I have to admit sometimes life gets so busy that the only way I get any reading done is by listening to audiobooks. I listen to them while I drive, work, do laundry. They've become one of my favorite forms of entertainment.
Before I got back into audiobooks, my abiding memories of them were of bulky booklets of white cassette tapes, hours worth of dreary monotone voices sure to send you off to slumberland in five minutes or less. But I've found that audiobooks today have a lot of heart. The performances really add something special to the stories.
Here are a few of my favorites:
The Girl of Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson — The narrator may not quite have the voice I imagined for Elisa, but her performance is so good that her voice seems to fade away and the characters speak through her. I especially love her portrayal of the character Storm.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore — This is a full cast recording, and it has a very dramatized feel. There is a distinct voice for every character, and it plays out like an old fashioned radio show.
The How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell — Two words: David. Tennant. I stumbled across these recordings because I'm a Doctor Who fan, and I wasn't disappointed. Each disc is full of his comedic genius.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman — In this audiobook, Neil reads the story himself. There's something magical about his voice, and hearing an author read their own book makes it feel like you're getting new insight into the story.
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor — This is by far my favorite audiobook. To me, the narrator's voice
is Karou voice. She captures Karou's wry humor perfectly. And her accents really bring characters like Zuzana, Issa, and Brimstone to life.
Do you enjoy listening to audiobooks? What are some of your favorites?
You really sell these, Steph! When I get a spare moment of solitude, I'm all over this! Seriously, my favorite reads. Will be interesting to get another side to them. xx
ReplyDeleteI've listened to one audio book in my life (I think it was one of the Vampire Academy books) and I enjoyed it because it's a hassle free way to get into a book. My problem is that I can not sit still and listen to something, so the only way I'll listen to something is if I'm moving, which doesn't happen often enough for me to get into a book.
ReplyDeleteNice list though. I've heard 13 Reasons Why has an amazing audiobook as well.
-P.E. @ The Sirenic Codex
I really enjoyed listening to "The Scorpio Races." Thanks for sharing your list; I can't wait to check out "The Graveyard Book."
ReplyDeleteDaughter of Smoke and Bone!! Yes!! Khristine Hvam!!! Her narration is beyond amazing!! Thanks for the other suggestions! Will definitely be looking them up. = )
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