Kate’s 2¢: “The Good Sister” by Gillian McAllister

“The Good Sister” by Gillian McAllister

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   There were quite a few narrators in this fascinating who-done-it story. The astute reader will know the perpetrator early on in the story, but will need to go through the trial to confirm your hunch.

   A colicky infant can certainly try the patience of a saint.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

gillianmcallister.com

Gillian McAllister (born 28 February 1985) is a British author, known for ten novels, all which have been bestsellers. Her works have been translated into 40 languages. Several of her novels have been optioned for television and film. Her works include Everything But The Truth (2017), Anything You Do Say (published as The Choice in North America), No Further Questions (published as The Good Sister in North America), The Evidence Against You, How To Disappear, and That Night which was a Richard & Judy book club pick and Wrong Place Wrong Time which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, Sunday Times Bestseller and New York Times bestseller. Just Another Missing Person and Famous Last Words followed, the latter of which was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller. Caller Unknown was selected for the Read With Jenna Book Club in 2026.

Early life and educationedit

McAllister was born in Sutton Coldfield[1] and raised in Tamworth.[2] After attending Belgrave High School,[3] McAllister got an English degree at the University of Birmingham.[4][5] She then converted to law,[6] attending The College of Law.[citation needed]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The good sister DB97635

Author: McAllister, Gillian

Reading Time: 12 hours, 42 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Penny Andrews, Imogen Church, Jan Cramer, Andy Cresswell, Cassie Layton, Charlie Sanderson, Malk Williams

Subjects: Psychological Fiction, Suspense Fiction

Martha and Becky Blackwater are more than sisters–they’re each other’s lifelines. When Martha finds herself struggling to balance early motherhood and her growing business, Becky steps in to babysit her niece without a second thought. But then the unthinkable happens, and Becky is charged with murder. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

[New York, NY] : Penguin Audio, 2019.

Take Action On The good sister

Kate’s 2¢: “The Good Life: A Novel” by Jay McInerney

“The Good Life: A Novel” by Jay McInerney

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Robertson Dean narrated this novel recounting the experience of two people who lost a loved one in theSeptember 1,2001 terrorist attacks.

A few take-aways:

–Now that his daughter had plunged into the choppy waters of adolescence, he found himself watching from the shore.

–We get used to any hardships through repetition.

–His spiritual resources never felt so important before.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

McInerney was born in 1955 in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Marilyn Jean (Murphy) and John Barrett McInerney Sr., a corporate executive.[3] He graduated from Williams College in 1976. At Syracuse University, he earned a Master of Arts in English and studied writing with Raymond Carver.

Careeredit

After working as a fact-checker at The New Yorker, McInerney achieved fame with his first published novel, Bright Lights, Big City. Published in 1984, the novel was unique at the time for its depiction of cocaine culture in second-person narrative. The title is taken from a 1961 blues song by Jimmy Reed.[4][citation needed] The novel established McInerney’s reputation as part of a new generation of writers. Labelled the ‘literary brat pack’ in a 1987 article in the Village Voice, McInerney, Bret Easton Ellis and Tama Janowitz were presented as the new face of literature: young, iconoclastic and fresh.[a] Five novels followed: Ransom, Story of My Life, Brightness Falls, The Last of the Savages and Model Behavior.

After the success of Bright Lights, Big City, publishers started looking for similar works about young people in urban settings. Ellis’s Less than Zero, published in 1985, was promoted as following McInerney’s example. McInerney, Ellis and Janowitz were based in New York City and their lives there were the subject of heavy media coverage.

Ellis used McInerney’s character, Alison Poole (Story of My Life), in his novels American Psycho and Glamorama. McInerney revealed that the character of Alison Poole is based upon his former girlfriend, Rielle Hunter, then known as Lisa Druck. He described the character as “cocaine addled,” and “sexually voracious” but also treated her with some sympathy. McInerney’s roman à clef opened a prescient glimpse into the notorious horse murders scandal, which did not become known to the public until 1992, when Sports Illustrated magazine published a confession from the man who had murdered Lisa Druck’s horse at her father’s behest, in order to claim the insurance on its life.[5]

McInerney also has a cameo role in Ellis’s Lunar Park, attending the Halloween party Bret hosts at his house. It was later revealed that McInerney was not pleased with his representation in the novel.[6]

Throughout his career, McInerney has struggled against the image of himself as both the author and protagonist of Bright Lights, Big City. In 2009, he said in an interview, “Obviously, I’m no longer a 25-year-old bon vivant, but [that] gave me what I always wanted: the opportunity to be a full-time writer. It hasn’t been entirely fair to my other books, and I’ve had to deal with a lot of idiocy on the part of the critics and the cultural commentators.”[7] He appeared at Williams College as the commencement speaker for the Class of 2010.

From NLS/BARD/LO:

The good life: a novel DB61337

Author: McInerney, Jay

Reading Time: 11 hours, 47 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Robertson Dean

Subjects: Human Relations, Psychological Fiction

Luke McGavock is tired of a hectic life concentrated on making money. Corrine Calloway yearns for an existence outside of mothering twins. On September 11, 2001, both of their spouses die in the attack on the Twin Towers. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2006.

Santa Ana, CA : Books on Tape, p2006.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Good Neighbors” by Kiersten Modglin

“The Good Neighbors” by Kiersten Modglin

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   I enjoyed listening to David Zierott narrate this intriguing story. Some neighbors can be rather strange and threatening and may not ever become true friends.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kiersten Modglin is an American author. She is known for her psychological thrillers.

Early lifeedit

Modglin grew up in rural western Kentucky.[1][2] She knew she wanted to become a writer from a young age, penning short stories, plays, poems, and comic books.[3]

Careeredit

Modglin began with a career in the financial industry before pursuing writing full-time in 2020.[3]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The good neighbors DBC27426

Author: Modglin, Kiersten

Reading Time: 5 hours, 10 minutes

Production: Minnesota State Services for the Blind, Communication Center

Read by: David Zierott

Subjects: Psychological Fiction, Suspense Fiction

Good neighbors invite you over for dinner, bring you baked goods to welcome you to the neighborhood, and wave hello at the mailbox. Good neighbors do not destroy your life. When Bryant and Harper Page move to Lancaster Mills, their first encounter with their new neighbors–Jason and Tori Fuller: beautiful, strange, and terrifying–is anything but a warm welcome. Despite their hesitations, the Pages are intrigued by the people they now share a street with. As their curiosity gets the best of them, they discover that there’s much more to the Fullers than meets the eye. Their new neighbors have secrets, that much is obvious, but just how dangerous could they be? With two haunting shadows lingering over their house and lives, the Pages’ relationship is tested in every way. What exactly makes a good neighbor? And what makes a good neighbor bad? Adult. Unrated.

[Illinois] : [Kiersten Modglin], 2019.

Take Action On The good neighbors

Charles Bonnet Syndrome;

“Firestorm” by Iris Johansen

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

I enjoyed listening to Mary Kane narrate this journey into mind reading, influencing through mental telepathy and, of course, romance.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

www.irisjohansen.com

Iris Johansen (born April 7, 1938 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American writer of crime fiction, suspense fiction, and romance novels.

Careeredit

Iris Johansen left a job as an airline reservations agent in the early 1980s to begin writing romance novels.[1] She changed direction slightly and began writing historical romantic suspense novels in 1991 with the publication of The Wind Dancer. She settled in to suspense writing as her main genre with the crime fiction thriller Ugly Duckling, published in 1996[2] and soon after became a New York Times bestselling author.

Film adaptationedit

In 2011, the second novel in Johansen’s Eve Duncan series was made in to a Lifetime film adaptation, The Killing Game, starring Laura Prepon as forensic sculptor Eve Duncan. This film adaptation was directed by Bobby Roth.[3]

Awardsedit

• 1996 Romantic Times Historical Romance Winner[4]

• 1999 Romantic Times Suspense Winner[5]

• 2016 Romantic Times Career Achievement – Thriller Winner[6]

Personal lifeedit

Johansen lives in Georgia, and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award–winning screenwriter and novelist. Iris and Roy have written the Kendra Michaels books series together.[7][8][9] Her daughter, Tamara, contributes as her research assistant.[10][11]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Firestorm DB57890

Author: Johansen, Iris

Reading Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Mary Kane

Subjects: Bestsellers, Mystery and Detective Stories, Psychological Fiction, Romance, Suspense Fiction

Brad Silver, helping the U.S. president, hires telepathic fire investigator Kerry Murphy to find disgruntled pyromaniac James Trask, who headed a scratched Defense Department project. Brad, in return, helps Kerry identify the arsonist who killed her mother. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2004.

New York : Bantam Books, c2004.

Take Action On Firestorm

Cornucopia: Memorial Art Gallery, 2026

Visiting the Memorial Art Gallery

By Kate Chamberlin

October 07, 2026

   Have you ever experienced the thrill of re-reading a great book, dining again in a special restaurant, or re-visiting a local museum?

   On this October morning, the crisp breeze seemed to gently push me along the sidewalk of the Memorial Art Gallery (Rochester, NY) as my guide dog guided me to the welcoming front entrance. I knew we were in the lobby when I heard the gentle burbling of the fountain in the sunken garden where I knew the “Alexander Calder untitled mobile”  hung.  I’ve been here numerous times, and I was anxious to meet up with my friends in the Webster Low-vision Support Group for a guided tour of especially chosen exhibits.

   Susan Dodge-Peters Daiss, Senior Associate of the Memorial Art Gallery with docents Lois Johnson, Mary Monefeldt, and Ann Marie Lagonegro  met us in the lobby. We wended our way to the elevator and the second-floor gallery displaying the large, oil painting on canvas depicting “Cleopatra captured by Roman soldiers after the death of Mark Antony”,1789. Twenty-seven-year-old Bernard Duvivier based this 45”x58”scene on Plutarch’s “on the Life of Atony”

   “Antony and Cleopatra” is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play  is believed to have been first performed around 1607.

   Once we were all seated, Susan read a description of the large painting she and Lisa Hoffman, a social/disability advocate, had scripted in 2017. As we heard the details of the scene Bernard Duvivier committed to canvas in *year, we were drawn into the action of the players, the emotion of horror, and the tension of the drama taking place.

   A lively discussion followed the narration and several people with low vision were allowed to go up close to examine the vibrant, jewel-tone colors, crackling varnish and details often missed when a painting is only observed from afar.

   In another gallery, we listened to a sensuous description of the white marble statue ”Love’s Mirror“ carved by Nicola Cantalamessa-patotti  in 1875.

   Then, Stacy Mayou  supplied us with latex gloves, enabling us to put our hands on the marble to feel the statue. A lot of work went into clearing the red tape so we could feel the marble.

   As a totally blind woman, I was enthralled.  I was in ecstasy.  I was in tangible heaven.  It was awesome to feel, once again, the power and sensuousness of the statue’s beauty; the Sculptor’s strength and skill in using his chisel, and the life and love the marble emoted.

   Moving on, Stacy Mayou provided stools for us to sit in a first-floor gallery to experience “Nydia, The Blind Flower Girl of Pompeii”. It had been modeled in 1855–56 and carved in 1858 by Randolph Rogers, an American artist, born in Waterloo, NY, 1825–1892.

   Susie read a description of this statue I’d written in 2024. Once again, my eyes teared up as I experienced the fear and panic this young, blind girl must have felt as she ran away from the falling ash.

   I’m still in awe that a chunk of pure white marble, carved centuries ago, could convey such a powerful emotion in me. I came away from our tour wanting to return next year.

   Thank you to Susie and all the staff who make these types of experiences available to our low-to-no-vision group. 

Cornucopia: “Mona’s Eyes” book review

“Mona’s Eyes”

By Thomas Schlesser

Translated by  Hildegard Sural (Serle)

Reviewed by Kate Chamberlin

   Can you name five of your most memorable books? “Mona’s Eyes” by Thomas Schlesser (translated from French by Hildegard Sural (Serle) is on my short list.

   When Susan Dodge-Peters Daiss, Senior Associate of the Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, recommended this book to me,  I immediately wondered if Mona’s journey with darkness was like mine.

   I was extremely moved by the intricately woven tapestry of this author’s compelling, second novel and American debut. In each chapter, we go with Mona through numerous medical procedures, traumas of dealing with her 5^th grade classmates, and personal issues of her parents. Throughout it all, Mona continues to wear the shell necklace her grandmother gave her when she told her to Forget the negative. Keep the light inside you forever.

   The second section of each chapter beautifully describes each master artwork. The details enable us to visualize what Mona, and her grandfather are observing  in contemplative silence.

   In the third part of each chapter, we are privy to the very wise and knowledgeable Grandfather’s explanation and history of the artist and the artwork. We witness how this precocious 10-year-old little child matures during the 52-weeks of absorbing beauty, to become a young girl.

   While her mother struggles with the overwhelming stereotypical fear of her child going blind and her father drowning the disillusion of his life, they entrust Mona into her grandfather’s care every Wednesday to take her to a child psychiatrist. Instead, Mona and Grandfather visit inspirational, thought-provoking artworks, spanning an enlightening journey across five centuries of Western art history, imbuing life’s many lessons, enabling Mona to eventually face her own issue of possibly being blind in the future.

   During the first 40-years of my life, I was a successful, sighted woman; then, in the subsequent decades as a successful, totally blind woman; so, I knew I’d be comfortable with whatever the final ending of “Mona’s Eyes” by Thomas Schlesser would be.

   I’d like to re-trace Mona’s steps to see the artworks she saw, but that isn’t possible. Instead, I’m going to read a chapter each night before bed, so I can fall asleep absorbing the wonders and lessons of Mona’s year and great art.

   I recommend this book for college art majors and adults world wide  with an interest in art and art history.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Mona’s eyes DB132861

Author: Schlesser, Thomas

Reading Time: 15 hours, 57 minutes

Translated by: Hildegard Sural (Serle)

Read by: Holly Lucas

   Also available in print at other venues.

Kate’s 2¢: “Road trip with a vampire” by Jenna Levine

“Road trip with a vampire” by Jenna Levine

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   This was one of seven books sent to me by NLS. It is not one I would’ve chosen, but, it was fun listening to Amanda Stribling narrate this, at times, gory story.

   I found the following lighter and more entertaining:

That time I got drunk and saved a human DB132907

Series: Mead mishaps

Order in Series: 03

Author: Lemming, Kimberly

From the WEB:

 Jenna Levine

Penguin Random House

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com › Authors

About this result

By night, she’s the USA Today-bestselling author of humorous paranormal romances where the characters always find love, no matter who (or what) they are.

Missing: bio

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Road trip with a vampire DB132787

Series: My vampires

Order in Series: 03

Author: Levine, Jenna

Reading Time: 12 hours, 31 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Amanda Stribling

Subjects: Fantasy Fiction, Humor and Humorous Fiction, Occult and Horror Fiction, Romance

“A vampire who can’t remember his past and a witch with secrets of her own hit the road in this zany, cross-country romantic comedy. Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She’d grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression that for hundreds of years Zelda’s been a sucker for. Peter isn’t completely harmless — he is fanged, after all — but he’s harmless enough, and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way. But when an alarming message from Peter’s past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can’t keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers — only to find what they’re looking for in each other.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

New York : Penguin Random House, 2025.

Take Action On Road trip with a vampire

Kate’s 2¢: “The tree of life: solving science’s greatest puzzle” by Maximilian Telford

“The tree of life: solving science’s greatest puzzle” by Maximilian Telford

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   This is one of seven books sent to me by the NLS. It is not one I would’ve chosen. It appears to have a political bias.

From the web:

Max Telford is the Jodrell Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at University College London. He studied in Oxford, Paris, the Natural History Museum in …

Missing: Maximilian | Show results with: Maximilian

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The tree of life: solving science’s greatest puzzle DB133896

Author: Telford, Maximilian J.

Reading Time: 11 hours, 53 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Peter Noble

Subjects: Nature and the Environment, Science and Technology

“For centuries, scientists have chased the secrets of how life on our planet arose, how it assumed its dazzling diversity of forms, and how we humans are related to everything else on earth. With increasingly sophisticated genetic methods now bringing us ever closer to answers, leading evolutionary biologist Max Telford takes us inside one of science’s greatest quests. In the intellectually thrilling The Tree of Life, Telford shows how reconstructing the web of relationships between all our planet’s species, from birds and butterflies to mushrooms and moose, allows us to unravel the epic history of life on our planet. In Telford’s hands, the many-branched evolutionary trees that biologists assemble — from Charles Darwin’s first sketches to the vast computer-generated diagrams scientists are building today — become time machines that take us on a vivid journey through four billion years of life’s history. Far from a dry representation of the dead, the tree of life is a living, shifting thing that constantly alters our perspective on the past, present, and future of life on earth.” — From publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Old Saybrook : Tantor Media, Inc, 2025.

Take Action On The tree of life: solving science’s greatest puzzle

 Kate’s 2¢: “Science under siege: how to fight the five most powerful forces that threaten our world” by Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Hotez

“Science under siege: how to fight the five most powerful forces that threaten our world” by Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Hotez

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   This is one of seven books sent to me by the NLS. It is not one I would’ve chosen. It appears to have a political bias.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Science under siege: how to fight the five most powerful forces that threaten our world DB132756

Authors: Mann, Michael E., Hotez, Peter J.

Reading Time: 8 hours, 47 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Tim Campbell

Subjects: Government and Politics, Health and Medicine, Science and Technology

“Two of the world’s most respected scientists reveal the forces behind the dangerous anti-science movement — and show us how to fight back From pandemics to the climate crisis, humanity faces tougher challenges than ever. Whether it’s the health of our people or the health of our planet, we know we are on an unsustainable path. But our efforts to effectively tackle these existential crises are now hampered by a common threat: politically and ideologically motivated opposition to science. Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Hotez are two of the most respected and well-known scientists in the world and have spent the last twenty years on the front lines of the battle to convey accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information about science in the face of determined and nihilistic opposition. In this powerful manifesto, they reveal the five main forces threatening science: plutocrats, pros, petrostates, phonies, and the press. It is a call to arms and a road map for dismantling the forces of anti-science. Armed with the information in this book, we can be empowered to promote scientific truths, shine light on channels of dark money, dismantle the corporations poisoning the planet, and ultimately avert disaster.” — From publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

New York : Hachette Audio, 2025.

Take Action On Science under siege: how to fight the five most powerful forces that threaten our world

Kate’s 2¢: “What sheep think about the weather: how to listen to what animals are trying to say” by Amelia Thomas

“What sheep think about the weather: how to listen to what animals are trying to say” by Amelia Thomas

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Amelia Thomas read her own book, so she knew right where to put a smile in her voice, her tongue in-cheek, and the professional spin on the facts  she’d researched 

   Well done, Amelia.

AI Overview

Amelia Thomas is a Cambridge University-educated British author, naturalist, and journalist who lives on a farm in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Amazon.com – Amelia Thomas: books, biography, latest update – Amazon.com. Related results

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

What sheep think about the weather: how to listen to what animals are trying to say DB133914

Author: Thomas, Amelia

Reading Time: 10 hours, 38 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Amelia Thomas

Subjects: Animals and Wildlife, Nature and the Environment, Science and Technology

“It started with a hummingbird dive-bombing Amelia Thomas over her morning coffee, and a pair of piglets who just wouldn’t stay put. Soon Amelia, journalist and new farmer, begins to question the communications of the creatures all around her. Are they all just animals reacting instinctually to the world around them — or are they trying to communicate something deeper? Driven by lifelong curiosity, Amelia embarks on a journey to uncover what animals truly seek to say to humans. On the way, along with groundbreaking chimps and circumspect octopuses, she’ll meet an extraordinary cast of experts, from animal behaviorists and anthrozoologists to trackers and psychologists, and even explore the surprising insights of pet psychics, A.I. researchers, and animal mindfulness practitioners. Each perspective offers a new layer of understanding about the subtle, complex ways animals connect with us — and will deepen our appreciation for every creature with whom we share our planet. In What Sheep Think About the Weather, Amelia chronicles her sometimes difficult discoveries with humor, heart, and awe. More than just a memoir, this book is a call to listen — not only to the animals we love but to the untamed world around us. What if the answers to some of humanity’s greatest questions have been whispered to us all along?” — From publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Old Saybrook : Tantor Media, Inc, 2025.

Take Action On What sheep think about the weather: how to listen to what animals are trying to say