Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post hosted by Jen @That’s What I’m Talking About, where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the questions from Jen’s blog and answer it on your own.
What is your ideal book/audiobook length?
I would rather a book be shorter and to the point than be packed with filler and drag a story that would fill 2 books out into 5 or more books (I’m looking at you, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Sarah J. Maas). That said I do enjoy a book that takes time to develop the characters and story fully. Under 200 pages can sometimes be just a bit too short, and over 600 pages it needs plenty of action to stop boredom from setting in. According to The Storygraph, my reading is just about equally split between books over 300 pages and books under 300 pages.
For audiobooks, I wish my answer to this was different, but it’s zero minutes because despite having tried a variety of different narrators – including a British voice – but I have yet to find one that I enjoy. Whether it’s because I’m a visual learner, it’s because I struggle to build images in my head, or a combination of the two, but I either tune out and realise I’ve not heard what has been said, or I get irritated by the narrator’s voice/accent. Either way, I can’t focus on the story.
My mind never stops and I’m a visual person, which is why me and audio just don’t click. But for page length 300-400 page books seem to be just right for me. I can read longer (fantasy/SciFy) but like you, I need plenty of action to keep me entertained. Excellent post!
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I am with you. I like shorter books. Between 300 and 400 pages is my sweet spot. I read mostly contemporaries, so this shouldn’t be so hard to accomplish as they don’t have to create a book. I do audiobooks though. I listen as I do something else, so length doesn’t bother me
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While I’m fully in the camp of somewhere between 300 and 400, there are authors that I enjoy that regularly go over 400 and I don’t even notice. Of course, there are those that are under 300 that I wonder why it seemed to drag. Those are the ones I’m trying to do better with using my DNF option. And I’m with you for audiobooks. No shade to those who listen and love them, they just don’t work out for me.
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Totally agree with you! And i’m looking at Pepper Winters….Audiobooks isn’t my thing either.
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Oops… you didn’t get the updated schedule! EEP!
I enjoy audiobooks anywhere from 2 to 15 hours. Fantasy books tend to be a bit long, but as long as the story is good, I don’t mind.
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