Teaser Tuesday-May 17

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading.  TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

This week my teaser is from Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin:
He turned and saw the monster's face, knowing it immediately for the mask it was, that he'd owned since he was a kid, that his mother had hated, his father ridiculed, a gray zombie with bloody gashes and fuzzy patches of hair and one plastic eye that dangled from strands of gore.  Whoever wore it now must have found the mask French never had, hidden in Larry's closet.

pg. 6

My apologies if you have already read this teaser of mine.  I thought that I posted it last week but then with the problems that Blogger was having I realized that it wasn't there anymore!

Audiobook Review: A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay

Here is a summary of A Secret Kept from the Macmillan website:

This stunning new novel from Tatiana de Rosnay, author of the acclaimedNew York Times bestseller Sarah’s Key, plumbs the depths of complex family relationships and the power of a past secret to change everything in the present.

It all began with a simple seaside vacation, a brother and sister recapturing their childhood.  Antoine Rey thought he had the perfect surprise for his sister Mélanie’s birthday: a weekend by the sea at Noirmoutier Island, where the pair spent many happy childhood summers playing on the beach.  It had been too long, Antoine thought, since they’d returned to the island—over thirty years, since their mother died and the family holidays ceased.  But the island’s haunting beauty triggers more than happy memories; it reminds Mélanie of something unexpected and deeply disturbing about their last island summer.  When, on the drive home to Paris, she finally summons the courage to reveal what she knows to Antoine, her emotions overcome her and she loses control of the car.

Recovering from the accident in a nearby hospital, Mélanie tries to recall what caused her to crash.  Antoine encounters an unexpected ally: sexy, streetwise Angèle, a mortician who will teach him new meanings for the words life, love and death.  Suddenly, however, the past comes swinging back at both siblings, burdened with a dark truth about their mother, Clarisse.  

Trapped in the wake of a shocking family secret shrouded by taboo, Antoine must confront his past and also his troubled relationships with his own children.  How well does he really know his mother, his children, even himself?  Suddenly fragile on all fronts as a son, a husband, a brother and a father, Antoine Rey will learn the truth about his family and himself the hard way. By turns thrilling, seductive and destructive, with a lingering effect that is bittersweet and redeeming, A Secret Kept is the story of a modern family, the invisible ties that hold it together, and the impact it has throughout life.

My Review:
I was very excited to have a copy of this audiobook in my possession that was read by Simon Vance.  I've heard such wonderful things about his narration but have yet to listen to one of his stories.  Although this isn't a suspenseful audiobook, it is quite emotional as we journey with Antoine to his past as he recalls what life was like when his mother was alive and how it changed after she died.  This event obviously impacted him in a way that would affect how he cares for his own family and children.

Antoine is a divorced father who decides to take his sister Melanie on a special birthday vacation.  How could he know that the vacation would spur Melanie's memory to recall something about their mother that would cause a serious accident?  The accident would put Melanie on a long path of recuperation and also introduce Angele into Antione's life, who becomes a welcome love interest to him.  He finally can stop pining after his ex-wife as he now has the sexy and exciting Angele to look forward to spending time with.

When Melanie and Antoine were quite young their mother died, and it doesn't seem that either of them were given the opportunity to properly grieve for her.  As the emotions finally have a chance to surface, memories and questions about her death follow closely behind.  As Antoine surveys his mothers medical records he seems to have more questions, but will the answers bring him resolution or only create more heartache?  As Antoine deals with his feelings about his mother he finds that helps him to become a better father to the children that he seems to be growing apart from.

I must admit that this wasn't an audiobook that I found much enjoyment from.  I did enjoy parts of the story but I don't think I would have liked it more had I actually read it either.  With themes of secrets and parenting it was an interesting book to listen to, but you may enjoy it more than I did.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was from my personal collection and I listened to it for my own entertainment.

You can check out more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Mailbox Monday-May 9

Thanks to Marcia of The Printed Page for starting the Mailbox Monday Meme that has us list the books that we received last week. Although Marcia isn't going to be hosting Mailbox Monday any longer, she set it up so different bloggers have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is MariReads so head on over there to see what everyone else received or to play along!

Man, it has been a long time since I had a Mailbox Monday post and it is because I haven't been receiving any books...which can be a good thing!  Here is what was in my mailbox last week though:

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

When this book came in the mail last week I had to rearrange my reading schedule a bit as this one is for a blog tour that I will be participating in next month.  So was there anything interesting in your mailbox?

Audiobook Review: An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin

Here is a summary of An Object of Beauty from the Hachette website:

Lacey Yeager is young, captivating, and ambitious enough to take the NYC art world by storm. Groomed at Sotheby's and hungry to keep climbing the social and career ladders put before her, Lacey charms men and women, old and young, rich and even richer with her magnetic charisma and liveliness. Her ascension to the highest tiers of the city parallel the soaring heights--and, at times, the dark lows--of the art world and the country from the late 1990s through today.

My Review:
This is my first experience with Steve Martin's writing and I'm hoping it will not be my last.  This audiobook was narrated by Campbell Scott and he really seemed to capture the essence and the voice of Steve Martin for me.  Martin drops us right in the middle of the retail art world and brings to surface events that I wouldn't even have considered.

Daniel Franks realizes early on that he could never have a lasting and realistic relationship with Lacey Yeager.  When Lacey becomes a critical element to the Sotheby's Art Gallery she will basically do anything for anyone if the action will give her a step up the ladder in the art world.  Daniel is a nice young man who really is not looking for the additional stress in his life that this kind of person can bring.

As the story goes on, Lacey does become quite successful and actually does open her own gallery that flourishes with her touch.  It seems that Lacey may be about to lose everything from some illegal art dealings that have taken place in the past so now she must figure out what can be done so this does not happen.

This was a pretty good story but one part that did create a bit of confusion for me was the narration.  The book was supposedly narrated by Lacey's friend Daniel, but only a small portion of the book seemed to take on his voice.  Most of the novel seemed to be told in third person to me, which I really don't have a problem with, but it just didn't seem to flow well as it bounced between the voice of Daniel and the third person narration.

Besides my problem with the narration of the novel I did find some enjoyment of the story.  Although I didn't love the book, I did enjoy the story overall and would definitely suggest it to those that are interested in the art world.  I think I may have mentioned in the past that I am not a big 'lover of art', and that may have helped my appreciation of this book.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me from Anna at Hachette in exchange for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday-May 3

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading.  TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

This week my teaser is from They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti:
"Maybe I'm just dehydrated," she says.  "It's hard to remember to drink enough when drinking means straining bugs through our teeth."

Kindle Version pg. 122

What Are You Reading?

Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next. 

I recently finished:

I just loved The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair.  Stay tuned for my review!

What I'm reading now:

They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti is my current book club selection.  I had better get a move on because I'm only halfway through with it and we meet on Wednesday to discuss this one!

I haven't fully decided on my next book to read but the following book is one I have had for review for quite some time so I'm leaning towards that one:

I've read mixed reviews of The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno so I must admit that I am a bit leary to get started on this one. 

So what have you been up to lately?

What Are You Reading?

Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next.  This is my first time participating in this meme so I will try to keep it short.

Finished on audio last week:

I just loved Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson!  I enjoy the humorous content that she weaves into the storylines that are usually quite serious.  Watch for my review within the next couple of weeks!


Right now this is what I'm reading on my Kindle:

The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair is about a young girl who uncovers deep family secrets while visiting her family home in India one summer.  I love these coming-of-age stories about young girls, especially when they take you to another country!

What I have to read next before book club next Wednesday is:

I really don't know too much about They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti, but I have heard mixed reviews from a couple gals in the book club that have already read this one.  I guess I will find out soon enough!

Have a great week everyone!