What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[Catlady]

I listened to what's been hyped as this year's big thriller: The Woman in the Window, by A.J. Finn, narrated by Ann Marie Lee. If this is the year's big thriller, it's not going to be a good year for the genre.

It's a mash-up of The Girl on the Train (substance-abusing unreliable witness/narrator), Hitchcock's Rear Window (camera-wielding, confined protagonist spying on neighbors), and Hitchcock's Vertigo (phobic--there it's acrophobia, here it's agoraphobia). (Since the heroine is an old-film buff and references Hitchcock, those movie parallels are obvious.) Unbelievably, the heroine is also a former child psychologist. And for no apparent reason that I can see--there's practically no sense of place in the book--she lives in gentrified townhouse in Harlem.

There's a long setup before anything much happens--and then there's no big payoff. The first requisite twist fell flat--I knew what it was going to be early on; the misdirection was apparent if you've ever read anything in this genre. The final reveal wasn't skillfully done--again, I think most readers would have gotten it long before the heroine did.

It's not a bad book, but it's no standout.

[ApK]

After a brief audio book hiatus, I'm about to start
Death Benefit by Ken Isaacson, a legal thriller which I hear has a somewhat novel approach to the genre.
Haven't started yet, though.

ApK

[issybird]

I'm listening to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's first novel, Purple Hibiscus, which I considered nominating for the New Leaf Book Club and decided to read in any case. It has the typical flaws of a first novel but is certainly good enough that I'll go on to Adichie's more polished works and the narrator, Lisette Lecat, is terrific. She's new to me, but I'll be seeking out more books read by her.*

*ETA: Oh, ugh, the only other book at my library I see by her is The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, which I loathed and abandoned in text. I was hoping for more Adichie.

[booklover6]

I am listening to "We Are Legion" (Bobiverse #1) by Dennis Taylor, narrated by Ray Porter (one of my favorites). So far, excellent!

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by issybird

*ETA: Oh, ugh, the only other book at my library I see by her is The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, which I loathed and abandoned in text. I was hoping for more Adichie.

Oh good -- I'm not the only one to loathe and abandon it.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by issybird

*ETA: Oh, ugh, the only other book at my library I see by her is The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, which I loathed and abandoned in text. I was hoping for more Adichie.

I'm really confused. I thought was The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was by Alexander McCall Smith, or are you talking about the narrator Lisette Lecat, except you mention abandoning the text version?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by orlok

I'm really confused. I thought was The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was by Alexander McCall Smith, or are you talking about the narrator Lisette Lecat, except you mention abandoning the text version?

I abandoned the text version when I tried to read it for the book club last year, which is why I'm unhappy that it's the only other book I can find narrated by Lisette Lecat who I think is terrific.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by issybird

I abandoned the text version when I tried to read it for the book club last year, which is why I'm unhappy that it's the only other book I can find narrated by Lisette Lecat who I think is terrific.

Ah, I get it. I'm with you on the Ladies detective Agency - I didn't like it at all, and still can't understand the hype surrounding it.

[sakura-panda]

I just finished Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb, the last book of the Farseer Trilogy. I don't know yet if I want to go into the Liveship Traders books (I have plenty of credits) or if I want to get something different out of my backlog of books.

(I have been considering canceling my Audible subscription, but at times like this when I want to pick up a series, it's nice to be able to just grab them without having to consider my budget. On the other hand, I listen slow and the credits sometimes pile up!)

Having said all that, I think I will take a small break with a stand-alone backlog book -- Charlie Wilson's War by George Crile looks like a good one -- and then start on the Liveship Traders books after that.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by sakura-panda

I just finished[i] (I have been considering canceling my Audible subscription, but at times like this when I want to pick up a series, it's nice to be able to just grab them without having to consider my budget. On the other hand, I listen slow and the credits sometimes pile up!)

It hasn't happened lately, but in the past I have had credits pile up. When that happens I ask for a "break" (I can't remember exactly the phrase Audible uses) which I think lasts for 3 months and no credits or charges accrue, giving you a chance to catch up a bit. It's better than cancelling altogether, as I did once, because I then had to go through the hassle of signing up again later.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by orlok

It hasn't happened lately, but in the past I have had credits pile up. When that happens I ask for a "break" (I can't remember exactly the phrase Audible uses) which I think lasts for 3 months and no credits or charges accrue, giving you a chance to catch up a bit. It's better than cancelling altogether, as I did once, because I then had to go through the hassle of signing up again later.

They call it putting your account on hold, and the other advantage for your situation is that if you cancel outright, you lose your credits.
Another option is switching to "Listener Light" if they offer it to you. One of the reasons for paying for the $10/year "Listener Light" is that it preserves your credits.

ApK

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by orlok

It hasn't happened lately, but in the past I have had credits pile up. When that happens I ask for a "break" (I can't remember exactly the phrase Audible uses) which I think lasts for 3 months and no credits or charges accrue, giving you a chance to catch up a bit. It's better than cancelling altogether, as I did once, because I then had to go through the hassle of signing up again later.

I have two accounts, a regular account of 1 credit a month for my niece and nephew and my personal account, which is a grandfathered account where I don't get credits, but get a member's discount on the books I buy. My N&N account is up to 18 credits now. I pinged them before the renewal last month to see if they were still using it and they said they were. I think my nephew likes to use it for his summer reading list. If they don't use much this year, I'll probably cancel it. They are 16 now and aren't quite as into books as I was at their age. I wonder if there is some way to transfer credits between accounts.

I generally prefer the buy as I go, rather than the credits. I tend to buy in bunches and then go a few months without buying anything. I have a pretty big backlog at the moment. Right now, I'm going through Weber's Stars at War series and Feist's Riftwar books.

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by sakura-panda

I just finished Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb, the last book of the Farseer Trilogy. I don't know yet if I want to go into the Liveship Traders books ....

I was reading ebooks, not listening, but I couldn't get interested in the Liveship books (from the samples). So I stopped for a few years, and then learned that there was a new trilogy with Fitz and The Fool as stars. "The Tawny Man" trilogy. THAT was very good!!!

Of course, then you want to read the last trilogy too, "Fitz and the Fool" trilogy. The last one just came out May 2017. I read it this past fall.

It may be time to start at the beginning and do all 9 books all over again!

[Tarana]

First, I recently finished the audiobook "Elantris". It's been in my Audible account since about 2011 and I finally go to it. I regret waiting so long - wonderful fantasy, wonderful narrator! If you like fantasy, I think you will enjoy it.

I am currently alternating between a relisten of "Dead Until Dark" by Charlaine Harris and "Fire and Fury" by Michael Wolfe. Enjoying both books - both are well narrated.

I have that "We Are Legion" (Bobiverse #1) by Dennis Taylor, but haven't got to it yet. I also didn't much care for Ladies Detective Agency. I assumed it is because I don't like general fiction, because that is what this is. I listened to the audiobook for that - narrator was interesting, the stories were interesting, but the pace and order was aggravating.

[CRussel]

My opinion of the Bobiverse book was that it was OK for one book, but would pall for any more.

Currently listening to The Man of Property, the first of the Forsyte Saga book from John Galsworthy. Perfect reading for a long trip, and superbly read by David Case.