I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

Sometimes I admit I judge a book by its cover. I saw I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci in one of our catalogs. The cover was cute (bright pink with a spaghetti heart) so I decided to give it a try. The book is a memoir about the author’s adventures in the dating and culinary worlds, both successful and disastrous.  She falls head over heels in love with her boyfriends, while they fall in love with her cooking. The book is Sex and the City meets The Food Network. It was pretty entertaining, although, a couple of her stories seemed a kind of pointless, such when she tried to make dinner for her boyfriend while trying to download music on the internet. This book was narrated by the author and I enjoyed her narration despite her breathing into the microphone occasionally. Overall the book was fun and my only complaint is that all the food talk really got me antsy to go home and eat!

Presumed Guilty

Richard Tremain’s flame of the month, Miranda Wood has just been accused of stabbing her married lover to death.  Miranda is presumed guilty by the small island residents that view the Tremain’s as royalty.  Proving her innocence is harder then she anticipated, especially since she is in a battle of her life at every turn.

I enjoy Tess Gerritsen’s, Rizzoli and Isles Series but it is nice to listen to a title of hers that is not part of a series.  Presumed Guilty combines what I personally love, a murder mystery, a trial, a blackmail list of the cities elite, a scorned widow, a secret will and forbidden lust!

Presumed Guilty is performed by Jennifer Van Dyck, who is in my opinion, an exceptional narrator.  She has narrated other popular audiobooks such as Iris Johansen’s Even Duncan Series.  She did a great job distinguishing difference between the all the characters.  It can be tricky performing male, female and elderly voices, but it was flawless. 

Iit is clear that someone wants Miranda dead.  Will the brother of her ex-lover help prove her innocence or send Miranda to the gas chamber?  Why does someone want Miranda dead? Is it to avenge the death of a respected man, or to keep the real killer hidden from the public?  Was Richard Tremain killed in a lovers rage, or to keep a secret buried?

E. D.

But I Don't Have Time to Read...

Being a new mom is not only exhausting, but it leaves one with little “me” time. What few precious moment of that time I do find myself with, I’m so wiped out that I find myself collapsing into bed or on the couch.

Before I had my son, I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I could spend hours upon hours engrossed in a good story. Now my reading time is limited to Goodnight Moon and Go, Dog. Go!

While I wouldn’t change my situation for the world, I am so thankful that I have audiobooks to “read”. I’ve listened to audiobooks for years, but it was always in addition to what I was already reading (mainly on my commute to and from work). Now it seems to be my main source of literary entertainment, and I’m rather enjoying it.

I’ve even taken to listening to my audiobooks while I’m doing household chores during my son’s nap time (this seems to be the only time I can get anything done around the house). I wish I would have thought to do this years ago. Certainly makes cleaning more enjoyable…ok, maybe not more enjoyable. Perhaps more tolerable?

Anyway you look at it, I’m sure it must be a sight to behold…

I’ve got my son’s baby monitor hooked onto one pocked and my iPod hooked onto the other. I’m running around like the Tasmanian Devil trying to whip the house into shape before my little bundle wakes up and wreaks his darling little baby havoc upon the house once again.

Whew… I’m exhausted just thinking about it!

Moral of the story—multitasking is key when you barely have time to catch your breath! For all of you other new moms out there, you just might want to give this technique a try.

-E.M.

Lethal Guardian

Lately I have found myself drawn to true crime novels. I just listened to Lethal Guardian by M. William Phelps. The case: who killed Buzz Clinton? He was no angel, plenty of people had motive to kill him but the person who most wanted him dead was his sister in law, Beth Ann Carpenter. Beth Ann desperately wanted custody of her niece, who she was convinced was being abused. It became a case of murder for hire that confounded police for years.

I got pretty wrapped up in this book. The details of the case and the behavior of everyone involved was so bizarre that I have come to the conclusion that real life is far stranger than fiction…

L.E.

The House at Riverton

This is a substantial audiobook with 16 CD’s and 19 hours of listening.  It spans 100 years of a woman’s life from childhood to old age, and we are treated to a firsthand account of how the world changed over a century.  The main character Grace starts out as a fourteen year old house maid in England.  We get to experience firsthand what life was like during the two World Wars and how they changed the lives of people all over the world from all economic and social classes. 

The story unfolds as Grace is approached by a young screenwriter who is making a movie based on the affluent family Grace worked for as young woman.  She is particularly interested in the relationship Grace had and observed with the two sisters in the family, and what she may know about the mysterious young poet said to have taken his own life one summer night.  What really happened to that young man?  Was it really suicide or something much more sinister?   As Grace reveals her story we come to know and love the family as well as the other servants who live and work at the Riverton Manor.

This is the first book I’ve listened to or read by Kate Morton, and as it turns out this is her debut novel.  Read by Caroline Lee, this novel will surely ignite the memory of young love and whimsy in even the most cynical of listeners.

A.E.N.

Innocent by Association

Megan McKearn’s family name is being splashed onto the newspaper headlines once again.  Why does her life seem to spiral out of control when ever her ex-lover, Garret Reaves is involved?   With an investment scandal involving her family business as well as Garret, Megan must ask herself is he Guilty by Association or is he Innocent by Association?

With a storyline that involves a dead brother, an ill father, a sleazy attorney, an ex-lover and his ex-wife all twisted up in financial fraud within McKearn Investments, you would naturally assume that this story would be the bee’s knees… Well not so much for me.  I felt that there were some unanswered questions and storylines that never had resolution.

 For a basic love story I guess it was OK.  I could definitely see myself riding down the road, relaxing while listening to the story but I just never got into the storyline. I guess I have learned my lesson; plain romance is not for me.  I still enjoy listening to Lisa Jackson audiobooks but I definitely prefer her suspense titles over romance.

I enjoy Kate Rudd’s narration because you are able to differentiate between the characters, but she does not have the fake male voice that some narrators use.   Ms. Rudd has also narrated Abandoned by Lisa Jackson as well as her new release Sleepwalker.  She has also narrated audiobooks by Debbie Macomber as well as Nora Roberts.

Even though I felt that Innocent by Association’s storyline was a bit weak, it still had the basics of a good romance.  Garret and Kate must try to move past their past and see what the future may hold.  But can Kate forgive and forget, or is Garret destined to use her again?

E.D.

The Magic Room: A Story about the Love We Wish for Our Daughters

I found this book interesting when I found out it references a bridal shop in Fowler, Michigan and that it is about daughters. I have three daughters and can share the emotion and excitement that goes along with a daughter’s wedding. Finding the perfect dress, shoes, etc. that makes the wedding day perfect.

The Magic Room tells, the secrets, memories, and  family tales that are shared between a mother and daughter. It also shares the heartbreaking as well as joyful tales of  mothers and daughters. Illuminating the poignant aspects of a woman’s journey to the altar, The Magic Room tells the stories of memorable women on the brink of commitment. Run by the same family for four generations, Becker’s has witnessed transformations in how America views the institution of marriage: some of the shop’s clientele are becoming step-mothers, some are older brides, some are pregnant. Shop owner Shelley has a special affection for all the brides, hoping their journeys will be easier than hers.

The book tends to drag on as a story is told on the background of each bride. Then it would be several chapters before she was mentioned again. Towards the end, I started to feel more connected to the lives of these women and their families, but I still didn't feel there was a cohesive theme or message to the book. I did however, enjoy this book and would recommend it to anyone sharing a wedding with their daughter.

K.R.