Pick-a-Shelf discussion

SYNC offers free audiobooks for teens through April 28 - August 17.
This is new to me too, but I heard you use an app for it and get to keep the audiobooks you selected.

https://audiofilemagazine.com/sync/

Here is an overview of all the books:
https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/syn...

I've gotten these books for several summers. They now use the Sora app, which is free to download from Google Play or the Apple Store. Sora is a library app, but the books you get through audiosync are checked out to you for 100 years.

It's kind of fun to see the pairings that they put together each week.

I only recently heard about this and think it will be fun to try it

this is a great program - i've gotten books from it for probably the last 5 years - heck I even got The Hunger Games one summer

just remember - you had to download the books the week they are available - you can't download them after

Tien told me about this program a few years ago and I've looked forward to it each season. Great reminder, Dee, to pay attention to the deadlines or you miss out on titles. I try to download the ones I'm interested in the day they become available to avoid senior moments.

i have to buy a new phone and i'm scared i'm going to lose all my downloads because I don't know if the backup works

Sounds like this project is well known.
I haven't look yet which books I want from the list. You?

I'm a bit disappointed with the selection. I'm previous years there's been a lot I've wanted. I don't think anything interests me at all this year

Meg wrote: "I'm a bit disappointed with the selection. I'm previous years there's been a lot I've wanted. I don't think anything interests me at all this year"

same - this year is just ehh for me - and there is at least one book that was offered last year (This Is My America)

I also didn't see many I'd like. Shame that they don't seem to have many that interest us. I'm working on the ones that I'd like to try

2022 Week 1, April 28 - May 4, 2022 - Four Short Stories

it seems to be hit/miss every year - some years are really good - other ones are ehhh....i mean, the publisher has to take the risk of making these books available for free to the masses which is a business decision for them - do you go with a hugely popular book and cut into your profits or a less popular book and maybe increase sales if people enjoy it?

reminder these go live end of this week

The books for the first week are up
I only grabbed the one by Arthur Conan Doyle

i grabbed both of them - they actually fit for JRI - becasue they are short-stories/anthologies (I think that is prompt 5)

Nice Dee! Good thinking to use them for a challenge

The books for week 2 are up

Lusie wrote: "The books for week 2 are up"

I'm interested in both of the books this week.

Agree that this year's selection is not very exciting... although it appears that there is a focus on diversity with a bit of classics mix?

I'd recommend Truly Devious (July 7) - that's the only one I've read of the lot and enjoyed it; YA mystery

The only other I recognise (outside of classics) is Bacchanal and only because it was Amazon Prime First Reads offer last year or sometime ago... and I still have NOT read it ;p

Thanks for letting us know Tien!

I think both books for this week sound interesting
The one Tien reccomended is up - Truly Devious

ooh, let me know your thoughts, if/when you listen to that one, Lusie

It will probably take a long time before I listen to it, but I'll let you know

Thanks for the reminder, I forgot this was still going!

FYSA - this years audiobook sync starts tomorrow - https://audiofilemagazine.com/sync/

the theme for the first week is FREEDOM TO KNOW and the first books are Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers and You Can't Say That!: Writers for Young People Talk About Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell

Thanks Dee

Thank you for the reminder. I'd have missed it without you

Thanks for this info, Dee, but I couldn't figure out how to use this. The app seems to be related to schools...and I am many hundreds of years outside of those institutions!

anyone can download the app - you don't have to be in school - its just a more kid-friendly version of overdrive.

when you go to search for library - search for AudiobookSYNC - its basically listed as a library in Sora

these FAQ's tell you how to set up Sora - https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/syn...

after you add that - then each week, the new books should show in the available for download - they haven't popped yet for today - probably around noon-ish

yay, I've been watching out for this. Thanks, Dee :)

no problemo - i downlaoded todays - i've honestly never read the pentagon files but its been on my pile

I downloaded the app but cannot get through the signup process. It asked for the provided code...gave it. It asked for my email...gave it. It asked if I was a robot...said no...and then repeatedly had to choose the pics...over and over and never approved me.

Don't think this is for me. Too bad. I was interested.

I decided to delete the app from my phone yesterday. Today I re-installed it and successfully downloaded the books! Success!

That's a relief, Bea! Glad it works for you now

Lusie wrote: "That's a relief, Bea! Glad it works for you now"

Me, too. Now to listen...

Dee, I listened to the Pentagon Papers one and learned a lot I didn't realize. Well, done.

This is a good reminder for me to download the books for the 2nd week. Thanks Bea

Bea wrote: "Dee, I listened to the Pentagon Papers one and learned a lot I didn't realize. Well, done."

Have you seen the Meryl Streep movie called The Post (I think) - it talks about the release of the documents

Dee wrote: "Bea wrote: "Dee, I listened to the Pentagon Papers one and learned a lot I didn't realize. Well, done."

Have you seen the Meryl Streep movie called The Post (I think) - it talks about the release ..."

No, I haven't.

I tried The Family Chao but couldn't get into it.
Next I'll probably try something from last year's sync

yea, I opted not to take up that one. It didn't sound to be something I'd like. I'm glad for that now lol

I thought I would give it a try, but it didnt take long to figure out it wasn't for me

The other one of this week might be good. Are you going to try that one Tien?

Lusie wrote: "The other one of this week might be good. Are you going to try that one Tien?"

yep, I took up that one. fantasy short stories totally sound like my jam :)

I usually dont like short stories, but I thought why not give it a try

I downloaded both of this week's selections, but I still have one from last week that I haven't listened to yet.

i rarely actually listen to them the week they are available

I just started listening to my first one from last year lol
So I never listened to one in the week they were available

So I have listened to the second book from the first week (You Can't Say That!: Writers for Young People Talk About Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell).

I am aware that this is program is aimed at teens, but this material did not strike me as teen interesting. Maybe if a teen is a writer, but otherwise, no. In fact, it was only mildly interesting to me as it did not center primarily on book-banning but rather on the authors responses to that action. And, by the end, after many interviews, it felt redundant.

Hopefully week 2 will be more interesting.