Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Weekly Checkins
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Week 28: 7/5 � 7/11
Finished:The Labours Of Hercules by Agatha Christie
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide by J.K. Rowling
The Clocks by Agatha Christie
Currently reading:
The Ice Monster
QOTW:
I haven't listened to any audiobooks.
I finished Beach Town as my season read. And I am now reading Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings and America's First Imperial Adventureas my book wit pop, sugar, or challenge in the title. It's interesting, but I'm getting some of the haoles (white men) mixed up.
QOTW: I don't listen to audio books, so no.
Mod
On to my books. I finished 3 books this week, one for this Challenge, so I am now 44/50:
Sugar Run by Mesha Maren - my book with pop, sugar, or challenge in the title. This was pretty good but the conclusion was unsatisfying. I look forward to seeing what else this author writes.
The Meadowlands: Wilderness Adventures at the Edge of a City by Robert Sullivan - I grew up near the Meadowlands so I’ve wanted to read this book ever since I learned about it. I was disappointed that there weren’t any photos (he talks about taking photos, but didn’t include any). If I go on to read Meadowland: The Private Life of an English Field or Meadowlands, I could use these as “two books with same title,� but I plan to read two other books for those prompts.
How to Be Successful without Hurting Men's Feelings: Non-threatening Leadership Strategies for Women by Sarah Cooper - this was very short and very funny.
QOTW
YES!!! hahahah :-) I love audiobooks, and the voice actor reading them can really make or break a book. Like, I may not have loved The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao if I hadn't listened to Lin-Manuel Miranda read it.
some other favorites:
Jeremy Irons reading Lolita (WHY doesn't he make more audiobooks?????)
Will Patton reading anything (The Raven Boys, Jesus' Son, etc)
Robert Glenister reading the Cormoran Strike books (The Cuckoo's Calling, etc)
Michael Kramer reading the Mistborn books (The Final Empire, etc - I admit that at first I did NOT like Kramer's voice, but it grew on me)
Johnathan McClain reading anything (Horizon, etc - I wish he read better books! these books aren't really that great!)
Kristen Bell reading the first Veronica Mars book (The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line)
Santino Fontana reading You & Hidden Bodies
Don Cheadle reading Fear Itself
Rosalyn Landor reading An Inquiry Into Love and Death
Adjoa Andoh reading anything (Ancillary Justice, etc)
John Lee reading China Mieville (Kraken, Perdido Street Station)
Frazer Douglas reading The Song of Achilles
William DeMerritt reading Underground Airlines
Julia Barrie reading Dead Woman Walking
Kiff VandenHeuvel reading Golden State
and I'm currently enjoying Hillary Huber reading The Salt Line
For some reason, more of my favorites are men, and I don't know why. I don't have any problem with women's voices, in general. At least, I didn't think I did. It bothers me a bit that I seem to prefer the male readers.
This morning marks the beginning of a crazy few weeks for me traveling for work. I'm headed to Chicago this morning, then New York on Saturday, then back home. Then next weekend I'm leaving for Tahoe. The good thing about all this traveling is that it will give me lots of good reading time. This week I finished Catharsis as my LitRPG book. I have read Ready Player One before and enjoyed it, but this genre is not necessarily my thing. This book was fine. The beginning was terrible, but as the character got into the game world, I enjoyed it more. Ultimately, it was kind of like every other first book in a YA series. There was world-building, there was a kind-of love triangle, there were lessons about growing up. Anyway, I doubt I'll read more of these, but I appreciate that popsugar forced me to read one. That's what the challenge is about for me, expanding horizons.
I'm currently reading:
Moby-Dick, or, the Whale with my library read along and for the famous phrase/idiom prompt;
A Crown of Swords for book about someone with superpowers;
The President and the Assassin: McKinley, Terror, and Empire at the Dawn of the American Century not for this challenge, just because I enjoy reading books about presidents; and
Future Home of the Living God for a book I meant to read in 2018.
QOTW: My favorite audiobook narrator is Juliet Stevenson. Absolutely the best! Also, Armie Hammer did the audiobook of Call Me By Your Name and it was amazing. Very sexy.
Happy Thursday! 39/50While I haven’t been chugging through the PopSugar list, I have been doing a ton of reading. Sometimes a couple cozies are the best palate cleanser.
Completed:
15.) Longbourn by Jo Baker was a below stairs take on Pride and Prejudice. Parts were terrific and other parts rambled and then at the end - bam- unneeded anachronisms. There was a whole 50 odd pages on a footman going to war in Spain, getting injured and going to sea that was, well, oddly off topic.
Ape House by Sara Gruen � have you ever wanted to read fiction about primate masturbation? I sure didn’t. I haven’t read Water for Elephants and, after this, it is highly unlikely that I will.
Hummus and Homicide by Tina Kershian was a cozy featuring Greek and Armenian food with a decent mystery. I so want a gyro now!
The Doughnut Fix by Jesse Janowitz was a refreshingly decent YA book. A family relocates to upstate New York and the son is told to work on a project. He builds a doughnut stand and learns about building a business.
Cat About Town by Cate Conte was a pretty well written cozy � I didn’t know the whodunit until the end.
In Progress:
The Fifth Avenue Artists Society by Joy Calloway and my reading of this feels so superficial. I just am not enjoying it.
19.) Sunset Over Chocolate Mountains by Susan Elderkin is 6 stories in one novel. It is really, really weird and I am not truly enjoying it.
QOTW favorite audio book narrators
I guess I have never really thought about that. Quality reading makes a difference, but I have rarely paid attention to the name of the narrator.
This week I finished: Keep This to Yourself: It took me a while to get interested in this book but I finally did with about 100 pages to go. I will even admit to being surprised by the ending which is unusual for me.
Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide: This book was not what I expected and I really wanted to like it in the hopes that it would inspire me to listen to a podcast. I think it accomplished both of those things but I was really looking for more murder and less self-help platitudes. I thought there were some very funny observations but at times it seemed very rambling.
The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset: I have read all these books more than once, but this time I listened to the audiobooks and really enjoyed that.
I’m currently reading:
Saving Meghan: I’m excited for this one, because I find Munchausen Syndrome really interesting. The narrator has a really interesting voice so far.
Every Moment After: This one hasn’t captured me yet, but I have high hopes.
Jane Doe: I’m switching back and forth between reading this one and listening to it and so far I’m really enjoying it.
Question of the week:
Do you have any favorite audiobook narrators?
I haven’t listened to enough audiobooks to have too many opinions about narrators, but I really enjoyed Tatiana Maslany’s reading of the Hunger Games.
I guess I had too much fun on vacation last week. I've developed a cold AND I had an emergency visit to the ophthalmologist yesterday for an eye injury. I'm not to wear contacts for a week. Since I hate wearing my glasses and I can see up close without any vision correction, I think I'll be doing a lot of reading this week.Finished
Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories by Stephanie Perkins (read a book during the season it's set in). I listened to the audiobook on my long drive home over the weekend. A few of the stories were great, most of them were repetitive and too long. A few didn't feel like summer love stories at all.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (a book with love in the title). It was fine. I wouldn't have read it except for the prompt and wanting to include more nonfiction in my reading. I wouldn't recommend it, but I didn't hate it.
Reading
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait?: Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson, and the Fight for the Right to Vote by Tina Cassidy
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
QOTW
Yes, I do!
Bill Homewood narrated The Count of Monte Cristo so well that I decided I also wanted Les Miserables read to me by him. I also looked him up on Audible and put all of his narrations on my wishlist.
Marisa Calin has a lovely voice, although I don't always love the stories she narrates. I'm a sucker for a Welsh accent. It's so lyrical and calming. She's a very good narrator to listen to while driving long distances on a holiday weekend!
I would listen to Richard Armitage read the phone book. I will listen to any audiobook he narrates.
Imogen Church reads very, very slowly so I have to speed up her narrations considerably, but I enjoy the way she narrates. She changes her voice so subtly I don't notice it and yet every character sounds different. She's amazing.
Hi everyone! I took a mini-vacation last week and spent 5 nights at my best friend's house in Portland, OR, so this is a 2-week check-in for me. It was nice to hang out on her turf, so to speak, since we usually meet & travel to other cities together. But the best part of the trip was escaping the Texas heat. It never got above 70 degrees the entire time I was in Portland, and the "feels like" temperature in Dallas has been over 110 the last 2 days. Yuck. I prefer heat over cold, but this is a bit extreme.36/50 for Popsugar
40/52 for Around the Year
Books I finished:
Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand (Popsugar #34: A book that includes a wedding) Not one of Hilderbrand's best, but still worth reading by the pool or on the beach. I enjoy the glimpses into the Nantucket summers.
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer (Mannegren: A book with a plant on the cover) I know I am in the minority on this, but Bella is the worst.
I Found You by Lisa Jewell (Mannegren: A book set in a country I have visited) I realized recently that I own quite a few (maybe 6-7?) books by Jewell but hadn't read any yet. Shame on me! So I started with this one and look forward to diving into the others soon.
Run Away by Harlen Coben (Mannegren: A book about a cult) I always enjoy Coben's books. They are entertaining and always have one twist I don't see coming.
Night Road by Kristin Hannah (Mannegren: A book picked out by someone else) Hannah is the only writer I willingly read knowing I will cry at some point during the story. This one explored the lives of a wealthy Seattle area family and a girl who was in the foster system most of her life who befriends one of the wealthy kids. It made me angry occasionally because of how differently the kids were treated, and I was annoyed by the mom character for most of the book, but I still liked it. Hannah can develop characters and make people think like few other authors.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (Around the Year: A book with a weird or intriguing title) Really cute.
The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney (Around the Year: “something old� from the wedding rhyme) I enjoy learning more about Ancient Egyptian culture, but this can barely be called non-fiction. So much speculation! I wouldn't recommend this one.
I am currently reading:
Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb (Mannegren: A book by an author who uses a pseudonym) #9 in the series
Whisper Network by Chandler Baker (Popsugar #28: A book recommended by a celebrity)
QOTW: I listen to a lot of audiobooks, although since I switched jobs the number has gone down a bit (more time driving in the middle of nowhere at the last job). Most of the narrators I’ve listened to are good, but not necessarily memorable. However, there have been a few standouts, and if I see that they are narrating a book I am not necessarily interested in reading, I might add it to my TBR just because of who is reading it.
A few of the best:
James Marsters � His voice matches my image of Harry Dresden perfectly, right down to the attitude.
Bahni Turpin � I can always hear the emotion in her voice, and she did an absolutely amazing job with The Hate U Give.
Lin-Manuel Miranda � I could listen to his voice for hours.
I also think if people read their own biographies, it makes the experience much more enjoyable. They lived the stories they are telling, so they can enhance them by adding the right emotion, pauses in speech, regional dialects, etc. Michelle Obama and Trevor Noah are perfect examples of this.
Nadine wrote: "Happy Thursday! I feel like I’ve read a lot of books this week, but it’s really pretty much the same as always. I think it’s because we’ve been so busy. Thursday we saw the new Spider-Man, Friday w..."Frazer Douglas has possibly the sexiest voice I have ever heard. I loved listening to The Song of Achilles.
Happy Thursday, y'all.Not a lot to report this week� so on with the book roundup. Finished a series this week! (Though I possibly started another, hehe�)
Books read this week:
The Anything Box -- short story collection by a somewhat-obscure sci-fi/fantasy author. I’d read one of these stories before in another collection (Young Mutants) but really enjoyed this larger collection by the author! I may have to check out more of her work.
The Rookie -- I normally am not fond of sports books, but the concept of this one -- football being used as a tool to promote cooperation between various alien races -- was intriguing. And it was actually a lot of fun and highly enjoyable, even if I wanted to slap the main character for half the book for being such an obnoxious little twit�
Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea-Devils -- third in a trilogy of “Sherlock Holmes vs. Lovecraftian horrors� trilogy. Probably the weakest of the three books, but still highly enjoyable. Now I think I need to read some actual Sherlock Holmes stories...
Tiger vs. Nightmare -- cute and sweet kids� graphic novel with simple but adorable watercolor artwork. Just a light fluffy read but very sweet.
DNF:
Daisy Jones & The Six -- I don’t know why, but I put this book on hold at the library, got it, read the first five pages, and just could NOT go on. Maybe it’s the writing style, maybe it’s that the content wasn’t what I was hoping to be, but I just didn’t want to continue. Might be a popular book at the moment, just not for me.
Currently Reading:
Lock Every Door
The Lost World
A Year at the Movies: One Man's Filmgoing Odyssey
QOTW:
I really haven't listened to many audiobooks. Though Jim Dale does a fantastic job with the Harry Potter books, and I LOVED Tim Curry's rendition of Sabriel.
I'm jumping back and forth between a bunch of books this week, so I only finished two. We're flying to Canada for vacation today though, so I should have a big check-in next week. I read Blood Sugar Canto after going to the author's poetry reading last month. Not all of them connected for me, but some of them really did. It was healing to know that someone else understands chronic illness and food/dietary restrictions related to illness. I'm considering going to a writing retreat this author is hosting next month...
I just now finished Heart Berries. Wow. Her writing is raw and painful to read, but moving.
I'm currently reading Lost Children Archive, To Keep the Sun Alive, A People's History of the United States, and My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Mending of Our Bodies and Hearts.
QOTW:
Great question! Hands down my favorite narrator is Bahni Turpin. I get so excited when I start a new audiobook and her voice comes in through the speaker. You can see the awesome books she's narrated here:
After that Trevor Noah for his book (I really hope he'll write more!), and then I also like Julia Whelan, who narrates a ton of popular books.
Happy Thursday Reading Friends!With less reading time than expected over the past week I do not have anything completed to check in with.
Currently Reading:
Mozart's Last Aria
By Balloon to the Sahara
QOTW:
I am that reader that cannot seem to make audiobooks work for them. I tried one a long time ago and then missed the feeling of the pages in my hand and their smell that I decided they were not for me.
Mod
The Cooper book looks to be funny! Thanks for listing it! And I'm not sure anything is denoted by your preferring some of the males who read for audio books. These are just some you've enjoyed...
Mod
I rarely listen to audiobooks because I tend to not remember or be able to track well when "listening" as opposed to "reading," but...I loved Call Me By Your Name and would gladly listen to Hammer reading it! Thanks for the suggestion!
Mod
While I haven’t been chugging through the PopSugar list, I have been doing a ton of reading. Sometimes a couple cozies are the best palate cleanser.
Completed:
15.) Long..."</i>
Hi, Anne! I just want to make a plug for [book:Water for Elephants. My book club read both that and Ape House. We all LOVED Water for Elephants and most of us enjoyed Ape House. (Though I admit, none of us was overwhelmed by the accurate depiction of Bonobos' behavior. Most of us were already aware of that...) IMO these two books were not much alike. I would heartily encourage you to give WfE a try if you get the chance... We all found the movie adaptation to be well worth watching, too! (We had a field trip to watch it together after reading the book!) It is totally up to you... :)
Longbourn is on my TBR and I've never read any of Baker's writing. Thanks for your feedback about it!
Not much to report reading wise. Hoping that will change soon - next friday I have 3 weeks off work and I always have high expectations for my reading when I have a holiday, sometimes it works out as planned :)Currently reading:
The Cruel Prince
Os mod jer (Us Against You) (audio)
QOTW
I recently took up audio books again, after not listening to them for years, so I don´t have much to go by.
My all time favourite, whose voice is the soundtrack to my childhood (and many other Danes my age), is Thomas Winding. If you press "prøv" (means try) on this link you can hear en excerpt of Winnie the Pooh in Danish.
I enjoyed listening to the memoirs of
Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run
Mark Oliver Everett (E from Eels): Things The Grandchildren Should Know
Patti Smith: Just Kids
all read by themselves, all singers who are also story tellers.
Books written and narrated by themselves:
Neil Gaiman: Norse Mythology
Paul Auster: 4 3 2 1
I like low pitched voices, so mostly men on that list (and Patti Smith has quite a deep voice).
Heather wrote: "I would listen to Richard Armitage read the phone book. I will listen to any audiobook he narrates."YEEEEEES! A few years ago the challenge had a prompt to read poetry (definitely not in my wheelhouse). I found an audiobook of Richard Armitage reading some love poems. Swoon!!
Good Morning,I'm pretty excited, I'm only doing a half day at work today and am going up to Chicago tomorrow with some friends! We're going to the Hamilton Exhibit and a live "taping" of True Crime Obsessed, so I have a fun couple of days ahead of me.
Finished:
I'm going to include last weeks finished book as well, since I didn't get a chance to update.
And Then There Were None for a book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie. I listened to this on audio (the Dan Stevens' version came highly recommended).
Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future for a book with POP, SUGAR, or CHALLENGE in the title. I really liked it. Pete Buttigieg is a smart guy and I live in the area, so it's kind of fun having places I know about name-checked.
Crazy Rich Asians for a book author from Asia, Africa, or South America. I LOVED this. I mean I knew I would at least like it because I really liked the movie but the book is soooo much better. You get so much more of the story.
Currently Reading:
In a Dark, Dark Wood for a book becoming a movie in 2019. I'm only a few pages into this, so can't really say if I like it or not yet but I've heard good things.
Naturally Tan - I don't think this will fit into a challenge slot for me but I'm really enjoying in. I'm listening to it on audio and Tan has the loveliest accent.
QOTW:
I listen to a lot of non-fiction on audio. I think my favorite was Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah. He's a great story teller. I also really liked Dan Stevens reading And Then There Were None.
Kenya wrote: "DNF:Daisy Jones & The Six -- I don’t know why, but I put this book on hold at the library, got it, read the first five pages, and just could NOT go on. Maybe it’s the writing style, maybe it’s that the content wasn’t what I was hoping to be, but I just didn’t want to continue. Might be a popular book at the moment, just not for me."
I'm glad I'm not the only one. I felt like I was going to be pelted with rotten tomatoes after admitting I DNF'd it!
Happy Thursday! It's been hot and humid here so I've been enjoying reading in the evenings in my air conditioned condo! I finished three books this week and will most likely finish one more tonight!Finished:
Where the Crawdads Sing - I absolutely loved this book! 5 stars for me. I listened to it, and even my boyfriend liked it which says a lot! I decided to use it for prompt #9 - a book you meant to read in 2018.
Jukebox Joyride I needed something easy to read while exercising so put this Audible original on. It was cute, but definitely for a younger reader.
The Wife Between Us I wanted to love this one, but it wasn't as good as An Anonymous Girl. I'm using it for the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ summer reading challenge, but not for PS. 3 stars.
Challenge Progress:
Regular Challenge - 33/40
Advanced Challenge - 6/10
Total Challenge - 39/50
Currently Reading:
The Fault in Our Stars - prompt #5 - a book with at least one million ratings on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. I'll most likely finish this one tonight.
The Sun Is Also a Star I'm listening to this right now and using it for the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ summer reading challenge.
Lost You I have an ARC of this from NetGalley so it's not for a challenge.
QOTW - Do you have any favorite audiobook narrators?
I love this question! I just started listening to audiobooks at the end of last year, but there are some great narrators out there.
My first audiobook was Ready Player One, and I absolutely adored Wil Wheaton as the narrator. He was perfect for this book.
Bahni Turpin was great as Star in The Hate U Give, and I'm currently listening to her narrate The Sun is Also a Star. I've really enjoyed her in everything I've listened to her narrate so far.
Jim Dale who narrates the Harry Potter books has so much personality.
Steve West made me love The Scorpio Races. His voice was great for it and just great in general.
I really liked David Pittu narrating My Lovely Wife. I just saw he narrates The Goldfinch too so maybe I should listen to that!
Robbie Daymond from One of Us Is Lying and They Both Die at the End is really good too!
Lynn wrote: "Anne wrote: "Happy Thursday! 39/50While I haven’t been chugging through the PopSugar list, I have been doing a ton of reading. Sometimes a couple cozies are the best palate cleanser.
Completed:
15..."
Thanks, Lynn, I'll put Water back on my TBR list. I've heard that Sara Gruen switched editors, so that could be it.
Longbourn has some great writing, but there are points that stray far from the family.
Sara wrote: "YEEEEEES! A few years ago the challenge had a prompt to read poetry (definitely not in my wheelhouse). I found an audiobook of Richard Armitage reading some love poems. Swoon!!"Richard Armitage reading LOVE POEMS!? Someone get me to a fainting couch.
Hi allI’ve had quite a productive last 2 weeks in terms of reading.
Rebecca (not for the challenge) � I’ve been meaning to read this for ages and finally got around to it. I really enjoyed it and would like to read other books of hers.
Home Fire (not for the challenge) � loved this! I was hooked from the beginning, and I enjoyed the different perspectives. I was not familiar with Antigone, the story on which it was based, but when I googled the story afterward, I think her adaptation was done very well.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (not for the challenge) � was a quick, light book that I thought was just average.
My Lovely Wife (book published in 2019 prompt) � I was looking forward to this book as the blurb sounded really interesting. And while I did enjoy it for the most part, there were a couple of aspects that just didn’t fit. Won’t say more as I don’t want to spoiler it for anyone else.
The Bear and the Nightingale (for the seasonal prompt for winter) � loved the setting, but I thought the buildup in the storyline moved too slowly and was then resolved too quickly. I think someone said in an earlier week that the 2nd book is much better so I guess I’ll have to read that.
The Body in the Library (for the amateur detective prompt) � exactly what I was expecting from an Agatha Christie.
QOTW:
Not really a fan of audiobooks, so can’t comment.
Hi everyone!Been so busy this week trying to finish the scallop pattern I was stenciling onto the bathroom wall, before the vanity got installed. I still have all the touch ups to do, but I at least got the basic pattern finished! So much more work than I expected, mostly due to painting satin on satin so I had to do one coat, let it dry, second coat before I could move the stencil. So rather than being able to just move at a steady clip, it was lots of stops and starts.
I finished:
Autonomous - I really enjoyed this. I find it funny that the author wasn't really intending to write a cyberpunk book, but it is 100% a descendent of Snow Crash/Neuromancer for me. Not that it's identical in plot or anything, but you get the same sort of vibe. Considering how many people hated the cyberpunk prompt last year, that's probably not a good recommendation, haha. But I liked it a lot! This counts for ATY's book that won an award in a genre I enjoy ( an nebula, as well as a lambda award for Sci-fi/fantasy/horror), as well as Reading Women's Lambda award winner.
The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One - Read Harder's book of poetry published since 2014, and ATY's goodread choice winner from 2018. I loved this so much! I normally am not a poetry person, at all. But I really liked her tone and a lot of her poems really hit home for me.
Memoirs of a Polar Bear - i was slightly dubious going into this because while I wanted to read it for a while, I didn't really like the previous book I read by the author a few weeks ago. While I didn't LOVE this one, I did enjoy it overall. It touched on polar bears in captivity through three generations starting with an unnamed circus bear, down to Tosca and then Knut. It was fictional, but based on the real circumstances of their lives. I love polar bears in general so I had to try it. This counts for Reading Women, a book you read based on the cover (a little bit of a stretch since I don't really look at covers as much now that I read so much digitally, but I do love the cover for it), and ATY's book about writing/an author or reading. The polar bears were framed as writing or narrating their histories.
currently reading:
What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia- Reading Women's book about/set in Appalachia, ATY book with one of the five W's in the title. Liking it so far, if a bit dry. But it's short so I should finish it today. It's trying to counter the general media perception of all of Appalachia being a poor white backwater with no diversity and being the reason for the country's downfall. Mainly by pointing out the actual demographics of various regions, explaining why "grater Appalachia" doesn't really exist and examining just who is profiting by the narrative.
QOTW:
I'm not huge on audio books, I tend to only use them if I can't find the book in another format in the library, and I don't want to buy it. However I'll sometimes look up an audio book if a famous person I like read it. So I'm slowly going through the Dresden Files again because I like James Marsters, and I enjoyed Lin Manuel Miranda reading Aristotle and Dante. I didnt' really like Lincoln in the Bardo, but I did enjoy picking out various famous voices in the cast.
26/50Thanks for the reminder of free slurpees! One year my boys and I hit up as many 7-11s as we could. I think we got to 4 before we made ourselves sick!
Completed Prompts:
A book with SALTY, SWEET, BITTER, or SPICY in the title: I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet because I'm an overachiever and it had two of the words in the title! J/K. I loved everything about this book!
A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title: I had picked The Dog Stars because the dog is my Chinese zodiac symbol and thought that was a cool way to address this prompt. The stars in the title was an added bonus. Another end of the world and the survivors are trying to get by story, but definitely had a unique perspective.
On my bedside table:
At Briarwood School for Girls
The Wedding Date
Cherry Ames, Army Nurse
QOTW:
I did like listening to David Suchet narrating Death on the Nile. He played Hercule Poirot and gave different voices to all the characters.
I want to listen to Michelle Obama narrating Becoming. I've heard that's a good one!
I'm not sure why I'm finishing books so slowly (for me) lately. I was on a bit of a audiobook slump, so maybe only having print books going slowed me down a lot more than I realized. Also, FYI, Amazon Prime members (at least in the US--no idea about internationally) can get three free months of Kindle Unlimited right now, no strings attached. I don't ever pay full price for KU, but I love getting the free or 99 cent deals and catching up on certain fairy tale retelling series that are too obscure to be at my library.
Finished Reading:
One Corpse Too Many A solid 4 star historical mystery. Adding this to the first book in the same series under 'takes place in a monastery' since the first one barely counted.
Currently Reading:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire A brief road trip meant my husband and I actually made progress on this joint audiobook listen again. Maybe we're far enough in now to need to continue even when we're not travelling. :-)
Orthodoxy Two thirds of the way through and still really enjoying the sense of humor and unusual philosophical perspective. Reading this for 'book recommended by a celebrity you admire'.
The Martian Finally got around to reading this one, and loving it just as much as Artemis. I hope he keeps writing many books!
Pines Giving Blake Crouch another try after enjoying but not loving Dark Matter. (Listening to the audiobook through that free Kindle Unlimited trial I mentioned above.)
QOTW:
The only audio narrator name I've ever noticed enjoying is Julia Whelan. There are probably others if I took the time to pay attention to names more often...
I do agree with those who enjoy Jim Dale's narration of the Harry Potter books, but I probably wouldn't remember his name either if I hadn't heard others rave about him first.
Mary wrote: "I think it accomplished both of those things but I was really looking for more murder and less self-help platitudes. I thought there were some very funny observations but at times it seemed very rambling...."The podcast is definitely very different! It is more focused on the stories, but the rambling does not go away. It's a bit of a joke among listeners as some people skip their rambly intros to get the true crime stories whereas others love it because it feels like chatting with a best friend. I love the podcast and highly recommend trying it!
Weather36°°ä/96°¹ó
Humidity: 55%
Mostly Cloudy
Finished
Someone to Love was for the Love prompt.
Reading
Question of the Week
I'm currently reading The Odyssey and Claire Danes does the audiobook for that. It is very good. Others are Wil Wheaton's Ready Player One and Stephen Fry's Harry Potter series.
Hi all! I'm off work this week, which should make for some good reading time, but the baby girl has come down with a case of Foot and Mouth disease, with a high fever, so she's cranky and wants lots of snuggles. Which I'm happy to oblige, just wish she'd feel better! I did finish Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait?: Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson, and the Fight for the Right to Vote for a book with a question. I really liked it. It had a lot more information about both Paul and Wilson than I had previously known. While I knew the women put themselves in harm's way for the right to vote, I don't think I realized how much it really took; how many times they were arrested, attacked, went on hunger strikes, etc. It also serves to remind us that protests aren't meant to be popular or polite, and if you're not pissing people off, you're not doing it right!
Otherwise, still working on Between the Lines, The Ghost Bride and Proxy. I also added Mortal Heart. I've meant to finish that trilogy for quite a while, and I'm finding (which is why I don't usually read series) that I don't remember a ton of details from the other books in the series. So far, that hasn't completely hampered me, but I'm probably not enjoying it as much as I could be. It also relates to the QOTW, as I listened to the other books, but this one the library didn't have on audio.
QOTW: I love audio books! But I don't usually pay particular attention to the narrators. A few exceptions, I loved the narrator of The Heretic's Daughter, Mare Winningham. Also of Song Yet Sung, Leslie Uggams, and Toni Morrison narrating her own Beloved. I've also had a few bad experiences, most notably with my favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. I know there's supposed to be a great audio version of it, but clearly the one I had was not it. There have also been a few books that I just couldn't bring myself to keep listening to because of the narrator, but I don't recall which books those were.
A slight spin-off of the question, do those of you that listen and like audio books enjoy ensemble performances with several different narrators? I'm undecided. I think I prefer one reader, but not to the point that I won't listen to a book narrated by several.
Hello everyone! Today started at 3:30 am, hearing my dog peeing in the bathroom, so that was ... not ideal. He's becoming an elder doggo, and I think his prostate can't take having water right before bed, so we're going to have to change up his schedule and probably head to the vet. He tried so hard to minimize the damage (going into the bathroom? smart boy!) and he is just beside himself with remorse no matter how gentle and kind I am. Poor sweet boy.In between moving and backpacking and dog issues, I did finish one book this week: Stone of Farewell. I put it in my Wild Card slot (I allow myself one prompt per year that I simply do not care to read as a wild card), so it technically counts for my challenge but not really. It is very much a middle book and doesn't resolve much of anything. I don't mind, since I intend to read the entire series pretty soon, but I think it would bother other people.
Currently reading:
Storm of Locusts: as expected, I'm liking it
The Moonstone: very much enjoying the narration
QOTW: I only started listening to audiobooks in the last few years, but there are a couple readers I particularly like.
Michael Page reading The Lies of Locke Lamora was such a delight, chewing the scenery in a way that was completely appropriate to the story.
Dan Stevens read Frankenstein for Audible, and he perfectly captured the weakness and vanity of the narrator.
Kate Reading is a great narrator, though I've heard her mispronounce words a few times on lesser known titles. I wonder if they give less prep time/fewer takes or something on those titles?
I've also stopped quite a few audiobooks because of subpar narration, and I frequently find having the author read the book to be a bad choice (unpopular opinion alert!). I barely got through Kitchen Confidential because I thought Anthony Bourdain should never have been let anywhere near the recording booth. Even if it's done well, one of the things I like about audiobooks is hearing someone's interpretation of a work, and that dimension is lost if the author reads.
FinishedPeter Darling - I enjoyed this! Peter Pan is one of my all-time favorite books, and has been for most of my life. I tend to seek out works inspired by it, but I'm really picky, so most of the time I don't enjoy them as much as I want to. This one was pretty successful. I loved the idea of conflating the characters of Peter and Wendy into a trans character, and the execution was really well done. The author also did a good job capturing the dual nature of Neverland: magical and wonderful, yes, but incredibly violent and full of sharp edges as well. I liked the romance a lot, too, just wish there had been a bit more of it! Read for the own voices prompt (trans author writing trans character). 4 stars.
The Ice Beneath Her - This was fine. A competently plotted thriller with a twist at the end. I liked two out of three POV characters, and it was quick and easy to read. It just didn't do anything memorable or different for me. I think I need to stick to my known favorites in this genre (Tana French, Gillian Flynn), because I keep reading thrillers and wanting them to be better than they are. Read for the book set in Scandinavia prompt. 3 stars.
The Scorpio Races - This was good! I was surprised at how old-fashioned it felt, almost quaint. Eventually, though, I found that to be part of its charm. The setting and atmosphere of this book were its strongest elements, and by the end, they absolutely drew me in. I would definitely reread this just to visit the island and its strange water horses again. Read for the book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in title prompt. 4 stars.
Total complete: 35/50
Currently Reading
The Little White Horse (reread)
How Long 'til Black Future Month? (I've been reading this forever! It's good, I just keep putting it down between stories and picking up other stuff)
QOTW
I really enjoy audiobooks, but I rarely pay attention to the narrator's name. I should do better with that! I will say there have been a few noticeably bad narrators that made me return the book immediately and go with the print version instead (The Traitor Baru Cormorant, Gone Girl).
I love Thursday check ins! I saw a post on Facebook about free Slurpees today so I'm gonna try to go get one. I finished 2 books this week. I was with one of my partners this week so I didn't get much reading done.
I listened to Jaws I was seriously excited to listen to it finally because I love books to movies. I was however pleasantly surprised that I didn't like any of the characters and I was actually rooting for the shark lol
I also finally finished The Little Prince I was happy to finally finish this. I thought I'd enjoy it but I didn't.
QOTW: I love audiobooks! I don't get a chance to listen to them as much anymore because I don't have a long commute to work but I enjoy them. Some of my favorite narrators were Dennis Boutsikaris(and a whole cast of narrators) for American Gods That whole cast performance was the best I've heard. Also Robin Miles for American Street
and lately Erik Steele for Jaws
Happy Thursday 😊Finally I make it for check-in. It has been a few weeks as I moved and have been dealing with that and trying to get my new home organized. Problem is I have a ton of ideas and projects so the mess is all over the place. But it will be great once it’s done. Thankfully my 3 weeks holiday started on Monday so I can get more done than when While Ive been working.
I am listening to a lot of audiobooks while painting, hammering, driving to Ikea or my local hardware store because I keep forgetting something or have to return something... which brings me in to the Qotw; I love audiobooks but it all comes down to the voice. I have stopped audiobooks due to a narrator on authors I know I like and instead read the book myself.
One of my favorite is Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter and I love Will Wheaton doing ready player one. Otherwise I’m sorry to say that I don’t really notice who the one narrator is. But maybe I should keep an eye on it because it really is important.
This week I only read one for popsugar:
Beautiful by Christina Lauren (two female authors)
Read quite a few romance novels due to a reading challenge for the romance readers group. - word hunt.
And it’s easy to listening to while doing other things.
Happy Thursday! Didn't get to check in last week because Fourth of July, so here's TWO weeks of books! I managed to finally make some progress on challenge prompts at last.For challenge:
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer: a book published posthumously.
The Poet X: a book about a hobby.
The Night Watch: 1 of 2 books with the same title (for the other I'm planning to read Terry Pratchett's Night Watch).
The Grave's a Fine and Private Place (audio): a book you read in the same season it takes place in.
The Haunting of Hill House: a ghost story.
Non-challenge:
Awards for Good Boys: Tales of Dating, Double Standards, and Doom
The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made
Currently reading:
Under the Pendulum Sun
The Book Thief
The Thief
Everything I Never Told You (audio)
QOTW: I've only recently gotten into the audiobook game, but so far I've really liked Jayne Entwistle reading the Flavia de Luce series; and Rebecca Soler reading both The Hazel Wood and Caraval, even though I didn't like either of those books as books. Also, Lin-Manuel Miranda reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Thandie Newton reading Jane Eyre were amazing! I have yet to pick up an audiobook solely for the narrator, though.
Greetings from hot, sunny Santa Fe, New Mexico! I am on vacation visiting friends and this weekend attending the International Folk Art Market. Tonight will be visiting Meow Wolf, a unique experience. Finished:
Some Like It Spicy for PS title with SPICY in it. Romance set in world of reality cooking competitions like Top Chef. A lot of fun, some spicy sex, humor and romance. Many scenes reminded me of the movie No Reservation.
The Rule of Four read for another group's Trim Your TBR. Ugh. Should have stayed a TBR. Would fit puzzle or game prompt but I filled that already.
1794: Charlotte - not for any challenge. 2nd in an historical romance series set in Nimway hall, and featuring its guardian, all tied to Nimue's legend. Not the stronest in the series.
Currently reading:
Meant to Be
Moon Over Soho
Between the World and Me
The Master and Margarita
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
QOTW-I don't like audiobooks. The one exception is anything by Jim Dale. I adore his work.
I've been slow again but I did get a few things readFor the prompt A book written by a musician (fiction or nonfiction) I read The Wrath of Fate: Book 1 of The Airship Pirate Chronicles by “Captain� Robert Brown. It was okay. It works the band (Abney Park, steampunk) into the narrative with hit or miss results.
I also read Camp Strange by Renee Perez. It features fairies so you could read it for a book inspired by mythology, legend or folklore or a book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature. It's a middle grade book.
QOTW I'm not a fan of audios so I have no real opinion.
Jai wrote: "Some of my favorite narrators were Dennis Boutsikaris(and a whole cast of narrators) for American Gods..."I forgot about American Gods. I completely agree. I absolutely loved that one and the voices were great.
Hi everyone and happy Thursday! I took time off to visit my friend in NYC and had such an amazing time. We're always swapping romance book recommendations with each other, so I was happy to have some book chats with her! However I didn't get a lot of reading done. I finished two novellas, and the bulk of my reading was while I was on the plane!First I finished Midsummer Night by Deanna Raybourn, a novella in the Lady Julia Gray series. It was short and sweet, but I really liked it! I'm so utterly charmed by this series.
Then I finished Can't Escape Love by Alyssa Cole, a novella in the Reluctant Royals series that I won in a goodreads giveaway! This was very sweet, but I wanted so much more from the story! Cole is such a good writer that I don't like having my story too short!! My copy had a preview for the third full length novel in the series, and I picked it up instantly!
QOTW: I adore audiobooks! I'm a big fan of memoirs performed by the author, which was how I first got into audiobooks. Michelle Obama, Mindy Kaling, and Guy Branum are some performances I loved. I'll always try to do audio for memoirs or essay collections if I can.
Fiction wise, I love Jim Dale's Harry Potter and Rob Inglis's Lord of the Rings performances. Inglis sings the many songs in LOTR, which I would normally skip. Plus Tolkein was a linguist so hearing his words aloud is such a pleasure. My recent favorite is Robin Miles, who has narrated The Fifth Season trilogy and American Street all of which I've read this year. I love her voice so much that I'm willing to listen to anything she's narrated, which is a lot!! I was so pleasantly surprised when I picked up American Street on audio and recognized her voice!
Ali wrote: "Mary wrote: "I think it accomplished both of those things but I was really looking for more murder and less self-help platitudes. I thought there were some very funny observations but at times it s..."I definitely think I will give the podcast a try. I think their style will lend itself better to that format. Thanks!
First let me say, thank you to everyone that gave me suggestions for my ant problem. We now have the ants under control (thank heavens). It has been a slow reading week for me, and I think it is about to get a little slower. I am on my way for a weeks vacation in Montana then another week of craziness as my oldest daughter is graduating from college and getting married in the same week. I am excited for the events, but I am at the point where I am ready to be through them.
This week I read:
An Unwanted Guest- a decent little murder mystery. Not deep or incredibly difficult to guess the murderer, but a quick, light read.
The Second Mrs. Hockaday- I liked this book. I probably wouldn't recommend it though.
Once Upon a River- I enjoyed this book. The blurred lines between myth and reality was well done.
An Inquiry Into Love and Death- another light read. A good ghost story if you are still looking for one.
QOTW:
I don't do audio books. I like the idea but struggle with the reality.
Brooke wrote: "Hi everyone! I took a mini-vacation last week and spent 5 nights at my best friend's house in Portland, OR, so this is a 2-week check-in for me. It was nice to hang out on her turf, so to speak, si..."You're definitely not in the minority. Bella really was the worst!
Hi everyone. I've had a busy day today, taking my mother to see a matinee of Grease. It was so good and I think I'll have Born to Hand Jive in my head for a week!This week I finished The Hobbit. It did get a bit better towards the end (Smaug was a great character) but the ending was so rubbish. (view spoiler)
I also finished Pirate Latitudes as the posthumous book. It was a fun, fluffy adventure story. It did feel a bit rushed in places so I can only think it was still a bit unfinished
Currently reading: Ruby Red. Someone bought me this as a gift years ago (I think my mum?) and I never got round to reading it until now.
QOTW: I have listened to exactly one audio book in my life and have no idea who read it.
Two week check in and only one of them ticks off prompts I have left.Set in season and read in same season:
The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel. Set in the summer, in the 80s and the devil (???) shows up in town in the form of a young, black boy. I feel like I was just not in the right mood to read this and I didn’t really enjoy it.
The rest from best to worst
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Noah’s memoir and the only book that I wished I had listened to the audio for. Really enjoyed it.
The Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. YA, magic returns to a world where it had been suppressed. It’s set in Africa. I really enjoyed it.
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter. Crime thriller, almost three decades ago, their mother was murdered and a school shooting brings up a lot. Not my favorite Slaughter but it was an easy read
QOTW:
I don’t like audiobooks mainly because I get easily distracted when I’m just listening.
Sheri wrote: "Hi everyone!Been so busy this week trying to finish the scallop pattern I was stenciling onto the bathroom wall, before the vanity got installed. I still have all the touch ups to do, but I at le..."
I read "Memoirs of a Polar Bear" a couple years ago on a whim, and I thought it was a strange but thought-provoking and neat book. I like strange books, I suppose...
It is bizarrely cool here this week. Not that I'm complaining! Cloudy with highs about 70F. Lovely! Weird reading week for me. I finished three books but didn't really enjoy two of them. Ah well. Getting into my Apollo 11 commemorative space book marathon for July YAY!
Finished:
Sovereign - A free Audible original. Didn't love it.
Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story - Started fine, but by the end I started skimming just to be done with it. UGH I get it, you're the smartest person ever and deserve literally all the awards. This is my friend's book club pick for tonight. How well does it go when you go to your first meeting and hated the book?
The Sol Majestic - Philosophy, cooking and space stations, what's not to like?
Currently Reading:
I finished both my audio and print books last night. I think up next are...
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth - Chris Hadfield I love Chris, (his Masterclass is amazing) but the audio quality on the sample isn't great, so I hope it doesn't bug me too much.
See You in the Cosmos - I was 7 when they launched Voyager, and have always been fascinated by the Golden Records. I'm looking forward to joining young Alex and his dog Carl Sagan as they seek to record and launch his golden iPod.
QOTW:
Why yes, yes I do.
Most of my reading nowadays is audio. It's not that I prefer it to paper, it just seems to work better for me lately. I find I usually enjoy well-known British actors as narrators. They always seem to be a safe bet. Let me dig through my ridiculous number of audiobooks to pull out some faves.
Bahni Turpin - Queen of the Narrators! All hail Bahni Turpin! She can do anything. If she is narrating a book you are considering, trust you are in safe hands.
Robin Miles - Right on Bahni's heels. I've enjoyed many books by both of them.
Ray Porter - I discovered him with the Bobiverse books. Most of the characters are copies of the same man, and he totally made it work. Also in We Are Legion (We Are Bob), a character is modeled on a movie character, and when he spoke in the voice I BURST out laughing in the middle of a quiet restaurant. I also love him reading Peter Clines.
Jonathan Cecil - The Wodehouse wonder
Prentice Onayemi - His narration made The Sellout sooooo much better than if I had read it myself.
Scott Aiello - Emperor Mollusk versus The Sinister Brain would have been cute in print but his performance really makes this one.
Wil Wheaton - I enjoy him reading the type of books he usually reads. He and John Scalzi are a good match.
Katherine Kellgren - I listened to most of the Her Royal Spyness series just because of her.
And the parade of Brit actors begins:
Richard Armitage - Love him reading Dickens. His David Copperfield is delightful. I enjoyed it more the longer it went. And it is a LONG book.
Rory Kinnear - THRILLED he's been wrangled into reading Anthony Horowitz's new series. Because Rory Kinnear.
Hugh Fraser - Captain Hastings from the TV show, he's delightful reading Christie. I had to giggle the first time I heard him do Poirot. I find his Christie books incredibly soothing.
Simon Callow - He practically IS Dickens at this point. I enjoyed him reading Pyg: The Memoirs of Toby, the Learned Pig
Stephen Fry - I mean, come on.
David Tennant - How could you not enjoy that voice and enthusiasm?
Rosamund Pike - Wonderful
I like these:
Barbara Rosenblat - I love her deeper, more mature voice. Enjoying her reading the Mrs. Polifax books
Del Roy - So much texture in his voice reading The Mysterious Benedict Society
Self-narrating Authors:
Neil Gaiman
Mary Robinette Kowal
David Sedaris
Awesome Autobiographies:
Trevor Noah
Eddie Izzard
Michelle Obama
Books I finished:Midnight Reckoning - It's a fairly generic romance, but the world is kinda different so it was fun for that reason.
Storm Cursed - And I finished my reread of the series by reading this for the second time this year. I love this series.
Not Our Kind - It was a nice light quick read, and I like historical fiction.
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer - So thanks to this challenge I have found a new favourite author. This was short, sweet and made me cry.
Books I made progress on:
The Unhoneymooners
The Kingdom of Copper
Popsugar 2019 - 40/50
Popsugar 2018 - 38/50
QOTW
I don't really do audiobooks.
Mod
Midnight Reckoning - It's a fairly generic romance, but the world is kinda different so it was fun for that reason.
Storm Cursed - And I finished..."
I love Backman and that one REALLY made me cry!
Jennifer W wrote: "A slight spin-off of the question, do those of you that listen and like audio books enjoy ensemble performances with several different narrators? I'm undecided. I think I prefer one reader, but not to the point that I won't listen to a book narrated by several."It depends. Sometimes it's distracting if it's just meh. If it's well cast, oh yes. I enjoyed The Graveyard Book read both by Neil and also the amazing full cast.
Christy wrote: "I've heard her mispronounce words a few times on lesser known titles. I wonder if they give less prep time/fewer takes or something on those titles?"
I hear words mispronounced All. The. Time. Not in all books, and certainly not frequently enough to put me off audiobooks, but yeah. Particularly with younger narrators. It's usually just one word, and usually I'm wondering why the recording engineer doesn't correct them and re-record it. I've wondered many times if they are told not to. Either that or everyone in the booth is ignorant. Clearly what audiobooks are missing is a proof-listener.
Unpopular Opinion Time:I can't listen to Jim Dale reading Harry Potter. Most of it is lovely and wonderful, until Hermione speaks. She's supposed to be a know-it-all, but he makes her whiny. I just can't listen to whiny Hermione again. I really wish I could get Fry's version, I like it much better.
I do love Jim Dale though! I really enjoyed him reading The Night Circus. Although every time I hear his voice, the first thing I think of is my very favorite TV show ever, my BELOVED Pushing Daisies! His narration on that show was the first thing that made me love it. (OK, the delightful writing was probably first, but Jim narrated that writing, so there.)
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
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The group read books for the final quarter of 2019 have been selected!
October � The Graveyard Book (discussion led by Lauren)
November � Challenger Deep
December � The Starless Sea (ETA: discussion led by Lynn)
Please PM myself or Nadine if you would like to volunteer to lead discussion for November!
Finished:
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole � have you ever gotten a weird email asking for personal information and claiming you won a prize…or are engaged to an African prince? What if it was true? For Naledi, a woman who spent her childhood in the foster care system and is now in grad school it seems like a hoax. Then there’s the new hottie that moved in across the hall who doesn’t say much about where he’s from. It’s a sweet romance that I really enjoyed. It is very open door (steamy). I may read the next one in the series soon.
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny (audio) � Continuing with my reread of the Inspector Gamache series, I finished book 2. The series really hits its stride around book 5, but since I know and love these characters already I’m finding the reread really interesting!
Currently reading:
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (audio) � book 3 in the Inspector Gamache series
I haven’t settled on another print or kindle book yet. I’m kinda flipping between them right now. Mostly I’m sticking with light reads or rereads while I work through my annual summer reading slump.
31/50 (I seriously need to start reading my challenge books!)
Question of the week:
Do you have any favorite audiobook narrators?
Top of my list are Jim Dale (books I’ve read - Harry Potter, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, A Christmas Carol) and Davina Porter (books I’ve read � Outlander series, Anna Karenina).
I have also really loved Ralph Cosham (Inspector Gamache) and Edward Hermann reading The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
And there are quite a few authors who do a nice job narrating their own books (not always a given):
Neil Gaiman
Shauna Niequist � Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes
Julie Andrews Edwards - Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
Lin-Manuel Miranda � Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You
Gregory Boyle � Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion
Tsh Oxenreider � At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe
Michelle Obama � Becoming
Trevor Noah � Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Jewel � Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story
Karamo Brown - Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope