

Almost Paradise
Author: Corabel Shofner
Narrator: Eileen Stevens
Unabridged: 5 hr 17 min
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 07/25/2017
Categories: Children's Fiction, Action & Adventure Stories
Author: Corabel Shofner
Narrator: Eileen Stevens
Unabridged: 5 hr 17 min
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 07/25/2017
Categories: Children's Fiction, Action & Adventure Stories
Corabel Shofner is a wife, mother, attorney, and author. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English literature and was on Law Review at Vanderbilt University School of Law. Her shorter work has appeared or is forthcoming in Willow Review, Word Riot, Habersham Review, Hawai’i Review, Sou’wester, South Carolina Review, South Dakota Review, and Xavier Review.
Eileen Stevens is a voice-over actress whose voice can be heard on cartoons, promos, programs for English-language learners, and audiobooks. An Earphones Award–winning narrator, she is also an audiobook director and producer.
I have given my whole heart to Ruby Clyde and she will forever have a piece of my heart. What an amazing book. Ruby's life has been anything but easy, but a series of awful events that might've taken out a lesser mortal are no match for the indomitable spirit that is Ruby. This book is a gem, a gold......more
I've had the wonderful opportunity to actually spend time with the author, Corabel Shofner, which made reading Almost Paradise even more special. Corabel is so full of life that it's contagious. And that vibrancy for life spills right into her writing. Almost Paradise is bursting with life, wisdom,......more
“Stevens’ depiction of Ruby and the family-of-sorts who take her in is a perfect fit, just like the heroine’s red cowboy hat. She rolls from Ruby’s bravado to Sister Eleanor’s matter-of-fact practicality to Joe Brewer’s kindly resolve as smoothly as mud on Bunny the pig’s back. The easy Texas accent of Frankie, who lives near Eleanor’s retreat, and the whoop-de-do of Carl’s immature impulsiveness are spot-on, as are the myriad voices for all the characters who make this first novel memorable…A winner.” Booklist (starred audio review)
“It’s not often that a book gets everything so right: characters, plot, setting, voice. It’s even rarer to find all that in a first novel. But Shofner has taken all the established, important elements of a good middle-grade novel, given them a brisk shake, and served them up to readers in way that both entertains and enlightens…[with] a surprising twist that will leave readers with plenty to chew on.” Booklist (starred review)
“Plucky and wise beyond her years, Ruby relies on hope and common sense in equal measure, and her voice is the star of Shofner’s debut novel…Quirky and ultimately uplifting.” School Library Journal
“Idiosyncratic characters and plot twists and turns keep the story going, but it is Ruby’s distinctive voice that shines in this debut novel and makes even the most far-fetched twist seem trustworthy. Ruby’s folksy precociousness and determination are as endearing as her realization that the world is not perfect and that love comes in pieces…A rollicking read.” Kirkus Reviews
“What makes the story sing is our protagonist’s voice. She’s resilient, vulnerable, alert, honest, and hilarious, sharing her unique take on an unreliable world dotted with moments of joy and the kindness of strangers.” Horn Book
“Totally delightful… What a joy to meet a spirited heroine like Ruby Clyde Henderson and to linger over Corabel Shofner’s glorious words.” Augusta Scattergood, author of Glory Be
“With humor, resolve, and an endless supply of spunk, Ruby Clyde is a character to root for. Reading this unique and unforgettable story about the power of love, trust, and healing isn’t almost paradise—it absolutely is!” Abby Cooper, author of Sticks and Stones
“Almost Paradise is fresh, original, and unforgettable. Readers will fall in love with Ruby and her hilarious, heartbreaking quest to find home and family.” Dan Gemeinhart, author of Some Kind of Courage