The here and now

The Here and Now
Author: Ann Brashares
Read by Emily Rankin

Hi Everyone

Listening to The Here and Now, narrated by Emily Rankin's voice is what enticed me into the plot of this novel.  That isn't to say the plot wasn't enough on its own, as it definitely was, I'm just commenting that the narration was the most influential factor of this audio book.  I highly recommend listening to this one.

Now, to the characters.  I loved Prenna and Ethan.  I thought Ethan came across as a little pushy for Prenna to give more of herself to him, but as a person he was a lovely young man.  I loved the innocence of Prenna and the importance of keeping the rules, even though in this case not all the rules were based on truth.  Ethan had a loyalty, especially to Prenna which made their relationship soar.  As for the rest of the characters, they were a bunch of self-centred, self-fulfilling *..........* (you decide the words to put in here).  But, there does need to be characters like this in a book, come on, we all know they make you want to turn the pages.

To the plot... I thought the ideas in this book were brilliant.  They connected and flowed into a storyline that sparked my interest.  The concept of the virus and the reasoning of the virus was realistic; as for time travel... well, but I enjoyed the vision of it all.  One thing that I did connect well with was Prenna's letters to the future, within which she writes of our obsession with technology.  She makes so many good points that I hear and see, echoed every day.  I had to smile as I heard her letters spoken like an adult was having a coffee right beside me.

Overall I really enjoyed everything about this audio book.  I think I would have enjoyed reading the book as much as liked listening to it read aloud to me as I went about the daily demands of life.  I give credit to the reader of this audio version though, as she did bring the story alive through her reading.


Description:

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time – a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 'A lightning-paced sci-fi time-travel romp that, much like a cinematic blockbuster, offers intrigue [and] romance ... Brashares’ worldbuilding is solid, and she handles the time-travel elements with a fluid, cinematic ease.'  —  Kirkus Reviews


This was available from: Amazon (Audio, kindle and paperback and  Book depository (paper back).


Happy reading as we drift into the weekend,

Storm catchers

Storm Catchers
Author: Tim Bowler
Read by: Mark Medows
ISBN: 9781471327452

Storm Catchers reminded me of the classical books, Famous Five, but the ending blew me away.  I listened to this contently, while I cooked meals and cleaned up after the family, quickly becoming enticed by the words playing in my ears.  It had it's share of suspense, just enough for any young teen to connect with.  I connected well with the characters.  The plot flowed perfectly, which I would think my young reader would follow and comprehend with ease.  I really enjoyed this book the whole way though, as it lacked all the 'dribble'.

What amazed me most about Storm Catchers was the ending.  I was surprised that the happy-ish ending was connected to family deceit and betrail.  I am sure any young adult or teen will connect with the ending as there are so many families that have their share of issues.  What I did wonder, is if there is a need for this kind of stucture in a book or if it is better that an individual, especially teens (excluding young adult), be able to escape some of the issues adults place on the youngs ones.  And, do all children/teens need to have such behavior normalised? Or, is reality a neccesity as they emerge into the adult world?

What do you think? 

Other than these little thoughts rolling around in my head, I really enjoyed this book.  I listened to it on audio, and recommend the audio version.  I have discovered the world of audio books and love it just as much as sitting down with a good book in had.

Description:

"Tell a soul and she's dead. We'll be in touch." The kidnap shocks the whole family. Ella has been snatched away from the house in the middle of a storm. Her brother Fin will never forgive himself for leaving her on her own. And now Sam, their little brother, has gone wandering on the cliff to "catch the storm" as it blows out to sea. As the kidnapper's plans unfold, all the members of the family are forced to confront their deepest, darkest secrets. Fin comes to realize that Ella is not the only victim and that the real villain may be closer to home than anyone thought. A new storm is breaking on the horizon. And it's going to change everything....


Happy reading