Julie in TX 50 in 2013

[Julied]

1. The Christmas Carol

[Julied]

2. The Winter Sea (Audible 15 hours 54 minutes)

[Julied]

3. The Mummy CaseThe Mummy Case
(Audible 11 hours 56 minutes)

[Jess]

Did it intimidate you at all, listening to audiobooks when the run-time is so long? I mean, I know you'd probably spend just as much time reading it, but it sounds so long when you put it like that! How do you find Audible's narrators, too? Sorry to bombard you with questions, haha, I just stumbled across Audible a few weeks ago and wondered if it was worth buying anything from! Good luck this year :)

[Julied]

Jess wrote: "Did it intimidate you at all, listening to audiobooks when the run-time is so long? I mean, I know you'd probably spend just as much time reading it, but it sounds so long when you put it like that..."

Jess wrote: "Did it intimidate you at all, listening to audiobooks when the run-time is so long? I mean, I know you'd probably spend just as much time reading it, but it sounds so long when you put it like that..."

Sorry it took me a bit to get back to you, I was out of town. As for length of book I do not find it intimidating at all!! I like to invest my audible dollars in books I will enjoy for quite a bit. I hate to buy a book that will be done in 5 hours. My husband and I have three busy boys and I spend lots of time at practices, games, scouting events, etc. on top of a stressful special education teaching job. When I am home I would love to just curl up in a chair and read, but then NOTHING would get done! :-) So I put in my earbuds or turn on the ipad and listen while I do dishes, clean, fold clothes. Makes the chores go so much quicker and I look forward to doing them.

As for Audible narrators, I have only had one that I did not enjoy. You can listen to a sample before you buy. I find I have a few that I really enjoy and listen to all books that they do. Enjoy! It has really increased the amount of time I can spend with books.

[Julied]

4. 1984

[╟ ♫ Tima ♪ ╣ ♥]

What did you think of 1984? I have never read it (I know, it's ludicrous, everyone has read it!) and I'm supposed to read it for a group read in February :)

[Jess]

Thanks for the reply! I think I'll have to look into this for sure, the whole getting nothing done deal is why I was interested in the first place! Being able to read while doing otherwise boring tasks? Excellent! :)

Glad to hear that about the narrators too, I did try a free service but the narrators had horrid voices and I gave up after about five minutes, haha.

[Sandra]

I love Audible and am a convert to audio books. I listen to/from work, so I can get more reading in. My best audible reads were:
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Harry Potter books 1-4 (from the library as Audible does not have them. Will listen to books 5-7 this year.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Replay by Ken Grimwood

And many others!!

[Julied]

Tiffani wrote: "What did you think of 1984? I have never read it (I know, it's ludicrous, everyone has read it!) and I'm supposed to read it for a group read in February :)"

Honestly, I did not enjoy it. I read it in high school...should I say skimmed it and didn't get much out of it. I thought it would be good to read before my son encounters it later this spring. I found several quotes that made me think and I wrote them in my commonplace book. My husband and I had several good discussions regarding the main character and how he reacted to the Party and Big Brother. But overall, it was a very dreary, depressing read. I had to make myself pick it up. It is not a long book, nor is the language complex I think the subject matter was hard for me to process and accept. Do I think people should read it? Most definitely. So many of the concepts introduced have become a part of our culture. I found it interesting how the Party, through the media, controlled how people thought about the state of the country...economy, politics, etc. When the book was written, I don't think that was necessarily the case. Now, I think mainstream media does manipulate information to control people's opinions...but the blogosphere does much the same with their agenda.

Would be interested to hear your opinions when you have finished!

[Julied]

Sandra wrote: "I love Audible and am a convert to audio books. I listen to/from work, so I can get more reading in."

It took me awhile to get into the rhythm of an audible book and there are still some genres that I would have a hard time listening to, but overall I LOVE audio books. I think Audible has a great selection, quality editions and a very reasonable price.

[Jim]

Personally, I really enjoy audiobooks and listen to one in my car to/from work and listen to another while I am at work. Some of the actors doing the reading are exceptional (Jim Dale who does the Harry Potter series makes himself sound just like Dumbledore and McGonagall). The actor for Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy sounds just like C3PO, Han Solo, and Lando and even has Mark Hamill's cadence down for Luke Skywalker.

I like audiobooks because they help me get through more books than I would just reading them since I can "read" three at a time. They are also good for long car trips. The only audiobooks I didn't care for was Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's writing style is so detailed and difficult to follow that I found myself paying more attention to the book than the road while driving and had to turn it off.

[Julied]

James wrote: "Personally, I really enjoy audiobooks and listen to one in my car to/from work and listen to another while I am at work."

I wish my commute would accomodate a book. I am literally 6 minutes from my job...with a school zone and 4 if not during school hours. By the time I got into the story I would be at home or work! But you are right about reading more books, audio lets me find lots more time to indulge!

[Julied]

5. The Kitchen Counter Cooking School.

Loved this book!!! Validated what I know about cooking at home, inspired me to try new things, enlightened me on some techniques.

[Julied]

6. Dirty Little Secrets

Horrible...only gave it one star. If you are into that used language and words only to make crude references to sex, then it might appeal to you. Definitely would not have put it in the mystery category!

[Julied]

7. The Hobbit

[Julied]

8. Hands-On Activities for Exceptional Learners

One of the best "learning activity books" I have read for students with severe cognitive delays.

[Julied]

9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (8 hr 6 min audible)

Absolutely delightful book!

[Julied]

10. Sleeping With Ward Cleaver
11. Diary of a Mad Fat Girl
12. Chunneling Through 40

All quick "chick lit" books that were rather forgettable. Hate to say not even good escape books.

[Julied]

13. The Devil Colony
14. The Postcard Killers
15. A Clash of Kings

Enjoyed all these.

[Julied]

16. The Angel Experiment

Read this to my class. While I typically enjoy James Patterson this was not my favorite.

[Julied]

17. How to Murder a Millionaire
18. Maisie Dobbs

Both fun books. Glad the Maisie Dobbs book is a series, will be reading more of them.

[Julied]

19. Dead or Alive
20. Opening Moves continuation of a series. This one I listened to on audible. Scared me to death!
21. Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure Bleh! The author tried too hard to let you know she was from Texas (Dallas) and from the "right kind of family".

[Julied]

22. The Kitchen House Audible listen. Fabulous!
23. The Berlin Boxing Club
24. Murder at Honeysuckle Hotel
25. Jack & Jill

[Julied]

26. A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon Very uplifting read.
27. Perfect Timing
28. The Winds of War
29. Stormbreaker Read this one to my class. They were sitting on the edge of their seats.

[Julied]

30. 1st to Die
31. Niagara Falls, Or Does It? Another class read. Enjoyable.
32. Taste of Home: Busy Family Favorites: 363 30-Minute Recipes
33. The Alchemyst
34. The Handmaid's Tale ugh! I do not like dystopian stories.

[Julied]

35. Eat Your Poison, Dear funny class read
36. The Panther
37. Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef Audible listen. Author was the narrator. LOVE!
38. Lion in the Valley Audible. Amelia Peabody. Laughed until people probably thought I was crazy.
39. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle

[Julied]

40. The Twelve Clues of Christmas Audible
41. The Magician
42. Secret of the Seventh Son Audible
43. The Sorceress
44. The Necromancer

[Julied]

So close! But not sure I will make the 50. I have read more YA fiction than I have read since I was a preteen. The Michael Scott series is well written and includes a good bit of mythology which has kept it interesting. Teaching middle school it is important that I can have titles to recommend. Several of the audible books I have listened to have been very lengthy, enjoyable but not quick "reads". I will continue on my journey and see how far I can get in the remaining days of 2013. If I miss the mark I will keep my goal at 50 for next year. Considering my first book for the new year will be A Suitable Boy. Not a short book by any stretch.

[Julied]

45. Code Name VerityAudible. Very good listen.
46. Taste of Home : Best Loved Healthy Recipes