Audible recommendations

[NaughtyNellie]

I would love to listen to audiobooks on my commute, but every time I have tried a subscription to audible, it never works for me. I find I cannot concentrate, think the narrator is reading too slowly and I just find my mind drifting. I am probably just not listening by to the right narrators. Has anyone got any recommendations?

The Women by Kristin Hannah. Currently listening on audible and enjoying it. Its being made into a film apparently

1. You can speed it up
2. Agree the narrator makes a big difference. I have enjoyed, classics off the top of my head, Sherlock Homes read by Stephen Fry, Pride & Prejudice by Rosamund Pike, and the end of the Affair by Colin Firth.

There's lots of good narrators, I'm only remembering the names of the already famous ones! But if you like someone's voice that's a good start

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell was fantastic as audio. The actresses Nicola Walker and Louise Brearley did it. It’s about 2 women who meet by chance in a pub and how one pushes her way into the others life

Project Hail Mary was also riveting, about a man alone on a mission in space

The best narrator I have ever found is Michael Maloney. He recorded Evelyn Waugh’s Decline and Fall and Aldous Huxley’s Chrome Yellow, and he reads them beautifully.

Stephen Fry does a great reading of P G Wodehouse and Sherlock Holmes.

A personal favourite is Brian Blessed reading his own books. He’s hilarious.

I'm a big fan of anything by Lisa Jewell but I've also just finished "the book of the unnamed midwife" by Meg Elison. Really, really good!

The narrator makes a huge difference. I'm also listening to The Women, the narrator is Julia Whelan, who is excellent, and I seek out books read by her (she's done at least two of Emily Henry's books)
I don't use audible, but on the Libby app you can search by narrator, so maybe go back and see who narrated audiobooks you have enjoyed and see what else they have done?

Yeah the narrator makes all the difference. Also, the best ones are not necessarily the big names.

Also, I generally find a "big novel" is harder to get into.

It's annoyingly hit and miss. But you can 1) listen to a preview 2) return a book. Although you probably already know this.

Also I tend to listen when doing boring jobs but if I'm listening on a journey I'll listen to a different kind of book.

One of the best books I've heard have been ones I've read a while ago and enjoyed that's read well.

I like audible books with multiple narrators.

Lucy foley is a good place to start. She does mrder mysteries with multiple narratives. The hunting party is good.

I generally prefer female narrators. I think because when men do female voices it sounds silly.

The Thursday murder club is a good series on audible. Warm female narrator.

I always listen to a sample first. To see if I can cope with the narrator.
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I really enjoyed Project Hail Mary, and also The Switch which is read by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones.

Borrowbox is a great app for audio books, linked to your local library card. The only issue is there's often a wait for the more popular titles. I listen on my morning run.

The narrator definitely matters - I always listen to samples before I commit, and probably average 5 "absolutely nots" before I find one I like. I have a preference for female, British (preferably Scottish) narrators (this is purely an auditory thing and not a political stance!), but have recently finished 2 back-to-back lengthy books narrated by American Men (Wellness, and Dream State). About to trawl the comments here for a palate cleanser!

Oh, and I thought Hamnet was absolutely bloody brilliant as an audiobook, so I'd recommend that

If you like Scottish narrators, I quite enjoyed The Dead of Winter by Stuart Macbride, it's read very well by Greg McHugh and Catheleen McCarron.

Ah lovely, thank you!

I listen to a lot of books now, but I can only ever concentrate when I'm also doing something else like driving, sewing, cleaning the kitchen etc. Otherwise my brain starts thinking of other things and I realise that I haven't actually heard anything for 10 mins or so.

I love audio books. So many to recommend - but for a start.
Project Hail Mary and The Martian - both by Andy Weir.
Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch narrated by the brilliant Kobna Holdbrook Smith. (He is a god amongst narrators!) . Cant wait until his new book comes out next month.

I've just finished Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and thought the narrators were excellent

100% agree on Kobna Holdbrook Smith and Rivers of London too

The Heart's Invisible Furies is beautifully narrated. I have listened to many John Boyne books on Audible and all have been great.I listen at 1.75x speed.

Love Nina by Nina Stibbe is wonderful. Interesting, funny and sweet.

What kind of books do you like?
narrators are like marmite so recommending one can be tricky, personally I like David Rintoul, but some reviewers are not so keen. I’ve recently finished ‘Snare’ read by Suzannah Hampton. It was one recommended on here and was excellent I listened at a slightly faster speed.
My first audiobook was the complete bbc radio drama of the chronicles of Narnia, which I got for a very long car journey with the kids when they were small! I find I have to be in the right mood for certain genres. Sometimes I start a book, can’t get into it, and then listen a few months later. I generally read chick-lit, but listen to thrillers. I like an easy read before bed, but something more exciting when doing chores!

Nicola walker is a great narrator. It was good this one. Agree.

Try some of the free ones?

Richard Armitage is a great narrator. His own books are ok. Geneva was better than his other one but I really like the joy Ellis books he narrates.

Another vote for Project Hail Mary and The Martian here. My head thinks I ought to hate them, but loved them both.

My usual Audible recommendation to new folk is Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

Also love a bit of Bill Bryson, particularly A Walk In The Woods.

Oh, and Frankie by Graham Norton, read of course by Graham.