Playaway – One Chapter

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

5 stars Historical Fiction

I listened to this book, and I really enjoyed the narration. With a full cast of individuals, I’m glad that I listened to this one. Sheriff Brody Dern carried his own scars and demons from the war and the townfolk, were no different. When Jimmy Quinn’s body is discovered floating in the river, it’s determined that he didn’t accidentally fall in. Jimmy did like his drink and all those that followed but what remains of Jimmy after the fish got ahold of him, points to a single shot that took Jimmy life. It’s rural Minnesota in the 1950’s, and everyone’s story matters.

Jimmy wasn’t a likeable person; his wife was a different story. Jimmy was a feared man; he spoke his mind, and nothing was impossible with him. The evidence at the scene was sparce but Sheriff Brody had a job to do. As he tries to catch a killer, I was crossing my suspects off my list and the list was getting rather short. There were stories that took me on sideroads, that gave me the stories and insight that made up the townfolk. They all had stories but whose story would make someone commit murder. 5 stars

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

4 stars Mystery

Not even brain tumors can slow Lana down. Lana found herself on the floor of her own kitchen. Rushed to the hospital, Lana discovered that she had brain tumors and that after her surgery, she would need assistance. Her daughter was a nurse so Lana decided that she would stay with her, just until she could get back on her feet again.

Lana wasn’t used to this laid-back, small-town-living, what did individuals do here for excitement? Lana liked her glamorous life as a real estate ion, her fancy lifestyle was nothing like this small coastal town where her daughter and granddaughter lived. Lana knew that she needed their help and this was only going to be temporary, so she just tried to make the best of it.

Watching out her bedroom window, Lana eyes search across the water. With a pair of binoculars, Lana spots a man pushing a wheelbarrow late at night. He was dumping something into the water, as whatever it was, it made a splashing sound when it hit the water. What this man was dumping didn’t seem to alarm Lana until days later when her granddaughter returns home from work. Jack, working as a guide at a local kayak shop had taken a group of kayakers out when they came across a lifeless body. Immediately, Lana remembers the wheelbarrow and man pushing it. Was this what the man dumped into the water? Had Lana seen the man who committed this crime?

The investigation gets twisted as mother, daughter, and grandmother get involved with the investigation. Lana starts her own investigation as she has her own way of getting answers that the official team can’t. The story is funny at times as Lana puts her own twists on things. Jack likes the combination of her mother and grandmother together and it’s nice to see the three woman working things out. I enjoyed this audio and highly recommend listening to it. 4 stars

Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena

5 stars Thriller

I really didn’t like any of the characters in this book, except for Michael. Michael didn’t have much of a role in this book though. He was the one who I felt got left out when his emotions were high for no one gave him a second glance. It was Avery who was dancing in the limelight. Avery was Michael’s younger sister. They knew she was a “difficult child.” Yep, they had that right! She was a player, the one that had got my goat.

William had just gotten dumped by his lover, and he had come home to sulk. Finding his daughter at home was a surprise and not a good one. He wanted time alone, time to think and his nine-year-old daughter was not giving him the space that he wanted. But, it was Avery and she was being herself and right now, William was not in the mood. One thing led to another, and William tried to apologize for what had transpired between the two of them, but it was too late, the damage had been done.

Hours pass and Avery does not return home. Her whereabouts are unknown, and the police are called. A timeline is constructed and piecing the puzzle together brings out the truth that others have been trying to cover-up.

I enjoyed listening to this book and when another story was introduced, I had to know how this story was going to play out. William was having a terrible day when his lover left him but that was just the beginning. He hasn’t been paying attention to the world around him and now, it’s all coming at him. Avery is only nine, yet the way she thinks, she’s much older. Her parents know she’s a handful, but they don’t know the extent of it. She feels that she’s in control and I had to wonder if she really was at times. An entertaining read. 5 stars

After reading notes: Who is running this house, nine-year-old Avery or her parents? William, her father is a smart man to some extent but when it comes to his wife, his loyalty falls short. Avery likes the attention, the limelight – perhaps she gets that from her father but in the end, the stage is too much for this nine-year-old.”

The Wager: a Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann

5 stars Nonfiction

You have to listen to this audio! Did a fabulous job reading this book as I felt a part of the action. After finishing the book, I really wondered how anyone survived the whole ordeal. The odds were bad to start and when you add in all other misfortunes and the behavior of the individuals aboard the vessels, the survivors were a tough group.

I really liked how I felt a part of the action and how realistic this book felt. It was interesting viewing the action behind the eyes of the different captains. The allies amongst the crew and how they felt about their captain, the way they felt about their mission and its success and how they manage themselves made this book one that I couldn’t stop listening to. They were fighting a battle to stay alive, to fight a war, to find treasure, to find their way home, and to serve their country. Such a great book. 5+ stars!!

Notes while listening to the Playaway:

Listening to this on a Playaway, narrated by Dion Graham. Seriously, Dion brings this book to life!! The energy and excitement in his voice was phenomenal. It was as if Dion was retelling the story from his own personal experience about The Wager and that he was not, actually reading a book to me. Phew, what a voyage!!

So what is a Playaway?

We bought a house on a lake this past January and we’ve been doing a lot of driving back and forth each week cleaning and fixing up our new house. This new lake house will be a place that we plan to use on the weekends and since my husband plans to retire next year, a place that we can escape to more, when he retires. I could go on about this lake house which I will in future posts (boy, do I have the stories!) but today, I thought I would talk about Playaways. If you don’t know what a Playaway is, I hope thatt by the time you finish reading my post, you will. Playaways are amazing!

I get my Playaways from my library. I check them out, just like a library book. They sound and work just like an audio book actually except they are more versatile and easier to use, I think. The issue I have with Playaways though, is that the library doesn’t carry a wide assortment of books on Playaways. They are getting better about buying them for the library which is great so we shall see. I do notice that more patrons of the library are checking them out so that is a plus. The more that people check them out, the more the library will buy. I guess I could buy Playaways on the web, but they’re expensive. So what is a Playaway?

**Playaway case & unit ( shows how to use the device inside the case)**

A Playaway is an audiobook. Instead of having CD’s to listen to or having to have access to the internet/Wi-Fi to listen to a book, you’re supplied with a small rectangluar device that has your book on it. You’ll need to have some headphones and one (1) AAA battery to work the device but once you have that, you’re ready.

The Playaway has volume controls, speed controls, a pause button and off and on controls. There’s an equalizer button that helps with the sound quality. The device tells you how far you are in the chapter and it remembers your spot in the book when you shut off the device.

I’ve been listening to Playaways on our drives betwee the two houses but I’ve also been listening to them while I’ve been working around the house. I like to stick the device in my pocket and go about my day. I’ve caught myself talking to myself as I listen to the book, either responding to what is happening in the book or stopping and letting off a few comments about what is transpiring in the book. I currently have paint on my headphones as I was painting listening to my latest Playaway and the cord kept getting in the way BUT there was no way I was going to stop listening. I’ve also learned that I need to keep a few spare batteries in my glovebox.

Here’s a couple links if you want to learn more or if you want to pass some information onto your library. Our library also have the the Wonderbooks and Launchpads. I read my first Wonderbooks and I was amazed!

Click to access Playaway-instructions.pdf

https://playaway.com/

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

I listened to this book on audio one weekend as I did projects around the house. I was hoping for something along the lines of a thriller, for that’s what the synopsis promised me but I found that, the book was more dramatic and historical in nature. Returning to Brooklyn, Sydney finds the neighborhood that she once called home changing. Although some change is expected, this modification becomes more like a revolution as the issues become deep and connected.

Sydney was trying to make a difference in her old neighborhood when she moves back to Brooklyn. Conducting research for a new job that she’s creating; she discovers what’s truly happening right before her very own eyes. I liked Sydney’s initiative and eagerness to move forward in her own life when she returns home and I liked how she steps up and starts to care for the garden area which was her grandmothers. The neighborhood of her childhood, which was once predominantly Black, is now being uprooted. The individuals behind this and why they’re allowed such behavior is what Sydney needs to uncover. She never expected to find gentrification or racism on her neighborhood block but what can she do about it? I wish I could leave the book like this but then, the ending came. I clearly was not a fan on how things came together in the final pages. I’m glad that I read the book as it deals with some of the current issues that some individuals face. 3 stars

Playaways

I’ve been listening to Playaways lately. I like them as they’re small and I can use my own headphones. My library has been getting more titles lately so that helps too.

Many individuals don’t know what a Playaway is, so I’m going to explain them. Our library carries them like they carry books on CD. Most of the time, a battery comes in the box, if not you’ll need a battery to put inside the unit. I usually just leave the battery rolling around in the case or in the clip for the next person.

Opening the box, you get a little rectangle box which is the book. You’ll need to put the battery in it. Plug in your headphones and you’re ready. You can also plug this into your cars audio system with a $10 cord, I found at Target.

This little system has volume control, speed control for the voice, fast forward, reverse, pause, a lock button and other timers to show you were you are in the book. I like how small they are. You can slip them into a coat pocket while taking a walk, into a shorts pocket, into jeans pockets, etc. they’re very versatile.

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