Audio books vs. Reading books

I have always been a very large advocate of reading books, rather than listening to them. In fact, i've almost always been discriminatory regarding audio books. I think...i may owe audio books an apology.

Don't get me wrong...i still adore reading books ... reading is definitely my favorite pasttime. I would rather read than do much of anything else. Seriously. I can't count how many days (well...nights rather) that i've stayed up way past my "bedtime" to "finish this chapter" only to read another...and another...and another.

But.....

I've discovered there are quite a few perks to audio books. Hearing is different than Seeing. Seeing while reading, the words and books are very linear to the reader. If you take the same book, and give it to 10 different people, all 10 are going to read it differently than the others. They will give you a different synopses of the book - different cliff notes, if you will. When you listen to a book in audio format, you hear it through someone else's perspective. It's interesting, and enlightening.

I was hesistant to enter the aduio book world. It felt like it was some sort of bridge, and i was scared of what may be on the other side. Odd, and completely unexplainable on my part, i suppose...yet that's how it felt.
I got my first audio book, because i fell in love with a book, and desperately wanted to keep reading, when i had to go to work -- as talented as i may or may not be, there was no way in hell i could concentrate at my job, while actually reading. My multi-tasking abilities are just not that great. It was ...weird in the beginning. It felt like i was sitting in my chair, listening to a movie, but being unable to find the picture screen. I think it took about 2 chapters for me to change my mind.

Since that first toe in the audio book pool...i have absolutely fallen in love! Not only can i multi-task while i'm listening/reading, but i truly enjoy the differences of the experience!

There's something about hearing the "voices" that you read...with inflections, and accents that makes the story come to life.

While i enjoy the experience...i've learned there is also a very big downside.
1.) when the reader of the book is terrible, it irks my patience.
2.) when halfway through a series, the reader changes. It's just WRONG. It's a sin! it's ... against the law!!!! i mean, come on! ....
3.) when the reader changes halfway through the series, and the new reader is TERRIBLE (Cough, Cynthia Holloway, Cough... GIVE ME KIMBERLY ALEXIS BACK....NOAW!!!!)
4.) Abridged. Who would do such a dastardly thing?! please, please, please. NO NO NO.

Hmm...now that i read it...it doesn't seem to have THAT big of a down side...BUT... its there nonetheless!

I now wish i was an audio book narrator :D ... except i'm pretty sure i could never imitate Jean-Claude's accent...(and then i would suck too...), sadly.

What do you think? Convert? or no?

Deviant?

My husband has decided to point out, after my obsessive 4th read of the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, that he perceives me as a 'deviant'.

My first thought was to laugh at him, and shrug him off. But after the last few days of chewing on these words...I have to ask...deviant?

I got curious and decided to look it up. This is thanks to www.dictionary.com:

de·vi·ant

   /ˈdiviənt/ Show Spelled[dee-vee-uhnt] Show IPA

adjective

1.

deviating or departing from the norm; characterized by deviation: deviant social behavior.

noun

2.

a person or thing that deviates or departs markedly from the accepted norm.

 

Hmm. I guess after reading the definition, i guess i really can't disagree with that...can i?

More importantly, what is wrong with "departing from the norm"...because if i am truly OUT of the norm, than my world of normal is way more interesting, fun, and enlightening than the normal. I'm not sure i want to be part of a normal that is so unlike my normal.

 

What makes me a deviant? Is it that i relish in the paranormal world, and wish that were real, and i could be a part of it? Is it that i dream in 50 shades of grey?

Or is it the fact, that despire how much i love my life, ... i'm bored. Why else do we all read what we do? Whether you read the paranormal romance genre that i love so much, or you read murder mysteries, or horror novels...everyone reads for the same reasons -- to escape for awhile... to immerse yourself in a world that is so unlike your own -- one that is exciting and despite our wishes otherwise, is unrealistic. Lives in novels revolve around interesting things - the sky is the limit of the author.

 

So. I am a self-proclaimed, husband-pointed-out, deviant.

Are you?

Larissa Ione - Pleasure Unbound

It has been kindly pointed out to me that I have been slacking on my book reviewing -- good thing for all you fans out there (my ...what... 5 readers?) that though I haven't been posting, I've been reading!!!

So. I stumbled upon Larissa Ione by mistake. You see, I have the bad habit of choosing books via their cover (I know, I know...insert the "don't judge a book by it's cover" quoting...) but seriously. I can generally tell by the cover of a book whether or not I will like it. With Pleasure Unbound, I was not disappointed.

Entering into a new realm, one of demons and the like, I found this book, and this author, to be a breath of fresh air! So refreshing to explore different aspects of the paranormal! I'd say a good... 4.5 stars for this on the paranormal romance scale.

Upon entering Underworld General Hospital, we are introduced to Eidolon the demon doctor, chief of staff. When the doors burst open, bringing in the newest patient, he gets the surprise of his life when discovering that she is a member of the Aegis -- the demon world's boogeyman. With the Aegis sticking with a kill first-ask no questions, theory, the members of the hospital urge Eidolon to 'dispose' of this injured waif, and carry on their lives, knowing one more enemy is off the street.

Tayla awakes, after a long night of hunting, to find herself in the freaking twilight zone. The hottest doctor she has ever seen is hovering over her, and all logic and reality goes out the window for her. Throwing herself on this doctor, she believes she is merely dreaming...little does she know she's about to wake in the midst of a nightmare. Due to a tramatic childhood, and the Aegis, Tayla knows the only good demon is a dead demon...

A demon doctor, composed, despite his big 100 year change which will turn him into a mindless, raping...well, demon, is unexpectedly drawn to this female. After some tests, Eidolon learns a very large secret about Tayla, that she herself was unaware of. Can he dislodge Tayla's long-lived hatred of his kind?...Can Tayla accept her horrific fate?

You will fall in love with this book...if you can get past the "demonica" drop-line on this cover!!!

Until next time.

-J