My New Favorite Thing

The title might be just a tiny misleading. This "new favorite thing" of mine is not actually new...as a matter of fact, it's very not new. I'm pretty sure they have existed for most of my life, though I don't think before I was born.

I'm talking about audiobooks. 

Now, if you clicked on this because I posted something on Facebook like "here's the book you should read next," then just hold on and be patient as I rhapsodize about audiobooks. I promise, there is some actually decent content...this time.

I know that audiobooks have been around forever. My mom used to check out the ones that came on cassette tapes from the library and listen to them on her way to work. We have some at school that are on CD, and Audible has been around for quite a few years. I know people who listen to audiobooks religiously. I am very well aware that they are not actually new...but they are new to me! 

About a month ago, Audible had a free month trial where you could download two free books and try it for a month. I downloaded Bossypants by Tina Fey because I had heard the audiobook was fantastic {and it totally is, but more on that later} and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins because it was in the "Popular Downloads" category and I had heard good things. 

Well, I am here to say that my life has been revolutionized! If you know me well, then you probably know that I like to be able to do multiple things at once--the whole reason I learned how to knit was to have something to do while watching TV. I like for my hands/body and my mind to be stimulated simultaneously. Before I downloaded Audible, I listened to the radio when I drove to work. And I am a notorious station-flipper. If I don't know a song or like the artist, then I flip through my presets. And if I can't find a song I want to listen to or at least some entertaining morning show talk, then I keep flipping. Sometimes I would flip stations the entire drive from Onarga to Thawville. I never find that relaxing.

But now! Dear readers, now even my boring driving time is productive! Instead of listening to the same five songs day-in and day-out, I am actually crossing items off my "To Read" list. Bossypants is an incredible way to start your audiobook adventure {really, any memoir read by the author would do}. Instead of just reading about Tina Fey's life, I was able to listen to Tina tell me stories about her life. Strange as it sounds, it is a completely different experience. I found myself laughing at things that might not have been funny if they had been read in my head. AND DID YOU ALSO KNOW THAT YOU CAN "RENT" AUDIOBOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY???? Not like in the past, but download them to your phone and return them when you are done. Yeah, I know! Amazing! I'm listening to Gone Girl right now.

Which brings me to my next point, and what possibly brought some of you here. After I finished Bossypants, I read/listened to The Girl on the Train. I have read many, many good things about this book in Entertainment Weekly, but {confession time} as much as I love to read {and I looooooooove to read}, I have never been a "New York Times Bestseller" reader, if that makes sense. I like to read what I like to read. I have my favorite authors and my favorite genres and when people make suggestions, I generally eventually read those books, but I'm definitely a creature of habit. So really I downloaded this, in very large part, because the movie comes out in October, and Luke Evans is in the movie {and I might have a thing for Luke Evans}. But this book?

Oh. My. Goodness.

First and foremost, I am so glad that I chose this as an audiobook. The book is told in three different points of view, and therefore is read by three different women, which really helped me keep track of the storylines. The writing style was amazing--Paula Hawkins is crazy talented. And the suspense! Oh my goodness, I was not expecting the big twist! Aaaaahhhh! I don't even know what all to say, except that everyone reading this needs to read this book, in whatever form you read! Seriously, I would drive around the section when I was on my way home, just to listen a little bit longer. I purposely would go out of my way while driving and volunteer to go run errands, just so I could listen to more {I do have one weird hang-up with audiobooks, and I only listen when I'm driving or walking outside...if I'm just sitting on the couch, I feel like I should be actually reading a physical book}. Some have said it is similar to Gone Girl, which I am currently listening to and have seen the movie-version. In the respect that it is a psychological thriller, yes it is, but there would be no getting them mixed up. The Girl on the Train is a completely different animal. I am ridiculously excited to go and see the movie when it comes out in two and a half weeks.

Until then, I will have to be content with just watching the trailer and listening to a different book. But you can watch the trailer with me!

Until next time, dear reader...

~Stay Gold!

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