Audiobooks: All Pros and No Cons (So Far)

So, I got into audiobooks in the beginning of 2024, and I am glad I did. It has opened my eyes up to a whole new format of enjoying something I already love and that is books!

I usually listen to audiobooks through Spotify, mainly since I already pay for a subscription, and have listened to a total of 28 audiobooks so far. I really enjoy the format for its accessibility and its atmosphere.

Now accessibility can mean a lot of things, but for me I would say in this sense it makes my spending on books more cost effective. I can always choose the audiobook option if I don't want to spend money on the physical copy. It has definitely helped me over the course of this past year as I have gotten more into the fantasy genre and have discovered some great fantasy audiobooks that have captured my attention. I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum for all books mentioned.

• These include:

  • The Foundryside Trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett (Foundryside, Shorefall, and Locklands)

    • The whole trilogy is narrated by Tara Sands, and I'm currently two thirds of the way done the series. The series follows Sancia, a thief who stumbles into a situation bigger than herself after she steals the wrong item from a noble house. Tara sands excels at bringing even the smallest characters to life. I really felt like I was there with Sancia as she is thrown into a situation beyond her control and how she manages to come out on top, at least until the end of Book 1. I have loved Books 1 and 2 so far despite those cliffhangers at the end. I really hope they can stick the landing and Book 3 will be just as good.

  • The Drowning Empire Trilogy by Andrea Stewart (Bone Shard Daughter, Bone Shard Emperor, and the Bone Shard War)

    • So, I started this series back in June in hopes to branch out and discover some great fantasy adventures. Andrea Stewart constantly was brought up so I decided to give it a shot, and I did not regret it. I have only read the first book so far, but I cannot wait to see where the characters go from here. The two standout characters for me were Lin and Jovis. I think I am more biased towards Jovis though as he has an animal that becomes his companion fairly early on during his chapters. His name is Meffy and he is this cat-otter hybrid creature, and he was a bright spot throughout a rather dark book. The magic system was also pretty unique as the power of the emperor stems from his control over these bone shards, which then powers all of these constructs that run the city for him. I cannot wait to start Book 2, but I will say if anything happens to Meffy I will riot!

• Some of my other favorite genres include mystery and horror books. Which also ties into the other reason I have really enjoyed audiobooks. That of course is atmosphere! Audiobooks are a perfect way to help build up atmospheric tension in these two genres on a different level compared to physical books. Here are some of my favorites that I have listened to so far.

  • Past Crimes by Jason Pinter

    • I love true crime documentaries so when I heard about this title, I thought the audiobook was going to be the better option to give me the most enjoyment. In this dystopian world, the natural world is decaying while everyone lives their lives online. True crime and artificial intelligence have come together to form another billion-dollar industry and that is where we meet the protagonist, Cassie. We follow her story as she works against a cutthroat CEO to clear her husband's name after he is blamed for a massive suicide event of a cult that has reemerged. This was an excellent read especially once I got into the theme park toward the end of the book, it truly felt like the Disneyland of Death. This was an awesome read and I could not recommend it more!

  • Mister Magic by Kiersten White

    • This was such a fascinating listen, this definitely falls into the horror genre so be warned. This story follows the story of five adults reunited for a reunion of an old television show they all acted in as children. The only problem is, they have no real memories of filming the show they just remember the name Mister Magic. This was such a chilling story, as we follow the main character Val as she and the others return and the mystery of the show and the town begins to unravel. I would say the most chilling scenes were set in the house, where the "reunion interviews" take place as the otherworldly force attempts to slowly get its claws back into the kids who got away so long ago. If you couldn't tell this book does have some sci-fi elements blended in and I think that's one of the things that made it stand out.

Hope everyone enjoyed the recommendations, feel free to drop any of your recommendations down below and stop by the Nest for some more awesome recs, reviews, and other ramblings. I'm off to get into my next audiobook, Razorblade Tears by S.A Cosby.