May Audiobooks

Yay! May was a month full of winners! I can't even rate the books this month. I enjoyed every one of them. I had said months ago that I wouldn't read any more John Sandford but my husband convinced me to try again. I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed Toxic Prey and I've already started Lethal Prey.

​What great books did you read this month? 

Act of Oblivion
By Robert Harris, Read By Tim McInnerney

TLDR: It's historical fiction but about 85% real history. If you are interested in British History this is a time that's not written about often.

The take starts in 1660 in England  after the beheading of Charles I. Two if the regicides, General Edward Whalley and Colonel William Goff escape to America and the Puritan Colonies of New England.

Ten years later the monarchy is back in power and the Act of Oblivion is passed. The 59 men that signed the king's death warrant are all found guilty. Most are dead, including Cromwell,but there are 2 missing. Richard Nayler is assigned to find the 2 missing men.

The story takes place mostly in America and the point of view switches between Whalley/Goff and Nayler. It's a way to humanize both of them and to see both sides of the events of the time. It's a very thoroughly researched book and, if you are into history, you will enjoy it.

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We Are The Brennans
By Tracey Lange, Read By Barrie Krenick

TLDR: Just a good book about family dynamics.

After the last book, I needed something lighter and this recommendation from Carole fit the bill perfectly.

Sunday Brennan has been involved in a drunk driving incident and has ended up in a hospital in Los Angeles. The hospital called her estranged brother as her emergency contact. He convinces her to come home too New York to heal. She hasn't been home in 5 years.

She eventually decided to stay in New York and rebuild her life. It's going to take some careful work to rebuild her relationships with her brothers and to come to peace with her ex-fiance whos is now married with a son.

Everyone has to confront conflicts and decisions from the past. It's fast-paced and a good read. It's not fine literature that you are going to put on a top 10 list but it's very enjoyable.

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The Language of Flowers
By Vanessa Diffenbaugh, Read By Tara Sands

TLDR: A really beautiful book with some gut-wrenching parts as we follow the life of someone raised in the foster system.

Victoria Jones was raised in "the system". She never knew her mother. At one point in her young life she was almost adopted by Elizabeth. Elizabeth taught her botany and about the Victorian language of flowers. 

At 18 she is emancipated from the system with nowhere to go. She sleeps in a park in San Francisco while maintaining a secret garden. A local florist sees promise in her and observes Victoria's natural gift in helping people choose flowers. Victoria finally has a possible future. One day, while at the flower market, she meets a vendor who has a connection to her previous life.

It's a really beautiful book but it does reflect what I believe is the true difficulty of building a life after that kind of trauma and insecurity. There are decisions that will make the reader uncomfortable but it's a worthwhile read.

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Famous Last Words
By Gillian McAllister, Read By Emelia Fox

TLDR: A very interesting mystery that kicks off fast and keeps going. Is a hostage situation exactly how it seems?

This is my second Gillian McAllister book. I read Just Another MIssing Person in 2023 and I was impressed with how unique the storyline was. This book is another winner from this author.

It's a special day for Camilla as the book opens with her taking her infant daughter for her first day of daycare and Camilla returns to her book agent job. But she's surprised to wake and see her husband is missing and he's left her a cryptic note. All morning she can't reach him.

At work she's trying to get herself reacclimated when there's news of a hostage situation in London and the police show up at her office to see her. It's her husband who is holding the hostages. The story is very fast paced for the third that represents the immediate aftereffects of the hostage situation. Then it transitions to 7 years later to see how it affected Camilla and the hostage negotiator. Also,new information is started to come forward.

I really enjoyed this combo mystery and love story. I couldn't put it down. It must be really popular because I recommended it to Mom and she has it on hold at the library and will get it in about 20 weeks.

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The Jackal's Mistress
By Chris Bohjalian, Read By Marni Penning

TLDR: A Civil War story set in Berryville, VA from a new favorite author.

It's 1864 in Berryville, VA where there's a lot of war activity going on. Libbie Stedman's husband has been gone long enough that she hardly remembers him. He's serving in the Confederate Army and is known to have been captured by the Union. She has no idea even if he's alive. 

Before leaving for war, her husband freed the slaves he inherited from his father. One freedman and his wife have stayed behind to work for Libbie running the gristmill that supplies grain to the Army.

One day they find a gravely injured Union officer, Jonathan Weybridge, at an abandoned neighbor's house. She knows he's the enemy but he's also human. She makes the decision to bring him home and nurse him back to health with the hope of trading him for her husband. It adds a lot of risk to her situation.

​This book is based loosely on a true story and the author explains the background at the end of the book. I enjoyed it and will read this author again.

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Toxic Prey
By John Sandford

TLDR: Lucas and Letty join forces to save the world from the pandemic to end all pandemics. A real page turner.

A couple of years ago I read a Sandford novel that really disappointed me but Chris read this one and talked me into giving Sandford another try. He was right.

This was my beach read and it was perfect for the beach. For the last 100 pages I had to go to my room to finish the book without distraction.

Dr. Lionel Scott believes that Gaia is dying. He believes that the only way to heal the earth is to kill off about 80% of the population. Fortunately, he's an expert in tropical diseases and studied one of the most fatal diseases in the world, Marlburg. It's worse than Ebola. But, like Ebola, to burns out quickly so doesn't spread widely. Measles, however, is the most contagious disease and he's worked to combine both and is planning to deploy the virus around the world.

Letty, Lucas, along with a cadre of other specialists have very little time to find and stop Dr. Scott.

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Tartufo
By Kira Jane Buxton, Read By Caroline Hewett

TLDR: A cute story about how a giant truffle might change the course of a dying Italian town.

Mayor Delizia Miccuci has just barely won election over an old donkey. As she follows in her father's footsteps she learns how horribly her father ran the town of Lazzarini Boscarino. The town is bankrupt, the tourists no longer stop by and Nona Amara's famous restaurant is closed.

Amid her despair over the fortunes of the town, Giovanni Scarpazza shows up with the world's largest truffle. This is just the opportunity that the town needs but it sets off a series of hidden animosities, secrets and jealousies. It's a good story with colorful characters and lots of humor thrown in. The donkey that lost the mayoral race is the most beloved creatures in the town and there's a bossy pregnant cat named Al pacino.

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