Not my Father's Son by Alan Cumming

I first spotted Alan Cumming in the remake of Annie. Even though the original will always have a special place in my heart, I thought Cumming's performance out shined the others performers, and I quickly found out who he was. I drudged up the movie of the remake of Cabaret, and I was transfixed.

He wrote this book because at the same time he was on "Who Do you Think you Are?" on BBC where he was on a mission to uncover the mystery of his grandfather's disappearance, his own father, after several estranged years, informed him, through his brother, that their mother had an affair, and therefore, Alan was another man's son.

I never really followed "Who Do you Think you Are?" on BBC, nor it's American equivalent, but I do have a fond memory of watching the David Tennant episode in Liverpool with Ren and her mother, and at a point where he reaches in a tomb of a relative and touches one of the skulls, they both exclaimed that he needs to watched out or else he'll get cursed! Haha!

Alan Cumming is an eloquent writer and speaker, and I feel like, in theory, I should be annoyed at this book. He talks about his acting and his traveling around the world, but he's incredibly candid and whereas there are a lot of actors that take their craft incredibly seriously, he doesn't, and knows he's incredibly blessed. I was captivated from the beginning, and though I was nervous that his Scottish accent would hinder the easy listening of the book, it actually brought the listener back to where Alan grew up on an estate in Scotland.

Alan travels back and forth in the book, talking about "Then" with the horrible abuse of his father, and "Now" his journey with BBC along with the journey of discovering whether or not Alex Cumming was, in fact, his biological father. You're unsure where it's going, but you know, that no matter what, Alan would be OK.

At least for me, I thought that since his father said that Alan wasn't his son, then it was the truth, right? However, with the twists and turns of this story, on top of his BBC episode, I didn't know what to expect by the end of it. And though it should have left me with a feeling of emptiness and sadness, the way Cumming handles it, with poise and grace, it allowed me to feel OK. That, no matter what, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

It's a riveting listen, and I would highly recommend the audiobook, even if you are not into it. Alan Cumming is phenomenal.

We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee

I remembered the movie coming out, and me thinking, "Ugh, that looks so stupid." Years later, I buy the audiobook. It was on sale, and I forgot that Matt Damon was in the movie, so I figured, why not? I think also Scarlett Johansson is also in the movie, but I don't know who she plays.

The audiobook opens with a British narrator. Oh sweet, it's a British family who bought a farm in the UK. Cool. A family who decided to take a risk by buying a farm! Interesting!

Uh, this book opens with a major bummer. Benjamin, Katherine and family moved to France... because, well... just because? I think they just wanted to move there, and both Benjamin and Katherine could work remotely. They purchased a house where Benjamin could fix up when Katherine started to become listless and not herself.

She has a brain tumor, and it's one of those really tough, rare brain tumors that no matter what a person does, it comes back.

This book is going to be devastating.

The first 50 pages of the book is not about the farm at all, but the set up Katherine's eventual passing. You hope, despite of all the odds, that her brain tumor is not going to come back after it's removed, but 3/4th of the way through the book, after they struggle their way through buying the farm, the brain tumor comes back, and Benjamin describes in heart breaking detail of his wife's demise. The way he wrote her was so tender, and even some of the grosser aspects of him taking care of her.

I loved the way he wrote, and of course, I always have a fondness of dry, British humor. Benjamin goes through the process of buying a very run down zoo, with the intent of giving the animals a good home. His entire family, his mother and his siblings, put a lot of money into it. It was a bit stressful hearing how many loans they had to take out, as well as the all the loans that kept falling through.

He had many antidotes about putting together a working crew, dealing with their personalities as well as accumulating money in order to get the zoo up to working order. I also enjoyed the bits about the various animals and their circumstances, with Benjamin's dash of absurdity.

Some of the reviews state that he was dry, but I didn't get that at all. It's possible that it made a better audiobook, with a sweet British accent that could read the British sarcasm and wit; capturing the absurdity of life, and the inclination to not take it so seriously.

I definitely like audiobooks where you can zone out and come back to them, without really missing a whole lot. What I've also realized that I like audiobooks where the plot is a bit simpler, so I can work and listen at the same time.

So, overall, it's a good book if you want an emotional wrecker with the pick me up of saving animals.

Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

This is... this is a piece of work. I wish I had read some goodreads reviews before getting the audiobook, but I don't usually like to do that. I do listen to the buzz surrounding books, and suggestions, but you never know what you're really going to get when you read reviews of it, because there are some books that the goodreads community HATES, but I absolutely adore, and vice versa.

I was first drawn to the half-off book sale on audible.com and I was intrigued by the interesting book title and the blurb. It was also 23 hours long, which, at the time, thought it would be a good way to pass a few days of work.

Boy was I wrong.

This book is absolutely terrible. At first, the reader is lured into the prospect of an exciting book. It's about a woman who is a legacy. Her family come from a long line of Salem witches, but Diana Bishop, however, refused her birthright after the death of her parents. After trial and error, with enormous power that she couldn't control, she abandons it to become a historian. The set up reeks of elitism, because she goes to Harvard, or Yale, and gets her doctorate and becomes a tenured professor... before she's 30, I presume.

The book opens up and she's at Oxford. Yes, for the summer, researching alchemy. I don't particularly care about what part of alchemy she's researching, because no one really "researches" alchemy anymore. However, that's not the part of the book that goes completely south. The set up, no matter how eye roll-y it is, doesn't hold a candle up to the shit show that happens after that.

And I don't mean shit show like it's exciting action. Literally NOTHING happens in this book.

So, she's researching alchemy, and she pulls up this manuscript. The amount of times they mention manuscript in this book is mind boggling, but apparently, since she has all the magic, she finds this special manuscript, which sets off the magic spell that was on it, and alerts all the magical beings. I don't know why all the magical beings wanted this manuscript, and maybe it would have been interesting to me if Harkness hadn't felt the need to concentrate on boring subjects like:

1. Everything Diana Bishop eats
2. Everything Diana Bishop wears
3. Diana's exercise regimen, including a 10 page description of a yoga session
4. How Diana and Matthew both smell at any given time

Now, before, Diana Bishop and the New England backstory was eye roll-y. Visiting Oxford to do research? Eye roll-y. But the appearance of Matthew... what's his last name? Crawford? L'estat? Who knows, but he's a vampire who felt the magic book and ran into Diana. At first, she is bothered by him and ignores him. But like all possessive vampire romance novels, it quickly turns into something cringe-y and repulsive. My blood ran cold as their relationship progresses, and Diana, someone who seems to be a smart, capable, Mary Sue, turns into a drooling toddler who can't think of herself. Some things that Matthew does:

1. Drug her because he thinks she needs to sleep and she doesn't want too
2. Holds her in his arms by her wrists despite her repeatedly telling him, "no" and to "let me go" and "stop it" 
3. They go horseback riding and she momentarily thinks about jumping the fence, and Matthew turns and tells her, "we will be done horseback riding if you had jumped the fence." 
4. Constantly corrects her but also tells her how flipping fantastic she is all the time
5. Stalks her 

At the horseback riding incident in France (yes, they are in France, not sure why), I had to stop this book. I realized a lot this year about the meaning of my time... and life is too short to hate listen to a an audio. At one point, I sped up the audio, and a lot of times, I zoned out to do various work things... and I didn't miss much. When the characters give you goose chills, it's time to stop. 

Don't get this book. It's the worst. 

Rosemary,The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

It took me a couple of days, and a few post rewrites to finally figure out what was giving me pause about this book.

It's actually not about Rosemary.

Oh sure, her name and picture is on the title, and she is mentioned throughout the book, and there are events and memories that involve her, but it's never about her. 

It's impeccably researched, but the problem is that there isn't much about Rosemary's internal thoughts and experiences. Of course there isn't, because she undergoes a lobotomy in her early 20s and spends the next decades of her life hidden away. As well, before that, Joe and Rose do everything in their power to cover up Rosemary's shortcomings, and keep her letters under lock and key.

So instead, Larson uses Rosemary to promote her viewpoints. Instead of the book being about Rosemary (seriously, couldn't you have made up something in a fictionalized account?), it's about how The Kennedy's real triumph is through the passing of various state and federal disability legislation that promoted and protected disability rights.

If you are an able-bodied person that doesn't encounter those with disabilities in their daily life, this may be an eye opening book for you. However, I am very familiar with the disability narrative, because not only do I have a masters in special education, I am also a part of the tribe. (Though John Nagle and I declared a sub-tribe for just us two).

John Nagle and I clearly do have matching overalls. But Larson didn't tell me anything knew, and she went over at length to which I practiced my eye rolling skills.

Finally, the tone of the book was just... condescending? I write that with a question mark because I can't really put a finger on it. One moment she's lauding Rose for caring for Rosemary, the next minute she's chastising the Kennedys for believing in eugenics, and finally, she's showing the readers the horrors of institutions! It felt like she was all over the place, trying to put a place for each letter she read as well as put in her own thoughts and feelings.

Overall, this book blew. I'm sure there are better books out there and ones that treat Rosemary as a person instead of a mantel that the Kennedys had to carry.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

Who can say no to Tim Mison reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow for 49 cents?! I sure couldn't!

I was interested in reading the actual story that stemmed a lot of adaptations. I'm sure someone, somewhere pretentiously told me that the adaptations are nothing like the short story, but again... less than 50 cents and Tim Mison reading it? Sure!

Even though I feel slightly dirty now for saying this due to horrible allegations of domestic violence stemming from the pending divorce between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp (to be crystal clear, #imwithamber) but I will say, from what I remembered about the movie, I remembered enjoying it. I liked Burton back in high school (I don't think I ever stopped, actually) and I enjoyed Christopher Walkins and Christina Ricci as well.

Except now I'm a bit grossed out with the age difference between Johnny and Christina in that movie.

Josh and I watched first and half of the second season of Sleepy Hollow with Tom Mison and Nichole Beharie. I really liked the first season of Sleepy Hollow, where the focus was on Abbie, the cop that finds Ichabod Crane and her sister, Jenny. Josh and I lost interest in season 2 where it became solely about Ichabod and Katrina. Also, Ichabod was a Gary Stu if I ever saw one. I swear the man knew everything.

Aw man, why did they cut his hair? He looks even dumber now.

I'm sure there are other adaptations of the Headless Horseman, but obviously they aren't memorable since I don't remember them.

It always takes me a bit to get use to a British voice actor. It's not that it's harder to listen, but I have to adjust how the British say certain words. However, once I got use to Mison, he was the perfect choice to read the book.

However... seriously? That's it? After all the hype Sleepy Hollow gets, that's it? Most of the book is just describing Ichabod and his job in Sleepy Hollow... and I'm unsure whether it's satirical or not? Is Irving making fun of Ichabod or not? Is the rest of the town in on the joke that is Ichabod or not? Am I stupid or not?

It's completely underwhelming. Most of the story is about Ichabod trying to obtain the affections of Katrina Van Tassel, who is much more interested in Brom Bones, the Gaston-type character of the story. It ends with Ichabod meeting the headless horseman, after hearing so much about him throughout the story, and then mysteriously disappearing, leaving Brom Bones to marry Katrina.

Ichabod is never seen again, and though Brom Bones is definitely winking at the reader, the Dutch housewives are certain that the actual Headless Horseman found him, and now his ghost haunts Sleepy Hallow.

I guess it was good I just spent 50 cents on it and it was a good way to spend an hour or two while I worked. But... I daresay the adaptations are definitely better than the actual story.

Audiobook Wednesdays: The Magicians by Lev Grossman

This took me forever to get through. It's not because it wasn't a great book or not an entertaining listen, they were, but the snow storm kept me home (which was good) but also prevented me from listening to it until my drive resumed.

This book is leaps and bounds better to listen to then The Maze Runner. There, I said it. The language is much more colorful and the voice actor just embodies the character of Quentin much more than Thomas... but I also think that Thomas, other than the fact that he was a very smart kid that was used for a science experiment to help save the world, was a very bland character. I'm sure that the reader for the audiobook did the best he could with what he had.

I also think The Magicians is just a better book than The Maze Runner. The Magicians was definitely written for the Harry Potter crowd, a bunch of college students who waited for their Hogwarts letter and gave up hope... until Brakebills.

There are a few things that I don't like about this universe. I find it odd that Brakebills, a university, has uniforms and curfews. Like the Harry Potter series, what magic is used for has not been revealed yet, and almost makes it a joke that the magicians that studied at the school go on to become teachers, because what else were they going to do?

I watched the first episode of the new show that's on SyFy which I'll get into in another post, but I will say that I am very glad that I decided to listen to the audiobook instead of waiting to be done with the series.

First off, Quentin is a "butthurt," someone that feels like the world owes something to them. It's a refreshing point of view. He sort of mirrors that early 20 something viewpoint of "when is my life going to start?" and "there has to be something more than this." He goes on a journey and "grows up" during the course of the book. I put that in quotation marks because even though he obtains new friends, a girlfriend and learns magic, he still remains the same person at the beginning of the book. He's the protagonist, or maybe anti-protagonist(?) but he's not likeable, at all. However, Grossman does a good job of making other characters very likeable, and even though it's through Quentin's point of view, the reader sees the other characters, especially Alice and enjoys them throughout the book.

Grossman really takes his time developing multiple characters. Again, it's through the point of view of Quentin, but you become familiar and care about Elliot, Alice, Janet, Penny and even Josh and Richard. So when Grossman takes off running towards the climax of the book, you listen so intently and I found myself sitting in the car when I came home so I could listen to a few more minutes. What I appreciate the most is that Grossman does not do any favors for Quentin and shows, through the actions of his friends, that Quentin is a despicable character but also allows him, towards the end of the book, to reflect on his actions thus far, and make changes to them.

The pacing of the book is also something I have not read in awhile. Usually, these fantasy books have the vibe of "The Chosen One" and defeating the great evil that plagues the land. However, for Book 1 and Book 2, there is a lot of foreshadowing and world creation, but concentrates on Quentin's journey through becoming a Magician. It allows the reader to really explore the magical world, and their terrifying consequences of people who "have everything." When the group decides to take their magical journey, other characters decide to step up and in essence, is the chosen one.

I really enjoyed the book, and I can't wait to either read, or listen to the second book. My two credits on audible is up, but I do have another credit to spend now that I'm an audible member. Any suggestions? Comment below!

Audiobook Wednesdays: The Maze Runner by James Dasner

So, my job changed and I spend about an hour in the car each day. It's not a tough drive (mostly back roads) and I don't mind the drive, but as I spend more time in the car, I figured I should listen to something I love.... which are books!

I never got into audiobooks. I thought it would be hard to follow with my hearing loss, not seeing the words on the page. However, I really liked listening to the audiobook last year with To Kill a Mockingbird with Sissy Spacek with my 9th grade students.  I decided to give it a try with the free trial on Audible.

And I just have to say, audiobooks are really expensive. I had no idea how expensive they were! I just wanted to buy one on itunes (which, yes, I know isn't the best gauge in pricing)  but as I researched other audiobooks sites, they were all pricey! Wow!

I think out of all of them, audible has more bang for your buck (you can choose different memberships with different fees and different credits) and they give you discounts on other audiobooks. After my free trial is over, I'm going to strategize which books to spend my credits on, and which books I will buy. Usually the "older" books are cheaper, and the "newer" books are more expensive, but 1 credit will buy pretty much whatever audiobook it is, no matter the cost. As you all know, I'm always trying to save a buck!

For my first book, which I also want to do a "which is better" review, is The Maze Runner. I was never interested in it before, but since it was free with my trial, I figured, why not? I listened to the book and finished it within the week. I listened to it for 25 minutes to work and back, along with listening to it while I worked out.

Alright, first impressions... Lord of the Flies with a science fiction feel. All boys in the jungle with no way out (and trying to find one) as told through first person point of view.

Yawn. So over the sausage fest. Even though there are more strong female protagonists, I would love to read a book where there are a bunch of women working together. It seems like there are no room for more than 1 female in books such as these, and sometimes even those female protagonists are very hard to identify with. There is lots of diversity in the novel (boys, at least), so I was glad to read boys of color and different backgrounds have their own opinions and places in the book.

The story opens with a boy enclosed in a box. He has no idea who he is or where he is, and suddenly, the box opens to reveal boys looking down at him. He arrives to a sort of forrest and he realizes there are huge walls surrounding their paradise, with a maze on the outside of it. He's confused and scared and his memories have been wiped.

Dasner does a good job of building up the mystery to where the listener wants to know where all of this is going. It's maddening when the boys don't tell him much of what the place is about, and as the reader (listener?) is just as frustrated as he is as he tries to figure out what his place in all of this is.

The boys are trapped inside of a maze and the boys have been trying for 2 years to solve it in order for an exit to open. The Glade is a functioning society and the leaders, Newt and Alby, state that everyone needs to stay busy in order not to lose hope. There are many personalities and characters in the book, and the first person that befriends Thomas (the boy in the box), is Chuck, who was the new boy before him.

After Thomas' arrival, crazy things start happening. Another new person arrives, and it's a girl this time. She's unconscious and she has a note in her hand. She tells them all that it's going to change and that she's the last person to arrive. Everyone is alarmed and suspicion befalls Thomas, who seems to be the catalyst of all the strange occurrences.

There are antagonists in the book, but Dasner purposely misleads you. At first the reader thinks it's Gally, who hates Thomas immediately, and has the stereotypical villain sneer. However, it soon reveals that it's not Gally, but something more sinister and much more inhumane.

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook. It's straightforward and simple, which I think was appropriate for my first ever dip into the world of audiobooks. I'm interested in watching The Maze Runner and doing the comparison.

There is a second novel and movie and I'm not sure if I'll get to it right away. I'm not sure if I liked it that much to spend an audiobook credit on it, or to spend money on the book. If someone has the novel that they want to loan me.... HINT HINT. I'll be happy to read it.

So, if you want to start an audiobook, but do not want something so complicated, this is a good place to start.