Are you reading more or listening more?

[nesser1981]

I'm curious how you are consuming your books. The last 5 years or so, I've listened to audiobooks pretty steadily, but this year my goal had been to try to read more than listen.

I'm finding I love listening to thrillers and historic fiction, but I don't like sitting down to ready those as much. But just this week I actually read two romance books - Yours Truly & The Breakaway, so I'm thinking this is just what I needed to get me to sit still and read. LOL!

I'm also a very slow reader, so I think that's part of why I don't do a ton, but I love that I can listen and do other things, as long as they are mindless things like driving or cleaning so I can concentrate.

[kristalund]

I don't prefer audiobooks but they allow me to "read" more books. Lately, I would say 60% books/40%audio.

[KristinCB]

For a long time I felt so guilty about listening to audiobooks vs actually reading but I love them SO MUCH MORE and I would prefer to listen to an audiobook 98% of the time vs reading it. My mind wanders too much when trying to read but if I listen to an audiobook while walking I can actually pay attention to what is going on.

There are a few narrators i'm not totally fond of so I will often skip out on a book if I don't like the narrator.

I'm currently listening to a romance - "savor it" by Tarah DeWitt. It's cute so far, I like the books of hers I've listened to prior to this one.

[nesser1981]

Originally Posted by KristinCB

For a long time I felt so guilty about listening to audiobooks vs actually reading but I love them SO MUCH MORE and I would prefer to listen to an audiobook 98% of the time vs reading it. My mind wanders too much when trying to read but if I listen to an audiobook while walking I can actually pay attention to what is going on.

There are a few narrators i'm not totally fond of so I will often skip out on a book if I don't like the narrator.

I'm currently listening to a romance - "savor it" by Tarah DeWitt. It's cute so far, I like the books of hers I've listened to prior to this one.

That's me, I do really enjoy audiobooks, if I can get into a book, I get through it so much quicker than listening a lot of the times. But i get distracted, have other things come up, etc. LOL!

I just started Book Lovers by Emily Henry. I just listened to the People We Meet on Vacation, and I got through it in like two days, that's pretty fast for me for an audiobook, I've been averaging 1 a week, unless I have a ton of driving for work, then I'll get through more.

And certain narrators are hard, oddly, I enjoy Podcasts hosted by men, but prefer audiobooks read by women.

[jacinda]

I think the only thing I'm doing more of lately is procrastinating. I haven't read anything in weeks! Ugh. I miss my books. Looking forward to doing some reading on our long haul flights next month since I can't usually sleep on planes.

[nesser1981]

Originally Posted by jacinda

I think the only thing I'm doing more of lately is procrastinating. I haven't read anything in weeks! Ugh. I miss my books. Looking forward to doing some reading on our long haul flights next month since I can't usually sleep on planes.

I’m the opposite, lol I try to read on planes, but end up falling asleep. I have a book sitting on the table I bought at the airport when we came back from Disney in February 2023. lol!

[AmieN1]

Definitely upped my reading the last few years significantly by primarily listening to audiobooks! I find that I just don't have the time to read a 'real' book with the kids, work and chores. With audiobooks- I can listen while doing a lot of those things at the same time. What made audiobooks work for me was listening at a faster pace- usually 1.4 or 1.5 speed- if it's too slow, my mind wanders! lol Also- with the libby app- I've save a lot of $$ borrowing from the library and rarely buy a book these days unless it's one I know I'm going to want to keep.

[meterr]

I'm a super fast reader so I never listen to books. They go too slow for me. I prefer to read real books but signed up for Prime Unlimited and have found some really cool books I can read in that program. When reading on my phone I realized I can read even faster so I can do a book a half to two books a night this way. I love lying in the dark reading!

[tjscraps]

I do both - I'm new to audiobooks in the last year or so, but I have a 60-75 minute commute every day, so I listen while driving. I really love it, I didn't think I would! I've always been a reader, and I love it but don't always have time for it.

[nesser1981]

Same, I'm always at a 1.5 speed.

Originally Posted by AmieN1

Definitely upped my reading the last few years significantly by primarily listening to audiobooks! I find that I just don't have the time to read a 'real' book with the kids, work and chores. With audiobooks- I can listen while doing a lot of those things at the same time. What made audiobooks work for me was listening at a faster pace- usually 1.4 or 1.5 speed- if it's too slow, my mind wanders! lol Also- with the libby app- I've save a lot of $$ borrowing from the library and rarely buy a book these days unless it's one I know I'm going to want to keep.

[Kimberly27]

I am opposite. I prefer to read than listen. Listening my mind starts to wonder and I miss half the chapter. I am a semi fast reader...I have read 3 books this past week or so. We rarely turn on the TV at night, just crawl in bed and read for a an hour or so now. I always have my book on me so at the car wash or doctor I am reading. I have even gone to lunch alone and sit and read. I read both digital and paper books.
Last week hubby and I took a road trip over to Houston to a book store (Murder by the Book). We met Harlen Coben, got his new book signed then got dinner and went by to the hotel and crawled in bed to read. LOL I told him we have a hotel room, we are all alone and we are sitting here reading. <3 Such nerds. We visited several other bookstores the next day. He complains when I buy more books but still plans these trips and buys me books.

[lizziej]

I tried listening to a book about a month or so ago. I checked it out of my public library. I liked it enough that I decided that I needed to find the book, so I found it at the library. I thought it would be fun to read along with the narrator. Nope! She skipped sentences! I thought it was one time, but it would happen on every single page! I will not do audiobooks again. Besides, I know my mind would wander.

[LynnZant]

I'm 100% a reader. I've never listened to an audio book. I just read something from Nora Roberts and found myself skimming as she was really descriptive about trivial things. I'm not sure that I could have listened to all that fluff. I also use Libby to borrow books. I'm on the exercise bike for 4.5 hours a week, so I go between spurts of reading and Netflix.

[bcgal00]

I tried audio books a few times but find that my attention wanders so I stick to books. I read every morning for a bit and then a bit throughout the day, off and on. I use the Libby app on my phone so can read when I am out i.e. waiting for an appointment, in a long line up, etc.

[Connection Keeping]

I love audiobooks. I listen to them when I walk the dog or cleaning the bathroom, and sometimes at night when I just can't do anything else. But I do love holding a book in my hands and really reading. I'm probably 70/30% audiobooks to real books.

[imafishtank]

100% audio. I feel like I can't get past chapter 3 of a physical book. I need to be able to use my hands or play games on my phone or scrap or paint while listening.

[KylieShatto]

I do a mix of both. I mostly read with my eyeballs (as my good friend, Debbie, says), but I listen to 10-20 audiobooks a year. I've read 32 books with my eyeballs this year so far and listened to 8 audiobooks.
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[KylieShatto]

Originally Posted by lizziej

I tried listening to a book about a month or so ago. I checked it out of my public library. I liked it enough that I decided that I needed to find the book, so I found it at the library. I thought it would be fun to read along with the narrator. Nope! She skipped sentences! I thought it was one time, but it would happen on every single page! I will not do audiobooks again. Besides, I know my mind would wander.

Sounds like you might have gotten an abridged audiobook. I hate those! I want the whole book if I'm going to listen to it.
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[amyjcaz]

I have only ever listened to a few audio books on long trips when I am the only one in the car. I am a 100% book in hand and a copy for my library if I love it girl.

[Blagovesta Gosheva]

I'm a reader, I've alway been and prefer to hold the book in my hands, but last years I just don't have the time a would love to to read real books so I started to listen audio books more often. Now I have the feeling I can't cook a dinner or do my walk or clean the house without listening to a book. Still I prefer real paper books always when I have time.

[mkcdaisy]

I read. Usually 3-7 books a month. I can't get into listening to audio books. I have tried but just don't like it.