Top Ten Tuesday: Audiobooks

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

I love audiobooks.  I love having someone read to me. However, not all audiobooks are alike. It depends on the story and the person reading. Essentially, every reader has a unique way of making the story seem real. Here's ten of my favorite audiobooks.

1. Harry Potter the series by J.K. Rowling (read by Jim Dale) - The Harry Potter books are truly some of the most magical books I've ever read. Jim Dale takes this story to a hole different level. He has a distinct voice for every different character. His storytelling is absolutely enchanting.

2. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (read by Rebecca Soler) - Rebecca Soler has a way of bringing all of Meyer's dynamic characters to life.

3. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan (read by Jesse Bernstein) - There have been several narrators for the book series in the Percy Jackson universe. Jesse is by far my favorite; he is  Percy Jackson to me. He has Percy's tone and inflections perfectly and the rest of the characters are quite awesome too!

4. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin (read by Samantha Eggar) - Samantha Eggar takes this slightly odd fictional history of the girl who inspired Alice in Alice in Wonderland. The mystery and character interaction in this book is heightened by Eggar's performance.

5. Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley (read by L.J. Ganser) - This series is enchanting and L.J. Ganser's voice helps add an extra hint of mystery into each case the Sisters Grimm try to solve.

6. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (read by Will Patton) - Will Patton has narrated many books that I've enjoyed.  This one makes the list because of the combination of his performance and the story itself. I love the drawl in his voice.

7. Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (read by Kate Rudd) - High fantasy books always seem like they're so much more dense than other books. It's always a bit intimidating for me to read.  This book was great to listen to, because I didn't have to fumble over names and I was able to track the story in my head a bit better. Plus, Kate Rudd's performance was amazing! I loved feeling like I was personally being told a story.

8. The Ascendence trilogy by Jennifer A. Nieslen (read by Charlie McWade) - The main character's snark and mischievous attitude is accentuated by Charlie McWade's reading. It feels very much like he knows more than the readers, and gets to decide when we find out certain information. I definitely spent time just leaning forward, waiting, and wishing I could have all the information right then.

9. Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (read by Lin Manuel Miranda) - This book is a treasure in its own right; Lin Manuel Miranda brings it to life with his reading. Each of the boys have a very distinct voice, thoughts and opinions conveyed expertly by Miranda. I loved listening to this book!

10. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (read by Robert Glenister) - It would have taken me quite a while to read this book, had I not listened to it. I think I would have enjoyed it in the end, but I wouldn't have enjoyed the characters as much. Robert Glenister's portrayal of all characters made this book more compelling.