This month, I tried something new. I got two books on cd to listen to while I quilted. The longarm makes a lot of noise, so earbuds or headphones are the only way to actually listen to something while I am using that machine. I’ve done audiobooks before, but only sporadically. My blogger buddy, Vicki, does this all the time while she quilts and she gets so much done! Anyway, here is what I listened to and read in print this past month. Links to Amazon provided for more information on plot synopsis of recommended books, and if you want to see if it is available on Kindle or Audible. Thank you for using my links when you can. There is a wide range of genres this month, as you know I like to read a lot of different things.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – The premise of the story sounded intriguing, with a young boy choosing a book from an obscure library to read. His interest in the author leads to the discovery that someone is systematically destroying every copy of every book the author has written. His quest to find out more about the author leads him into a web of murder and madness. Sounds like a great story, but the execution was plodding and pedantic. I was close to wall-banging it after 300 pages, but stuck it out. At 487 pages, the novel could have been shortened by 200 pages to tighten up the story and build the suspense that was actually tiresome by the end. Can’t recommend.

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen – I listened to this one on audio, and the story suffered because of it. It was a typical historic fiction, set in 1820, when women had only limited rights to own property if they were widowed. The story involves a widow, left an inn in her husband’s will, and her attempt to bring it back from the edge of ruin. The story is pretty typical, and a bit annoying at the end where things seem to be coming out, and then one more problem is thrown in and then another. Overall, it would have been a nice, easy read in book form. But, the narrator of the audiobook had a slow reading style that very nearly put me to sleep several times, and all her male characters had the same voice, so it was hard to keep up with who was speaking. It would have been a better read in print, so recommended as an average story.

Fault Lines by Emily Itami – Beautifully written novel of a Japanese housewife, neglected by her husband, run ragged by her children, and constantly striving to hold herself to an impossible standard of perfection. She knows she is lucky to have what she has, but needs more for herself than to be all things to those around her and have nothing her own. When she meets a handsome stranger who listens to her, makes her feel worthy, she embarks on a dual life, later coming to realize that this is not sustainable and one life or the other must be chosen. Her thoughts and struggles with the conflicting emotions of her life make this a most interesting read. It is a compelling story, pulling the reader into her innermost feelings, and the event that brings what is truly important into sharp focus.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave – I listened to this one on audio CDs. The story line is good, set in war torn London, with three character’s lives intersecting as a result of the war. Both men fall for the woman, one leaves for combat, while the other stays behind to run a school where she is employed as a teacher. All have to deal with the horror of war, in death, in injury, in terrible circumstance, in drug addiction. The narrator was good, and the narrator’s different voices for characters made it easy to know who was speaking. Overall a good story, that I wish I had read in print. My quibble with this one on audio is that I was forced to hear things that on the printed page I would have skimmed over. I didn’t enjoy the scenes of gore, some images I just don’t want in my mind.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch – This was a roller coaster ride through a science fiction story with enough reality to scare the daylights out of the reader. The protagonist is the unwilling recipient of an ‘upgrade’ to his DNA, making him into a super intelligent, physically superior human. As he is evolving, the military imprisons him for study. He is broken out by his sister, also the unwilling recipient of a DNA modification, and later discovers it is his brilliant yet misguided mother that is responsible. As his sister wants to continue her work with devastating consequences she cannot see, he is forced to oppose her to save humanity from a wholesale upgrade. Wonderfully tightly written, easy reading in spite of all the science, and next to impossible to put down. I finished it in two days. Highly recommend.

The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispell – In the genre of magical realism, a woman has the ability to make wishes come true, just by reading the wish on a scrap of paper that magically appears. But a wish she made in her childhood destroyed her family and gave her years of torment, so she stopped reading the little papers. When the wishes begin appearing again, she leaves town to get away for a while, and ends up in a town that won’t let her leave, staying with a woman who has some magic of her own. The story is about coming to terms with who she is, and accepting the consequences of things in the past. There is a bit more depth to the story than the usual in this genre, and I enjoyed it. Recommend if you like the magical realism genre.

Now, an advance word on a book that will not publish until May. Don’t tell My Sweet Babboo, but he may get this one for Christmas. We are both Formula 1 racing fans, and avidly devour the Netflix series Drive to Survive every season it comes out. The Formula 1 Drive to Survive Unofficial Companion is a well written guide to understanding the world of Formula 1 racing. Beginning with a detailed explanation of the principal jobs in each organization, the author takes the reader step by step into how teams function. Reading the back stories behind the infamous rivalry of Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner was fascinating. Chapter 2 details the history of Formula 1 racing, including the woeful lack of protective equipment in the early days. Famous drivers from the past like Jan Manuel Fangio are featured, along with the evolution of racing engines and design by manufacturer. The book then covers the extraordinary technology of aerodynamics, and engine power evolution. Racing circuits are shown for all the major racing venues, including some history and some that are no longer being used. The governing body is featured with the process of making rules for all the teams to follow, and those that push those limits, bending the rules to the breaking point. Subsequent chapters discuss the role of money in financing and influence in the sport, technological data, tires and strategy. Throughout the book are extraordinary candid and action photographs that would alone make the book a must-have for the Formula 1 enthusiast. My only quibble is the book ends a bit abruptly, and I would have liked to see another chapter bringing all the information together in some way, or looking to the future. Overall, highly recommend for the die-hard racing fan, and a great book for the casual fan who would enjoy the races more by understanding the teams and personalities behind the scenes. You can pre-order it with the Amazon link – Formula 1 Drive to Survive Unofficial Companion . Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Click on Goodreads Review to ‘like’ my review.

What are you reading now, anything you recommend?