of Aurora West by Paul Pope, JT Petty, and David Rubin

Move over Batman, Superman, and the other classic superheros! There are some new kids in town who are bent on making the world safe from the monsters that kill adults and kidnap children.

We met Battling Boy in the 2013 eponymous graphic novel by Paul Pope. One of the minor characters from that novel is the teenage Aurora West. She may have had a small part in the first book, but we were left with the feeling that she will likely have a larger role in later Battling Boy stories.

Before we learn what happens if/when the two kids share information and power, however, Pope takes a step back and tells Aurora's story in his new graphic novel, The Rise of Aurora West (the first in pair of prequels).

Through expressive and detailed black-and-white drawings by David Rubin, we get to know the multidimensional Aurora from toddlerhood to teen. She not only helps her father--Haggard, the famous monster-fighting hero--but also has her own strengths, ideas, and mission.

Foremost in her mind is discovering the truth about her mother's death, which happened a decade earlier. Using clues from her own memories, supplemented with reference books and help from a friend, Aurora is starting to develop a theory about happened that fateful night and which monster might be responsible.

Meanwhile, she is in training with her father and the formidable Ms Grately, who lives with the Wests. When Aurora's not studying, she is keeping fit and is learning to shoot blaster guns, use jet packs, and drive a cool car. Click on the scan (pp. 1-2) to get a feeling for the art and characters.

Although classic superheros weren't my go-to comics, I've enjoyed getting to know Aurora. The Rise of Aurora West has a nice balance of action and narrative, and the monsters are cleverly imagined and fairly scary. This standalone spin-off of the Battling Boy series, gives Aurora depth and builds our sympathies.

As part of the First Second blog tour for The Rise of Aurora West, I'm excited to share with you two pieces of original, exclusive art from David Rubin. I love seeing Monkey Rabbit come alive from sketch to final art. And as you can tell from the bottom drawings, despite the monster's cute face, this is one creature you don't want to mess with!

To learn more about The Rise of Aurora West, visit the Macmillian website and check out the other blogs on the tour, where you can see more very cool original art by David Rubin. (click image to enlarge)

Macmillan / First Second, 2014
ISBN-13: 9781626720091
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Reading On Topic: Literary Roots

How do you organize your books? My answer: I don't.

However, I often mentally group my collection into broad topics or categories. Today I want to talk about eight books I think of as having literary roots. Some of the novels provide a different perspective on a classic, others explore real-life people who were connected with a famous book or author, and one resets a favorite story in contemporary times. Welcome to this edition of Reading On Topic.

Getting Her Say

The literary connections of this pair of novels are easy to spot. In Ruth's Journey, Donald McCaig imagines the life of Mammy from Gone with the Wind. Not only do we learn the servant's name, we discover just how she came to Tara from her native Saint-Domingue (Haiti). McCaig focuses on Ruth's relationship with Ellen O'Hara (Scarlett's mother) and imagines Scarlett's childhood up to the famous barbecue at Twelve Oaks. (Simon & Schuster / Atria; October; ISBN: 9781451643534) Juliet's Nurse, by Lois Leveen takes us inside the home of the Cappellettis, where Angelica, mourning the loss of her own daughter, is hired as Juliet's wet nurse. Through the nurse's eyes, we discover the events leading up to the moment when, fourteen years later, Juliet meets Romeo and then her tragic death. (Simon & Schuster / Atria; September; ISBN: 9781476757445)

Who Was She?

This duo imagines the lives of five women who were well-known in the book world. In Mrs. Hemingway, Naomi Wood gives voice to all four of the famous author's wives, and from their perspectives we get to know the private Hemingway. Although a work of fiction, this story of the women, their marriages, and the man they loved is based on thorough research. (Penguin paperback; May; ISBN: 9780143124610) Can you even count the number of times you've read Goodnight Moon (to yourself or to a child)? Now ask yourself what you know about author Margaret Wise Brown. Curiosity drove Sarah Jio to explore Brown's life, and the result is the novel Goodnight June. Based on fact and fleshed out by imagination, this novel brings the author of the beloved book to life. (Penguin / Plume; May; ISBN: 9780142180211)

Classics Gone Mysterious

The roots of these mysteries are found in ancient Greece and medieval England. The Furies by Natalie Haynes features an ex-actor who is mourning the death of her finance while starting a new career. Alex, now a drama therapist, teaches the Greek tragedies to a class of very troubled teens in attempt to help them face their personal issues. But what happens when the kids relate a little too closely to the stories of murder and revenge? (Macmillan / St. Martins Press; August; ISBN: 9781250048004) In A Burnable Book, Bruce Holsinger takes us back to the 1300s to solve a mystery surrounding a subversive book. Geoffrey Chaucer teams up with John Grower to find the manuscript, thereby protecting young King Richard II and saving the monarchy. Sharp period details color the action. (HarperCollins / William Morrow paperback; September; ISBN: 9780062240330)

A Retelling and a Return

Rounding out this edition of Reading On Topic are a contemporary retelling of a classic and a novel that asks, What happened next? In Sway, Kat Spears takes Cyrano de Bergerac and sets the story in a modern high school. Every student knows that Jesse is the go-to guy for whatever you want, so when football star Ken asks for help to win a date with the beautiful Bridget, Jesse assumes it will be a snap. Until, that is, he gets to know the girl and starts to fall in love. (Macmillian / St. Martin's Griffin; September; ISBN: 9781250051431) Do you remember the ending of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? Danielle Paige wants to know what happened after Dorothy killed the Wicked Witch of the West and finally found a way home. Dorothy Must Die revisits an Oz in which Dorothy has returned to rule and has let power go to her head. Can Amy--another Kansas-native, tornado-traveling girl--undo the damage and restore Oz to its former glory? (HarperCollins / Harper Torch; April; ISBN: 9780062280671)

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Today's Read: The Book of Jonah by Joshua Max Feldman

Imagine you were an ordinary, modern, ambitious guy working to get ahead at your New York City law firm. Now suppose that you had a vision from God, right in the middle of a Scotch-filled office event. That's what happened to thirty-two-year-old Jonah Jacobstein. What will he do if he suddenly develops a conscience?

Jonah knew the 59th Street subway station well enough that he did not have to look up from his iPhone as he made his way among its corridors and commuters to the track. He felt lucky as he came down the stairs to the platform to see a train just pulling in—he boarded without breaking his stride, took a seat by the door of the nearly empty car, went on typing. A crowd of people flooded in at the next station, but Jonah felt he'd had a long enough day that he need not give up seat. But then an older woman—frumpy, blue-haired, with a grandmotherly sweet face and a tiny bell of a nose—ended up standing directly before him, and Jonah decided to do the right thing and he stood.

—The Book of Jonah by Joshua Max Feldman (Macmillan / Henry Holt & Co., 2014, p. 1)

Quick Facts

• Setting: current times, New York City, Amsterdam, Las Vegas
• Circumstances: Jonah, a not particularly religious young man, must decide if he is having visions from God or whether he's going mad. If the former, then what is expected of him?
• Genre: contemporary fiction; biblical retelling; roots in midrash
• Characters: Jonah, city lawyer on the rise; Judith, Boston art expert, feeling lost; their loves, family, and colleagues
• Themes: how would you know if you were called by God; good vs. evil; one man against a city; lessons from the biblical Jonah as they apply to the modern world; can we save others from themselves
• What I know so far: interesting premise; not religious in a traditional sense; writing is detailed; am reserving judgment at the moment because I've really just started it
• Extras: Joshua Feldman wrote a piece for the Jewish Book Council explaining why he based his novel on the Book of Jonah; the Macmillan site includes an interview with Feldman and a short audio in which the author discusses his background and goals for the novel

ISBN-13: 9780805097764
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Best Young Adult and Middle Grade Books from 2013

It's time for my best-of 2013 lists! I will post four this year. Thursday was all about audiobooks, Friday was adult books, Saturday was food and cookbooks, and today is middle grade and young adult. Enjoy!

A note on my selections: The books that appear on this list were read by me in 2013 but may have been published earlier. I picked the books that resonated with me, without regard for the target audience. Books are presented alphabetically by title; links lead to my reviews or thoughts.

• Mary E. Pearson's The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Macmillan / Henry Holt), dystopian, young adult
• Rob Buyea's Because of Mr. Terupt (Random House / Delecorte), contemporary fiction, middle grade
• Samantha Shannon's The Bone Season (Bloomsbury USA), fantasy, dystopian, young adult

• Jennifer A. Nielsen's The False Prince (Scholastic), medieval, historical fiction, middle grade
• Catherynne M. Valente's The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Macmilian Childrens / Feiwel & Friends), fantasy, middle grade
• Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane (William Morrow), fantasy, for everyone, top children's book

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Best Adult Books from 2013

It's time for my best-of 2013 lists! I will post four this year. Yesterday was all about audiobooks, today is adult books, tomorrow is food and cookbooks, and Monday is middle grade and young adult. Enjoy!

A note on my selections: Although I liked and was moved by many books this year, these are the ones that have stuck with me, that I still talk about, that I pushed on highly recommended to my friends and family, and that I gave as presents. Books are presented alphabetically by title; links lead to my reviews or thoughts.

• Kent Haruf's Benediction (Random House / Knopf), fiction, western
• Larry Watson's Let Him Go (Milkweed Editions), fiction, western Top read of the year
• Jo Baker's Longbourn (Random House / Knopf), historical fiction, Pride & Prejudice
• Philip Caputo's The Longest Road (Macmillan / Henry Holt), nonfiction, travel, social commentary

• Beth Hoffman's Looking for Me (Viking / Pamela Dorman), fiction, southern
• Sharon Short's My One Square Inch of Alaska (Penguin / Plume), fiction
• Paul Lynch's Red Sky in Morning (Hachette Book Group / Little, Brown), historical fiction
• Jess Walter's We Live in Water (HarperCollins / Harper Perennial), short stories

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Weekend Cooking: A Look at My Cookbook Shelves

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

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It's incredibly hard for me to believe that this is my 200th Weekend Cooking post. I really had no idea when I wrote that first post, almost four years ago, that I'd still have a backlog of ideas for this weekly meme. Thanks so much to all of you for joining in on the fun over the years.

It's been a long time since I've grabbed a stack of cookbooks from one of my shelves to share with you. So here is another edition of a look at my cookbook shelves. I'll start at the top of the photo and work my way down. For a closer look at the spines, click on the photo to enlarge it.

1. Every once in a while I think Mr. BFR and I are going to transform ourselves into cocktail drinkers, so I pick up a fun book on mixed drinks. Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan's New Classic Cocktails (Macmillan 1997) has a lot going for it. Not only does it include the usual bar-tending tips and recipes but it provides a history for each of the included drinks plus some beautiful photography. Although the drinks are no longer new, several have indeed become classic: the Cosmopolitan and Lemon Drop, for example, were developed in the 1990s and are still with us. Recommended and useful.

2. I picked up several good books during my French phase, and I'm sure I bought Diana Shaw's Sweet Basil, Garlic, Tomatoes, and Chives (Harmony Books, 1992), for the title alone. As the subtitle says, this book is all about vegetables from Tuscany and Provence. Oddly enough, the only recipe I remember making from it is one for stuffed grape leaves--not a dish I associate with Italy or France. Apparently Greek is (was?) popular in Aix-en-Provence. The grape leaves were good but not particularly spectacular. Neutral recommendation.

3. Sitting comfortably next to the last book is The Provence Cookbook by Patricia Wells (HarperCollins, 2004). I would buy pretty much any book Wells wrote, and this is one I'm happy to own. I love the wine recommendations, spotlights on local growers and winemakers, tips on technique, and the descriptions of the French countryside. The recipes are easy to follow and wonderfully appealing. Recommended.

4. In the old days (meaning before the Internet) I devoured the Wednesday New York Times, and one of my favorite columns was "The 60-Minute Gourmet" because the recipes were always winners. Cooking with the 60-Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey and Bryan Miller (Times Books, 1999) is a wonderful collection of 300 recipes that originally appeared in the newspaper. If you find this or any of the 60-Minute Gourmet books for sale, don't hesitate to buy. The recipes have stood the test of time, and I still love cooking with Franey. Highly recommended.

5. I bought South American Cooking by Barbara Karoff (Aris Books, 1989) because when I was a graduate student I lived in Peru for a few months while doing research. I thought maybe I would try my hand at some of the dishes I discovered when I was there. Sadly, I don't think I've ever cooked out of this book. Though now that I'm looking it through it again, I may be inspired. Unknown recommendation.

6. As many of you know, I love to bake bread, and Carol Field's Focaccia (Chronicle Books, 1994) is a beautiful book all about bread from Italy. If you're not familiar with Field, she is a well-known food writer who got her start in 1970s. Her recipes are always tasty and easy to follow. I love the great variety of breads in this book and the lovely photos. My favorite recieps feature fresh herbs and colorful garden vegetables. Highly recommended.

7. Judith Olney's The Farm Market Cookbook (Doubleday, 1991) is one of those books I look through a lot but never seem to cook from. The recipes are appealing, but I haven't yet been inspired enough to try one. I wish I knew why. Unknown recommendation.

8. Do you shop at the farmers' market? Belong to a CSA? Elizabeth Schneider's Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables: A Commonsense Guide (Harper & Row, 1986) could be your new friend. The book is arranged alphabetically and includes everything you need to know when your market basket includes veggies such as celery root and Jerusalem artichokes. Some of the included foods aren't all that uncommon anymore (arugula, kiwi) and some never were rare (Swiss chard, sour cherries), but all the advice and recipes are still useful and welcome. Recommended.

9. Sarah Leah Chase's Cold-Weather Cooking (Workman, 1990) is one of my favorite cookbooks. First, it's a Workman publication, and we all know how I feel about their books. Second, the recipes are homey, warming, and welcoming, bringing cheer to the winter months. If you were a fan of the Silver Palate cookbooks, you'll love Chase's solo venture. I turn to this for family meals, casual entertaining, and holiday parties. Don't pass on this one.

10. Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks at Home (Broadway Books, 1999) is another cookbook based on a New York Times food column. I don't think I've ever cooked from this book but I have used it to help me "minimalize" my own recipes. A nice reference.

11. Oh gosh. Apparently I raided my New York Times shelf for this post. The New York Times Cook Book by Craig Claiborne (Harper & Row, 1961) shown here is the original edition (it was updated in the 1980s, and I have that one too). My copy is beaten up, with a ripped jacket and broken spine and food-splattered pages. All 1500 recipes found within originally appeared in Claiborne's newspaper columns. I'm not sure what I can say about this classic book, except, well, it's a must have for any serious cookbook collector. Highly recommended.

I hope you enjoyed this look at one small section of my cookbook collection. I have no idea how many of these books are still in print, but you can always look at used book stores, your library, and flea markets.

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Today's Read: Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown

What if your life depended on your cooking skills? Now imagine that your kitchen is on a pirate ship and that your pantry is rarely restocked. Would you last even one night? Each Sunday, Owen Wedgewood must produce a stellar meal for Mad Hannah Mabbot, captain of the Flying Rose, or face the wrath of his abductor.

This body is not brave. Bespeckled with blood, surrounded by enemies, and bound on a dark course whose ultimate destination I cannot fathom—I am not brave.

The nub of a candle casts quaking light on my damp chamber. I have been afforded a quill and a blank logbook only after insisting that measurement and notation are crucial to the task with which I've been yoked.

—Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown (Macmillan / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013, p. 3)

Quick Facts

• Setting: the high seas, various ports around the world, 1819
• Circumstances: female pirate Mad Hannah demands her weekly gourmet meal while hunting down her sworn enemies and obtaining wealth; Owen cooks for his life
• Characters: Owen, world-famous chef; Hannah, world-famous pirate; the crew; a love interest
• Genre: historical fiction; food fiction; adventure
• Themes: friendship; loyalty; making the best of things; the darker side of the British Empire
• Miscellaneous: I was lucky enough to meet Eli Brown at BEA, and he has promised us a guest post; the novel has been described as "the Scheherazade story turned on its head, at sea, with food"

ISBN-13: 9780374123666
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

I wonder if I should duck my head in shame that I've only just now gotten around to Mary E. Pearson's The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Back in 2008, just months before I started Beth Fish Reads, I read about this young adult novel on one of my favorite blogs, Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast. I immediately bought the audiobook and put it on an mp3 player. Now, five years and several mp3 players later, I finally plugged in.

So for the two of you out there who haven't yet read The Adoration of Jenna Fox, here's the premise: Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox lives sometime in the future. It's after the big earthquake that changes the shape of California and technology is well advanced, but Jenna's America is not a dystopian one.

The book begins when Jenna wakes up after having been in a coma for almost a year after some kind of accident. She is struggling to regain her memory and get back her old life, which are made extra difficult because while she was still in the hospital, her mother and grandmother relocated her to the West Coast, leaving Jenna's father in their native Boston, where he must stay because of his work as a research geneticist. The more Jenna remembers, the more she senses something is not quite right--with her mind, her body, and her relationship with her parents.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox follows Jenna's journey to her reawakening to herself and the realities of her life after the accident. Pearson's world building is very cleverly done, especially because she set the time in the near future, in which people are coping with some of the problems that are today just beginning to rear their ugly heads, such as the effects of too many GMO products on the natural environment.

To keep from spoiling the story, I don't want to go into the characterizations too deeply. But I thought Jenna and her classmates reacted realistically to each other and to their circumstances. Pearson did a particularly good job with Jenna's grandmother, who is a little more traditional than the younger generations, and with the mysterious artist who lives next door.

I'm sure that many book clubs have discussed The Adoration of Jenna Fox over the years. The Macmillan website has a link to a reading guide with twenty-six great questions, ranging from the parent-child relationship to the future of technology. Teens and adults will find plenty to talk about after finishing this book.

I listened to the unabridged audio edition (Macmillan Audio; 7 hr, 44 min), read by the fabulous Jenna Lamia. Few narrators can capture the voice of teen as well as Lamia, and her talents shine in The Adoration of Jenna Fox, which is told from the first-person point of view. Lamia injects just enough emotion to allow listeners feel Jenna Fox's confusion and frustrations, anger and love without becoming overly dramatic. An audiobook treat.

Buy The Adoration of Jenna Fox at an indie or other bookstore near you.
Published by Macmillan / Henry Holt & Co., 2008
ISBN-13: 9780805076684
Rating: A-
Source: Bought (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Imprint Friday: The Pink Hotel by Anna Stothard

Welcome to Imprint Friday and today's featured imprint: Picador USA. Stop by each week to be introduced to a must-read title from one of my favorite imprints. I know you'll be adding many of these books to your wish list.

Ever since Anna Stothard's The Pink Hotel was long-listed for the Orange Prize, I've been curious about it. If you too missed the initial publication of this moving novel, you're in luck. Picador's paperback edition is due to be released on Tuesday, and I encourage you to pick up a copy.

Here's the publisher's summary:

A seventeen-year-old girl pieces together the mystery of her mother’s life and death among the bars and bedrooms of Los Angeles in this dazzling debut novel.

A raucous, drug-fueled party has taken over a boutique hotel on Venice Beach—it’s a memorial for Lily, the now-deceased, free-spirited proprietress of the place. Little do the attendees know that Lily’s estranged daughter—and the nameless narrator of this striking novel—is among them, and she has just walked off with a suitcase of Lily’s belongings.

Abandoned by Lily many years ago, she has come a long way to learn about her mother, and the stolen suitcase—stuffed with clothes, letters, and photographs—contains not only a history of her mother’s love life, but perhaps also the key to her own identity. As the tough, resourceful narrator tracks down her mother’s former husbands, boyfriends, and acquaintances, a risky reenactment of her life begins to unfold. Lily had a knack for falling in love with the wrong people, and one man, a fashion photographer turned paparazzo, has begun to work his sinuous charms on the young woman.

Told with high style and noirish flare, Anna Stothard’s The Pink Hotel is a powerfully evocative debut novel about wish fulfillment, reckless impulse, and how we discover ourselves.

Right from the first page, Anna Stothard sets the mood that prevails throughout the entire novel. Like our unnamed protagonist, we're dropped into the end of Lily's story and can't quite find a way to anchor her in reality based on the scant initial clues. Yet, like the girl, we are compelled to know and understand Lily, hoping that each fact or person will offer a key and let us in on the secrets. Who was this woman of multiple husbands, who left her three-year-old daughter, who was once a nurse turned model turned hotel owner, who rode motorcycles and wore silk dresses?

The Pink Hotel is difficult to describe. It's a well-proportioned mix of coming of age, contemporary commentary, and character study. But it's also an observational narrative, as told by the teen. The girl definitely has street smarts, but they are tempered by a level of naivete that befits her age and experience. At the same time, little escapes her attention, and it's the details she notices combined with her strong desire to connect with her mother that eventually help her get a handle on the past.

Stothard doesn't provide her protagonist with an easy path, but once you start reading The Pink Hotel, it's near-impossible to leave the teen on her own. Although you never learn the girl's name, you'll come to know her and hope she finds all she seeks.

I'll leave you with a passage I flagged to share:

At the bus stop everything was two-dimensional in the afternoon heat with the smoggy sunlight flattening the palm trees to the concrete buildings and the glassy yellow sky. Everything was stuck flat to everything else, like the cardboard cut-out background of a child's puppet theater. (p. 126)

Picador USA is a featured imprint on Beth Fish Reads. For more information about the imprint, visit the Picador's website. While there, take a look at the Picador book club and reading guides and sign up for their newsletters. For up-to-date news, don't miss their Tumblr site or Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

Buy The Pink Hotel at an indie or at a bookstore near you. (Link leads to an affiliate program.)
Published by Macmillan / Picador 2013
ISBN-13: 9781250026804
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Today's Imprint Read: Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman

What would it be like to grow up in a dirt-poor community of rusted-out trailers in the middle of the desert, never feeling safe? Rory Hendrix knows that world all too well, even though she's still just a little girl.

My mama always hid her mouth when she laughed. Even when she spoke too gleefully, mouth stretched too wide by those happy muscles, teeth too visible. I can still recognize someone from my neighborhood by their teeth. Or lack of them. And whenever I do, I call those people family. I know immediately that I can trust them with my dog but not with the car keys and not to remember what time, exactly, they're coming back for their kids. I know if we get into a fight and Johnny shows up we'll agree that there has been "No problem, Officer, we'll keep it down."

I know what they hide when they hide those teeth.

—Girlchild by Tupel Hassman (Macmillan / Picador, 2013, p. 3)

Quick Facts

• Setting: the Calle des Flores, outside of Reno; the 1960s
• Circumstances: Rory lives with her mother but must fend for herself; she is smart but is beaten down by abuse and poverty; she wants out but is distrustful of the system
• Characters: Rory; Jo, her mother; Hardware Man, the evil neighbor; various people from the Calle and school
• Style: written in short pieces: diary entries, Girl Scout Handbook, case worker files, school word problems
• Genre: literary, coming of age
• Difficult themes: child abuse, poverty
• Miscellaneous: just out in paperback this month; winner of several awards, including the 2013 Alex Award and the 2012 Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize

What to Know More?

Learn about Tupelo Hassman by visiting her her website, her Tumblr site, and her Facebook page. She's been interviewed a number of times, including by The Rumpus, Litseen, and The Kenyon Review. For an overview of the novel, watch this short video, which includes a brief reading from the book.

Picador USA is a featured imprint on Beth Fish Reads. For more information about the imprint, visit the Picador's website. While there, take a look at the Picador book club and reading guides and sign up for their newsletters. For up-to-date news, don't miss their Tumblr site or Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

Buy Girlchild at an indie or at a bookstore near you. (Link leads to an affiliate program.)
ISBN-13: 9781250024060
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Review: Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler

When ninety-something Miss Isabelle gets a phone call to return to her hometown area to attend a funeral, she asks her friend Dorrie to drive her from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area to Cincinnati. Dorrie is the closest thing the older woman has to family, never mind that Dorrie is also her hairdresser.

Although the two women feel close, once in the car, they realize they don't really know all that much about each other. Over the course of the long drive they share their stories. But it's Isabelle's tale and the revelation of who died that forms the core of Julie Kibler's debut novel, Calling Me Home.

In the 1930s, northern Kentucky was still very much segregated, and the town of Shalerville was particularly strict in keeping black and white apart. Young Isabelle McAllister considered the housekeeper she grew up with to be part of the family, but clearly her mother had different ideas. When she finds herself falling in love with the housekeeper's son, Robert, the headstrong teenager doesn't foresee the chain of events she sets off.

The novel is told in alternating chapters from Dorrie's and Isabelle's viewpoints, with Dorrie focusing on the present, and Isabelle talking about the past. Their lives have been very different, yet they both have had to deal with racial prejudices and heartbreak that neither finds easy to vocalize. By the time their road trip has ended, the two women have learned from each other, gaining a fresh perspective.

Julie Kibler's strongest talent is creating believable characters that readers almost immediately identify with. Isabelle is willful and knows her own mind, and I liked seeing how those traits were different in the elderly Isabelle from the way they were manifest in her teenage years. Breaking racial barriers was never easy, but for Isabelle and Robert, it seemed almost impossible. The feelings of both their families, the sociocultural consequences, and how their relationship shaped their futures seemed true to the late 1930s and early 1940s. My heart went out to them and their inevitable troubles.

I also liked Dorrie, but I found it a little harder to connect to her, although I'm closer to her age than to Isabelle's. I think perhaps that's because I always have trouble with characters in their 30s who can't seem to recognize a good relationship when it hits them over the head. That, however, is just me, and I know other, perhaps younger, readers will be strongly drawn to Dorrie's plight.

Calling Me Home was chosen as the She Reads book club selection for February. This was a wise pick because there's quite a bit to discuss, and I predict that readers of different ages will react in different ways, which always makes for good conversation. Some of the major discussion points are racism in the past and present, women's rights, how the institution of marriage has changed over the years, the strength (or not) of families, and parenting styles and how they affect the lives of their children.

To see what other She Reads Book Club members thought of the book, to enter a great giveaway, and to join the conversation, visit the She Reads website.

Buy Calling Me Home at an Indie or at bookstore near you. This link leads to an affiliate program.
Macmillan / St. Martin's Press, 2013
ISBN-13: 9781250014528
Rating: B
Source: Bought (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Review: A Possible Life by Sebastian Faulks

In an interview, in a short video (embedded here), and in the subtitle, Sebastian Faulks calls his latest book a novel. A Possible Life, however, is made up of five parts, each of which is set in a different time and place. Moreover, the parts are not arranged chronologically.

The first story is about Geoffrey's transformation from British school master in a private (public in England) school to Allied spy in France to Nazi concentration camp escapee. The second story follows Billy as he grows from a child left at a Victorian workhouse to a literate family man of modest means. Elena, raised on a farm in a futuristic Europe, becomes a famous scientist who studies the connections between psychology, genetics, and the soul. In the mid-1800s, Jeanne leaves a Catholic orphanage to become a maid and then a trusted household member of a French bourgeois family. In the final story, Anya, a hippie musician, travels the road to fame in the last decades of the twentieth century.

The five parts of A Possible Life are not linked in a conventional way. In fact, the characters and events do not appear in more than one story. Instead, Faulks connects them on an unexpected level by examining the same set of themes in each, although with different combinations of emphasis. To at least some degree, each story addresses success, mental health, spiritualism, the soul, and relationships.

For example, at least one character in each part suffers from a psychological crisis, such as post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression, or mental breakdown. In addition, the protagonist of each story is on an upward journey, either socioculturally or in terms of career, sometimes with unpredictable results.

Although Faulks calls A Possible Life a novel, to me it reads as a collection of individual short stories that focus on similar issues. Regardless of the terminology, the vivid characters and strong sense of place make this book one of the best of the year.

In the following short video Sebastian Faulks discusses his novel:

My review of the audio edition will be published by AudioFile magazine.

Buy A Possible Lie at a bookstore near you.
Published by Macmillan /Henry Holt, 2012
Rating: A
ISBN-13: 9780805097306
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Review: A Mortal Bane by Roberta Gellis

How is it that Magdalene la Batarde has been able to set up her high-class brothel in the Old Priory Guesthouse, which is still owned by St. Mary Overy Church? Magdalene doesn't run a common whorehouse, and her women are far from usual. She employs simple-minded Ella, blind Sabina, and mute Letice. The cook and housekeeper, Dulcie, can barely hear. For a high price, a gentleman can spend an enjoyable evening and know his secrets will be kept.

One night in the spring of 1139, a messenger from the pope comes to the guesthouse gate and asks for lodging. Only hours after the man has been entertained by Sabina, a body is found on the steps of the church, and the women are accused of the murder. They know they will hang because who would believe the word of a whore over that of a church official?

Sir Bellamy of Itchen, a bishop's knight is sent to Soutwark (outside of London) to investigate the murder. When he visits the Old Priory Guesthouse to search for clues, he is surprised at what he finds and is immediately drawn to the beautiful Magdalene. As they work together to find the murderer, they learn that this crime is more than a simple case of a robbery gone wrong. Furthermore, the messenger may have carried papers important both to the church of St. Overy and to Stephen in his fight with Maud for the English crown.

In A Mortal Bane, Gellis draws us into the world of medieval England, and we get a peek at the politics of the early church. Greed, murder, overzealous piety, politics, prejudice, and simple jealousy must all be sorted out before the murderer can be found. All the while we wonder, along with Bellamy, about Magdalene's past and her relationship with her powerful benefactor.

I highly recommend this first in the series mystery, and I will absolutely be reading the rest. If you like Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael series, you'll like this too. The characters are complex, the dialogue is believable, and the action is just right.

I listened to this unabridged audiobook, which was read by Nadia May. May did an excellent job differentiating among the characters, and her accents and inflections enhanced the book.

Audio published by Blackstone Audiobooks, 2002
ISBN-13: 0786193964
Challenge: 25 Books
Rating: A

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