Top Ten Tuesday -- All About Audio Freebie

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Today's topic:  All About Audio freebie --  aka top ten audiobooks you should listen to, 10 books I want to listen to on audio,10 bands you should check out, 10 podcasts you should be listening to, 10 of my all time favorite albums, 10 songs I love, really whatever you can come up with.


Lauren and Daisy are going to be talking about some of the audiobooks they've really enjoyed!

Lauren's Picks

1 -- The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey: I think I would have loved this book even if I didn't listen to the audio version, but the narrator was perfect. Every character's personality shown through like a beam of light in a forest full of ancient trees. 

2 -- The Passage by Justin Cronin: I'll admit, I listened to the audio version of this book because I didn't want to haul around a Harry Potter-sized book in my purse everywhere I went. Turns out... it was definitely a good call! The book started just a little slow, but quickly picked up the pace and the narrator kept the ball rolling. I loved this one so much that I listened to the sequel, The Twelve, on audiobook as well.

3 -- Wool by Hugh Howey: Oh c'mom now... you all knew a Hugh Howey book would be on my list! :) I read the book first, then loved it so much I tried the audio version maybe a year later so I could relive the amazing-ness that is Wool. I was not disappointed. 

4 -- California by Edan Lepucki: I could feel ALL THE EMOTIONS of the characters in this novel... all relayed from the narrator to me. I felt connected and as if I was literally walking in their shoes, well... if the characters had shoes at the time. :)

5-The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima narrated by CarolMonda- This was one of the first audiobooks I listened to. After a few quick searches for "best audibooks" I came across this title. It sounded intriguing and had great reviews. So I bought it! SO SO good! I've listened to the whole series three times.

6- The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling) narrated by Robert Glenister- I downloaded this somewhere between its release and the revelation that this was JK writing under a pen name. I don't think I'd started it before I found out. It's such a great book. I love mysteries, but far too often the characters become unimportant next to the story. They're flat and uninteresting. Not these characters! They are fully formed, vividly imagined and magnetic. I read for them as much as the "who done it".

7- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern- JIM DALE. Honestly, I didn't even care what the story was. I saw that Jim Dale was the narrator and hit "buy". I absolutely adore this man, I will listen to anything he reads. The story is intriguing, I kept getting pulled back in. I did get lost every once in a while with the time changes, but didn't get so confused that I wasn't enjoying the story.

8- Sabriel by Garth Nix- IT'S NARRATED BY TIM CURRY. Need I say more? Okay. So he's absolutely amazing. I could not turn it off! And I'd already read them once before! I love this series. The action! The characters! The worldbuilding!!

9- Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles) by Kevin Hearn narratedby Luke Daniels- This is a new discovery. (Thanks Carrie!) These books are HILARIOUS. As in a true "laugh out loud" brand of funny. (I've had to explain myself to my coworkers more than once.) The stories are fun, the characters are hilarious and endlessly loveable. One in particular takes the cake. OBERON. Seriously. Read it just for him. And his Purloined Poodles.

10- Illuminae: The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff narrated by Olivia Taylor Dudley, Lincoln Hoppe, and Jonathan McClain, with a FULL CAST- This book was meant to be an audiobook. It was a great story, but the cast is what MADE it. I was enthralled by this story. Completely captivated by the characters and their struggles and motivations. Even if you've already read this one, check out the audio. You won't regret it!