Audiobook Review: More Than You Know by Penny Vincenzi

Title:  More Than You Know

Author Penny Vincenzi

Narrator:  Rosalyn Landor

Unabridged Length:  23 hrs, 25 mn

Here is a summary of the novel from the AudioGO website:
It all comes down to love or money in a harrowing custody battle over a little girl, set against the glossy backdrop of the magazine and advertising worlds in 1960s London. A privileged girl from a privileged class, Eliza has a dazzling career in the magazine world of the 1960s. But when she falls deeply in love with Matt, an edgy working-class boy, she gives up her ritzy, fast-paced lifestyle to get married. By the end of the decade, however, their marriage has suffered a harrowing breakdown, culminating in divorce and a dramatic courtroom custody battle over their little girl. Also at risk is Eliza's gorgeous family home, a pawn in the game, which she can't bear to give up. True to form, Penny Vincenzi introduces a devious cast of characters seemingly plucked from the pages of sixties- and seventies-era magazines, as she deftly maneuvers between the glamorous, moneyed worlds of fashion and advertising, and a heart-wrenching custody battle going on in the courtroom where the social mores of the time are on full display. 

 My Review:
This was an interesting story to listen to as we follow the social circles of all the characters involved.  Not only do we get an up close look at Eliza's life, but we also get to see things from Matt's perspective as well.  Getting to know Matt and Eliza's siblings was like the icing on the cake.

After Eliza ends an engagement, she finds herself falling in love with Matt, a self-made entrepreneur.  A whirlwind romance results in a wedding between the two, leaving Eliza compromising the life she led up until now.  She has been very successful in the magazine industry, but Matt does not believe a wife should work outside the home.  She does hold onto her job for some time, but with the arrival of children Matt demands she stay home as his children will not be raised by nannies.

Besides the relationship issues between Matt and Eliza, we also follow Matt's sister Scarlet's love life.  I think the best way to describe Scarlet is to say she has been unlucky in love.  She has a tendency to choose and fall in love with married men.  Scarlet is such a sweet young lady and the reader can't help but desire that she finally finds a man that will give her the love she so richly deserves.

Circumstances eventually spin out of control within Eliza and Matt's marriage, leaving them both seeking a divorce.  Through their marriage, they opened themselves to each other's family members, making the separation that much more painful.  Things will never be the same between the two families.

Landor did a great job of narrating this novel.  I loved how she took on different personalities and voices for the characters.  Every now and then when a man was speaking, I thought there was a different narrator that was actually a man!  With themes of love, betrayal, fashion, and high society this novel was very enjoyable to listen to.  This book gets my recommendation as a great novel to pick up for personal leisure and listening pleasure.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox in exchange for an honest review.      

Review and Giveaway: The Winters in Bloom by Lisa Tucker

Here is a summary of the book from the Simon and Schuster website:


Together for over a decade, Kyra and David Winter are happier than they ever thought they could be. They have a comfortable home, stable careers, and a young son, Michael, who they love more than anything. Yet because of their complicated histories, Kyra and David have always feared that this domestic bliss couldn’t last - that the life they created was destined to be disrupted. And on one perfectly average summer day, it is: Michael disappears from his own backyard.

The only question is whose past has finally caught up with them: David feels sure that Michael was taken by his troubled ex-wife, while Kyra believes the kidnapper must be someone from her estranged family, someone she betrayed years ago.

As the Winters embark on a journey of time and memory to find Michael, they will be forced to admit these suspicions, revealing secrets about themselves they’ve always kept hidden. But they will also have a chance to discover that it’s not too late to have the family they’ve dreamed of; that even if the world is full of risks, as long as they have hope, the future can bloom.

Lyrical, wise, and witty, The Winters in Bloom is Lisa Tucker’s most optimistic work to date. This enchanting, life-affirming story will charm readers and leave them full of wonder at the stubborn strength of the human heart.

My Review:
This book had me wrapped up in the characters from the very beginning.  When David and Kyra's son, Michael disappears, both contemplate who from their past could have done this to them.  They have taken every precaution to keep their little boy safe, only to have him taken in the blink of an eye.

Kyra has been struggling with her problems since her mother walked out on the family when she was a young girl.  Kyra became closer to her sister Amy, but somehow failed to realize that the day her mother left, is the day that a piece of Amy died also.  They went through the regular motions of high school and boyfriends, until Amy veered off-track when they left for college.  Amy made all the wrong choices, from drugs, alcohol, and men, until she decides to desert her sister in search of something that will help her feel whole.

David seemed to have a good childhood, although he was always a bit on the emotional side.  He found himself attracted to girls that seemed wounded and frail.  This led him to his first marriage that ended in a disaster that left him shattered and uncertain of trusting anyone in his life again.

When young Michael disappears David and Kyra both realize that they must confront their pasts to get the answers they need.  Tucker did a wonderful job of bringing these character's pasts to life for us and revealing the situation in a way that made me crave for this book when I wasn't able to read it.  With themes of love, resentment, and forgiveness, I feel that this would  be great to read for leisure or  as a book club discussion.  I highly recommend this novel.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me by the publisher through the Netgalley program in exchange for an honest review.

Now for the Giveaway!

I was lucky enough to receive a hardcover copy of this book also, so that is what I will be giving away.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.

For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.

Please include your email so I will have a way to contact you if you win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as myemail.address AT gmail DOT com or myemail.address [at] gmail [dot] com.

Good Luck Everyone!

**This giveaway is closed**

Audiobook Review: The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay

Title:  The House I Loved

Author:  Tatiana de Rosnay

Narrator:  Kate Reading

Unabridged Length: 5 hrs, 56 mn.



Here is a summary of the book from the Macmillan website:

Paris, France: 1860’s. Hundreds of houses are being razed, whole neighborhoods reduced to ashes. By order of Emperor Napoleon III, Baron Haussman has set into motion a series of large-scale renovations that will permanently alter the face of old Paris, moulding it into a “modern city.” The reforms will erase generations of history—but in the midst of the tumult, one woman will take a stand.

 Rose Bazelet is determined to fight against the destruction of her family home until the very end; as others flee, she stakes her claim in the basement of the old house on rue Childebert, ignoring the sounds of change that come closer and closer each day. Attempting to overcome the loneliness of her daily life, she begins to write letters to Armand, her beloved late husband. And as she delves into the ritual of remembering, Rose is forced to come to terms with a secret that has been buried deep in her heart for thirty years. Tatiana de  Rosnay's The House I Loved is both a poignant story of one woman’s indelible strength, and an ode to Paris, where houses harbor the joys and sorrows of their inhabitants, and secrets endure in the very walls...

My Review:
This was an enjoyable novel to listen to that brought us into historical Paris, not only through the letters of our dear main character Rose, but also the people that were dear to her heart.  Kate Reading did a great job narrating this novel and to me embraced the characters and the time period that helped to create vivid images for me.

As you can see from the summary above, the home that holds memories of Rose's full life is about to be turned into rubble.  She doesn't seem to have any alternative but to accept the fact that her home will soon be destroyed.  As she comes to terms with this fact, she also finds a way to reconcile with herself the many unfortunate events that took place there.  Through her letters to her long-passed husband, she reveals secrets that have been hidden in her heart throughout her lifetime.

We get to know other characters in the novel from the letters that they write to Rose.  From these various letters we get to know Rose as the gentle and loving woman that she has become.  This makes the secret she has been carrying around throughout her life that much more of an abomination.

I did enjoy this audiobook filled with french accents and history.  My only problem is that I would sometimes be confused if I wasn't paying close attention to whose letter was being read at the time.  Quite often when reading a book like this I find myself going back to the beginning of the chapter to see who is speaking.  Sometimes that is hard to do while listening to an audiobook.  With themes of love, loss, friendship, and secrets, this was an enjoyable book to listen to and I also feel that it would make an interesting book club discussion.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me by Audiobook Jukebox in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Title:  The Hunger Games

Author:  Suzanne Collins

Narrator:  Carolyn McCormick

Unabridged Length:  11 hrs, 14 mn.


Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

My Review:
I am not one to hop on the bandwagon of popular fiction, but my friend Miranda said that I HAVE to listen to this audiobook!  I have to admit that I didn't really know anything about this book when I checked it out at the library, so it turned into a pleasant surprise.  

Collins immerses us into a dystopian society that was formerly North America, but is now known as Panem.  The time of the annual Hunger Games is approaching as everyone prepares to attend the Reaping.  All citizens are required to attend the Reaping, where they will choose each Districts representatives that will participate in the games.

As you can tell from the summary above, young Prim is selected from her District, but that is when Katniss comes forward to take her place in the games.  It takes a courageous girl to step forward knowing that it is very possible she will be murdered because of her decision.  A boy and girl from each District will be chosen to participate, and the games will not be over until there is only one child standing.

When the games actually begin, I think I turned into a nervous wreck as I listened to this audio.  It was very intense as these young people are forced to murder in order to stay alive.  We see how Katniss herself deals with these conflicting feelings that arise as she fights for her own survival.

I am not going to tell you any more about this book, except that it was amazing!  I know that this book is considered a young adult novel, but obviously readers of all ages have found enjoyment from it.  With themes of survival, honor, trust, and family, there really is something that will appeal to just about everyone.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel to just about anyone I know.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this audiobook from the library for my own listening entertainment. 

Audiobook Review: Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons

Title:  Burnt Mountain

Author:  Anne Rivers Siddons

Narrator:  Kate Reading

Unabridged Length:  9hrs, 13mn.

Here is a summary of the book from the Hachette website:
From one of our most acclaimed writers comes this dramatic tale of a well-born Southern woman whose life is forever changed by the betrayal of her mother and by the man she loves

Growing up, the only place tomboy Thayer Wentworth felt at home was at her summer camp - Camp Sherwood Forest in the North Carolina Mountains. It was there that she came alive and where she met Nick Abrams, her first love...and first heartbreak.

Years later, Thayer marries Aengus, an Irish professor, and they move into her deceased grandmother's house in Atlanta, only miles from Camp Edgewood on Burnt Mountain where her father died years ago in a car accident. There, Aengus and Thayer lead quiet and happy lives until Aengus is invited up to the camp to tell old Irish tales to the campers. As Aengus spends less time at home and becomes more distant, Thayer must confront dark secrets-about her mother, her first love, and, most devastating of all, her husband.

My Review:
This novel made an interesting audiobook that takes us through the life journey of Thayer.  We see the inside workings of her relationship with her parents and are able to watch her blossom into a young lady.  Thayer hasn't had much romance in her life, but we get an up close look into her heart as she becomes emotionally captured by young Nick.

The beginning of this novel was very confusing for me as I thought I was listening to Thayer's story.  The story begins by Thayer giving a detailed account of how her parents met and fell in love.  This did not make sense to me since Thayer obviously was not even alive at this point.  This was my main complaint about the novel and once the story got to the point of focusing on Thayer, I found it enjoyable.

Thayer was closer with her father than she was with her mother.  So when her father passed away suddenly in a car accident on Burnt Mountain, life changes too quickly for her.  Solace is found quickly for her when her grandmother moves into their home, helping to fill some of the absence left by her father.  Thayer has an honest and heartfelt relationship with her grandmother and this woman probably provides realistic guidance when her mother wouldn't.

The summer that Thayer is a counselor at Camp Sherwood Forest is a life-changing summer for her.  This is where she meets and falls in love with Nick Abrams.  One would think that this would create fond memories of young and innocent love, but when Thayer thinks on those days she only recalls heartbreak and deceit.

After dealing with the events of that summer Thayer finds her life on a new path.  She goes to a college that she wasn't even considering and starts a relationship with an Irish professor.  Their relationship grows and blossoms, leading up to their marriage.  But will Thayer be happy married to Aengus for the rest of her life, rather than Nick? 

This book was full of a few surprises, once I got past the beginning with the confusing narration.  I found myself being quite angry at one point, so obviously the novel and reader were able to keep my attention.  With themes of true love, deceit, and life changes, you may be interested in this book also.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What's in a Name Challenge 5

Although I failed the What's in a Name Challenge for 2011, I have decided to give it a shot once again for 2012.    Beth Fish Reads is gracious enough to host this challenge for us once again and I appreciate the fact that this is a flexible challenge. You can view the entire rules and sign up yourself here if you are interested.

Here are the categories for this year:

A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title:
Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons--Completed 2/11/12

A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title:
The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran--Completed 4/2/12

A book with a creepy crawly in the title:

A book with a type of house in the title:
The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay--Completed 4/17/12

A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins--Completed 3/8/12

A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title:
The Winters in Bloom by Lisa Tucker--Completed 6/6/12

I will add the titles of books to this post as I read them for this challenge.  So are you a glutton for punishment yourself?  Go ahead and sign up...you know you want to!