Reading When You Are Slow

I am an insufferably slow reader.  I always have been.  It wasn't until I was an adult that I started to like to read.  In the 80's and 90's I liked to read the Star Trek and Star Wars books.  It would take me forever!  But I do read a few books during the year.  A friend of my mom's told me about Goodreads. Goodreads has a number of free books you can read through them. I got the app, but didn't do much with it until very recently.  Took me a moment or two to figure out how to track your books.  I like their "Challenge" feature!  Now that I have figured out the app, I plan to use that voraciously from now on.

Goodreads image property of Goodreads

But something I am most excited about now is the awesome thing that is known as Audible!  It took prodding from my friend Kristyn, and info from my friend Allen, to get me to finally give Audible a try.  I tell you what! If you are a slow reader like me, then Audible is for YOU!

Image property of Amazon

The reason I did not jump right in is because I thought it was too expensive.  $14.99 a month for one book? I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to finish a single book in one month.  I ended up getting in on a Holiday Special where the first three months I am charged $6.99, plus I got a free Echo Dot device to use with our Alexa.  There are other membership options where you can opt to have more than one book credit per month, and it can be cheaper than buying a second book before your monthly credit rolls around.

I was very surprised at what that $14.99 got you! (Or for now, the $6.99).  You do get just one book per month, but you also get two free Audible Originals as well.  You have a limited selection for the Originals, but still, it's free, and it's a good way to open your horizons to new types of genres.  Of course, the very first book I got on my Audible membership was Harry Potter!!

The Wizarding World by JK Rowling

I now have all of the HP books thanks to a promotion that Audible runs from time to time.  I have been given options to purchase additional book "credits" for prices that are cheaper than my monthly rate.  That is another feature I enjoy with Audible.

I am over the hill happy with Audible. I listen in my car. I listen before bed.  My imagination is still able to take me to the pages in the books.  (I was worried about not being able to form images in my mind as I "read" an audiobook. But, it has not been a problem, and some books, like the Alien one, have multiple narrators, so it's sort of like listening to a movie!!!) The books I have read so far range in narration time from 3-4 hours, up to 41+ hours for Cryptonomicon, which I am reading right now. For commuting, this is easy to get through a book in no time at all.  Or for those of us strangled on a treadmill for long runs, listening to Audible is wonderful!

If you are a slow reader like me, I cannot suggest Audible more than this.  You are also able to gift a book in your library to a new Audible member.  But just one time.  So if you do end up joining Audible, let me know and I'm more than happy to send you something in my Audible Library!

And don't forget to use Goodreads along with your Audible books!  They have a website and the app to help you out.  Keep track of what you read, and sign up for the 2019 Challenge when it opens!  This time I'm upping my Challenge, and for the first time ever, I will be able to reach a goal of over 10 books a year!  In 2019, I'm aiming for 100 books!  I believe I can do it with the help of Audible!

All images and book covers are not mine, but all opinions are mine.  I have not been compensated for this.