#audiobooks

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I've finished: When the Sparrow Falls by Neil Sharpson

This is a story about a Soviet style East European dystopia. As someone who grew up in the late 80s it really appealed to me.

An ideology turned into an authoritarian nightmare and the people that get ground up in the wheels.

It is Sharpson's ability to personalize those people as they get crushed in the gears that makes this a great novel.

It's a bit strange to read a novel in 2025 where the AI future is viewed in a positive light. But it was published in 2021, before AI became synonymous with LLMs.

It was interesting reading When The Sparrow Falls at the same time as The Ragpicker, a novel where the digitization of human consciousness and virtual reality are the cause of the apocalyptic nightmare.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/50271032-ec89-41c3-87ad-ac67855b8417

@bookstodon …

I've finished: Bang Bang Bodhisattva by Aubrey Wood

Kiera is such a wonderful character, capable but totally in over her head. Thrust in to the middle of the action against her better judgment, she is a true reluctant heroine.

Bang Bang Bodhisattva manages to explore the trans experience, body modification, polyamory vs monogamy, police, crime and inequality via a fun sci-fi thriller that is both deadly serious and self deprecating.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7300b0fa-3f05-4e74-8eec-3c219fdd6f19

@bookstodon @audiobooks

I've finished: The Scarab Path by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I had given up on Shadow of the Aprt after Salute the Dark. It felt like it was supposed to end there and I wasn't interested in reading more about war, strategy and tactics.

Now, more than two years later I decided to give the series another chance. To my surprise, I couldn't put The Scarab Path down.

The war aspect is sidelined in favor of the survivors stories, as they deal with their grief, trauma and injuries.

While the prospect of renewed hostilities hovers over the novel, the main story revolves around the mystery that lies at the center of the ancient city of Khanaphes, revealing more about the history of the world and it's two separate aspects: The Art & The Apt.

My only issue is that I hate the love triangle with Chay at …

For the @bookstodon readers, January and February will be huge months for my podcast because I am serializing my two audiobooks for January and February. Off the grid, and pass the Salt. If you don’t have audible, this is a great way to get the audiobooks and support me and my narrators. I do not use AI narration. The price is pay what you want. You’ll get a private RSS feed that you can put in any podcast app of your choice. https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/weirdwritings you’ll get a private RSS feed after you tip monthly.

I got hit with an unexpected bill this week, so if you would like to support me, here are some easy ways you can help out!

1. Buy an audiobook
If you've been thinking of buying some audiobooks I've narrated and haven't got around to it yet, now's a good time!

2. Review an audiobook
Good ratings and comments on Audible help to boost sales. If you've bought a book in the past and can drop some stars on it, that would be great.

Find my full catalogue at the link below:

https://adaraastin.ck.page/87de3a4c9f

@audiofiction

Wow! My blog post on what I use instead of streaming services has suddenly shot up to 40 total views! Which is a lot for my blog 😆

It happened after I shared a link to it on Mastodon, so I'm going to credit Mastodon for the sudden jump in views.

https://bookswithnoelle.wordpress.com/2025/11/08/i-pay-for-exactly-zero-streaming-services/

I've finished: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

Well, that's it I've finished T. Kingfisher's audiobook catalogue up to 11.2025.

I kept The Hollow Places in reserve because it was the most horror coded of her novels, and while it is full of horror and creepiness, it also has Kingfishers human touch. Softening the hard edges with humor and self reflection.

Trust Kingfisher to write horror that I can thoroughly enjoy.

P.S.
As someone living outside the US, one of the most alien aspects of the novel is the constant angst about the cost of medical treatment. That is truly horrifying.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/828dc8ee-3669-46c8-84b2-7f0077ad2d05

@bookstodon @audiobooks

Been working on de-Amazon-ing... now I'm wondering what Audible alternatives there are.

The library is out because I listen to books while I fall sleep and it can take me a month+ to actually get thru. Needs to be a format with like two month loan periods or somewhere I can get books for a reasonable price.

I know Kobo sells audiobooks, but I wanna know what folks are using and where they're getting books.

Amazon/Audible has changed its royalty structure to supposedly pay authors more, but as usual they are lying. The new structure will actually drastically cut the amount most authors are paid for audiobooks. I recommend people stop using Audible and get audiobooks from stores that pay authors and narrators fairly or buy directly from authors.

From the article posted below:

Reality: Previously, premium books earned $8-12 in royalties while streaming books earned $0. Now ALL books earn $1-3 in royalties because premium revenue subsidizes the streaming pool.

The Deceptive Logic: Audible presents this as: "You used to make $0 from streaming, now you make $1.50! That's infinite improvement!" while hiding: "Your premium sales that used to make $10 now also make $1.50, destroying 85% of your income."

Article about the changes:
https://www.royalroad.com/forums/thread/155349

YouTube explanation from scifi and fantasy creator Daniel Green.
https://youtu.be/9H0ivgubPtI

I've finished: Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory


A wonderful zombie novel for people that don't like the killing fest that is most zombie media.

Written in sections, each part explores new ideas about zombies, exploring their nature and treating them like an extreme type of marginalized people.

Each turn the story takes supplies an interesting new twist that takes you on a new path away from the cookie cutter version of the Zombie Apocalypse story.

I never expected to encounter a 5-Star Zombie novel.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/f9f7d019-aee2-4726-bdc3-8e69ffc78a15

@bookstodon @audiobooks