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Post by chedanemi on May 27, 2015 13:40:09 GMT
I will be doing a great deal of driving in the next couple weeks and am looking for audio book recommendations. I have listened to the entire Outlanders series and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm currently listening to 11-22-63. Hmmm, I guess those two make it sound like I specifically like time travel books, but that's just a coincidence. I like a good romance or mystery; no thrillers or sci-fi. Not especially fond of biographies, but I did enjoy Memoirs of a Geisha. I like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc., books. Really like Sidney Sheldon books.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 13:34:45 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2015 18:12:05 GMT
Anything by Pat Conroy or Jeffrey Archer (especially the Clifton Chronicles) or Anne Rivers Siddons or Philippa Gregory or Sara Gruen or Anna Quindlen or Maeve Binchy or Tana French (even though I disliked her last book very much).
IT by Stephen King
Pillars of the Earth series by Ken Follett
Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,390 
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Post by peaname on May 27, 2015 18:15:14 GMT
All the Light We Cannot See is good on Audio as is We Are Not Ourselves
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Post by sugarmama on May 27, 2015 19:08:54 GMT
These are some of my favorite audiobooks from this past year:
THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI: A NOVEL (this one had a great reader--I felt like I was a child being read a fairy tale)
LIFE OF PI
ISABELLA THE WARRIOR QUEEN (if you like history)
Fannie Flagg's ALL GIRLS FILLING STATION'S LAST REUNION
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scraptag
Full Member
Posts: 243
Location: Pacific Northwest
Jun 28, 2014 23:03:10 GMT
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Post by scraptag on May 27, 2015 19:14:58 GMT
Just finished a book by Harlan Coben - most of his are very entertaining.
Other I have recently finished and enjoyed:
Chasing Fire - Sandra Brown
Looking for Alaska - John Green
I'll Give you the Sun - Jandy Nelson
The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Collector - Nora Roberts
Life of Pi
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Call the Midwide
The Hundred Foot Journey
Orange is the New Black
Gone Girl
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Post by hennybutton on May 27, 2015 19:32:25 GMT
I listen to audiobooks ALL THE TIME. Do you check for Whispersync deals? Often, when you get the Kindle edition of a book, you can get the Audible edition cheap. I always check the Kindle Daily Deals. I've picked up a lot of books when the Kindle book is $1.99 and then get the Audible edition for $1.99. I many never read the Kindle edition, but I consider it getting an audiobook for less than four bucks. Also, check out this page: Whispersync Classics. You get the Kindle book for free and the Audible book is only 99 cents. I recommend getting Dracula. I tried to read that book in print a half dozen times, but the Audible Studios production made me love it. It's so well-done. I tend to like most of the audiobooks I finish. My audiobook shelf on GoodReads has 385 books. Most of them are 4 stars because, although I'm not picky about genres, I'm picky about narration. I tend to go with my favorite narrators: Luke Daniels, Oliver Wyman, Robin Miles, Kate Reading, Kate Rudd, George Guidall, Bronson Pinchot, Nick Podehl, and a few others are usually really reliable for a good listen. |
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Post by sugarmama on May 27, 2015 22:27:38 GMT
hennybutton, I believe George Guidall is the narrator for THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI that I listed in my post. I just loved hearing him tell the story.
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Post by hennybutton on May 27, 2015 23:02:54 GMT
hennybutton, I believe George Guidall is the narrator for THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI that I listed in my post. I just loved hearing him tell the story. Yes, he is. That book is wonderful. I had started it in print and couldn't make it through before it had to go back to the library, but in audio it was fantastic. It's one of those cases where the audiobook is better than the print. |
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nopeaq
Junior Member
Posts: 89
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Post by nopeaq on May 28, 2015 0:10:35 GMT
I try to go for looong books to feel like I'm getting all I can with my credit.
I recommend Pillars of the Earth and World Without End by Ken Follett.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The Song of Fire and Ice series (Game of Thrones, etc.)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
I like the Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini. It's a young adult series but I like the reader.
And I always enjoy the Harry Potter books on audio.
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Post by Anna*Banana on May 28, 2015 0:26:08 GMT
I have a love hate relationship with audible books. On one hand it's fantastic to hear a book I've been wanting to read, but I also find I'm a bit ADD and sometimes find my mind wandering and realize I'm a whole chapter down the line and I wasn't really listening... I hate that! lol
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Post by iamkristinl16 on May 28, 2015 0:33:02 GMT
Girl on the train
Anything by James Patterson
The nightingale
Unbroken
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Post by iamkristinl16 on May 28, 2015 0:35:03 GMT
I also wanted to add that I have been getting most of me audio books from the library. Much cheaper than audible.
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Post by newfcathy on May 28, 2015 0:45:40 GMT
I love the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. It gives great insight into life in Botswana.
Love Walked In by Marisa de Los Santos.
I also get mine at the Library
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Post by misadventurous on May 28, 2015 1:00:50 GMT
I recently enjoyed Mr Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore, which was a great story with a really good narrator. I'm kind of a narration snob. It doesn't matter how awesome the book is; if I don't like the narrator then I just can't bear to listen.
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,456
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on May 28, 2015 1:22:22 GMT
I listen almost everyday on my commute. A few of my favorites that I can name off the top of my head are:
Any of the Kate Morton books -> The Forgotten Garden, The Secret Keeper, The House at Riverton, The Distant Hours
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
The DD Warren books by Lisa Gardner
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
One Summer :1929 by Bill Bryson - history but very enjoyable (except every time he said Washington he said Warshington, Ugh!)
Wildflower Hill by Kimberly Freeman.
The Poisonwood Bible and Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
Nora Roberts had some good ones too.
I know you said no thrillers, but the Taylor Stevens books are REALLY good. Start with The Informationist.
I'll also second trying the library. You can download and put on your phone, ipod or burn to CD.
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Post by pjaye on May 28, 2015 3:25:30 GMT
Another tip for those of you who listen to audiobooks and use the library...did you know that when you have borrowed a kindle version library ebook and you have it downloaded into your kindle or kindle app...then Amazon thinks you "own" the book. So if there is a whispersync deal, then you can get the special price for the audiobook version.
For example the book The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James. The price of the audiobook for members of Audible is either 1 credit or $14 member's price.
The library doesn't have the audiobook, but it has the ebook....so I borrow the kindle ebook from the library first, then once it is downloaded in the kindle, I go to "listen and read" in the books menu options and from there add the same book to my Amazon wishlist.
Then I go back to the Amazon website, click on wish list and click on the book title...it says "you already own this book, do you want to add whispersync narration?" The whispersync price is only $3.99. So you complete the purchase and then your audiobook shows up your Audible library purchases just like normal.
So you just got the book for $3.99 instead of full price. The library ebook will expire in the normal time, but the Audible audiobook is yours to keep as you bought it.
I never read the ebook, and never do the whispersync part (so if you want that part this won't be good for you) I just want the audiobook and this works perfectly to get it at the reduced price.
It takes a little bit of effort to click around and see if the books you want have special whispersync prices and then checking to see if the library has the ebook...but well worth it I think.
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Post by jackietex on May 28, 2015 4:11:25 GMT
I'm currently listening to Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman. Jenna Lamia, the narrator, is excellent.
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Post by pjaye on May 28, 2015 4:21:24 GMT
No on to actual books!
I can second the recommendations for:
The Golem and the Jinni
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Girl on the train
All the Light We Cannot See
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and the follow up book, The Love Story Of Miss Queenie Hennessey
...I enjoyed all of these and also great narrations.
Other recent favourites:
The Summer Queen and The Winter Crown, both historical fiction (but based on the real person, Eleanor of Aquitane) by Elizabeth Chadwick.
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
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Post by finaledition on May 28, 2015 5:37:55 GMT
I really enjoyed Kate Atkins Life After Life-there's a bit of a time travel element to it. The follow up book just came out and I'm looking forward to it.
I loved the narrator for Rainbow Rowell books Attachments and Landline.
Another great narration was was to the book Code Name Verity.
Be sure to look at the daily deals on audible. The other day I got Tell the Wolves I'm home for $3.95.
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jenkate77
Full Member
Posts: 427
Jun 26, 2014 1:33:16 GMT
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Post by jenkate77 on May 28, 2015 6:40:07 GMT
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Post by annabella on May 28, 2015 10:06:03 GMT
I recently enjoyed Mr Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore, which was a great story with a really good narrator. I'm kind of a narration snob. It doesn't matter how awesome the book is; if I don't like the narrator then I just can't bear to listen. That's the one book I hated reading this year, kept waiting for it to get good but it never did. I loved listening to Girl on the Train since it was read with a British accent. |
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Post by ohiodianna on May 28, 2015 12:31:16 GMT
I listen to books on CD all the time as I drive at least an hour a day. Have done it for years. I obtain all mine from the library.
I love anything read with a British accent.
Can you keep a secret by Sophie Kinsella had me laughing out loud
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah was great
We listened to all the Harry Potter books at different times during family vacations
Really any book that seems like it would be a good read I seem to enjoy on CD. I have very little time for reading at home but love listening in the car.
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Post by chedanemi on May 28, 2015 14:27:40 GMT
Thank you so much for all the great suggestions! hennybutton and pjaye... thanks for the work around for the Whispersync when borrowing from the library. I especially like it that some of you noted the narration is good with specific books. There have been a few I downloaded where the narrator was just awful. I wish I could remember which book it was, but there was one where the narrator seemed to be slurping spit every time she took a breath! |
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Post by hennybutton on May 28, 2015 15:48:35 GMT
Thank you so much for all the great suggestions! hennybutton and pjaye... thanks for the work around for the Whispersync when borrowing from the library. I especially like it that some of you noted the narration is good with specific books. There have been a few I downloaded where the narrator was just awful. I wish I could remember which book it was, but there was one where the narrator seemed to be slurping spit every time she took a breath! If a book is so awful that you can't listen to it, return it. There's a spot on the Audible website that allows you to return books. (There are some you can't return.) If you can't find it, call customer service. That's one of the great things about Audible. |
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 13:34:45 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2015 16:56:10 GMT
I listen to books on CD all the time as I drive at least an hour a day. Have done it for years. I obtain all mine from the library. I love anything read with a British accent. Can you keep a secret by Sophie Kinsella had me laughing out loud Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah was great We listened to all the Harry Potter books at different times during family vacations Really any book that seems like it would be a good read I seem to enjoy on CD. I have very little time for reading at home but love listening in the car. Winter Garden is by far my favorite book I've read this year. |
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GiantsFan
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Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on May 29, 2015 2:32:44 GMT
Thank you so much for all the great suggestions! hennybutton and pjaye... thanks for the work around for the Whispersync when borrowing from the library. I especially like it that some of you noted the narration is good with specific books. There have been a few I downloaded where the narrator was just awful. I wish I could remember which book it was, but there was one where the narrator seemed to be slurping spit every time she took a breath! On audible, you can "preview" the narration before you buy. Just click the Preview Audio Sample button right below the cover photo. I always check unless I'm familiar with the narrator. A bad voice that grates on me, can ruin a perfectly good book. |
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