If you are a regular reader of this blog then you know that we both love books. We love a good story that hooks us from the first chapter and keeps us flipping pages until we finish the book. If you are a regular reader of this blog you know that we have a monthly Book Club series and if you have been paying attention you know that Jen usually flies through a bunch of books each month while I am lucky if I read one book a month. It's not because I don't love to read, but that I just literally can't find the time to sit down and pick up a book. Between carpool, kid activities, blog stuff or just keeping up with things at home, my reading time was far and few between.
That has all changed though and I am SO excited to share with y'all something that has completely changed all of that for me. I'm listening to books on my phone loving it. I'm so obsessed and it has totally changed so much for me.
I was chatting with my good friend J about books and reading and I asked her how she had time to read so many books. She told me she listens to them and my mind was blown. She told me she thought it would be perfect for me because I'm in the car so much and told me to give it a try. I downloaded the Audible app on my phone, picked a book to start listening too, and haven't looked back.
Now, this might not be a new idea to some of you, but it was totally foreign to me and I will say it took me a few chapters to get into. Usually, when I'm in the car I have the radio or Pandora on, but just kind of as background noise and my mind is often filled with other thoughts. When listening to a book I really have to focus on what is being said and not allow my mind to wander or I totally miss what is happening in the story.
Once I got through a chapter or two though I was hooked. I couldn't wait to get back in the car and listen some more. Then, I got so hooked that I started listening every chance I could. While I was making lunches, putting away laundry, walking my dog, cleaning the house, etc. Basically any time I would usually be playing music instead I am playing the books and I freaking LOVE it! I was even a crazy person who grocery shopped one day last week with my headphones in because I was so close to the end of a story and wanted to know what happened!
This is all pretty new to be and I've been listening for about a week. I'm averaging a book every two to three days and have no plans of slowing down. I just feel like this has opened a whole new world for me and now I'm finally able to "read" all those books that I had wanted to, but had no time for. I do kind of feel like I am cheating on real books, but I don't even care because I'm multitasking and getting so much done and still being able to get wrapped up in some pretty amazing plots.
I talked to a few people about this already and some had some questions so thought I would answer those for anyone who might be thinking the same thing.
Do you listen while your kids are in the car?
That kind of depends. Generally if my kids are in the car with me they look like this:
Headphones on, watching or listening to their own form of entertainment and you can judge all you want, but it just works for us. They have no time for devices at home between school and sports, so their riding around in the afternoons between one practice or game to the next is the time they get on their iPads or phones. If they are tuned in to their stuff, I'm tuned into mine. If it is a quick ride or we're chatting about their day then obviously I don't listen to my books then.
Are you really in the car that much to listen?
Yes. Yes, I am. All I do is drive from 2:30 to somewhere around 8ish on most days. Back and forth from one thing to the next so I have tons of time in the car. Instead of listening to the same songs over and over and over again now I feel like my brain is being challenged a little more with a good story.
Do the narrators annoy you?
Some of them have been super entertaining and really made the book in my opinion. Others I haven't loved as much. It sort of just depends on the book, but I love being able to speed up or slow down the speed of the reading if one talks really slow and if I want to move through it at a little quicker pace.
What app are you using to listen?
I'm sure there are lots of options out there, but right now I'm using Amazon's Audible and it seems to be working great for me.
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