Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

The end is nigh (or maybe not)!

An unlikely angel and an odd devil work together to stop Armageddon in this genius partnership between two of my favorite writers. I picked it up now because it's about to be released as a TV series with Gaiman at its helm.

A kid in England is actually the Antichrist, but nobody knows that. Every time he thinks about something hard enough (Atlantis, UFOs, or tunnels to China) it happens - and let's just say Adam is a real thinker.

It's very funny, and wicked smart, so I can't wait to see how they film it, since Neil's overseeing it so maybe they can't bleed the fun out of it.

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

Love may be color blind, but she's in the minority. And twenty years since this book's publication, not much has really changed on that front.

I listened to the anniversary audiobook of this short teen novel (just three discs), and I enjoyed every minute of it. It's a story of first love - of attraction at first contact - when Ellie drops her books in the school hallway and Jeremiah helps her pick them up. They end up in class together and a friendship begins, then blossoms into a secret-but-not-secret relationship.

It's an innocent love: all studying and hanging at the park and kisses. There's a strong connection between the two and a desire for a future. But old ladies cluck at them on the New York streets because Miah is a tall black boy and Ellie is a Jewish white girl. I kept trying to figure out what's different since the book's publication, and I couldn't find much; I mean that in a good way (timeless story) and unfortunately (racism).

There's a sequel, on which I've already placed a library hold ...

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Belgian detective Hercule Poirot finds himself, by chance, in the middle of a murder investigation aboard the Orient Express on his way to London. The most interesting thing about this murder is that it occurs on a train that becomes stranded in the middle of a snow storm. The murderer remains on the train, and Mr. Poirot, a famous investigator, sets about to solve the case. With the help of a train company executive and a doctor, who both happen to be onboard, Poirot examines evidence, interviews the passengers, and discusses the possible circumstances. The trio narrow it all down to two possibilities. So who is really the killer?

Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) narrates the unabridged audio version that I borrowed from the library. He is incredible. He's the best narrator I've ever heard by far, and I listen to a lot of audio books. I can't wait to listen to him tell more stories.

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

The 1895 classic provides a short trip into the year 802,701, where the human race has apparently evolved into two very different creatures. Expecting to find great advancements, the time traveler spends eight days in this distant future where he is surprised to discover the severe degradation of humanity. The surface dwellers, Eloi, are small, friendly, child-like creatures who all look the same and live together in droves. They fear the nocturnal Morlocks: subterranean ape-like carnivores who surface at night to hunt for food. The time traveler, with his new Eloi friend by his side, has to face the Morlocks in their subterranean atmosphere in order to find his time machine, which they have hidden from him.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and I am not a huge fan of the narrator. A good or not-so-good narrator can make all the difference when listening, and it certainly comes down to personal preference. However, I think it's always a great idea to experience the classics. Though the language and writing styles have changed in the last century, Well's story still offers a relevant caution to the future of the human race.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, or so they say. Jeannette Walls’s memoir is an often-unbelievable account of extreme poverty and puzzling family values. The award-winning author tells her tale of growing up in a family full of dysfunction, alcoholism, destitution, and a stunning sense of pride. Frequently without the basic modern necessities like electricity, heat, and running water, the Walls children depended on discarded food and threadbare thrift store clothing for survival. Persisting on their own gumption while dodging abusive family members was the only reality known to the Walls kids.

This incredible story of survival and success despite the odds had me shaking my head in disbelief while picking my jaw up off the floor. Walls narrates the audiobook herself, and her ability to tell it in a matter-of-fact tone, and sometimes even with reverence, is mind-boggling.

This story evoked the entire range of emotions, and it is one that encourages appreciation for the most basic elements in life that are often taken for granted. I will be pondering this story for a long time to come.

An Irish Country Love Story by Patrick Taylor

When the doctor's house is damaged in an accident, politics become a big part of the Ballybucklebo story when Fingal is faced with demolition of the house he loves to make a safer roadway. It makes Kitty's desire for new curtains seem quaint.

Also in this 11th episode of the series, Barry is pining for his fiance who's teaching abroad in France. He keeps himself busy with model shipbuilding, along with looking for a cottage the pair can buy to begin their married life. We also get a new young lady doctor in the practice, but it's not smooth sailing with the new addition. And brother Lars is spending a LOT of time with the Lady Myrna.

I love this series, and I especially adore the audiobooks. This gentle, consuming community narrative came at a perfect time for me, as John Keating's lilting delivery is always a soothing, captivating experience.

Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea

While watching The Magnificent Seven at the local cinema, a young woman is struck by an idea. Nayeli and three friends set off on a quest (like all epic stories) to America to find seven men to return to their village and begin life there anew.

It's a fun, entertaining "road story" as the group encounters big cities, bus travel, new experiences, love and lust, illegal border crossing, American tourists, and much more.

While written in 2009, the story has some very timely elements. The Mexicans in the book have many, many opinions about migration from the south (and control of their southern border) along with simultaneous, opposing opinions about migration to the north and control of the northern border.

I'd highly recommend listening to this one: The book is an interesting blend of English and Mexican-Spanish - some translated, some left to inference - which made it a fantastic audiobook full of language and nuance and local flavor.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

On his way to visit his father in the Canadian oil fields, the small plane carrying 13-year-old Brian veers off course and crashes. Up until that point, his parents' divorce was the biggest problem the "city slicker" boy had endured. Now, he must figure out how to survive.

I chose this one off The Great American Read list for the library's book discussion group. I'd never read it, and I had to do the audiobook because HELLO PETER COYOTE!

It's short - it's a juvenile book that checks in at about 200 pages and 3 hours of audio - but I was surprised by how quickly the ending snuck up on me. I got so used to survival mode that, like Brian, I maybe forgot that rescue was an option.

An Irish Doctor in Love and At Sea by Patrick Taylor

I'm ten books into this series, but this one is my favorite in a while. 

While we revisit some of the same old haunts, in this book we get our first real look at the wartime love story of young Dr. Fingal O'Reilly and his nurse Diedre. We learn a lot about why the old doctor sometimes acts the way he does, and also that it may still be possible for personal growth.

There's a lot of the war in this book, and I didn't mind it at all. I always think it's interesting to get a non-American view of the European action, and the HMS Warspite sees some action that keeps the doctor hopping.

In the modern story arc, brother Lars gets a job that seems to be leaning into a fresh angle for future books, and there's a new Donald Donnelly dog scheme (and as they would say, it's a real corker!). Barry spends most of the book lurking darkly about the periphery, stewing about his absent fiance.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

Two outlaw brothers set off to gold-rush California in search of a man they're contracted to kill. But nothing's ever as easy as it seems.

Eli and Charlie Sisters are "brand-name" famous for their work; all they have to do is introduce themselves, and people blanch. But Eli has had enough, and is considering what his next life could look like: husband, shopkeep?

In the meantime, they're hunting down a man with a chemical formula that makes panning streams for gold child's play.

This is a dark comedy, that contrasts with flashes of shocking, stark violence. It's a remarkable, unforgettable novel and one of the best I've read in quite a while.

The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry

In a return to modern Salem, Brunonia Barry's latest starts with a Halloween death, which sets afire rumors and speculation about witchcraft and occult. Callie, the daughter of a woman murdered 25 years earlier, returns to town amidst the media coverage connecting the tragedies.

Everybody's obsessed all over again with the "Goddess Murders" from 25 years ago: Three women died violently, a child was orphaned, and a respected local scholar required institutionalization for years due to mental upset. The crime was never solved, and it seems to be related to the current death.

Add in a love story or two, some strong personal demons to conquer, and a maybe-mystical-or-maybe-bunk storyline and this is a rich, complex story.

You don't have to have read Barry's other books to enjoy this one - although if you've read The Lace Reader or The Map of True Places you'll recognize the local citizenry.

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

In this wartime New York novel, a girl's life intersects repeatedly with that of a gangster nightclub owner.

Anna Kerrigan first encounters Dexter Stiles as a child, with her father Eddie in one of his shady business meetings. Year later - with Eddie long gone - Anna has become a Navy yard worker and encounters Dexter again in one of his clubs. It's a captivating story of a woman forced to grow up early and her desire to work outside the bounds of what "girls" were allowed to do.

But the story isn't just Anna's - it's told in turns by Dexter, Eddie, and Anna. Therefore, you get the backstory of how crime pays, how shady deals happen, and what motivates each of the men. You also get a couple perspectives on the Kerrigan family, who are anchored by Anna's adored and severely disabled sister. Interestingly, the audiobook is a multi-cast recording with three narrators.

The ending was maybe a little too neatly tied for my taste, but overall I enjoyed the book immensely. It's always interesting to ponder the lives of women in the past and the struggles they faced, especially those offered a bit of unusual freedom during the wars.

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

A clumsy 13-year-old gets a strange birthday gift from his long-gone parents, which is then stolen. That may be the last "normal" thing to ever happen to Al Smedry.

I picked this up on the recommendation of a former library employee - I'm not sure what he's trying to tell me here?!? Just kidding.

It's a fantasy sci-fi story which reveals to you that we're living in a world of limited information. Turns out the librarians have been holding us back through their throttling of available information, and there's actually a whole big world out there that's way more advanced than we are. And there's a war on to save us.

The book's intended for kids, but it's not written down to them and is just as enjoyable to an adult. It's funny and moves briskly. The omniscient narrator is the main character (just a few years more mature) and he's fond of popping in, breaking the fourth wall to talk directly to the audience, interrupting himself, and generally making a straight-forward battle story into a lively romp where you'll question your own prejudices and perspective.

I'm not sure I'll be reading the whole series, but I did enjoy the exposure to a whole new world.

Dodgers by William Beverly

Four LA gang kids set off to kill a judge in Wisconsin, but that task is just the setup for a complex personal drama about gangs and personal growth. You can take the kid out of LA, but can you take the gang out of the kid?

East is a 15-year-old on a path to redeem himself to the kingpin after a raid and shootout at the drug house where he oversaw security. Making sure this hit goes perfectly would be proof of loyalty and trust, if only he could keep the rest of the team on task. The fact that the "gun" on this job is his estranged 13-year-old brother complicates things.

And complicate it does. I loved that there's no guessing what's going to happen next with this story - there's a twist at every turn. It's not a tough, violent gangsta story; it's more an internal story of East's evolving state of mind. He's got some decisions to make, and this roadtrip gives him some wide-open spaces to think.

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

A true, gripping family drama - and the interconnection of two families, farming the same soil in the American Delta in the 1940s. I picked this book up because the new movie's been getting a lot of buzz, and I always like to try to read the book first if I can manage. Now, I can't wait to see the movie!

Laura was a spinster whose family had given up on finding her a beau - until Henry came along. But things change rapidly in their young marriage when Henry buys the farm he's always dreamed about and moves them "temporarily" into the shack on the property. Can this city girl adapt to no running water, an outhouse, and more mud than a body could imagine? She quickly learns the hard truths about sharecropping and the inequities of poor farming in the South.

The other family in the story is the Jacksons - a black preacher and his family working the cotton fields of the farm. Florence comes to work to help Laura in the house, and their son Ronsel returns from fighting overseas in a tank during WWII.

The audiobook is a multicast recording, a stellar choice for a story told in six parts and across two very different families.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brandon Kiely

Told in alternating voices (and written by two stellar authors), this book offers an intense, interesting dual-view of police and race issues straight from the news.

Both are good boys, one white and one black. The main conflict arises from an innocent exchange, but leads to a shakeup in the entire community's perspectives. It was awesome to hear from both sides of an issue, to feel the conflict within different families and as individuals process the events.

We picked this one for an all-aged discussion at the library, and I'm sorry I had to miss talking about it - it's really a book you want to discuss.

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

A quartet of adult siblings about to come into a substantial inheritance get a big surprise when their mother decides instead to drain the fund in a bail-out of the eldest. What they're each hiding is that all could use a bail-out.

It's another family book - another look at sibling relationships and the roles we take over and over within the family framework. Another book where they're all a bit contemptible, yet realistically so. I wonder if we would like ANYONE if we knew their secrets?

We read this for book discussion at the library, but I missed the discussion. It could be a good one, too: How does the mere idea of money spoil each character? Does the grief motivating Tommy's bad decision make it more honorable than any of the Plum siblings bad decisions?

I enjoyed the book immensely - although the end is a bit pat for me. I felt like most of the ends tie up a bit too neatly. I listened to the audiobook, read by Mia Barron, and it was very well done.

If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth

Junior high is hell anyway, but imagine the special kind of torture for a "different" kid in class. In this case, it's that Lewis is the only rez kid in the "smart" class full of white kids.

Lewis spots an opportunity to make a friend when a new Air Force kid comes into class; George doesn't know anyone's social status yet, so Lewis hopes that he can get a hook into him before the local prejudices jell. The boys bond over music, and it's the start of something special.

While the book is set in 1975, there's a lot that seems modern about Lewis' life, middle school friendships, and social prejudices. Seriously, haven't we evolved farther than this? Nope.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I know, stunning, but I had never read this. We chose it for the library's book discussion, which seemed like as good a reason as any to finally commit.

I listened to the audiobook, read by Rob Inglis, and I think that made a HUGE difference for me. Having the dramatization, the accents and all of that really helped draw me into the story.

Suddenly, having read this, much about pop culture makes more sense to me.

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie

In a heart-wrenching memoir, Sherman Alexie explores his complicated relationship with his mother and his grief after her death. The book's narrative is expressed through a combination of essays, poetry, honor songs, and more.

There's a tradeoff, depending on your reading format: the physical book has pictures, and you get the visual formatting in the poetry. In the audiobook you miss out on those - but you get ALL the emotion as the author reads this work himself.

And I do mean ALL the emotion - there's a river of tears from Alexie in the audiobook, and I can only imagine how many they edited out. It's sometimes overwhelming, in the true, honest way he expresses the story of his life and of his family. It's so, so good, but it took me a while to get through this audiobook - it's not the kind of thing you want to listen to every day.