14 Reasons why the AUDIOBOOK was better

Was the book better? 

14 Reasons why the AUDIOBOOK was better than the book!

I lost count of how many movies I have watched and discussed with my friends and in the end we all agreed that the book was better.  Except, lately, I have noticed a new trend, one that involves audiobooks, when the Audiobook happens to be BETTER!

How is that even possible?

It's still the same book...you might be thinking.

Well, as it turns out, a narrator can really make all the difference, therefore, I do believe some books are made to be listened to.  To prove my point, I put together a list of 14 audiobooks where the narrators completely made the stories come alive, but don't just take my word for it, try it for yourself and let me know what you think!


🎧 A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult,  Narrated by Bahni Turpin
   A normal day at a women’s reproductive health services clinic turned into a hostage situation.  A police negotiator trying to do his job even when he finds out his 15 year-old daughter is inside the clinic.   The story is told in a reverse chronological order, so the first chapter is the end of the hostage negotiation with a cliffhanger, which then develops into the paths each character took that brought them to that specific situation. Brilliant!

🎧 Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Narrated by Kim Mai Guest, Johnathan McClain, Candice Moll, Lincoln Hoppe, Steve West, Erin Spencer, Jonathan Todd Ross and Donabella Mortel.
   A squad of misfits. A girl frozen in space over 200 years.  An ordinary mission turned into an intergalactic heist, filled with action, sarcasm, and the possibility of inter-species love…
If you ever wished you could combine Star Trek with a sparkle of Guardians of the Galaxy, look no further.
  Multiple narrators give each character a distinct voice easy for the listener to catch up with the different POVs.


🎧 Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, Narrated by Bahni Turpin
     A phenomenal plot. A mission to bring back magic.  Adeyemi delivered a well-crafted, action-packed story, which combined by the talented narrator, keeps you wanting more.


🎧 Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce, Narrated by Anna Popplewell
    By combining humor with the voice of the young Emmy, Pearce's novel showed us how people had to carry on with their lives and find hope in the midst of war. A perfect bookclub read and a delightful audiobook.


🎧 Frankly in Love by David Yoon, Narrated by Raymond J. Lee
    Frankly in Love was such a memorable audiobook! I fell in love with it.  I laughed out loud with it.
It deserves a place on my TOP 10 YA books of all time shelf!!!


🎧 A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, Narrated by George Newbern
    Different people had recommended this audiobook to me but I didn't think I would like a book about a grumpy old man that no longer wants to live because his wife passed away.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I was WRONG!
I adored this book ! I laughed out loud while driving to work and I also cried one night in my kitchen while cooking dinner...


🎧 One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus, Narrated Kim Mai Guest, MacLeod Andrews, Shannon McManus and Robbie Daymond.
    If you like thrillers, mystery and teen drama, get this one. You won't be disappointed.
You get into the detective mode from the start, and throughout the book I had different opinions about who killed Simon. The author did a great job at throwing clues and lots of secrets that could turn any one of them into a possible murder.  Excellent job with multiple narrators!


🎧 Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Narrated by the author
   I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman's books.  Neverwhere is the old tale of an outsider who becomes an unlikely hero, meets the heroine who has very little chance to succeed, and makes the reader root for both of them!  Narrated by none other than Gaiman himself, it's a treasure!


🎧 Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, Narrated by Shvorne Marks
   I loved Queenie!  It was funny and quirky, while also touching trauma, family drama and the stigma that comes with mental health.  The narrator did such an incredible job with the different accents 🖤


🎧 Recursion by Blake Crouch , Narrated by Jon Lindstrom and Abby Craden
   I’m a sci-fi fan and even though the whole concept of time-travel has been explored in a lot of books and movies, Crouch was able to explore a new angle, one that merged actual scientific advances into a fictitious reality that might not be too far from the near future.
The narrative is fast-paced, leaving the reader with no time to think twice going thru chapters.  To make it even more interesting, there’s also a love story.


🎧 Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson, Narrated by the author
   "Searing and soul-searching, this important memoir is a denouncement of our society's failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #metoo and #timesup, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts. Shout speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice-- and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore." (from Goodreads). 

🎧 The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty, Narrated by Caroline Lee
    Liane Moriarty's writing is exceptional and the audiobook narrator, Caroline Lee, did an incredible job bringing the characters to life!
This novel is full of "what ifs" situations and it really makes us think about all the possibilities and consequences of the choices we make. How far would you go to protect a loved one? Can you forgive a mistake from over 20 years ago?


🎧 The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce, Narrated by Steven Hartley
   The Music Shop is a nostalgic homage not just to vinyl lovers in general, but to a time when record stores were a place where one could go and talk about their love of music…it deserves to be heard.

🎧 The Outsider by Stephen King, narrated by Will Patton
    A gruesome crime. Witnesses and evidence that pointed out to a specific suspect. But could the suspect be in two places at the same time? Could anyone? It was a crime story and it was SO good.