Audiobook Lovin 2019 Presents: Audiobooks Everywhere!

Welcome to Audiobook Lovin!

After five years of Audiobook Loivn' my love of audiobooks continues to grow and I hope you enjoy this year's event!! 

In the five years of Audiobook Lovin, the audiobook industry has...well basically exploded! In a good way!! More and more authors are discovering the importance of having their titles available in audio! 

Where to purchase audiobooks? 

Below are some of the more popular and liked vendors. 

Audible

Tantor

Google Audiobooks 

Kobo Audiobooks

Librivox

Audiobooks.com

Downpour

Scribd

LIBRO.FM

All of the above listed either provide audiobooks for purchase individually or you can purchase a monthly subscription.

I don't know about you, but I listen to more than one audiobook a month...  

So what's this Bibliophile girl to do? 

 THANKFULLY there's a wonderful and magical place called

In this magical place you can borrow the books for FREE! Yes, that magic word too! FREE! This is where it gets better... they have them in different formats  - paperback, ebooks and audiobooks!! 

I know some of you may be thinking "Jeez Viv, a bit much on the sarcasm." or my favorite "No, duh!? Really?!" Here's the thing, many people tend to forget that there is a library and that they do provide the advance technology of not only ebooks but audiobooks as well. I've seen people post in various groups inquiring about where to get "cheap" audiobooks or mentioning the cost of audiobooks. Thankfully, more and more people have replied to their comments with LIBRARY! :) 

Before anyone starts with the "Oh, but my library is SMALL." or the "I live in a rural..." mentality, we live in a GLOBAL world where many of the libraries are reducing physical inventory but working with neighboring (and at times, larger cities) areas to enhance their electronic inventory! Many libraries now have "non residential" options! You can pay a small fee (usually a yearly fee) and you will get access to their library catalog! Now, the fee may be up to $50, however, that is still less than you'd pay for a year's subscription with Audible AND you will be able to listen to more than one book a month. 

Libraries are working with third party vendors like Overdrive, RBdigital, and Hoopla Digital to bring you the awesomeness that are audiobooks!! 

Lets start with RBdigital which is owned and operated by Recorded Books Publishing. 

The cool thing about RBdigital? They have their mobile app available for iPad®, 

iPhone®, Android™, and Kindle Fire™!  Learn more via this video or by visiting their website.

Overdrive is another great provider that lends eBooks, audiobooks, music and video! 

Overdrive works with every major Device!

With Kindle® compatibility (U.S. only), apps for every major platform and OverDrive Read, your digital library service is compatible with every major device on the market. Visit the website for more information! 

HooplaDigital is actually one of my favorites and I use it
 ALL THE TIME!! 

Instantly borrow free ebooks, audiobooks, digital movies, music, and more, 24/7 with your library card.


These are just THREE resources that many libraries have that allow its patrons to listen to audiobooks. I hope that you go and find out what your local library has to offer and SIGN UP!!! Remember it's FREE!!! You can't beat that AWESOME deal!!! :)  


Tell me what you love best about your library!

Free Books with your library card!

I LOVE listening to audiobooks and reading. I have my monthly subscription to Audible and partake in the Romance Package. My monthly subscription is for 1 credit a month and the Romance Package has been nice to discover new to me authors and narrators. HOWEVER, there is a limit... again, I get one credit a month and the romance package allows you to borrow up to 10 titles at one time, but they don't have ALL the audiobooks, narrators or authors I love included in the package.

This is an expensive hobby/indulgence! Each book (regardless of format) costs money and I can read up to 100+ books in a year.. if we do the math.... lets use $14.95 as an average for each audiobook (NOTE: prices range from less to more based on several factors but we won't get into that here) times the 100 books I've currently have slated to read for the full 2018 year... the total is $1,495. I honestly think I'm hitting the low end for the total number of books because I KNOW some listen to 10+ books a MONTH!!! The dollar amount increases and increases!


So what's this Bibliophile girl to do? 

 THANKFULLY there's a wonderful and magical place called

In this magical place you can borrow the books for FREE! Yes, you read correctly! FREE! This is where it gets better... they have them in different formats  - paperback, ebooks and audiobooks!! I know some of you may be thinking "Jeez Viv, a bit much on the sarcasm." or my favorite "No, duh!? Really?!" LOL. But the truth is, many people tend to forget that there is a library and that they do provide the advance technology of not only ebooks but audiobooks as well. Before anyone starts with the "Oh, but my library is SMALL." or the "I live in a rural..." mentality, we live in a GLOBAL world where many of the libraries are reducing physical inventory but working with neighboring (and at times, larger cities) areas to enhance their electronic inventory!  This means they will work together with other libraries via third party vendors like Overdrive, RBdigital, and Hoopla Digital.

Lets start with RBdigital which is owned and operated by Recorded Books Publishing. 

The cool thing about RBdigital? They have their mobile app available for iPad®, 

iPhone®, Android™, and Kindle Fire™!  Learn more via this video or by visiting their website.

Overdrive is another great provider that lends eBooks, audiobooks, music and video! 

Overdrive works with every major Device!

With Kindle® compatibility (U.S. only), apps for every major platform and OverDrive Read, your digital library service is compatible with every major device on the market. Visit the website for more information! 

HooplaDigital is actually one of my favorites and I use it ALL THE TIME!! 

Instantly borrow free ebooks, audiobooks, digital movies, music, and more, 24/7 with your library card.


These are just THREE resources that many libraries have that allow its patrons to listen to audiobooks. I hope that you go and find out what your local library has to offer and SIGN UP!!! Remember it's FREE!!! You can't beat that AWESOME deal!!! :)  



Tell me what you love best about your library!

Audiobook Lovin' 2017 Presents: Audiobooks Here, Audiobooks There, Audiobooks Everywhere!

Day two of  Audiobook Lovin' and we thought we'd chat about where audiobooks are available besides the major vendors, of course! HOWEVER, before we get into that, if you missed Wednesday's post, please make sure to visit & see the list of over 50 authors, narrators and special guests participating in this year's Audiobook Lovin' event! The post also included information on the series and how it will work!  So make sure to visit us BOTH daily!!! Click on our individual buttons (see the pretty ones below) that will take you to our respective post of the day. 

Okay! On with the show!

Audio Book Lovin' Presents: Audio Books Here, Audio Books There Audio Books Everywhere!

Day two of  Audio Book Lovin' and we thought we'd chat about where audio books are available besides the major vendors, of course! HOWEVER, before we get into that, if you missed yesterday's post, please make sure to visit to see the list of over 40 authors, narrators and special guests participating in this year's Audio Book Lovin' event! The post also included information on the series and how it will work!  So make sure to visit us BOTH daily!!! Click on our individual buttons (see the pretty ones below) that will take you to our respective post of the day. 

Okay! On with the show!

Okay, June is audio book month and if you didn't know, well now you do! Before we start sharing with you all the awesome audio books clips and the narrators that voice the characters and bring the stories to life as well as the authors who write the stories, we wanted to chat with you about the different ways for you to get or listen to audiobooks besides the major vendors where you can purchase them (listed below). 

Sometimes you can purchase them directly from the publisher.  Throughout the years of my love of books and audiobooks as well, one thing I've heard a lot of is "but they are so expensive" or "They cost so much and I'm only going to listen to it once." 

I do get it to some degree. The way that I read/listen... it CAN be an expensive hobby. However, how much was that latte at Starbucks? Oh, wait... what about that glass of wine with your dinner? No, no.. hold on... Didn't you just recently upgrade to the latest phone model and you JUST upgraded again? LOL I'm not judging. Really, I'm not. I'm just saying that BEFORE you start, ahem.. complaining that a book costs too much you should take a second to think about the questions I just asked. Now... I did say that it can be an expensive hobby for book lovers like myself. THANKFULLY there's a wonderful and magical place called

In this magical place you can borrow the books for FREE! Yes, you read correctly! FREE! This is where it gets better... they have them in different formats  - paperback, ebooks and audiobooks!! I know some of you may be thinking "Jeez Viv, a bit much on the sarcasm." or my favorite "No, duh!? Really?!" LOL. But the truth is, many people tend to forget that there is a library and that they do provide the advance technology of not only ebooks but audiobooks as well. Before anyone starts with the "Oh, but my library is SMALL." or the "I live in a rural..." mentality, we live in a GLOBAL world where many of the libraries are reducing physical inventory but working with neighboring (and at times, larger cities) areas to enhance their electronic inventory!  This means they will work together with other libraries via third party vendors like Overdrive, OneClickdigital, and Hoopla Digital.

Lets start with OneClickdigital which is owned and operated by Recorded Books Publishing
"OneClickdigital brings exclusive Recorded Books eAudio, as well as content from all major publishers, together with an eBook service. Combine eBooks and eAudio in one collection, offering the most comprehensive platform for your content. Curated title lists feature the best literature in a wide variety of genres along with an outstanding collection of award-winning Children's and Young Adult titles."

OneClickdigital Brief Overview from RBdigital from Recorded Books on Vimeo.

The cool thing about OneClickdigital? They have their mobile app available for iPad®, 

iPhone®, Android™, and Kindle Fire™! 

Overdrive is another great provider that lends eBooks, audiobooks, music and video! 

Overdrive works with every major Device!

With Kindle® compatibility (U.S. only), apps for every major platform and OverDrive Read, your digital library service is compatible with every major device on the market. Visit the website for more information! 

HooplaDigital is actually one of my favorites and I use it ALL THE TIME!! 

Instantly borrow free digital movies, music, and more, 24/7 with your library card.


These are just THREE resources that many libraries have that allow its patrons to listen to audiobooks. I hope that you go and find out what your local library has to offer and SIGN UP!!! Remember it's FREE!!! You can't beat that AWESOME deal!!! :)  

Now, time for the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Time to go visit Kelly!!!

Audio Book Review: Midnight's Kiss by Thea Harrison

Midnight's Kiss 
(Elder Races Series, Bk #8)
by Thea Harrison
Narrated By: Sophie Eastlake

Blurb: 
In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two souls who have long buried their passions are about to be consumed…

Ever since their scorching affair ended years ago, Julian, the Nightkind King, and Melisande, daughter of the Light Fae Queen, have tried to put the past behind them—and distance between them. But when a war breaks out between Julian and Justine, a powerful Vampyre of the Nightkind council, they find themselves thrown together under treacherous circumstances…

Kidnapped as leverage against Julian, Melly is convinced that her former lover won’t be rushing to her rescue. But when Julian gives himself up to save her, they both end up Justine’s captives. Armed only with their wits and their anger, Melly and Julian must work together to escape. But will they be able to ignore their complicated history, or will the fiery passion that once burned them blaze again?

Available for purchase at 

            

Viviana's Review: 

This has become a comfort series for me.  My “go to” series when I want to read a good story. “Midnight Kiss” is just that, a good story that came along right when I just wanted a fun read for me.  

We were introduced to the hero and heroine in the previous book "Night's Honor" and the animosity they had for one another was evident.  You just knew something BIG had occurred and that BOTH, yes both still had feelings for each other regardless of what they said.

The heroine is spunky and completely independent.  She does not falter or play the damsel in distress. The hero, while a complete Alpha Male, is not a total ass.  The reader is given glimpses of their past love and even the obvious current connection and we get the idea of what happened or rather what the hero believes to have happened.  Throughout the majority of the book the heroine does not really know why he broke things off except he believes she was unfaithful and of course she argues to the contrary, and he does not believe her.

When they finally do actually talk about the “why” the relationship ended with details, a plot is discovered, and they realize they have been played.  Okay - here is where I knew from the very beginning what was going on, and I so hoped the author was not going to play the obvious card but she did.  Sigh.  I was disappointed.  Perhaps it was so obvious to me and the “How didn't anyone ever question that at the very beginning?” because I happen to be one (sorry, not saying due to spoilers… read and you’ll know) or what, but yeah it was just so obvious. It's also been done before! Another romance trope! Arg... so very disappointed. 

The story line or ARC from the previous book does continue into this one, you might be able to read it as a stand alone, but I think this would dilute some of the emotion, and you may find yourself a tad bit lost with some of the information and perhaps even players.  I loved the previous book, so I would recommend you read it.

Narrator's Review: Ahh Sophie Eastlake, how do I love thee as a narrator, let me count the ways.... YOU FREAKING ROCK! Sophie continues to bring this series to life! Throughout the book, I forget she's a female narrating male voices. She's THAT GOOD!

Overall, a comfort read that provides the reader with the HEA we want and a good read.

 Rating: 3.5 Stars - I REALLY Liked It

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley Sensation in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Audio Book Review: Last Kiss by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick

Last Kiss 
(Hitman Series, #3)
by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick 
Narrated By: Iggy Toma and Kasha Kensington

Blurb: 

Naomi: When I was kidnapped I thought only of survival. I don’t thrive well in chaos. That’s why I gave my captors exactly what they wanted: my skill with computers. Making millions for a crime lord who kept me imprisoned in his basement compound kept my family safe. When he was taken out, I thought my ticket to freedom had arrived. Wrong. I traded one keeper for another. This time I’m in the hands of a scarred, dark, demanding Russian who happens to be the head of the Bratva, a Russian crime organization. He wants my brain and my body. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued, but I can’t be a prisoner forever...no matter how good he makes me feel.

Vasily: At a young age, I was taught that a man without power is a puppet for all. I’ve clawed—and killed—my way to the top so that it is my heel on their necks. But to unify the fractured organization into an undefeatable machine, I need a technological genius to help me steal one particular artifact. That she is breathtaking, determined, and vulnerable is making her more dangerous than all of my enemies combined. But only I can keep her safe from the world that she now inhabits. Soon, I must choose between Naomi and Bratva law. But with every day that passes, this becomes a more impossible choice. 

Available for purchase at 

                  

Viviana's Review:
LAST KISS picks up where we last saw Vasily in the previous book in the series. So technically, you "could" read this (and maybe each of the books in the series) as a standalone, I think it would be best if read as a series. However, this is just me as I love the series and wouldn't want you to miss out on it. 

The story had many sweet moments, many action packed scenes, a hero who is a complete alpha male, yet falls for the girl and does everything within his power to keep her safe and a heroine that is not a traditional heroine but on that we'll fall for. 

Both Jessica and Jen have done a phenomenal job on research for all their books in the series. They have also done a fantastic job of telling the story of Vasily and Naomi. They both bring a unique spin to the co-author relationship by providing fresh and awesome stories. 

Vasily, as I said above, is a complete Alpha Male - in the scenes that he is a hitman, a ruthless businessman who will not allow anyone to stand in his way and he is a tortured soul. He also believes he is undeserving of love and affection. However, we, the reader, get the information in a way that is none-whiney. THANK GOODNESS. Vasily  is also sweet and attentive, well, extremely attentive. Have I forgotten to mention SEXY! Sorry, Sexy... he's very sexy. 

LAST KISS brings a very interesting and unique heroine, her high level of intelligence, her extraordinary knowledge of computer coding and hacking and that she has Aspy (Asperger syndrome).

While Vasily may have kidnapped Naomi to aid him in his quest to be the dad of the Brava, they develop a mutual respect for each other and for what the other has tried to accomplished thus far. One may even say that a friendship developed as well.

What I enjoyed the most about this story is that not once did Vasily see her as different in a negative way or less of a woman. he knew and revered her as a unique individual who was talented beyond her means. He looked at her as a beautiful woman and fell for her hard!

Narrators' Review: Both Iggy Toma and Kasha Kensington continue to do a great job narrating and bringing life to the story. They each read both the male and female parts within either the hero/heroine's POV. Oh how I would love it if they interacted with each other (meaning they each only read the male and female specific parts). I absolutely LOVE Iggy! He gives each of the characters their own unique tones, voices, accents, etc. that make pop!   Below is a sample of the audio book for you to check out!


Overall, a great read and I can't wait to get my hand on the next installment of the series.

Rating: 4.5 Stars - REALLY LOVED IT!

Disclaimer:

I received a complimentary copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Audio Book Lovin' Presents: Audio Books Here, Audio Books There Audio Books Everywhere!

Woohoo, week two of Audio Book Lovin and we're changing things up! Starting today both Kelly and I will be hosting individual authors and/or narrators. This means more fun for everyone, you'll get to learn about more authors, narrators and series AND more chances for you to enter some fabulous giveaways!!  So make sure to visit us BOTH daily!!! Click on our individual buttons (see the pretty ones below) that will take you to our respective post of the day. Pretty easy, right? 

So we've been talking about audio books for about a week now and I'm sure you know the major vendors where you can purchase them, right?

You may also know that sometimes you can purchase them directly from the publisher.  Throughout my love of books and audiobooks as well, one thing I've heard a lot of is "but they are so expensive" or "They cost so much and I'm only going to listen to it once." I do get it to some degree. The way that I read/listen... it CAN be an expensive hobby. However, how much was that latte at Starbucks? Oh, wait... what about that glass of wine with your dinner? No, no.. hold on... Didn't you just recently upgrade to the latest phone model and you JUST upgraded again? LOL I'm not judging. Really, I'm not. I'm just saying that BEFORE you start, ahem.. complaining that a book costs too much you take a second to think about the question I just asked. Now... I did say that it can be an expensive hobby for book lovers like myself. THANKFULLY there's a wonderful and magical place called

In this magical place you can borrow the books for FREE! Yes, you read correctly! FREE! This is where it gets better... they have them in different formats  - paperback, ebooks and audiobooks!! I know some of you may be thinking "Jeez Viv, a bit much on the sarcasm." or my favorite "No, duh!? Really?!" LOL. But the truth is, many people tend to forget that there is a library and that they do provide the advance technology of not only ebooks but audiobooks as well. Before anyone starts with the "Oh, but my library is SMALL." or the "I live in a rural..." mentality, we live in a GLOBAL world where many of the libraries are reducing physical inventory but working with neighboring (and at times, larger cities) areas to enhance their electronic inventory!  This means they will work together with other libraries via third party vendors like Overdrive, OneClickdigital, and Hoopla Digital.

Lets start with OneClickdigital which is owned and operated by Recorded Books Publishing
"OneClickdigital brings exclusive Recorded Books eAudio, as well as content from all major publishers, together with an eBook service. Combine eBooks and eAudio in one collection, offering the most comprehensive platform for your content. Curated title lists feature the best literature in a wide variety of genres along with an outstanding collection of award-winning Children's and Young Adult titles."

OneClickdigital Brief Overview from RBdigital from Recorded Books on Vimeo.

The cool thing about OneClickdigital? They have their mobile app available for iPad®, 

iPhone®, Android™, and Kindle Fire™! 

Overdrive is another great provider that lends eBooks, audiobooks, music and video! 

Overdrive works with every major Device!

With Kindle® compatibility (U.S. only), apps for every major platform and OverDrive Read, your digital library service is compatible with every major device on the market. Visit the website for more information! 

HooplaDigital is actually one of my favorites and I use it ALL THE TIME!! 

Instantly borrow free digital movies, music, and more, 24/7 with your library card.


These are just THREE resources that many libraries have that allow its patrons to listen to audiobooks. I hope that you go and find out what your local library has to offer and SIGN UP!!! Remember it's FREE!!! You can't beat that AWESOME deal!!! :)  

Now, time for the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Time to go visit Kelly!!!