Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess) Audiobook - Paul's Review

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Audible

Title: Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir
Author: Jenny Lawson
Year Published: 2012

Narrator: Jenny Lawson
Audiobook Length: 8 hours 41 minutes


Synopsis: For fans of Tina Fey and David Sedaris—Internet star Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, makes her literary debut.

Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives—the ones we’d like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In the #1 New York Times bestseller, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: “Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel”; “A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband”; “My Vagina Is Fine. Thanks for Asking”; “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane.” Pictures with captions (no one would believe these things without proof) accompany the text.

---------------------------------------------------------

Review: I had not read any of Jenny Lawson's blog before picking up this audiobook. I had heard about her, but the catalyst that pushed me to get this audiobook was Jenny's appearance on Felicia Day's romance book club Vaginal Fantasy. I found her really funny and I loved her banter with the other girls especially Bonnie Burton. 

If you like slightly weird stories of growing up with little money, that's what you'll get with this book. Lawson's life so far is very interesting. She is full of so many non requiter fables. Her father is a very unique character who brings home wild animals, both dead and alive. 

I listened to this audiobook which is ready by Lawson herself. I always enjoy when the author reads her own work. Lawson adds personality to her written word. 

I give this audiobook a 4/5. I really enjoyed it. Pretty much every story is super entertaining. There's comedy, but there's also a lot of heart. 


--PAUL

Neil Gaiman Presents Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (audiobook) - Paul's Review

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Audible

Title: Swordspoint: A Melodrama of Manners
Author: Ellen Kushner
Year Published: 1987

Narrators: Ellen Kushner, Dion Graham, Katherine Kellgren, Robert Fass, Nick Sullivan, Simon Jones
Audiobook Length: 10 hours 54 minutes

Synopsis: On the streets of Riverside, a man lives and dies by the sword. Even the nobles on the Hill turn to duels to settle their disputes. And in this city, the swordsman Richard St. Vier is the undisputed master, as skilled as he is ruthless – until a death by the sword is met with outrage instead of awe, and the city discovers that the line between hero and villain can be altered in the blink of an eye. Because every man lives at sword's point, if you can only find his weakness. And even the greatest swordsman in Riverside has one thing he cares for deeply.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Review: This audiobook is presented by Neil Gaiman. The majority of the novel is narrated by Ellen Kushner herself. A few of the scenes are acted out, some with even background music and other added sounds. I preferred just Ellen Kushner reading. The acted out scenes weren't frequent enough for me to attach the characters to voices. I was more familiar with Ellen Kushner's voices of the characters. There were also so many characters with unique names that it took me a while to get to know them as well. 

It also took some time to get into the world, too. But once I started to figure out how this world works, I really liked it. The politics of the world reminded me of Downton Abbey, but add Game of Thrones in there. The swordsman are the celebrities in this culture. And the wealthy hire them to fight out their disputes. 

This novel was written in 1987 and I didn't think it felt old. It withstood the 25 years since it was published, in my opinion. The depiction of sexuality was very progressive. Almost all the characters are portrayed as fluid in their sexuality with same-sex pairings commonplace. Besides their sexuality, all the characters are also very grey. There is depth to all of them. They play the game and each have their own ideas of honor and morale. 

I loved the ending. All the pieces fell into place just right. I was very satisfied. I will definitely be looking into the sequels. I give this audiobook a 4/5 and recommend it to fans of intrigue set in a unique world. 

  
--PAUL

Neil Gaiman Presents Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (audiobook) - Paul's Pre-Reading

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Audible

Title: Swordspoint: A Melodrama of Manners
Author: Ellen Kushner
Year Published: 1987

Narrators: Ellen Kushner, Dion Graham, Katherine Kellgren, Robert Fass, Nick Sullivan, Simon Jones
Audiobook Length: 10 hours 54 minutes

Synopsis: On the streets of Riverside, a man lives and dies by the sword. Even the nobles on the Hill turn to duels to settle their disputes. And in this city, the swordsman Richard St. Vier is the undisputed master, as skilled as he is ruthless – until a death by the sword is met with outrage instead of awe, and the city discovers that the line between hero and villain can be altered in the blink of an eye. Because every man lives at sword's point, if you can only find his weakness. And even the greatest swordsman in Riverside has one thing he cares for deeply.

Why?: I've heard great things about this book. Felicia Day's book club, Vaginal Fantasy, read this book as one of their alternate picks last year. I added it to my tbr list back then and since then I've subscribed to audible. I saw the audiobook was produced by Neil Gaiman. There's also a quote from George R. R. Martin on the cover featured on goodreads. If so many great people like it, I'm hoping I will too.   

Expectations: I'm expecting an in depth fantasy novel with some same-sex romance. I've heard the fantasy world established is quite vast and I am definitely a sucker for good world building.   

Judging a book by its cover: The cover for the audiobook is pretty simple. There's just a guy in a really unique white cape/jacket of some sort. An alternate cover featured on goodreads shows two characters in elaborate clothes. These covers both remind me of older fantasy novels. This book was published in 1987.  


--PAUL