Hot Listens, The Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog
and The Book Nympho.
Our normal Auditory Sunday is being replaced with an Audiobook Blog Hop!
As you may be aware from my weekly segment, I have come to love audiobooks. When done right, they are such a great way to add another dimension to the reading experience. Plus, any menial or boring task, such as gardening, cleaning, driving or even "farming/skilling" while gaming, can be made much more enjoyable with a good book being read to you.
I will admit that it can take some getting used to. But with the right set up, it's simple and easy to keep your book addiction fed and happy.
For me, this included getting a decent Audible compatible player (for the dreaded DRM). Until very recently, I didn't have a smart phone or device to listen to downloaded audiobooks on, unless I wanted to be chained to my laptop. That meant having discs in hand and either a bulky cd player or burning them to my little mp3 player. (A lot of work by the way to do it properly.) So I starting looking into my choices and comparing options.
Here is the route that I went ----->Isn't it adorable? Plus, easily expandable memory! Can't get that on a lot of devices. The best part, really reasonably priced at just under $40.00. (I added a link to Amazon if you click on the picture for all the stats on my personal choice.) I love my little guy. He has made me such a happy listener!!
Next, you really need to know the options available on how to get audiobooks. There is more than Audible/Amazon out there, though they are the biggest and most well known.
If you plan on reviewing, there is a wonderful site called Audiobook Jukebox that has audiobooks available to you from publishers looking for reviewers.
If you don't review, there are so many options available to own. Here are but a few of the more popular ones: AudiobookStand, Downpour, Tantor Media, Audiobooks Online, Audiobooks.com, Audiobooks Corner, AudiobookStore. (Yes, I know I didn't list iTunes, but I apple-illiterate.)
There is even a site where you can rent them, Simply Audiobooks in a manner similar to Netflix. And of course, there is always your public library, in either physical disc or download via Overdrive.
It really depends on whether you want to download, have a physical copy, rent/borrow or some combination. This doesn't even go into the sites where you can get free downloads of classical literature. If it's in book format, somewhere there is an audio version of it. There is simply no reason not to try audiobooks.
As for my favorites, we are supposed to be listing our top 5 Audiobooks of 2014. And since I hate having to limit my choices, I am going with my 5 Star Listens of 2014.
These are the books that were so full of AWESOME, I gave them my highest rating. Looking back, I'm still agree with the rating. If you haven't tried audiobooks before, may I suggest one of the following:
Any way, I hope I enlightened you in some small way about the wonderful world of audiobooks. For more suggestions and reviews, the 3 hosting sites linked at the top are heavily into audiobooks and would be another great resource.
Since it's not really a blog hop without a giveaway - I'm giving a $20 Gift Card to AudiobookStand. With free shipping in the US, $5 deals and weekly bargains, both physical and downloaded audiobooks, there should be a choice for just about any reader.
Grandprize:
3 Audiobook Downloads from Audible
I listen to audiobooks using my iPhone. My favorite narrator is Khristine Hvan, she's simply the best.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway.
Oh, I will have to check her out. Thanks for the tip!
DeleteI listen on my iphone . Thanks for the giveaway
ReplyDeleteI love audios! I listen using my Android phone. I listen while exercising, driving, gardening, cooking and showering...LOL! I'm addicted. My fav audios this year were the World of Fae series by Terry Spear, the Gods' Trilogy by Debra Holland, the Red Stone Security series by Katie Reus and Talon by Julie Kagawa. Narrators make the book come alive. I have too many favorites to list but every narrator in the books above were great!
ReplyDeleteOh, I have had the Red Stone Security series on my radar, but just haven't had time for it. Audio would be a great way to do that series!! Thanks for the heads up.
DeleteIt's really good on audio, Judith. I love it... I just finished Protecting His Witness last night and it was a 5 stars listen all the way thru...
DeleteGreat post, shared with my coreviewer about that review site. I listen on my phone at the gym and in my car while driving. I loveeee Lauren Fortgang, she was my first narrator that it just clicked when I listened to the Elemental Assassin series and got me hooked.
ReplyDeleteI was afraid that I went abit overboard with the info, but I come to love audiobooks and wished someone had filled me in when I started. :) I love the Elemental Assassin series, but am afraid that listening would ruin the "voice" that I already hear for Gin and the gang. But I will keep her in mind if I see something else by her. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI listen on my phone (Audible), in my car an in a cd player. LOVE audio!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Sheila!
DeleteI'm a huge fan of The Other series. I can't wait for Visions of Silver. I listen all the time from my iPod.
ReplyDeleteI know, right! I had to go a different route, not being i-capable. But I love my little sansa and don't know how I did without him.
DeleteI listen to most of my audiobooks I get from the library's Overdrive account on my iPod Touch.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you are utilizing the library as a resource! It's astonishing how many people don't realize that they are keeping up with technology and are ready and willing to help find fabulous reads.
DeleteI bought God Save the Queen and I still haven't listened... Somehow it fell of my radar. OH BOY! It looks like I need to listen ASAP.
ReplyDeleteI loved Murder of Crows.... And Chloe Neil's book just to be among my favorites by after I heard the deal with Ethan I haven't gone back...Looks like I should :)
Thank you for participating and sharing your favorites with us!
I listen mostly on my phone, I have downloaded other applications that work just as well as audible (almost) for books I get other places.
I listen just about while I'm everything. At work I can only listen on my breaks, I get 20 min. every hour so lucky for me I get some listening time at work too.
Thank you so much for the giveaway :)
I really, really liked The Immortal Empire. The story and narrator were fabulous. My biggest problem with the Chicagoland Vampire series was the narrator change at book 6. Grrrr. Ethan has been an asshat on a regular basis, but there has been growth in the characters and that kept me going back.
DeleteGreat post here. I use my little iPod for listening as I walk. I enjoyed reading about all the possibilities of where to obtain audiobooks. I use Audible because it was first one I came across years ago and it works internationally. I must check out the others some time.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to help then. :)
DeleteI enjoy listening to Audible on my laptop. I can carry it around the house and enjoy the book while I get my chores done. I am also a weaver so I listen to lots of books while I weave. For my car, it is an older model, so I have to go with regular audio CDs (no mp3s).
ReplyDeleteYou should really check out an audible compatible device like the sansa that I posted above. You load the audiobook on the device from your computer, and I even listen to mine in the car, with one earbud in. It's small, compact and starts back up right where you left off if you have to turn it off. Glad that you stopped by!
DeleteMy favorite way to listen is on my wee iPod Nano. Sometimes I listen on my iPhone, mainly if it's an audiobook I downloaded from the library via the Acoustik app. The first few audiobooks I listened to were on CD -- not the most convenient way to go!! =)
ReplyDeleteOh, I so feel you there. I ended up burning mine to my computer and then loading them on the device... so time consuming. What's worse though was some older ones that I found that were on cassette tape. Oy, I had a heck of a time finding a walkman to play those on.
DeleteI love what the narrator did with The Other's world. Alexandra Harris was phenomenal with the characters. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteI have really started to like audiobooks! I have the same Sansa mp3 player that you do - I went with burgundy, and it is so cute. I love it! Really easy to use, the battery lasts forever, the clip is great so I can just clip it on and go. I also will listen to books on CDs. I rent audiobooks from the library, either on CD or mp3 all the time. Audiobooks really are a great way to enhance your reading experience! Dish washing isn't as bad with a book playing. :) And, it's fun to be read to and follow along when you have the ebook or physical book as well.
ReplyDeleteSweet! I went with simple black for mine, to match all my other toys! *grin*
DeleteGreat 5-star list! Thank you for introducing me to Audiobook Jukebox! I'll have to check that out. :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! They have a really wide variety too - from kids books to fiction to biographies. You just never know what is going to be on their list.
DeleteI listen at work and in the car. I use CDs and audio files from Audible. Some favorites on audio because of good stories and great narrators: The Iron Druid books by Kevin Hearne, The Others series by Anne Bishop (Murder of Crows is really good) and the Eve Dallas series by J.D. Robb. I actually hear Susan Erickson's voice when I read a new Ee Dallas book in paper form.
ReplyDeleteMy first venture into the J.D. Robb series was audiobook. So I understand what you are talking about. I went on a roadtrip and took one of my J.D. Robb books (CD) and managed to create 2 new converts to the series. :)
DeleteThese days, I listen on my kindle, but favorite way has always been to listen on CDs in my car. I live in rural NV, so going to get groceries is a fairly lengthy trip, so it's always nice to have a book to listen to. I don't like hauling my kindle around in my car and risking breaking it - also, the charge only lasts a few hours. I may need to travel for 10 hours or more at a time and I want to be able to listen to a lengthy book without worrying about the device going dead. These days, I long for old fashioned CDs. I love Stephen King's books that he narrates himself.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to think about trying out a device like the one I pictured above. It has an incredibly long battery life. I can listen to it for several days before I have to charge it again. I have even plugged it in to the car via an adapter and kept right on listening when I forgot to charge it. Smaller means much more portable. :)
DeleteI haven't had the chance to listen to any audiobooks yet. But I really like the MP3 player you posted above. Now I'm going to have to get me one to listen to some audiobooks!
ReplyDeleteIt is a great little gadget. It is even set up to easily download podcasts onto it. I honestly don't know how I managed without it. I would suggest listening to some samples before you jump into a audiobook the first time. Most sites have a sample button, just like you would listen to a song before buying it. Close your eyes and really listen to the narrator, make sure you enjoy what you are hearing. You want your first experience to be a good one. :)
DeleteWell that's good to know about Audiobook Jukebox. Thanks Judith! I'm new to audio but have been listening via my phone and some wireless headphones which has been great. My audio system at the house also connects to the phone so if I'm downstairs I can listen via that. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!!
Your welcome Anna. Audiobooks can be such a wonderful experience. I am glad you are getting into it. :)
DeleteI love audios and I listen on my computer, phone, and kindle fire. I review them from audiobook jukebox as well as for tantor audio, grab them on audible.com and any place I can find a great deal! :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Sounds like you are an old pro at this then. :)
DeleteI love your cute little guy. I use my phone for now. It's awkward to navigate the book so I've been checking out other options.
ReplyDeleteI mostly listen when I drive. I actually look forward to long road trips because it means I will be able to get through some books.
ReplyDeleteI listen on my Samsung Galaxy Note with wireless ear-buds and use the Audible App and Smart Audiobook App. I am slightly addicted to audio books and listen daily
ReplyDeleteTime to be honest! I have never listened to an AB before. I was never really interested in them, until the last year when I started seeing raving reviews for them all over the place. Now, I am seriously looking forward to my first one. I just want to pick the right first one, so that it doesn't deter me in the future. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI mostly listen while in the car or doing crafts. I also love Hoopla (which is connected to the library) for audios as well as overdrive.
ReplyDeleteI like so start out listening to them on the elliptical, which sounds productive, but then I listen to the rest of it usually on the couch or in been.... I actually have a Sansa Clip+ I love it! I have only gotten audio books from Audible, I didn't actually know I could get them elsewhere. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI listen on my iPad via Overdrive App or Audible app. And 99% of my listening happens in the car since I have a 50 minute commute to work and a 2 hour commute home. That is the nature of LA traffic.
ReplyDeleteI listen to audiobooks via the audible app on my iphone. I usually listen while excercising and while driving although if I am in the middle of a great book I have been known to wander the house listening to the audiobook. Thanks for the giveaway
ReplyDeleteI listen to audiobooks on my iPod, a CD player & my computer. I think it's a great way to "read."
ReplyDeleteLots of questions. I listen to audio books using my iphone. I listen at work, in the car (if I'm by myself) and sometimes when I'm cooking. Usually I'm watching tv while I'm farming. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a Sansa clip, love it - I'm actually on my second - I love that it's expandable. I listen while walking the dog, while cleaning and when painting. I love Tavia Gilbert's narration, she's fabulous. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteAnn S
I listen to audiobooks while I'm working on the computer. My favorite narrators are Angela Dawe, Jim Frangione, & Xe Sands. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI mostly listen to audio books while I'm working on the computer, but I also listen when I'm getting ready for work in the morning. Some of the narrators I enjoy are Robert Petkoff, Angela Dawe, Xe Sands, Renee Raudman, and Davina Porter. I mostly listen on my Kindle.
ReplyDelete