Kate’s 2¢: “The au pair” by   Emma Rous

“The au pair” by   Emma Rous

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

Ah, yes, what a tangled web we weave. This story kept my attention, that’s for sure.

   The narrative arc swung from the current year back to the year it all happened. Each chapter was marked with the year and character sharing her story. Very well done. 

From the WEB:

Emma Rous Emma Rous is Cambridge University graduate who spent eighteen years working as a veterinary surgeon. She is now writing full-time, and lives with her husband and three school-age sons.

From NLS/BARD/LOC          :

The au pair DB105907

Rous, Emma. Reading time: 11 hours, 33 minutes.

Read by Elizabeth Sastre.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Hours after Seraphine and her twin brother were born at the family’s Norfolk estate, their mother threw herself from nearby cliffs and the au pair fled. Now an adult, Seraphine mourns her father’s recent death. While settling the estate, she finds a photograph that leads to family secrets. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Download The au pair

Kate’s 2¢: “The story of the Volsungs the Volsunga saga” by Anthony Ferguson

 “The story of the Volsungs the Volsunga saga” by Anthony Ferguson

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   The Icelandic author is apparently anonymous, so the reader Anthony Ferguson is listed as the author, which can get a bit confusing.

   I enjoyed this saga of a foreign land.  It is almost like a time-travel adventure.

From the WEB:

   I’m not sure if this is the correct Ferguson who reads for Audible.com.

Mini Bio (1) Anthony Wayne Ferguson (aka Tony Ferguson) grew up in inner city Minneapolis where he was exposed to professional mentors from New York, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis. In those theater programs, everyone collaborated and wrote, acted, and toured the plays they created. In high school, Tony played football and wrestled while also performing in musicals.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The story of the Volsungs: the Volsunga saga DB103473

Ferguson, Antony Reading time: 4 hours, 37 minutes.

Antony Ferguson

Classics

Originally written in Icelandic in the thirteenth century, this legendary saga is based on Norse mythology. This epic describes the feats of generations of mythic Viking families. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2011.

Download The story of the Volsungs: the Volsunga saga DB103473

Kate’s 2¢: “Hide Away” by Nora Roberts

“Hide Away” by Nora Roberts

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Roberts’s many, many novels are of the ilk: Romantic suspense fiction, Suspense Fiction, Romance, Mystery and Detective Stories, as well as Best seller. I think I like them all, at least the ones I’ve read. I like her style and plot twists within the narrative arc.

   As you may know, Nora Roberts pseudonym is J. D. Robb, especially known for the “…In Death” series.

   In “Hide Away”, I liked that the precocious Caitlyn Sullivan had a caring, strong, basically in-tact family to support her. Dillon is a once in a million young man, too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_RobertsActions for this site

Roberts was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, the youngest of five children. Both of her parents have Irish ancestors.

Nora Roberts (born Eleanor Marie Robertson on October 10, 1950) is an American author of more than 225 romance novels. She writes as J. D. Robb for the in Death series and has also written under the pseudonyms Jill March and for publications in the U.K. as Sarah Hardesty.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Hideaway DB99722

Roberts, Nora. Reading time: 15 hours, 47 minutes.

Read by January LaVoy.

Suspense Fiction

Romantic Suspense

Romance

Bestsellers

Nine-year-old child star Caitlyn Sullivan was abducted from her family’s estate during a game of hide-and-seek. She escapes, and is found by teenage neighbor Dillon Cooper. As an adult, Cate still lives with the trauma and betrayal of that event, even as she gets close to Dillon once again. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2020.

Downloaded: November 29, 2020

Kate’s 2¢: “Occupying aging: delights, disabilities, and daily life” by Katherine Schneider

“Occupying aging: delights, disabilities, and daily life” by Katherine Schneider

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   There is a short journal entry for every day during 2012, which was a leap year, so there are 366 entries. Schneider takes us through her very busy life, exemplifying how a blind-from-birth person, who happens to have a few other ailments, can and does live a full and productive life.  She relates the difficulty of having to part with her guide dogs Garland and Fran; then to work with her new Seeing Eye dog, Luna.

   She has a droll sense of humor and knows when to use it and when to adjust her own attitude. The title comes  from the era of ‘occupy the Dean’s Office’, ‘occupy City Hall’, and other ‘sit-in’ venues. She included a list of other books that might assist people with aging and other issues.

   I enjoyed reading this book, as I could read a few passages, then, take up with my own busy life.

From the WEB:

Dr. Katherine Schneideris an author and has published a memoir To the Left of Inspiration: Adventures in Living with Disabilities; a children’s book, Your Treasure Hunt: Disabilities and Finding Your Gold; and two books for seniors, Occupying Aging: Delights, Disabilities and Daily Life; and Hope of the Crow: Tales of Occupying Aging (all available in Bookshare).

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Occupying aging: delights, disabilities, and daily life DB85915

Schneider, Katherine. Reading time: 8 hours, 39 minutes.

Read by Suzanne Duvall.

Disability

Retired psychologist and avid reader provides a year’s worth of daily–and often humorous–musings. Illustrates how she personally approaches life now that the circumstances of being blind from birth and struggling with fibromyalgia for two decades have been combined with issues that accompany aging. Includes a recommended reading list. 2013.

Downloaded: January 5, 2022

Download Occupying aging: delights, disabilities, and daily life

Kate’s 2¢: “Great circle” by Maggie shipstead with Alex McKenna

“Great circle” by Maggie shipstead with Alex McKenna

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   The biography of Marian Graves was very interesting. She had a tragic beginning, yet, had depth and drive to persevere to attain her dream.

   I found the character of Hadley to be superficial and not worth the print, although, she was the only one to solve the puzzle of what happen to Marian and had the grace to keep it a secret.

   I think this story was read by Alex McKenna.  It was over 25 hours of listening, but, she did a good job of narrating the story.

https://www.bookbrowse.com/…/3539/maggie-shipsteadActions for this site

Maggie Shipstead is the New York Times best-selling author of the novels Astonish Me and Seating Arrangements and the winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a former Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford, and the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

From the WEB:

Mini Bio (1) Alex McKenna was born on October 15, 1984 in Hollywood, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Red Dead Redemption II (2018), Code Black (2015) and Bear with Us (2016).

Trade Mark (1) Husky voice

From NLS/BARD/LOC          :

Great circle DB103266

Shipstead, Maggie; McKenna, Alex Reading time: 25 hours, 19 minutes.

Alex McKenna

Historical Fiction

As a teen during Prohibition, Marian Graves meets a bootlegger who helps her become an aviator. An adventurous life follows, including an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. A century later, Hadley Baxter is cast to play Marian in a film that centers on Marian’s disappearance in Antarctica. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

Download Great circle DB103266

Kate’s 2¢: “Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure by Julian Stockwin

“Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure by Julian Stockwin

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   This Kydd sea adventure is full of human drama and esciting battles of the tall masted ships of yore.

   Andy Pyle does a good job of reading the story for NLS.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

www.julianstockwin.com

Born in 1944, Stockwin soon developed a love for the sea, having an uncle, Tom Clay, who was a seaman in square-rigged ships and had sailed around Cape Horn in the Cutty Sark.[1]

After grammar school, his father sent him to sea-training school at Indefatigable at age 14. He joined the Royal Navy at 15 and transferred to the Royal Australian Navy when his family emigrated.[2] Stockwin served eight years, and was eventually rated petty officer.

Stockwin attended the University of Tasmania to read Far Eastern studies and psychology. He did post-graduate work in cross-cultural psychology. He got involved in the manufacture and design of computers and software development. Returning to the navy and the Royal Navy Reserve, Stockwin was honoured with an MBE and retired as lieutenant commander.[1]

He returned to the United Kingdom in 1990 and started to write in 1996. He currently resides in Ivybridge, Devon.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure DB85043

Stockwin, Julian. Reading time: 12 hours, 7 minutes.

Read by Andy Pyle. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Historical Fiction

Adventure

Captain Thomas Kydd finds himself at odds with the leadership of the Admiralty, and his ship, L’Aurore, is declared unfit for sea. For his next command, Kydd is assigned to captain the Tyger, whose crew recently mutinied. Some violence and some strong language. 2015.

Download Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure

Kate’s 2¢: “Falsely accused” by Robert Tanenbaum

“Falsely accused” by Robert Tanenbaum

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   This was a very interesting and intricate narrative arc. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t stop listening until the conclusion.

From the WEB:

   Born in Brooklyn, New York, Robert Tanenbaum attended the University of California at Berkeley on a basketball scholarship where he earned a B.A.  He received his law degree (J.D.) from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

   Robert K. Tanenbaum is the author of 32 books – 29 novels and 3 non-fiction books. He is one of the most successful prosecuting attorneys, having never lost a felony trial and convicting hundreds of violent criminals. He was a special prosecution consultant on the Hillside strangler case in Los Angeles and defended Amy Grossberg in her sensationalized baby death case.

   Tanenbaum is a nationally known attorney and legal expert.  He is a much sought after media guest and is regularly seen on television shows as a legal expert and commentator.  He has worked as a successful prosecuting attorney and high profile defender. 

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Falsely accused DB81942

Tanenbaum, Robert. Reading time: 11 hours, 13 minutes.

Read by Gabriella Cavallero. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Legal Fiction

Butch Karp leaves the district attorney’s office and is suing his old employer on behalf of New York’s chief medical examiner, who was fired without cause. Meanwhile, Karp’s wife, Marlene Ciampi, is also in private practice as a PI specializing in domestic violence cases. Strong language and some violence. 1996.

Download Falsely accused

Kate’s 2¢: “The Devil May Dance: A Novel” by Jake Tapper

“The Devil May Dance: A Novel” by Jake Tapper

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   The beginning of the book bothered me, because I remember my parents talking about the rat pack and the things they allegedly did. At first, they seemed real to me and it didn’t feel right talking about them – exposing their dirty laundry. Eventually, the people just became characters in a well written detective story.

From his website:

Jake Tapper was born on March 12, 1969 in New York City, New York, USA as Jacob Paul Tapper. He is a writer and actor, known for The Outpost (2019), Late Night (2019) and House of Cards (2013). He has been married to Jennifer Marie Brown since September 3, 2006. They have two children.

   CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper joined the network in January 2013. Tapper currently hosts a one-hour weekday program, The Lead with Jake Tapper, which debuted in March 2013, and has hosted CNN’s Sunday morning show, State of the Union, since June 2015. Tapper has been a widely respected reporter in the nation’s capital for more than 14 years. His most recent book, The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, debuted in the top 10 on the New York Times bestseller list.

Tapper imparts his political expertise on State of the Union by conducting interviews with top newsmakers on politics and policy, covering Washington, the country and the world. The Lead covers headlines from around the country and the globe with topics ranging from breaking news in politics and world events, to politics, money, sports, and popular culture.

Most recently, Tapper lent his political expertise to CNN’s 2016 election coverage and moderated two Presidential Primary debates. On election night, Tapper played a pivotal role in the network’s coverage of the race and provided analysis on projections throughout the evening.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The devil may dance: a novel DB103603

Tapper, Jake Reading time: 10 hours, 14 minutes.

Rob Shapiro

Suspense Fiction

Historical Fiction

Political Fiction

Bestsellers

1962. Congressman Charlie Marder and his zoologist wife Margaret are in Los Angeles, and have befriended Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack at the behest of Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Smoke and mirrors are the hallmark of Hollywood and confuse matters for the couple. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.

Download The devil may dance: a novel DB103603

Kate’s 2¢: “Black Ops: Books 1-4 by William W. Johnstone, etal

“Black Ops: Books 1-4 by   William W. Johnstone, etal

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

“American Jihad”

   While I don’t condone the method employed in this story, many religious texts do say: an eye for an eye.  Yet, who is willing to stand up and say, “Stop! Enough is now too much.” How can we agree to disagree and accept that there are numerous paths to the higher being, whatever his/her/it’s name? We all bleed red blood.

“Remember The Alamo”

   Wow, I found myself agreeing with so much of what is said in this story; from the foolish, egotistical  actions of the female US President, to the fierce patriotism of the Texans, and to the ‘ordinary’ citizens who came forth to support the Alamo.   

“Jackknife”:

   The possibility of this type of situation happening is very real and probable. I wondered why the good guys couldn’t send in a strong, fast-acting sedative  or anesthetic through the ventilation system or via drone to knock everyone out. The bad guys could be locked-up, while the hostages woke up…alive.

“Home Invasion”

   Well, I thought the actions of the female U.S. President in the previous stories made me shake my head in disgust, the actions of this male U.S. President made me roll my eyes up and groan at the accurate portrayal of our current government.

From his website:

William W. Johnstone was born in Southern Missouri, the youngest of four children. Raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and well-tutored by his school teacher mother, Bill quit school when he was fifteen. He was kicked out of the French Foreign Legion for being under age and joined the carnival. But still valuing his education, he returned home to finish his high school education in 1957.He went on to work as a deputy sheriff, did a hitch in the army, and began a career in radio broadcasting, where he worked daily on his verbal and storytelling skills for the next sixteen years on the air. Much of his knowledge of the early frontier began from listening to family experiences told to him by his Grandparents.

His love of animals is displayed in many of his books as well as finding several Huskies and Malamutes roaming freely around his home. As an avid gun and knife collector, hours of research are devoted to the types of weapons commonly used during the eras of his writings

One little known fact, is his love for music … from “rockabilly to classical”. Bill has written and recorded several songs which may be released for his fans in the future.

He started writing in 1970, but it wasn’t until late 1979 when The Devil’s Kiss was published that William W. Johnstone became a full-time writer. Since that time he has written over two hundred books in a variety of genres including action, suspense, western, science fiction, and horror. Two of his books, Eagle Down and Dagger, were written under the pen name of William Mason.

From NLS/BARD/LOC      :

Black ops. Books 1-4 DB104451

Johnstone, William W. Reading time: 37 hours, 24 minutes.

Read by Ray Foushee.

Suspense Fiction

Spy Stories

All four books in the series, published between 2006 and 2010. In American Jihad, a disgraced soldier receives secret orders placing him in charge of a covert team. Also includes Remember the Alamo, Jackknife, and Home Invasion. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2010.

Downloaded: December 11, 2021

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Kate’s 2¢: “Chord Style Piano Course” by Bill Brown

“Chord Style Piano Course” by Bill Brown

Kate’s 2¢: 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¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   As a sighted youngster, I learned to play the piano ala John Thompson’s Book one. Every time my parents moved to a new home, the piano teacher put me in John Thompson’s Book One. I have a piano, but as a blind person, I can only play a few songs plus scales. I can chord a little with the left hand, while I pick out the melody with the right hand; Things like “Happy Birthday” and “Mary Had A Little Lamb” for my children and grand-children to encourage them to play the piano. I might even be able to play “Heart and Soul” if someone reminds me  which notes to start on.

   It’s been said that to keep your mind sharp as you grow older, take up a hobby. I thought I’d refresh my piano skills. 

   It didn’t work. Perhaps, if I’d been able to down load the cd that accompanies the hard copy, things might have worked out better. I still play my old favorites from John Thompson Book One plus the scales.

https://www.musicfortheblind.comActions for this site

Welcome to Bill Apollo Brown’s Music For The Blind website! taught completely “BY EAR.”. These courses use no print, video or Braille! Now you can learn the instrument you want, in the convenience of your own home, at a very affordable price. Don’t let anything get in the way of your desire to enjoy the power of music!

   Brown Teacher at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts New York, New York, United States

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Chord style piano course DBM03374

Brown, Bill. Reading time: 1 hour, 29 minutes.

Read by Bill Brown. A production of Valdosta Music and Publishing.

Instructional

Piano

Teaches how to play the piano without the use of music notation. Level 1.

Downloaded: November 19, 2020

Download Chord style piano course