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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J.K. Rowling | 1997 | Children, Young Adult (YA)
9.2 (174 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"The first book I ever really wanted to read on my own. I spent hours as a kid staring at different stuff in my room, trying to make something levitate. To this day, when most people would reference the Bible to make a point about morality or whatever, instead of Judas or Jesus, I’m more likely to bring up Snape or Sirius. When I miss home on tour and can’t get to sleep, I listen to the audiobooks. My inner monologue is narrated by Jim Dale."

Source
  
OverDrive: eBooks & audiobooks
OverDrive: eBooks & audiobooks
Book, Entertainment
9
8.2 (24 Ratings)
App Rating
I use this app to borrow audiobooks from the Austin Public Library. Ebooks are also available, but I can't get them transferred to my e-ink nook, so I tend to not borrow them. The only thing that bothers me, is that there are a limited about of audiobook copies that they can let at once. So, it takes forever for the popular books to be available. It also works really well with the bluetooth in my car, which is a relief because Audible is horrible with bluetooth.
  
Slade House
Slade House
David Mitchell | 2015 | Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
8.0 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Curiousity definitely killed the cat
I'm a bit sceptical when it comes to 'horror' audiobooks, however, I was pleasantly surprised by this creepy unnerving tale. With a great balance of fantastic dialogue and narration, the story was not overloaded with clichés and almost held all the way through. The narrators were fantastic, hearing a clear change between the numerous characters. As much as I enjoyed the book, it seem to lose the plot, so to speak, by the end, terminating abruptly. It would have been a full five stars otherwise.
  
ArtCurious Podcast
ArtCurious Podcast
Arts
10
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
I LOVE this podcast. I'm not a huge podcast listener, I prefer audiobooks.
I've always been interested in art, and took several classes during undergrad. I still kick myself for not going to grad school for art history truthfully.

Dascal is a Curator herself, and didn't always love art. Now, she presents interesting stories about works of art and artists that are appealing, even to the non-art lover. My favorite eps are about Van Gogh, and whether Sickert could possibly be Jack the Ripper.

I purchased her new book yesterday, and I can't wait to start reading.
  
Libby, by OverDrive
Libby, by OverDrive
Book, Entertainment
7
8.2 (26 Ratings)
App Rating
Great to place holds, see what's new and discover books (0 more)
Doesn't sync with eLibrary on desktop or have audiobook features for Apple Car Play (0 more)
Could be great!
I love finding ebooks on Libby and I typically place all 6 allowed holds for new and hot books. I have downloaded audiobooks, but I typically listen to these in the car, and its not compatible with Apple Car Play. So I have to use headphones...weird! And I wish my wishlists and markers would sync my account to the eLibrary site. The holds do, but that's all. I had a huge wishlist on the website but when I went to find a new book on Libby, my wish list was empty :(
  
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Smashbomb (4683 KP) created a post in Smashbomb Council

Jan 8, 2020  
SMASHBOMB UPDATE

Hey Influencers - we just wanted to share our recent updates to Smashbomb with you, since you all mean a lot to us :)

We've now updated our User Mentioning System so that the most relevant users and items will appear to you when you mention them on Smashbomb - so no more scrolling for people mentioning @Sarah ;)

And @Merissa - you can now add the ASIN numbers for AudioBooks - so we want to see all your faves on the platform!

We are always open to feedback and ideas so feel free to comment and let us know what you want to see next :)

The Smashbomb Team
  
Show all 5 comments.
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) Jan 8, 2020

Cheers guys. I would still love to be able to add DLC to video game items, similar to adding seasons to TV items :)

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Merissa (11612 KP) Jan 9, 2020

Excellent news! Thank you so much.

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1)
Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1)
Leigh Bardugo | 2012 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

"Since I started writing about politics full time (a terrible place to live!), I always, always, always have a fantasy novel queued up in my audiobooks app. I listen to snippets when I’m getting dressed or washing the dishes or driving, and I set the sleep timer for 15 minutes every night so I can fall asleep in a story, whether my husband likes it or not. Shadow and Bone—about a young woman who discovers remarkable powers in a world plagued by darkness—is a flawless escape: adventure, romance, a captivating magic system, and enough emotional complexity that it stays under your skin even when you’re back in the real world. "

Source
  
Nerve
Nerve
Jeanne Ryan | 2016 | Children
6
6.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The beauty of commuting to school: I CAN LISTEN TO ALL DA AUDIOBOOKS. (Even if it’s 15-20 minutes depending on morning traffic - not round trip.)
<h3><b>Storyline</b></h3>
<i>Nerve </i>is a book about dares. It is, essentially, <i>The Hunger Games: Dare Edition in the Modern World</i>.

Modern World meaning reality TV, where the world can watch players do said dares. Oh, and said reality TV show on the interwebs is called Nerve. The book follows Vee, who decides to give Nerve a try with a basic little dare that will land her spot in the semifinals.

Nerve has a cool concept - and I’ll admit that I decided to listen to the audiobook because there’s a psychological aspect to it I’d rather not talk of. (It’ll make me sound like I’m analyzing this for a research paper. Ew. No.)

My only problem is Nerve (the game) itself. Each dare as Vee and the other players get closer to the live finals is more daring than the one before. Each prize is bigger than the one before, with the grand prize varying from player to player. Each one more ridiculous in my opinion, because my brain facepalmed (I know brains can’t facepalm) so many times it wasn’t even funny.

Although I suppose if I got a full ride to a university, I would probably be very keen on taking the offer despite the risks of the dare. Psychology is an interesting thing.

But how does Nerve even get all that money, all those funds? I’m curious, but as I said, psychology is an interesting thing, and Jeanne Ryan does an interesting job exploring the psychological aspects involved.

Ugh. If I have to do a research paper for any psychology classes, <i>Nerve </i>is first on the blasted list to be picked apart page by page.
<h3><b>Narration</b></h3>
In my young experience of listening to audiobooks (assuming I’m blogging for the next few years, I’ll be getting those earful experiences), this is the first time I’ve heard Caitlin Davies perform.

Honestly? I can’t complain. Caitlin Davies is one of the few narrators I’ve heard about before I even started listening to audiobooks, and I’m just nodding along to everyone’s praise for her performances.

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<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/nerve-by-jeanne-ryan-audiobook-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
The Dispatcher
The Dispatcher
John Scalzi | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fantastic Narration
I got this book as part of the Audibles Free Monthly Originals program. I was extremely excited when I saw this novella on the list. I've always appreciated John Scalzi's writing so I was excited to try this book out. The narrator (Zachary Quinto) was phenomenal. I love listening to audiobooks because, in rare moments, the narrator brings the story to life. This is one of those moments. Zachary Quinto breathed life into this book, his voices and acting were fantastic!

The plot of this novella kept me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the blend of science fiction and realism. This book though science fiction felt real. I could see this take place in the future. It almost had an Altered Carbon feel to it in a way.
  
Wolfhound Century
Wolfhound Century
Peter Higgins | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
When I first started reading (well, listening) to this book, I got a little confused and disoriented. There were a lot of names and places that, although they were English, they weren’t words or names that I knew, so I had trouble keeping track of what was going on. Part of the problem was I listened to a chapter here, a chapter there. So I put it aside, listened to something else, and went back to it later when I had hours upon hours to invest into it.

Boy am I glad I listened to this story.

I cannot describe to you how beautiful this story was. It was exciting and nerve wracking and terrifying. It was totally new and different and unique from anything else I’ve ever read. It had a love story, but it was an epic love story, not a romance as defined by the modern-day genre. It was sweet and beautiful and enthralling. It’s fantasy, but it’s not “elves and dwarves and fairies” fantasy… it’s fantastical and imaginary and connected with nature, but there aren’t warlocks. Higgins has his own set of creatures, his own city and country, his own history, his own world, and I loved it (though I didn’t want to live there. Read the summary, you wouldn’t either). On top of that, the writing was descriptive and concrete, and I felt like I was a part of the world. I felt like I was Lom an Marucia and Raku (I have no idea how to spell their names because I listened to the audio). I seriously didn’t want it to end.

Man, it’s been a good year for audiobooks! Guys, get this one asap. Give it thirty minutes of your time, and you’ll be sucked in.

Neil Dickson, the narrator, was also wonderful. He’s done a few other audiobooks, including the dramatized edition of The Importance of Being Earnest, and James Patterson’s The Jester. I’m definitely going to keep my eyes open for other work he does.

Content/Recommendation: Some violence, darker themes. Ages 16+