Comments on Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity: Some Sorta Mini Audiobook Thoughts

I read Before I Go To Sleep, but I love Orlagh Cas...

2012-01-17T20:23:33.366-06:00

I read Before I Go To Sleep, but I love Orlagh Cassidy, so I may have to give it listen.

I listened to Bill Bryson's Thunderbolt Kid and had a similar reaction to yours for At Home.

Loved Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, but can see how the audio might have been disappointing.

Glad to hear that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is good on audio. I was thinking about reading the book, but my mom says it could've been edited a bit, so maybe the audio is the way to go.

I just started Shelter Me by Juliette Fay and I'm not sure I care for the reader (Marguerite Gavin). I may give it up and move on to The Marriage Plot. I've never listened to the reader for that one, either. It's David Pittu. Ever hear of him?

*Irene - Maybe reading Three Cups of Tea wo...

2012-01-09T18:42:03.634-06:00

*Irene - Maybe reading Three Cups of Tea would be better but listening I felt really disconnected from the story.

*Darlene - Before I Go to Sleep was definitely incredibly creepy and scary! I hope you like Crooked Letter--so many have really loved it so I'm sure you will too.

*Trish - I'm just getting into Bill Bryson but have his Walk in the Woods on my shelf. Look forward to it!

*Kristi - No, don't apologize for ridiculously long responses. ;) I'm just glad someone is reading my follow-up comments (I'm trying to be better, even if it takes me a few days). That's wonderful that your oldest has an interest in the Odyssey! But even more that your kids enjoy reading! So cool.

*Lisa - Definitely do Before I Go to Sleep on audio! It's not one that I'd pick up in paper, though I know many bloggers who've enjoyed it! My friend/coworker who read it with me said the writing was terrible. ;) I don't notice those things while listening.

*Amy - A friend suggested that I read Before I Go to Sleep (as a group read with her) and I hadn't heard of it then. Now it's popping up everywhere! Think I even heard something about a movie. Definitely a great one to experience on audio! I had really hoped to like Crooked Letter but think I was thrown for a loop with the subject matter. I do think it might have been better read. I've heard the star of the book is the writing but I have a hard time noticing writing when listening (if that makes sense)!

*Booksync - Orlagh Cassidy did a fantastic job of really becoming the character in the novel. Hope you enjoy! And I hope to listen to other Bill Bryson books!

*Samantha - I can't believe that I had never read an Agatha Christie novel before now! Need to try to listen to more.

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed Before I Go ...

2012-01-07T16:18:08.481-06:00

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed Before I Go To Sleep so much! And Then There Were None is one of my FAVORITE reads by Christie...so good!

I really like Orlagh Cassidy's narration so I ...

2012-01-07T10:46:25.247-06:00

I really like Orlagh Cassidy's narration so I have put Before I Go To Sleep on my " to listen" list. Bill Bryson's wry humor translates so well in audio. I haven't read or listened to At Home but have listened to many of his travel books and they are great!

I have been seeing a lot of reviews of Before I Go...

2012-01-07T10:08:25.777-06:00

I have been seeing a lot of reviews of Before I Go to Sleep recently. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have a hard copy of the book and hope to read it soon. I think, although, that it sounds like the type of book that would be wonderful to listen to. I'll have to remember this for future psychological thrillers.

I adore Bill Bryson and his books. I liked At Home but it wasn't among my favorites of his.

It seems like Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter gets better reviews when read rather than listened to. I'm sorry this one wasn't as good for you as it has been for other bloggers. But not every book works for all of us so No Worries!

I loved this post of mini-reviews, Great idea!

Sorry "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" d...

2012-01-06T16:50:42.752-06:00

Sorry "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" didn't work for you; I'm one of those who loved it. But it is gritty.

I'm going to have to pick up before "Before I Go To Sleep" on audio. Don't think I will get to it otherwise and it sounds like a good way to go that route with.

I agree, the Percy Jackson books don't have as...

2012-01-06T14:27:47.459-06:00

I agree, the Percy Jackson books don't have as much cross-over appeal as some other children's books. My kids were really excited when I started reading them the first one, and my oldest actually started reading ahead so it made it difficult for me to read it to both of my boys. We ended up moving on to another book then he never ended up finishing it. Ugh! We'll have start it again.

My oldest really enjoyed a children's version of The Odyssey that he read so I thought he would enjoy these. We'll see if I can convince him to get going on them again.

Sorry this response is ridiculously long!

I love Bill Bryson! He could write about anything ...

2012-01-06T13:55:23.217-06:00

I love Bill Bryson! He could write about anything and make it fun and interesting.

Well yo already know I really liked Before I Go to...

2012-01-06T10:03:21.523-06:00

Well yo already know I really liked Before I Go to Sleep. I thought it was great too and scary. I couldn't imagine that really happening. Sorry some of the others weren't great for you. I do have Crooked Letter in book form. So many have loved it. I hope I'll be one of them.

Happy New Year Trish and to Scott and little Elle too!

Wow that was a real clean up of reviews. I have t...

2012-01-05T21:07:13.773-06:00

Wow that was a real clean up of reviews. I have to agree with you on Three cups of tea, just couldn't get into it. Your others sound pretty good though. Thanks

*JoAnn - I feel terrible that I didn't ...

2012-01-05T19:51:57.909-06:00

*JoAnn - I feel terrible that I didn't like CLCL more--feel like I missed something! But glad so many others enjoyed it. And good plan for At Home--it's the perfect read/listen book.

*Bermuda - I hope you enjoy Before I go to Sleep. It was great on audio!

*Peppermint PhD - There are lots of mixed reviews for Crooked Letter but seems most really love it. I hope that you're in that category!!

*dog eared copy - Yes yes yes, I absolutely agree with everything that you say about Crooked Letter!! And Franklin does such a beautiful job of painting atmosphere in the book. But I guess I was expecting too much? :( Maybe it was one best read than listened to (for me).

*Pax - Glad to know about the rest of Percy Jackson! I think my library has all on audio so eventually I'll get to them. Just not in a hurry!

*Kailana - That's how I feel about the Percy Jackson books, too. Enjoyable but I probably won't miss them if I don't finish.

*Nomadreader - I agree with you Carrie--for some reason non-fiction works best for me as well. I would recommend Unbroken and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for two starters. And At Home.

*One Experience - I look forward to reading more Bryson in the future! And not sure what it was about Three Cups. Just didn't find myself terribly invested in the story. Hope you enjoy it more!

*Laura - There has been MUCH raving over Crooked Letter so you never know. It didn't work for me but I feel like I'm the only one. And I know what you mean about the reviews. I don't mind writing the longer book reviews but I don't like reading them either. ;) Actually these days I skip most of them from other people!

*Heather - Before I Go to Sleep was intense huh? I really enjoyed watching the story unfold! Glad you enjoyed it too.

*Kristi - I kind of feel like the Percy Jackson books really are targeted for the younger audience without much consideration for an older audience reading? Do your kids like them?

*Trisha - I know you don't like audio, but it was great listening to! My friend read it at the same time and wasn't thrilled with the writing but I don't notice crappy writing on audio. ;)

Before I Go to Sleep is on my to-read list, and no...

2012-01-05T19:41:28.078-06:00

Before I Go to Sleep is on my to-read list, and now you have me even more excited for it.

I bought the Percy Jackson series for my kids. I r...

2012-01-05T18:49:06.873-06:00

I bought the Percy Jackson series for my kids. I read the first one, and while I enjoyed it, I haven't really felt an urgency to get to the rest. I probably will some day.

I really loved Before I Go to Sleep and I've b...

2012-01-05T14:24:03.228-06:00

I really loved Before I Go to Sleep and I've been meaning to read Bill Bryson basically forever. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on these!

I've had Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter on my ...

2012-01-05T13:59:46.856-06:00

I've had Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter on my list for a long time, but now maybe I'm not so sure...Before I Go to Sleep sounds very intriguing though! I haven't heard of it before, but I might need to see if my library has it! I like the little reviews of each book. Consise. I LOVE your rambly posts, but for book reviews these days, I like the shorter ones. Think my attention span is starting to mimic Emily's. Uh oh.

The Bill Bryson book sounds interesting, even read...

2012-01-05T13:43:00.251-06:00

The Bill Bryson book sounds interesting, even read a few others of him and I like his style.
I have Three Cups of Tea on my TBR shelf but haven't read it until now. So you didn't like it? Hmm...

I really enjoyed Before I Go to Sleep. I'm try...

2012-01-05T11:58:51.701-06:00

I really enjoyed Before I Go to Sleep. I'm trying to embrace audio, which is hard for me, but I think non-fiction would work better. I'm intrigued by At Home, as it sounds fascinating, but I doubt I'll ever actually get to it in print.

I read the first Percy Jackson but I have never re...

2012-01-05T11:35:04.539-06:00

I read the first Percy Jackson but I have never read on. It wasn't even that I didn't enjoy the first book, but basically it is not a series I feel I have to know what happens next. If I read on, I read on...

FYI, via Percy Jackson, I understand your reluctan...

2012-01-05T10:21:03.474-06:00

FYI, via Percy Jackson, I understand your reluctance to continue. I read the series a few years ago and I stopped for a while after book 2 because I thought it got a little boring and ho-hum. However, books 3-5 are amazing. It's the buildup to the giant War of the Gods at the end.

Just to let ya know. ;-)

Pax

I listened to Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and a...

2012-01-05T09:10:40.305-06:00

I listened to Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and apparently liked it better than you did :-) I liked it because it wasn't a mystery in the expected police procedural format; but a peeling back of layers to get at the truth; and that the characters were morally complex/human/multi-dimensional as opposed to being static "black hat vs white hat" types. I also thought Kevin Kenerly did an amazing job of handling the character voices and the overall narrative. If I have one quibble, it is with "the heart attack": it seemed like a misleading and superfluous scene, perhaps one that was supposed to lead somewhere else but ultimately was edited out.

Before I Go to Sleep sounds really good...I'm ...

2012-01-05T09:08:05.918-06:00

Before I Go to Sleep sounds really good...I'm adding it to my WishList. I'm from Mississippi and I'm already hard on those who try on the dialect, so I'll be reading the hardback version of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter...it's already on my TBR shelves...I've read mixed reviews about it.

I really want to read Before I go to Sleep. I rea...

2012-01-05T08:23:43.483-06:00

I really want to read Before I go to Sleep.

I read Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter with my book club and we all thought it was great. Most of us are from the South - one is from Mississippi & one is from Alabama - and we all felt like the dialect was a little off.

Before I Go to Sleep is now on my audible.com wish...

2012-01-05T07:55:06.963-06:00

Before I Go to Sleep is now on my audible.com wish list! Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter was a favorite last year, sorry you didn't enjoy it quite as much.

My plan was to listen to At Home, but I picked up an inexpensive paperback copy instead. Still think it might be a good combination read/listen.

*Debi - Maybe try the first one on audio? I...

2012-01-05T07:51:30.171-06:00

*Debi - Maybe try the first one on audio? It took a really long time for me to enjoy listening to audiobooks and there are some that I still find don't work for me. I've been trying to get through Good Omens by Gaiman and Pratchett, but I think print might be the way to go on that one.

*Amanda - Yes, I agree that the Percy Jackson books don't seem to be quite as universal as some of the other series. I enjoyed them but only peripherally.

*Meghan - I hope that you enjoy At Home. I didn't realize how long it was until I looked up the page numbers last night. Beast of a book!! It is FASCINATING but definitely a TON of information. ;)

I feel similar to you on the Percy Jackson books. ...

2012-01-05T07:29:02.784-06:00

I feel similar to you on the Percy Jackson books. I read three, but mainly because I got the trilogy as a gift - I've never felt insanely compelled to read the remainder, although I know I wouldn't mind if I did.

As for AT HOME, that one's waiting on my shelf. I'm saving it for a time when I'm prepared for my mind to be filled with information as you said!

Meghan @ Medieval Bookworm