Hilarious and heartfelt. Seriously…I’m not kidding.

Book Title: Seriously…I’m Kidding
Author: Ellen DeGeneres
Narrator: Ellen DeGeneres
Length: 3 hours

Happy is the only way I can describe how I’m feeling after just listening to Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres. If you’re a fan of The Ellen Show, you’ll know that she has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes you want to laugh, dance and have a little fun. It’s a quality that comes across loud and clear in both her essays and her narration.

Ellen’s personal narration of her audio book is what makes it so fantastic. She doesn’t simply read the words, she performs them. Her delivery is hilarious, relatable and inspiring.

Ellen does a great job at combining her clever sense of humour with her philosophy on life and provides stories that will leave you feeling optimistic and really, really happy—oh, and you’ll laugh out loud. A lot.

If you enjoyed this audio book and want to listen to more hilarious audio books, written and read by hilarious women, Simply Audiobooks recommend the following:

Did Seriously…I’m Kidding leave you feeling happy and optimistic? Are there any other audio books that have had the same effect on you?

As you can see, crime, thrill and suspense were major themes that emerged from  Simply Audiobook’s new releases this week. For those who prefer something without gunfire, we also have a wide variety from self-help, fantasy, biography and more! Go to SimplyAudiobooks.com for all of our latest and greatest releases!

Title: The Lincoln Lawyer

Leaving behind one of his most celebrated characters, Harry Bosche, Connelly introduces us to a new and unlikely hero—Mickey Haller. Mickey is an unethical but highly charismatic L.A. defense attorney who operates from the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car. Known for almost exclusively representing drug dealers, con artists and drunk drivers, Mickey’s lands what he believes to be the case of a lifetime—defending a rich, Beverly Hills playboy accused of attempted murder. As he delves deeper, Mickey quickly realizes that he’s involved in a deadly game of manipulation, lies and murder.

If you’re a fan of legal thrillers or are simply looking to listen to an entertaining story, we suggest renting or downloading The Lincoln Lawyer. It’s a must-listen that we know you’ll love.

Have you listened to any of the other novels in the Mickey Haller series? Would you recommend them?

When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, we all resolve to live the next year better and maybe even cross something off of our bucket list in 2012. We are filled with hope and the sky is the limit. But then life gets in the way and many of us will have tossed our resolutions out the window by the beginning of February.

Make this the year that you stick to your resolutions by arming yourself with an audio book from Simply Audiobooks. Throughout the year, they can act as your personal life coach – teaching, motivating and cheering you along every step of the way.

Have you ever wanted to…

Go vegan?
‘Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World’ –Kathy Freston

Be the biggest loser?
‘The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom’ –Philip C. McGraw

Learn Español?
‘Spanish for Dummies’ –Jessica Langemeier

Perfect your downward dog?
‘The Heart of Yoga Practice Series’ –Shiva Rea

See $1,000,000,000 on your bank statement?
‘How to Be a Billionaire’ –Martin S. Fridson

Whatever your resolution, Simply Audiobooks has over 20,000 audio books to help you be successful in 2012!

What’s your New Year’s resolution?

AudioFile Magazine is celebrating the top audio books and narrators of 2011 with the release of their annual compilation – AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of 2011. Our team at Simply Audiobooks couldn’t agree more with their choices this year, especially their top picks in the Mystery & Suspense category:

Before I go to Sleep—S.J. Watson
The End of the Wasp Season—Denise Mina

Click here to check out the complete list

Do you agree with AudioFile? What were your favourite audio books of 2011?

“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house.
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…”

Not quite!! The night before Christmas usually involves last minute shopping, wrapping gifts, stuffing stockings and baking cookies for Santa. The hustle and bustle of Christmas always seems to leave people feeling a little less than merry and bright!

The one tradition I can always count on to put the magic back into my holidays is listening to holiday favourite The Night Before Christmas. This timeless story is narrated by the fabulous Meryl Streep who delivers an incredible performance. The artistry of her voice, combined with a whimsical score, makes the characters of this story come to life!

So, this Christmas Eve, forget about the stresses of Christmas, pour a cup of hot cocoa, cozy up around the fireplace and put on The Night Before Christmas audio book. Watch your children’s eyes light up with excitement when they hear the prancing and pawing of each little hoof and listen to them giggle when they find out Santa’s belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly!

This story guarantees to warm your heart and remind you of what the holiday season is all about!

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!”

Simply Audiobooks has many holiday classics to bring the magic back to your holiday season. What are some of your favourites?

Stuff 20,000 audio books into one stocking!

If you’ve thought long and hard about finding that perfect gift for a true book enthusiast, a Simply Audiobooks CD rental or digital download gift subscription is definitely the way to go.

Not only would you give them access to 22,000 audio books but you can personalize it as well. And because Simply Audiobooks understands that the holidays can be a hectic time, you can email the gift instantly.

We all know the holidays are about giving, so why not give your friends and family even more? Plus, when the day comes and everyone reveals what they’ve unwrapped, you can be sure someone will be well equipped to block out the noise of the kids new train set, remote control cars, your brothers new musical instrument, your husband’s handy new drill…well, you get the idea. There’s no better time to tune in!

Click here to visit our gift center.

Happy Holidays!

Check Out This Week’s New Audio Books!

This week saw a huge number of new releases in the memoir and biography category! Check out these audio books for tales of incredible lives.

There is also a great new audio book for younger listeners! Jeff Kinney is back with the latest in the Diary of Wimpy Kid series:  Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Cabin Fever.

What audio book do you plan on spending some of your weekend listening to?

The Lady of the Rivers – A Review

This week’s audio book review is Philippa Gregory’s latest, The Lady of the Rivers. This audio book tells the story of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford and mother of Elizabeth Woodville who later became The White Queen.

Jacquetta is from Luxembourg and is said to be descendent from Melusina, the river goddess. She has the gift of The Sight but in these dangerous times is very hesitant to use it. Her first husband married her for her gift in hopes that she would be able to see the future for him and help him with his quest to discover the Philosopher’s Stone. After he passes away she is too afraid to continue using her Sight but on occasion she does read the cards for others and sees the dangers that lie ahead.

This audio book will be a delight for fans of Philippa Gregory’s work. It has the passion, danger and legends that have made her previous audio books best sellers. I really enjoy her take on the English court and the way she brings history to life, giving voices to these illustrious people.

I thought the narration was fantastic. Very recently I listened to The Red Queen and was very impressed with the narration, also by Bianca Amato, and was excited to hear her again. Bianca is a wonderful narrator but it took me an hour or so to get used to the fact that this audio book was narrated by Jacquetta. Both The Red Queen and The Lady of the Rivers are written with a first person narration so when Bianca said “I did”, “I thought”, “I said” etc., it took some time for me to adjust to the new protagonist, but I thoroughly enjoyed it once I did.

Do you prefer Philippa Gregory’s audio books about the Tudors or The War of the Roses?

Happy Birthday Kurt Vonnegut

One of the famous American writers of the 20th century would have been celebrating his 89th birthday this year. Author of 14 novels and various other works, Kurt Vonnegut is famous for his satirical writing and his humanism.

Many of his novels have been produced as audio books. In fact the very first audio book I ever listened to was Slaughter House Five. Although back then it was a book on tape, not an audio book download! His time serving as a soldier in Dresden during World War II served as the inspiration behind this story. It is my favorite of his and I highly recommend that you listen to it if you haven’t already.

His works are still widely read and listened to today. The Twitter Book Club, 1book140 is celebrating Dead Authors this month and they have selected Slaughter House Five for November. Tweet with the hashtag #1book140 to join the discussion.

With so many great stories to choose from, what’s your favorite Vonnegut audio book?

The Passage – A Review

Pam is constantly listening to new audio books and has recently listened to The Passage. Read on for her review…

Don’t let the length of this audio book deter you from a great listen! The Passage by Justin Cronin is a fresh take on Vampires (known as Virals in the book, and they definitely do not sparkle), and a post-apocalyptic world where human life has all but vanished. Yes it’s long (36 hours for the unabridged. The abridged is much shorter), but it is worth the time and will have you hooked from the very beginning.

The first in a trilogy, The Passage is an epic novel about a classified government experiment that experiences a major security breach, a virus that goes horribly wrong, and the ensuing aftermath of the outbreak of the test subjects. Just when you find yourself getting into the rhythm of this first story line, you are then thrust a century into the future to see a struggling human race barely surviving. Humans now live in walled compounds, dependent on the lights to keep the virals at bay. With the battery supply that these lights run on about to run out, a small group sets out to try and find help. Of course this journey is not a smooth one, and another edge of your seat storyline unfolds.

It’s hard to place this epic novel into one genre. With undertones of horror, romance, action, suspense and science fiction, The Passage will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Cliff-hangers are abundant and can get somewhat frustrating but on the whole work well for the horror/suspense aspect of the novel.

Scott Brick lends his amazing voice talents to this book and listeners will not be disappointed. Brick does a wonderful job of bringing a voice of authority, calm, and excitement to the story. At times beautiful and at times horrifying, The Passage by Justin Cronin is sure to leave you wanting more and counting down the months till book 2 is released in spring 2012.

Hot New Audio Books – November 4th

Lots of interesting audio books were released this week. In particular I noticed a lot of memoirs and autobiographies. This week’s hot new releases include an exciting conclusion to a fantasy series, two memoirs and a historical tale.

The final book in the bestselling Wicked Series was released this week. Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire takes listeners back to this magical land. The Cowardly Lion is on the run from the law, war has broken out, and the small American girl has decided to come back… yes that’s right, Dorothy’s back. The Wicked Witch’s granddaughter has grown up and it’s time to find out if she has more similarities with Elephba than just her strikingly green skin. The long awaited conclusion to this series will be a fast favorite for Maguire fans.

Considered the most remarkable Christmas of the Century, Pearl Harbor Christmas by Stanley Weintraub looks at Christmas 1941. Publishers Weekly talks about the audio book, “A minor genre, the day-by-day chronicle, receives a fine addition as veteran historian Weintraub devotes a chapter each to the last ten days of 1941 plus New Year’s Day…Readers will enjoy his opinionated portraits of the allied leaders as they hammered out strategy, much of which was rendered irrelevant by subsequent events.”

Carrie Fisher is back with another memoir, Shockaholic. Fans of Wishful Drinking will be excited to delve a little deeper and learn more about her surreal life. The few years since her last audiobook was published has been a roller coaster ride and she talks about her friendship with Michael Jackson, the loss of her father and stepmother, as well as the “wishful shrinking” of losing forty pounds of unwanted flesh. This honest memoir promises to reveal a new, tender side of Carrie Fisher.

Mindy Kaling, best known for her role on The Office has written a hysterical memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). Compared to Tiny Fey, this audio book is guaranteed to have you in stitches. Mindy tells the stories of her different lives: the dutiful daughter of immigrant parents, off-Broadway performer and Hollywood actress.

Do any of these audio books peak your interest?

The Language of Flowers – A Review

How do you select the next audio book that you’re going to listen to? Do you search through other reviews, ask your friends for a recommendation, or just grab something from one of your favorite authors? These are great ways to discover a wonderful story, but sometimes I like to try something a little different. I’ll grab an audio book based solely on a great cover illustration or just a spectacular title. That is how I chose Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s The Language of Flowers.

The Language of Flowers has a beautiful image of white flowers on the cover, and so I was expecting a love story. As the saying goes, you shouldn’t judge a book by the cover, and while it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, it is a beautifully told story revolving around the language of flowers.

Victoria Jones was abandoned at birth and grew up in a series of foster and group homes. When she turns 18 she is emancipated and has to start fending for herself. She ends up sleeping in a park (thankfully she lives in San Francisco) and with her knowledge of flowers and their Victorian meanings, she starts a part time job at a florist. While moving forward through the story, Victoria also tells the listeners about her past, focusing on the time she lived with Elizabeth, a woman who was hoping to adopt her. The past and present are woven together beautifully, moving forward at a similar pace and truly adding to the story.

Tara Sands does an exceptional job narrating the audio book. The different voices she uses for 18 and 10 year old Victoria are spot-on and her tone is perfect. She also does a marvellous job with the other characters, including Grant. I can only imagine that this is exactly how Vanessa Diffenbaugh would have wanted it read.

I may start picking more books by their covers from now on! Have you listened to The Language of Flowers? Share your thoughts in the comments and tell me how you select your audio books!

New Audio Book Releases

This has been a great week for audio books! The Steve Jobs Biography is out as well as many other hot new titles. If you’ve finished your audio book and are looking for a new favorite, check out some of these recently released titles.

Halloween is almost here and that means that Christmas is just around the corner. For those of us who just aren’t ready for the sappy tv-specials or all the decorations and cheer, this is probably the best Christmas themed audio book we could pick up. When Elves Attack, written by Tim Dorsey, is a zany tale of a holiday season in Florida featuring Serge Storms the psychopath instead of Santa. Pick up this audio book if you’re in the mood for a laugh!

The latest celebrity biography has hit the shelves, this one featuring the musician, Prince. With three decades of recording Prince is the only artist since the Beatles to have a number one song, movie and single all at the same time. Ronin Ro maps Prince’s life from anonymity to stardom and shows the man behind the mask.

Want to know more about Amazon’s huge leap to success? Check out Richard Brandt’s biography, One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com. Brandt interviewed numerous employees, competitors and observers to get his unique perspective. This is an insightful journey which tells readers not only about the huge accomplishments of the company, but the man who founded it and lead the team to success.

John Grisham is back with another legal thriller, The Litigators. The partners at a small law firm have been working together for so long that they squabble like an old married couple. Day in, day out they work on the same types of cases without a lot of drama. Then one day a young burned out attorney coming off a bender lands on their doorstep and turns their world upside down. When opportunity knocks they jump at the chance of a big pay off without much work. They have yet to learn that when something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

What audio book are you listening to this weekend?

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Earlier this week I blogged about All Hallows Listen, and I have found my recommendation! Gather your family and friends around your computer or stereo system and get ready for an exceptional audio production! Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury is not your typical audio book. This is a production with a full cast, music and sound effects. It’s an engaging story and has been created in the format of radio theater.

In this story, a creepy carnival comes to town a week before Halloween and two thirteen year old boys, Jim Nightshade and Will Halloway, are swept up in the excitement. There’s a house of mirrors, a maze and of course, a curious carousel. The carnival promises to bring you everything you wish for, but the boys will soon learn that what you wish for isn’t necessarily what you want. And if something is too good to be true, it probably is.

This wonderful audio production really adds to the story; you’ll feel like you’re walking (and running) through the carnival with the boys. The audio book was spooky, but not too scary. If you’re still looking for your All Hallows Listen pick, this would be a really fun audio book to listen to with a group on Halloween.

Have you listened to an audio book that was an amazing audio experience? Share your story in the comments section below!

All Hallows Listen!

Last year author, Neil Gaiman started a new trend, instead of just giving candy for Halloween, give someone a scary book! If you have a Twitter account you can join in the conversation with the hashtag #allhallowsread. I love this idea and have put together a list of scary audio books guaranteed to have chills running down your spine!

Here are a few books for younger listeners:

What audio book would you give for All Hallows Listen?

New Audio Book Releases

It’s Friday again and everybody’s looking forward to the weekend! Will you be spending some of your weekend with an audio book? If you don’t have a title ready here are a few suggestions of new audio books that have been released this week.

“Are you there, Satan? It’s me, Madison,” declares the whip-tongued narrator of Damned, Chuck Palahniuk’s subversive new work of fiction. The daughter of a narcissistic film star and a billionaire, Madison is abandoned at her Swiss boarding school over Christmas, where she dies of a marijuana overdose—and the next thing she knows, she’s in Hell. Madison shares her cell with a motley crew of young sinners united by fate to form the six-feet-under version of everyone’s favorite detention movie. Madison and her pals trek across the Dandruff Desert and climb the treacherous Mountain of Toenail Clippings to confront Satan in his citadel.

Passion, Danger and Witchcraft are the focus of Philippa Gregory‘s latest audio book, The Lady of the Rivers. The Lady of the Rivers is the remarkable story of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, a woman who navigated a treacherous path through the battle lines in the Wars of the Rose. A sweeping, powerful story rich in passion and legend and drawing on years of research, The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of the real-life mother of the white queen.

New York Times bestselling author John Connolly is back with a sequel to The Gates. The Infernals is a wonderfully strange and brilliant novel about a boy, his dog, and their struggle to escape the wrath of demons. Young Samuel Johnson is in trouble. Not only is his eyesight so poor that he mistakenly asks out a letter box on a date, but an angry demon is seeking revenge for Samuel’s part in foiling the invasion of Earth by the forces of evil. It wants to get its claws on Samuel, and when Samuel and his faithful dachshund, Boswell, are pulled through a portal into the dark realm, the home of the Infernals, it gets its chance.

Jeff Lindsay is back with latest audio book in the Dexter series. Dexter Morgan is not your average serial killer. He enjoys his day job as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, but he lives for his nighttime hobby of hunting other killers. Dexter is therefore not pleased to discover that someone is shadowing him, observing him, and copying his methods. Dexter is not one to tolerate displeasure, in fact, he has a knack for extricating himself from trouble in his own pleasurable way.

I’ve already listened to Damned, and am excited for The Infernals and The Lady of the Rivers, (I guess I have a lot of listening to do this weekend!). Which of these new audio books sparks your interest?

Searching for Something Spooky? – A Review of The Night Strangers

Chris Bohjalian’s new audio book, The Night Strangers is sure to send shivers down your spine. Chip and Emily Linton and their twin ten year old girls move into an old Victorian house in northern New Hampshire after double engine failure causes Chip to ditch his plane in Lake Champlain. Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, 39 of the passengers on board the plane die in the crash. Coincidentally, the Linton’s new house has a strange door in the basement that has been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long carriage bolts. This is definitely not lost on Chip who is immediately concerned about his unfortunate passengers and curious about what is hiding behind the door.

The door in the basement is not the only creepy thing in this new town, the women are very strange. They are called “The Herbalists” and they are all named after herbs, flowers and other plants. The women take quite an interest in the Linton twins as well as their father. This is rather unsettling as the previous owners of this old house also had a set of twins and one of them committed suicide in his early teens.

This thrilling tale is captivating from the very beginning. From the description I was expecting a tale of a haunted house, but this is much more than that. I listened to the last 6 hours straight through because I needed to know what was going to happen next. The narrators, Alison Fraser and Mark Bramhall do a wonderful job and heighten the suspense.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to get in the Halloween spirit with a good ghost story or anyone who enjoys the anticipation and excitement that comes with trying to solve a mystery.

Have you listened to this audio book? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Are You Searching for a New Audio Book To Listen To?

We have a new book list on Simplyaudiobooks.com that will help you find your new favorite audiobook! This list is called “Earphone Awards” and is listed on the right navigation when you are browsing books.

These awards are given out monthly by AudioFile Magazine. Here are the criteria that an audio book must excel in to receive an award:

• Narrative voice and style
• Vocal characterizations
• Appropriateness for the audio format
• Enhancement of the text

We will be updating this list monthly with the new winners. Check out the list here.

Rent or download one of these new audio books and enjoy the wonderful narration!

A New Genre – Bros Prose!

We have all heard of Chick Lit audio books and can pick them out with pink covers, little black dresses, lipstick tubes and stilettos. Here at Simply Audiobooks, we think it’s time for guys to get their own genre and we’re calling it Bros Prose!

After a poll in the office, these audio book selections will feature cars, action, rock stars, sports and lots of laughs. Here are a few audio books that our guys picked:

You can see more of our Bros Prose picks in our new book list.

We will also be sending out emails featuring new Bros Prose, be sure to update your Email Sign Up Form (located on the Home Page after you log into http://www.simplyaudiobook.com/) to be included on this mailing list!

Now we’d like to turn this over to you, what audio books do you think belong in this new genre? Let us know in the comments section!

What If? – A Review of The Best of Me

This is a special guest post by Pam! Read on to find out what she thought about Nicholas Sparks’ latest audio book.

What if you had the chance to reconnect with your first and one true love 25 years after you said goodbye? Would you still be able to walk away? This is the question at the center of Nicholas Sparks’ new audio book, The Best of Me. In true Sparks fashion he weaves a tender story with twists, turns, ups, downs and as always an ending that will pull at your heart strings.

Long lost loves, Dawson and Amanda, have both moved on in their lives but seem to live a flat existence. Until external circumstances bring them back together for one fateful weekend that will change their lives and the lives of the people in their hometown forever. With characters that range from the overbearing mother, alcoholic husband, strong silent types, and violent back road brutes (the Cole relations left me feeling unsettled and never wanting to meet any of them even on a sunny day), Sparks brings to life a wonderfully troubled world that leaves Dawson and Amanda, always on edge.

The Best of Me is read by Sean Pratt and he does a respectable job. His way of creating different vocal tones for the characters allows the listener to follow the story easily. Told in both the present time and through flashbacks, the narrative unfolds seamlessly. The pacing towards the end of the book is perfection with its quick sections, drawing the listener into the lives and chaos of Dawson and Amanda.

Anyone who has listened to a Nicholas Sparks audio book (or seen one of the movies based on them) will have a sense of how the storyline is laid out. And yet for me this did not detract from the wonderful story that will leave you asking, What if?

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Hot New Releases

The weekend is almost here and it’s time to pick out a new audio book to relax and enjoy! Here’s a list of some of the hot new audio books that were released this week.

Are you in the mood for a laugh? Check out Ellen Degeneres’ latest audio book, Seriously…I’m Kidding. If you’re a fan of Ellen’s stand-up comedy you’ll definitely get a kick out of this audio book. There are many chapters which explain the secret of life, the day-to-day life of a celebrity, and other helpful hints. Ellen promises that in this audio book she has “…left no stone unturned, no door unopened, no window unbroken, no rug unvacuumed, no ivories untickled.”

 Interested in getting into the Halloween spirit with a ghost story? Pick up Chris Bohjalian’s new audio book, The Night Strangers. Chip and Emily Linton move into a Victorian house in northern New Hampshire after double engine failure causes Chip to ditch his plane in Lake Champlain. Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, 39 of the passengers die. Coincidentally, the new house has strange door in the basement that has been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long carriage bolts. This is a poignant and powerful ghost story with all the hallmarks readers have come to expect from Chris Bohjalian.

Michael Ondaatje is back with another Giller Prize shortlisted audio book. The Cat’s Table takes place in the early 1950s, where an eleven-year-old boy in Colombo boards a ship bound for England. At mealtimes he is seated at the “cat’s table”–as far from the Captain’s Table as can be–with a ragtag group of “insignificant” adults and two other boys, Cassius and Ramadhin. As the narrative moves between the decks and holds of the ship and the boy’s adult years, it tells a spellbinding story–by turns poignant and electrifying–about the magical, often forbidden, discoveries of childhood and a lifelong journey that begins unexpectedly with a spectacular sea voyage.

Deemed her most ambitious and mesmerizing work ever, Alice Hoffman has just published The Dovekeepers. In 70 C.D., nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on a mountain in the Judean desert, Masada. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic historical event, Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary, bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom comes to Masada by a different path. The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in the desperate days of the siege, as the Romans draw near. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets–about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love.

What audio book are you planning to listen to this weekend?

Happy Accidents – A Review of Jane Lynch’s Journey to a Gleeful Life

When I think of Jane Lynch I immediately picture a tall woman in a brightly colored track suit, terrorizing the halls of McKinley High. It’s hard to not think of Sue Sylvester upon hearing Jane Lynch’s voice, although older Jane Lynch fans may also be picturing a very confident Joyce Wischnia.

When I started listening to her memoir, it was hard to believe how shy she was as a teenager. She had lots of determination, but possessed very little self-confidence. Her touching story of longing to fit in and become an actress had me captivated. What teenager didn’t feel shy or didn’t worry about not being liked at one point or another?

You can watch this short video of Jane promoting her memoir to Canada to get a feel for what the audio book is like:

Jane tells the tale of all the Happy Accidents that lead up to her fame as an actress and her loving family. Her struggle with alcohol addiction, coming to terms with her sexuality and finding true love are honestly told in this audio book. While it may not have been the laugh-out-loud funny story I was expecting, I had a smile on my face and couldn’t stop giggling at the small quips and sarcastic wit evident throughout.

Having Jane narrate the novel was wonderful. Hearing the story through her words made me feel like I was experiencing all the ups and down right there with her. Many Glee and The L Word fans will pick up this audio book simply because it features Jane Lynch; but I recommend it for anyone who has longed to be themselves and to be loved for just that.

Courtney Love Releases A Memoir

You either love her or hate her… or you just don’t care about her either way. But, Courtney Love’s new memoir may just change your mind. That’s right Courtney Love is ready to “set the record straight.” She will address her life with Kurt Cobain, the Nirvana leader who died in 1994, her drug problems and her Hollywood career.

Best known for being married to Kurt Cobain, she was also a member of the band, Hole. She has secured a book deal with William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, and is set to release her memoir in Fall 2012.

I’m looking forward to checking out the audio book, but I’m also looking forward to listening to the other several musicians who have agreed to write memoirs. Others include, Neil Young, Pete Townshend and Carole King.

Be sure to keep checking back to find out about the future release date.

New Releases This Week!

We have some great new audio book releases this week that you might want to check out!

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
When Rory Deveaux arrives in London, she starts a new life, full of excitement and possibility. But it’s not what she had imagined. On the day she arrived, brutal murders broke out across the city that mimicked the horrific work of Jack the Ripper. With no leads, police are left with nothing. Or are they? Did Rory see the murderer and if so, what does she plan do to about it?

The Affair: A Reacher Novel by Lee Child
From New York Times bestselling author Lee Child, this is a story full of unrelenting suspense in the start of the new Jack Reacher saga.

Nightwoods: A Novel by Charles Frazier
Charles Frazier is known for his historical literary odysseys, and for making figures in the past come vividly to life. Set in the twentieth century, “Nightwoods” resonates with the timelessness of a great work of art.

1225 Christmas Tree Lane by Debbie Macomber
Many of us have high expectations at Christmas, but unlike Beth Morehouse, she expects this Christmas to be one of her best. She owns a prospering Christmas-tree farm, her daughters are happy and well, and her relationship with a vet shows promise. That is until she finds a basket on her doorstep. A great holiday romance, it’s perfect for the holidays just around the corner.

Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean
Don’t miss the story of the great dog actor’s journey from his birth in 1918 on a WW1 battlefield to his Hollywood career and beyond. Orlean’s audio book tells the story of endurance and the extraordinary bond we have with animals.

Who Can You Believe – A Review of Before I Go To Sleep

Imagine waking up and not recognizing the room you fell asleep in. Confused you walk to the bathroom and your reflection is not what you expect either, you’re about 20 years older than you thought you were. Panic starts to sink in, “what’s going on?” you ask yourself. You finally recognize your eyes and realize it is you in the mirror, but you continue to wonder how did this happen?

This is just a typical morning for Christine Lucas who loses her memories every night while she sleeps. Thankfully, her husband Ben is always there waiting for her when she wakes up to explain that she had an accident, over twenty years ago, that caused serious memory loss.

As the day goes on Christine has breakfast, does some cleaning and then receives a call from her doctor. He tells her that they have been meeting for a while working together to improve her memory. But of course, she doesn’t remember him. He directs her to her purse where she pulls out a date book with an appointment written down for today and she begins to believe he’s telling the truth.  But her husband didn’t mention that she had a doctor’s appointment, shouldn’t he have reminded her? No, her doctor said they were meeting in secret and her husband had no idea.

Who can you trust when every morning you wake up and can’t remember who you are, where you are or what happened to you? This is the focus for the wonderfully suspenseful audio book, Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson. I was on the edge of my seat from the very first chapter and I could not stop listening. Orlagh Cassidy was a wonderful narrator and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys trying to solve a mystery.

Do you believe in banning books?

Was there ever a book you weren’t allowed to read growing up? A book you had heard so much about, but your school or library refused to have it available? Of course banning books is no new concept; however it is still unbelievable when it continues to happen today. It happens so much so, that this week has been declared “banned books week”. This is an annual event held by the American Library Association that they describe as “celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.”

Recently, there have been various books banned from all over the United States, many in which I had read way back in high school in my English classes in Canada. There are various reasons why books are banned, some due to sexual perversity or overall obscenity like Lolita, or because of political, religious, or racial grounds.

Below are some commonly challenged books that Simply Audiobooks has available if you are interested hearing these audio books for yourself. But as you look through the list, ask yourself, where do you stand with the content questioned? Should these stories be banned from young people in schools, or should they be made available for everyone and let the parents decide whether their children have the maturity and sense to understand the content of these stories.

I know I do not believe in banning books, but I do believe that the content in many of these banned books can be quiet challenging to understand. I believe some students in school are mature enough to handle the content, but it’s those that aren’t ready for it, where the content could do more harm than good.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence – This book was banned for sexual content.

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Judy Blume

Authors Expanding Their Readership!

Some of our favorite big name authors are changing direction and in a good way. They will be expanding their readership by writing novels for teen readers. Now, everyone has the opportunity to discover these great authors.

British author Philippa Gregory, known for The Other Boleyn Girl, just announced that she will be writing four new young-adult historical romance novels. I couldn’t be more thrilled about this as I enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl.

Harlan Coben, who just released his latest YA novel, Shelter, will be focusing on a high school student character, Mickey Bolitar, who first appeared in Coben’s adult novel, Live Wire. This should be an interesting transition, since anyone who listened to Live Wire, may also be interested in finding out more about Mickey in this new novel.

John Grisham, Candace Bushnell and James Patterson have also joined in on readership expansion by writing YA best sellers. Grisham’s two Theodore Boone novels are both about a young lawyer who looks to be about 12 years old. Bushnell, known for writing Sex and the City, has published two books in her young-adult series, The Carrie Diaries and Summer and the City which are narrated by a younger Carrie. Patterson has also written Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life which was released this past summer.

It seems that no matter what age or genre an author is writing for these days, it is becoming less divided, as more readers seem to pick up a story because they like the story itself, not because they are the intended audience. A perfect example for this would be Twilight! There are many people in their 30s and onwards who enjoy this vampire fiction series. It is not restricted to just teens anymore.

Finding Happiness – A Review of Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman

Have you ever stood in front of a mirror and looked at yourself naked? Did you like what you saw? In Matthew Norman’s Domestic Violets, the audio book starts with Tom Violet dissecting every aspect of his life, how he has a beautiful wife, a career, and a great family. But his inability to “perform” on command gets in the way, and he quickly wonders why. He stands in front of a mirror and reflects on everything imaginable.

It’s through this reflection that a portrait of his life is made, and the reader is quickly thrown into Tom Violet’s world. At times I felt as though I knew this character in person and not as a character in a story. The realistic events that occur sound all too familiar and sometimes made me feel uncomfortable, like I was spying in on someone’s very private life. Nonetheless, it was the realism the author presented that made this audio book such an enjoyable story.

As the story unfolds, you realize why Tom Violet seems to be stuck in a rut, and to make matters worse the wanna-be author, has to deal with a father who has just won the Pulitzer Prize. Talk about living up to your parents’ expectations.

The narrator, Todd McLaren, does a wonderful job exposing all the characters in Tom’s life. His use of tone and vocal expressions helped give even more depth to the character of Tom Violet. Although the story at hand was superb, the narration helped move the story beautifully along.

Full of sarcastic wit, you’ll feel a bond with Tom Violet that you won’t soon forget. I’m glad I listened to this audio book; it’s one you shouldn’t pass up!