April Audiobooks

April was such a good reading month! Several of you have recommended West With Giraffes and you were right on target. It's a fun read. Then I had 3 mysteries by 3 of my favorite authors and Rules for Commuting was just a great light read.

My one non-fiction was a bit of a letdown but I have some new ones in line for May that might be better.  What have you read this month that you would recommend to me? I can already tell you that my first May read is not going to be on my 2024 top 25 list.

DNF
The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford. This is the 4th Ford book I've read. I loved Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Love and Other Consolation Prizes. This one was just awful and I gave up 4 hours in. It's about epigenetics, the generational inheritance of trauma. It's a hot topic now and interesting. But I struggle with the insistence on focusing on trauma and not beneficial things, if this theory is real.  This book has a period set in 2045 and there isn't 1 tiny technological advance to go along with the devastation of climate change. I found that incredibly lazy and banal writing.  Add in a lot of dull and unlikable characters and I just gave up.

Rise the Dark
by Michael Koryta, Read by Robert Petkoff

Last month I read the first book in this series, Last Words. I decided to go on to the second book while it was still fresh in my mind. The books can be read separately but there is the continuing theme of the murder of Novak's wife. This book is more directly connected to the murder than the first one.

Lauren Novak's killer has been released from jail and Marcus is determined to track him down. At the same time, in Montana, Sabrina and Jay Baldwin experience a power outage. Jay works for the power company and must go out to work to repair the line. 

Sabrina is abducted by Garland Webb, the man who murdered Lauren Novak. As Marcus chases Garland Webb he becomes involved in a much bigger conspiracy centered in Montana.

​Another great read from Michael Koryta.

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West With Giraffes
By Lynda Rutledge, Read By Danny Campbell

This book has been on so many reading lists and several of you have recommended it in the comments of my previous audiobook posts. I've had it downloaded on my phone a few month and I finally got around to reading it.

The story is told by 105 year old Woodrow Wilson Nickel. He escaped a horrible life in West Texas during the Dust Bowl and found himself in New York when a hurricane hits. Also caught up in the hurricane is a ship carrying two giraffes that are meant for the San Diego Zoo. Woody knows that he is near the end of his life and he sets out to write this story that he now realizes is an important story to tell.

Young Woody is fascinated by the giraffes and finds a way to attach himself to them. What follows is a story of the 12-day trip across the country. Most characters are fictional but there's a lot of truth to the story too. 

It's a delightful story about the challenges of life during that time, the grace that animals bring to our lives and the kindness of strangers.

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Three-Inch Teeth
By C. J. Box, Read By David Chandler

This is #24 in the Joe Pickett series and they are still great reads to me. I plowed through this one in 2 days.

A grizzly bear seems to be on a rampage throughout Wyoming, even in areas not known to have grizzlies. Or there are now several grizzlies randomly targeting humans across the state. Or is it something else.

Meanwhile,  Dallas Cates has been released from prison and prison staff forgot to alert Joe Pickett and his family. Dallas has a list of revenge targets that he's quickly checking off.

It's fast paced and I couldn't put it down.

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Ultra-Processed People
By Chris Van Tulleken, Read by Chris Van Tulleken

This was really interesting. It started off great with a deep dive into defining what is ultra-processed food (UPF), the history of the development and the profit motive behind it. I wouldn't say that I got a lot of new information. We all know that soda, Doritos and candy bars are not good for us. But he does delve into the actual ingredients and how they were developed. 

But the he takes a detour into social justice and climate change. How can you sincerely say that if everyone in the world made the same amount of money that our nutrition problems would be solved? We would all just be equally poor.  On the climate change front he's adamant that people stop eating the most nutrient dense item on the planet, meat. He contends that pasta is as effective at muscle building as protein meats. Also, selling chicken is racist. 

At the end he doesn't recommend anything. Do whatever you want. If you want to read this I suggest reading the first half and skipping the second half.

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Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting
By Clare Pooley, Read By Clare Corbett

Every day Iona and her dog travel the London Underground from Hampton Court to Waterloo. She sees the same people and has no idea who any of them are but she's given them all nicknames.

One day one of the riders chokes on a grape. If not for a nurse, Sanjay, Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader would have died. The event is the catalyst for the disparate group of people to get to know each other and ultimately, enrich their lives.

​It was just the feel good, light read that I needed after reading about how all of my food is poison.

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The Price You Pay
By Nick Petrie, Read By Stephen Mendel

It's stellar reading month to have Cork O'Connor and Peter Ash books in the same month! 
This is #8 in the Peter Ash series but this one is focused on his friend Louis. I love the Lewis character and his past has come back to haunt him. His family is on grave danger as someone from his past is searching for retribution. Peter is the first person that Lewis asks for help.

These books are so fast paced and full of action ( and murder). The body could is quite high and I couldn't put it down. I read it in 2 days and stayed up late to finish it. I recommend reading this series in order.

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