About Kylie Conner

Kylie’s favorite reads are usually horror/thrillers, which matches her taste in films as well. When she’s not cracking bad jokes she can often be found curled up with a cup of coffee and her cat, Gideon.

Book Clubbin’: 10 Discussion Questions for ‘My Dark Vanessa’ by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Kylie Conner

Welcome to our monthly blog feature, Book Clubbin’!

With social distancing measures still in place, you may find yourself at home more than usual and in search of something new to keep you interested and entertained. So, we think that now is the perfect time to pick up a new listen and start a virtual book club with a few friends.

Even though you may find yourself at home more, you may not actually have any spare time to pick up a book. This is where audiobooks come in. They’re perfect for multi-tasking, so you can listen while you work, do chores, while the kids are napping, or even while you’re out for a walk to get some fresh air.

Our pick for May is My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, narrated by Grace Gummer. This debut has already become an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller and has sparked news articles about it due to its controversial subject matter.

My Dark Vanessa explores the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher. We see the story jump back-and-forth from Vanessa’s teenage years to her life present day, dealing with her relationship with her teacher, how it affected her, and what she will do when faced with a major decision during the era of #MeToo.

This month’s pick is a heavy listen, but an important read that we think people will be talking about for a long time to come. If you’re ready to start discussing My Dark Vanessa, get started with the questions below. Beware — SPOILERS ahead.

—————MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!————

1) What is your opinion of Strane? Would you consider his character “sick” or “bad?”

2) Do you think your opinion of Vanessa, Strane, and their relationship would change if Vanessa had been 18 years-old when their relationship first started?

3) Since he had been a teacher for a long time before crossing paths with Vanessa, do you think Strane pursued other students before her?

4) Do you think that Strane views his actions as truly “wrong” or do his only worries stem from the potential backlash and repercussions that he may face if it all becomes public?

5) My Dark Vanessa jumps between Vanessa’s experience as a teen and her experience as an adult. What changes do you notice in Vanessa and which, if any, can be attributed to her relationship with Strane?

6) Why do you think Vanessa and Taylor had such different responses to Strane’s advances? And why was Taylor more willing to come forward than Vanessa was?

7) We get a glimpse into how Strane’s behavior would be handled in present day with his looming trial, but how different would this story have been if Vanessa had been a teenager in the current age of #MeToo?

8) How do you interpret the importance of Lolita throughout My Dark Vanessa? And how does it relate to both Vanessa and Strane?

9) How do you think The Browick School handled the situation when it was brought to their attention the first time around with Vanessa and Strane? Do you think the school should be at least somewhat held responsible for their actions or lack thereof?

10) Did My Dark Vanessa change your opinions on consent and victimhood? Would you consider Vanessa a victim?

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Plan Your Perfect Spring Day & We’ll Tell You Which Audiobook to Listen to Next

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Kylie Conner

Staff Pick: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Kylie Conner

Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Narrator: Robert Fass, Carol Monda, Kevin R. Free, Marisa Calin, Michael Crouch, Patricia Santomasso, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Bailey Carr, Gopal Divan, Shezi Sardar, Amanda Thickpenny

Like many others, the very first podcast I ever listened to was Serial. It was so addicting and kept me enthralled during my long commute to my job at the time. It’s been a while since something caught my attention like that, until I listened to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder follows Pip, a high school senior who chooses to investigate the infamous case of a murdered girl in her hometown. Pip is convinced that the prime suspect didn’t actually commit this crime, so she starts digging into the details and someone in town isn’t too happy about it.

The story is told through Pip’s project log, which gives us an insight to her inner thoughts and information that she gathers from her investigations. I also loved the fact that this audiobook featured a full cast, so that the interviews Pip did in-person or over the phone seemed that much more real.

While I did notice some similarities in this story to Serial and some investigations did mirror the ones that were featured in the Serial podcast, this story definitely took a different route than I expected and it had me guessing the whole way through. I got so heavily invested in these characters, I even shed a tear while listening on my drive home one night.

Even though I’m a fully grown adult, I’m shamelessly a fan of teen dramas. There, I said it. Riverdale, Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Degrassi…you name it, I’ve watched it. Plus, I love all things horror, thriller, and true crime. If that sounds like you too, then you’re not going to want to miss A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

Publisher Summary:

For readers of Kara Thomas and Karen McManus, an addictive, twisty crime thriller with shades of Serial and Making a Murderer about a closed local murder case that doesn’t add up, and a girl who’s determined to find the real killer–but not everyone wants her meddling in the past.

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you’ll never expect.

Enhance Your March Break With Audiobooks

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Kylie Conner

When I was a kid and March Break rolled around, everyone else in my class was going away somewhere exotic or even just on week-long road trips. Since my mom was always on the hunt for a good deal, she would never book our trips during these busy vacationing times, so the majority of my March Breaks were trying to find something to fill my time while my peers were exploring the world.

Enter books, my saviors and boredom defeaters. Instead of enduring my little brother kicking the back of my seat during a road trip, I got to explore Panem thanks to Katniss, feel the second-hand embarrassment of Georgia Nicolson, and learn about the dangers of drug use from the Crank series. And all of this was happening from the comfort of my living room couch.

People always say that traveling and seeing the world really changes you, and I agree, but there’s something about being able to listen (or read) a new book and have your perspective changed. With every book I read as a kid, there was always a feeling of self-reflection, and I believe that every book, no matter how deep and moving it was, contributed to who I am as a person today.

As I mentioned before, yes, I did tear through the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series. The title of the first book is Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, which I’m sure my mom loved. From the outside, this series might’ve just seemed like a silly book for teens, but it kind of was like my own teenage version of Bridget Jones. I related to the characters and they were going through a lot of the same things I was at the time.

So, if you or your kids are entering March Break and are looking for ways to stay entertained during your staycation, just pick up a book and escape for a while. You never know how it may change you.

Did you binge-read on March Break too?

Which books do you remember reading as a kid?

Audiobooks.com Interview with Deb Olin Unferth, Author of Barn 8

Posted on March 5, 2020 by Kylie Conner

Have you ever sat on a beach in deep thought about the mysterious lives of chickens and what will come of them in the future? Deb Olin Unferth, author of Barn 8, certainly has. Best known for her novel Vacation and her recent collection of stories, Wait Till You See Me Dance, Unferth is now back with her latest creation, Barn 8 — a witty yet philosophical political drama, which has been praised, saying, “If this novel isn’t a movement, it has enough heart to start one.”

Audiobooks.com: What can readers gain from listening to the audiobook version of Barn 8 that they might not necessarily get from reading the print version?

Deb Olin Unferth: I love audiobooks. I listen to about thirty a year. I’ve been listening to them since you had to check them out of the library in a big box of numbered cassette tapes and lug them home on the train.

Brittany Pressley, who reads Barn 8, has so much personality in her voice. She’s so playful and has a terrific range. Barn 8 is told from several points of view and she switches between them with ease, making them come to life. It’s almost like listening to a radio drama.

Audiobooks.com: How involved were you in the narrator casting process and what do you look for in an audiobook narrator?

Deb Olin Unferth: I was given several options to choose from. I wanted someone who would bring a lot of energy and be able to handle the different points of view, [and] see it as a fun artistic challenge. Pressley jumped out right away, and she has an impressive list of books to her credit, too. A lot of range.

Generally what I look for in an audiobook narrator varies. For memoir, I prefer the author read it. I want to feel like I’m spending the afternoon with them over coffee and they’re confiding in me. I listened to Michelle Obama read her book, Becoming, and I swear I felt like she and I were hanging out, talking about the old days in Chicago, laughing about the antics in the White House, raging about politics, discussing exercise routines. It made me so happy!

For novels I prefer a professional reader who isn’t afraid to take someone else’s words and bring it to life with their own personal take. Most authors aren’t great at reading their own work, I’ve found, though there are exceptions. Nicholson Baker is an amazing reader of his own work. I could listen to him read his own books forever.

Audiobooks.com: Your novel touches on some very important but seldom talked about issues surrounding egg farming. What was your impetus for writing Barn 8?

Deb Olin Unferth: Well, no one likes factory farming! No one wants chickens to live squashed in cages in giant barns. But it’s hard to think about, hard to face. As I learned about egg-layer chickens and the conditions they live in, I kept having this image of them all leaving the barns. It was such a relief just to imagine it. I decided to go ahead and make that feeling real, on the page.

Audiobooks.com: What research did you have to do for Barn 8 so that you could portray the hen’s perspectives as well as predict what might happen to them in the future?

Deb Olin Unferth: I did a huge amount of research for Barn 8! I wrote a long investigative piece on the egg industry for Harper’s Magazine. I interviewed undercover investigators, farmers, animal lawyers, all sorts of people.

And I spent a huge amount of time reading books and articles about chickens, visiting them on farms, big and small. I sat in hen houses and just watched them. I recorded their voices and listened to them on my headphones at night. This went on for years. I remember one night on vacation, sitting on the beach and contemplating all that I had learned and all that was still unknown to anyone about chickens. The image of them far into the future came to me.

Audiobooks.com: Do you find it hard to toe the line between conveying such a serious message while also injecting your sense of humor and lightheartedness into the novel?

Deb Olin Unferth: Yes, I did. I had to keep taking out material that was too dark, and then putting it back in when I could couch it in enough humor or other kinds of emotion. I do feel like I see the world both darkly and lightheartedly at once anyway. It was a matter of getting the audience to follow along with me.

Audiobooks.com: Can you share with us what you’re working on next?

Deb Olin Unferth: Sure! I’m working on a sort-of sci-fi novel. Part of it takes place on Mars, part of it is on Earth at the end of civilization. Are there animals in it? Yes, there are! Is it funny? You bet.∎

Audiobooks.com Interview with Cara Black, Author of Three Hours in Paris

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Kylie Conner

Who among us hasn’t had the odd daydream or two about picking up and jetting off to France and just living like a Parisian for a while? We might browse wistfully through flights, but never take the plunge. Meanwhile, Cara Black, author of the Aimee Leduc series, has penned 20 novels that are set in this cultural hotbed including her latest standalone, Three Hours in Paris (releasing April 2020).

We were lucky enough to catch up with Black to chat about her latest listen, audiobook narrators, and what inspires her writing.

Audiobooks.com: What can readers gain from listening to the audiobook version of Three Hours in Paris that they might not necessarily get from reading the print version?

Cara Black: Both versions have so much to offer. However, in the audiobook version there’s the immediacy of the spoken word and the reader’s intonation and nuances of feeling that enhance listening to the story. Also you can listen to the story anywhere hands-free.

Audiobooks.com: How involved are you in the narrator casting process and what do you look for in an audiobook narrator?

Cara Black: I felt it was important to go with a new voice to distinguish Three Hours in Paris from the Aimée Leduc series. I liked the sample from Elisabeth Rogers—her voice, intonation, expression, and how she puts emphasis on phrases. She’s good! So I decided to go with Elisabeth Rogers, a new reader, and I feel so happy she is Kate’s “voice.”

Audiobooks.com: This is your first standalone novel. How did it feel to venture away from your Aimée Leduc Investigation series?

Cara Black: I felt compelled to write Three Hours in Paris. It was a story I had to tell, and it came from a footnote in history. I’d been writing bits while I wrote the Aimée Leduc series, but these pieces didn’t fit in an Aimée story so I saved them. I had only written series novels, which I love to do and will continue, so it was a leap to write a standalone. It was time to flex my writing muscles and this story had high stakes in a time of incredible history. With a new setting and era in history, it gave me freedom and a chance to explore other voices and viewpoints.

Audiobooks.com: All of your Aimée Leduc Investigation novels as well as Three Hours in Paris are set in France. After writing 20 books set in France do you find that you’re still learning new things about the country and the culture? Do you ever see yourself writing a novel set outside of France?

Cara Black: Definitely. I’m always learning new things about the French and France. I love the history, the traditions, the slower pace of life, its culture of living well, and the charming, contradictory Parisians I come across. If I ever figure them out, the mystery will be over. Yes, I’ve got a few ideas for a novel outside of France.

Audiobooks.com: In your author’s note, you mentioned the idea for Three Hours in Paris grew from anecdotes that you encountered on your research trips to Paris. When you travel, are you always picking up tidbits and saving them for future inspiration?

Cara Black: There’s a saying about writers, “everything is fodder.” So, I’m always jotting down a word overheard, a color that catches my eye, or a saying that encapsulates a feeling. And I always try to use what I find in France on the page.

Over the years researching, I was lucky and honored to meet several female Résistants who were in the underground during WW2. They told me stories and shared their experiences. Also, many of my friend’s parents had been schoolchildren in Paris during the war, and it was incredible to hear firsthand accounts of what they remembered: daily life and privations that didn’t make it in the history books.

Audiobooks.com: Can we expect more stories about Kate Rees in the future?

Cara Black: I wrote this as a standalone novel. But we end in 1940 when the war is in the early stages, and I left Kate’s trajectory open-ended, so it’s a possibility. ∎

Author Archives: Kylie Conner