Suse Reads: January 2015

Monday, January 19, 2015

January 9, 2015 -- Book 018 -- Another Short

The Lump of Coal

Written by: Lemony Snicket

Narrated by: Neil Patrick Harris

Length: 11 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:10-09-08

Publisher: HarperChildren's Audio

Lemony Snickett's tale of miracles requires you have a willing suspension of disbelief, and for a short time, at least, believe that lumps of coal can move themselves about and talk. Well worth taking the time to disbelieve and believe instead. **grin** A good pick-me-up, too.

Audible

OverDrive eAudiobook

Powell's Books

Sunday, January 18, 2015

January 9, 2015 -- Murder is Binding

Book 017 -- Murder is Binding

Booktown Mystery Series, Book 1

by Lorna Barrett

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Title Information -

Publisher - Penguin Audio

OverDrive MP3 Audiobook

File size: 240773 KB

Number of parts: 7

Duration: 8 hours, 33 minutes

ISBN: 9781101458266

Release date: Aug 03, 2010

Hmmm ... the small town in New Hampshire, Stoneham, has been turned into a book lover's Mecca. Many small book shops have been lured here and book tourists abound. Tricia Miles runs a store devoted to mysteries. The store next door sells cookbooks and when Tricia finds the owner murdered, the feeling is that Tricia "did it" ... add to that misery, Tricia's sister turns up to help her run her "little shop."

January 9, 2015 -- Books 015 to 016 -- More Shorts while waiting ...

So, after I decided to skip out of The History of the Medieval World, I decided to download a book from my Wish List at my library's OverDrive service. My internet was running slower than Karo in winter at the North Pole, so I had to find something to fill in while I waited.

Book 015 -- Gruffalo's Child

Written by: Julia Donaldson

Narrated by: Hal Hollings

Length: 6 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:01-01-08

Publisher: Penguin Group USA and Audible

The sequel to The Gruffalo, Gruffalo's Child tells what happens when the Gruffalo's child disobeys and goes looking for the "Big Bad Mouse" ...

Audible has two versions. The one I have is read by Hal Hollings and runs 6 minutes. The second version is read by ImeldaStaunton; this is the same version OverDrive provides -- it runs 15 minutes. Both are unabridged versions ...

Book 016 -- Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise

Written by: William Kotzwinkle, Glenn Murray, Elizabeth Gundy
Narrated by: Mike Ferreri

Length: 7 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:01-01-08
Publisher: Penguin Group USA and Audible

What can you say about a dog who pollutes the air almost constantly? Well, when it is Walter who is doing the polluting, he is actually being a bit of a superhero without knowing it ...

Audible

OverDrive does not have this book, but does provide the first Walter book as an eBook

Powell's Books

January 9, 2015 -- Book 015 (Imposter Alert)

The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade

Written by: Susan Wise Bauer

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 22 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:02-22-10

Publisher: Tantor Audio

From the Publisher's Summary: From the schism between Rome and Constantinople to the rise of the T'ang Dynasty, from the birth of Muhammad to the crowning of Charlemagne, this ... book tells the fascinating, often violent story of kings, generals, and the peoples they ruled ... in the years between the fourth and the 12th centuries.

And it is heavy with good information, but at 54 minutes into it, I decided I wanted to listen to something a bit lighter. So, I paused the book. made note of where I was, so that I could continue it without starting from the beginning when I decide to return to it ...

And discovered I re-used the number "015" when continuing on to the next book in the list -- hmmm ... makes me think my plans do not include a return to it soon ... maybe when I am not involved in something that requires concentration, so I can give as much attention to this as I can.

Powell's Books

OverDrive eAudiobook

Audible

The Merlot Murders

January 8, 2015 -- Book 014 -- The Merlot Murders

The Merlot Murders

Wine Country Mystery Series, Book 1

Series: Wine Country Mystery

by Ellen Crosby

Narrator - P. J. Davis-Oran

Publisher -- Blackstone Audio, Inc.

OverDrive MP3 Audiobook

File size: 255671 KB

Number of parts: 8

Duration: 9 hours, 4 minutes

ISBN: 9780792754770

Release date: Jan 25, 2008

Lucie Montgomery gets a phone call from her brother -- their father has died in a hunting accident. Lucie heads home for the funeral and ... discovers the family vineyard, home and winery in a poor state. Lucie refuses to believe her father's death was an accident, wants to restore the vineyard and not sell it as her brother insists they need to do immediately.

In the notebook listing this year's books listened to and read, this book (like 013) also has a thumbs down drawing next to it, a 3 for the story and a "2.8 or less" for the narration. **sigh**

It is an interesting book and like many others before, if I ever decide to give it a second listen, I may actually decide I do like it. But for now, it remains on the "unlikely to listen to a second time." (I've got some other wine country books to share at a later date that you might enjoy more if wine country and vineyard info are some of the things you are interested in ...)