I've been getting a respectable amount of sewing done recently, unfortunately I can't share it with you yet, so today I thought I'd post another audiobooks update of what I've been listening to lately (often while sewing). Most of these books have been from my audible subscription.
The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling. I'd heard mixed reviews of J K Rowling's latest offering from friends that have read the book, but decided to try listening to it for myself. I'm incredibly glad I did, as I really enjoyed it. The version I listened to is read by Tom Hollander, who did a fantastic job with the narration, definitely added to the experience. It was by far a cheerful book, not light hearted, but I definitely recommend it.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (read by Flo Gibson) This audiobook was part of a the free audiobooks promotion for Valentines Day that Audible had. I love Pride and Prejudice, I've read it, I've watched it, and I've listened to it before after getting it out from the library. So when Audible offered me a free version I jumped at the chance to be able to load it onto my phone without having to faff around with itunes to copy it across. However, I just couldn't make peace with the narration and have since deleted it again. In my opinion, Austen just shouldn't be read in any accent other than an English one. It was painful to listen to!
The Secret of Happy Ever After by Lucy Dillon. After listening to A Casual Vacancy I needed something light hearted and more cheerful. The Secret of Happily Ever After certainly fitted this bill. Another audiobook I downloaded because it was narrated by Jilly Bond, and I wasn't disappointed. I quickly fell in love with the characters, and enjoyed following along with their story.
Recipe for Love by Katie Fforde. I have become a massive fan of Katie Fforde's books. After loving a Perfect Proposal, I downloaded this one to see if others of her books were as enjoyable. While this isn't anything particularly amazing, and the story a little cliched, she does a fantastic job of developing the characters so you really want to follow along with how things turn out. If you want some light hearted enjoyment then this is a book for you. Jenny Funnell did a great job narrating it too.
A French Affair by Katie Fforde. I enjoyed Recipe for Love so much that I straight away hopped online (on my phone if I recall correctly) and bought A French Affair. I was a little sceptical about the storyline of this one based on the summary, but gave it the benefit of the doubt. Again, the storyline was a little cliched, but Katie Fforde again describes it, and the characters, in such a way that it's just an enjoyable listening (or reading) experience.
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. This book was a little less 'fluffy' than my normal listens, but i barely turned it off when I didn't have to until I finished it. The story was fantastic, and incredibly touching. Kathleen Grissom does an amazing job telling the story, and without shying away from uncomfortable topics. Caught between the slaves and the family, Lavinia's tale is both sad and loving, and is one that you can entirely imagining being true (sadly).
Golden Earrings by Belinda Alexandra. I have listened to all of the Belinda Alexandra books that I can get my hands on, and read the rest, so when Golden Earrings was released at the end of 2011 I bought the book straight away... then it sat on the bedside table until a couple of months ago, when I spotted the audiobook in borrowbox. This book was just as good as the rest; I highly recommend listening to/ reading any/all of Belinda Alexandra's books if you enjoy historical fiction, my favourite is "Wild Lavendar" (hint: a few of them are available on borrowbox). I was a bit concerned near the beginning as it's a bit weird, but the way that Belinda Alexandra manages to weave the stories of the three main characters together is fantastic. Bring on her next book!
