Month: June 2013

Top 21 of the Best Audiobooks to Read This Summer

Post author By Mike
Post date June 29, 2013
2 Comments on Top 21 of the Best Audiobooks to Read This Summer

The summer season is upon us and you know what that means. Vacations, long walks on the beach, lounging in hammocks with a cold drink in your hand… Not to get too distracted though, here’s a list with the top 21 best audiobooks to entertain yourself with this summer. Some of them are new releases, some of them are best sellers, fiction and non-fiction but all are excellent listens. Without further ado and in no particular order here are our handpicked 21 great audiobooks for the summer of 2013.

Non-fiction:

1. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg, narrated by Mike Chamberlain

Change is hard, or is it? In The Power of Habit, New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg examines just how people and institutions undergo transformation: by changing habits. Narrator Mike Chamberlain (Moonwalking with Einstein) brings just the right mix of objectivity and conviction for a fascinating, life-changing look on how to change. A perfect pick to start your great audiobooks summer list.

Continue reading “Top 21 of the Best Audiobooks to Read This Summer”

Tags audio books download, best audiobooks, best summer books, good audio books, great audio books, kindle audio books, summer books, summer reading list, top audio books, top audiobooks

Fiction Thrillers Zombie Apocalypse

White Trash Zombie Apocalypse Audiobook Review

Post author By Mike
Post date June 23, 2013
4 Comments on White Trash Zombie Apocalypse Audiobook Review

White Trash Zombie Apocalypse

Written by: Diana Rowland

Narrated by: Allison McLemore

Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins

Series: White Trash Zombie, Book 3

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 07-02-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

The third installment of the story about Angel titled White Trash Zombie Apocalypse audiobook is as much fun as the previous ones. Our favorite undead heroine is just trying to get something that resembles an average life regardless of the fact that she is a zombie (she’s gotten quite used to it) but life just isn’t going to let that happen yet.
The fact there is a zombie flick being shot in town is simply a side effect of the things that will happen. Add the fact that it rains almost through the entire book and you’ve got a whole new level of stress and the overall “life sucks and you die” style of atmosphere in this audiobook.

The book starts with a description of the preceding story about how Angel got to become a zombie which is good if this is the first book of the series you have read although you have missed some excellent and fun audiobooks if you haven’t read them all.

Tags Allison McLemore, audiobook review, Diana Rowland, White Trash Zombie Apocalypse, White Trash Zombies, White Trash Zombies Book 3

Fiction Paranormal Romance YA

The Vampire Diaries Audiobook Review – Book 1: The Awakening

Post author By Mike
Post date June 20, 2013
1 Comment on The Vampire Diaries Audiobook Review – Book 1: The Awakening

The Vampire Diaries, Book 1: The Awakening

Written by: L. J. Smith

Narrated by: Rebecca Mozo

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Series: Vampire Diaries, Book 1

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 10-27-09

Publisher: HarperAudio

Personally, I’m not very fond of love story books but this one isn’t that bad. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening is the first The Vampire Diaries audiobook in a series and if I’m not mistaken it doesn’t follow the story from the TV show. I’ve caught glimpses of it but never actually got to watching it, but if you have you’re still going to enjoy the audiobook because it’s practically a brand new storyline with your favorite characters.

Tags audio, Audio Book, Audiobook, audiobook review, L. J. Smith, paranormal romance, Rebecca Mozo, The Awakening, The Vampire Diaries

Crime Fiction Horror Mystery Thrillers

Joyland Audiobook Review

Post author By Mike
Post date June 19, 2013

Joyland

Written by: Stephen King

Narrated by: Michael Kelly

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 06-04-13

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

OK, usually I don’t start right of describing the narration experience but this time I’m going to make an exception. When I started Joyland, I thought ‘this narrator sounds weird, I don’t think I have heard him before’. Then did a little searching and turns out it’s Michael Kelly’s first audiobook performance. To be honest it didn’t seem like he knew what he was doing, at least in the beginning. The words came out a little forced and stiff. I was considering giving up on the book because I’m very easily distracted from the story if I don’t like the narrator.

Tags audiobook review, crime, horror, Joyland, mystery, novel, Stephen King

Fantasy Fiction

A Game of Thrones Audiobook Review

Post author By Mike
Post date June 13, 2013

A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1

Written by: George R. R. Martin

Narrated by: Roy Dotrice

Length: 33 hrs and 50 mins

Series: Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 12-09-03

Publisher: Random House Audio

After staring at the screen for quite a while I now realize that adequately describing such an epic work like the A Game of Thrones audiobook is no simple task. The temptation to compare it with other big titles in the fantasy genre is almost irresistible and yet doesn’t seem quite right. How could I possibly put it in the same category as The Lord of the Rings or The Wheel of Time series? They are all epic fantasy and still they are quite different. George R.R. Martin describes the world of Westeros trough the eyes of multiple believable characters which you start to root for from the beginning. This is a world of extremes and constantly opposing forces, a world where politics, backstabbing, war, adventure and love exist at the same time. How could I possibly do such a masterpiece justice?

Tags a game of thrones, audiobook review, fantasy audiobook, George R. R. Martin

Fiction Horror Zombie Apocalypse

World War Z by Max Brooks – Audiobook Review

Post author By Mike
Post date June 11, 2013

World War Z: The Complete Edition: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks Audiobook Review — Audiobook Jungle readers can get the World War Z audiobook for free when signing up for a new Audible account. Click on this image to sign up and get your free copy!

World War Z: The Complete Edition (Movie Tie-in Edition): An Oral History of the Zombie War

Written by: Max Brooks

Narrated by: Max Brooks, Alan Alda, John Turturro, Rob Reiner, Mark Hamill, Alfred Molina, Simon Pegg, Henry Rollins, Martin Scorsese

Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 05-14-13

Publisher: Random House Audio

Summary: World War Z is one of the best zombie apocalypse novels I’ve ever read. Its characters are ordinary people that happen to live in an interesting time. Those of them who lived trough the horror of the zombie war tell stories which will give you chills, but also show the good and bad in people. Despite its fictional nature this book is one of the best lessons one can learn about what really happens in a time of war. I’m not usually very fond of multiple narrator audiobooks but the performances from the cast in this updated edition fit very well with the story and make it feel so much more realistic.

Tags audiobook review, max brooks, world war z, zombie apocalypse

Cyberpunk Fiction Sci-Fi Science Fiction Thrillers

Street: Empathy Audiobook Review by Ryan A. Span

Post author By Mike
Post date June 10, 2013

Street: Empathy

Written by: Ryan A. Span

Narrated by: Nicole Quinn

Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 05-11-12

Publisher: Gryphonwood Press

The first half of the audiobook was excellent. I was paying attention. I was sucked in. The narrator Nicole Quinn did such a good job with all the voices. No complaints there. The story showed a lot of promise, luring me into intoxicating murals of wildly creative mind trips painted underneath the feet of unsuspecting characters that are put straight into potentially huge plot revelations.

Tags audiobook review, cyberpunk audiobook, Nicole Quinn, Ryan A. Span, Street: Empathy

Fiction YA

Mockingjay Audiobook Review by Suzanne Collins

Post author By Mike
Post date June 9, 2013

A review of Mockingjay audiobook by Suzanne Collins — Audiobook Jungle readers can get the Mockingjay audiobook for free when signing up for a new Audible account. Click on this image to sign up and get your free copy!

Mockingjay: The Final Book of The Hunger Games

Written by: Suzanne Collins

Narrated by: Carolyn McCormick

Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins

Series: Hunger Games, Book 3

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 08-24-10

Publisher: Scholastic Audio

Despite everything being against her, Katniss Everdeen survived the hunger games, again. This time, though, she had a bit of help. Because the 75th anual hunger games were winding down, full-scale revolution broke over the impoverished districts, and Katniss was taken away from the arena. Her defiant actions inside the arena spoke to the people, and influenced them in such a way she could never have imagined. Currently, like it or not, she is just the figurehead of the revolution; her mockingjay a symbol of a brighter future and freedom for the oppressed.

Tags audiobook review, Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

Fiction Sci-Fi Science Fiction YA

The Host by Stephenie Meyer Audiobook Review

Post author By Mike
Post date June 9, 2013

A review of The Host Audiobook by Stephenie Meyer — Audiobook Jungle readers can get The Host audiobook for free when signing up for a new Audible account. Click on this image to sign up and get your free copy!

The Host: A Novel

Written by: Stephenie Meyer

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Length: 23 hrs and 5 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 06-09-08

Publisher: Hachette Audio

There’s no doubt – The Host is superior to the Twilight Series, probably given it is designed for adults, rather than teens, and I fall in that first category.

Quite interesting insights into a genre that hasn’t been explored much. Take Robert Heinlein’s “The Puppet Masters” or maybe ABC Televesion’s recently unsuccessful series “Invasion”, jump 3 years after some symbiotic aliens have successfully crushed Earth and many of its human population then tell a story from the point of view of a good alien introduced right into a hostile host then you have the beginning of The Host.

Tags Audiobook, Review, sci-fi, science fiction, Stephenie Meyer, The Host

Fiction YA

Catching Fire Audiobook Review

Post author By Mike
Post date June 9, 2013

A review of the Catching Fire audiobook by Suzanne Collins — Audiobook Jungle readers can get the Catching Fire audiobook for free when signing up for a new Audible account. Click on this image to sign up and get your free copy!

Catching Fire: Hunger Games, Book 2

Written by: Suzanne Collins

Narrated by: Carolyn McCormick

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Series: Hunger Games, Book 2

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 09-01-09

Publisher: Scholastic Audio

The Catching Fire audiobook is the second book from the young adult series, The Hunger Games, and the story begins right where it left us biting our nails in the first book.

Tags Audio Book, audiobook review, Catching Fire Audiobook, Review, Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games