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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I’ve listened to three or four David Sedaris audiobooks now. This one wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t my least favorite either. That being said, it was very funny and entertaining as always. This collection of stories made me think more than others have in the past, so that was nice.
Sedaris has an uncanny way of making the every day boring stuff sound hilarious because of the way he interprets it in his mind and because of the way he says things the people. You know how stuff sounds better in your head, but you say it anyway and then people look at you like you have a third eye and webbed feet? That’s half of his humor. I love it.
I recommend Diabetes with Owls to any Sedaris fan, new or old. If you’ve never listened to him before, I recommend Live for your Listening Pleasure to get an overview of his best.
Sedaris has an uncanny way of making the every day boring stuff sound hilarious because of the way he interprets it in his mind and because of the way he says things the people. You know how stuff sounds better in your head, but you say it anyway and then people look at you like you have a third eye and webbed feet? That’s half of his humor. I love it.
I recommend Diabetes with Owls to any Sedaris fan, new or old. If you’ve never listened to him before, I recommend Live for your Listening Pleasure to get an overview of his best.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated How to Twist a Dragon's Tale in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I am a huge fan of Cressida Cowell. She's on my Author Watch list! I think she's brilliant. This is the fifth book in the How To Train Your Dragon series, and it was just as clever and hilarious as the other ones. The writing is an interesting combination of poetic and satirical, with just a twinge of sarcasm. The characters are so full of life that I feel like they're my friends. The funny parts are hilarious, and the dramatic parts literally sent shivers down my spine. Only Cressida Cowell can make a fart joke and then make you want to cry two seconds later. Also. The audiobooks are narrated by David Tennant. So there's that. If you haven't listened or read them yet, do so immediately. I guarantee you'll want to be a viking within the first chapter. Appropriate for all ages - See more at: http://www.thelifeandlies.com/2016/07/book-review-how-to-twist-dragons-tail.html#sthash.sjH1e1ur.dpuf
Liliannar (58 KP) rated Audible – audio books, original series & podcasts in Apps
Jun 4, 2018
Intuitive interface (2 more)
Easy to use
Excellent Amazon Customer Service
Excellent way to enjoy books!
I've been using the Audible app for a little over 5 years now and I absolutely love it. It's equally easy to use on iPad and Android devices. The quality of the audiobooks available can't be beat, and the interface is incredibly easy to use. I would absolutely recommend the app to anyone who enjoys listening to audio books.
The one major downside of Audible is the subscription / credit system used to purchase the books. Books can be purchased outright or purchased through a monthly subscription system. I personally use the subscription that gives me 1 credit per month for $14/month. It can be expensive, but it's worth it if you enjoy listening to books while in the car or on the go. It's also a great way to multi-task. I love listening to books while I work on projects that keep my hands busy.
The one major downside of Audible is the subscription / credit system used to purchase the books. Books can be purchased outright or purchased through a monthly subscription system. I personally use the subscription that gives me 1 credit per month for $14/month. It can be expensive, but it's worth it if you enjoy listening to books while in the car or on the go. It's also a great way to multi-task. I love listening to books while I work on projects that keep my hands busy.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Kindle Oasis in Tech
Nov 4, 2019 (Updated Nov 4, 2019)
Superb reading experience
This is the ultimate top of the range in kindle e readers and reading on it is a great experience. Considering I have owned every version of their e-ink readers, I can easily compare.
The e-ink on this is perfect. You can turn pages by screen touch or buttons on the side. This is the first kindle reader to auto rotate, which makes the page turner buttons work however you hold it. It is waterproof and I’ve used it in the pool and in the bath. It has Bluetooth capability and so I listen to my audiobooks on it as well as reading ebooks.
The only disadvantages are the battery drains quicker than the paperwhite, but you just get used to charging more often, about once a week for me but I am a daily avid reader. The price point is also pretty high.
All that said, I love it and I’m pleased with it still two years down the line.
The e-ink on this is perfect. You can turn pages by screen touch or buttons on the side. This is the first kindle reader to auto rotate, which makes the page turner buttons work however you hold it. It is waterproof and I’ve used it in the pool and in the bath. It has Bluetooth capability and so I listen to my audiobooks on it as well as reading ebooks.
The only disadvantages are the battery drains quicker than the paperwhite, but you just get used to charging more often, about once a week for me but I am a daily avid reader. The price point is also pretty high.
All that said, I love it and I’m pleased with it still two years down the line.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Audible – audio books, original series & podcasts in Apps
Nov 2, 2017 (Updated Nov 2, 2017)
Yay to content, nay to app
I'm torn between giving this a good rating for its content and a bad rating for the app itself, which is the worst on my phone.
Audible itself, is an absolutely brilliant service for those who listen to a lot of audiobooks. For one, the collection is mammoth, much more than Kobo and Scribd. And while one credit doesn't seem like much per month for a book, the daily deals are pretty great and reasonably priced. As a result, I'm able to read two books simultaneously, as well as multitask while listening.
The app on the other hand, is the bane of my existence. While you want to look at your stats as it collects the number of hours you listen to per day, if you pause it for a second, it resets to zero. This is for Android in particular. The bugs are a serious problem, which is why I've complained to Amazon several times about this to no avail. So content yes, app itself no.
Audible itself, is an absolutely brilliant service for those who listen to a lot of audiobooks. For one, the collection is mammoth, much more than Kobo and Scribd. And while one credit doesn't seem like much per month for a book, the daily deals are pretty great and reasonably priced. As a result, I'm able to read two books simultaneously, as well as multitask while listening.
The app on the other hand, is the bane of my existence. While you want to look at your stats as it collects the number of hours you listen to per day, if you pause it for a second, it resets to zero. This is for Android in particular. The bugs are a serious problem, which is why I've complained to Amazon several times about this to no avail. So content yes, app itself no.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Warlords and Wastrels (The Duellists Trilogy #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
This series was a great start that kind of had a dead point in the middle, then got really good again with this third book, then the last little bit was kind of a let-down. The book itself, the plot, the twists and surprises, the murder, it was all great. But the ending and how it finished was very unsatisfactory. It felt like it came out of nowhere. It made some big changes to the characters lives. I feel like if you’re going to make a big change, you need to hint at it, leave some little for-shadowing clues in the body of the work, etc. Don’t just throw someting at me at the last page. That was the only part of the book I didn’t like.
All in all it was a good conclusion and a nice finish to a fun and exciting story. Not a Joe Abercrombie or a James Patterson or a Gail Carriger, but still fun and lots of swordfights. And we all know swordfights are really the only reason I listen to audiobooks.
All in all it was a good conclusion and a nice finish to a fun and exciting story. Not a Joe Abercrombie or a James Patterson or a Gail Carriger, but still fun and lots of swordfights. And we all know swordfights are really the only reason I listen to audiobooks.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Raven Boys in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I don't really like <i>The Raven Boys</i>. I don't really see the "why" in the hype, and I feel completely indifferent towards everything Maggie Stiefvater offered in this first book of the series.
Or maybe, just maybe, like some books, Stiefvater just had the unfortunate timing to be listened to when I'm not exactly in the mood to read.
It's also when I pull off a really cheap Sophia move. Behold – the list of whatnots about <i>The Raven Boys</i>, or just a summary of my thoughts in the process of listening to Will Patton reading this.
<ol>
<li>Blue has always been warned that if she kiss her true love, she'll cause her true love to die. Sadistic as it is, I like that concept. I <em>really</em> like that concept.</li>
<li>It's official: I like it when audiobooks have music.</li>
<li>What kind of name is Blue? I'm a little perplexed, but since it's unique, I'll let it go.</li>
<li>Gansey seemed far too absorbed in the ley line for a good part of the book – he's as bad as David, I'll tell you that right now (just without the whole metaphors thing).</li>
<li>In sync with number four, I don't get the entire point of <em>why</em> they're looking for this watchamawho of a Welsh King. I mean, I probably do, but...</li>
<li>Cringe-worthy as it sounded, I secretly liked that whole, "I... I'm... I'm very young." part.</li>
<li>Why are The Raven Boys called "The Raven Boys?" I'm not sure I caught that. Do they have an obsession with ravens? Is it really because of that pet raven Ronan has (I assume)? Who's willing to tell me this?</li>
<li>I don't really understand that cliffhanger. I know <em>who</em> Stiefvater is talking about, but I don't <em>understand</em>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Fun fact:</b> Will Patton reads the audiobooks for the entire series (from what I've seen). YAY! That doesn't mean I like him, but it's consistency. I applaud consistency.
And the final question: Should I continue reading the series? (Lupe: NO. READ SILVER SHADOWS FIRST. >_<)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-the-raven-boys-by-maggie-stiefvater/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Or maybe, just maybe, like some books, Stiefvater just had the unfortunate timing to be listened to when I'm not exactly in the mood to read.
It's also when I pull off a really cheap Sophia move. Behold – the list of whatnots about <i>The Raven Boys</i>, or just a summary of my thoughts in the process of listening to Will Patton reading this.
<ol>
<li>Blue has always been warned that if she kiss her true love, she'll cause her true love to die. Sadistic as it is, I like that concept. I <em>really</em> like that concept.</li>
<li>It's official: I like it when audiobooks have music.</li>
<li>What kind of name is Blue? I'm a little perplexed, but since it's unique, I'll let it go.</li>
<li>Gansey seemed far too absorbed in the ley line for a good part of the book – he's as bad as David, I'll tell you that right now (just without the whole metaphors thing).</li>
<li>In sync with number four, I don't get the entire point of <em>why</em> they're looking for this watchamawho of a Welsh King. I mean, I probably do, but...</li>
<li>Cringe-worthy as it sounded, I secretly liked that whole, "I... I'm... I'm very young." part.</li>
<li>Why are The Raven Boys called "The Raven Boys?" I'm not sure I caught that. Do they have an obsession with ravens? Is it really because of that pet raven Ronan has (I assume)? Who's willing to tell me this?</li>
<li>I don't really understand that cliffhanger. I know <em>who</em> Stiefvater is talking about, but I don't <em>understand</em>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Fun fact:</b> Will Patton reads the audiobooks for the entire series (from what I've seen). YAY! That doesn't mean I like him, but it's consistency. I applaud consistency.
And the final question: Should I continue reading the series? (Lupe: NO. READ SILVER SHADOWS FIRST. >_<)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-the-raven-boys-by-maggie-stiefvater/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Accident in Books
May 10, 2018
Usually when I am listening to audiobooks I am also cleaning my house. It helps to make the task so much more enjoyable. Well, at one point while listening to this book, I had to stop what I was doing and listen very carefully. This book had more twists and turns than a roller coaster.
Glen Garber is a contractor in Milford, CT. He lives with his wife Sheila and their daughter Kelly. On a night when Sheila is supposed to be attending a business class, she ends up dead in the middle of the road from a drunk driving accident. This is so uncharacteristic of her, that at first Glen is very puzzled as to how this could happen. Then as the days and weeks go on and more people that are connected to his wife start dying, he starts to question if there aren't other factors that could have contributed to his wife's death.
Finding out who did this to his wife and his family, leads him on a wild goose chase all around the state and he finds out interesting information about his wife and her friends along the way. I didn't want to turn the iPod off while listening to this book. Definitely hard to put down.
Glen Garber is a contractor in Milford, CT. He lives with his wife Sheila and their daughter Kelly. On a night when Sheila is supposed to be attending a business class, she ends up dead in the middle of the road from a drunk driving accident. This is so uncharacteristic of her, that at first Glen is very puzzled as to how this could happen. Then as the days and weeks go on and more people that are connected to his wife start dying, he starts to question if there aren't other factors that could have contributed to his wife's death.
Finding out who did this to his wife and his family, leads him on a wild goose chase all around the state and he finds out interesting information about his wife and her friends along the way. I didn't want to turn the iPod off while listening to this book. Definitely hard to put down.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Girl Last Seen in Books
May 15, 2018
I like to listen to audiobooks while I game, which means I ended up reading Girl Last Seen by chance. It is the first book I’ve read by Nina Laurin and may very well be the last – harsh, I know. When I choose to read a thriller, suspense, or mystery book, I expect… well, the elements of those genres. Girl Last Seen was devoid of any excitement whatsoever and a bit too stereotypical for my taste.
Time and time again, I’ve made it clear that I hate slow plots. I want to feel urgency in a book, especially if it deals with a kidnapped child. In Girl Last Seen, the characters were underwhelming. It becomes obvious early on that things are going to go exactly the way the reader feels they are: girl disappears, guy everyone knows is at fault, oh dear god how can it possibly be. The main character is more unlikable than her own despicable mother, considering she’s drug addicted. There’s even a sex scene that’s a bit on the descriptive side thrown in for what feels like the hell of it. And that annoys me.
Fortunately, the narrator is an excellent choice and I would gladly listen to more books read by her.
Time and time again, I’ve made it clear that I hate slow plots. I want to feel urgency in a book, especially if it deals with a kidnapped child. In Girl Last Seen, the characters were underwhelming. It becomes obvious early on that things are going to go exactly the way the reader feels they are: girl disappears, guy everyone knows is at fault, oh dear god how can it possibly be. The main character is more unlikable than her own despicable mother, considering she’s drug addicted. There’s even a sex scene that’s a bit on the descriptive side thrown in for what feels like the hell of it. And that annoys me.
Fortunately, the narrator is an excellent choice and I would gladly listen to more books read by her.
ClareR (5542 KP) rated The Valkyrie in Books
May 30, 2023
What a fantastic book! Myth, strong women, magic - what’s not to like?!
I’ll own up now. This was a NetGalley book, and it kind of got left behind. So I listened to the audiobook on Xigxag audiobooks. And I’m SO glad that I did.it came to life for me, and where some reviews have said that they were sometimes a little confused as to whose chapter it was, either Brynhild the fallen Valkyrie or Gudrun, Princess of Burgundia, I had no such issue. The narrators, Eleanor Jackson and India Shaw-Smith WERE Brynhild and Gudrun. And they were both self-assured, strong leaders who would take no nonsense.
What did surprise me was how forgiving Brynhild was of Sigurd lies. If you already know the myth, then you’ll know! Otherwise, my lips are sealed, because you really have to read this for yourself!
Oh, and the Germanic history was the icing on the cake for me. And there’s loads of extra information about both the Norse mythology and the German history, both in relation to the book, on Kate Heartsfields website - chapter by chapter! I’ve had the BEST time on there!
So, yes, this is very much a recommended book!
I’ll own up now. This was a NetGalley book, and it kind of got left behind. So I listened to the audiobook on Xigxag audiobooks. And I’m SO glad that I did.it came to life for me, and where some reviews have said that they were sometimes a little confused as to whose chapter it was, either Brynhild the fallen Valkyrie or Gudrun, Princess of Burgundia, I had no such issue. The narrators, Eleanor Jackson and India Shaw-Smith WERE Brynhild and Gudrun. And they were both self-assured, strong leaders who would take no nonsense.
What did surprise me was how forgiving Brynhild was of Sigurd lies. If you already know the myth, then you’ll know! Otherwise, my lips are sealed, because you really have to read this for yourself!
Oh, and the Germanic history was the icing on the cake for me. And there’s loads of extra information about both the Norse mythology and the German history, both in relation to the book, on Kate Heartsfields website - chapter by chapter! I’ve had the BEST time on there!
So, yes, this is very much a recommended book!