Audio books – I love them!

 

I love to sit back and enjoy a great book, but there are times when audio books come in handy.

I love audio books!  First of all, I can multitask.  Yes, I find myself doing things around my home while listening to an audio book.  I can cook, bake, garden, etc. while enjoying the words of my favorite authors. I feel total disconnected from the world around me once those headsets come on.

Secondly, some books are just amazing to listen to.  I admit I have read and reread Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture by Sylvain Reynard many times, but the audio versions are amazing.  There is something about listening to the intonation and the emotions of the characters as the book is being read to you.  The characters come alive.

 

 

Other books that I have read but loved even more after listening to the audio were Tangled by Emma Chase, Beautiful Bastard and Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

 

 

 

 

 

The two most recent books I listened to on audio were Sempre and Sempre Redemption by J.M. Darhower which I just finished last night.  These books top my list of favorites. Listening to the Italian words/the pronunciations, the language, and most importantly, the emotions was incredible.  If you are looking to start audio books, this is a series I highly recommend and will be reviewing real soon.

For me, audio books make stories come alive.  Whether you are listening at home, in your car, while walking your dog or folding your clothes, the experience is truly wonderful.

What are your thoughts on audio books?

Feel free to comment.

Happy Reading and Happy Listening!

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – Review

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

My Review

I recently listened to the audio version of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  Honestly, I didn’t really know what the book was about until I received the audio gift. I just knew that it was being turned into a movie and I was familiar with the author.  Let me just say, I really loved this book.  Audio books offer that extra sensory experience, the voice of the character or narrator, and I instantly loved this one. Listening to Hazel and her story was awesome.

This story follows the life of Hazel, a teenage cancer patient and her friends, also cancer patients.  I wasn’t too sure I wanted to continue listening to it because from the onset, learning that Hazel was a cancer patient made me sad and made me think of the worst.  I knew tears would be unavoidable. I continued listening and just couldn’t put my headphones away.  I spent my day, yes all day, listening to this story.  As I cleaned, did my groceries and even cooked dinner, I was totally into this audio book. I had to finish it in one day.

“Amazing” is the word I use to describe this book.  It is definitely a story that makes you look at your life through a brand new set of eyes.  I am a parent and I am blessed to have healthy children.  I don’t usually relate to how a parent with a sick child might feel or live their life.  This story opened my eyes to my own life.  It is a must read.

I actually recommend this book to teenagers/young adults because they often only focus on their own lives and their own problems which they think are too much to handle.  This fantastic story will also make young adults think and appreciate life.  Young adults will be able to relate with Hazel and Augustus perfectly.

Let me warn you, you will laugh and cry and along the way meet two of the most amazing brave teenagers I have ever met/read about.  You will learn about the importance of living your life to the fullest and enjoying every single moment.

There are so many things I would love to share but then I would be giving the story away.  I won’t do that.  You need to read this book!

If you haven’t read this book, or listened to it like I did, I highly recommend it.  The movie is set to release this summer.  I know I am looking forward to meeting Hazel and Augustus on the big screen.

I gave this book 5 stars!

 

Some of My Favorite Quotes

“Okay.”

“What a slut time is. She screws everybody.”

“The marks humans leave are too often scars.”

“That’s what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway.”

“The world in not a wish granting factory.”

“Maybe ‘okay’ will be our ‘always.”

“You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.”

 

Here’s the movie trailer.  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582846/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

About the Author

John Green

John Green’s first novel, Looking for Alaska, won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award presented by the American Library Association. His second novel, An Abundance of Katherines, was a 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His next novel, Paper Towns, is a New York Times bestseller and won the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best YA Mystery. In January 2012, his most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, was met with wide critical acclaim, unprecedented in Green’s career. The praise included rave reviews in Time Magazine and The New York Times, on NPR, and from award-winning author Markus Zusak. The book also topped the New York Times Children’s Paperback Bestseller list for several weeks. Green has also coauthored a book with David Levithan called Will Grayson, Will Grayson, published in 2010. The film rights for all his books, with the exception of Will Grayson Will Grayson, have been optioned to major Hollywood Studios.

In 2007, John and his brother Hank were the hosts of a popular internet blog, “Brotherhood 2.0,” where they discussed their lives, books and current events every day for a year except for weekends and holidays. They still keep a video blog, now called “The Vlog Brothers,” which can be found on theNerdfighters website.

Website: http://johngreenbooks.com/

Twitter:  @realjohngreen