To ask for audio book help

[WakeMeWhenTheyTurn18]

Not really aibu but posting here mainly for traffic. I have tried so hard to get into audio books and failed so far. Either the narration is too robotic or i refuse to pay triple the amount that it costs in print etc. I love books but just don't get the time to read these days.

So can any of you lovely people tell me what is the best app (for andriod phone)? Where do you download your books from? What price range do you pay? Etc I have tried audible but really wasnt a fan. There are so many books on my wishlist that i just dont have time to physically read and really want too! Please help!

[GruciusMalfoy]

I'm with audible, I find they had the best variety of books compared to scribd. What was it that put you off?

To get the books cheaper you are often better getting the Kindle book with audio tie-in for a few extra £. I've got many audio books for under £10 this way.

As for it being robotic, move the playback speed. I rarely have to listen at the speed it's set to, it's usually more like 1.25x - 1.35x. There's also the fact that some narrator's are just a lot better than others. Davina Porter who narrated the Outlander series is great, the guy who narrated A Song of Ice and Fire is also good, though some pronunciation was a bit off for me.

[MsSquiz]

I also use audible, and get a free credit each month (which equates to 1 book) for £7.99 a month) and I usually go for the books read by the author, although I have listened to the Harry Potter series read by Stephen Fry and loved it.
You can listen to a sample before you buy the book so you can hear what it sounds like.

You can also sync it with a kindle I believe, to switch between audio and reading

[Kintan]

Another vote for Audible. They often do money off deals, and there are so many books with so many different narrators, it’d be hard to not find something you like. What didn’t you like about Audible? What kind of books are you into?

[SavoyCabbage]

I download mine for free from the local library. A lot of them use the same app http://rbdigital.rbdigital.com

You just need to find out from your library if they do audio books and sign up.

[hazell42]

With audible you theoretically get one book a month, but when you've finished it you can return it and get another. And another. And another. I think for 7.99 that is pretty good. Try listening when doing repetitive things you dont need to actively think about. I use mine when driving , walking and cleaning. Makes tidying up bearable. And it's cheaper than gin

[Thatsnotmyotter]

I use audible and search by narrator rather than author quite often. They usually do books of similar styles/genres so once you find someone you like it’s quite easy to keep listening. I’m a big fan of Saul Reichlin who narrated the Millenium Series (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc.) and he’s done loads of other thrillers, scandi noir etc. Which is great for me!

[Thatsnotmyotter]

but when you've finished it you can return it

CAN YOU?!

[Disney2]

Yes you can Thatsnotmyotter! I use Audible
mobile app too, you can also sync it with your Alexa so I listen when cleaning. Love not having to be tied to my phone/pc to listen.

[BarkandCheese]

If you don't want to join audible you can buy a kindle book and add narration (if it's available for that book) for much less than the price of the audio book alone. You can add the narration at any time so you can buy a book when it's a 99p daily offer and get narration later. It's the same audio books as you get in audible too.

[hazell42]

You dont need a reason. Just click return
You can return them up to a year after you have bought them. I usually return between 4 and 10 a month. Never had a problem

[BlessedBeTheFruitCake]

I've got a 3 month free trial of Audible at the moment. I've increased the narration speed, I just played about with it until I was happy with it. Some narrators are better than others, you can listen to a sample first to see how you like it.

[hazell42]

I found playing with the narration speed helps sometimes too if the reader is slow.
If you get a crappy narrator it can ruin the experience but I've only experienced that a few times.

[KnockMeDown]

Can you please tell me how you return books on the Audible app? I can't seem to see it as an option.

[GruciusMalfoy]

You have to return using the desktop site, if I remember right. It's subject to a fair usage policy, so I guess if they cotton onto you doing it repeatedly you might have to explain why.

[KnockMeDown]

Thank you, found it under account history. Got 3 credits back!

[dotty2]

We are big audio book fans in our house. I use both Audible and RB Digital via the local library - we listen as a family, mostly, on car journeys, and my kids (now secondary school) listen at night. You sometimes have to wait for books to be available via RB Digital as there are only so many 'copies' at any one time, but it's free, completely free.

Do have a look at what your local library can offer - they need people who can afford to pay for books and subscriptions (like me now) to keep using them so that they can demonstrate support, maintain funding etc to help people who can't afford to buy (like my family when I was growing up).

[CMOTDibbler]

Its well worth buying the Kindle book on offer (I use KindofBook to get a daily email of offers) and then get the Audible much cheaper than usual

[ElfrideSwancourt]

Another vote for Audible here. Listening to audio books keeps me sane! I find audible really good value.

If I don't get on with a book I just return it, or if I've listened to it but don't want to listen again. My DC uses the same account (I pay obvs!) so it's even better value.

[hazell42]

With regards yo the the fair usage, there is no fixed limit that is considered fair or unfair. I have never had a problem, though after a while the automatic return button disappeared. Now I contact them via chat (not available on the mobile app) and just tell them the title I want to return. Never been asked for a reason. Just returned immediately and credit added to my account.
They are obviously aware of this, so it is not a loophole that is being exploited. I think it is something go do with book licencing agreements

[AriadnePersephoneCloud]

I use audible and also quite often search by narrator. I also listen to the sample if I see a book I like. I've returned lots of books over the years because I don't like narrators and never had a problem with it.

[hazell42]

And, after you have returned the book it is still stored on your device, so not even really gone. You have to manually delete it, which I do when running out of memory

[YogaWannabe]

I’m SUCH a big Audible fan!!

And no you most certainly can’t return and return and return! Plus why would you if you’ve enjoyed a book??
There’s a fair usage that you can return if you don’t like a book etc but they will revoke the ability if you take the piss! They revoked mine and I wasn’t listening and returning I was just buying loads of 2 for 1s the realizing they were shite and I had panic bought!
Then you have to email customer service each time you want to return and while they’ve never denied me, I still wouldn’t take the piss because their customer service and service in general is so brilliant!!

Audible all the way!

[GruciusMalfoy]

I have returned a handful of books because I quickly realised the narrator was awful, bad accents are my pet peeve. I wouldn't return a book I listened to and enjoyed.

[19lottie82]

The return feature is supposed to be if you don’t enjoy a book. Pretty poor to do so if you liked it IMO

[FinallyHere]

Either the narration is too robotic or i refuse to pay triple the amount that it costs in print etc. I love books but just don't get the time to read these days.

I am a big fan of audible. I love to buy the kindle version and then pay the (usually) few pounds extra for the audible version. Love that it keeps my place when I switch between media.

Only pay when I am fairly sure I will listen over and over. I love to have the authors narration, it feels more real 😀

Your post suggested that you didn't like robotic narrations but didn't want to pay for great narration.

Not sure there is a way forward, however enthusiastic others are about the product.