The Bright List

A Sandhills Ballad: Love, Death, and Loss of Limb on the Great Plains

A Sandhills Ballad, by Ladette Randolph

When I wrote the audiobook casting notes for this title, I said, “Get a Great Plains woman who’s been through the mill!”

Randolph’s protagonist, Mary Rasmussen, is that woman. She was born and raised on a ranch in the middle of Nowhere, Nebraska—aka The Sandhills. The story opens with Mary in the hospital, waking up to discover that she’s missing a leg, and her husband is dead. Her isolation and despair drive her to marry a preacher who makes her life unbearable.

I was wondering the whole time if she was going to murder him in his sleep— but I won’t spoil what actually happens…

--Aretha Bright

Katie Williams Takes a Teen Misfit Into The Space Between Trees

 

The Space Between Trees, by Katie Williams

Ahhh... A story many teenagers could relate to: A 16-year old misfit, with no real friends, and a huge crush on a boy who barely acknowledges her presence.

Except! — this story begins with a paper route in the middle of nowhere... and a murder.

The "bad girl" that our lonely heroine befriends—of course, it has to be the bad girl!— is a great character. (I was rooting for them to hook up, instead of her and the boy).

Space Between Trees is simply beautiful writing; author Katie Williams is a stand0ut. The remoteness of the location puts you in the forest, far away from everything. The title is a perfect fit.

The Chronicle Books cover design, although it isn't "felt" in the audio edition, is over the top, even for them.  No one could pass this book on display in a store, without reaching to open it. Once they find it, they’ll love hearing it read out loud. 

A Junior Library Guild Selection and a Publishers' Weekly Starred Review.

Narrated by wonderful YA actor, Emily Eiden.

--Aretha  and Susie Bright