January 25, 2015

Best Audiobooks of 2014 Blog Hop

Best of Audiobooks 2014 banner
This blog hop is hosted by Hot Listens, The Book Nympho, and The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog This is happening January 25th to February 1st.


My Five Best Audiobooks of 2014:


The Rosie Project 
Graeme Simsion
Narrated by Dan O'Grady
Length: 7 hrs 30 min.
Genre: Romantic comedy

Dan O"Grady  narrated The Rosie Project really well.  He spoke as I would imagine Don would speak.  It was so believable it was as if Don was speaking.  At first I was a little annoyed at his speaking of the women parts, a slight variation and that was all.  However after awhile I  settled down.  The fact that it was in the 1st person and Don was telling the story sort of suited the narration.  I don't often listen to men narrating because of the way they narrate women's voices.  I have to say it was okay in this book.  If you haven't read this book I highly recommend you listen to the audio version.

The Husband's Secret      
Liane Moriarty
Narrator: Caroline Lee
Length:  13 hours 48 min
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

My goodness, this book was every bit as good as many of the reviewers in the blogoverse have said. I listened to the audio version and really enjoyed it.  Caroline Lee did a marvellous narration, her voices worked well, and it added to the pleasure of a good book



More Than a Mistress
Mary Balogh
Length: 11hours 46 minutes
Narrator: Rosalyn Landor
Genre: Historical romance

More Than a Mistress was first published in 2000 and Brilliance Audio published it in 2011.  This book has sat for many, many, months - like 24 months in my audio library.  It was one of those books I bought with a free $10 bonus when you buy 4 in a month at Audible.  What a pity that I left it so long.  It turned out to be a very enjoyable listen.  Rosalyn Landor does an excellent job of narrating the book - I am sure that is why I found it so pleasurable.  Her voices for the various characters are excellent.

River Road
Jayne Ann Krentz
Length: 9hrs 53 min
Narrator: Amanda Lee Cobb
Genre: Romantic Suspense

I have had River Road sitting on my iPod for awhile now, I was put off by a few reviews on Audible about the narrator.  Eventually I decided to listen to it .... and was pleasantly surprised.  The narrator was not awful and I enjoyed her reading of River Road.  Amanda Lee Cob was good and although her voice variation of characters was not great, everything else satisfied me. I like romantic suspense written by this author - Falling Awake I think is my favourite.

Breathing Room  
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Length: 10 hrs 39 min
Narrated by Kate Fleming
Genre: Romance

Kate Fleming (Anna Fields) was again wonderful in this narration. So sad to know she will never narrate another again.  I really enjoy Susan Elizabeth Phillips' writing.  This was a reread and I chose to read it this time by audio.      


Enter the Blog Hop Giveaway. As well below is my own personal giveaway.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Book Date is giving away:

The winner may choose either a book of their choice from Audible* ( I only have access to books that have world rights, so I may not be able to access the particular one you want, but we can negotiate I am sure) or a gift voucher to Amazon for $15, or a book from Book Depository to that amount also could work.
* To be eligible for the Audible book you need to be a member or  to redeem the book you need to sign up when you redeem.

International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

40 comments:

  1. So I only super recently got into Audiobooks! Now that I have it's really great, especially since I learned that you can speed up the read/narrator. That was my thing ..I felt like it was so slow. haha. Anyway one I enjoyed the most last year was Doll Bones by Holly Black! It was the best audiobook I've heard in a long time. So I'd recommend that, it's creepy yet middle grade, but I really liked it. Thanks so much ;D

    -Dee @ Dee's Reads

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  2. The Rosie Effect is also one of my favorite audiobooks of 2014. I also listened to and liked The Husband's Secret. I think you might like Big Little Lies also by Liane Moriarty (I liked it more than The Husband's Secret); I can also recommend you One Plus One by Jojo Moyes and The Teashop on the Corner by Milly Johnson.
    Thank you for the giveaway.

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  3. I love audiobooks and always have one going. We live the country and it takes a while to get anywhere. I loved THE HUSBAND'S SECRET - loved the narrator. Yes, you should get BIG, LITTLE LIES and listen to that one. Same author. Same narrator. So, so good.

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  4. I loved Terry Spear's World of Fae... start at the beginning and listen to them through... each is darling - the narrator is awesome... (I just wish she could narrate faster as she's two books behind :-)
    I'd also highly recommend The Gods' Trilogy by Debra Holland - an epic fantasy set in a fantasy world and Talon by Julie Kagawa (I love anything with dragons :-) Thanks for the giveaway!

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  5. How are we not friends on Goodreads? Anyway :)

    Do you have like 15 hours I could give you a list LOL I am trying to decide what to listen to next. I am at that just finished a series point GAH!

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  6. GAH! I am behind! I need to get my post up! :) Thanks for the reminder.... working on it now!

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  7. My latest audiobook listen was good! First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones. Loved the narrator as well!

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  8. I would recommend Lucinda Riley's The Midnight Rose narrated by Anjara Srinivasan. It was an excellent story and the narrator did a fantastic job with all the different accents - Indian, British and American. I highly recommend. I haven't read The Rosie Project yet but now maybe will try the audio!

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  9. I want to listen to The Husband's Secret!! Nice to see it made your list!

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  10. My favorite so far is the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones.

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  11. I Love, love SEP audiobooks!! More than a Mistress was great pick too :) I had a chance to listen to Caroline Lee with Big Little Lies and her narration was of one of my favorites of the year. I'm already curious about The Husband's Secret and now with her narrating it, I bet it's top notch.
    Thank you participating :) Great list!
    Happy Listening!

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  12. I'd recommend Deborah Harkness' All Souls Trilogy (A Discovery Of Witches, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life) narrated by Jennifer Ikeda.

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  13. Have you listened to Big Little Lies? Also by Moriarty and sooooo much fun!

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  14. I enjoyed the audio version of SEALed with Love by Heather Tullis.
    jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

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  15. I love Krentz and would probably love her books on audio. You've picked some that interest me, so I am adding them to my audio wishlist! I loved Big Little Lies and Girl on the Train on audio.

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  16. I haven't listened to much this year but I really enjoyed the Accidental series by Dakota Cassidy last year. :)

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  17. I read The Husband's Secret in print. I liked it okay, so I'm wondering if I would have like it much better in audio. It sure sounds like it. Thanks for this post and great audiobook tips!

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  18. I think you might enjoy Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Awesome historical fiction and a great narrator too.

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  19. I ♥ Dan O'Grady! I'd recommend THE WIDOWS OF BRAXTON COUNTY by Jess McConkey on audio. I really enjoyed it.

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  20. If you're in the mood to read a nice teen story, I'd listen to All the Boys I've Loved Before, such a cute book.

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  21. I'm listening to (and following along on Kindle) A Game of Thrones. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to just read it, but it's so exciting to listen to as well!

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  22. I've been wanting to read The Rosie Project! Good to know you enjoyed it.

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  23. Those look like some pretty spectacular audiobooks. I wish I could concentrate on audio to actually enjoy them :)

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  24. Written in Red by Anne Bishop.

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  25. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein if you like gorgeous accents, even more beautiful writing, and/or historical fiction.

    How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell is you like adventure, laughs, and/or David Tennant.

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  26. I saw that you've read a few Romantic Suspenses. I listened to Edge by Tiffinie Helmer and it was pretty good. thanks for the giveaway opportunity.

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  27. The Night Circus was great on audio.

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  28. I have never listened to an audio book before, but I have been thinking about giving it a shot more and more. I hear people raving about them, and the depth they sometimes add to a story, and it has made me curious. So, I can't really recommend one from my own experience, but I have heard that Nightmares! by Jason Seigel and Kirsten Miller, is seriously good. And Jason does the narrating. I don't know if that is your type of read, but if it is, there you go!

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  29. I wish I had seen this hop to participate in! Let's see - so many good books to recommend...For a different romance you could try Unwritten by Charles Martin. And of course I find the J.D. Robb In Death series really good on audio! Happy Listening and thanks for the giveaway.

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  30. By your Mary pick looks like you enjoy historical romances. You cannot go wrong with Julie Garwood, the romance is great but I love the supporting characters. Check out The Bride and Saving Grace. Two of my favs, my print fav is Ransom but I have not had a chance to listen to it yet.

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    1. Loved these historicals of Julie Garwooed and have yet to listen to them on audio but I will at some point!

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  31. I'm just getting into audiobooks so I haven't listened to too many yet. I've really been liking Sophie Eastlake's narration of Virginia Kantra's Dare Island series :)

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    1. Anna can't agree more, I just have the fourth one to listen to.

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  32. I loved The Night Circus, Lolita and Night of Cake and Puppet. I listened to The Husband Secret as well. I really liked it too.

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  33. I've never listened to an audiobook, but I'm getting so many great suggestions from this hop!

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  34. I really liked Linda Haward's "Cry No More", it's very good

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  35. Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series.

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  36. Tessa Dare's historical romances. Thanks for the giveaway!
    Ann S

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  37. I've never listened to an audiobook, but I'm getting so many great suggestions from this hop!
    http://link.cashat.pro/gameofthrones-audiobook

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