Happy New Year Audiobook listeners, and welcome to the Best of 2013 Audiobook blog hop! All the blog hop participants will be highlighting their top 3 audiobook titles of the year, so it’s a great time to get some audiobook recs and enter to win some cool prizes. This event is brought to you by The Book Nympho, Hot Listens, and Geeky Bloggers Book Blog and runs from Jan 1 to Jan 15.
I listened to about 75 audiobooks in 2013, which is more than half of my reading total. Coming up with a Top 3 seems like an impossible task! I rated 11 audiobooks 5 stars in fact. Agh! So, know that I’m leaving some favorites off the list- but these are some of the audiobooks that made the biggest impression on me. (Click here for an expanded list of audiobook favorites)
FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell, performed by Rebecca Lowman, Maxwell Caulfield – Listening Library, September 2013, 12 hours, 48 minutes. As I said in my review, “The time flew by when I was listening to this audiobook.” Maxwell Caulfield performs the alternate fanfic story in the audiobook, while Rebecca Lowman performs a variety of different voices in the real world. It was a toss up between this and Rainbow’s other book Eleanor & Park, also performed by Lowman. You can’t go wrong with either. Take a listen at Audible.
ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes, performed by Susan Lyons, Anna Bentink,Steven Crossley, Alex Tregear, Andrew Wincott, Owen Lindsay – Penguin Audio, December 2012, 14 hours, 40 minutes. There are a lot of narrators listed for this title, but it’s a little misleading since Susan Lyons performs about 95% of this book. As I said in my review, “Susan Lyons does an outstanding job with the narration and kept me riveted to story. Her character voices and pacing are spot-on. This is a good introductory audiobook to try if you aren’t sold on them yet. I was hooked.” This is a powerful, heart wrenching book, and you’ll want to keep the tissues handy. Take a listen at Audible.
OUT OF THE EASY by Ruta Sepetys, performed by Lauren Fortgang – Penguin Audio, February 2013, 9 hours, 51 minutes. This was my first experience with narrator Lauren Fortgang, and as I said in my review, “Fortgang expertly conveys Josie’s tough yet vulnerable nature and puts a spicy, rich tone into her reading. The flavor of New Orleans comes through the audiobook and there’s a lot of attention to detail put into each character. In Fortgang’s hands the 1950 setting comes alive with personality. I do think the audiobook format gives the story that something extra and it’s a treat to listen to.” Take a listen at Audible.
Congrats to Alisa who won the giveaway! Thanks to everyone who participated and happy listening!
And there’s another awesome giveaway to enter! The blog hop organizers are giving away a grand prize of a 6 month, 1 credit, Audible subscription. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway ———-> here.
Be sure to visit all the blog hop participants (Felicia’s post has the master list) for audiobook suggestions and awesome giveaways.
Happy listening!
Very awesome giveaway honey, thanks! I can’t quite believe you’ve listened to so many audiobooks this year, that’s some routine! Well done. 🙂 I did manage to listen to Out of the Easy this year and I thought it was beautifully read. I also loved the reading of Kristin Cashore’s Bitterblue and Alex Woods Versus the Universe.
I am looking forward to finding a copy of FANGIRL as everyone is just gushing about it! Just Reading for Fun
What a huge cast on Me before You! I am going to have to listen to that 🙂
It’s a little deceiving because one narrator performs the lion’s share of the book. Definitely worth a listen though!
Me Before You looks like a must. I always look for Rainbow & Ruta’s books on audio. Out of the Easy was wonderful. Fangirl is the only one of hers I didn’t do on audio, because the ebook was on sale.
Hey gal, I want to follow you on Audible and can’t find you. Help me find you, so I can “like” the crap out of all your reviews.
I don’t think I posted my reviews on audible! 🙁 I’ll have to take some time to do that. I’m bad at remembering to cross post.
Although it didn’t make my top 3 (it was close, though!) I loved Eleanor & Park so Fangirl will be coming up shortly on my listen list.
I’m so excited about FanGirl! I’ve been wondering what Maxwell Caulfield has been doing since Grease 2 – I LOVED him there when I was 12ish
Haha me too! Caulfield has an important part in the book, you’ll see!
I listened to the first two and read the third one and thought they were all terrific. Thanks for the great giveaway! Happy New Year!
ahh awesome giveaway! Totally signing up!
Happy New Year to you! I blog hopped to your post and love your choices…. I keep hearing about FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell around the internet, so I’m going to have to add it to my reading wishlist!!
Please stop by and checkout my Best of 2013 Audiobook Blog Hop blog post:
http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2014/01/best-of-2013-audiobook-blog-hop.html
One the best thing about this hop is discovering new audiobook junkies!
Thank you so much for participating!
I will definitely be checking out your selections 🙂
Happy New Year!
Thank you for participating in this fun hop. I only listed to a few audiobooks last year, but one of my favorites was Janet Evanovich’s Explosive Eighteen. The narrator was great and the story hilarious, definitely worth a read or listen 🙂
I may listen to one of Rainbow Rowell books next. I’m not so sure about Me Before You because it’s a book that touches very close to home.
Out of the Easy sounds like something I would like.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m going to check out Out of the Easy. Thanks!
i’m finding so many new audios to try through this blog hop!
I downloaded Me Before You a while ago, and I’ve heard a lot of great reviews. I keep getting nervous to start it because I’ve been warned that it’s a pretty emotionally intense book. Showing up to work all puffy-eyed after an audiobook punches me in the feelings is always a little tricky!
Wow, my goal for next year is 25 and so 75 is a lot, you are def getting it in. You have a unique list these are all new to me authors.
Have add your books to my TBR pile
Hope my library gets them on audio