Voices on the Road: Why I Love Audiobooks + My Favorite Audiobook Recommendations

Voices on the Road: Why I Love Audiobooks + My Favorite Audiobook Recommendations

Why I Love Audiobooks

Why do I love thee, audiobooks? The reasons outnumber the stars in the sky. Too dramatic? Probably, but who cares! Audiobooks make my long commute to work exciting, erasing the monotony of the striped asphalt and transporting me it to a vivid fantasy world or a small town far, far away. I can go anywhere I want for two and a half hours a day.

I recently took a new position within the non-profit law firm where I work, which meant a much longer driver to work. I have over an hour commute each way. My co-workers keep asking me with concerned looks on their faces, “How’s the commute going, Megan? Is it sucking the life out of you.” Clearly, they don’t know the magic of audiobooks because I can honestly say that I don’t mind it at all, thanks to audiobooks.

Audiobooks can even make cleaning your house more fun. Turn on an audiobook and vacuuming becomes a fencing battle. Dusting becomes a forensic investigation for fingerprints and DNA. I’ve even started turning on a good book while cooking!

My Favorite Audiobook Recommendations

These audiobooks are some of my favorite listening experiences, either because the narrator was so fantastic or the performance supplemented an already amazing novel.

Check out the audiobooks by clicking on the covers below:

Cover - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Cover - The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker You by Caroline Kepnes Cover - Monsters: A Love Story by Liz Kay I'm Thinking of Ending Things Reid Cover Delirium by Lauren Oliver  Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land

  • Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, narrated by Cathleen McCarron
    • Read My Review – Eleanor is painfully awkward and has nearly no social graces, but her shortcomings are endearing and over the course of the story you come to really like her. I loved Cathleen McCarron’s narration of this book. Part of the beauty of the audio was her deadpan delivery of Eleanor’s dialogue, as Eleanor didn’t mean for what she says to be funny, but it was. This book was delightful and one of my favorite books (and audiobooks) of the year.
  • The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker, narrated by Alex McKenna
    • Read My Review – Alex McKenna’s narration complemented this fantastic story so well. Mel Vaught and Sharon Kisses are two unforgettable characters. They’re obnoxious and boisterious and Alex’s fantastic performance brought those characteristics out, while showing the softer side of their friendship as well. I wasn’t expecting this book to hit me so hard emotionally but before I knew it I was feeling it.
  • Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land, narrated by Imogen Church
    • Read my Review – I just listened to this book recently and fell in love with Imogen Church’s performance as the vulnerable, abused daughter of a serial killer. Her delivery is both chilling and gripping and is sure to pull, even the novice audiobook listener. It’s such a great audiobook  (and book), I’d recommend it even if thrillers aren’t your thing.
  • You by Caroline Kepnes, narrated by Santino Fontana
    • Read My Review – This audiobook will go down in history as one of the greatest audiobooks ever. Santino Fontana should will all the awards. If I were to tell you all the things Joe Goldberg does in this book, you’d probably demand he be locked away forever, never to be seen again. But if you read (or listen) to Caroline Kepnes’s charismatic sociopath tell you about his journey to finding true love, you might think differently. Santino Fontana completely embodies all of Joe’s crazy while hitting the comedic beat in rhythm. I can’t recommend this audiobook enough. I laughed more in this book than most comedies.
  • On Dublin Street by Samantha Young, narrated by Paula Costello
    • Read My Review – If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you’ll know of my love affair with this book and the audiobook, specifically the narrator Paula Costello. This sexy romance between a girl haunted by her past and a possessive and sweet Scotsman is one of my favorites. Paula Costello’s Scottish accent is so great, and I get giddy every time I listen to it (and I’ve listened to it countless times). Paula is amazing! I would love it if she narrated more audiobooks. I’m dying here!
  • Monsters: A Love Story by Liz Kay, narrated by Allyson Ryan
    • Read My Review – This audiobook by debut novelist, Liz Kay, was something I picked up completely on a whim. I’m so glad I did because it’s another I’ve listened to so many times. It’s a love story between two people, you sometimes want to strangle but yet you root for them. We’re all screwed up and have our own issues and Tommy and Stacy embody those flaws. Allyson Ryan’s performance is effortless and easy to listen to; I really enjoyed it.
  • I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid, narrated by Candace Thaxton
    • Read My Review – I’m Thinking of Ending Things was one of my favorite books of 2016. The writing is introspective and demands you ask yourself some hard questions. I was immediately enamored with the story. I read the book first and then listened to the audiobook, which adds another layer to this chilling story. From the opening lines spoken by one of my favorite lingers I was hooked, “I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.”
  • Delirium by Lauren Oliver, narrated by Sarah Drew
    • Read My Review – Some of you might be familiar with Sarah Drew from her portrayal of Dr. April Kepner on Grey’s Anatomy. But since I got way behind on that show, I became acquainted with her voice through Lauren Oliver’s audiobooks. First, in her Delirium trilogy and then Before I Fall. It was her striking portrayal of Lena in Delirium that had me hooked. There is a scene in Delirium where Alex is telling Lena how he feels for the first that. Sarah Drew’s delivery in that scene, Alex reading forbidden poetry had me almost in tears. That scene was pregnant with so much emotion; I couldn’t handle it. “I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.”

My Quick Narrator Favorites

Check out the other blog tour stops:

Check out other stops on the tour by clicking here! Thanks to the Audio Publishers Association for having me on the Voices on the Road Blog Tour.

HUGE AUDIOBOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Details:

I’ve partnered with the Audiobook Publishers Association to bring you an AWESOME giveaway. One of you will win TEN (10) audiobooks donated to the Audio Publishers Association from various publishers, including Galaxy Press, Hachette Audio, Harper Audio, High Bridge Audio, Macmillan, Penguin Random House Audio, and Post Hypnotic Press, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Audio, and Tantor Audio!

Open to U.S. and Canada residents.
Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years old to enter. By entering you agree to these terms & conditions. Giveaway ends on 11:59pm CST on 11/11/2017.

 

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