Beholding Bee by Kimberley Newton Fusco read by Ariadne Meyers

Bee is an orphan with a birth mark on her face.  She works and lives with Pauline; they do the hotdog stand and travel with the circus.  But the owner keeps eyeballing Bee; he wants her to become a roadside attraction within his show.

Random House/Listening Library sent me a copy of this audio book for review.  It has been published and you can pick up a copy now.

It amazes me how different a story can sound when it's read aloud.  I reviewed the book and really liked it, but this audio read is even better.  Ms. Meyers does an excellent job with the voices and instills Bee's fear in you.  Ellis is an evil man (in Bee's view) and she's afraid to be around him.  She's also afraid to be alone.  When Pauline meets a young man who dates her and spends some money on her, she thinks she's fallen in love.  When Ellis splits up the act and creates one that stays in one location permanently with the rest on the road, Pauline goes with her lover.  Poor Bea finds herself alone, except for a dog she was not allowed to have but smuggled around quietly.

Bea is young and inexperienced, but she has good instincts.  She knows Ellis is going to ask her to become part of the show, she has lost Bobby (her one piece of security left) because he's going to another job, and so she takes her dog and sets out on her own.

This is a fantasy tale with ghosts from the past helping Bee get through her present.  It's well done, will make you laugh and cry both, and there's hope for the future at the end.  I'd love to read more about Bee and her life.  Maybe we'll be lucky enough Ms. Fusco might bring her back.

Happy reading.