Up until a couple of weeks ago, I had never read an audio book. They didn’t seem like something I’d enjoy, because I know how much I love to hold a real book. I had a four hour car journey ahead of me this one weekend, though, so I thought that would be the best possible time to give it a go. And surprisingly, I loved it.
I read Binge by Tyler Oakley, read by the author. Tyler is a YouTuber I’ve loved for a while, so I was pretty confident I’d enjoy the book. And listening to him read it all felt just like watching one of his videos. With the way it was written, I really did feel like I was sitting and having a chat with Tyler, instead of having to concentrate hard on world building or something like that. I haven’t listened to any other books yet, so I don’t know if the reason I enjoyed it so much was just because it was read by the author. I feel like it might not have the same effect if it was read by someone else?
The main reason I was worried about not enjoying an audio book was because, like I said, I really love physical books. I like the feeling of having something to hold while you snuggle up in bed, or being able to bookmark a particular quote you like, all things you can’t do with an audio book. Because I listened to it in the car and walking to school, I found that stuff like that didn’t really matter. I didn’t have anything I could do that might distract me, so I was perfectly happy to just sit and listen. If you have the same problem as me, I say definitely multi task while you’re listening. I tried to listen to it at a different time, and couldn’t do it at all. Multitasking helped a lot!
I haven’t read another one yet, because I got Binge for free off Audible, but have to pay $15 for any more books after that. That seems like way too much for me, although I can understand that they have to pay the readers as well as the authors. If anyone knows some cheap places I can get audio books though, I would definitely be willing to try another one!
Now, the discussion part; I want to know what you think about audio books. Do you love them? Hate them? Haven’t had the chance to try them? Let me know! Let’s have a chat about it
Overdrive.com offers audiobooks through your library. Or you could do what I did for a while and copy the cds of the library audiobooks. There are some good audiobooks that I like. Most recent ones were Cary Elwes’s As You Wish, Neil Gaiman’s Statdust and Neverwhere. And I don’t think I would have liked the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy so much without the first audio by Stephen Fry, hilarious stuff.
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That’s really good to know, thank you! 🙂 I’ll keep those recommendations in mind
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This sounds like a good book! 😀 I actually didn’t read/listen to audio books before last week when I finished Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’. It was nice to listen to it. I didn’t like the book itself that much but man who read it had a nice voice and I think it was better than reading it because I maybe wouldn’t have finished the physical copy.
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That’s really good that you can find a book like that! Definitely one of the good things about audio books 🙂
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I haven’t ever tried an audiobook, even though I’ve wanted to. I wanted to try the Harry Potter books, but I have yet to do it. I’m too obsessed with my podcasts to give time to listening to a book lol 😛 Your public library should have audiobooks that you can take out like regular books! 🙂
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I haven’t got into podcasts yet, I know I’ll get addicted 😛 I think they might, I’ll have to check!
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Omg I’m obsessed with them! There literally is a podcast for everything & I love it! 😀
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I started listening to Janet Evanovich’ Stephanie Plum series in the car on my way to and from work. I really liked it, it’s awesome when you’re not a native speaker and you’re trying to get a certain accent.
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Oh, that’s a really cool idea! 🙂
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local ibraries have ebook and eaudiobook collections online. in the midwest, libraries collaborate through hoopla AND overdrive. if you like classics, they’re all (legally) free on audiobook through librivox.com. also, scribd.com has audiobooks available for about $8.00/month.
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Thank you so much! I’ll look into those 🙂
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Thanks so much for sharing your impressions on listening to an audiobook! I still haven’t sold myself out to this idea… Just thinking that “someone” will be reading to me in my head frustrates me at the spot D: I’m so weird, haha!
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You’re welcome! I know completely what you mean – I expected to feel like a little kid with someone reading to me
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Yeah, I think I’d feel like that and kind of haunted at the same time, violated, you know? LOL I’m not making sense, sorry hahaha
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Ooh, I never thought about in such a creepy way! I can understand what you mean though 😛
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I told you I’m weird 😂 but yeah, I need to work on that paranoia of mine 😅
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