Robin P’s Comments (group member since Feb 20, 2014)

Robin P’s comments from the Audiobooks group.

On another note, the latest Chet & Bernie book is available - Cat on a Hot Tin Woof: A Chet & Bernie Mystery. A cat is involved!

I finished The Henna Artist. The audio was very well done and the setting of 1955 India was clearly invoked. I thought some of the book was a bit slow but there were several unexpected turns in the story that I liked.

Now starting Double Share, part of a "cozy" sci-fi series where competent people help each other do everyday tasks on a merchant space ship. Even when there are actual dangers, they just pitch in and figure out what to do. Sounds boring, but I have enjoyed each book so far. Ishmael Wong is a charming hero.

I agree, 20 books a month is amazing@ I read that much in total, but most are on paper where they are faster. I never had a job where I could listen, and I generally listen during times when I can't read because I am driving, doing housework, etc.

Arlene, you would have loved the old Recorded Books plan back in the 2000's when there was a flat fee per month (I think $30 or $35 and they would send you up to 5 books on cassette or CD at at a time from your Wish List - kind of like the early Netflix model. There were no restrictions, though there might be short delays for very new or popular books.

Arlene wrote: "I'm new to this group. My 2026 goal is 20 books per month, 240 by Dec 31, 2026. I LOVE audiobooks! So far in April, I've read/listened to full cast new version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fir..."

Welcome, Arlene! I loved Three Bags Full, since I grew up on a sheep farm, and I am impatiently awaiting the movie.

So glad you found this group of audiobook addicts, er I mean fans.

The author will be speaking in my town at a free event in May. The admission is first come, first served so I wonder how early I will need to arrive. The room is big but not an auditorium. That book has been featured everywhere! (for instance, in Book Pages, a free monthly magazine at most libraries, there is an interview with the author.)

Boat Baby: A Memoir is read by the author. Since she is a TV journalist, she does a great job and of course speaks Vietnamese. I was most interested in the story of her parents' escape and the family's adjustment to the US, but less so in her career trajectory.

Pamela wrote: "Finished yesterday Upward Bound by Woody Brown. Multiple points of view and each had a narrator. It's fairly short fictionalized story of a place that takes care of disabled adults..."

I bought that in the current sale. The author himself belongs to that community. I am looking forward to it.

I read several books about Jamestown last year before and after visiting it. The ups and downs of the founding and survival are practically unbelievable.

Starting Boat Baby: A Memoir by a woman who went from Vietnamese refugee to national news reporter - she narrates herself.

So sorry to hear this, Doug. I'm sure your parents appreciate your help.

I liked Planetside, since I fell in love with Bray when I listened to The Martian years ago.

John wrote: "Much of my wishlist was on slashed prices, so spent $30 on eight titles. To the point where I'm going to have to scramble to use my eight credits expiring in October!"

I have to use 3 credits by June 7. I was saving 2 for upcoming releases but both of those books are now on sale for under 7.00.

Dee wrote: "i just saw that the Jacky Faber series is all in the $4 price range...its tempting..."

They're wonderful - Katherine Kellgren IS Jacky, including singing.

I got down from 25 books to 17 but then thought of more series and went back up to 22. I have really liked the Sebastian Clifford detective series by Sally Rigby but I've finished it. She has a different series with a woman detective and, as with the Clifford series, you can get a 3-book set for one price, in this case, under 5.00 for the set of 3.

Nicole wrote: "Thought my fellow audiobook lovers might enjoy my most recent Substack blog on the joys of listening to books read aloud! https://nicolediamondaustin.substack.... I currently hav..."

Nicole, although I enjoyed reading about your experience, I think this really belongs under one of our promotional threads. If you see this message, please move it. Otherwise it will evenutally be deleted.

Pamela wrote: "I am starting April with The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.

I bought several of the print books in this series, so I'm really hoping I like it. Something I never do... and then fou..."

I listened to that and found it very good in terms of a really different place, time and culture - pretty violent, of course. I thought of continuing the series but so many other things come first.

I have a bunch from series I had been keeping on my wish list. I really liked the narration of The Silver Pigs by Christian Rodska, he sounded appropriately rough around the edges. Then the next 7 books are read by Simon Prebble, much too aristocratic. So I have been reading them in print, but kept track of later books in the series done by Rodska. They are about $5 each.

Books in the Wyndham & Bannerjee Indian historical mysteries are under $3. Three Bags Full, the source of the upcoming movie, The Sheep Detectives, and its sequel Big Bad Wool are around $3 each. Nathan Lowell's cozy space adventures are about the same.

Even pre-orders work - I was about to use credits to get Cat on a Hot Tin Woof: A Chet & Bernie Mystery and Platform Decay (latest Murderbot) that come out soon, but instead I can pay 6.98 and 6.66 and save the credits.

At the moment I have put 26 books into my cart! I will have to prune.

Good timing, as I only have 2 credits left till June. But (sigh) of course I have a huge backlog.

As usual, some are still higher in price than a credit but many are 4.00 or less,

I started Faye, Faraway, which had rave reviews for being meaningful and beautiful. But I only got about an hour in. It is a time travel story that spends a lot of time trying to explain the phenomenon and its effects, then sets up a tear-jerking scenario. I felt it was overwritten. I seem to be too jaded these days for some of the very popular books like The Midnight Library and The Correspondent. They're not bad but just not for me at this time.

For the opposite extreme of emotions, I am re-listening to the Murderbot series, in preparation for the upcoming new book. Platform Decay, due in May.

Just Haven't Met You Yet is an amusing and well narrated rom-com, though it's obvious early on where it's going. There was at least one movie with this plot, Only You, where the heroine is tracking down the guy she is sure is her soulmate, but life has other plans.

Nobody can send direct messages on GR anymore, not to friends, not to moderators, nobody!

John wrote: "Robin P wrote: "One Death at a Time never really grabbed me. The narration was excellent but the story was just ok.

I've also started listening to the long classic, [book:The Way ..."

Timothy West