What do you do when you have a REALLY good book but awful narrators?

[Amy]

Newbie here, so forgive me if these three questions have already been asked:

~What do you do when you have a REALLY good book but sucky narrators? I almost feel bad moving on to another book!

~Where do you usually listen to your audiobooks (exercise, car, etc.)? I'm curious what others do!

~Do any of you know of a website that offers free audiobook downloads?

Thanks everyone!!

[Barbara]

I get all my CD's and downloads from the local library and I also joined the city library to get theirs. If I can't stand a narrator, I read the book.

[Dee]

i read the book - i don't have time to deal with icky narrators - i lasted less than 10 minutes with a horrible one the other week - thankfully, I had a back-up

in the car/sometimes on the treadmill - depends on the workout i'm doing

[Samantha]

The only way that I move on from a book is if I don't like it. If I like it then I just go for reading the book.

I listen mostly in the car, walking and sometimes when it is fairly quiet at work.

I mostly get my audio books from the library. Great resource for my pockets :)

[Dawn]

I read the book if I have it

Everywhere. In the car, doing chores, walking the dogs, when I have a headache lol

There is a site called Audioblast. They email weekly free audiobooks you can download. Scribd is a subscription ($8.99 a month) and you can read/listen to unlimited number of books.

[Lauren]

If the narrator is awful, I check to see if there is another version with a different narrator - this happens more often than one would think. If not, then I read the book unless its 1st person, in which case I cut my losses.

I listen on my train commute, when walking the dog, cooking, folding laundry, doing puzzles -any mindless activity.

I second Scribd - its fantastic.

[D.G.]

If the narrators are horrible but I love the book, I switch to print. I do that too if it's a book I want to finish for whatever reason but I'm not willing to take the time to listen to an audio. Audiobooks take longer so if if the characters are being silly, I can finish it faster in print.

I listen everywhere...during my commute, walking, at the gym, doing chores, etc.

The best place for free audios is the library. I get most of my free audios that way.

[Lee]

99% of my listening is in the car- I have often had a long commute over the years. I rarely listen at home because I get distracted. Up until 3 years ago, almost every audiobook I had ever listened to had come from the library. When we moved to an area with a library that didn't have a very good audiobook collection, I got an Audible membership and have never gotten back in the habit of borrowing for my listening.

Only once, in all the 25+ years, have I refused to finish listening to a book because of the narrator. This was an Audible purchase- I returned it and they credited my account, no questions asked. Fortunately, I already owned the ebook and enjoyed it in print.

I tend to be picky when trying new narrators. Because audiobook reviews have become more available, it is easy to get recommendations and/or listen to samples before committing to a book. Plus, I have so many books by favorite authors/narrators on my TBR/TBL pile, I may never get caught up!

[Samantha]

Audiobooks are great for long commutes. I live it.

[Melissa]

I belong to 3 libraries-two of which have access to OneClickDigital and another that has access to Hoopla. The library I use most often has an AMAZING selection of audiobooks to download-I am spoiled!

I do use Audible as a source to find new audiobooks and for Whispersync deals. Sometimes Audible runs promotions for a cheap temporary membership and then I'll join for the duration of the promotion and get books I can't get elsewhere. I am all about accessing my resources and getting the best deal possible!

I listen to audiobooks when I drive, walk, run and do housework. I am extremely picky on narrators (and genres for that matter). I DNF 4 audiobooks in the last week (mainly because I had just finished The Prince of Midnight and it's SO difficult to follow Nicholas Boulton!!)

Unless the audiobook (story + narrator) is really good, I move on. I've abandoned many audiobooks because of the narrator and picked up the physical or digital copy to read instead if I was still interested in the story.

[Melanie♥]

I give an audio about 30-45 minutes. If the narrator is horrible, I just read the book.
I listen almost exclusively in the car. That gives me over an hour of listening time each day. I may even get in the slow lane if I'm at a particularly good part of the story =)
Library for free books! I'm lucky that my library has a very nice selection and they are open to suggestions for future purchases. I've picked up a few at half price books, but the library is my primary source.

[Amy]

Thanks everyone! This is really helpful! :)

[Terri]

I looked for the Audioblast site. It is actually Audiobook Blast. I'm excited to try it!

[Sarah]

Put down the audiobook and find a non-audio format. :)

[Sarah]

Terri wrote: "I looked for the Audioblast site. It is actually Audiobook Blast. I'm excited to try it!"

I love Audiobook Blast. I have discovered some amazing audiobooks that I wouldn't have without it!