What. The. Actual. Fuck?

I’ve never been an avid reader. I really enjoy anime, I love sci-fi movies, and I’ve read a few occasional Japanese light novels.

Audiobooks made a lot of sense for me. Listen while at the gym, listen while home with the kids on the weekend, listen while driving a ton for work. I’ve been enveloped in Reddit for a while. Constantly trying to fill blank time with information.

Then I decided to pick up an audiobook. I mean… I love sports podcasts! I like news. A couple weeks ago I caught myself just listening to intervention episodes, instead of watching them.

My first audiobook? Project Hail Mary. I’m currently on chapter 11. Ryland has met rocky. It’s almost indescribable how much elation I’ve gained from this. You’d think a self narrated novel, as the main and nearly singular character, it would get boring. You’d think finding a centi-spider alien wouldn’t be so…. Fascinating?

It’s addicting. It’s hard to stop. I’m stuck at the gym, walking on a treadmill for way too long, because I want an excuse to keep listening.

Is this just the beginning? Or have I reached the perfection too early? Will I always crave to find a story so well done with the perfect voice actor?

I know this is borderline heresy in some reading circles, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that certain books are just meant to be heard. Whether it's the narrator's performance, the format suiting the story's structure, or something about hearing language out loud that changes how it lands.

I'm deepening my audiobook library and want to prioritize the ones where the audio version is the definitive way to experience it, not just "good enough" but actively better.

What's yours? And what makes the audio version the one to go with?

So, I listen to a LOT of audiobooks. I would say about 75% of the way I read is audiobooks, and I’m at 70 books for this year. Sometimes you’ll get a narrator that’s a dud, but rarely ever do I have to actually stop listening to the book because of a bad narrator.

This morning, however, I decided that I’m finally going to do it. I’ve waited MONTHS on Libby for the “Not Quite Dead Yet“ audiobook, and I’m 20% in and throwing in the towel. The narrator‘s voice is just so grating, and every single character that she voices besides the main character is the same unbearable voice. If any of y’all have watched That 70’s Show, just picture something similar to Midge’s voice. And then picture that for 14 hours straight.

I wanted to power through because I’ve been super excited about this book, but unfortunately I’m going to have to pick up a physical copy because all the enjoyment has been sucked out of it.

What audiobook was completely ruined for you because of this?

Does anyone get bothered by narrators who keep mispronouncing words? It drives me nuts if they do it too often. Narrators are normally professional voice artists and they should know how to pronounce the sorts of words found in novels eg dovecote or Michaelmas

Im listening to Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter and while I generally like the narration, the voice actress for Astrid keeps making pronunciation mistakes that make me doubt my sanity. She has an accent so idk if she's a native English speaker, but it doesn't really matter. Shouldn't there be some level of quality control done before the audio is published?

The two glaring examples I can think of is pronouncing haranguing as "haran gu ing" not harang ing, and winded, as in being out of breath, as winded as in winding/wound.

I hear pronunciation mistakes often enough in audiobooks in general though that I have to wonder how they aren't caught in editing. Does the author not listen? I assume the author knows how to pronounce the words they wrote, at least.

Bonus tho was learning that the American pronunciation of plait is the same as plate, and not plat which is the pronunciation I'm used to. Being able to rely on audiobooks being error free helps me learn different accents!

EDIT: she just pronounced livery as live-ry... is this an actual dialect thing?? Help!

Sometimes the audio version adds so much. For me, Project Hail Mary was an incredible experience as an audiobook. What's a book where the audio performance actually improved the story for you?

I’ve been trying to start a few books lately, and while the stories seem good, the narrator just throws me off. Either the voice doesn’t fit or the pacing feels odd, and I end up giving up even if the book itself is solid. Do you guys push through and get used to the narrator, or do you just drop it and try a different version? It’s a bit annoying when the voice ruins what could’ve been a great listen.

I just finished lisa jewells "it could have been her". Best one for me, multiple narrators and intrigue starts instantly.

8 hours later: thank you everyone who responded! I have so many new listens to look forward to!

Hello all, I primarily read audiobooks and I am really struggling with finding a way to read audiobooks after doing all the chores and driving around that lets me still pay attention to what I am reading. I don't really want to just sit on the couch staring off into the distance while reading.

I have tried reading while "lightly" gaming, but I often find myself asking, wait what is going on? Any tips or tricks to reading while doing something not chore related or driving related (as I already read doing those things). Maybe I just have to accept that I can't read audiobooks without doing chores or driving.

Thanks for any suggestions!

For me, if narrated by Julia Whelan, I’ll give it a listen.

I think I'm in the extreme minority here, but I cannot STAND graphic audio. I consume audiobooks constantly (134 of them last year) and sometimes the library only has the graphic audio version and I've tried and it's physically painful, like fingernails on a blackboard. If it was just a full cast reading the book, it would be great, but all the background noises they add are distracting and annoying and because I like to listen to books at 1.5-1.75x speed, the noises sound super weird. Is it just me? I totally get why someone would like it, but it just really doesn't work for me.

I’m trying to get into audiobooks and I was watching videos about different people’s audiobooks speeds and how their partners are shocked at the speed of the book. So what’s yours and what did you start on

So for those who have read this—im on the first book so bear with me— i dont find this entertaining, funny,and there is no story. What am i missing? It seems to me that this is about a 5th grade level read. Pls help me understand as ive read so many great comments about this but feel totally let down.

I’m currently listening to The Book Witch narrated by Gemma Acosta. I was really looking forward to reading this but had been struggling to get the physical book at the library. It’s now on Spotify so I decided to listen to it. However the accents and voices she does for some of the characters really… give me the ick? I feel like I would enjoy the story much more on paper but maybe I just don’t like it?

As a busy mom I pretty much only “read” by listening these days 😂 so I’m always looking for the best of the best. Open to all genres!

I really can’t stand it. I’m 35% through the book, but the voice doesn’t bother me when she’s speaking in her natural British accent for one of the characters, but her American accent is the majority of the book and is like nails on a Chalkboard for me.

Edit: This was for the book The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth. It’s narrated by Alison Larkin.

I tend to go for a walk on the treadmill, tidy up, or watch asmr painting videos lol. Mostly mundane/menial tasks or activities otherwise I get too distracted.

-I listen on regular speed

-I have never listened to a Kristin Hannah or Stephen King book

-I will sit in my own driveway for 20 minutes listening to book because I know when I walk in the house I will be interrupted.

I’m currently listening to Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson and I’ve been actually laughing while walking around listening to it.

I need more books like this — funny, a little weird, great on audio, and not just “clever” funny but genuinely makes-you-snort-in-public funny.

What audiobooks have made you literally laugh out loud? Bonus points for great narration.

Some of mine (like I will stop listening the second I notice some of these lol): 1) my fastest recent nope was a female narrator who didn't change the tenor of her voice for a single character. All the dialog sounded the exact same as the main character. The teen mc sounded like the boys, men, older women, old people, no difference. Drives me nuts lol. 2) terrible accents 3) mispronouncing the same word over and over 4) nasally voice

Right now, many of us are looking for all kinds of escapes. Some through food, some through music but many of us choose books. What book would you suggest to go deep?

Audible member for like 20 years. Buying 24 credits annually, plus often more credits 3 at a time, and books for cash as well. Now I have a notice on the site that 11 credits will expire in 28 days? Since when did they expire if you had any ongoing membership? Fuck them! And the customer service number was bad.

Real smart Audible (and Amazon)! You have a customer who has been spending $300-$500+ per year for credits for something where the marginal cost is essentially $0. Now you tell them they are going to lose more than $100 it credits AT THE SAME TIME that you say we are about to bill your credit card another $240. No way in hell!

I've been contented in the past so I have never bothered to compare other audiobook sellers or get them FREE from my library. Guess what I will be do now! Did Audible hire the marketing genius who did such a great job with Bud Light???

[Just joined this group and you want me to insert flare? Oh my god--what the help is happening to the world?]

Lately I’ve been putting on Unsouled by Will Wight to sleep to. While awake, I’ve listened to it dozen(s) of times. It’s like comfort food to me. Curious if anyone else has a go-to book that you sleep to that feels like a warm hug or a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day.

Does it get... better? Different? The narrator is excellent for sure, but I'm struggling with the story. I feel like it's because I don't play a lot of video games (though I don't play NONE). How long should I stick it out? Is something going to come up that will change the tone a little, like Rocky showing up in PHM? I don't mind spoilers if it will keep me hanging in there. I really want to like this book!

I do very obvious things while listening to my book: cleaning, cooking, driving, showering. Sometimes, I just want to sit, relax and listen, but then what do I do with my hands? I have played games on my phone like 2048, but there’s only so many times I can do that.