As bookworms, we all have our preferred formats when it comes to reading.  Some people, well, most people prefer physical books over ebooks.  Or they might like both the same and just prefer ebooks for traveling (me).  But there is another option that many people like to use to consume books… audiobooks.

So I am not a person who really likes to listen to audiobooks on a regular basis.  I’ve only listened to three, and I actually enjoyed listening to them.  Alex & Eliza was great to listen to and I’m planning to listen to it again soon. I also enjoyed The Spies That Bind (a Gallagher Girls prequel, which is only available as an audiobook) and I listened to Stranger Than Fanfiction by Chris Colfer as I read the book because I adore his voice.

Listening to audiobooks is an interesting experience because you get to listen to how the narrator portrays characters through voice.  And I find that this can leave an impression as I’ll hear it in my head at random times for a while after listening to the audiobook.

However, as I said, I’m not really an audiobook person. This is because I have a harder time listening to books, podcasts, etc. without zoning out and having to backtrack to listen to what I had missed. Then it’ll take me longer to get through a book than I would have if I just read it.  I think audiobooks are great, especially for those who travel a long distance to work or for those who cannot see very well (or at all)… they’re just not my favorite.

But I’d like to change that, or at least try to listen to a couple each year.

I’ve found that I can invest in an audiobook as long as I’m not doing anything else, really. Going for a walk, whether in the neighborhood or on a treadmill, gives me the head-space to be able to listen and enjoy the story being read to me. Otherwise I have to be relaxed on my bed or in the living room with my eyes closed to focus on the story. That kind of limits my options, but it works for me.

Do you prefer reading books or listening to audiobooks?  Or do you like both the same?