Hey There! So I’ve been continuing to listen to audiobooks while driving, cooking, fixing my dogs food (I know, that sounds pretty boujie) and whenever I feel like giving my eyes a bit of a break from whatever I am physically reading. The last post that I did about audiobooks mostly featured adult romances (which I still very much so love to listen to) but this one will have a bit of a mix of Young Adult books I’ve listened to.
The Sunbearer Trials by Aidan Thomas: If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know that I love Fantasy and when you add in mythology-inspired then its like winning the lotto for me. This book definitely hit the mark for me. I talked about it a lot after I listened to the ALC because from start to finish, I was invested. I loved how the narrator both narrated Teo’s voice but also the other character’s voices (especially his best friend). I wasn’t bored for one moment and wanted to know what was going to happen next (no, I didn’t speed it up to try to get to it faster, in case you are wondering). If I wasn’t often times driving or walking while listening, I would’ve been at the edge of my seat during the trial scenes. The banter was also really great and I laughed quite often. I also really appreciated the growth that Teo experienced, even though he was really put through the ringer. I’m really excited for the next book because while the end wasn’t the most intense of cliff hangers, we still ended in a sort of limbo *sigh*!
The Keeper Of Night & The Empress Of Time by Kylie Lee Baker: This is an incredible duology. I listened to The Keeper Of Night in order to get ready to read the E-ARC of The Empress Of Time and the narrator really does a phenomenal job. I could seriously listen to her talk/read all day long because her voice has this resonate quality to it. She read both audiobooks so I kind of knew what I would get in terms of vocal performance but I wasn’t ever bored of her voice or the story when I got to TEOT. I read the E-ARC first and while I was in the middle of reading it, I got approved for the ALC so I did an audio re-read. While I knew what happened in the story, it’s was almost like experiencing it for the first time and I appreciate that as someone who is really not much of a re-reader. As a heads up, TEOT picks up 10 years after the end of TKON but it isn’t disconnected from the first book at all. You also get to meet a bunch of new characters while seeing some old ones. It’s truly a journey and I loved every moment of it, even the points that made me flinch (TW: violence & xenophobia).
We Are The Scribes by Randi Pink: This was a book that sold me by its beautiful cover but the story definitely affirmed what I felt would be a great one. It combines the past with the present along with grief and joy beautifully; it also made political commentary digestible (it’s not a huge amount but it is apart of the narrative due to the MC’s parent’s professions & pasts). There is also a different take on paranormal influence in how the spirit reaches out to the main character, which I liked (you have to read in order to find out how that is). The narrator did a great job with this story and giving the characters varying voices. I did wish that they had another narrator for the secondary voice in the story so it really denotes that characters age and the levity of what they are saying as well as differentiates them. Other than that, this would be a great book to add to a social studies unit along side books like Black Was The Ink by Michelle Coles, whether the class listens to it together on audiobook or reads the physical/e-book.
The Christmas Clash by Suzanne Park: This was just a feel good listen/read. You’ve got rivaling families for reasons unknown to the teens but that still impacts them. Those same teens go from rivals to co-conspirators (in a way) when they work together for the good of more than just their families and possibly even become something more. There was funny moments along with heavy ones but the heavy didn’t last long. There were two narrators, which I always love with dual POV books! They really showed the differences between the two teens, personality wise, and they balanced well. The narrators also did a really great job voicing the family members and their respective best friends group. If you are a fan of holiday romances, this one would be a great one to add to your list this year! Oh, there is also a good amount of talk about food so make sure you have a snack nearby if you tend to get hungry while listening to talk about food!
I have a two other audiobooks that I’m looking forward to listening to, which are Monarch Rising by Harper Glenn and Beasts Of Ruin (the sequel to Beasts Of Prey) by Ayana Gray (and they have multiple narrators, which greatly delights my Spirit)! Are there any audiobooks that you have listened to that you’ve enjoyed? Have you listened to any of these audiobooks? Let me know in the comments or on social media on Instagram @bookishgirlmagic, Twitter @bookishgrlmagic and Clubhouse @bookishgrlmagic where you can find me mostly in book centered clubs/rooms (primarily on Tuesdays and Fridays). Also please subscribe to this blog if you haven’t already because it makes me feel like I’ve listened to some seriously engaging audiobooks! As usual, I’m sending you tons of bookish love & wish you happy reading!
Bookish Girl Magic 