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Love You Hard: A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love

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Love You Hard: A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury and Reinventing Love by Abby Maslin
Format: Book
Who it’s for:  Adults

In August 2012, Abby and TC Maslin lived in the Capitol Hill area of Washington D.C. with their young son, Jack. TC worked as an energy analyst and Abby was a school teacher. TC was attacked while walking home from a Nationals game late at night.  TC was beaten nearly to death by three young men who took his cell phone and debit card.  They left him bleeding and hurt on a sidewalk a few blocks from his home.  When Abby woke up in the night to find out that her husband wasn’t home, panic set in.  Hours later Abby found out that her husband had been taken to the hospital but she didn’t know if he was alive or dead.

After many days and months of physical rehabilitation, TC did survive, but was unable to walk and talk.  Abby had to take over his complete care, teaching him to read and talk again.  There were no guarantees of his future life after the tragedy.  The two of them had to learn to trust and love each other again.  During their agonizing months both of them had changed.

This is a true story and has connections to St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Abby is a good writer and I was especially touched by her prologue that describes when she and TC met for the first time. This account is a raw and inspiring story with an amazing outcome. TC Maslin has an inner strength that helped him to beat the odds of not only surviving but conquering his disabilities. While still re-learning to walk and communicate, TC realized how much Abby did to take care of him, he said, “But you’ve done everything for me. Do you know that? I love you, honey. I love you so hard.”

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The House of Special Purpose

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The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne
Format: Audiobook
Who it’s for:  Adults

The House of Special Purpose is an historical novel set in the early to mid-20th century.  Georgy Jachmenev is an old man reminiscing on his former life when he was a youth in Russia.  He lives with his wife Zoya in England.  Georgy’s father, a tenant farmer, is inexplicably abusive to him.  As a teen, Georgy is witness to an event that takes place which precipitates his move to Saint Petersburg, the palace of the czar.  Czar Nicholas II and his wife, Empress Alexandra, have four daughters and a son.  Georgy is brought to the palace to live with the royal family as a companion to the son, young Alexei who was born with hemophilia.  He requires strict governance to prevent injury that could cause internal bleeding.  The story is set in the 1970’s but flashes back to the early 1900’s in Russia.  In the end, the true meaning of the house of special purpose is revealed.

The story is narrated by award-winning Stephan Rudnicki who does an excellent job speaking with a Russian accent.

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The Girl with No Name

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The Girl with No Name by Diney Costeloe
Format: CD Book
Who it’s for:  Adults and teens

Lisa is a thirteen year old Jewish girl escaping Nazi Germany after her family has been driven from their home.  She was sent to England with other children and eventually arrived in London, lonely, scared and unable to speak English.  A childless couple took her in and cared for her.  Lisa attended school with many other refugee children and she gradually learned English.  When the Nazis bombed London Lisa escaped to a bomb shelter but she was injured.  She lost her memory and couldn’t recall anything about her previous life.  She was transferred to a children’s home until it also became a target of the attacks.  Another evacuation forced her to find a new home in the country with a kind spinster woman.  If you are a fan of historical novels, listen to this captivating story by Diney Costeloe.  This is the first book in the series.  The next one is The Married Girls.

The narrator, Anna Bentinck, has a wonderful speaking voice and makes this story come to life.  She is a British actress and producer who has done hundreds of broadcasts on BBC, was the voice for an animation series and has narrated many audiobooks.  The author, Diney Costeloe, writes historical novels and also writes romantic novels under the name of Diney Delancey.

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Merry and Bright

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Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Merry Smith has family obligations to her brother with Down Syndrome, aging parents and her brother’s golden retriever.  She struggles to keep up with her job with a consulting firm at the Boeing Company.  She has no time for a social life but her mother and brother create a profile on an online dating service and she starts to accumulate many matches.  When Merry begins chatting with a stranger online she discovers that they have similar interests.  The chats soon become the best part of her day but she is reluctant to meet her mystery man.  This holiday story will be the perfect way to brighten your spirits.

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Edgar Gets Ready for Bed

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Edgar Gets Ready for Bed by Jennifer Adams, Illustrated by Ron Stucki, Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”
Format:  Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Little Raven Edgar doesn’t want to get ready for bed.  When mommy asks him to eat his dinner, be nice to his sister, clean up his mess and take his bath, his answer to her is always, “Nevermore!”  Mommy is getting tired and very frustrated but finally takes time to read him a story.  She read “The Raven” by E. A. Poe.

This is a charming bedtime story to read to your little ones.  It has simple illustrations and very real conversations between Mommy and Edgar.  I loved the sweet ending that reassures baby bird that his mother will love him “Evermore”.

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In This Grave Hour

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In This Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear
Format: CD Audiobook
Who it’s for:  Adults

Jacqueline Winspear writes the Maisie Dobbs series about a young English woman detective.  Her writing is highly entertaining and she describes everything in great detail.  Orlagh Cassidy is an award winning narrator who is able to change her accents to make each character distinct as well as speak in different languages.  The combination of author and narrator makes this audio book a pleasure to listen to.

In This Grave Hour is set in England in September of 1939, just as World War II is beginning.  Maisie, a young private investigator with experience solving murder cases, is tasked with solving the murders of three former Belgian men who become refugees in England.  As the investigation proceeds, Maisie encounters other murders that are somehow connected to those of the Belgian men.  To further complicate the situation, a young refugee girl arrives with a train of children being sent to England to live with families to protect them from the violence of war in their own countries.  The little girl, named Anna, doesn’t speak and Maisie is determined to find her family.  Britain is on the brink of war and is approaching its gravest hour.  I highly recommend this audio book if you enjoy mysteries and historical fiction.  I’m looking forward to listening to the next book in this series.

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