Quick reviews: Audiobooks

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
This young adult takes place on a spaceship. Amy and her family have been cryogenically frozen for a 300 year space flight to a new planet where Amy's parents are apart of a team preparing it for settlement. Except somehow Amy got woken up early. Through Amy, we see how the society on board the Godspeed has been changed from what Amy remembers on Earth. Its an interesting twist to the dystopian genre, with a real dose of science fiction. Lauren Ambrose and Carlos Santos were the readers on this and both did a great job. My only thing with this audiobook was I kept picturing Lauren in her Torchwood: Miracle Day role (Jilly), and her voice sounds older than I imagined for the 16 year old Amy, so I had trouble believing her in the role of Amy. 4 Stars

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
This was a fun, steampunk alternate history of World War I. The book follows Aleksandar, son of the slain Archduke Ferdinand as he flees those who murdered his parents; and Deryn Sharp, a girl who disguises herself so she can join the British Air Service. Its a fun story, narrated by the brillant Alan Cumming. I was disappointed that my libraries didn't have the other two in the series available on Overdrive yet. 4 Stars.

Tithe by Holly Black
Kaye Fierch grew up with faeries as friends until she and her mom start bouncing around following Kaye's mother's rock career. After one too many of her mother's bad boyfriends, they move back to Kaye's grandmother's house. Back at her childhood home, Kaye finds herself pulled into the happenings of the Seelie and Unseelie courts, and the unconnected fae. An early observation I had about Tithe was that for something described as a young adult novel, there are quite a few f-bombs in the novel. I think this had the most, for an adult or young adult novel that I've read. And since it was an audiobook, these stood out even more. This also reminded me a good bit of Wicked Lovely. Both have a teen girl, who has had a rough growing up and can see the fae; both find themselves caught between the kinder and rougher fae courts. I enjoyed Wicked Lovely, but I didn't end up liking Tithe quite as much. The story seemed to go on a bit too long, and the language got to be a little off putting for me. 3.5 stars

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
This is described as a retelling of The Scarlet Letter, but it is more than that. This is a Dystopian novel, and Jordan has developed so rigid and infuriating, that had I been listening at home, I would have been yelling at it. It is also an unusual type of dystopian to many of the ones I've read. Given the current times, it is a very plausible world that Jordan created. I really enjoyed this one.4.5 stars

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
The cover caught my attention when I was looking for books for my nephews. Calpurnia is the only daughter of seven children. Her grandfather, retired from the running of the family farm, has become an amateur naturalist. Through Calpurnia, we learn about how to be a naturalist and scientist, as she questions the typical womens roles expected for a girl in turn of the century Texas. I could really relate to her. I'd recommend this with anyone interested in science, especially evolution and biology. 4 stars

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, other than it was getting good reviews in a YA blogs. Karou lives in a gritty world, going between art school and errands for her chimera adoptive family. Taylor created such a vivid world, and it is wonderfully read by Khristine Hvam. It is technically a YA story, but it is strong and complex and if a few small things were different, it would easily cross into adult fantasy. I would highly recommend this one, in either format. 4 stars