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bobblybear

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    Audible - is it worth it?

    in Audiobooks & eBooks

    Posted · Edited by bobblybear

    I'm toying with the idea of signing up to Audible, as I have a hour drive each way to work and often don't feel like listening to music.

     

    But, is it distracting to drive while listening to an audiobook? I imagine it's the same as listening to talkback on radio, but you're more likely to get 'drawn in'.

     

    Also, how would I listen while driving? Do I download the books to my phone and listen via Bluetooth? What about books I already own in Kindle version....can I buy the audible version at a reduced price? Does the £7.99/month fee mean I can download as many books as I want per month for no extra charge? 

     

    Sorry for all the questions, but the Audible site isn't very clear and I don't want to start a free trial unless I know what I'm actually doing. :blush:

     

    Edit: I found the Help section which answers most of my questions. So, the £7.99 gives you credit for one book a month? If I want to buy two books then the second one will be at full price (which isn't cheap!)? Do they still do Daily Deals, per the pinned thread?

    Madeleine's Book Log - ongoing

    in Book Blogs - Discuss your reading!

    Posted

    On 5/6/2018 at 1:01 PM, Madeleine said:

    In total agreement with you about "Pole Star", I did a lot of eye-rolling too!  I also loved Tenderness... but wasn't so keen on The Invisible Ones, her 2nd book ,have you read that one?

     

     

    Yeah, I've read The Invisible Ones but didn't find it nearly as good as The Tenderness of Wolves. :)

    Bobblybear's Book List - 2017

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

     

    We know immediately this story revolves around a death (possibly murder?) as that is the opener of the book. We are also told that this death involves a group of school mums. Little excerpts from these characters are given and we later realise that this is what they are telling journalists and detectives.

     

    The story is revealed slowly with more depth as you get further into the book. There were many twists and turns and it comes together brilliantly at the end. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

     

    5/6

     

     

    What Every Body Is Saying - Joe Navarro

     

    A very thorough book on body language. I haven't read other books on body language so can't compare as to how accurate, but it makes sense what the author is saying. Also he has plenty of experience from his years in the FBI, and backs up his ideas with real life examples which is always interesting.

     

    Recommended.

     

    4.5/6

     

     

    Christine - Stephen King

     

    Stephen King classic novel about a possessed 1950s Plymouth Fury and the boy who is reeled in by it. It's a bit dated, and perhaps rather bloated but I enjoyed it especially given that it is maybe 20 years since I last read it.

     

    I ended up buying the DVD shortly after reading it again. :D

     

    3.5/6

     

    The Host - Stephenie Meyer

     

    An alien species has taken over earth and are inhabiting humans, using them as hosts. But, of course a select group of humans are fighting back to rid earth of these parasites.

     

    Oh, this was utterly dire. Utterly! :dry: It started off interesting, but about half way through it devolved into a sappy and not very original romance. The females were portrayed as quivering flinching nervous wrecks who spent most of their time trembling with fear. But never mind, the men were there to protect them, comfort them and to carry them around!!:rolleyes: Honestly, the lead female character had legs of her own but she never got to use them because the men were always scooping her up to carry her around!!  It was embarrassingly daft. The characters were poorly written....the extent of descriptive writing was that their eyes were always “blazing” or “tightening”. It seemed like every couple of pages these descriptions were used. 

     

    Such a shame as it could have been an interesting story.

     

    Not recommended, and the kind of book I would have hurled against the wall in disgust if it hadn't been on my Kindle.:o

     

    1/6

     

     

    Claire's Book List 2018

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    On 4/2/2018 at 1:46 PM, chesilbeach said:

     I'd definitely recommend Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski, a book of physics in the everyday world, if you're looking for a female authors in the science world.

     

     

    I've just bought this - it's only £0.99 on Kindle. :)

     

    On 4/22/2018 at 9:59 AM, chesilbeach said:

    I've been putting off writing reviews for a couple of weeks because the next book on my list was The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy and I found it difficult to put into words my feelings.  I’d initially bought the book on sale on Kindle but when I started to read it, I kept finding my mind wandering, so I decided I’d try the audiobook instead but unfortunately that wasn’t much better either.  I found I couldn’t engage with the characters and kept losing track of where I was in the story and going back a few minutes (or more) and listening again.  I think it was because the writing felt like an external experience of what the characters were going through, instead of being there with them.  I felt a remoteness from the story that I couldn’t get over, and unfortunately, I only really kept going because it was on my Round Robin challenge list.

     

    I've heard so much about this book, and the general sense is that it is a book one must read, but I can't recall many people who have actually enjoyed it! I bought it last year, and I've toyed with the idea of reading it but keep putting it off in favour of something else. :wacko:

    Bobblybear's Book List - 2017

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Catch up time, with a few short reviews. :D

     

    The Machine That Changed The World - James Womack and Daniel Jones

     

    This is an extremely detailed look at the car manufacturing industry, starting from craft production and it's evolution to the current focus on lean manufacturing.

     

    The focus is on manufacturing concepts, which are of interest to me because of my job (but also because I find manufacturing itself quite interesting). It was very long and elaborate; the authors didn't leave any stone unturned. I have to say, some of the complexity 'spoiled' the book for me, as there was almost too much detail and I struggled with it.

     

    It's probably only for people with a niche interest, and is often touted as one of the best books about manufacturing.

     

    3.5/6

     

     

    How The Mind Works - Steven Pinker

     

    This book focuses on the computational theory of the mind, and how our intelligence developed and the factors that pushed us ahead.

     

    The first three chapters were a struggle as they were very heavy on theory and not applied to practical examples. But after that it got very interesting. Not an easy read though, and once I put it down I did struggle to pick it up again.

     

    3.5/6

     

     

    The Idiot Brain - Dean Burnett

     

    A very enlightening study into how our brain works and why it often acts in a manner which makes no sense. Overall a good read, but I did struggle with some chapters.

     

    Unfortunately I don't remember much else!

     

    3/6

     

    Maggot Moon - Sally Gardener

     

    This is a very dark book (took me by surprise!), marketed as for young adults but there is enough depth and seriousness to be enjoyed by adults ( this adult enjoyed it anyway!).

     

    The setting is dystopian England and our young protagonist is Standish, who slowly reveals this world they live in.

     

    The story is told in exactly 100 chapters. The main thread of the story is Standish's involvement in the Motherland's space race.

     

    A powerful read, with a brilliant but shocking ending.
     

    So highly recommended.

     

    5/6

     

     

     

    Raven's Reads

    in Book Blogs - Discuss your reading!

    Posted

    On 4/16/2018 at 1:14 PM, Raven said:

    For anyone who is interested, Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World is probably one of the best Haruki Murakami I've read!  I might get around to doing a review at some point but, you know, life etc.

     

    I've got this on my wishlist....just waiting for it to come down in price a bit. Glad you enjoyed it. Is it better than The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (my favourite)? 

    Madeleine's Book Log - ongoing

    in Book Blogs - Discuss your reading!

    Posted

    Nice reviews. :) I know what you mean about the sex scenes in Under A Pole Star; there were so many of them that eventually I was rolling my eyes, thinking 'Here we go again.' :rolleyes: It's a shame as it was so different from The Tenderness of Wolves, which I loved. Anyway, I never ended up finished Under A Pole Star as I had to return it to the library. I do have it on my Kindle though and I will probably finish it at some point. 

    Your Book Activity - May 2018

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    I am so behind on everything! We have just moved house and been without internet for about 2 weeks, so I have a lot of catching up to do. :lol: 

     

    I still have so many books to unpack (among other things to do) but have managed to get some reading done here and there.

     

    Recently I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which was just ok for me. I'm now reading The Spinster Wife by Christina McKenna and also A History of 20th Century Britain by Andrew Marr. Both are good but I feel like I need more time to concentrate on them. :huh: Hopefully things will settle down and I can visit here a bit more regularly. :)

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