YouLookFab Forum » Topic: audiobook recs

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: audiobook recs https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:22:39 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Inge on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1702002 Mon, 25 Jul 2016 16:54:57 +0000 Inge 1702002@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Forgot to say: Louise, I love the Cormoran Strike books too. Will check out Anne Perry, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break and all the other suggestions. Thanks! Inge on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1701981 Mon, 25 Jul 2016 16:31:29 +0000 Inge 1701981@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ As for more romance book tips: I quite enjoyed "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" by Winifred Watson (more of a "vintage screwball comedy romance", I guess), but I have it in paperback so can't say much about the audiobook. However, I see that <a href="http://www.audible.co.uk/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=miss+pettigrew&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0" rel="nofollow">the Audible version</a> is narrated by Frances McDormand, who did an excellent job in the movie, so that looks promising. I'm also thinking the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B00CKC65VE/ref=sr_bookseries_null_B00CKC65VE" rel="nofollow">Sarah Kelling & Max Bittersohn series</a> (cosy mysteries with a romance element) might make fun audiobooks. Inge on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1701974 Mon, 25 Jul 2016 16:17:05 +0000 Inge 1701974@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks so much for all this info and great tips, Kate, Laura, kkards, Louise, Brenda, and Joy! I used to have an Audible subscription (way before they became an Amazon company, in fact, I only realized that a few months ago;-), but stopped because at a certain point I apparently wasn't super into audiobooks anymore and couldn't keep up. Now I'm really in the mood again, so all these tips are brilliant. Belgian libraries unfortunately only have a very limited collection of audiobooks and there are no "loaning systems" oneclickdigital. A shame! I actually looked up if it would be possible to get an American library card to be able to use them, but that option doesn't exist yet. Thanks very much for linking to the Lifehacker article, Kate, I too will investigate that further. And yes, totally agree about audiobook prices. Anonymous on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1701731 Mon, 25 Jul 2016 04:21:41 +0000 Anonymous 1701731@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Like Laura, I have free access to audio books with oneclickdigital from our local public library. I like mysteries by Anne Perry ( Victorian England) and Janet Evanovitch numbered mystery series for fun. The reader is important. I mostly play them over my iPad. qfbrenda on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1701705 Mon, 25 Jul 2016 03:29:18 +0000 qfbrenda 1701705@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I get audio books from the library. I don't mind waiting for a book since I get them for the price of taxes I'm already paying. :) I'm betting most have already read it, but I'm really enjoying "The Help" on audio. It's written in a phonetic style so it's great hearing real people say the words the way they would have been said. I prefer that to having to read it "aloud" in my head to hear the southern accent. Harry Potter on audio is indeed fantastic. For another YA fantasy series, Gregor the Overlander is a good one. I'm planning to work through the Jane Austen series on audio soon. Those are books I feel like I should read but never have. Louise on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1701476 Sun, 24 Jul 2016 21:31:24 +0000 Louise 1701476@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love audible, I've got a £7.99 per month 1 book credit subscription and when I've got 1 or less credits there's a link to buy 3 more for £18. I listen a lot, walking to and from work, on my break and before bed, in fact I listen far more than I read nowadays. Anyway sorry back to your original question, I absolutely loved Robert Galbraith's (JK Rowling) Comaran Strike books, there's 3 so far and I'm eagerly anticipating a 4th. Talking of JK Rowling, another vote for the Harry Potter series. After having read them when they first came out and watched all the films I was overjoyed when the audio books came back to audible after having been unavailable for some reason for several years. I promptly spent several months worth of credits and bought a few extra credits in order to complete the set in case they stopped selling them! I listened to them back to back and throughly enjoyed reliving the magic, I got the ones with Stephen Fry who is wonderful x kkards on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1701340 Sun, 24 Jul 2016 17:24:41 +0000 kkards 1701340@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Fyi. Overdrive also offers audio books. Laura (rhubarbgirl) on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1701329 Sun, 24 Jul 2016 17:07:47 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1701329@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My library's got access to Oneclickdigital, which is an e-audiobook provider (kind of like Overdrive for ebooks but for audio). You do have to download the app if you want to listen from your phone but it's pretty intuitive from there. I also still get CDs from the library - I usually listen to audiobooks only in the car, and for most titles, especially nonfiction, I'm only going to listen to them once. I also have an Audible subscription and have had for a long time. They regularly have intro offers for new customers, and discount sales and 3-for-2 sales for members. There's one category of membership where you don't pay a monthly fee and just buy things ala carte, which might be a good option for some. I've got the level with a monthly fee, I think it's $15, which gives me one 'credit' per month. My only problem with Audible is that it's hard to keep up; I've got so many books I've bought that I haven't started yet, and a wishlist of many more. They will let you put your account on hold for three months every year so you can catch up. rabbit on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1700898 Sat, 23 Jul 2016 23:24:07 +0000 rabbit 1700898@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Audible confuses me a lot.  I had an account, but then I cancelled it, but then through Amazon Prime I'm still getting alternately charged for audiobooks and buying them with  Audible credits I'm accruing?  I really need to investigate further.   Amazon also has a feature with several books where you can buy a kindle version of a book (usually inexpensive) and add audible narration for a few dollars more and switch back and forth as you 'read' if you want.  I haven't tried that yet because I listen off an ipod, but I think it works out to be much less than just buying an audiobook. Amazon in general seems to have discounted audiobook prices vs. Audible.   I also have downloaded from library systems which usually have a networked audiobook library, but popular books can be waitlisted and you have to wait until they are available.   oh yeah, and I guess I have bought through itunes occasionally, usually shorter works because I think Amazon often has lower prices for full-length novels, but I'm not sure.  I'm longing for the day when audiobooks approach the prices of print/electronic (and not hardback) books. I just found this: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://lifehacker.com/five-best-audiobook-services-1688572545">http://lifehacker.com/five-bes.....1688572545</a>  so I think it's time for me to try a new service. Inge on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1700866 Sat, 23 Jul 2016 22:42:40 +0000 Inge 1700866@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ By the way, I'm curious to hear where you all get your audiobooks from. e.g. Do you have an Audible subscription, via the local library, individual purchases on iTunes, free resources... rabbit on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1700845 Sat, 23 Jul 2016 21:51:15 +0000 rabbit 1700845@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ So 'A Long Way from a Small Angry Planet' was very good, and funny and touching, and had the rough and tumble team/found family dynamics of Firefly.  It's also kind of awesome and interesting on race, gender, class, and sexuality issues. Oh and body modification.  Like Zootopia it uses aliens in part (rather than animals) to explore what it means to be a person and social constructs and frictions. Robin, thanks! I'm making a note of those narrators. Award winning narrators and recordings have always been great to listen to. rachylou - lol, I see the appeal.  Unfortunately I can't look at anything else while working, but I used to watch DVD commentaries that way, I think I listened too almost all of the Lord of the Rings DVD commentaries, hours and hours of actors being goofs, and costume designers geeking over fabrics. I loved it.  I haven't read any Amanda Quick yet, but I like screwball.  Anything with a lot of (good) dialogue usually works well in audiobooks. kkards - thanks for the recs.  I read, but haven't listened to the Anne of Green Gables books, and I look forward to it. Also I need to check out Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  kkards, Kristen, and Inge -- I need to listen to HP!  I've read it, but it's been years now. Laura -- I listen to podfic, so I think I just got over the embarrassment factor of listening to racy scenes through exposure and it's just all part of the world created by the book, as long as they are written well and the narrator is great so that you aren't thrown out of the story.  Laura Kinsale's narrator: Nicholas Boulton, is amazing as is Stephen Crossley who does the accents in the Judith Ivory book. I've read Swordspoint and loved the world building (but I don't remember if I read sequels) so I'll look up the audiobooks.  Yeah, the Martian audiobook was great  Thanks for the recs.    I'm just reminded that Cormac McCarthy's the Road was incredibly moving as an audiobook. I don't know if I could have dealt with it in print, but it worked for me listening.  Laura (rhubarbgirl) on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1700740 Sat, 23 Jul 2016 18:27:09 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1700740@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love romances and read them all the time, but I can't handle listening to them in audio format - not sure why exactly, the embarrassment factor of hearing the racier scenes out loud, maybe, even if I'm the only one around? The books I choose to listen to are usually nonfiction, or longer novels, literary fiction or classics. However, I'm in the midst of listening to Ellen Kushner's Swordspoint fantasy series via Audible - it was recorded as part of Neil Gaiman's audio performance series, so some of the scenes are 'acted out' with multiple voice actors. Also in the Gaiman series and recommended to me was The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break, which has a sequel coming out soon. I loved the audiobook version of The Martian, which was really well done. On the nonfiction side: Alan Cumming's memoir, read by him, is riveting and funny, and same with Jeanette Winterson's Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal, also read by her. I'm also slowly working my way through Team of Rivals (40ish hours) and Thomas Picketty's Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century (20-something hours). Inge on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1700097 Fri, 22 Jul 2016 20:02:02 +0000 Inge 1700097@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hah! I was also going to mention the Harry Potter books. I listened to the versions narrated by Stephen Fry, and he does such an excellent job. Will have a think about other suggestions, and thanks for starting this thread, I am taking notes too;-) Kristin SF on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1700080 Fri, 22 Jul 2016 19:48:27 +0000 Kristin SF 1700080@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Agree about the Harry Potter audiobooks - look for the narrator, Jim Dale. He does such a great job. I listened to the whole series in the car, as an adult! kkards on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1699740 Fri, 22 Jul 2016 10:57:55 +0000 kkards 1699740@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ thanks for the recommendations….love audiobooks, i hate hate hate housework, and I've found audiobooks are the best way to get thru it…my favs are the Harry Potter books, and I've found the original Anne of Green Gables wonderful as well…and anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips makes me laugh out loud. rachylou on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1699662 Fri, 22 Jul 2016 06:04:03 +0000 rachylou 1699662@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Did I hear *Firefly*? :D I enjoyed listening to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil on audio. I rather like Amanda Quick's screwball comedy romances, but I'm not sure they'd play well as an audiobook. ...My norm is watching home decorating shows on YouTube while doing chores... lol. Robin on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1699396 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 23:24:57 +0000 Robin 1699396@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ yes, that gorgeous combination of excellent writing and on-target narration. I cant think of any books specifically (my interests cross so many genres), but as far as outstanding narrators go: Cassandra Campbell, Hilary Huber, and Suzanne Toren are three of my favourites! rabbit on "audiobook recs" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/audiobook-recs#post-1699322 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 21:46:04 +0000 rabbit 1699322@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ So I spend several hours each day listening to audiobooks while working and doing chores.  I love audiobooks, not only for the hands and eyes free reasons, but for the way a really good reader can make dialogue and character come alive. I've been on a historical romance kick lately, sifting for gems among lots of um, mildly entertaining pulp.  Here are some that I thought were really exceptional for the genre for writing as well as narrator: For My Ladies Heart - Laura Kinsale,  northern England knight errant meets Medici-ish Italian princess on the run.  Heavily influenced by Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, some dialogue is middle English-lite but there is an online glossary and you can follow it from the excellent delivery (also if you read Chaucer, The Once and Future King, or Le Morte d'Arthur  at some point in the past, it's not hard to follow).  Excellent historical world-building and character complexity.   Flowers from the Storm - Laura Kinsale, Quaker daughter of mathematician meets regency era Duke who is in an insane asylum but is actually just unable to speak. Very intense, but again, very realistic and detailed world building and world-view building on the part of the characters.  Lots of examinations of class and culture. I've listened to a bunch of her other books and they are all really excellently  written, although they push the conventions genre of romance further than some readers are comfortable with. (i.e. character conflicts are real, not artificial conflicts that can be easily overcome if only they would talk to each other).   The Proposition - Judith Ivory,  A gender switched Pygmalion story with a cockney/west country rat-catcher as Eliza Doolittle, and an impoverished nobly born elocution teacher as Henry Higgins.  Delightful and slow building, and the reader really makes the whole examination of accent, word choice, and the vocal exercises come alive. I'm now listening to sci-fi,  A Long Way to A Small Angry Planet, which is great so far -- very like Firefly. What have you listened to and loved?