Portobello Book Blog

How long have you been listening to audiobooks?

When my children were small, we used to help pass the time on long journeys with CD audiobooks from the library. Harry Potter narrated by Stephen Fry is still a favourite! I think I started listening just for myself about three years ago although I can’t remember why. Perhaps I was tempted by a free Audible offer.

When do you listen to audiobooks?

I listen if I am out walking, pottering about the garden or kitchen or when I’m driving. I can’t just sit and listen to an audiobook like I would sit and read a book. My mind would wander too much. I couldn’t listen as I was going to sleep as I’d miss too much and spend all my time trying to get back to the bit I remembered!

How do you listen – what app/device?

I’ve used Audiobooks.com and Audible before but mostly I use the Libby App which is free to use and linked to local libraries. You might not always get the most recent releases for a while but there is so much choice that it really doesn’t matter. I usually listen on my phone but occasionally on my laptop depending on how much concentration the task I am also doing needs.

Do you have a favourite narrator?

Oooh tricky but I think it has to be the fabulous Colleen Prendergast who narrates Milly Johnson’s books. She brings Milly Johnson’s characters to life and is fantastic at conveying the emotions of the books. Here Come the Girls is a particular favourite.

What was the last audiobook you finished?

The last audiobook I finished was A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly. I really enjoyed it. It tells the story of the Titanic disaster from the perspective of the captain of the Carpathia (read by Antony Ferguson) and of Kate Connolly, a third class Titanic passenger (read by Alana Kerr Collins). It draws on a lot of historical information from the time and weaves it into fiction.

What is your current listen?

I’m listening to Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce which I am loving. It’s narrated by Juliet Stephenson who is just brilliant at everything she does. I can almost visualise Miss Benson and Enid Pretty from the way she portrays them. I am cheering them on in their mission to find a golden beetle in New Caledonia.

What do you think you’ll listen to next?

I’m about to listen to something a bit different for a blogtour next month. It’s called Riverside and is written by Glenda Young. It’s described as a fourteen episode audio soap with lots of lovable characters. The narrator is Dave McLelland. It sounds like it will be a fun mix of community, secrets and romance.

Is there an audiobook you haven’t got on with?

I’m afraid I wasn’t a huge fan of The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley as I did not enjoy the narration at all. It sounded flat and stilted and didn’t bring the story to life for me. In fact, I eventually gave up and found a copy of the book to just read what would have been the last 90 minutes or so of narration. I notice there is now a new narrator (Tuppence Middleton) so I wonder if other listeners felt the same.

Having said that, it’s a very long book and I was engaged enough with the story to listen to about seventeen hours of it. I particularly enjoyed the historical love story. I think I would give at least the second book a go in physical form and see how I get on with that.

What’s your favourite audiobook so far this year?

I’m going to choose The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan for this one. The story of Kathleen heading off on a grand adventure in her 80s accompanied by young Martha was just a joy to follow. I also enjoyed the part of the story focussing on Liza, Kathleen’s daughter, who had a bit of an adventure of her own. Again, the narrator, Georgina Sutton, did a fantastic job of capturing the personalities of the three main characters.

What one audiobook would you recommend to a friend?

I’d definitely recommend The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary. Carrie Hope Fletcher reads the chapters from Tiffy’s point of view and Kawku Fortune reads Leon’s chapters. I loved the story of the unlikely flatmates forming a friendship without even having met. I am looking forward to watching the upcoming tv adaptation but admit to being a teensy bit disappointed that the narrators aren’t playing the characters on screen.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my thoughts on audiobooks and which ones I’ve been listening to recently. I really hope some of you would like to join in this booktag
and look forward to seeing your posts..