Audiobook: Hidden, Lisa Sell

Quite interesting. A young lady is convinced that she killed her friend when they were young, and has been hiding her secret. The book flips between the present and 1987, when the murder took place. It's interesting to see how things unfold. 

Audiobook: Life Changing Secrets from the 3 Masters of Success

Absolutely love and appreciate the wisdom shared. 

Audiobook: The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger

Narrator: Phoebe Strole

Narrator: Fred Berman

Not the type of  genre I usually read, but, actually really enjoyed this book. The narrators were very good. Something different. 

Audiobook review: Undercover of the Night, Diane Fanning

Narrator: Dan John Miller

This is a typical Channel 171 crime channel story. I had thought (hoped, anticipated), that there would be a big twist at the end as to who the actual murderer was, nope, it is who they had suspected and said right from the beginning. Instead of spending eight hours on this audiobook, rather watch it on the crime channel, am pretty sure it’s been on there. 

The narrator was good. 

2.5/5

Book review: Superfreakonomics, Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Just finished reading Superfreakonomics, the follow up to Freakonomics (I'm only 14 years late with reading the follow up!). I had so wanted to enjoy this book, as I absolutely love the Freakonomics podcast. 

Unfortunately, it just felt all over the place, with a lot of focus on climate change. There were bits and pieces that were fairly interesting, like how the birth rate was controlled in India (not contraception, but the introduction of television), and that kangaroo farts don’t have methane (although, from a quick Google search, that is no longer true, they produce about the same amount of methane as animals similar in size). Fortunately, a quick read, so I don't feel that I wasted too much time on something I just didn’t enjoy. 

3/5

[Rather read Dan Ariely's Predictably Unpredictable.] 

Audiobook: What we Find, Robyn Carr

Read by Therese Plumber

Not exactly a literary masterpiece, but a light novel to listen to during the evening loadshedding slot; when you don’t have to think too hard, but still need something marginally entertaining to listen to while crocheting. 

A neuro surgeon decides to take time out at her Dad’s place, Sullivan’s Crossing, where hikers and campers go to during the summer. She happens to meet Cal, a  lawyer, also working through issues and taking time out. Feels like the characters are just a bit too strong for the author. It’s ok. 

The narrator is great. 

Audiobook: Wounds of the Father, Elizabeth Garrison

Read by: Hillary Hubar

Initially, I was a bit wary about the direction of this book. I find it troubling when authors become addicted to drugs and alcohol and social services don’t jump in, especially when they are so young. In another book that I’m currently listening to, it’s almost as if the author is romanticising the use of drugs. But fortunately, it's not the case with this book. 

Elizabeth shares how she became addicted to drugs and alcohol from a young age and her journey of dealing with the wrong crowd. The underlying cause of it all, her father’s abuse, and not getting the type of support needed to work through the issues.

 

What I did find surprising (as she did when she finally did clean herself up, and graduate from high school), was remembering the detail of scenarios that she had to deal with. One would have thought that this would be quite inconceivable with the amount of drugs that she had taken. But what is incredible, not only did she get clean and complete high school, but she also completed her PhD Summa Cum laude. As she puts it, she should have died on a number of occasions, but there is a reason that she went through everything she did so that she would be able to give others the support and hope that she so desperately needed.