Audiobooks discussion

I'm surprised! John is usually "Johnny on the spot" starting the new threads each month. Perhaps he's taking advantage of Labour Day holiday. He'll have to close off the August thread.

I'm starting Pines today. I haven't listened to any audiobooks in a week. I've been involved in a couple of buddy reads and both books were in print format. I don't know about others in this group, but I only report on the audiobooks I read here.

Pines is great. If you are interested in continuing with the trilogy I have the 2nd one in my library if you want to do a buddy listen.

what is a buddy listen? each read the book and discuss it or something else?

Susan wrote: "Pines is great. If you are interested in continuing with the trilogy I have the 2nd one in my library if you want to do a buddy listen."

I have the second one in my library as well. I'll make a private note on my review to remind me about a buddy read.

John, do you think that having a folder for buddy reads would be an interest to people in this group? Susan and I may do a buddy read for Wayward, and others may want to join in. Having a separate folder would allow buddy reads for whatever books members would like to read and discuss together.

Just finished Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. What a horrible tragedy. As I posted on the August thread, I don't necessarily recommend the audiobook, as I found Krakauer's narration pretty flat. But the book itself is riveting

Next up: What is the What.

Finished up The Secret Scripture and enjoyed the narration immensely. The book itself I also loved...up until the ending. Won't get into it (to avoid spoilers), but was dismayed by the author's choices on several plot points.

Tried to get into both Blood Red Road and The Ten-Year Nap and decided to set both aside. Now listening to Conversion, narrated by Kristine Hvam (who is excellent, as always), but I'll confess that it reads more like a YA novel than I expected. I really enjoyed The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane and am hopeful about CONVERSION as well. Hmm. I've often enjoyed YA,so no problem there necessarily. Just not sure I'm in the mood for it now. Anyone else read/listen to CONVERSION?

I'm listening to The Jakarta Pandemic by Steven Konkoly

I was, indeed, away for a bit. As for buddy reads, I'd have to think about it.

After an audio-free vacation week, I'll be heading back to work with The Farm tomorrow.

I finished The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and really enjoyed it, 4 stars from me.

That books mentions Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon quite a few times so I decided to listen to this one next. First published in 1862, it holds up quite well, and I enjoyed this too.

Just finished Every Last One by Anna Quindlen, quite a harrowing story of a family and grief and moving on.

Going to listen to The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton next.

Oh, so glad to hear it wasn't just me with The Ten Year Nap, Xe! I've tried it twice and put it aside.

Started The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey narrated by Davina Porter, for bookclub.

I am listening to Divergent. Despite all the hypes, I am having a hard time with the storyline, writing, and the narrator. I am debating whether to stay with it or forget about it.

Esther wrote: "I am listening to Divergent. Despite all the hypes, I am having a hard time with the storyline, writing, and the narrator. I am debating whether to stay with it or forget about it."

I was not a fan of the book in general. I thought the narrator was fine - just not the book for me.

Finished Lord of Chaos now another break from the series. Started All Quiet on the Western Front read about 1/3 and decided it probably is too real and depressing to read in one sitting so I started Emperor Mollusk versus The Sinister Brain much more light hearted

I read the Divergent series (book 1 and 2). I also did not like the narrator. I never did read book 3... hmmm.

Erica wrote: "what is a buddy listen? each read the book and discuss it or something else?"

Sorry, Erica. I missed this message. I was scrolling back up to see if I mentioned the book I was currently reading and found this.

You've pretty much got the idea. We do buddy reads in another group. If someone wants to have a buddy read and discuss the same book, they start a thread to invite other people. Once they have a buddy or buddies, they agree on when.

Here is the buddy read folder from the group I moderate. As you can see, it's a popular feature: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

Janice wrote: "Erica wrote: "what is a buddy listen? each read the book and discuss it or something else?"

Sorry, Erica. I missed this message. I was scrolling back up to see if I mentioned the book I was curr..."

Thanks!

I am listening to "The Museum of Extraordinary Things" by Alice Hoffman, narrated by Zach Appelman, Grace Gummer, and Judith Light.

Currently listening to The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, narrated by the author. Like many, I am always skeptical of author narrations, but this is excellent and I'm really enjoying the narration as well as the book.

I finished Divergent a couple of months ago and thought it was only okay. I didn't bother with the sequels.

I recently finished The Understudy by David Nicholls, The Light Between Oceans narrated by Noah Taylor (a bit of a mush-mouth but ultimately right for the story), Emily & Einstein by Linda Francis Lee, and Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.

What can I say, I have a two hour commute each way. :-)

Dave wrote: "I finished Divergent a couple of months ago and thought it was only okay. I didn't bother with the sequels.

I recently finished The Understudy by David Nicholls, The Light Between Oceans narrated..."

Just finished Divergent and I don't think I am going to bother with the rest of the series either.

Moving on to Timebound.

It's amazing how much time we spend on commuting and how many books we can cover using that time.

I really don't mind a rather long commute, as long as I have my audiobooks along for the ride.

I enjoyed Timebound but at time the narrator's voice was a little off putting -- it is hard to explain. Still an enjoyable read all in all though :)

I always forget when the new threads start until I realize I haven't seen updates!

I finished The Art Forger. It was ok but I found the main character so annoying that I found myself yelling at her in the car! But Xe's narration was great, as usual.

I'm on Only Time Will Tell now and finding it a bit tedious. Fortunately it's not very long and I should be done with it this week. I have concluded that male British narrators are my least favorite...

I agree that the character was a bit ... flawed.

Listening to Crazy Rich Asians. Funny, great reader.

Self-promotional posts in this thread are deleted.

Ugh...my fantasy football podcast listening is cutting into my audiobook listening! Oh well, since I'm 16 books ahead of schedule to reach my GoodReads goal for 2014, I'm not too worried about it.

I'm about 25% of the way into What is the What, and wow...what a story. Love the writing, and narration by Dion Graham is quite good (though a little weak on the female voices). This is not a book you "enjoy," but I can already tell it will stay with me for a long time.

My friend and I are 2 disks from completing Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. It has been a long and interesting ride. I had forgotten just how aggravating Harry's anger issues could be in this one, but so much else was great and Jim Dale's narration was so spectacular sometimes the content didn't matter. My friend had a unique comment today after completing the third to the last disk which ended with a character death. "What a rotten day I'm having, losing 2 special people in one day. First I learned about Joan Rivers death, and now I've lost {dead character's name}."
At first I found it funny that she equated a real person and a story character, but a celebrity we've never actually met and a person brought to life by a super-talent like Jim Dale seem equally real. It's definitely part of the magic of audiobooks.

Kristie wrote: "Ugh...my fantasy football podcast listening is cutting into my audiobook listening! Oh well, since I'm 16 books ahead of schedule to reach my GoodReads goal for 2014, I'm not too worried about it. ..."

You may enjoy Acts of Faith if you haven't already read it. It's fiction about how 'aid' rarely makes a difference in Africa. Southern Sudan actually. The narration was good and I'm a fan of Philip Caputo.

Glad you are still enjoying your re-listen of HP Jeanie :) And yes Harry is quite angsty in that book BUT he was right in the middle of his teen years so somewhat understandable.

Just started The Long Way Home, latest book by Louise Penny. Before that I listened to A Friend Among Spies, with an English narrator who did a great job of the various characters and their "accents" in the book. A Friend Among Spies is about Kim Philby, the double agent who worked in MI6 during WW II, and at the same time provided secret information to Russia. Great insight into the good ol' boys networks in English society.

Kristie wrote: "Ugh...my fantasy football podcast listening is cutting into my audiobook listening! Oh well, since I'm 16 books ahead of schedule to reach my GoodReads goal for 2014, I'm not too worried about it. ..."


I know the feeling I finally just turned the radio on while I was working. ESPN sportcenter app update music do do do kept ibterupting me. My packers are winning then they're losing driving me insane. Probably need to go watch end of game. Either way broke my book focus

Travis of NNY wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Ugh...my fantasy football podcast listening is cutting into my audiobook listening! Oh well, since I'm 16 books ahead of schedule to reach my GoodReads goal for 2014, I'm not too wo..."

Travis, you had me until you said you were a Packers fan. I'm a lifelong Minnesotan who is cursed with being a Vikings fan. I've tried liking the Packers...can't do it. I bleed purple.

OK, back to audiobook, people. Sorry for the tangent.

Finished The Cider House Rules and Still Life last month (but failed to post in August); enjoyed them both. Thanks to those who sang the praises of the Gamache series, I look forward to more.

Wrapped up Fangirl today; great YA listen

Started After I'm Gone and am liking it so far.

My library didn't have the audio of The Martian so I had to read the print version. Amazing story; thanks to you who told me about that one!

Jeanie, I'll never tire of HP!

Vikings ewwww! At least your not a damn Bears fan.

almost done with On the Edge, the story has kind of grown on me, but I like the Magic series more - next up is The Martian

Travis of NNY wrote: "Vikings ewwww! At least your not a damn Bears fan."

It's a curse, Travis. There's little satisfaction or joy in it. But all past conversion attempts have failed, so alas, I still bleed purple.

Ugh...da Bears...

No football, please? Please?

CatBookMom wrote: "No football, please? Please?"

Sorry for the diversion. Back to audiobooks!

I dislike football myself, but have a high tolerance for thread straying. I've been going through some of the older Agatha Raisin stories on audio, that I read in print when they came out years ago. Roy Silver was much more deceitful then, rather than just ... clueless (for lack of a better term) in the more recent books. It comes back to me how I grew to dislike James Lacey so much, but it was interesting seeing Sir Charles Fraith introduced to the series.

Bob wrote: "Just started The Long Way Home, latest book by Louise Penny. Before that I listened to A Friend Among Spies, with an English narrator who did a great job of the various characters and their "accen..."

I look forward to your reaction to the latest Louise Penny. I loved being back in Three Pines and with my favorite residents, but the ending was tough.

Finished The Spy Who Came In from the Cold. The plot got a bit hard to follow here and there and I'm sure I missed a lot of details but I still loved it. Maybe because it was a relatively short read and the ending was brilliant!

Now I am nervous for the latest Three Pines book! Love love love Agatha Raisin on audio :)

I'm not a football fan either, but anyone that is and enjoys science fiction may want to give The Rookie a shot. Sigler narrates his own books and is actually good at it.

Janice wrote: "I'm starting Pines today. I haven't listened to any audiobooks in a week. I've been involved in a couple of buddy reads and both books were in print format. I don't know about others in this group, but I only report on the audiobooks I read here. "

I finished the trilogy a few weeks ago. I really liked the book. The narrator read a bit slow so I had to but the playback on 1.25 and sounded better.

Part of me is looking forward to the TV miniseries, but at the same time I am not because I am not really happy with the casting. I just don't think Matt Dillon and Juliette Lewis fit the Ethan and Barbara, or at least the vision I had of them in my mind's eye.

I'm halfway thru Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey and enjoying it. But, as I'm "getting on" and have cared for elderly relatives, it hits close to home. I find myself laughing at her memory problems, but it is a hesitant laugh.
I've just downloaded The Long Way Home by Louise Penny from the library waiting list and am anxious to start and anxious about the ending (from comments in this thread) so may finish Elizabeth at the faster speed.

I'm about 60% through Of Human Bondage. Oh my the main character is masochistic and then it turns out that it is almost autobiographical. What a tortured life. The narrator is ok, but I think my issue has more to do with the production. Female voices are recorded at a higher speed and sound very chipmunky. I can't increase the speed because I would never understand their part of the conversation. Odd, but I'm dealing with it.