In case you missed it a week ago when I talked about the new audiobooks to my wishlist, June is Audiobook Month. As many of you probably know I am a huge fan of audiobooks. I'm an audiotory learner and so listening to books is great for me. On top of that I can listen to them at work, on long walks, on public transportation, and while doing housework. Which are things I both love and hate. But in general, I think there are just certain books who are perfect in audio format.
But some of the best audiobooks are rereads. I really don't like rereading physical books. I have done it before but when it comes to rereads I would much rather listen to the audiobooks. I really think that audiobooks are the best way to reread a book. And just in case you haven't experienced this joy I decided for this month's discussion post, to explain that to you.
1.) You Can Experience the Book Faster.
I'm not a very fast reader. It depends on the book and what I am up to but in general it takes me about 4-5 days to finish a book. But when it comes to audiobooks I can listen to them in 2-3 days, that is if I actually hunker down and listen to them. Partially this is because you can alter the speed and read at 1.25 or in rare cases 1.5 speed but this is also because you can listen anywhere. It really is a super helpful way to read more books.
This is a good thing for reading in general but it's even better for rereads. Say that the book you have been waiting two years for, the sequel to that book you loved, comes out a week and you want to refresh your memory on what happened. You can read the whole book and nothing else, or you can listen to the audio while you're at work and be ready for the next book. I choose the latter.
2.) Doesn't Take Reading Time Away From Other Books
Now this is particularly important for rereads because if you are taking the time to read something again then it means you can't read something new. But if you're doing it on audio you can have your cake and eat it too. So many times I've thought I wouldn't be able to reread a book because I had review books I needed to prioritize but this way I don't have to worry about that. Everyone wins, especially me.
3.) Gives You a New Perspective
One of the things that I love about audiobooks is how they set a very specific tone for the book. It establishes the atmosphere of the book because the narrator can do certain things like speed up their voice during really thrilling scenes or build the suspense with dramatic pauses. It makes you feel the tone of the book so much more that way.And for rereads this has an even bigger effect. You can see the book in a whole different way just because of the narrator. There has been times where I started reading a book and I liked it but as soon as I picked up the audio and got the tone of the book it was like a whole different story. A good narrator can make you see things in a totally new light. And when you are rereading a book isn't that what you want? And if they are really good and the audio is good enough, it's like you are experiencing the book for the first time. Plus presumably you liked it before but maybe you'll love it this time.
4.) Immerses You in the World
Again, this goes hand in hand with what I just said about giving you a new perspective. Because just like that one, this is all about the narrator being able to set the scene and create an atmosphere for the book. A really good narrator is able to do that in such a way that you are able to forget about the real world or your location and you are transported to wherever the book takes place. If I am being entirely honest that rarely happens to me when I'm reading a book but when I am listening to an audio it almost always happens. It's like I'm there, I can see the sights, hear the sounds, smell the smells, feel the feels. I am immersed in that world.Now again, this is even more beneficial when you are rereading a book. It's like a more extreme reaction to the book. And when you are experiencing a book again you want that stronger reaction because then you will appreciate the book as much if not more. It's happened to me many times where I loved the book so much more on audio because I was able to feel immersed in the world. It almost ruins the actual reading of the book for me (more on this later), but it's honestly a good thing for me. Plus when you are rereading a book it's usually because a sequel is coming out and being able to reimmerse yourself in the book helps you jump right into the next one.
5.) Helps You Reconnect With The Characters in a Different Way
You can probably tell that one of my favorite things about audiobooks is the narrators. A lot of what I have been talking about here is how a good narrator is able to create the scene and pull you into a book. But a great narrator is also totally able to embody the character. There are certain books and certain narrators where I have just thought, that person is that character. MacLeod Andrews is David Charleston, Steve West is Sean Kendrick, Elizabeth Evans is Celaena Sardothian. These narrators become the characters so much that you can't help but connect with them because it's like the character themselves is talking to you. This is even more amazing if you have a full cast or multiple perspectives, that narrator becomes the character.,This too is even more heightened for rereads. In these cases you already met and probably connected with the character. So when it comes to rereads you can just let go and allow them to soeak to you in their tone and their way. Sometimes this can happen so much that I can no longer read a book because I will have the narrators voice in my head. I'll hear the dialogue in their tone and inflections. It's like they have embodied that character so much that I can't experience them any other way. And while this is a good thing, often I'll be like "it's not the same" and I'll just get the audio. But in the case of rereads it really does help you jump back into the characters head which is super helpful.
There you have it, all the reasons I think that audiobooks are the best way to reread anything. I am currently doing my own audiobook reread of This Savage Song. I'm really enjoying it. There Plummer is definitely able to set the tone of the book and immerses me in the world of The Monsters of Verity. She is also able to embody Kate Harker, she's so perfect for Kate. I'm not sure she gets August just right but still it's really good. I'm so ready for Our Dark Duet, I just need to finish this audiobook.
What do you think? Do you like listening to audiobooks on rereads? What are some of your favorites? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!
