Tag: audiobook

Humor/Funny · Non-fiction/Biography

Things my son needs to know about the world – Fredrik Backman

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42833687| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Things My Son Needs to Know About the World collects the personal dispatches from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood.

As he conveys his profound awe at experiencing all the “firsts” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Fredrik Backman doesn’t shy away from revealing his own false steps and fatherly flaws, tackling issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop.

In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people you care about unconditionally. Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son advice as he grows up and ventures out into the world, Backman relays the big and small lessons in life, including:

-How to find the team you belong to
-Why airports explain everything about religion and war
-The reason starting a band is crucial to cultivating and keeping friendships
-How to beat Monkey Island 3
-Why, sometimes, a dad might hold onto his son’s hand just a little too tight

This is an irresistible and insightful collection, perfect for new parents and fans of Backman’s “unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness). As he eloquently reminds us, “You can be whatever you want to be, but that’s nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are.”

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My thoughts:

“Irresistible and funny.”

After I finished “Folk med ångest” I was in the need for more. Just more from Backman. First I thought about maybe a reread but decided on to “finally” read that one book I thought I would never read. I have no kids and actually do not like kids that much. So I just thought it was not for me. But oh boy, oh boy this is one irresistible and funny book no matter if you have kids or not.

I can’t relate to the stuff Backman writes about off course due to not have my own kids, but It did make me appreciates my Saturday mornings a lot more and that I can come and go as I want without worrying about poop, pressure and constant fear is certainly a freedom parents no longer have. It makes me appreciate my childless situation and gave me a future glimpse into what may be stored for me in the future. And even if nothing is going to be easy, I hope it will be just as great.

Parents are heroes for sure.

Contemporary · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance

The read notebook – Antoine Laurain

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23129712| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Heroic bookseller Laurent Letellier comes across an abandoned handbag on a Parisian street. There’s nothing in the bag to indicate who it belongs to, although there’s all sorts of other things in it. Laurent feels a strong impulse to find the owner and tries to puzzle together who she might be from the contents of the bag. Especially a red notebook with her jottings, which really makes him want to meet her. Without even a name to go on, and only a few of her possessions to help him, how is he to find one woman in a city of millions?

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My thoughts: Such a charming and sweet little story. It surprised me how much I loved this book. It is short, sweet and taking place in Paris, France. What can be more romantic than that? It is a easy and funny modern romantic love story and it’s perfect for a hangover cure. I listened on the audiobook and the narrator, Alex Wyndham, was a perfect choice for the task. He did a great job with the french accent and the cadency.

It was a fascinating hobby detective story. It made me think how a total stranger would interpret me by just looking in my handbag. Me among other things, also drags around a book to write in. I use Leuchttrumn and not Moleskin but still. You can probably learn a lot about a person by the content in their bags.

Contemporary · Mystery/Crime · Suspense · Thriller/Horror

Force of nature – Jane Harper

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34275222| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Five women go on a hike. Only four return. Jane Harper, the New York Times bestselling author of The Dry, asks: How well do you really know the people you work with?

When five colleagues are forced to go on a corporate retreat in the wilderness, they reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking down the muddy path.

But one of the women doesn’t come out of the woods. And each of her companions tells a slightly different story about what happened.

Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker. In an investigation that takes him deep into isolated forest, Falk discovers secrets lurking in the mountains, and a tangled web of personal and professional friendship, suspicion, and betrayal among the hikers. But did that lead to murder?

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My thoughts: I was under the impression that this wasn’t supposed to be a series. That the first book (The Dry) was going to be the only one. I don’t know why I thought that since everything nowadays is either a trilogy going on five books, a long series or god first book with a number two flopper. I should have been smart enough to foresee that it would be written a second book. Still I was quite happy when I found out that a new one about Aaron Falk was to be released. I do however feel a little let down. I do not find this one as strong as the first and maybe I’m too critical but I don’t feel it quite meet the expectations I had for it. It is not a flopper, just let me state that, but it is not a success either.

It was pretty good. I did like it but I did not love it. Nothing terrible but it was nothing groundbreaking either. A quick but not a deep read and I’m quite satisfied after all. Had trouble with connecting and Falk felt a little slow, grey and boring this time around. There was no real suspense but a good description of a reality so true in this day and age.

However Harper is a great author of the contemporary crime genre with her way of natural, soft flowing and easy rhythmic way of writing. I did enjoy it, but I don’t feel a wow factor in it. I would probably read the next one to if there will be one, but that time I will try not to have high hopes for it. Even though I know that Harper has the ability to write something really good, based on the first book, I have certainly learned I can’t expect the same each time.

Everyday things

Why does that make me less of a reader?

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IMG_1591I was watching one of Peters (Peter likes books) videos on Youtube and he briefly talked about all the negativity a public reviewer get and specially when talking about audio books. And I thought I should write a post about my opinion since I have experienced some of that negativity personally from the bookish community for no other reason than that I read eBooks. I don’t write much about what format I read books in on my blog or GoodReads. I don’t feel the need to clarify if it is a physical, audio or a eBook in my reviews since that has nothing to do with the book itself. But apparently it is important when it comes to defining me as an real or a fake reader.

Some (note some, not all) people seems to thinks that a real reader are those who only read physical books and often feel them self compelled to tell everyone just that. Other thinks that if you read books (physical or not) you are a reader. That do however not include magazines, comic books or audio books (why not I wonder?). Then there are people, like me, who do not care as long as you read. Because isn’t that the most important thing in the end? Then I see arguments like “Listening is not reading”! Yeah? Says who? Okay, fine. Down to the core, listening is not technically reading since you do not “read” the words, but you still take part of a book right? And aren’t that reading then? If you are blind and “see” a movie, haven’t you seen the movie then because you listened and not seen it with your eyes?

I often get negative comments on that I read so many eBooks. I love all the formats that are available for me as a reader and I utilize them all to my own satisfaction. I will always love physical books! The feeling of them, the smell, the written word on paper, but I do mostly read eBooks. I could be full of myself and say that I read eBooks because I want to save the environment and all that blah, blah, blah. But no, I’m a lot more selfish than that. I’m stingy! English eBooks are often a lot more cheaper than the physical book, and I read mostly eBooks because I read 100+ books a year and do not have the money to buy them nor the room to store them all. And I do not see any fault in that. I don’t think I’m any less of a reader than you because of it. And I love audio books. It makes me able to take part in books, while working and earning my pay check so that I can buy all those books I read. How wonderful isn’t that?

So, to be mean and judgmental is something I don’t feel belong in the bookish community. Books should unites us and learn us that we do not have to think the same about everything. That we all should be able to accept and discuss the books we read without personal attacks just because you can’t change another person’s opinion. And I think we should be happy that the all the options are there and that it makes it easier for people to take part in the literate world. With all the social medias like Facebook and what not I think it is easy to get shallow and forget that there is more. In my humble opinion, books bring us back to earth.

What are your thoughts about the topic?

Classic/Historical · Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Young, New adult/College

The horse and his boy – C.S Lewis

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587315| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: A wild gallop for freedom. Narnia… where horses talk… where treachery is brewing… where destiny awaits. On a desperate journey, two runaways meet and join forces. Though they are only looking to escape their harsh and narrow lives, they soon find themselves at the center of a terrible battle. It is a battle that will decide their fate and the fate of Narnia itself.

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My thoughts: This is so far my favorite among the three books I have read. I really like it. The story is set in the Golden age and it takes place in the south outside of Narnia’s borders. Because Narnia is actually not that big. The book has a completely different feeling. It is somewhat darker and more medieval with fairies, horses, King and Queens and of course, War! They have swords and complete knight equipment. The ladies have big, flowing dresses and they live either in castles or poorer in small houses. They are fishermen’s, farmers or have other, not so legal ways to provide for them self’s. The story is simple and just about a Boy and a horse. Who talks by the way and it makes the story just better. More magical.

They are on an adventure through danger from both people and nature. They meet a girl also with a talking horse and decides that four are better than two. The book is about staying alive, do the right thing, friendship and fight for the weaker people.

There is also a mystery that you don’t get to know the truth about until the end of the book and it made it all more real. A little darker but still with the learning that there is light in the end of the tunnel and if you fight for what’s right, yourself and your friends, you have done alright. And even though the book is a lot darker than what I associate with Narnia, you still get that Narnia feeling.