Audiobooks discussion

I'm starting off the month as part of the chapter-a-day read of Dickens' Bleak House, where I'm listening to the audio edition narrated by Simon Vance, included with Audible Plus.

I did bleak house that way a few years ago - it’s about the only way I can stick to a classic - I should probably do that again…

I’m starting alternating between The Sun Is a Compass: A 4,000-Mile Journey into the Alaskan Wilds (from my vast audible archives) and Oona Out of Order

I'm still working my way through Sing, Unburied, Sing, but I've switched back to Parable of the Sower today. Lynn Thigpen reads in such a calm, soothing tone.

I also have Daisy Jones & The Six ready to go, and I keep reminding myself (aloud, sometimes) that I won't start it until I finish at least one of the above books. I'm reading TOO many things right now!

I finished The Eye of the World narrated by Rosamund Pike. I don't think I will continue the series on audiobook because the remainder of the series is narrated by Michael Cramer and Kate Reading. Michael is okay, but I just can't listen to Kate.

I started I Let You Go and it's an addictive listen. I only have 1-1/2 hours left. I've found a new activity to do while listening - diamond painting. It's also addictive.

I am reading another by Ellis Peters--The Devil's Novice. I am liking it.

Chrissie wrote: "I am reading another by Ellis Peters--The Devil's Novice. I am liking it."

That series was one I enjoyed much more on audio than in print. At that time it was read by Patrick Tull.

I have enjoyed other books by Lisa See but this one is just too dark and grim for me:
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See - 2* - My Review

The best thing about the experience was the narration by Ruthie Ann Miles and Kimiko Glenn.

Starting the month off with a new fantasy by a narrator turned author, Travis Baldree, Legends & Lattes I am enjoying it so far!

I finished The Day the World Stops Shopping: How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves and it's not just de-consumerization but it's about be mindful and conscientious to choose what to own. I've learned things I didn't know.

I'll read No-No Boy next.

I'm starting the month with four very different audio books:

Bleak House by Charles Dickens with the Dickensian group on Goodreads

State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny
This fun, silly, action filled book keeps my mind off the timer while I'm on the treadmill.

Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 by Ibram X. Kendi
I just started this one and am impressed with what I've heard. It is more informative than I expected and a good follow up to The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones which I listened to last month.

History Of The Ancient World: A Global Perspective by Gregory S. Aldrete
This is one of the Great Courses and my daily history lesson.

I finished I Let You Go. It was a satisfying read. I will start An Impartial Witness today. It's from the Audible Plus catalogue.

I finished Sing, Unburied, Sing this morning. Couldn't connect with it, but it felt very Toni Morrison-esque, which I could appreciate.

Now on to Daisy Jones & The Six.

My review of Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Part memoir, part travelogue, part history, this book provides insight into the physical infrastructure of the internet. The author went on a personal quest to understand its physical presence and traveled around the world to various locations. Recommended to those who enjoy books on “how things work.” It is written by a non-techie for non-techies. I really enjoyed it:

Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet by Andrew Blum - My Review

The audio is nicely narrated by the author.

Kathleen wrote: "I'm starting the month with four very different audio books:

Bleak House by Charles Dickens with the Dickensian group on Goodreads

State of Terror by ..."

Good to see a few people following the Dickensian chapter-a-day read. Dickens is wonderful on audio. I could only laugh when someone with the trite "audiobooks aren't reading" argument used the example of Dickens not being meant for audio. In fact, at the time many people would read the latest installment aloud to their families. Also, Dickens himself pretty much invented the author reading evening, with very dramatic renditions. A good narrator can really enliven classics and help us understand dialects.

Finished Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree narrated by the author(who is a narrator) This was a good story well narrated and I hope this is just the beginning in a series I want more from these characters!

Now starting a middle grade Girls Survive Series Mary and the Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Removal Survival Story by Andrea L. Rogers, narrated by, Kimberly Guerrero & Natalie Standingcloud

Robin P wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "I'm starting the month with four very different audio books:

Bleak House by Charles Dickens with the Dickensian group on Goodreads

[book:State of Ter..."
Spot on, Robin.

Started The Summer We Buried by Jody Gehrman narrated by, Emily Ellet. Publishes: March 8th 2022

I recently listened to The Long Flight Home. This book was surprising on many levels. I was surprised by the historical aspect of it (I had no idea homing pigeons were used like this in WWII), I was surprised by the ending, and I was surprised by how much I liked it.

I finished a historical romance, The Chaperon and really like this series.

I've started the historical fiction novel West with Giraffes and have high hopes!

My review of The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Overall I found this book pleasant and entertaining:
The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis - My Review

The audio is nicely read by Karissa Vacker.

The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories by Agatha Christie - 4* - My Review

Better-than-average collection of eleven short stories written between 1924 and 1932. The audio is nicely read by Hugh Fraser and Christopher Lee.

Returning to Ellis Peters' Cadfael books is always enjoyable. This time I read The Devil's Novice. It is not one my favorites by her, but still it is good.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have begun The Feast by Margaret Kennedy.

I finished The Card, which is a quietly humorous classic from the early 20th century, making fun of small town life. I am now doing something unusual for me, listening to 2 books at once. One is Plague Pits & River Bones, the next in the historical Detective Lavender series, which I enjoy. But I also started listening to the original French version of The Anomaly. I can read French quite fluently but listening is more of a challenge. I sometimes speed up the audio on a book in English if the narrator speaks slowly or the book is a bit dull. But in this case, I have slowed it down to .8 to make it easier for myself. I hope that as I get used to it, I can put the speed back to normal. I feel like I need to concentrate a lot, so I don't listen to that one while driving, only walking or doing an easy task like putting away laundry.

Robin P wrote: "I finished The Card, which is a quietly humorous classic from the early 20th century, making fun of small town life. I am now doing something unusual for me, listening to 2 books at ..."

That s a good one by Bennett! I wish Audible would make recoding's for books by the author not yet available

I finished Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life by a Broadway actress Sutton Foster. If you like theatre, you've heard about her (plus Anything Goes she starred will be aired on PBS soon). I didn't know she is a Crafter, especially loves crochet (me too), so when I found out she wrote a memoir based on her craft, I jumped on it. I bought a hardcover book first and then the audiobook came up in the Daily Deal so I got it too.

Turned out, it's not just about crafting, actually it's rather small part of the book. It's about how she handled her relationship with her parents, especially her mother. From her sunny persona, I never imagined that she had such a challenging childhood. I love her honesty and sharing her very personal experiences.

Next I'm listening to the new series I found through Audible 85% off sale. Stuff and Nonsense. I bought three books of this series, it's better be good!

Robin P wrote: "I finished The Card, which is a quietly humorous classic from the early 20th century, making fun of small town life. ..."

I really liked this one, too, after Chrissie recommended it. :-)

I finished The Guest Listyesterday - it was good. I gave it 3 stars but probably more like 3.5. It was written to be a movie - a glamorous wedding set on a remote island in the middle of a storm. So of course there is a murder with multiple suspects. Ended a bit abruptly for me but it was a solid read and well done by multiple narrators.

Next up is Memory Man

totally random borrow from the library - Gil's All Fright Diner...needed a zombie book for a reading challenge and this was an available now...

i'm also listening to Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are

My review of The Fever by Wallace Shawn

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This play is available free in Audible Plus.

I've been reading the series A Thousand Li by Tao Wong and narrated by Travis Baldree--thanks for noting Baldree's new book, Miss Susie, I'll be getting that one soon. There are currently six books in the series plus six or seven short stories set within the world, although only a few involve series characters... I got all of these thanks to the recent %Off sale. This is a cultivation fantasy series that is culturally ancient Chinese and follows a farmer peasant boy who is given the chance to join a high status cultivation sect and begin a path to posssible immortality. I've enjoyed this series, although not as much as will Wight's Cradle series, and am re-reading it primarily to understand more of the details and to fix more of the character names in my mind. I'm bad with names anyway, but the numerous Chinese names are especially difficult for me to track.

I just finished Mickey 7. An interesting concept but only a so-so scifi tale. I would give it a low 3 star rating.

Just finished listening to West with Giraffes and recommend it.

My small review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Feast by Margaret Kennedy just didn't do much for me. Well at least now I have tested an author not tried before!

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I will return to a favorite author--Erich Maria Remarque. I will start Three Comrades. Looking forward to this!

I know lots of people love this one, but it's too melodramatic for me:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - 2* - My Review

The audio book is nicely read by Alma Cuervo, Robin Miles, and Julia Whelan.

Finished The Summer We Buried by Jody Gehrman narrated by, Emily Ellet I thought this was a good thriller.


Now starting Alone by Megan E. Freeman narrated by, Gail Shalan

Listening to The Broken Room by Peter Clines. It's keeping my attention, but isn't quite as interesting as the previous Clines books. Relistening to the Potter series, here and there as I can.

I recently finished the Dexter series, it was good. And The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows which was beautiful.

I'm so eager for If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe, coming in the fall.

I finished Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree... really enjoyed this cozy fantasy. *blows thank-you kisses to Miss Susie* I don't know if he plans to write more in this same world--I hope so--but I'd be willing to try whatever he writes if this one was representative of what he can do. And he goes alongside Gaiman as an author who is the best narrator for his own work!

Jeanie wrote: "I finished Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree... really enjoyed this cozy fantasy. *blows thank-you kisses to Miss Susie* I don't know if he plans to write more in this same world--I hope so--but..."

Yay so glad you enjoyed it too!! I also hope he writes more!!

I enjoyed V2: A Novel of World War II by Robert Harris very much. This was my first Robert Harris book and I will be reading more historical fiction by this author.

I'm now tackling the epic Tai-Pan by James Clavell, read by Gildart Jackson. I read and loved Shogun back in 2015 but suffered through the David Case version. I enjoyed it anyway regardless of the poor narration. I'm looking forward to a long and satisfying read with book two in The Asian Saga.

I enjoyed Daisy Jones & The Six very much - 5 stars. Looking forward to the miniseries!

Now circling back to Parable of the Sower.

Doug wrote: "I enjoyed V2: A Novel of World War II by Robert Harris very much. This was my first Robert Harris book and I will be reading more historical fiction by this author.

I'm now tacklin..."

Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome and An Officer and a Spy are both very good. I see he has other WWII books as well, which I haven't tried.

My most recent find was on Youtube. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller. By English Audio Books, apparently the book is in the Public Domain. I recommend checking it out.

Yesterday finished How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates. I liked how the tone was towards the hopeful, towards fixes. Narrated by Wil Wheaton which was nice to the ears as well.

Started a short book Breathing Lessons: A Doctor's Guide to Lung Health by MeiLan K. Han. The author narrates this book and she is doing a good job of it. Expect this will be done today, it's that short. next will be back to fiction.

I am listening to Untamed by Glennon Doyle and recently finished The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. Though pretty predictable and a common troupe, Love Hypothesis was very captivating and a joy to read. I finished it in a day.

Just finished:
Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work by Alex Pattakos - 3* - My Review

The audio book is nicely narrated by Jeff Hoyt.

Doug wrote: "I enjoyed V2: A Novel of World War II by Robert Harris very much. This was my first Robert Harris book and I will be reading more historical fiction by this author.

I'm now tacklin..."

I finished the Asian Saga this year! I really enjoyed the ride.

Finished Alone it was a good middle grade adventure.
Now on to another middle grade adventure but this one is a robot instead of a child. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, narrated by, Kate Atwater

I finished Cecelia and Sorcery, Or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot,first in the Cecelia and Kate series by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. This is a story of magic and manners in an alternate Regency England and told in letters sent between the two main characters. Fortunately, Cecelia and Kate are excellent letter writers! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will eventually get the next one in the series. The narration was quite good except for a truly odd speech anomaly... the narrator pronounced particular words ending in a t as if they ended in a j... since a chocolate pot figured significantly in the story, it was unnerving to hear it called a chocolate "poj" nearly every time. Once I mostly got used to this I did enjoy the narration despite it.