I was listening to a mystery last week, and when the detective finally explained everything, my audiobook app said I still had 58 minutes left.

So obviously I didn't believe a word of it.

I spent the entire final chapter waiting for the detective to be exposed as the actual murderer, or for someone presumed dead to show up, or for literally anything to prove that wasn't the real ending.

Then the story ended.

The remaining 58 minutes were an author interview, acknowledgments, and a preview of another book.

I'd basically invented an elaborate conspiracy because a little bar on my phone told me there was too much time left for the mystery to be solved.

And honestly, it made me wonder how often knowing the remaining runtime changes the way we experience a story. If a character is in mortal danger with six hours left, I'm probably not that worried. If there's only twenty minutes left, suddenly every sentence feels ominous.

I kind of wish audiobook players could distinguish between "time left in the actual story" and bonus material.

Does anyone else accidentally use the progress bar to predict what happens next?

I just listened to The Affinity Bridge by George Mann. A book that, after finishing, Im wondering why it’s called that in the first place. It wasn’t a horrible book per se, but the audiobook is just a mess. It starts off a static haze and the voice of a young narrator implying he’s actually a 40 year old man while reading this book. Let me tell you, that did not work. He sounds like he’s 20 which may be good for the female voices but not for the 40 year old main character. Now, maybe I can deal with the young narration, maybe I can get past the static that decided to flow in and out of the story. But then get to an odd crumpling sound, and then it hits you! It’s the narrator flipping pages, sorting them, and moving in his seat. And yes, you will hear this through the rest of the story. I can count about 12 times when I heard him turning pages. Again, maybe you can get past that. But then let me present to you my now; throat noises and the case of the repeating sentences. Throat noises and the case of the repeating sentences. Now do I think the narrator edited his audiobook? Yes. Did he do it well however? Am I making myself clear that he did not? Because yes, in several areas he repeats sentences. I believe it’s due to him re doing a scene/ a single sentence without stopping and forgetting that he did several takes when he went back to edit. It happens, Iv heard it before in some other audiobook (granted, not usually to this extent). Unfortunately those repeated sentences come with him clearing his throat or making noises when you know you’ve messed up and are trying to get your mind/ phrasing back on track. Like guttural ticks and tongue noises. When the characters are in the midst of a fight scene, this whole process is so incredibly distracting. So there it is, my review of this 16 years past audiobook narration that no one besides me cares about. If you also want the most docile Sounding but excitingly (ish) written characters, you’ve also come to the right place. Somehow he made every character so dismal and quiet. They wernt the most well written chapters, but at least some personality was written into them which the narrator decided was too much.

I've discovered one mildly annoying side effect of listening to a lot more books than I physically read.

I can hear an author's favorite sentence.

Not literally the same sentence, but the little construction they apparently love so much that it sneaks in every few pages.

One author I listened to recently had characters constantly "letting out a breath they hadn't realized they were holding." Another seemed physically incapable of ending a tense conversation without somebody rubbing the back of their neck.

I'm three books into a series right now and every character apparently "gives a small shrug" before saying anything remotely uncertain.

On the page, I honestly don't think I'd notice most of this. My eyes skim over familiar little action beats and keep moving.

But when the same narrator actually has to SAY "he gave a small shrug" for the eighteenth time, my brain starts keeping statistics.

Dialogue habits become obvious too.

Certain characters begin every answer with "Look," or "Well," so often that after ten hours I'm quietly saying it along with the narrator.

And once I hear the pattern, I can't unhear it.

The strange part is that this hasn't necessarily made me like those books less. If anything, it's made me much more aware of how different written prose and spoken prose actually feel. Something almost invisible on a page can become incredibly loud when another human has to perform every single word.

It's also given me new respect for writers whose prose sounds natural for 15 or 20 hours straight. There really is nowhere for repetitive rhythm to hide in audio.

Now whenever I switch back to print I catch myself wondering how many writing tics are sitting right in front of me that my eyes have politely agreed not to report.

Hey gang, I built an iOS app that will let you listen to an audiobook synced with both the corresponding ebook and manga (also works with webtoons, visual novels, and even comic books). All while giving you a pretty decent follow-along format for those who are practically illiterate, like myself!

This isn’t really a promo, as it’s not a publically available app. Just a project I whipped up over the last few weekends for myself and my mother, as we enjoy reading together.

Debating taking this to the App Store so I can actually get it into the hands of some friends and family. Take a look at the attached video and lemme know what you think! It’s catered a bit toward my own tastes, but I would love to hear suggestions for what others would like to see in a book player.

The attached video is only one of the players that exist, but it’s what I whipped up this morning. It’s super early development, but it’s pretty nifty!

Demo vid ~> https://youtube.com/shorts/FduKgmcKzjs?si=5zzeo6bzymcl_Cpo

I recently listened to an audiobook of a novel I'd already read in print a few years ago, and I had a strange experience.

There was a supporting character I remembered finding incredibly irritating.

Same dialogue. Same actions. Same book.

But in the audiobook, I suddenly understood her.

The narrator gave her this slightly hesitant delivery during arguments that I had apparently never imagined while reading. Lines I'd interpreted on the page as smug or passive-aggressive sounded defensive instead. A joke I'd read as mean sounded like someone trying badly to defuse tension.

Nothing in the text had changed, but my opinion of the character did.

Since then I've been thinking about how much interpretation we're quietly outsourcing to the narrator.

Sarcasm is a huge one. So is whether a pause sounds thoughtful or manipulative, whether a character sounds frightened or angry, and even how much authority somebody seems to have in a scene.

With print, I make those decisions in my own head and usually don't notice I'm making them.

With audio, another person makes hundreds of tiny choices for me.

It isn't necessarily a bad thing. A brilliant narrator can reveal a reading of a character that I'd never considered. But it does make me wonder how many strong opinions I've had about fictional people that were partly opinions about an actor's performance.

The most interesting comparison for me now isn't audiobook versus print in terms of convenience.

It's encountering the same story twice and discovering that changing the voice can quietly change who you sympathize with.

Hi everyone!

I have a degree in Music and Audio Production, with experience in sound engineering and dialogue editing. I’m offering affordable audiobook editing services for independent authors, narrators, and audiobook producers.

I can handle the complete audiobook post-production process, from raw recordings to upload-ready files.

My services include:
Manuscript QC
Retake identification
Dialogue editing
Audio cleanup
EQ and Compression
Loudness and technical QC
Final quality control
Upload-ready delivery

Affordable PFH rates: I’m open to your budget and willing to discuss a fair rate depending on the project’s length and requirements.

If you need someone to handle your audiobook from raw recordings to final, upload-ready files, feel free to send me a DM!

Can't believe 2026 is nearly coming to an end already!

Thanks to everyone who suggested this delightful book in my previous post! I listened to it over the course of 4-5 days at 1x speed and would gladly listen to 29 more hours of it. The writing was excellent, the story was engrossing, the characters endearing, and the narration was superb! Though not my most (or even least) favorite character, the Lucille voice was my favorite. It was such a cool and fun portrayal!!

I also listened to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine right before The Calamity Club and I fear all other audiobooks have been ruined for me for a bit. I've started and DNF'd 4 other audiobooks since yesterday and am struggling to get sucked in.

I'm waiting on several Libby holds to become available based on other recommendations in the post (Lonesome Dove, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion book 1, The house in the Cerulean Sea, The Road to Tender Hearts just to name a few) and am listening to The Rachel Situation but it's not grabbing me the way I'd hoped it would, even halfway into the book.

Anyway, I highly recommend The Calamity Club and absolutely love the gems I've found in this sub!

Edited typo

Been listening to a lot of audiobooks this year and the longer it goes on the more I realize not every book works in every situation.

Fiction while I’m cooking or doing dishes is fine. With my Shokz OpenDots 2 on I can zone in and out and still catch the plot by the end of the chapter. They’re the clip-on open ear kind so nothing goes in the ear, which means I can hear my wife over the running water. Non-fiction is the opposite, if I’m not actually paying attention none of it sticks. So I save that for the morning dog walk when I’m not doing anything else with my brain.

But a long dense history book I’m halfway through is a different story. I kept trying to put it on in the kitchen and realizing I’d missed the setup of a whole chapter. Had to go back ten minutes. That one’s a late-night thing now, after my wife is asleep, with the speed dropped to 1.25x so the names and dates actually land.

And right before bed I don’t start anything new because I know I’ll drop off and lose the thread. Lately it’s whatever I’ve already finished, like a familiar fantasy I’ve been through twice. Doesn’t matter if I drift.

Curious how other people split theirs up, especially the heavy stuff.

Hellooo!!! I hope you are doing well ☺️!! I’m very very very new to this audiobook and really reading in general!

My first audible was: “Never lie”- Freida McFadden
I’m currently listening to: Red Rising
And im currently reading: dungeon crawler Carl- Matt Diniman

I don’t know in what book I should spend my next audible credit ??

Thank you so much 🫶🏼

Does anyone know if the entire Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb series is available narrated by Saskia Butler?

I listened to Inheritance and Dragon Keeper on Audible with Saskia Butler, but then book 2 and 4 have different narrators...!?

I really enjoy Saskias narration and I'm struggling to cope with having different narrators each book.

Any platform, any format of audiobook

Hallo zusammen! 😊

Ich bin auf der Suche nach der Audible-Version der Hörbuchreihe Wächter der Nacht von Sergej Lukianenko, und zwar nach allen vier Teilen (1–4).

Leider kann ich die Version, die ich suche, nicht mehr so finden, wie ich sie in Erinnerung habe.

Gibt es hier jemanden, der die alten Audible-Ausgaben noch in seiner Bibliothek hat oder weiß, wie man an sie herankommt?

Ich würde mich riesig über jeden Hinweis freuen!

Vielen Dank schon mal! 🙏

I hope I'm not violating any rule here by posting my own youtube link!

It's a great book, now in public domain.

https://youtu.be/K5UQakecQqw?feature=shared

Thanks for any suggestions! Audiobooks really help me focus and I'd love to continue my recent spree 🙏😊

Hi! So my husband loves audiobooks (it’s the only way he reads these days), and I want to make him one for Christmas! I’m thinking of either doing a new book he hasn’t read yet or one he’s been wanting me to read for a while (and throw my reaction to plot points in while reading). How do I do that? What apps can I use to record? I don’t have any desire to make money on it, and most of the things I googled told me how to set it up so I get paid. Please help! Thank you!!

Anyone else here listening to the Wayfinger by Adam Johnson? So impressed by the quality of the production and of course the storytelling

Hi everyone,

I’ve been using the BookBeat for around a year and I really like it! They regularly give out discount codes you can share with friends to have them try the app. If someone uses the code, you also get free hours 😎

Unfortunately, none of my friends are interested and I really want the free hours :(

So I’ll share it here! You first use the link and then the code provided.

Link: https://www.bookbeat.com/de/recruit-a-friend?campaign=BBM8UUGV

Code: BBM8UUGV

I will also add that they have books in multiple languages, and that I really like their subscription model (either 20, 40 or 100 hours a month!).

I'm going to listen to "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill and I noticed the darnest thing.

The version I was going to listen to on Libby is seven minutes shorter than what Amazon/Audible shows. Okay, I figure. That can happen. Libby is missing the dedication at the start, so maybe it's things like that?

But then I listen to the preview on Amazon and it sounds different. The narrator sounds like the same person, Christina Moore. But the performance/inflection on words and phrases is definitely different. Just on the first line, there's more of a performance on one, but slower and nuanced on the other. I can't find anything online to suggest there's two versions. What am I dealing with here?

Hello , I really need to find an audiobook app, i once downloaded it , not on app store , it took so much space , I deleted it, it was sooooo cooool , has everything in it , now I can’t find it , any suggestions for the app name ? ( color black and blue )

So I just found out that my dyslexic ahh cannot read but can listen to audiobooks (for some reason I never thought about that).
I am devouring fourth wing, and I am planning on listening to hunger games audiobooks… when I was little I also red The program and The treatment but my public library didn’t have the full collection so I might pick those up too… do you have any suggestions of similar audiobooks for someone who just started? I don’t care for sex scenes but I don’t mind them either

I noticed this by accident a few months ago.

I was halfway through an audiobook and really liked the narrator, so I looked him up to see what else he'd done. Watched maybe thirty seconds of an interview.

When I went back to the book, something had changed. Until then his voice had basically disappeared into the characters. After seeing him speak normally, I kept picturing the actual narrator sitting in a recording booth.

Worse, every male character suddenly seemed to borrow a little bit of his face.

I assumed it would wear off, but it didn't. I finished the book and enjoyed it, but that invisible-narrator thing never completely came back.

Since then I've deliberately stopped searching narrators while I'm listening to a book. I'll look them up afterwards, especially if I want more of their work, but not during.

Apparently my brain is perfectly happy to believe one person is twelve different people as long as I don't show it photographic evidence that they're all the same guy.

Does anyone else avoid seeing what narrators look like, or does knowing the person behind the voice make absolutely no difference to you?

I used Audle last year and had some connectivity issues on the app so I had to pull it up on the web. unfortunately it wouldn’t remember where I was at in the book so I had to memorize the time before exiting. I quit using it last year and have only been on spotify. Spotify doesn’t have a large range of titles that i’m interested in or they only have like half the series. Did audible get better? Should I invest in another app? Libby is amazing but i’m sad the waitlists are soooo long, at this point i’d rather pay.

My debut audiobook, Letters to my son, is set for release on Spotify on the 17th of November. The Kindle eBook and paperback versions too will be published on the same date. I am giving away ten redemption codes for the audiobook. Reviews would be nice, but are not obligatory. You can listen to a sample from the book here. If you like the sample - or if the book blurb I am sharing below talks to you - just DM me for a redemption code.

Blurb

For eighteen years, she wrote him letters he could never read. On the last day of his life, she reads them all aloud.

A mother writes letters to her son as his life slowly unravels under the weight of a rare genetic condition. What begins as a simple attempt to preserve memories becomes a chronicle of love, determination, and hope. As her son regresses, her world fractures: her marriage falters, tragedy strikes without warning, and the pillars of her support fall away one by one.

Through these letters — tender, raw, and painfully honest — she tries to hold on to the child she once knew, even as he slips further from her reach. As his life nears its end, she reads the letters aloud, completing the journey they began together.

Letters To My Son is a story of grief told in whispers. But above all, it is a story about the fragility of the lives we take for granted.

Hey everyone,

I’m the author of Skyburn: Infection, Book 1 of the Skyburn Cycle. The audiobook recently released on Audible, and I still have some US promo codes I'd like to give to people who actually enjoy this kind of sci-fi.

Decades after the collapse of civilization, Auron Daye is Skyburned—infected, hunted, and surviving underground while the bacteria Enora slowly reshapes his body. By night, he scavenges the ruins above, running from the creatures that now own the surface.

Then he discovers Abadross Labs.

Buried beneath an old university, the abandoned facility holds secrets tied to the events that ended the world—and something inside is calling to Auron.

Skyburn is a dark dystopian sci-fi story with action, mystery, horror elements, morally complicated characters, and some humor mixed in along the way.

If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, leave a comment with a sci-fi or dystopian audiobook you've enjoyed recently and I'll send some codes out privately.

No expectation of a positive review. I just ask that you actually give the book a chance, and if you finish it, I'd really appreciate an honest rating or review.

Thanks!