Latest / Fated / Audiobooks and the Narrators We Love
Transcript
- Tay: Welcome to the podcast where your next favorite story is already written in the stars. April: Warrior Notebook Besties April. Tay: And Tay, here to get your book cravings started and satisfied. Because around here it's faded. April: Why? Also grab your current read, maybe a cozy drink, and hide your TBR list because today we're talking audiobooks and our favorite narrators. Tay: And I gotta say that audiobooks have helped me so much stay on top of my TBR list. ⁓ when I became a mom, popping in some headphones was the easiest thing for me. And, you know, most days I don't have time to sit and read my Kindle as much as I want anymore. So popping in headphones is the easiest way to go about it. So I love talking about some audiobooks. April: I know. I always hate whenever I hear people saying, if you're listening to an audiobook, are you actually reading the book? And it's like, yes, you are still getting that story. You are still immensed in that world. Like, in my opinion, and I know everybody's opinion is different, audiobooks count as reading. Like when I track my reading, I include audiobooks that I listen to. Tay: Yeah, I'm like, how else am I supposed to like go through that many books? I know so many that like hit their reading goals specifically because they listen to audiobooks. And I I am a 1.75 speed read on my audio. I can't listen to it any other way. And my husband's listened to it and he's like he's like looking at me like I'm an insane person. He's like, How can you even like get through a book? ⁓ and then when they talk at one speed, I'm like, why are they talking so slow? That's so weird. April: Ooh. Tay: It's like all of us I might that's what it feels like when I'm hearing a book. I'm like, ⁓ my gosh, like I I gotta have it. Super speed. April: Yeah. Me too. Yeah. I also can't listen to it slow. It has to be 1.75 or even on some audiobooks where like I feel like it's really slow to begin with, I'll even go up to two because I just can't handle it. Like my brain, the ADHD will ADHD if it's too slow. And you know what that's like. I can't, I can't focus. Yeah. Tay: It it's true. Yeah. I gotta have something that like gets my attention. And honestly, maybe with them talking fast it like makes me have to focus more, you know, because I have to like sit specifically because if it is going too fast, I miss something. So I have to kind of like hone in on it. And I think it's good when I'm cleaning and when I'm doing focus tasks and I have like my book in and I'm sitting there and I'm like, She needs to climb that staircase and get to you know, like I'm like all in it. Like I I'm right there with her as I'm scrubbing toilets. Like April: Mm-hmm. Right. Yep. Wow. Tay: So glamorous. April: So glamorous. You're like on the parapet with Violet scrubbing a toilet. Tay: Yeah. I'm there. It's right here. ⁓ meanwhile I'm just like on the kids' tub just balancing to clean the shower. So but I am on the parapet. April: Yeah. Truth. You know what audiobook platform though, and they've kind of merged, I feel like, with Audible, but graphic audio. So for listeners who have not heard of graphic audio, ⁓ they you're actually the first person who told me about graphic audio. That's how I learned about them. Tay: Yes. And I love their outro. It's like a movie in your mind is the way that like starts off like vibe. April: Yeah. Yeah. It's so good. I love them now. Like if I can find a graphic audio version of a book that I want to listen to, that's the one that I'm gonna pick every single time. Because they're just so like I feel like they just really immense you in the story. They have the background sounds going on. They have like if there's like footsteps, if there's anything like kind of external that's happening. ⁓ Tay: It's super thematic. Like very much like you're in the scene. You hear the clinks of the swords. You hear like I love that they do all that. Now granted, my first glimpse of graphic audio was Accord of Thrones and Roses. They had the whole series. And I loved it. But the very like like I literally am hearing So sorry to our listeners. April: Mm-hmm. ⁓ I know what you're gonna talk about. Tay: Like, no, that was taken a pack. I should have s sort of said warning. I'm about to make some unpleasant sounds. But literally, it was like kissy. And I was like, gasp. But ⁓ once you kind of work your way past that, it's t and they've kind of toned it in. I've actually noticed like some of the more recent, like they haven't done that as much. So it was like in their first like wave of like, can we do that? And they're like, okay, we'll pull back on that, but everything else is free game. April: Yeah. Right. Also, the winnowing sound on the graphic audios for that one is like, I'm like, what is this like two-bit magic sound? Yeah, it's awful. But in their defense, like you said, like it they have really toned it back in their more recent releases. So and I'm so excited they're doing Throne of Glass and I cannot wait for those to come out. I'm gonna be sad for those. Tay: Wasn't it like wind chimes? It was like It's gonna be hours of listening because I just think cause they've released, I think I wanna say that the fifth Avatar book, which is the thickest, ⁓ was like four parts. And so I'm like, okay, like Throne of Glass is a eight book series, right? Or is it seven? Is it eight or seven? April: Mm. ⁓ I think it's eight. Hold on, let me count. One wait. Yep. Wow, we're terrible. Tay: I'm I'm think yep, it's eight. It's eight. No, I'm I'm like mm looking at my shelf. It is eight of them and I I think there's gonna be like if that if that if my math is mathing, I mean t times two, we're looking at a minimum of sixteen parts. So it's gonna take a hot minute for get all of them, but I I am so down to clown that maybe even an episode if somebody wants it, but I am stoked. April: Mm. Yes, yes. And of course, like we know, like the most popular audiobook platforms, graphic audio has kind of merged in with Audible. You can now find them on Audible. They used to have their own platform. I honestly don't even know my login to that anymore. It's been so long. But Audible, we know. She's there. She's been there for a long time. I have an insane Audible library because my husband listens to Audible books like exclusively. That's how he does his reading. Tay: Yeah. April: And so we have like, I think like almost 200 titles in our Audible library, but it's not just all me in my defense. Tay: That's awesome. Like it's not just me. He does read all these. And I I'm I yeah, and I've been where I had Audible. Like I wanna say my mom used to get like the Audible CDs, ⁓ when they would have like just like a CD that you could play. And specifically I remember listening to Harry Potter and listening to Steven Bry. April: And it is expensive, so I get that for people who find that to be hard. Mm-hmm. Tay: ⁓ do the Harry Potter books. And let me tell you, immaculate. No one can do better. I've heard some of the other ones. They talk about doing them with the cast and stuff lately. And like cool, great, whatever. But like Stephen Bry, immaculate when it comes to reading. And he like gave such life to those characters and like him doing creature and Dobby and having like this whole like back and forth. I just remember being as a kid being like, so that was like my first touch into like audiobooks. April: ⁓ my Tay: And like my mom's deep love of Audible. So she got me into it. And then now it's unfortunate because you're right, it is expensive. It's so expensive. And to me, like I get it because we're paying almost the cost of a book. And ⁓ because they're kind of losing out on that like that printed version of it. So they have to make it in some regard. But it's also like like, can we go with the times? They do. April: Mm-hmm. So expensive though, yeah. But they do do sales. So for those who don't want to pay the over I think it's like over 20 bucks a month now for Audible, they do do sales every now and again. They just had one recently where you can just stack up for pretty cheap ⁓ books. Like I'm more willing to pay six dollars, seven dollars for an audiobook than you know, anything else. So Tay: And if you're a student, they also offer student discount. And I just signed up as a grad student. So student discounting for Audible. April: Yay. Hey, but you know what's you know what's free is Hoopla and Libby. Go to the library, folks. Go ask your libraries about Hoopla and Libby. I feel like most libraries these days have Hoopla and Libby or at least one or the other and they are fabulous. Tay: Yes. They are. And they have a multitude of titles because it's depending on what your library wants to carry as well. So like you can have two like let's say you're borderline, you could be in two different counties. ⁓ you can sign up in two different locations and then the books completely change. So that's kind of nice too if you have multiple libraries within your hoopla or your Libby account. So you can alternate between like This library and that library. I'm in central whatever library now. So then you can look and see what they have versus so a book you might have, you know, a hold of or you're waiting for, ⁓ you can go to another one and it's immediate you could borrow it immediately. So definitely highly recommend if you c if you have that ability to get to. There are some libraries too that let you sign up online no matter what. I think like the Houston library. ⁓ you don't have to live in Houston. You can sign up and then April: Which is so nice. Mm-hmm. Tay: You can join their hoopla account and then see all the books that they have. April: Shout out to libraries. We love you. I just went to my library twice last week. It is a fabulous place. Tay: Yes. But also can we clarify, April's child stole all her credits. So once your child starts reading, they start stealing your credits. April: Yeah. ⁓ my gosh. That is the thing. Yeah. Make sure you make them a separate account because they will use all of your credits. Yeah. Burned. Tay: Yeah. Yeah, 'cause you do get credits. They give you like, you know, three a month or something that you can use to check out. Kinda like your typical library and it's just digital. And so her she burned through all of hers. So April: Mm. Yeah, love that for me. It was great. So no hoopla for me this month, but July is coming. Tay: My future. ⁓ you can also, I know, stream on Spotify now. So if you have a Spotify premium account, it actually offers books. Now, the way Spotify does it versus ⁓ your typical where you can do like three at a library, they do it by listening hours. So the unfortunate thing with Spotify is sometimes I've gone like five books in and I don't know where I'm at. And I literally like it pauses me mid book. April: Mm. Tay: And it's like you get more listening hours on this date. And I'm like, so that is the unfortunate thing. I will tread caution to our listeners when you are doing Spotify that yes, like when you first do your first audiobook, it'll be perfectly fine. You have plenty of listening hours, but it comes a point when you know you've gotten a couple and then there's a chance that might happen. So I just want to let y'all know that. And that is one unfortunate. April: Mm. Tay: And I have fell victim to having to buy more listening hours because I am too impatient and I'm like, literally, I have to know. Or what I've done is like see if it's on another platform and then I take it out from there. But then it feels kind of silly if I'm already like, you know, a quarter of the way through the book or more than like half. It's kind of like like, but April: I was gonna say I feel like you have. Right. Yeah. Don't wanna waste a credit or anything on that. Yeah. Tay: ⁓ so but it is an option. It is an option to listen on Spotify as well. So that's another platform. And if you're already paying for premium, you know, you might as well partake in their book selection as well. Now, we did want to give an honorable mention ⁓ to a latest and greatest. Now, this is not your typical book. Like, this is not gonna be something freestanding that you can get and buy and hey, tangibly read. But there is an up an app called Quinn, and their whole objective is that. April: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Tay: They do a book in your mind, but like it's not a physical copy. So ⁓ they get all these big stars and they know how to pluck them. Let me tell you, if that person is hot, they pick them the next week and they're reading a Quinn book. Like they're like, ⁓ they just had Dean and Allie from off campus on Prime. They just had them come in and read a duet style book. And the book is not something that you can purchase, but it's just something that they created. It's like a story in their mind. And I've read some of them and they're really good. But we've I've had I can't remember his name, but he played the priest on Fleabag and I love Fleabag. That is one of my favorite shows. And they had him do one of those books. And I was like listening like the entire time. I was listening to his like buttery voice talking. And then two, it's like, he's like, ⁓ so and that's another thing too. So you're the character in the book almost. So like the way they carry it to you. So he's just like, April: Mm. ⁓ Tay: ⁓ so how was your day? ⁓ it was so good. I'm so glad you had such a good day. And I'm like sitting there like April: Who's talking to me? Tay: It's talking to me and like telling about the day, but also like what's going on. It's like storytelling, but almost like like you're the first character. So it's kind of interesting in that regard. and yeah, I just really honorable mention to Quinn because they're kind of changing the game a little bit. They're not really like doing they're getting people into reading by doing the storytelling, but you know, they're not really like a book carrier. So I like it. April: Mm. Hmm. Yeah. That's cool. I like that. I'm gonna check them out. I know. Tell me though, because you listen to a lot of audiobooks. Now I do too. I will admit my audiobook listening has kind of dwindled. ⁓ I just find it really hard. It's easier for me with my job to read on my phone. And I always forget my headphones. I'm one of those people. I can't find anything anywhere. But we do have some favorite audiobook narrators here. Tay: Mm-hmm. You should. April: Who do you think is like your top favorite, or is that too hard to pick? Tay: ⁓ I I have a top favorite. He's actually our top of our list. And he's and I think it's just because I have heard him so much. And there's there's I'm gonna go into a whole tale about him. So we're gonna talk about and also too, to be fair, I believe his government name is Zachary Weber. His audiobook name is also that, but it's also Jacob Morgan. April: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. Tay: So this man carries two identities. Okay. And that is something in the book community that's notorious. It's the same person. And I think when he started that he started to get into, and that's was what he used as like his pseudoname. Well, then people found out what he did, and then he just like gradually adopted the other one, but then he couldn't drop the second one. So it's ironic, but he still uses both. So I think that is so funny. ⁓ April: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I feel like I've sat in a panel too with audiobook narrators and they were talking about like how some of them use pen names. Well, I guess you would call it a pseudoname, not really a pen name, so they're not write anything, but they use like alternate names because they also don't want to saturate the market with their name too. And I'm like, Well, we understand like we know it's your voice, like especially your favorites. Yeah. Tay: ⁓ Yeah. Yeah, like we we we pick up on that. We pick up on it so well. And he does a plethora. ⁓ I wrote down some of his ⁓ he does L Kennedy, all of her series. ⁓ Elsie Silver. So if you love Wildcard and those books, he does those. Abby Jimenez books, he's done A. L Jackson, he's done Kennedy Ryan, he's done Sarah Kate, he played The Priest, he's done Anna Huang, then the Kings of Rat Wrath series. April: So many. Yeah. Tay: ⁓ and he also did I think it's Vanessa Allen or N Nessa Allen book on lights out. And let me tell you, I told this to April. We were sitting in the car and I said, This is the funniest like just book I have heard. Like it is so funny. And she was like, What? I like played the scene of and I ⁓ all of our book listeners, if you have not heard the scene, it is so funny and it is just worth a listen. He talks about like in in the book too, reading it is funny, but like the personality that Zachary Weber gives to this character is unbelievable. So like this character wakes up out of his bed and also mind you, he's this like stalker. Or well, they're kind of both. Anyways, he but he like posts his like body online and like has his masked face and everything, but he like literally raises up and he's like, ⁓ my god, I've gone blind. And it's because he has his mask still on and he has like a whole thing about like thinking his like a retina says torn and like this he goes through this whole spell. And then she's like, You have your ⁓ baklava on backwards and he goes, baklava. And he's like, Bak ⁓ baklava is a delicious dessert, blah blah blah blah blah. ⁓ and this baklava is my mask wearing and I was Die like the whole I don't do it justice. It's just he he does it so well and he's just yes and and okay so another thing to the Zachary Weber is I've actually met him. I was at Book Bonanza and I sat in on the panel section where they did a narrator improv. And let me tell you, it out there, if you are wanting to attend a book conference, if there's any other, any other one you could attend and they have a narrator one. April: He does it like in a Batman voice to Yeah. Mm. Tay: Sit on the narrator one. It is so entertaining. They know entertainment. They know what gets the readers going. They know we're used to their voices. But what was funny in this narrator improv is they were giving them lines from the book to read, but they had to do it in like different accents. So they had a wheel and they spun the wheel and the wheel spun through all these different accents. It gets to Zachary Weber, okay, and they have him do it in the Swedish chef style. Of a scene priest by Sarah Kate. And so he's reading like get on your knees, but he's like, Get on your knees. And I died. I was like, ⁓ my gosh, this and then like they'd have like one talking Russian and one talking like Elmo voices, like Elmo wants to and like, dude. I was dy. I was dead, died. So good. ⁓ 10 out of 10 recommend, but that is one of my favorite memories from going to one of those book conferences is doing the narrator improv and like hearing them do all these impersonations and just having a ball. Like it was just so entertaining. And like I'd been to a couple of the panels, and yes, it was interesting to hear what they said about books and like you know, I I like those as well. But I also think some, you know, questions are screened and stuff. And this just gave them like the ability to like just have some fun. So I really enjoyed it. April: Yeah. So fun. I love that so much. And another really popular audiobook narrator, especially as like the man side, is Shane East. Now I feel like he has been in a million and one audiobooks as well. ⁓ the one that I chose was Throne of the Fallen, just because it's a Carrie Manascalco book. I love her books. It's like the spin-off series from her Kingdom of the Curse series or Kingdom of the Wicked series. So, ⁓ He did that one. He has done so many too, 'cause he's been around a really long time. I feel like a lot of people would recognize Shane East's voice, just like Zachary. I feel like he has also huge ⁓ like he's able to really diversify his voice, like from really deep to sounding more lighter his sound. So kudos to them. I also really love his books that he does. Tay: I'm wondering if we could even if I could like play my phone to like so we can hear like a clip bit of it. So I'm gonna see if I can find one. But another person that I was looking at, ⁓ and ⁓ she's still up and coming. So she's a smaller, ⁓ but ⁓ Pegan McGrath, I actually follow her on TikTok and really find her entertaining. So she's actually has a book coming out with Anthony Palomini, who we'll talk about in a second. April: ⁓ Ha ha Tay: ⁓ but she was so excited about getting to read a book with him. And it was the precious thing, like the fact that she was like one so excited just like to be a part. She's like, ⁓ my gosh, like, you know, like I get to read with him. And, you know, they hired me to do this. And I'm like, I just love you in that regard. She's giving like a behind the scenes, but then she's, you know, giddy like all of us and like listening to these people. And she's like, I listen to other books of these. But she has a good one by ⁓ it's called Twins of Fire, and it's a dark fantasy book. That one is a really good read. April: Mm-hmm. Mm. Tay: Yeah, It's between us. April: Aw, she's so cute. Tay: So she's so cute. She gets so excited and just fun to like see her like behind the scenes of what it's like to record in a studio. So I definitely recommend if you're kind of wanting to see what that's like. She's a good one to follow on that platform because she can kind of give you an inside scoop. So if you're still hesitant on listening to audiobooks, hers is an interesting one to watch because she talks about how they record, how many hours they record, all of those things. And then that might give like a deeper kind of purpose if you're not like. huge on maybe listening to books that might kind of give you your insight. So definitely recommend her. But Anthony Palomini, we all have listened to, he's done a lot of books, but Quicksilver was one. ⁓ yeah. And I know you liked that one. April: Right. Mm-hmm. He's Kingfisher. Yes, Quicksilver is such a good book. Callie Hart did such a great job on that for her first kind of true step into romantic. ⁓ it's a great series, really popular. We're gonna hope book three pulls it through, but that is a different topic for a different day. But he we will not, but we will appreciate his voice in Quicksilver and Brimstone because he did a fabulous job. Tay: We won't talk about brimstone. Yes. April: And also just cause we're talking about that book in particular, which I think is a really great audiobook. Just it's regular. I don't even know. There might be a graphic audio for it, but I listened to it just regular gr audiobook form. Stella ⁓ Stella Bloom also narrated in Quicksilver. So she is the female perspective on that book. And I feel like they were a really good duo for those books. They did a great job. Tay: I I if there is an author out there and they ask you, do you want to do it ner narration? Please do it. Like I so many books that I've read that are even, you know, one point perspective from the female, the whole book, but then when the guy scenes come up and you can actually have a guy voice, I just I love it so much more. And I there are some audiobook narrators who are female that can do a good guy voice and I can kind of like look past it, but April: Mm-hmm. Tay: Duet narration really like to me solidifies a book audio. ⁓ cause then it kind of gives it even just more depth. Like it just really adds that character and like ⁓ I can really kind of picture it a little more. ⁓ so I definitely highly recommend if it's something that like a publisher, like I don't even know how that conversation starts, but if it's like duet or no duet, I'm gonna say duet all the way. All the way. April: Agreed. We want to do it. Yeah. And if it's somebody who has an accent, like try to find there's so many narrators out there. Try to find somebody who has an accent that is similar to that. I love when I read like even romantic books on audiobook, or even if it's a historical romance and they do like a an accent, not just an American accent, but an actual accent to the story. I feel like it's so much more immersive if it makes sense. Tay: Mm. April: to that story. So yeah. Tay: Yeah, I think in the Ever King series, I'm not sure who does that one, but he he has like a very deep, like I almost want to say Scottish accent, but like it kind of fits. Like I'm like, okay, he's a sea captain, you know, like it just makes the like book have that much more depth. Cause I'm like, ⁓ like I I don't know. I just ⁓ it it does add something too. So think about regionally. If you're like, I think this character is from this, like April: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Tay: Try and find someone that maybe either specializes in that accent or is from there. ⁓ it'd be even better from there. But I mean, if they're really good at the accent, go for it. It couldn't be me. I could not do. Don't ask me to be in a Jane Austen book. I could not do it. I'm so sorry. I love our UK listeners. I'm that was horrible. You can banish me to the stockade. Yeah. That's fair. That's a good payoff. April: Right. Exactly. No. They're like, get out of here. You can you have to stay in the US forever. So Tay: That is appropriate punishment. April: The next one I want to talk about, and I have to, I want to talk about the book, it's like the audiobook itself, but I do want to shout out this narrator, particularly Teddy Hamilton, who does Zaden and Fourth Wing. He also did Cruel Prince by Ashley Jade, which obviously both fantastic books. Fourth Wing is obviously a little bit more popular, probably, than Cruel Prince, but I have to say just kudos to him. He did a great job, but I do. For my people who know OG Fourth Wing Audio, I like to call it the audiobook of doom, ⁓ which sounds dramatic, but I have a story about this, okay? So I had Fourth Wing had just released. I had just gotten Fourth Wing and I started reading it on a physical copy. And it happened to be at a time when we were gonna travel. We were gonna go on like an eight-hour car ride. Tay: Mm. April: And so my husband, who also listens to audiobooks, was like, well, let's pick out some audiobooks and we'll listen to an audiobook on the way. And I'm like, fabulous. I'm a hundred pages into this book. I'm digging it. Like, let's listen to this audiobook. And he's a team player, right? Because he listens to books that I really push for. He's much better than me in that terms. He listens to books that I'm really passionate about. So he's like, okay. So we get this audiobook. We're driving along. Okay. And we're listening to it. And I'm like, At the beginning of this audiobook, now this is the OG recording. I do believe they have since gone back and re-recorded this audiobook, but we're driving along and I hear the female narrator, and I'm not gonna call her out. I don't I don't even know what her name is, but it starts to sound like kind of like snotty. Like it her voice starts to sound I j it just sounded to me like she was sick. And I was like, hmm, well, maybe the character is sick, like because I'm like, ⁓ she has a chronic illness. Like maybe this is like Tay: They have April: A gimmick, right? Maybe this is a part of it. But I was like, but that doesn't really make sense because the book's not saying anything about like her having like head cold symptoms, you know? And then I don't even know. I don't even think we made it an hour into this book. And there's like you can hear like all the fluids from her body just exiting her face. Like, I don't know how else to describe this. And it was awful. And I am not somebody who is easily grossed out by that stuff, but ⁓ I was my husband looked at me, he's She's she's sick. Like, why is she recording this audiobook if she is sick? And I was like, I don't know. And you could hear where they had obviously like when this audiobook came out, you could hear that they must have realized, ⁓ she was sick recording this. And they tried to like patch it. So it would be like random patches of just like a line or two that were cut in where she wasn't sick. Tay: Yeah. April: But then, like, she gets sick again after that. And I was like, this is disgusting. We literally turned it off. I returned the audiobook. And I just remember seeing the reviews on it when I returned it because when I got it at first, I didn't read anything. But then I returned the audiobook to Audible. And was like, this is disgusting. I'm so sorry. But also, can you guys Red Tower? You guys are a company that is huge. You can afford to go back and re-record this. Tay: Two. April: And so it was so gross. And just there were so many reviews, hundreds and hundreds of reviews being like, I had to return the book. I couldn't listen to this. She is ill. Why would you do this? So, to any people who want to be an audiobook narrator, please do not record stuff when you are seriously ill. And I understand that what I think is probably a time constraint happened, but like we could have found somebody else or something or waited. I don't even know. Tay: ⁓ I yeah. April: It was awful and I do think that they have gone back and replaced the sense because when I was telling somebody else about this, they're like, Really, it sounded fine to me, and I was like, ⁓ my god, it was terrible. Tay: Yeah. No, I remember I had literally it was still the same. I had like checked it out and I had messaged you and you were like, God, no, don't. And I was like, What? I think I I swear to God I used a hoopla credit on it. And I was like, What? I'm I can't listen to it. And you're like, no, it's so bad. And then I like listened to like the first and I was like, ⁓ I can't listen to this the whole time. And then I was bummed because I wasted a whole credit. I was like, ⁓ and I April: Yeah. Yeah. So bad. Yeah. Yeah. It did not get better. It got worse. Tay: I didn't actually end up listening to Fourth Wing. I only ever read the physical book. And so ⁓ I kind of need to go back because I would love to see if like what the new one sounds like. But yeah, I completely was like, ⁓ no, I can't can't listen to this. That's so bad. I, you know, there's honestly. April: ⁓ it was so cringe. It was so cringe. I felt really bad for the girl too, like who narrated it. Like obviously she felt probably some contractual obligations to do it, but at the same time I was like, ⁓ no. Tay: I would say all of us deserve work life balance. And if you're sick, you're sick. Just say, Hey, like you don't want my nose recorded on this thing, like, you know, and then you know, if they try to dis like tell you to fire you because you I'd be like, Okay, well, I'm gonna go for a wrongful termination. Actually, that doesn't work for ⁓ contracted employees. so sorry. ⁓ April: It was so bad. Ha ha You get nothing. Tay: But anyways, it's still just I'm like, you know, like it's okay to just be like today is not the day or like, I don't know, just yeah. It wasn't good. So April: Yeah. Yeah, I can't listen to those books. It ruined the whole experience for me. I now have to just physically read those books because yeah, every time I think of that. Tay: I still think it's like ultimately very romantic though you listen to audiobooks with your husband. And I'm not talking like it does the book doesn't have to be like a romance in regard, but just the fact that y'all can listen to a book together, like that to me is just like very sweet, very romantic. Like that y'all can, yeah, that y'all can like sit and enjoy a book together. And I dream of that. My husband could never, he can't even listen to our podcast. He can, he can, but he can't listen to other people's podcasts. I'm like, can't you listen to like a April: Yes. Mm-hmm. Shout out to him. He's great. Ha ha Tay: Prime podcast or something. He's like, no, absolutely not. And I'm like, but they're so entertaining. And he's like, no, I cannot. So I've tried. I really have. One day, maybe. Maybe he'll get through one book. We'll see. another person that I wanted to mention, ⁓ another female that I enjoy listening to, ⁓ she's done a ton of books. ⁓ I'm gonna talk about her most popular, but Maxine Mitchell. She has done the Ravenhood series now. ⁓ April: Yeah. Yeah. Hmm. Tay: I would say this is very popular, but also very controversial of a book series. ⁓ they are. They are by Kate Stewart. And I read them. To me, it wasn't very controversial. Other people, it is very controversial. There's a lot of love triangles that are occurring. at the like at one point in the first book, there's like a thruple thing happening, and you're like, what in the world? And like April: Those are by Kate Stewart, right? Mm-hmm. Tay: You're like, but then you're like, who is she gonna pick? And then she picks one. And then I don't want to spoil something that happens. But anyway, she ends up picking this other guy. And I people are gonna witch hunt for me, but I liked Tobias. ⁓ my gosh. So many people are gonna like hate that. I'm gonna totally get burned online for that. But I like Tobias. He was a Frenchman and like the accent and stuff when I was listening to this book, and I'm like, ooh, hot. April: Mm-hmm. Tay: I love it. Like, I don't know. Like, I was into it. And then some people are like, ⁓ how could she? ⁓ my God. No. Her other love interest. I'm like, shut up and take it. Like, I like him. So, anyways, there's gonna be a whole lot of people that are gonna be so upset with me for that. So I'm so sorry. But feel free to tell me why the other ones are better. I'm willing to listen. I just ⁓ ultimately won't agree with you, but you can tell me, tell me all about it, and I would love to hear it. So That one, I definitely love her version of those books. ⁓ another person I wanted to mention was Aiden Snow. He is also one of those ones that we've met at Book Bonanza, and I really like his deep voice and everything. But yeah, he just gives off like I'm fun, like he get and he totally like talks about his kids and stuff. He's like good dad energy. April: Right. Yeah. He also gives off great vibes. Yeah. Tay: ⁓ he's also entertaining on TikTok. So if you want to like watch him do readings of things and whatnot. And like he gets all like flustered too. And I love that too when like the guys are reading a thing and they're like, I'm like, ⁓ yeah. I'm like, you know, that's kind of that is that's good. I wonder if there's ever like a moment when they just like get so hot and bothered when they're like listening to something. They're like, Hold on, let me be right back. Like I couldn't. I've read some stuff sometimes where I'm like, April: Mm-hmm. Right. Hold on. It's getting hot in here. Tay: Like, I'm gonna start, I know, I gotta start fanning myself. I'm like, I can't imagine being the one like having read it. Or I've seen where they have like ⁓ some of them, like Anthony Palomini, for example, like has already done his parts and they're listening to him read and then you have to do yours. I would be like 'cause it sounds like he's like reading to you. Like if I was a narrator, I'd be like me. Yeah. April: Yeah. Right. Fangirl moment. Tay: Totally fangirl moment. I could not do it. I would make a terrible ⁓ audiobook listener. But what was something was fun that I saw. Okay, so we're researching for this episode and I'm like looking up all the different books that they've done and you know, et cetera. And I come across Aiden Snow and I see and I filtered it by newest to oldest so I could see what was coming. And he has a new one coming out. Now, granted, his Best book series that I've really enjoyed is The Crown of Niaxia by Chris Abrodbent. He does the guy narration in that and love it. Love him. Such a good pick for those books. ⁓ but there's a new LJ Shin book coming out, okay? Let me let me give you this lineup because it is not just duo, duet, narration. No, no. It is full cast, okay? So the book that is coming out is Fallen Rook, and I think it follows like her. April: Mm-hmm. Ooh. Which is a male male romance. Tay: Yeah, okay. Let me give you this male lineup, okay? All right, it's male and female, but we have Corvin King, we have Anthony Palomini, Lucy Rivers, Lila Winters, Stella Bloom, Stephanie ⁓ Stephen Dexter, Teddy Hamilton, Jason Clark, who he was almost on my list, Jason Clark, and Aiden Snow. It's like, what? I'm like. April: Wow. That's gonna be a killer audiobook. Tay: Anthony Palomini, Stella Bloom, Teddy Hamilton, Aiden Snow, all these people that we literally have on our list. I'm like I'm like, I I don't even want to know how much that cast was. ⁓ but yeah. And and I haven't even, and I think this is I think Fallen Rook is the third in a series. I think. Is it a separate? April: They've got all the Yeah. All the top ones. Wow. So much. That's where all the book budget probably went. Yeah, it's like bad bishop, twisted pawn, then fallen rook, I do believe. Yeah. Yeah. Tay: Okay, I need to read all of them now because I'm like, if that's the lineup on the third, I gotta listen to it because that's that's too many good audio book readers that I love in one book. So ten out of like just already. I'm gonna give it a ten out of ten just from the casting. So good job, LJ Shin. I give you all the props. ⁓ you know, we said earlier, if you can afford to do it, man, if you could afford a whole cast, do it, baby. She she's like, I'm gonna get all of them. So April: Yeah. From the casting period, yeah. Yes. I love that so much. Yeah, I usually just read her books physically, but I, hands down, will probably pick up the audiobook version of that because there are some excellent audio narrators on that. It's huge. ⁓ my goodness. Okay, I have to give an honorable mention out. Now, this is not like a direct romance book. Is there romance in it? Yes. It is an incredible story. Tay: Yeah. I can't even like look at the list. I'm like, that's crazy. Too good. April: It is my husband's actually favorite book of all time, even though he will say that he hates the author because he's doing what George R. is doing and has not finished the series, but it's the name of the wind. It is narrated by Nick Podell. And I will tell you, it is probably one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to. It is, he is so immersive in that story. So for people who've listened to this book or have read this book, like you know what I'm talking about. This is an intense book. There is a lot going on, and it's very story. like storyteller driven. The main character is telling you the story of his life. So it's very poetic. It's very like you just like you feel like you're watching a movie, just even reading the book physically. And so to hear it narrated out is absolutely magical. And Nick did such a great job with this book. Even though it's not direct romance, I had to give a shout out because it is a fabulous book and also fabulous narrator. Tay: Hey, I love a good extra like little just, hey, this is worth the listen because there are so many books that we have listened to, but I do think there is like one that usually sticks in your mind. Kind of like me with Stephen Bry and reading the Harry Potter novels. Like they are not romantic. They are definitely YA. ⁓ but you cannot change in my mind that it is not the perfect person or the perfect reader for those novels because it was phenomenal. It was so good. April: Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm. Yeah. There are some seriously talented people out there. Wow. Tay: So I mean I Yeah. I I don't I picture this for us. I do not picture audiobook narration. But if some author is listening to this and you want us to read your book, we will for sure do it on this show. Yeah. No, I am not meant to be in a booth and I am not miss I I cannot have Anthony Palmini in my ear because I will get nothing done. April: Audiobook narration, no. We know our limitations. Yeah. This is true. All right, besties. That's it for today's episode. Tay: Let's be real. Make sure to follow, download, and share our podcast socials with other book besties. We would love to hear about your audiobook recommendations and please leave a comment on your favorite platform letting us know. April: And join us next week where we talk about book playlists and where we create a blue let me redo that. That was awful. I was doing so good. Okay. Join us next week where we talk about book playlists and where we create book playlists to match our lives. We're glad you're here because. Tay: You were. And remember. It's faded. April: Yay. Sorry, I gotta hit stop. It takes a lot longer to get to now, and I don't think it stopped. ⁓ my god, stop. ⁓ it is not stopping now. I'm scared! Tay: Nope. April: ⁓ Did you stop it? I see stopped on your end. It is still going on my end. What the f Riverside? It says connecting to studio. I will f and cry. You better not. Okay, well I'm sitting here for forever now. Yeah, mine is mine says 99% uploaded. Why won't it stop? That's because we're sitting on it. Okay, I'm gonna leave an end session for us and hopefully that works. Okay. I'm so glad it's working on your end. I hate this thing. I am telling you it is on my list. Okay. All right. Bye, friend. That was fun. If this doesn't work, I'm gonna cry.