In My Mailbox #21

A big thank you to Kristi, The Story Siren for hosting IMM every week.

I've been lucky two weeks in a row to have something to post on Sunday! This past week my library was having a book sale (well, really books/cds/dvds/videos and BOOKS ON TAPE!).

So I'm looking around to see what they've got and what to my wandering eyes did appear?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. On Tape! And you want to know how much I paid for it? All 14 cassettes of it?

Drumroll please............... 50 cents.

How sweet is that? I've got three out of the seven books on audio cassette now. Only four more to go to complete my collection! And I'm really excited. I mean seriously... who just decides to give that up for 50 cents? Not that I'm complaining or anything. But still.

I totally love Jim Dale as a narrator. I know I've said that before. He made me like listening to books on tape/cd. And there's just something.... magical about his voice. Does that make me weird? Probably. But if you haven't LISTENED to Harry Potter on tape or CD I highly suggest you do so. It's wonderful.

What did you get this week?

Review: Eragon (Audio CD) by Christopher Paolini (narrated by Gerard Doyle)

So in anticipation of the final installment in the Inheritance Cycle, I re-listened to the audio CD version of Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I think I said in a recent post that this audio version is narrated by Gerard Doyle and I have to say I think he is just fantastic. He is tied with Jim Dale who narrates Harry Potter (and has played parts in movies like Pete's Dragon). 

Eragon has been one of my favorite series and I think the narrator plays a big part. I love Saphira's voice and honestly, I can't figure out how he does it without destroying his throat.

Now, there are times when Christopher Paolini goes in to TOO MUCH detail, and it kind of drags on when you're reading, but when you listen to someone else read it, it's not so bad. It's entertaining and best of all, it keeps my GIRLS entertained too. Which is generally a hard thing to do.

I love the series and really wish it had ended with Brisingr, but I understand there was just too much to fit in to one book. But he sure has taken his sweet time letting go of this fourth one. A lot of people say the series mimicks Lord of the Rings with the Urgls being like the Orcs and what not. But really, I don't care. Everyone gets their ideas from someone right?

I definitely suggest everyone who's read the book pick up the audio CDs. Even if you haven't read it and hadn't planned on it, you should pick up the audio CDs. Let someone else do the reading for you.

Follow Friday #17

Thanks to Parajunkee for hosting Follow Friday every week!

This week's question:

Q. How have your reading habits changed since you were a teen? or If you are still a teen what new genres are you in love with currently?

A. Well, when I was a younger teenager I was still big into books like The Babysitter's Club by Ann M. Martin and The Babysitter by R.L. Stine. LoL. I didn't realize until I finished typing his name the similarities in both of those choices. Totally unrelated though. Well, almost. I mean, on the one hand, I liked the feel good, best friend type novels. They were what I wanted my life to be like. On the other hand, I also liked horror stories. And to me, RL Stine was the king of YA/Teen horror. Way back then I was in to "romance" novels too. And sad stories like Six Months to Live by Lurlene McDaniel. Full House was also on my list of MUST READS. Hehe.

As I got older, around 14 or 15 I started to read The Saddle Club. I loved horses, and again it was a feel good series and it was the way I wanted my world to be. Good friends, something I loved to do. I had probably 40 of those books. I wanted to give all of my BBC and SC books to Alanna, but they were thrown away last year. Which made me sad.

Then at 16 and 17 came Harry Potter. My mom read us The Goblet of Fire on the way to Florida in 2000. When we got back, she picked up the rest of the books and that was really all she wrote. We got the books on tape because Jim Dale was absolutely AMAZING. Love him.

Since then I've been pretty much strictly fantasy. Well, as far as what I pick up from the bookstore/library myself. But I will read whatever anyone gives me to read. Sometimes it's good to take a break. To keep your mind from getting all muddy. I don't really like romance novels, because my life hasn't exactly been one where that's been present at all, but I will read one if someone gives it to me. I love Jonathan Kellerman and James Patterson. I love Louis L'Amour and his stories about the Sackett's. I also dig Harlequin novels. I'm not gonna lie. Harlequin novels AND the Love Inspirational novels. :-P I'm so weird.

So yeah... that was long and drawn out. Haha.

Last order of business, need input please! I'm debating on changing my name from Shhh... Not While I'm Reading to The Irish Bookworm. What do you guys think?