Chocolate Chip Stamper

Although I haven't read the print version, I loved the way the narrator read the accents. His rich nuances of each dialect helped bring the characters alive.

Pasqualle - humble, caring, honest, determined... I just loved him.

He was fabulous with the various accents. His voice made you live the story.

It was not a laugh out loud book. Yes, there were segments that made me smile in my mind's eye... clever lines, dialogue, or good plot. It had emotional elements, but did not make me weep. More importantly, I did feel that I couldn't wait to "read" more... and found myself inventing chores and things to do in order to continue listening.

It was my turn to pick a book for my book club. I had raced through 6 or 7 different books trying to find one that I wanted to recommend. I wanted my book club friends to fall in love with my selection, so I knew my choice could not just be a mediocre read. I was intrigued when I read a review that claimed Beautiful Ruins could be the next "The Help" (as far as popularity). That convinced me to try it. I was not disappointed. The characters are richly developed and I loved how the story spans 50-60 years with various characters' lives brushing into and intertwining with other characters' lives... It was also fascinating to me how the author actually made Richard Burton an integral character in the book with dialogue (as opposed to merely referencing him as a character). The ending was wonderfully crafted and satiated my curiosity about the fate and goings on of each character. Bravo... this will be the crown in our collective book discussions.

For children's literature, this was one of my favorites I've read in the past several months. The narrator really made the character come alive. I avoided this one at first because the title and cover made me think it would be too juvenile. However, the story turned out to be witty and kept my interest. I teach middle school and will definitely recommend this book to my students.

It made me think of Holling HoodHood in The Wednesday Wars (by Gary D. Schmidt)...funny story, but you find yourself nodding in acknowledgment with the thoughts of Charlie Joe, and then laughing at some of his "rules" and observations.

Definitely Charlie Joe Jackson... the essense of a smart kid with clever observations about life. He's the underdog that you will root for.

Yes, but to write it would cause this to be a spoiler for those who haven't yet had the opportunity to enjoy the story!

MacLeod Andrews definitely took an already good story and made it great. It makes me want to find other books narrated by him.