July 7, 2018

Audiobook Challenge Mid- Year Accounting

2018 Audiobook Challenge
I didn't make my goal in 2017 but I hope to in 2018 ... but am on track. Most likely I need to get a move on! Yes sure I am half way to 20 but really I need to be further into the 20's to be satisfied! Like 28 would be good. However the good thing about doing the mid-year accounting is that I had forgotten to add two books to my total so now it is looking a little healthier!

The Challenge Details can be found at Caffeinated Reviewer   and Hot Listens.

This year I am going  for the Binge Listener Level which is the 20 -30 level, and hopefully it will be closer to 30 than 20.  

  1. The Sea of Tranquillity   Katja Millay. Book 5 stars Narrated: Kirby Heyborne and Candace Thaxton.  5 stars    Length 13hrs 10 min 
    book cover 
  2. A Grown Up Kind of Pretty   Joshilyn Jackson 4 stars  Narrated: Joshilyn Jackson     5 stars Length: 12 hr 25 min  
    book cover
  3. The Secret Hour  Luanne Rice. Story 4.5 stars Narrated: Christine Traister  4.5 stars Length 10hr.53 min  
    book cover
  4. The Pearl Sister.  Lucinda Riley. Story 5 stars Narrated: Stephanie Racine; Rehanna MacDonald  5 stars. Length  19hr 55min 
    book cover
  5. Sweet Tea and Sympathy.  Molly Harper. Story 4 stars  Narrated by Amanda Ronconi.  4 stars. Length 9hr 27 min 
    book cover
  6. Still Me   Jojo Moyes. Story  4.5 stars Narrated by Anna Acton  4.5 stars  Length 13hr 27 min
    book cover
  7. The Denim Blue Sea   Joanne Demaio  Story  4 stars  Narrated by Nick Cracknell 3.5 stars Length 10hr 25 min  
    book cover
  8. The Endless Beach  Jenny Colgan Story  5 stars   Narrated by Sarah Barron   5 stars Length 10hrs  
    book cover
  9. The Secret to Southern Charm Kristy Woodsen Harvey  Story  5 stars Narrated by Janete Metzger; Candace Thaxton.  5 stars  Length 10 hr  
    book cover
  10. Meet Me at The Cupcake Cafe   Jenny Colgan Story  4.5 stars   Narrated by Penelope Rawlins 5 stars  Length 14hr 33 min  
    book cover
  11. Beard Science  Penny Reid  Story 4 stars Narrated by Joy Nash; Chris Brinkley  4.5 stars   Length 13hr 55 min  
  12. Promise Me Dad.  Joe Biden (Memoir) Narrated by Joe Biden.  5 stars   Length 8hr 53 min

Last month - Audiobook Month I did mean to write a post but life got in the way! So a little more about audiobooks!

Have I always listened to audiobooks and when did I begin?
As I thought about this I realised it began as a child. Yes... on the radio, there were always books and stories read. I grew up without TV (can you believe it!) TV didn't arrive in my house until I was a teen. So we sat around the radio. ( Talking 1950's here). I remember still listening to Nevil Shute's  A Town Like Alice. Magical, I waited every Saturday night for the next episode!

Then many years later I discovered Audible and I am talking early days. Soon after it started I guess.  When it took forever to download a book. And then I had to convert it to CD. Were iPods invented then? I am not sure!  Then I got tired of the slow download and cancelled.

In 2008 I came back. Downloading was a little faster but not much! However so much faster now and of course I have an iPod and an iPad. I don't like listening on my iPhone but I could. Yes I am Apple through and through. Blame it on a Principal at school, my colleague, in the late 1990's who was big time Apple.

My favourite audiobook in the above list?
I pick my audiobooks carefully - well I am paying for them! So I rarely have a dud. Out of this list I have to say I really loved The Sea of Tranquillity.  I guess its YA or maybe New Adult. Who cares, I am neither of those! Heh! Heh!

What's My Least Favourite Thing About Audiobooks?
I hate a narrator that spoils a book. There are some books I'd like to listen to but the narrator is weak so I read them, I love that I can pre-listen to a little bit.  The other thing is I am not an audio person, I like an enormous amount of quiet so I don't have the urge when I am doing housework etc to pick up my iPod.

Oh and I should add a huge pet hate! Lack of world book rights so that we can't listen to a book we want to because ... yes we don't live in a certain part of the world. I know! It happens to us all, right! 
Yes I hate this in my wish list. And how do I get rid of it anyway. Now that I can't have it!!
book cover

Do I speed up the listening?
Anathema! Didn't I tell you I pay for these books. I want the whole experience. Yes listening to a book is a little slower than reading it but so what. The narrator has had to read it at normal speed after all! I want to savour it all.  Savour! 

A book from this list I think is better listening to.
The Pearl Sister for sure. It's a long book and the narrators do a fantastic job of keeping you on focus and besides they just nail it!  They send it up a notch. It's also the longest book on this list! The longest books on audio that I have listened to are the Outlander books (I've read them all and listened to many of them) The narrator of those in a class of her own. Superb. Yes that would be Davina Porter.

What! An author narrating her own book.
Yes well most of them I hate when they try that. Was going to name but won't. Let's just say if they narrate their own book I won't buy the audio version. But......  Joshilyn Jackson - she nails her own books every time. Perfection. Nobody else should narrate them.

Hmm okay. A little listening today, I better get on to it!
Girl listening to audiobook

11 comments:

  1. What a wonderful post! I almost never read audiobooks, because they distract me too much when I drive - I have to focus on one or the other! - and at home, it's easier for me to focus on words in front of me. That being said, I did just listen to one on my recent trip because I can't read in the car (I made my husband drive), and I liked it better than I thought I would! I might have to check more of them out in the future :)

    - Megan @ The Hungry Bookworm

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  2. Impressive Kathryn glad you're on track and thanks for the update

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  3. Normal speed makes my ears bleed, lol.

    But omg yes world rights are eeeeeeeeeeeevil

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  4. Great post. I liked that you did questions and shared your thoughts. Keep up the good work! ^_^

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  5. I am so happy you enjoyed the audio of The Secret to Southern Charm! I thought the narrators were amazing. Thank you so much for listening ❤️❤️ And thanks for all the great recs! xoxo

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  6. Your audio selections look great...for some reason I don’t really like to listen to a book. But I really do want to try an audible book for a road trip.

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  7. What a fun post with the extra info on your audio experiences. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. You're doing great! I haven't listened to any of those yet, but I bought Sweet Tea and Sympathy on Audible.

    I don't speed up the listening either. Listening to someone speedread does not appeal to me!

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  9. I just signed up for Audible this year. My library has a pretty good selection so I was sticking to that but I decided I wanted a little more variety. I do find I'm a lot more reluctant to speed up a book I pay for! I'm really looking forward to The Pearl Sister and I need to read pretty much all the rest you mention. I want them all!

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  10. A great audio list! Thank you for sharing! I love listening to audio books throughout the day as I sew, clean, iron (yes, I still iron :) ) and drive. But, I'm learning to settle down and read a printed/ebook as well. I listen to the books at a speed that sounds normal and love getting lost in the story. Thank you for sharing!

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  11. I hate it when a narrator spoils the book too. And I like that you can preview the book narration first before deciding to listen. I love audiobooks, and I’m sure glad the downloading speed is so much faster now too. 😊

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