(Read by Andi Arndt; Macmillan Audiobook; seven CDs; eight hours and 30 minutes)
Sentimental and predictable, this remains an enjoyable, if slight, summer listen. The charms on bracelets are passed down through generations of women, and each charm tells a story. The current owners are a college student, her overworked mother, and the family matriarch, a lady with a big personality and health issues. Narrator Arndt does a fine job of sounding youthful and vigorous and successfully lowers her voice for males. However, her attempt at a senior voice for Lolly, the grandmother developing dementia, sounds amateurish and annoying. The novel is at its best when it reveals the history behind the charms, but the writing is rather simplistic and lacks depth. Grade: B Minus
