Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This one is aptly timed, as I'm just putting the finishing touches on a discussion post about audiobooks now! Well, no now, as it is kind half past midnight, but you know... in the next day or so. I'm really looking forward to sharing that!
1. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Fiona Hardingham and Steve West: this is one of those books that I actually like best as an audiobook. I loved it when I read it but it really lives when these narrators read this book! Also the music is stellar.
2. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, read by the author: this is so lovely as an audiobook, especially with the author herself reading it.
3. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, read by Lin Manuel Miranda: I have very vivid memories of listening to this one while vacuuming a factory floor for a summer job. It got me through vacuuming which is a big deal.
4. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, read by Christine Lakin: I've listened to this three times in the past two weeks, which is a normal amount, I think.
5. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, read by Euan Morton: this has become something that I like to listen to just to relax? Weird choice possibly.
6. Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Dan Bittner and Emma Galvin: the narrators are SO GOOD for the characters. Seriously. I really like how Emma Galvin's Isabel feels like she's almost constantly on the edge, there's a sharp quality to the narration that's really well suited to Isabel's character, and Dan Bittner strikes a really good balance with Cole that I think is probably difficult to get.
7. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale (specifically): I grew up with Jim Dale's Harry Potter audiobooks, and I've listened the the Stephen Fry narration but... it's just not the same for me.
8. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Will Patton: lots of Maggie Stiefvater on this list but... her writing style just works REALLY WELL in audiobook form, and the audiobooks are really well produced (she does the music for them as well which is a cool feature).
9. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, read by Christian Coulton: I'm actually going to (at some point soon I swear) also listen to Lady's Guide as well, especially because I already know I enjoy Moira Quirk's narration.
10. Lockwood & Co. series by Jonathan Stroud, read by Miranda Raison: these are just...really good books that I really like the audiobooks for... when I can I'll just listen to the whole series, back to back.
I don't make use of audio books, but the FEW I have listened to I've enjoyed. I feel like I should try some classic lit in audio because then maybe I'd actually read one or two. :) Also, someday I need to try a novel by Maggie because everyone speaks so highly of her stories. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear you've enjoyed your forays into audiobooks, even if they're not really your thing. I definitely do recommend picking up something by Maggie Stiefvater (in audiobook form or otherwise) if you get the chance! The ones listed above are my personal favourites, if that means anything.
DeleteI think Rainbow Rowell stuff would be amazing on audio. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's how I read Fangirl.
DeleteIt is! I've also experienced Fangirl as an audiobook which was also good. Carry On was more my thing in general, so I think that's part of why it's my favourite of the Rainbow Rowell books I've listened to (I'm not a huge contemporary reader), but also the audiobook is just really well done.
DeleteI'm intrigued as to what the Harry Potter books are like! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyLZsLV91mQ
ReplyDeleteJim Dale actually (when last I checked) held a world record for the number of voices he portrayed in the audiobooks of the Harry Potter series. I grew up listening to them, so I'm kind of attached to him as a narrator, as opposed to the more recent releases...
DeleteI just got an audible subscription; you're the second I've seen to mention The Scorpio Races. I've been meaning to read something by Maggie Stiefvater one of these days, maybe I should start with that one.
ReplyDeleteI do kind of gush about it a lot, don't I? The praise is (in my admittedly biased opinion) deserved, though. It's a story that is really well served by the audiobook medium.
DeleteI've read both the Scorpio Races and The Raven Cycle, but I read them in physical copy. I loved The Raven Cycle, and liked The Scorpio Races well enough. I can definitely see why her stories would translate well on audio, they're very atmospheric!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/26/top-ten-tuesday-204/
The audiobooks really do up the atmosphere (even more than it already is), especially with the music having been done by Maggie Stiefvater (and co.) for all of them, and the accents!
DeleteYeah, The Raven Cycle would be an interesting audio book series.
ReplyDeleteThis is our Top Ten Tuesday.
It is! The narrator does a really good job, and the music is pretty cool. (For me it added to the experience to have someone with the accent that Maggie Stiefvater was picturing when writing it as well!)
DeleteSinner sounds like such a good story.
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten Tuesday post.
It really is. It's super strongly character-driven (to the point where it reads more like a contemporary than a fantasy novel, despite the werewolf thing).
DeleteThat's good to know.
DeleteGreat list! I've either listened or read majority of your picks, I can imagine how some of them must be great audiobooks :)
ReplyDeleteI often go back to reread a book I've previously read in physical copy as an audiobook when I get the chance... for me it's really interesting to experience the same story in different mediums, I guess?
Deletescorpio races is seriously the best ever!
ReplyDeleteIt really is fantastic! It's overall a excellent book, and the audiobook really higlights that!
DeleteOooo, great list!! I am an avid audiobook listener and almost enjoy listening to audiobooks more than reading books. Btw, I have Carry On on audio and need to listen to it as well as Fangirl.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my TTT post: https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2019/03/top-ten-tuesday-audiobook-freebie-my.html?showComment=1553617757328#c4963295880076597634
I'm in the same boat! I really enjoy both the experiences reading physical books and listening to audiobooks, and I really do think some books are showed off to possibly their best effect in the audiobook format.
DeleteHope you enjoy Carry On and Fangirl when you get a chance to listen to (or read) them!
I've read some of these, but haven't listened to their audio versions! However, I am on hold for the Carry On audiobook! Glad to see it made your list. I've been re-reading Harry Potter with my kids, but I want to try the audio one day! The Raven Cycle is one of my favorite series! The audio is amazing?
ReplyDeleteLindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
The audio of The Raven Cycle is pretty great! The audio of Harry Potter is really lovely as well (I'm biased toward the Jim Dale version because it's the one that I have a lot of memories attached to, I think?) Hope Carry On goes well for you as well! (I audiobooked it first... I've read in physical copy since, but I really think I like the audiobook best!)
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