The Book of Essie
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Robbie Daymond
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Tara Sands
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Erin Spencer
About this listen
Finalist for the 2018 New England Book Award
"Both timelessly beautiful and unbelievably timely." (Chris Bohjalian, New York Times best-selling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant)
A captivating novel of family, fame, and religion that tells the story of the 17-year-old daughter of an evangelical preacher, star of the family's hit reality show, and the secret pregnancy that threatens to blow their entire world apart.
Esther Ann Hicks - Essie - is the youngest child on Six for Hicks, a reality television phenomenon. She's grown up in the spotlight, both idolized and despised for her family's fire-and-brimstone brand of faith. When Essie's mother, Celia, discovers that Essie is pregnant, she arranges an emergency meeting with the show's producers: Do they sneak Essie out of the country for an abortion? Do they pass the child off as Celia's? Or do they try to arrange a marriage - and a ratings-blockbuster wedding?
Meanwhile, Essie is quietly pairing herself up with Roarke Richards, a senior at her school with a secret of his own to protect. As the newly formed couple attempt to sell their fabricated love story to the media - through exclusive interviews with an infamously conservative reporter named Liberty Bell - Essie finds she has questions of her own: What was the real reason for her older sister leaving home? Whom can she trust with the truth about her family? And how much is she willing to sacrifice to win her own freedom?
©2018 Meghan MacLean Weir (P)2018 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“I was immediately captivated by The Book of Essie, a unique and moving story about a young woman whose life has been hijacked by fame, family and faith - and her spectacular, surprising plot to take it back.” (Vanessa Diffenbaugh, best-selling author of The Language of Flowers and We Never Asked for Wings)
"A resourceful, resilient teen heroine is at the heart of Meghan MacLean Weir's propulsive debut novel... Weir is also adept at using the language of evangelical life, lending an authenticity that takes the book beyond a Duggar-family pastiche. The tentative trust that grows between Essie and Roarke gives The Book of Essie emotional depth, and the questions at its center have a surprising moral weight. Readers will root for Essie through every twist and turn of her story." (Trisha Ping, BookPage)
"The youngest daughter of an Evangelical preacher-turned-reality TV star hatches a plan to wrangle her freedom - and expose the dark truth about her family - in Weir's debut novel... Deeply sympathetic...well-paced...and the unexpected tenderness between Essie and Roarke gives the novel genuine emotional punch." (Kirkus)
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Cassie Madison has it all: A high-powered advertising career; a stylish Manhattan apartment; and a sophisticated, rich, and gorgeous fiancé. It's a far cry from her childhood in Walton, Georgia, home of the annual Kudzu Festival and hot, sticky summers. And then there are all the bad memories, the heartache. When Cassie's estranged sister calls to say that her father is dying, Cassie knows it's time to set aside her feelings and go home and face the sister she hasn't seen in 15 years.
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Could not finish
- By G. Moore on 06-08-11
By: Karen White
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Reflection
- By: Diane Chamberlain
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 15 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Twenty years ago, a terrible tragedy shattered the tranquility of the small Pennsylvania Dutch town of Reflection. The residents of the village have never forgiven the one woman they blamed for what happened - Rachel Huber. After the incident, Rachel left the town and cut off all ties there. But when Rachel receives the news that her estranged grandmother, Helen, is ill and needs her care, she returns to Reflection.
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How did I ever miss this book!!
- By joni on 04-16-16
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The Wednesday Letters
- By: Jason F. Wright
- Narrated by: Art Allen
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Jack and Laurel have been married for 39 years. They've lived a good life and appear to have had the perfect marriage. With his wife cradled in his arms, and before Jack takes his last breath, he scribbles his last “Wednesday Letter.” When their adult children arrive to arrange the funeral, they discover boxes and boxes full of love letters that their father wrote to their mother each week on Wednesday. As they begin to open and read the letters, the children begin to uncover the shocking truth about the past.
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EXCELLENT!!!!!
- By Boomer on 02-28-15
By: Jason F. Wright
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A Week at the Lake
- By: Wendy Wax
- Narrated by: Amy Rubinate
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Twenty years ago Emma Michaels, Mackenzie Hayes, and Serena Stockton bonded over their New York City dreams. Then, each summer, they solidified their friendship by spending one week at the lake together, solving their problems over bottles of wine and gallons of ice cream. They kept the tradition for years, until jealousy, lies, and life's disappointments made them drift apart. It's been five years since Emma has seen her friends, an absence designed to keep them from discovering a long-ago betrayal. Now she's in desperate need of their support.
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Bechdel Testing Wendy Wax
- By Elizabeth on 09-26-15
By: Wendy Wax
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The Rest of Her Life
- By: Laura Moriarty
- Narrated by: Julia Gibson
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Leigh is the mother of high-achieving, popular high school senior Kara. Their relationship is already strained for reasons Leigh does not fully understand when, in a moment of carelessness, Kara makes a mistake that ends in tragedy, the effects of which not only divide Leigh's family, but polarize the entire community.
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Obnoxious musical interludes ruin the story
- By Joan on 12-25-11
By: Laura Moriarty
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How to Survive a Summer
- A Novel
- By: Nick White
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Grad student Will Dillard has largely buried memories of the summer he spent at a camp intended to "cure" homosexuality. But when he finds out a horror movie based on the camp is hitting theaters, he's forced to face his past - and his role in another camper's death. As he recounts the events surrounding his "failed rehabilitation", Will strikes out on an impromptu road trip back home to Mississippi, eventually returning to the abandoned campgrounds to solve the mysteries of that pivotal summer.
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A story full of heart and healing
- By ZippyBippy on 05-06-18
By: Nick White
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The Last House on the Street
- A Novel
- By: Diane Chamberlain
- Narrated by: Susan Bennett
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Architect Kayla Carter and her husband designed a beautiful house for themselves in Round Hill’s new development, Shadow Ridge Estates. It was supposed to be a home where they could raise their three-year-old daughter and grow old together. Instead, it’s the place where Kayla’s husband died in an accident - a fact known to a mysterious woman who warns Kayla against moving in. The woods and lake behind the property are reputed to be haunted, and the new home has been targeted by vandals leaving threatening notes.
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✫✫ 5 Stars ✫✫
- By ❤️Cyndi Marie❤️🎧Audiobook Addicts🎧 on 01-12-22
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The Actor and the Housewife
- By: Shannon Hale
- Narrated by: Christina Moore
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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When Becky, a housewife with screenwriting dreams, attracts the interest of Felix, a Hollywood star, the two quickly become friends. Though the sexual tension is obvious, Becky has no intention of cheating on her husband - but would Felix cheat on his wife? As their friendship blossoms, rumors and suspicion threaten to derail their platonic love.
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Thought Provoking
- By sts2000 on 09-14-09
By: Shannon Hale
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Santa's Secret
- By: Heidi McLaughlin
- Narrated by: Zoe McKay, Jacob Morgan
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Delaney Du Luca had fabulous Hollywood holiday plans that included the sun, sand, and the warm waters of Cancun until her B-list actor boyfriend publicly dumps her. Instead of staying home to sulk, she decides to head back to her quaint hometown in Vermont for some much-needed rest, relaxation, and of course, her favorite holiday cookies. Aiden Fisher can't seem to catch a break. Still reeling from the loss of his wife, he's become the tail end of all the town's jokes when word spreads he's done the unthinkable; pulling over the town's sweetheart, never mind the fact she was speeding.
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Cute story 💘💘
- By Captivated Listener!! on 10-08-18
By: Heidi McLaughlin
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When the Heart Cries
- By: Cindy Woodsmall
- Narrated by: Jill Shellabarger
- Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Despite being raised in a traditional Old Order Amish family, 17-year-old Hannah Lapp desires to break with custom, forgo baptism into the faith, and marry outside the cloistered community. She's been in love with Mennonite Paul Waddell for three years, and before returning to college for his senior year, Paul asks Hannah to be his wife. Hannah accepts, aware that her marriage will change her relationship with her family forever.
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What a story.........
- By Stevon on 11-05-09
By: Cindy Woodsmall
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The Wishing Thread
- By: Lisa Van Allen
- Narrated by: Amy Rubinate
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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The Van Ripper women have been the talk of Tarrytown, New York, for centuries. Some say they're angels; some say they're crooks. In their tumbledown "Stitchery", not far from the stomping grounds of the legendary Headless Horseman, the Van Ripper sisters - Aubrey, Bitty, and Meggie - are said to knit people's most ardent wishes into beautiful scarves and mittens, granting them health, success, or even a blossoming romance. But for the magic to work, sacrifices must be made - and no one knows that better than the Van Rippers.
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Wonderful
- By Angela on 02-22-15
By: Lisa Van Allen
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The Road Home
- By: Ford Michael Thomas Ford
- Narrated by: Blake Somerset
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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When a car accident leaves photographer Burke Crenshaw in need of temporary full-time care, he finds himself back in the one place no forty-year-old chooses to be--his childhood bedroom. There, in the Vermont home where he grew up, Burke begins the long process of recuperation, and watches as his widowed father finds happiness in a new relationship that's a constant reminder of everything Burke wants and lacks. Exploring local history, Burke discovers an intriguing series of letters from a Civil War soldier to his fianc.
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No need to check your scepticism at the door!
- By Orlando on 08-23-13
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Introductions
- The Academy: The Ghost Bird, Book 1
- By: C. L. Stone
- Narrated by: Natalie Eaton
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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With an agoraphobic mother and a barely-there father, Sang abhors the isolation keeping her in the shadows. The only thing Sang craves is a fresh start and to be accepted as ordinary by her peers, because for her being different meant being cast out alone. When her family moves to a new school district, Sang infiltrates a group of boys nearly perfect in every way.
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Great story, great listen
- By Twinmom on 04-13-18
By: C. L. Stone
What listeners say about The Book of Essie
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- ALY
- 06-17-18
So, so good
Words can not express how much I enjoyed this story. The narrators were fantastic, the build up was incredible, and I felt overwhelmed by the plot twists. A must listen.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Caroline
- 07-28-20
Skimmed the surface
Honestly, this book has a fascinating premise and so much potential, but it barely develops or skims the surface of Essie's character/story. Instead, we're subjected to Liberty Bell's story, which should be a book on its own. Right now, it's just a distraction.
We never really get to know anyone in this book. The characters are flat, but my god, there was such opportunity here to write such complex and fascinating characters. Overall, reading this book felt like reading the cliff's notes of a much more interesting story.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Sharlotte
- 11-07-19
Could've Been Great But Wasn't
The book started out promising but fell flat and dragged on and on becoming a light YA story and losing my interest. The issues and characters were never fully developed. The narration was mixed: Essie and Rourke were okay but Liberty was extremely annoying to listen to. All in all, it was a disappointing missed opportunity by the author.
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- Anonymous8593
- 06-06-19
Great Story
I loved the story, however the narration was a little weird at times. Some of the accents were annoying and some of the inflections seemed a bit off. Overall, not bad.
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- EyeBurn
- 01-29-23
Great debut novel
I wasn’t really sure where this was going to go. An idea wiggled in about a quarter of the way in. The way the writer unfolded it was perfect.
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- Elena
- 06-19-18
Excellent!
Well written, fresh, timely and beautifully performed. So realistic that the story could be a feature in a national magazine, but the nature of fiction allows this disturbing story to be palatable enough to explore and to bring the listener a satisfying conclusion. Well done!
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3 people found this helpful
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- Stephanie
- 02-08-21
Absolutely wonderful!
This is a must read book for any girl with religious and family trauma. Essie is such a great character and so much braver than I am.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Meems
- 06-28-19
Glad I didn’t pass up this great book!
I almost passed on this book when I was looking through the “two for one” credit listing. I am so glad I didn’t miss out on such a great book. The narrators were all excellent. I was interested from the beginning to the end. There was not a part that I wanted to rush through, and I kept wanting to see what direction this story would go next. I finished this book with a warm, uplifted feeling.
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- Rachel
- 06-27-19
Nice Writing but Plot Not as Original as I Hoped
This story will get you from Point A to Point B easily and it’ll be a picturesque journey even with all its uncomfortable and "ugly" topics that this book covers. My opinion is it's an unsurprising journey that can even be boring in a predictable way.
I realize that the reveals are supposed to slowly revealed but these secrets were so easy to figure out I already knew Roarke's by the second chapter, his first appearance in the book, and this makes me super unsatisfied. This isn't a thriller or mystery so the author didn't mean to be so predictable with the story. In truth, the writing is super engaging and kept me from DNFing the story at 49%, which is when I figured out everyone's secrets and who the baby's father is. If it wasn't for the fact I was listening to an audiobook, I might have DNFed this story. The audiobook is nicely done with 3 different narrators for each POV brought up within the story (Ester, Roarke, and Liberty).
There is no way the author didn't get "inspiration" from the Duggar Family and their scandals. It's so similar. There is also the hint of fascination the Hicks receive that also made me think of the Kardashians. You either love them or hate them but you'll hear about them in the entertainment news. For this reason, I feel this story is unoriginal but serves as a way to bring up sexual abuse, rape, homophobia, religious beliefs, and other dark topics.
This wasn't a book for me but others may like it more than I did. If you're a reader who likes books with a heavy focus on characters and their stories then this is the book for you.
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- RB
- 10-26-18
Narrator adds too much "acting"
I think I would be totally absorbed in this story if I were reading the print version. The primary narrator is listenable but she is trying to cream as much emotion and acting as possible into each word. Her standard voice for the main character is "wobbly voice on the verge of tears" which gets annoying. I would prefer a more restrained and neutral reading style. This one feels like she is adding her own interpretation of the characters, or like she is reading to a toddler.
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