Simply Audiobooks Inc.

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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!

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New Releases This Week!

We have some more great new audio book releases this week that I thought I should share with you all! September looks promising!

Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon
When someone seems too good to be true, they probably are. In this heartwarming and heartbreaking story of Dyan Cannon’s romance with screen legend Cary Grant, you’ll discover what truly went on behind closed doors. This is a great audio book for anyone who has ever loved and lost in this inspirational story about what love really means.

Reamde by Neal Stephenson
If you’ve ever felt like the black sheep of the family, Reamde might peak your interest. An epic page-turner filled with unexpected twists and turns, you’ll discover unforgettable villains and unlikely heroes who face off in battle for survival. From the global war on terror to social media, computer hackers to mobsters, entrepreneurs to religious fundamentalists, Reamde, is a virus that encrypts electronic files that effect many players.

Heat Rises by Richard Castle
Fast-paced and full of intrigue, Heat Rises, pairs the tough and sexy NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat with hotshot reporter Jameson Rook, in Richard Castle’s most thrilling mystery yet.

Confidence Men by Ron Suskind
Stripped down to its core, Wall Street and the White House both symbolize power, and with power comes confidence. Until August 2007, when that confidence finally began to crumble. Ron Suskind tells us the story of struggle and follows the journey of Barack Obama, who rose as the country fell.

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
The final book of the Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan series keeps getting better and better. Set in WW1, Alex and Deryn have reached the climax to this epic adventure on board the airship known as the mighty Leviathan. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, you’re sure to enjoy this series.

The Great Crash Ahead by Harry S. Dent
Harry S. Dent, Jr., an economist specializing in demographics, predicts that deflation is coming with prices of real estate continuing to fall. This is Dent’s economic forecast of the future ahead based on changes in demographic trends.

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Roger Ebert – Louder Than Ever

He is unable to speak, but his voice couldn’t be louder. Roger Ebert, known as America’s famous film critic, has released a new memoir, Life Itself. Many of us, who have had the opportunity to watch his critiques of certain films with his companion Gene Siskel, remember the brotherly bond, the arguments and the popular thumbs up! Now, we have the opportunity to go behind the scenes in Roger Ebert’s life.

Although I haven’t listened to it yet, I’m huge fan of memoirs and wanted to spread the news about this one. However, this month seems to be quiet the month for us biography lovers with the release of John Lithgow’s Drama, Dick Cheney’s In My Time and Jane Lynch’s Happy Accidents, there are many I need to get my ears on.

I enjoy the thrill of hearing a memoir and knowing someone has actually experienced what I’m listening to. It adds a whole new point of view to the audio book in my opinion. What do you think of memoirs? Do you enjoy them as much as you would a work of fiction, or do they impact you differently?

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Great New Releases This Week

We have some great new audio book releases this week that could help you adjust to the new back to school schedules. You just might find yourself wanting to be stuck in traffic listening to an audio book in your car.

New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb
From the number one New York Times bestselling author J.D. Robb comes this terrifying new case for the New York homicide cop, Eve Dallas. The monster that has been abducting young victims and leaving them scarred is also planning on getting revenge on the woman who has tried to stop him. Eve must deal with the serial pedophile and confront the villain she hoped to never see again.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The hype for this audio book is well deserved. Narrated by Jim Dale, things don’t get any better than this. The story follows two young, love –struck magicians who compete in a magical circus. The circus isn’t your typical circus either; with attractions like a carousel with breathing animals and handkerchiefs that turn into birds, this is one enchanting story you won’t want to stop listening to.

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
The anticipated sequel to Impulse has arrived. In this riveting new novel, harsh truths are exposed about what it takes to grow into our own skin and be perfect through our own eyes.

Happy Accidents by Jane Lynch
She’s not just a hoot to watch on Glee, she also knows how to entertain in her new novel, Happy Accidents. Lynch takes you through her life, right from the moment she was born all the way through to her 2010 Golden Globe win. This is one inspirational narrative that will have you bursting out in laughter.

Life Itself: A Memoir by Roger Ebert
Discover the best-known film critic of our time, Roger Ebert in this dramatic story of his life and career. In this candid, personal history, Ebert chronicles it all: his loves, losses, and obsessions; his marriage and his struggle and recovery from alcoholism. Filled with dry wit, this is more than a memoir; it is an inspiring look at life itself.

For more audio book releases this week, check out the following:

Robert B. Parker’s Killing the Blues ( A Jesse Stone Novel) by Michael Brandman

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

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The Night Circus Attempts to Recreate the Magic of Harry Potter

For those who are left with a void after the release of the final Harry Potter movie this past summer, there’s a new audio book said to fill that void. The new novel The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, has been getting so much hype, I can’t help but stop to wonder why. The author has never published so much as a short story before. However, with her first big release there’s got to be something people are excited about.

The novel tells the story of two young, love-struck magicians who compete in a magical circus. The circus isn’t your typical circus either; it opens at night and closes at dawn. At first it kind of reminded me of the audio book Water for Elephants, the circus being the backdrop to forbidden love. But after reading more about it, it does have more of a whimsical feel to it. Apparently, Summit Entertainment, the production company behind the “Twilight” films has already snapped up film rights.

And let’s not forget the big publication parties that resemble big-budget film premieres. Some bookstores are bringing in magicians, jugglers, cider, candied apples and other carnival fare to help re-create the atmosphere of the book. Hmm…funny, I don’t remember vampires roaming around the final release of Breaking Dawn nor any apples!

Although there were thousands of people lined up for the final Harry Potter book in 2007, do you think The Night Circus will have the same effect? Would you line up for hours in the middle of the night to get this book?

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Fun, Fresh & Quirky – Girls In White Dresses

For those who have been following me on Twitter or even Facebook, you already know how obsessed I have been listening to Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close. Since today is audio book review day, I thought I’d write about my experience listening to this wonderful and quirky story.

Although the narration by Emily Janice Card wasn’t overly thrilling, the story itself proved this audio book worthy of being listened to, especially since you can relate to the characters. There are no vocal distinctions to differentiate between all the characters, which I would say is the biggest flaw to the audio book, but if you pay close attention to who’s speaking you should be fine. If you can follow it, the audio book is really a hoot to listen to.

At first I thought I enjoyed the story mostly because of the age group of the characters, late twenties, characters I could relate to, but by the end of the audio book I started to realize most people go through the same quarrels as these young women at least once in their lives. Whether young or old, the antics are still familiar.

Girls in White Dresses follows Mary, Lauren and Isabella from their graduation day from college, through their careers, friends, relationships, and marriage well into their early thirties. Throughout the story, you’re hooked with the snapshot moments of each life that are presented. You’ll discover their hopes and dreams, fears and disappointments.

Forget watching hours of The Wedding Story or Rich Bride Poor Bride, listen to this fresh and laugh out loud funny audio book instead. And don’t forget to share it with your BFF either.

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New Audio Book Releases This Week!

There have been some great new audio book releases this week. Perfect timing since everyone will be getting back to their regular commutes next week. Who knows, maybe you’ll want to be stuck in traffic with these new releases! Check them out below.

Kill Me If You Can By James Patterson
What would you do if you found a duffel bag filled with diamonds during a chaotic attack at Grand Central Station? Matthew Bannon, a poor art student planed for a worry-free life with his girlfriend Katherine—until he realized he was being hunted. Don’t miss this high-speed, high-stakes, winner-take all thrill ride of adrenaline-fueled suspense.

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
This powerful and moving story follows a family that falls apart in the wake of a mass disappearance of millions of people. Tom Perrotta, bestselling author of Little Children returns with this startling, thought-provoking audio book about ordinary people grappling with the inexplicable.

The Cut by George Pelecanos
From the author who brought us “The Wire”, comes another fast paced crime thriller about a man, Spero Lucas who returns home after serving Iraq, only to find himself in a new line of work with special investigations. But soon he discovers not everything is as it seems.

We the Animals: A Novel by Justin Torres
Written in a magical language with unforgettable images, this is a stunning exploration of the viscerally charged landscape of growing up, how deeply we are formed by our earliest bonds, and how we are ultimately propelled at escape velocity toward our futures.

Below are a few other audio books I thought you should get your ears on! Just click on the title to find out more about the audio book.

Only Time Will Tell (The Clifton Chronicles) by Jeffrey Archer

A Trick of the Light: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny

In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir by Dick Cheney

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More Twists and Turns from Jodi Picoult

Today we have something special in store for you, a guest blogger named Deidre! And because today is audio book review day, Deidre has chosen to review an audio book she has recently listened to. Let’s find out what this avid audio book listener has to say!

Posted by our guest blogger, Deidre.

As a Jodi Picoult fan, I was excited to listen to her latest audio book, Sing You Home. The story is about a married couple who get divorced.The wife eventually remarries and wants to use her previously frozen embryos to have a child with her new wife. Yes, you read that correctly. As you can imagine her now born again Christian ex-husband, isn’t pleased about this idea and files a lawsuit to take possession of the embryos.

If you’re a fan of Picoult’s work, you know that she has a very distinct style of writing books with controversial subjects that are written to make you think critically about the subject at hand. While I definitely didn’t agree with or even like all the characters, which I think is partially why Jodi writes such polar opposite characters, it was interesting to see how they progressed and developed throughout the book.

Another thing I like about this audio book is the narration. For anyone who has read physical copies of Jodi’s books, you’ll know that different chapters are typed in a different font to signify a different narrator. In the audio book, there are actually different people narrating the parts of the story from the different characters’ perspective. Having different people narrate accordingly was a really nice feature of this audio book. I’ve also never listened to an audio book that had songs in it. Since the main character is a music therapist, it makes sense, and it’s a nice change of pace.

My favourite part of this book though, was the ending. Jodi takes you on twists and turns throughout the story and you won’t believe it unless you hear it for yourself. Happy Listening!

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Saying Goodbye To The Famous Bookstore

Fans of the film Notting Hill, remember all too well when Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) asked William (Hugh Grant) if she could stay for a while and William answered “You can stay forever.” The memorable scene took place in London’s local bookstore called The Travel Bookstore. Unfortunately, it has been announced that the memorable shop and one of London’s popular tourists attractions, is set to close in a few weeks.

Even though there are lots of poets and writers who are stepping up to the plate to save the bookstore, it does not have enough support to stay open. Simon Gaul, the owner of the bookstore, made the decision to shut the store down after his children showed no interest in taking over the business.

When I heard about the news, I couldn’t help but feel the owner’s disappointment. I’ve never even been there before, so why the sense of loss? I assume it’s because it reminded me of the local bookstore I used to visit with my mother every week. It became a part of my childhood, where we would take a few hours out of our day to walk to the bookstore and she would go on about authors and stories I had to read! I made a connection to the shop, it was a time machine that could take me anywhere; my love for reading flourished because of it.

So although I have never stepped into The Travel Bookstore, I feel for those that have. I maybe listening to a lot more audio books these days (perk of the job), but I am still happy that my local bookstore remains open in town, opening the minds of children to come with both books & audio books!

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Pottermania Will Not Be Settling In Anytime Soon!

Alright Harry Potter fans, even though the books have stopped coming, and the final feature film has already debuted across the world this summer, Pottermania will not be settling in anytime soon.

If you haven’t gotten enough of Harry Potter, don’t worry, you are not alone. Now, you may need to do a little traveling to take advantage of this opportunity, but why not, it’s totally worth it! A new Harry Potter Studio Tour will be opening in a massive Warner Bros complex outside of London, England next year. Fans will get the opportunity to peek inside the fictional character’s world with a chance to set foot on the same sets where the movies were filmed. Freaking out yet?

The tour is said to last up to three hours, (I wish longer), but I’m not complaining. Included in the tour is the chance to see Dumbledore’s office, the Hogwarts’ Great Hall, and the Gryffindor common room.

I wonder how many fans will make the trek out there. I’m not a diehard fan, but I think I know a few people that would book a flight from Canada to England in a heartbeat to check out the tour. How about you? Does this latest addition to the Potter franchise give you something new and exciting to look forward to in the future?