Linger

by Maggie Stiefvater
Read by Dan Bittner, Pierce Cravens, Emma Galvin & Jenna Lamia
Scholastic Audiobooks 2010
9 CDs 10 hours 40 minutes



From the publisher:
"As Grace hides the vast depth of her love for Sam from her parents and Sam struggles to release his werewolf past and claim a human future, a new wolf named Cole wins Isabel's heart but his own past threatens to destroy the whole pack."

Review - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Narrated by Neil Gaiman
Publisher: Harper Children's Audio 2008
Audiobook 7 discs



***Review coming soon***

Review - Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Read by Emily Bauer
Publisher: Listening Library 2006
Audiobook 7 CDs approx. 9 hours

This week must be "dystopian future" week. I'm saying that because I swear the last few books I have read ended with the destruction of our known world. In this young adult novel by Susan Pfeffer, a meteor has hit the moon so strongly that it pushes the orbit of the moon closer to the Earth with devastating effects for the inhabitants of our planet.

And here is where I would like to put in a disclaimer: I know that the science behind this event is, well, bullpucky, but if you are able to willingly suspend disbelief (unlike I was) then you will see this as the complex tale of survival and growing up that the author intended it to be. Pfeffer also wrote a companion novel to this, The Dead and the Gone, about a 17 year old boy named Alex living in New York City during the disaster. Life as We Knew It is told in a journal format by 16 year old Miranda. Along with the typical teenage girl concerns that seems to permeate through these young adult novels, (namely boys and self image) Miranda has to confront her own mortality as milions are dying in the wake of the natural disasters caused by the moon. Both novels are full of the teenage angst that one expects in a young adult novel, but set against this world wide disaster, we also see how these teenagers are confronted with both the very best and worst of humanity and how when faced with decisions of life and death, what values they choose to uphold.

If the science behind this novel drives you insane and you would like to read more about the Earth/Moon relationship, check out this article:
http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=195923

Review - Feed by M.T. Anderson

Feed by M.T. Anderson
Read by David Baker
Publisher: Listening Library 2003
5 CD's 5 hours


A novel hasn't freaked me out this badly since I read Stephen King's It and couldn't stand clowns nor storm drains for a very, very long time. The dystopian future of Feed is both alien and frighteningly realistic. In this future people are connected at all times to the "Feed", where they can instantly chat with friends, look up information and buy, buy, buy. The feed monitors your very thoughts and companies use them to advertise directly to you. (Basically what Google is doing already! Scary!) Even in your dreams the Feed constantly monitors your subconscious and feeds you images and advertisements. Our entire society is based upon this mass consumerism and has left our world devoid of most of its natural resources. The air and oceans have become toxic wastelands and most people live within their climate controlled bubbles to escape the intense heat of the sun. And through it all children are being raised to believe that everything is fine and right with the world and to continue to buy.

Feed by M.T. Anderson follows a group of teens as they come of age in this world. And while it may seem dystopian to us, the readers, it is thought of as an almost "perfect" world to all but one of these teens. I highly recommend this book teens ages 13-18 who like both science fiction and even those who want more of a traditional drama.

Review - The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Read by Michael Maloney
Publisher: Random House Listening Library 2006
4 CDs 4 hours 58 minutes



I am a true bibliophile, a real lover of the printed word. For me, audio books have always seemed to bastardize the reading experience and e-readers just a plain abomination. But in the interest of serving my public better I decided to give audio books a try. For how could I recommend such and such audio book to my patrons if I myself have never had the experience? (I said much the same thing a few years ago when I ventured to read a romance book and have yet to read another one since.)

Unlike my harlequin adventures, my audio book journey has been a surprising success. I decided to start with a young adult novel, the thought being that if the experience was truly unpleasant, then at least it would be brief. I also chose a book that I had been meaning to read anyways, and just had never had the time nor inclination. At just under 5 hours, this book took me about three trips to work and back (I have a long commute). The book was read by Michael Maloney who has a gentle British accent and gives life to the many characters of the novel.

While the story is of a real event (The Holocaust) it is a fable because it is a fictionalized account of the war from the perspective of a nine-year-old German boy, Bruno. Until the end the book is narrated exclusively by Bruno and we see how a child may have viewed the war. While this perspective is unique, it is hard at times to believe. For all that we now know about the Holocaust it is hard at times to truly believe in Bruno's naivety. He refers to the concentration camp that his father is transferred to oversee as "Out-With" and the man with a funny mustache who promotes his father as "The Fury". But if you are able to suspend disbelief, the story really is a touching tale of two boys, one outside the fence and one trapped inside, and how they become not only friends, but the each other's comfort in the desolate camp. The ending is tragically moving and I think is one of the better endings to a novel that I have read in a very long time.

I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up. The writing is very simplistic and easy to understand, but the themes covered by the book are perhaps better left for a more mature audience. Though I think this would make a great book to read to children a little younger as an introduction into the subject.