2020 has been a wild year so far. On the one hand–hard to believe we’re halfway through! But on the other hand, how is it almost July already? Where did the year go? Can we get a re-do?
If this challenge is new to you: The audiobook challenge is hosted by Hot Listens and Caffeinated Reviewer–this is their 8th year hosting it! It’s a fun challenge to see how many audiobooks you can listen to in a year. The rules are pretty simple, you can find out more details on the sign up page over at Hot Listens. Please do check them out because they’re going to have two updates throughout the year with giveaways.
In the meantime, the basics are: any genre of book counts, if you’re already using a book for another challenge you can still count it for this one, etc. It’s pretty simple and straight forward.
LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT
- Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
- Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
- Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
- Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
- Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
- My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
- Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+
- The 100 Club (Audiobook Elite) 100+
THE BOOKS I’VE LISTENED TO SO FAR
- Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger
- Sorcerer’s Legacy by Janny Wurts
- The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Blindsight by Peter Watts
- The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker
- The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune
- The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Geisbrecht
- Blood Lines by Tanya Huff
- Jade City by Fonda Lee
- Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa
- Blood Pact by Tanya Huff
- The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco
- Blood Debt by Tanya Huff
- Night Shift Dragons by Rachel Aaron
- Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst
- The Betrothed by Kiera Cass
- Crosstalk by Connie Willis
- In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker
PROGRESS AND SOME THOUGHTS ON THE BOOKS
In my first quarter update I mentioned that I had an abysmal start to the year for audiobooks–only 9 audiobooks in the first three months. And that was before the pandemic hit which certainly didn’t help my progress–only 10 more audio since then. Usually by now I’m well into the 20’s qty-wise but circumstances just haven’t been in my favor this year and sometimes lately I’ve just not been in an audio mood either. 2020 whyyyyyyy???
Anyway, 19 books is still great progress and while it may be a stretch to make marathoner this year (womp womp) I’m definitely on track for my precious. 😀 That’s a fun level, right?
It’s hard to say what my favorite audiobooks have been because I feel like a lot of them have been 3 and 4 star reads for me, not a ton that are 5 star hitting it out of the ball park jumping up and down in excitement wanting to yell about this book forever to everyone type of reads. Of course, this could just be the general ‘blah-ness’ of everything this year eating into my overall mood. Let’s see.
- I’ve really enjoyed going through Tanya Huff’s Vicki Nelson urban fantasy series in audio. They’re quick reads and I find that urban fantasy books tend to work really well in audio format for me provided they have a good narrator (which these do).
- Night Shift Dragons by Rachel Aaron, while not my favorite book in that series, was narrated by Emily Woo Zeller and I definitely recommend checking out things she’s narrated as she’s fantastic and one of my favorite audiobook narrators. The series was great overall and Aaron continues to be one of my favorite authors that I’ve started reading in the last few years. I think she might also be my most reviewed author on the blog!
- The Betrothed by Kiera Cass was a terrible book imo but the narration by Jasika Nicole was amazing. She did sort of an almost Marilyn Monroe type voice which made the main character’s vapidity really shine. 😉
- I thought Crosstalk by Connie Willis was really great in audio as well and I’m glad I listened to it rather than reading it because having to parse through the print would have been annoying for me with that book (the main character’s family is soooo needy). It’s one of the few audiobooks this year that I was able to completely disappear into and want to keep reading even when I should have put my headphones away earlier in the day.
Anyway, that’s how it’s been so far! I’m hoping to make much more progress in the 2nd half of the year but I guess we’ll see how it goes. 🙂
Are you participating in the Audiobook Challenge? I’d love to know how you’re doing! Leave a note in the comments, I’d love to chat!
Way Too Fantasy 
I’ve only been sitting at home for the last two weeks, and my audiobook listening is going down so much haah! There are just so many less opportunities to pick up an audiobook!
(www.evelynreads.com)
I know what you mean, when I stuck home the same thing happens! Hope you can get the chance to read one soon. 🙂
Congrats on getting through so many! My audiobooks have really suffered this year, but I think I’m finding my groove again! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I am a little down from last year but I’m still happy with where I’m at. 🙂 Glad you’re getting back into it! Audio slumps are rough.
I think I have read 10 audio books so far this year or thereabouts. I mostly enjoy listening to non-fiction though. I prefer to read fiction with my eyes for some reason 🤔😉
Oh yeah, non-fic is great in audio although I’ll admit I rarely read it these days–I always mean to read more. 🙂
I think you’re doing great! I’ve read 0 audio books this year🤣🤣🤣 But seriously, these are weird times and we can’t expect things to be normal right now.
Hah! Thanks, Tammy! Also, don’t feel bad for zero–it’s not your normal reading style! Plus, as you said, 2020 is strange days. 🙂
Wow, 19 books on audio is incredible!! I’ve read 14 but that’s mostly due to me binge-reading the Wayward Children novellas😂 Good luck with your challenge for the rest of the year💜
Thanks! It doesn’t feel like a lot but I guess it is, I think I just have unreasonable expectations for my reading haha. Those novellas a great and easy to binge. 🙂
Thanks, Kaya!
I didn’t join this challenge but I have been keeping up with how many audiobooks I’m listening to. I’ve currently listened to 29 and have 2 more on the go. I think I could potentially listen to 50+ this year!!
29 is amazing! You should totally join this challenge next year. 🙂
I joined last year. I didn’t listen to near as much as I have this year but I think I still reached the goal. The only reason I decided not to join this year was because I wanted everything to be laid back and relaxed.
Laid back and relaxed makes total sense. I tried not to join in too many things this year but I wound up joining a bunch anyway. LOL
That’s what tried to do as well. I still participate in several but I’m pretty sure it’s less than last year.
Nice going! I’m going to post my update soon, once again trying to squeeze ever last bit I can get out of the month lol 😀
Thanks! Hah, that makes sense. 🙂 I should be finishing one other between today and tomorrow but it wouldn’t help my numbers much so I wasn’t worrying too much about it lol!
Nice list of listens. I loved Roberts series on audio.
Thanks! This is really the first of her series I’ve really tried and I loved it. I need to check out more of her stuff for sure. 🙂
I actually just finished my very first audiobook this month! I even wrote a whole discussion post about the experience! Since I’m still very much a newbie listener, I’m still working out what activities I can manage to do while listening, and at what speed I process the words best. But I’m currently on my second audiobook and enjoying myself, so I consider that a win!
Glad you found audiobooks worth checking out! It can definitely take some trial and error getting used to them and seeing what all you can do while listening. I also find it really depends on the narrator–some narrators I have a hard time paying attention to. Good luck!
I’ll probably be a weekend Warrior again -although with a little planning perhaps stenographer.
Lynn 😀
Even 10 a year is pretty good when you think about it, that’s almost one a month!
Hey, well done with your progress in the audiobook challenge. I’m doing it.
Thank you! Good luck!
Thanks
I was a bit off my listening/reading game for much of this year, too. You’re doing great so still might make your goal. 🙂
I need to finish that Nora Roberts’ series and I have the Lucy Parker on my pile, too.
Thanks! I hope you can make up for things in the 2nd half of the year. 🙂
I really enjoyed this Nora Roberts series. It was my first books by her–definitely will check out her other work–you can see he romance roots in this. I LOVE that Lucy Parker series–it’s so much fun. This was actually a reread. I think I’ve probably reread that particular book 3 times not haha.