As someone who is pretty much always on the go, audiobooks have been a lifesaver. You just pop your earphones in and off you go transported into another world while your train to work chugs along slowly. At the beginning of the year, Caitlyn introduced me to scribd and oh boy did it change my reading life. For the fee of $10 a month ($15 AUD) you get unlimited books and audiobooks, allowing you to read to your heart’s content. In my opinion, it’s a completely superior deal than audible — but that’s another blog post in itself. (This post is in no way affiliated with scribd, I just think their service is super great! If you’re interested in joining scribd, feel free to use our referral code which will get you 2 months free!)
Anyway, without further ado, here are three of my favourite audiobooks that you should check out!
- The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Listening Library
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Length: 11 Hours 40 Minutes
Double Speed?: For this one, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Trigger Warnings: War, death, death mention, guns, suicide, PTSD, loud noises
My goodness, you thought these books were brilliant to read, but they get even better when you listen to them. It’s a wonderful blend of sound effects, music and other audio elements that makes this audiobook one to remember. Featuring a whole cast, the production of this audiobook is unlike any I’ve ever listened to. If you’re unfamiliar with the brilliance that is The Illuminae Files, it’s a three book sci-fi series following three different sets of characters in one large, carefully weaved storyline throughout all three books.
The voice acting in each of the books is superb, making it believable and enjoyable to listen to. They truly bring these characters to life, making you believe you’re listening to a true recount of their experiences. The added audio effects and soundtracks don’t take away from the importance of the plot, and instead act as their own separate element of storytelling for the listener to enjoy. In my opinion, this is an audiobook that is better left at normal speed, so you don’t lose any of the exciting extra effects that are there for your enjoyment.
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | OverDrive
- Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Length: 13 Hours
Double Speed?: Go ahead!
Trigger Warnings: death (including mentions of a parental death), transphobia, misgendering, allusions to deadnaming, depictions of gender dysphoria, blood, non-violent mentions of blood magic, mentions of a car accident
This audiobook is honestly one of the best I’ve listened to. It’s so magical, bringing Aiden Thomas’ wonderful writing style to life in a way that makes it feel so real. The world itself is already super magical, but with the addition of atmospheric music it just brings it to life even further. I found the Cemetery Boys audiobook the perfect way to read this book, because as someone who isn’t Latinx, I don’t have any knowledge of Latinx culture. It was super beneficial to be able to hear the correct pronunciations of the Spanish dialogue in the novel, giving me a better understanding and appreciation of the plot.
The narration was perfect, blending the charm of the written words and the added wit in the delivery. As a bonus for me, this book was perfectly understandable on double speed. You don’t lose any of the story by making it faster, and it is still comprehensible if you do so. I don’t often call a book perfect, but Cemetery Boys definitely is. I highly, highly recommend adding this book to your TBR! The lovely Cossette wrote a post about it for her All Hallows Read showcase, and while she isn’t talking about the audiobook in particular, it is still a wonderful review to check out if you’re interested in reading it. You can find it here!
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | OverDrive
- Sadie by Courtney Summers
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Length: 7 hours
Double Speed?: Absolutely!
Trigger Warnings: Crimes against children, murder, sexual abuse, rape, drug mention, child abduction
I credit Sadie for the audiobook that truly got me appreciative of audiobooks. This book is told in two forms, that of a true crime podcast and one of traditional narrative. As expected, the production value of this book was very high. The voice acting in this novel was perfect, transporting the reader to believe they were truly listening to a true crime podcast. Getting to hear the events from Sadie’s point of view, and then hear them recounted a few steps behind in the podcast is a creative and interesting novel structure. Oftentimes, it leads to frustration, as you know the details of the case that the podcast is missing, because you just witnessed it from Sadie’s point of view. The use of a multicasting is very clever, allowing the listener to easily be able to identify the change in character or change in chapters.
While I speak very highly of this book, there is a major content warning attached to it. This book is not for everyone, and it certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. It features topics that are difficult to process and read about, so please do not hesitate to stop reading it if it becomes too much, and seek help if you feel as if you need it. Please always put your own safety first.
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | OverDrive
I’ve been meaning to listen to the Illuminaes audiobook! Will definitely make it a priority. I loved listening to Cemetery Boys 🧡