Kate’s 2¢: “

“

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…

      Loretta Broker did a dramatic reading of this illustrated storybook for young children. It addresses self-esteem.

   The book includes bios of the two authors and the illustrator.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Loud mouse DBC31066

Authors: Mentzel, Cara, Menzel, Idina

Reading Time: 0 hours, 12 minutes

Production: Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library

Read by: Loretta Broker

Subject: Animals and Wildlife

Downloaded: 10/25/2026

Dee loves to sing. She sings during her morning yoga. She even sings while practicing her math facts. She usually sings to herself. But when her teacher asks everyone to share something with the class, Dee knows just what to bring: a song. And as Dee sings la, la, la, la,LOUDly in front of her class for the first time, something extraordinary happens. . .For preschool to grade 2.

Los Angeles ; Disney-Hyperion, 2022.New York :

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Kate’s 2¢: “Proud Mouse” by Cara Mentzel and Idina Menzel

“Proud Mouse” by Cara Mentzel and Idina Menzel

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…

   Loretta Broker did a dramatic reading of this illustrated storybook for young children. It addresses self-esteem.

   The book includes bios of the two authors and the illustrator.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Proud mouse DBC30996

Authors: Mentzel, Cara, Menzel, Idina

Reading Time: 0 hours, 14 minutes

Production: Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library

Read by: Loretta Broker

Subjects: Animals and Wildlife, Family, Growing up, Fiction, School Fiction

Downloaded: 10/25/2026

Cara Lee is a proud mouse. She is proud of her big sister Dee. She is proud of her specially decorated journal. And now she’s proud to become what she’s always wanted to be: a student. But her first day of school is different than she imagined. Everyone keeps comparing her to Dee. But who is Cara Lee? When you have a big sister with such a LOUD talent, how can you find room to shine in your own way? For preschool to grade 2.

Los Angeles : Disney Hyperion, 2023.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Just Married” by Kiersten Modglin

“Just Married” 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 Abigail Maupin narrate this story. I’m not sure I like the ending, although those two seem to deserve each other.

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:

Just married DB136794

Author: Modglin, Kiersten

Reading Time: 7 hours, 18 minutes

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

Read by: Abigail Maupin

Subjects: Psychological Fiction, Suspense Fiction

Downloaded: 10/25/2026

“When my husband found this perfect little cabin in the woods for our honeymoon, I couldn’t wait to get away. Just us in the middle of the forest, waking up every day in the trees, ending each night in the hot tub under the stars. But now I’m not sure that I know my husband at all…” — Provided by publisher. Strong language, some violence and some descriptions of sex.

London : Bookouture, 2021.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The calamity club: a novel” by Kathryn Stockett

“The calamity club: a novel” by Kathryn Stockett

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…

   Jenna Lamia and  January LaVoy did an excellent job of narrating this gripping, yet funny and insightful story.  There are so many springboards for discussion in this book.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kathryn Stockett is an American novelist. She is known for her 2009 debut novel, The Help, which is about African-American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi, during the 1960s.

Careeredit

Stockett worked in magazine publishing while living in New York City before publishing her first novel,[1] which she began writing after the September 11 attacks.[2] The Help took her five years to complete, and the book was rejected by 60 literary agents before agent Susan Ramer agreed to represent Stockett.[1][3] The Help rose to number one on the New York Times bestseller list for over a year after its publication[4] and climbed best seller charts a few months after it was released.[5][6] As of 2025, it has sold 15 million copies,[7][8] has been published in 39 languages,[9] and spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list.[10][11] The novel was adapted into a critically acclaimed film released in 2011, featuring an ensemble cast and earning nominations for several major awards.[12][13][14]

Stockett’s second novel, The Calamity Club, was released in May 2026.[15][7][16]

Personal lifeedit

Stockett grew up in Jackson, Mississippi.[17] After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and Creative Writing, she moved to New York City. She lived there for 16 years and worked in magazine publishing and marketing. She is divorced and has a daughter.[6][18]

Reflective of her first novel, Stockett was very close to an African American domestic worker.[19]

A lawsuit was filed in a Mississippi court by Ablene Cooper, a housekeeper who used to work for Stockett’s brother. It claimed that Stockett used her likeness in the book.[20] A Hinds County, Mississippi judge threw the case out of court, citing the statute of limitations.[21] Stockett denies her claim of stealing her likeness and says she only met her briefly.[21]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The calamity club: a novel DB138089

Author: Stockett, Kathryn

Reading Time: 28 hours, 41 minutes

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

Read by: Jenna Lamia, January LaVoy

Subjects: Historical Fiction, Women, Friendship Fiction

Downloaded: 10/25/2026

“Oxford, Mississippi, 1933. Abandoned by her mother one Christmas Eve, eleven-year-old Meg Lefleur has learned the hard way to rely on no one. Now one of the unadoptable “big girls” at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, she fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie Calhoun, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford to ask her socialite sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. But as the Depression tightens its grip, Birdie discovers her sister’s seemingly charmed life is a tapestry of lies. Then, Birdie encounters Charlie, a woman running low on luck with little left to lose. When their fates — and Meg’s — converge, Charlie comes up with an audacious plan for them to take control of their lives. But in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife and women’s freedom is fragile, even the smallest act of defiance can have dangerous consequences.” — From publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

New York, N.Y. Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks, 2026.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Judge Mary Stone” by Viola Davis and James Patterson

“Judge Mary Stone” by Viola Davis and James Patterson

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…

   Viola Davis did a great job of narrating her own book. Of course, her voice lent an authentic flavor to the narrative.

   This story has many springboards for discussions. As an elementary teacher, I, too, have the responsibility of being a ‘mandatory reporter’.

From the AI web:

Viola Davis is an acclaimed American actress, producer, and EGOT winner who expanded her artistic footprint into audiobook narration and voice work.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Davis was born on August 11, 1965, in St. Matthews, South Carolina,[8] to Mae Alice Davis (née Logan) and Dan Davis.[9][10][11] She was born on her grandmother’s farm on the Singleton Plantation.[12] Her father was a horse trainer, and her mother was a maid, factory worker and homemaker.[13][14][15] She is the second youngest of six children, having four sisters and a brother.[16] Soon after she was born, her parents moved with Davis and two of her older siblings to Central Falls, Rhode Island, a suburb of Providence. Her other siblings were left with her grandparents.[11]

Her mother was also an activist during the Civil Rights Movement.[15] When she was two years old, Davis was taken to jail with her mother after she was arrested during a civil rights protest.[17] She has described herself as having “lived in abject poverty and dysfunction” during her childhood,[18] recalling living in “rat-infested and condemned” apartments.[19] Davis is a second cousin of actor Mike Colter, known for portraying the Marvel Comics character Luke Cage.[20][21]

Davis attended Central Falls High School, the alma mater to which she partially credits her love of stage acting with her involvement in the arts.[22] As a teenager, she was involved in the federal TRIO Upward Bound and TRIO Student Support Services programs.[23] While enrolled at the Young People’s School for the Performing Arts in West Warwick, Rhode Island, Davis’s talent was recognized by a director at the program, Bernard Masterson.[24] After graduating from high school, Davis studied at Rhode Island College, majoring in theater and participating in the National Student Exchange before graduating in 1988.

Next, she attended the Juilliard School of Performing Arts in New York City for four years,[14][15] and was a member of the school’s Drama Division “Group 22” (1989–93).[25] In a 2025 interview, Davis said that her education at Juilliard helped her become a better “white actress” but not necessarily a better actor. She explained that the formal technical training she received helped her play classic roles from Shakespeare, Chekhov, O’Neill, and Strindberg, but added “what it denies is the human being behind all that, and as a black actress I’m always asked to show range by doing white work.” She noted that “I can do the best that I can with Tennessee Williams but he writes for fragile white women. Beautiful work, but it’s not me.” She opined that black playwrights such as August Wilson and Lorraine Hansberry aren’t studied in the same way as the others she had learned from.[26]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Judge Stone: a novel DB136049

Authors: Davis, Viola, Patterson, James

Reading Time: 11 hours, 22 minutes

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

Read by: Viola Davis

Subjects: Legal Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Women

Downloaded: 10/25/2026

“In Judge Mary Stone’s courtroom, a person has to take a stand. In Union Springs, Alabama (population 3,314), Judge Mary Stone is a local celebrity. Born a farmer’s daughter in a town where dogwoods bloom every spring and churches rise on every street corner, Judge Mary Stone holds her courtroom to the highest standard in the land. Do the right thing, or don’t do it at all. Then she draws the biggest case Alabama has ever seen. Criminally, it’s open-and-shut. Ethically, there is no middle ground. Essentially, it’s a choice between life and death. As she fights to determine the wisest course, Judge Stone will make history-or die trying.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

New York, NY : Hachette Book Group, 2026.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The House of Stairs” by Barbara Vine

“The House of Stairs” by Barbara Vine

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…

   Dale Carter narrated this rather strange story about some rather strange people, who seem to make living together work…until it doesn’t.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE (née Grasemann; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries.[1]

Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.[2] A second string of works was a series of unrelated crime novels that explored the psychological background of criminals and their victims. This theme was developed further in a third series of novels, published under the pseudonym Barbara Vine.

Rendell has sold an estimated 20 million copies of her novels.[3]

Early lifeedit

Rendell was born as Ruth Barbara Grasemann in 1930, in South Woodford, Essex (now Greater London).[4] Her parents were teachers. Her mother, Ebba Kruse, was born in Sweden to Danish parents and brought up in Denmark; her father, Arthur Grasemann, was English. As a result of spending Christmas and other holidays in Scandinavia, Rendell learned Swedish and Danish.[5] Rendell was educated at the County High School for Girls in Loughton, Essex,[4] the town to which the family moved during her childhood. In 2016 a blue plaque was unveiled at her former home, 45 Millsmead Way, Loughton, in recognition of her time living there.[6][7]

After high school, she became a feature writer for her local Essex paper, the Chigwell Times. She submitted a story narrating a local sports club dinner she had not attended. Because of her absence from the dinner, she did not know that the after-dinner speaker had died midway through the speech, and she failed to report it. She was subsequently forced to resign.[8]

Personal lifeedit

Rendell met her husband Don Rendell (not to be confused with the British saxophonist of the same name) when she was working as a newswriter.[4] They married in 1950, when she was 20, and in 1953 had a son, Simon,[9] now a psychiatrist-social worker who lives in the U.S. state of Colorado. The couple divorced in 1975 but remarried two years later.[10] Don Rendell died in 1999 from prostate cancer.[9]

She made the county of Suffolk her home for many years, using the settings in several of her novels. She lived in the villages of Polstead and later Groton, both east of Sudbury. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1996 Birthday Honours[11] and a life peer as Baroness Rendell of Babergh, of Aldeburgh in the County of Suffolk, on 24 October 1997.[12] She sat in the House of Lords for the Labour Party. In 1998, Rendell was named in a list of the party’s biggest private financial donors.[13] She introduced into the Lords the bill that would later become the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (the intent was to prevent the practice).

In August 2014, Rendell was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September’s referendum on that issue.[14]

Rendell was a vegetarian who was described as living mostly on fruit.[15] She described herself as “slightly agoraphobic” and slept in a specially made four-poster bed because “I like to feel enclosed.”[15]

She was a patron of the charity Kids for Kids.[16]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The House of Stairs DB31123

Author: Vine, Barbara

Reading Time: 11 hours, 8 minutes

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

Read by: Dale Carter

Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories, Psychological Fiction

Psychological murder mystery narrated by Elizabeth Vetch, who recalls her life with Cousin Cosette, owner of the House of Stairs. When Elizabeth meets an old friend, Christabel Sanger (just released from prison), memories of life at the House of Stairs resurface–including the memory of a violent death in which Elizabeth lost the one person she truly loved. Strong language and descriptions of sex.

New York : Harmony Books, 1989, c1988.

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Kate’s 2¢: “House of reckoning: a novel” by John Saul

“House of reckoning: a novel” by John Saul

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…

Martha Harmon Pardee narrated this Occult ,Horror Fiction, and Psychological Fiction, so of course I enjoyed the story. It was intriguing how the siblings could communicate.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Saul (born February 25, 1942) is an American author of suspense and horror novels. Most of his books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.[1]

Biographyedit

Born in Pasadena, Saul grew up in Whittier, California, and graduated from Whittier High School in 1959. He went on to several colleges, including Cerritos College, Antioch College, San Francisco State University and Montana State University, variously majoring in anthropology, liberal arts and theater, but remains degree-less. After leaving college, Saul decided to become a writer, and spent 15 years working in various jobs while learning his craft.[citation needed]

Prior to the start of his career writing thrillers, Saul had around 10 books published under pen names, the first of which he wrote in one weekend after unexpectedly losing his job. His first book sale earned him $200.[2] Today he has over 60 million books in print.[3]

In 1976, Dell Publishing contacted him about his writing a psychological thriller. The resulting novel, Suffer the Children, appeared on all the bestseller lists in the United States and reached the number one spot in Canada.[citation needed] His 1979 novel Cry for the Strangers was made into a 1982 TV movie starring Patrick Duffy and Cindy Pickett.[4][5] In addition to his novels, Saul has had several one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle.[citation needed]

Saul lives part-time in the Pacific Northwest, both in Seattle and in the San Juan Islands, and has a residence on the Big Island of Hawaii. Saul is openly gay. He lives with his partner of almost 50 years (since 1975) who has collaborated on several of his novels.[1] He is a frequent speaker at the Maui Writers’ Conference.

In 2023, Saul received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement.[6]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

House of reckoning: a novel DB71396

Author: Saul, John

Reading Time: 9 hours, 49 minutes

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

Read by: Martha Harmon Pardee

Subjects: Occult and Horror Fiction, Psychological Fiction

Two teens bond out of social isolation: Sarah Crane limps and endures an abusive foster-care family, while Nick Dunnigan hears voices and hallucinates. Their art teacher Bettina invites them to her ancestral mansion, the Shutters, where they unwittingly channel an evil entity that seeks vengeance on the town. Violence. 2009.

New York : Ballantine Books, c2009.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The house swap: a novel” by Rebecca Fleet

“The house swap: a novel” by Rebecca Fleet

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…

   Therese Murray narrated this interesting house swap. The ending may surprise you.

From the Web:

Rebecca Fleet

Penguin Random House

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com › Authors

About this result

Rebecca Fleet was educated at Oxford and works in brand strategy. She lives in London. The House Swap was her US debut; The Second Wife is her second…

Missing: bio

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The house swap: a novel DBC34487

Author: Fleet, Rebecca

Reading Time: 9 hours, 44 minutes

Production: Minnesota State Services for the Blind, Communication Center

Read by: Therese Murray

Subjects: Psychological Fiction, Suspense Fiction

When a married couple takes on a house swap for a getaway, signs of the wife’s personal history emerge in the house. Adult. Violence.

New York : Pamela Dorman Books, 2018.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The House on Olive Street” by Robyn Carr

“The House on Olive Street” by Robyn Carr

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…

   Kristin Allison narrated this story. I enjoyed learning how the four authors differed and how they grew into their improved selves.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

www.robyncarr.com

Robyn Carr is an American author. She is the writer of the Virgin River series of books and has written more than fifty novels.[1] Her novels have been on The New York Times Best Seller list, including titles such as The Hero.[2]

She is also an executive producer on the television adaptations of Virgin River and Sullivan’s Crossing.

Biographyedit

Carr studied nursing in college. She married her high school sweetheart just before he left for the US Air Force as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. Carr followed her new husband from base to base, and because they did not stay in any one place for very long, she was unable to pursue her nursing career. When a difficult pregnancy required her to be off her feet, Carr turned to romance novels to distract herself. She soon decided to write her own novels.

Carr has since published dozens of historical and contemporary romance novels, a suspense novel, a non-fiction work, short stories, articles, and even wrote several screenplays which have yet to be sold. Carr also hosts monthly “Carr Chats” at the Paseo Verde Library in Henderson, Nevada, where she interviews other authors.

In addition to Virgin River, her Sullivan’s Crossing novel series has also been adapted into the television drama series Sullivan’s Crossing, which premiered in 2023.[3]

Carr has a son and a daughter.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The house on Olive Street DB73033

Author: Carr, Robyn

Reading Time: 10 hours, 28 minutes

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

Read by: Kristin Allison

Subjects: General Fiction, Psychological Fiction

Four fellow writers arrive at their novelist friend Gabby Marshall’s house for her fiftieth birthday only to find her dead. As their own lives start to unravel in different ways, Gabby’s companions gather at her house for the summer. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1999.

Don Mills, Ont. : Mira, c1999.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The House on Olive Street” by Robyn Carr