Welcome to another TTT! This week is a freebie topic, so I chose to re-share a TTT I did a while back about reasons why I love audiobooks! As you know, I have had two eye surgeries over the last month that have a pretty long recovery time (up to 6 months before I get my vision back). I can’t see very well, and reading just isn’t happening (neither is blogging, hence the re-sharing). So right now, my number one reason for loving audiobooks is that they allow me to read when I can’t see! A few friends of mine have been so lovely and sent me audiobooks during my recovery. It has meant so, so much to me. So, without further ado…
1. I can read any time ever! I can read while I’m in the shower, while I’m doing my hair and makeup, while I’m driving somewhere, while I’m working out, etc. I can even read when I’ve got a horrible headache and must lay in the dark with my eyes closed. Oh, and my cat here would like me to add that handless reading is his favorite because then he gets double the pets.
2. So, by extension, audiobooks allow me to read MORE books overall!
3. The narrators! It took me a while, but I have found some narrators I LOVE. Good narration can make a book even more exciting, suspenseful, romantic, funny, etc. They bring the characters and the stories to life. And if a favorite narrator is reading a book by a favorite author, you’re doubly winning!
4. Full cast narrators. Sometimes there’s a duet or trio of narrators that rotate reading chapters, but I just finished Birthday Suit by Lauren Blakely last night, which had 5-6 narrators and it was SO MUCH FUN! Every character had their own narrator, and these narrators read the lines for their individual character every time the character spoke. It felt like an episode of Friends. They laughed when their character did, they sounded sarcastic when they were supposed to… I just loved it so much.
5. Music and sound effects can be added! I’ve listened to a few books that included music and sound effects before, which is very fun. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater even included music composed by Maggie herself!
6. This is how I read classics, because a good narrator can make a heavier or less action-packed novel completely bingeworthy. I’ve been working my way through the Sherlock Holmes books, and I just found Jane Eyre read by Thandie Newton on Audible’s free stories for kids (a limited time offer due to COVID-19) that I really want to listen to. The sample sounds amazing!
7. This is also how I re-read my favorite books. I have so many books to read and so many that I want to be reading, that sometimes I feel guilty re-reading my favorites or refreshing my memory on previous books in a series before starting the next one. Audiobooks are bonus books for me because I’m always reading one or two physical books in addition. I also think it’s fun to rediscover my favorites or see them in a new light by listening to them the second time around. It makes an old-to-me story feel new again.
8. I find audiobooks to be very soothing and comforting. Who doesn’t love being read to? I think it’s so relaxing.
9. Scary books are made less scary when there’s a voice in your room instead of quiet stillness. If I’ve got someone reading to me and there’s a particularly creepy moment in the story, I’m listening to the narrator instead of the creeks in my settling house or the wind brushing a branch across my window.
10. I think listening to audiobooks and being able to grasp what you’re hearing is a great skill to have. I was a crummy audiobook listener when I first started listening to them, and it took a lot of practice and determination for me to learn how focus on the story (especially while doing other things). I had to zero in on the book instead of letting my mind wander, and I honestly think I’m a better listener than I used to be.
Do you love audiobooks, too? Why or why not?
What topic did you choose for this week’s TTT?
I cannot seem to get into audio books as a part of my regular reading habits, but the few I’ve listened to, I have really enjoyed. :)
I absolutely love audiobooks for all the reasons you mentioned above (except I don’t listen to classics). I especially agree with #1. I love that I can multi-task with audiobooks. I listen while walking, doing mundane chores, driving etc.
I’m so jealous of people who can actually read audiobooks! Whenever I’ve tried, the information goes in one ear and out the other, but I also can’t really process when people read things out loud to me either. I wound up writing my post on why I love fantasy.
I enjoy audiobooks for many of the reasons you mentioned. Gosh, i never would have had time to read the entire Harry Potter series unless it was on in my car.
I chose the same topic! Really audiobooks are so great.
I have been addicted to Audible 😅 I think I listen more than I actually read. Happy TTT
OOh nice reasons. I’m not an audiobook person. Ironically because number 10 doesn’t always work for me. It does in the moment, but later on for the review I’ll be forgetting things. Lol.
Here’s my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
How lovely. For me, listening to an audiobook is almost as watching a (usually bad) movie they made from my favourite novels. I have never “learned” to concentrate on the spoken word as much as on the written. Also in real life, I am a very visual person. Explain something to me and I have no idea what you are talking about, show it to me and I know what you mean.
Anyway, I love Nobel Prize readers and that’s what my post is about today.
Happy reading and listening.
Oh, how I wish I could get into audiobooks! Your reasons make a lot of sense.
My TTT .
I think you’ve totally convinced me to try some more audiobooks. I have only a couple and the ones I have are a bit hard to get through, but as you say, it takes practice. I love that audiobooks allow me to read when I’m doing other things.
I’ve never tried audiobooks before but I really want to! Sadly my library’s audiobooks won’t work because my Mac’s operating system is too advanced *facepalm* but one day I’d like to listen to The Scorpio Races and hear the author’s music.
Unfortunately, I just can’t get into audiobooks or ebooks. I’ve tried but reading with physical copied is just more appealing to me. But I really appreacite having so many possibilities. 🙈
Yes to all of these reasons!!
I do love audiobooks, but only for nonfiction!
I love audiobooks, they are my favourite way of relaxing at night and also of multitasking during the day.
I did audiobooks, too! Haha they’re the best! :)
Great list! Yes, I love the freedom to read wherever I want that audiobooks give me. =)
I really wish I could get into audio books, I could get so much more ‘reading’ done that way. I’m English and most of the books I’ve tried listening to are narrated by american males, their voice is so far from my “in head” voice that I just can’t concentrate on the story.
Hey mine was about audiobooks too! :)
I also love audiobooks, but couldn’t come up with 10 reasons, I love all of yours.
I love audiobooks too! It allows me to read books during my commute. And that’s like 10 hours a week, so it really adds up. I chose Middle Grade for mine. Hint: there’s dragons…
I’ve only recently discovered the joy of audiobooks. I’m loving them lately, but I can’t just sit and listen to them or I’ll fall asleep! Instead, I listen to them while driving, doing housework, and cross-stitching. That way I can enjoy the book AND stay awake at the same time :)
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Audiobooks have become an essential part of my reading experience. I started listening during my hour long commute each day. Now my commute is much shorter, but I still work in listening to them during my morning workouts and when I cook!
I keep meaning to try audiobooks and have had some on the “to do” list forever, but I still haven’t quite managed to make the leap. I find it somewhat hard to concentrate on the book when just listening to audio and have mostly ended up reading along with the written text on the few occasions I did try audiobooks. I definitely still need to try more, especially because of your reasons #3 and #4… so many awesome people reading awesome books!
I’ve never listened to an audio book! You make a good case for them though. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
Great list! I love audiobooks, too.
I love audiobooks, too! They’re great to listen to while doing chores. And I love a full cast, although I don’t see a ton of those. And yes, totally true about using audiobooks for rereads, totally a different experience!
I agree with all of these! Until Corona-virus I drover 75 minutes each way and listened to approximately 1 audio book per week. I miss them!
That was me, too. 60 min commute each way — I used it sometimes so I didn’t have to talk to my carpool. It’s a little terrible.
Audiobooks are the only way I read anymore. It’s funny since I’m at home all the time…
I hadn’t thought about music or sound effects being added to audiobooks! I’m slowly working my way up to audiobooks by listening to podcasts, so hopefully I’ll get to my first one soon.
I too have recently been rereading a book (CIty of Bones) as an audiobook this time and it’s so fun.! I’m also going to give horror reading through an audiobook a try! Great list.!!
I absolutely agree with you that audiobooks are very conveniient to listen to, and it helps to save lots of time and to read many more books. I also like ‘reading’ audiobooks but there are some significant cons of it:
1) If you don’t get anything, it’s usually not convenient to cut back.
2) When it comes to classics, I always want to have it in hard cover so I can read it again or give it to my grandchildren.
I love audiobooks, too. Some of your reasons I’ve thought about but never put down in print like the sound effects and music.
Good luck with your recovery!
I also love Audiobooks! I’ve just started to get in the hang of it while driving. Don’t know why I never thought of it before. I love doing arts and crafts while listening to audiobooks too. Holiday times are the best! I have a bit of work that need to be done today, and then it’s me and my diamond painting and my audiobook.
Oh and yes! I also listen to the classics rather than reading them.
Have a good Tuesday!
I’m still learning to love audiobooks but I agree with many of your points. I can’t do other things while listening but I do find it relaxing to listen before I go to sleep. And I’m still trying to work out a way to replicate the notes I would make when reading a physical books so I can write meaningful reviews.
I’ve been getting more and more into audiobooks over the past year, my wireless headphones definitely changed the audiobook game for me. Happy reading! https://readwithstefani.com/ten-books-about-books/
Freebies are sometimes much more difficult than when there is a given subject but I had an idea quite quickly this time. LOL
I am glad that you enjoy audiobooks. Unfortunately, they are not for me, I just can’t concentrate, I need some visual experience. But I think it’s great that they exist and that people enjoy them.
I have started listening to more audiobooks this year. It’s a great way to work through my TBR.
I hope your recovery continues to move along in a positive direction.
Love these reasons and agree with them all as I love audiobooks too!
OOoh nice reasons! I’m not really an audiobook person myself. I have a hard time focusing on a book if I’m being read to. My mind is likely to wander to other things and then I miss out on the story. It would likely make life easier on my TBR if I could read those! lol
Here’s my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
I love hearing the music and sound effects in audiobooks.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-ten-ttt-topics-i-really-enjoyed-doing/
I do love audiobooks! I especially love memoirs read by the author. That brings a special intimacy to the story that I think can not be touched in paper book form. :)
I do love audiobooks for most of the same reasons you listed. I had a learning curve too when I first started listening to them. I still don’t really listen to nonfiction because I don’t process the information as well but I always have a fiction book on the go! I don’t care for singing in audiobooks too much. I listened to a fairy tale a long time ago and the country had a long boring anthem so I had to listen to a long, boring song over and over. It broke me! 😂 I like music sometimes. I just listened to The Giver and it had music in the most random places. It threw me off. But the music in Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan was beautifully done and added so much to the story.
I love audios and they are most of my “reading” now. Of course, for 13 years I’ve had a very long drive to work and back each day. Audios saved my sanity! Great topic to choose!
I absolutely LOVE audiobooks!! I’m an Audible member and have already listened to 7 audiobooks this month. I’m currently listening to my 8th audiobook now.
Great list! I’ve never listened to an audio book, but I might just have to give it a try. I hope you recover from your surgery quickly! Here is my Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
My top reason is the possibility of listening to the book together. Sometimes you just want to be alone with a book; for many, reading is a huge part of their time. But listening to a story together instead of watching a movie can actually be quite engaging.