June's What Are You Reading?

Also, the perfect marriage of narration and audiobook I've ever heard, along with some poor performances

(Yes, it’s July 2, but we did not cover June, so you’ll see this reading question again at the end of the month.)

A question for book readers: Does your reading change in the summer? Mine certainly does. Growing up in New England, I’m enamored by Cape Cod, even if we never see it during the finer, more crowded months. I tend to relish reading about the Cape between late June and early September.

In the past few years, I’ve enjoyed listening to Elin Hilderbrand’s tales from Nantucket. Much of it can be considered Chick Lit. Still, I admire how she seamlessly integrates the characters and storylines with the land and sea. She has many recurring characters who are engaging, and I always enjoy hearing about their latest adventures.

The funny thing is, I don’t read her books. Instead, I listen to them. How much I enjoy them depends on the narrator, as is always the case with audiobooks. I adore it when Erin Bennett handles Elin’s stories. She is a natural who draws you in as if you’re listening to the neighborhood gossip. And unlike many other Chick Lit audio narrators, she can do a good man’s voice. You feel you know Erin, the narrator.

In June, I listened to three audiobooks. Better make that “attempted to listen” to three titles. Two were absolutely horrendous; it was a combination of the voice, the story, and the prose.

But first, I’ll begin with the finest marriage of audiobook and narrator I’ve ever come across. Every now and then, I revisit Christopher Moore’s latest: Anima Rising—A Novel: Klimt, Freud, and Jung Meet the Bride of Frankenstein. I laughed immediately, even during the warning about how lewd and politically incorrect the story is. I’m currently two-thirds of the way through. Narrator Mary Jane Wells is brilliant!

For a summation of the novel and a listening sample of the dazzling narration and dialogue, click here. Warning: Be prepared for a few curse words.