The week is ending. Before we kick off another seven days (and try to survive the heatwave coming) I am stealing a tag I loved reading on Jonetta and Nicki‘s blogs! (check their posts, they’re brilliant!)
HAVE YOU ALWAYS LISTENED TO AUDIOBOOK OR WHEN DID YOU BEGIN?
I first tried audiobooks when I had eye surgery years ago. I was unable to read but I needed my daily dose of adventure and I missed my books, so my mother bought me my first cassettes. The choice was very limited so I only went back to it years later as part of my American accent training. I started listening in the car on my way to work, and since then, I enjoy always having an audiobook with me!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUDIOBOOK?
No hesitation. The Stephanie Plum series narrated by Lorelei King. She has the most amazing voice, and I can always rely on Stephanie Plum to cheer me up. I know the books by heart, but I can listen to the books over and over again.
WHAT IS MY LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT AUDIOBOOKS?
I share Nicki’s answer on this one. It is very frustrating not to be able to check something you’ve heard. I remember reading a book in which dates were very important and I couldn’t keep up with the timeline and audiobooks are not handy about that. Also, when a sentence is interesting or inspiring, I like to jot it down, but the books keep going and within a few seconds, I don’t remember the exact sentence!
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE DIFFERENCE IN EXPERIENCE BETWEEN PHYSICALLY READING A BOOK AND LISTENING TO IT?
I love the opportunity to see the characters come to life thanks to the right narrator in audiobooks. When reading, the voice I hear in my head is mine, so the experience is totally different. Sometimes, the audio edition of a book makes the story more powerful!
HOW AND WHEN DO YOU LISTEN?
Anywhere, anytime! My phone is always with me, therefore so are the audiobooks! I avoid bedtime though, or I end up dozing off and I miss chapters!
WHAT STYLE/GENRE DO YOU PREFER?
I tried different genres and discovered thrillers were more difficult for me to follow, especially police procedurals. I usually read those in one or two sittings, but I can’t do that with audiobooks, and I lose the effects of the plot or forget the events. I usually go for autobiographies, chick lit, women fiction, and the odd psychological thrillers when possible.
WHAT ARE SOME AUDIOBOOK/NARRATOR RECOMMENDATIONS?
I finished Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine recently and loved both the story and the narrator. She did a superb job in breathing life into the book.
Anything by Lorelei King is good if you want a great narrator. The Harry Potter audiobooks with Stephen Fry are great.
Becoming written and narrated by Michelle Obama is a MUST!
Last but not least, if you come across a book read by David Tennant, go for it!
Yay so glad you joined in and thanks for the mention. Love your answers and totally agree about Becoming!
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I loved your post! Becoming is so powerful! I still listen to it when I have spare time! Right now I’m listening to an audiobook narrated in a strong Scottish accent, it’s just brilliant! I stop in the middle of the street and go ‘what?!?’ hahaha!
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I bet 🤣🤣🤣
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LOVE this Meggy, I will have to buy the Stephanie Plum series. I might do this tag in a bit, it is brilliant. xx
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Thank you so much ❤ I really enjoyed this tag. Although the first narrator is good too, I'd advice you to read the first Plum, and then switch to audiobooks with the first one done by Lorelei! 😀 Unless you become addicted and then you'll be forced to read and listen to ALL OF THEM xD xx
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Like you I find crime fiction most difficult to listen to on audio – I lose the thread far too quickly in this medium.
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I thought my brain was the only one not able to fully appreciate crime fiction in audio! I admire people who can follow a full book and all the plots!
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This is such a great tag. I love audiobooks! One of the first ones I listened to was Eleanor Oliphant and it remains one of tte best!
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It took me two tries to get into Eleanor Oliphant but the problem was me, not the book. Now I miss listening to her life!
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Thrilled that you decided to do this tag, Meggy! I wasn’t sure if you listened to audiobooks so this was wonderful to learn what interests you about them💜
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Thank you for a great post that spurred me to try it! 🙂 I enjoy them but I need to keep my hands busy or I end up biting my nails, haha!
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This is a great suntag for me. I love listening to my books. I think I will do this over my summer holidays.
Is there a book read by DT????
Amanda xx
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I can’t wait to read your post! 🙂
Yes! I need to find the quick audio he did a few years back, but there’s also the Doctor Who audio books! xx
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Ahh lovely answers for this tag my sweechie! I never tried audiobooks, but maybe I should someday and… I’ve been very curious about Michelle Obama’s book, so it’s great to hear the audiobook is so good 😀
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I am glad my surgery forced me to try audiobooks, and that blogging brought me back to it! It’s a bit weird at first, but some books are perfect for it! xx
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I still have to finish my first audiobook. I gave it two tries but every time I gave up after two chapters.. I feel my mind drifting so quickly and then I have to rewind and listen again. I would love to be able to listen to an audiobook, I’ll have to practice it some more 🙂
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It takes a bit of practice for sure! I think it’s also important to choose your titles well! x
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Ooh, an audiobook tag! That is so great 🙂 I totally agree about the right narrators bringing the stories to life. But I also love listening at bedtime. The Audible app has a sleep timer. I set that together with a bookmark, and the next day I just go back to my bookmark. Incidentally, that’s usually the last thing I can remember in the story 😀 Audiobooks are such an amazing sleeping aid.
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I admire you! Bedtime is crazy here. Either my brain won’t shut up, or the book lull me to sleep, haha! I use audiobooks I’ve already listened to when I need help falling asleep 🙂
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Great recommendations! I’m starting to enjoy audiobooks too 🙂
Hope you have a lovely weekend ❤
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It takes a bit of adaptation but audiobooks are really handy! Thank you! I hope you’re having a lovely week xx
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I loved the Stephanie Plum books and would like to re-read them one of these days. You’ve just sold me on trying the audio version this time around, thank you 🙂 xx
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Yay, I’m so glad! 🙂 It’s fun to relax with Steph’s adventures 🙂 xx
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I am yet to venture into the world of audio-books because I fear that I will easily get distracted or start daydreaming lol. However, I have been meaning to read On Becoming so might just begin with the audio version of that. Great tag!
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It takes practice to get into a novel while doing something else, or just focusing on voices instead of words on a page! I totally recommend Becoming. If there should be one audiobook on your list, it’s the one! x
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Such a great post! I really want to check out the audiobook for becoming and I’m glad Eleanor Oliphant worked as an audiobook 😀
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Becoming is WONDERFUL! 😀 xx
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