Audiobook recommendations- shall we share our highlights & duds??

[Movingonmymind]

So far, I have loved The Paying Guests, Christmas Carol (narrated by Tom Baker), Pompeii by Robert Harris. Also non-fiction Pompeii by Mary Beard and Born to Run. HATED Harry Quebert affair as badly-written, sexist tripe and also a cheapy Northanger Abbey download with a really clangy narration- should have forked out for the Juliet Stevenson narration. Wondering what next and any alternative sites to Amazon/audible?

Has anyone listened to the audio of Michael Faber's Crimson Petal and the White? It is in the current Audible two for one deal. I know it has had mixed reviews on the 50 books threads in the past but am sorely tempted by the audio!

I'm really enjoying Wolf Hall. The narration is superb.

Looking forward to it, Quog. Bought it but yet to download. I read the Crimson ages ago and absolutely loved it! So also tempted by the audiobook and surprised by the mixed reviews. And W& P? Sounds bit much for me, tremendous value, but not sure I could keep up with so many characters via audio.. I tend to fall asleep to then and then rewind what I've missed!

Tempted by today's offer- the buggers draw you in, don't they?! I don't want to 'waste' a credit as an account holder when I can buy the book for only £2.99. Which I'm sure is what they're banking on much of the time, end up buying much more! Thst is partly what I meant earlierwhen I said I find audible expensive- you have to subscribe to pay anything like a reasonable amount, otherwise sometimes upwards of £20 per book as a one off. iTunes on this basis is cheaper, paper/kindle books much, much cheaper. But I decided to bite the bullet and subscribe back in Jan as have been reading so much so worth it for me.

Anyway, Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, anyone read it?

I have read Brooklyn, twice. Whilst I like some of Colm Toibin's novels, I didn't warm to this one. I don't know why, it should have been exactly my kind of novel. A longer novel really could have done Eilis's story more justice. Too much was left out, unsaid. I was ever so slightly disappointed after the first reading so read it again this year, meaning to go and see the film, but it still left me unsure about it.

Having said that, though, Niamh Cusack does narrate it very well. Still worth a punt for the daily deal, I think :) Will be interested I your opinion if you decide to go for it.

Thanks, Quog, you persuaded me against it, that and the mixed reviews (and my huge audible bill!)

Am now gripped by Apple Yard Tree which I found by chance in the 2 for 1 deal and am really enjoying it, especially the Juliet Stevenson narration. It's about a 50- something highflying geneticist whose chance fling with a stranger seems to have precipitated her life to fall apart catastrophically. Not sure how yet, but she's in a courtroom, on trial and the sense of doom is palpable. It's well-written, pacy and paints a vivid picture of the main character, her thinking and her previously ordered, careful everyday world.

Oops, didn't mean to put you right off it but now that you've decided not to go for it I'll confess that Niamh Cusack's narration sent me to sleep! Not boring, just too gentle and soothing a voice. I prefer male narrators for that reason - they tend to make me concentrate better.

Having said that, though, Juliet Stevenson is an excellent narrator. And I enjoyed Apple Tree Yard (read rather than listened), was a gripping story :)

loved narration of Apple Yard Tree by Juliet Stevenson! She is one of my favourites!

Ah Quog I bought it last thing last night after reading that you said Niamh Cusack reads it well! Still it might be the answer to my insomnia! On the 2 for 1, I went for the Michael Faber and the Jasper Fforde. I was also tempted by Apple Tree Yard.

She does read it very well, can't fault it but I just found her voice too soothing for me which caused me to start drifting and feeling drowsy . Honestly, though, she is a good narrator but perhaps not the right one for me, who needs no prompting to fall asleep :o

Don't want Apple Yard to end! Juliet Stevenson narrates it brilliantly. Glad to hear am in good company 😊 It is disturbing and painful as we hear how Yvonne's life unravels but am so gripped by it. Had never come across Louise Doughy before and will look out for more of hers, she writes very well.

How's everyone doing? Don't want thread to die off, some great suggestions on here. Currently on Lean In far more thought-provoking than i'd expected.

I bought The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell in the daily deal earlier this week. Will probably not get a chance to listen to it this week, being half term. The DC seem to interrupt me every couple of minutes until I am forced to give up!

Yes,I'd wondered about that but got 3 to get the £10 off thingy - Morrissey's autobio, North & South and Love song of queenie Hennessy. Is it any good, so far?

I have three credits so must use them to get the £10 offer. I am really struggling with Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything right now. Love the book but the narration by Wlliam Roberts is awful.

Am wondering about today's daily deal, looks ok and cheap but it's the kind of thing I'd read on finding in my holiday home, left by someone else, not actually buy.. I kind of want to read good stuff, while recognising that sometimes I'd just want to listen to easy stuff as long as it's well-written and well-narrated. Not sure this is. Not really a big dilemma, but still.

I am really disappointed with the daily deals so far this year. I have the same dilemma with today's.

I just bought The Godfather for £2.99.

I got Remains of The Day read by Dominic West recently and enjoyed it so much plugged in headphones and listened to it for three hours while I cleaned the house. It was great.

I'm listening to Company of Liars by Karen Maitland at the moment. It is so good that I am always reluctant to turn it off.

Other recent good listens are A Spool of Blue Thread and Girl on a Train. For some reason I found the narration on The Help irritating and haven't finished listening to it.

Knit-I've just bought company of liars after your recommendation as noticed it was 3.99. Not something I would normally choose at all but I love books about the plague and Black Death.

Lately I have listened to
-how I lost you, this was narrated well and a gripping easy to listen to thriller about a woman who is accused of murdering her baby son.
-the widow, a popular one at the moment which I also enjoyed.
-because she loves me, I actually really enjoyed this! I would recommend if anyone likes psychological thrillers!

For some reason my audiobook tastes are very different to my reading tastes. I enjoy literary fiction to read but I enjoy the psychological thrillers like girl in a train on audio.

I've recently downloaded My Name is Lucy Barton after receiving a recommendation via audible!

Am finding Tanya Byron's Skeleton Cupboard an intriguing read/listen. Really recommend Apple Tree Yard if anyone's after a gripping, psychological read, well-narrated.

Grif- I bought The Crimson having read the paperback avidly on holiday a few years ago, am less than enthralled- the narration is quite nasal, almost snide- possibly to match Sugar's character? Not sure, but not a comfortable read. And very long, quite crass at times which is much more evident in an audio rather than a paperback. Am about a quarter of the way through, may revisit but not really enjoying it.

I hope you enjoy it what

It looks like I missed out on a bargain with Company of Liars, I went to buy it and it's back up to £31.30.

Brittany , try going to the check out and see what the price in the "total" area is, it came up as 3.99 today. I only bought it this morning so I would hope it would still be cheap!

And I've listened to a few chapters and it's gripping, beautifully narrated too.