Free for All Friday: In My Audiobook Era Tag
Intro
I am very much in my audiobook era lately. As such, this challenge is absolutely perfect for me right now! I cannot wait to gush about all of my favorite audiobooks with all of you lovelies!
As always, anyone who sees this and is interested is allowed to do this tag.
The Prompts
- What is the first audiobook you ever listened to?
- Who are your favorite narrators?
- What audiobook platform do you use?
- What book did you love on audio that you might not have enjoyed reading physically?
- What is your go-to audiobook speed?
- Do you prefer single or dual/multi-narration?
- Do you listen while multitasking, or do you sit and listen like a movie?
- What's your biggest audiobook pet peeve?
- If you could have any book made into an audiobook, which one would it be?
- What's your all-time favorite audiobook experience?
- Have you ever listened to an audiobook that made you pause and say, "Wait... what did I just hear?!"
My Responses and Discussion
What is the first audiobook you ever listened to?
Becoming by Michelle Obama
This was the first audiobook I remember reading, and I must say it was a fantastic choice! It is narrated by her, and that adds oh so much value. Hearing her read her own life story was truly inspiring. I highly recommend it if you haven't read it already! It certainly opened up the world of audiobooks for me.
Who are your favorite narrators?
Jacob Morgan
Admittedly, I do not know many narrator names. It is something I want to work on. Jacob is one of the few ones I recognize, and I know I enjoy his intonation.
What audiobook platform do you use?
Libby, Bookfunnel, and occasionally Spotify
Libby is the platform I use the most by far. I love using my local library, and bonus points that it is free! It also allows good speed customization and scrolling, which I appreciate. Bookfunnel is usually how I get and listen to any ALCs (advanced listener copies) of audiobooks. It is always exciting when I get the chance to use them. Every once in a while, I use Spotify for audiobooks. I do enjoy the platform for listening, so perhaps I will use it more soon.
What book did you love on audio that you might not have enjoyed reading physically?
Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
This book would be way too scary for me in any format other than audio. With audio, I am able to let the scary parts play very quickly, so it went by speedily. It makes sure I do not focus on my fear too much, but get to enjoy the whole narrative.
What is your go-to audiobook speed?
3x speed
Yes, really. I do, in fact, listen to almost all books that quickly. My ADHD works better when I can process words faster. Especially on low focus days, if I wanna read, it's gonna have to be a quick audiobook. My partner says it is my superpower, which I do not really deny.
Do you prefer single or dual/multi-narration?
Multi-narration
I enjoy multiple narrators because I feel it makes the experience feel a lot more immersive. Then you get the feeling of real dialogue and different accents as applicable. That said, I will never skip a book just because it has single narration.
Do you listen while multitasking, or do you sit and listen like a movie?
Multitasking
As mentioned before, my ADHD makes my listening needs and experience unique. As such, I often use audiobooks to make mundane tasks feel bearable. Things like laundry, grinding in video games, or even calming activities like coloring are made so much better with an audiobook for me. That said, there are times that I do just listen to the book if I have nothing else I need to be doing, or I feel like the book requires more attention to follow.
What's your biggest audiobook pet peeve?
Continuous mispronunciation
To be clear, I am not talking about different accents or dialects. I am talking about things like the "freesh ava ca do" meme. It does not happen often, but when it does, I cannot stand the book and have to turn it off.
If you could have any book made into an audiobook, which one would it be?
Bunny Season by Bindi Kennedy
I have mentioned this book countless times on my blog this year, but it is for good reason. It is an incredible story that absolutely needs more love. I highly enjoyed the story and think the banter and funny moments would transfer fantastically to audio.
What's your all-time favorite audiobook experience?
Lights Out by Navessa Allen
This was an incredibly tough choice to make for me, but I remember thinking the narration for this one was truly perfect! The tone and sarcasm at various moments translated so well and made me feel like I was really there with the characters.
Have you ever listened to an audiobook that made you pause and say, "Wait... what did I just hear?!"
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs by Caitlin Doughty
I feel like the name says it all. It definitely had moments that were surprising, but I still quite enjoyed it for its informative nature. I've discussed this book many times on here, so I shall not rant more.
Outro
This challenge was a lot of fun! It has a nice variety of questions that really made me think. Are you an audiobook fan? I'd love to hear all about your favorites! See you next Friday for another something fun!
