Ramblings from my pages… #5

~ Janel (Keeper of Pages)

Welcome to the fifth instalment of Ramblings from my pages… – a weekly feature here on Keeper of Pages. This post was inspired by It’s Book Talk’s “5 on Friday: Things I’m Loving Lately” – it differs slightly, similar in that it will feature bookish and non-bookish topics, but different in that I will ramble about things I’m loving, hating, wishing for, links I’ve enjoyed, life updates – you name it, I may just ramble about it. The only staple feature of this post will be concluding it with a cool link I found around the web.

In this week’s ramblings, I’m talking about: Audiobooks, BookBuddy Pro, Lauryn Hill and Jhene Aiko. Whether you read the entire post or jump to the section(s) you’re interested in, I hope you enjoy my ramblings. Note: if it’s green, it’s a link, click it!

AUDIOBOOKS

The Good Daughter - Karin Slaughter AudioI’m on an audiobook roll, I finished listening to The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter – it was brilliant; Susie James is a narrator I’ll look out for. Yesterday, in one eight hour sitting, I listened to Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, which he narrates himself, and omg, it was fantastic, as if I didn’t love him enough already!! Full review for both of those audios will follow. I’m currently listening to Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman, which she narrates herself. I’m enjoying the story but not so keen on Steadman’s narration, it irks me that I can hear the saliva in her mouth, like she swallows at the wrong time, it’s weird to explain, but it makes me cringe, it’s like there’s all this excess saliva in her mouth!

Born a Crime - Trevor NoahWhich leads me to the point of this section, not ‘the saliva in her mouth’, but the ‘I’m on an audiobook roll’ – I need an app/subscription for audiobooks. I always check my library  first, via RBdigital and Libby (The Good Daughter is on RBdigital). But while 100s of titles are available for free, oftentimes not the ones I currently want to listen too.

I did the 30 day free trial with Audible, so I could listen to Born a Crime, but I don’t think audible offers good value for money, for £7.99 a month, you only get one free audiobook, and then you have to pay for any further listening. If I’ve previously bought a Kindle book, I sometimes add audible narration to that purchase, when it’s £2.99, as I think that’s a fair price, I listen to that through audible but you don’t need a subscription for that.

Something in the Water audioI also looked at Scibd, the site say it gives you access to an unlimited number of books, audiobooks, magazines, and more for $8.99. Audiobooks are my main reason for wanting it, and I’ve heard from a few people that once they had listened to a few audiobooks, they had to way until the following month/renewal before they could listen to any more – so unlimited isn’t really unlimited, so that rules that out.

Said friend who has tried Audible and Scribd has not been happy with either, so is now using hibooks – it’s early days but she said she will report back on her experience. So, people, help me out, is there an audiobook subscription you recommend? Are you using any of the above, what’s your experience with them?

BOOKBUDDY PRO

BookBuddy ProJust yesterday I discovered a great new app for managing my books. In conversation with Eva @ Novel Deelights, we were talking about how we manage all our books, and how helpful it is to be able to separate your owned books from your wishlist, review copies from books purchased, cataloguing series together so you know where you’re up to. Goodreads (GRs) just wasn’t cutting it! So after a little App Store search I downloaded BookBuddy Pro for £4.99, and while I was listening to my audiobooks, I began cataloguing all my books! This app is fantastic, much better than GRs for organising your books, it doesn’t have the social feature of GRs, but it is perfect if you want a system to manage your books. There is a free version available if you want to try it out – it allows you to catalogue 50 books – I went straight for the paid version because I like to live life on the edge!

Some of the features the app has I really appreciate, you can track what books you’ve loaned out, mark your favourites, create a wishlist, track and record series, create categories for groups of books. The app also has so many different book filters, so you can search for the books you’ve added in various ways – by series, author, narrator, publisher, genre etc. Another of my favourite features, is you can create tags, attach them to books and then search for them that way. If you do decide to give this app a go, hint, you can only put a book in one category, but you can attach multiple tags to it. I have tagged all my nonfiction books, and added an extra tag to the review copies – if I used categories, it would have to go in the review copies or the non-fiction category. Oh and you scan the books in, you can also look up books online to add, or enter them manually.

BookBuddy is designed to track your books rather than review then, it has a notes section, so I guess you could add your review there if you really wanted to (I don’t know if there’s a word limit though). I have to keep it real, this app does have one flaw, the app doesn’t seem to recognise when a book is part of a series so I have to manually input that info. However, it’s worth it because I read so many series, it’s so hard to keep track of where I’m up to in which series, which books I already own and which books I don’t.

I’d love to say I’m being paid by the company to promote this app, but I’m not, I just love it! I’ve only had it since yesterday, but basically spent all of yesterday on it! I’ll report back after a few weeks of using it, let you know how I’m getting on.

LAURYN HILL

I feel like we’re really bonding in these rambling posts, I love the freedom of these posts, and I hope that as the weeks pass, you’re getting to know a bit more about me, as I am about you through your comments on this post. So fun fact, I write these posts in the early hours of Sunday morning, I’m talking 3am, give or take an hour, lol. I feel like that gives me a full week for stuff to happen, so I have some stuff to ramble about. Also, because that appears to be my creative hour when it comes to this post – the only thing I know ahead of time is my link around the web.

And because we’re all about bonding, I thought I’d share with you one of my favourite songs of all time – it’s from one of the greatest albums of all time, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill. If you don’t know about this album, please make it your goal to listen to it, it’s musical gold (or should I say platinum!) One of those albums you can listen to all the way through without skipping a track! My favourite song from the album is To Zion, I listen to this song, when I’m happy, when I’m sad, and when I’m feeling every emotion in-between!

YouTube link, incase embedded video doesn’t work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWz-RU3OtmA&index=4&list=PLA552MBeRktOMxb3X59HNL4BNb_oQP-8r

JHENE AIKO

So of course I fell into a YouTube jam session while getting the above link, and it’s now 5am! So let me take my ass to bed, but first, Comfort Inn Ending by Jhene Aiko is my jam! In fact this who EP, Sail Out, is fire!

YouTube link, incase embedded video doesn’t work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8tzfpeyPzw

LINK AROUND THE WEB

Penguin Classic Quiz

Some of you may have seen this link via my instagram and possibly taken the quiz already, but for those of you who haven’t, I discovered this fun quiz designed by Penguin.  You answer some questions and they then tell you which classic they think is your prefect reading match. My match was Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, take the quiz and let me know yours – Which Classic is your perfect match?

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it, and you’ll join me next Sunday for some more ramblings.

If you missed last week’s rambling you can find it here – topics: Mental health days, The Good Daughter on audio, Mary Shelley and her monster, and #Quercus2019

Published by Janel (Keeper of Pages)

Blogging about books and other bookish ramblings

60 thoughts on “Ramblings from my pages… #5”

      2. Are you scanning them in, I scanned in the physical books, there was only one that the scanner didn’t recognise. A few I had to manually add as they were arcs without a barcode. I’m planning on making a start on my ebooks tomorrow. What’s your first impression of the app and its features? I know Eva (Novel Deelights) is using it too, we both got it at the same time, and are loving it!

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      3. Yes, scanning them in, a few I had to enter manually – the barcode apparently wasn’t recognised. Will ebooks have to entered manually, do you think? I like the app so far. I haven’t explored all the features yet but it’s looking good!

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  3. Love these ramblings please keep them coming. I’m on a bit of an audiobook roll as well! I’ve listened to 3 this week through the Libby app because my library got some new books added to it. I did an audible trial back in January for £3.99 a month for 3 months and then recently I got a another offer from them for the same amount but for 4 months. It finishes next month and then I’ll be back to buying them from the daily deal emails or combining it with a cheap kindle book. I love the sound of the Trevor Noah book so I might get that with my credit this month.

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    1. That’s lucky that you got the deal, if I see that deal, I’d subscribe because that seems like a more reasonable amount – and I cant resist an offer. Although I much prefer a subscription where you pay monthly to access unlimited audios. I highly recommend Born a Crime, Noah is such an engaging speaker, he had me laughing at certain bits and so emotional at others! It’s definitely worth the credit! I think we’re definitely lucky with the availability of Libby and RBdigital 🙂

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  4. The ability to scan and tag books is enough for me to check out BookBuddy. You should be getting paid for it, thank you 😀

    Took the quiz and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is my match. One more reason to move this up on the TBR.

    Have An Amazing Week, Janel!

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    1. If you do decide to get the full version of the app, let me know what you think. I really love it!

      Ooo P&P, I have tried to read that book several times but never made it to the end 🙈 So I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on it, see if you can entice me to finish it.

      Wishing you a lovely week too 😊

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      1. Sadly, the app is not available for Android and there are no plans to roll that out any time soon 😥

        As for P&P, fair warning – I have watched a couple of movies* and series based on the story and I loved them all. It would be an understatement to say that I am a bit biased.

        Greer Garson, being a celebrity crush of mine, makes the 1940 movie version my favorite.

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  7. I did the free trial for Scribd back in April and I have been subscribed ever since. I keep seeing people saying that they aren’t getting the unlimited audiobooks but I’ve honestly never had that issue. Yes sometimes I see a book that say me it will be available at a certain date but it’s never been to the extent that people say there’s is. I also got Great Expectations.

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      1. Yeah everyone I see talking about scribd has been saying they have that issue but I literally haven’t. I don’t get it. I hope it works out for you. I definitely think for the money it’s great. It’s like what $9 and you don’t have to pay anymore like you do with audible.

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  8. What a fantastic ramble! While I’m happy with Goodreads, I like what you’re able to do with Bookbuddy Pro. I’ve set up a private group on Goodreads to manage some of what it does so I’ll definitely explore.

    I get most of my audiobooks from the library, making strategic use of the recommendation feature. That means, when I learn of a desired book’s coming release, I recommend it right away. I actually have a thread in my private group to track books I’m waiting to recommend. That way, on release day, I’m near the top of the hold line or often the first one. I have an Audible membership solely for those books that never show up at the library. So far, that’s working for me.

    Thanks for sharing your music. I’m unfamiliar with Jhene Aiko so that was a nice treat.

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    1. I will still use Goodreads, because I like its social functions, but I think in terms of managing books, it’s poor. I suppose for the ‘average reader’ it’s ok but when you purchase books in excess, it doesn’t quite cut it 😂

      I use my library mostly too, but 7.99 just seems a lot when you have to purchase the audiobook on top on that monthly cost 🤔

      Jhene Aiko doesn’t get half as much credit as she deserved 😊 and I’m so glad you enjoyed this rambling ❤️

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      1. I’ve got over 3,000 books I own so I’m definitely not in the average category. I’ve got a pretty systematic approach to my shelving and can search on most of the fields of interest. I use the owned books tool, which has solved that issue for me and whenever I shelve a book, I also use the private notes field to capture other data for at-a-glance info (source, location, status). They’ve lots of tools I’ve found useful and I understand each user has unique needs.

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      2. You’ve got a much more GRs comprehensive system than I had. With the many shelves, I got myself into a pickle, then gave up on it, I think my GRs is messy, if that makes sense, I couldn’t stay on top of the management which I think crucial! Where as I find BookBuddy much more accessible, but you’re right, depending of priority, each users needs will be different 🙂

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      3. It makes perfect sense. I had a system in place before coming to Goodreads so it was all organized in my mind, you know? The shelves can definitely get out of hand (as I’ve learned). I’ve revisited mine and deleted some because they no longer fit. I’m really glad you’ve got a tool that you’re loving. It makes such a difference.

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      5. But you only get one credit a month right? I’m not entire sure how it works but I’ve signed up and I got a free credit so got an audiobook, now I have to pay for any other audiobooks I want. I’m doing the free trial, but but had I paid, that would have been the £7.99 monthly fee, one free audiobook, and then me paying for all the others…

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      6. Ahh! Got it. Yeah, if it’s your primary source for audiobooks, that gets expensive. I accumulate up to their maximum (six credits) and only use it when I’m close to losing it. As I find most of my audiobooks from the library or from publishers for review, I only use it as backup. You can also pause your membership and later resume. I rethink it all the time, especially lately since there are only a few authors where Audible is my only resource.

        There are others like audiobooks.com, Libro.fm and Downpour you can check out. Kobo also has a free trial. I’d exhaust all of those free trials😏

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  9. Great post! I have Calibre where I can also insert multiple tags and search by author or series and stuff but I don’t really use those features, it’s just too much work for me (what can I say, I’m lazy). The audiobook sites and apps you listed are very interesting though, we don’t have Libby here and I’d only heard of Audible.. the other two are completely new to me. I hope you’ll do an update for hibooks 🙂

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    1. Thanks, I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. I haven’t heard of Calibre, does it have the social function of Goodreads too, or is it just a management app. I quite like that BookBuddy is solely about management, private.

      I will definitely update on hibooks 😊

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      1. It’s also a (free) management app for cataloguing your books (you can convert books here to another format too btw). It’s an older one so yours might be next generation already and a bit nicer. I did a post once how to add a cover if the book didn’t have one yet.

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    1. Thank you, I’m so glad you like this post 😊 The BookBuddy app is fantastic, I’ve added all my physical books, just need to do ebooks now, and i already feel better know I can easily see what books I have, which are review copies, whats on my wishlist etc etc 🙂

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  12. Another great ramblings post! I really love these! I took the classics quiz and got 1984, which just happens to be one of my favorite classics, so I’m pleased. We already chatted about audiobooks (and excess saliva 😂). I think I’m pushing my Scribd subscription harder than usual this month because the library didn’t come through for me on some titles I wanted and so far no issues…I say this now, but my subscription just renewed so I might be complaining in a week or so.

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    1. I thought I’d get 1984 so I was surprised when I got Great Expectations! 1984 is brilliant, a book that was way ahead of it’s time! I’m continuing to listen to Something in the Water, but the saliva is killing me 😂 even Jayden is disturbed by it, and said I cannot play the audiobook while we’re eating 😂😂

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  13. I’m loving these posts too!
    I am also on an audiobook roll. When we participated in the 24 in 48 I discovered how much I love them. I got the same Audible deal as Nicki – 3 months for $9.99. Sadly I just used my last one this morning. Crossing my fingers I’ll get another!
    I tried LibraryThing which sounds a lot like BookBuddy, but have not kept up with it. I have an excel sheet that I keep track of my books, book-to-screen, my TBR list and more. I have several pages going lol. It works for me 😊

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    1. Thanks, Tina!
      I hope I get this audible deal!! Especially as today I just discovered you get badges for listening and I’m ever the achiever, 😂! If not, I’ll do my free trial with Scribd, and then check out hibooks!

      When I last reorganised my books, I created excel spread sheets to manage everything, but then realised I buy way too many books and was adding new books to the spreadsheet, but I’m going to keep it as a 2018 backlist, so I tick the books of as I read them. I like the efficiency of scanning in books in this new app as it’s something I can do as soon as I get them 😊 I think the most important this is having a system that works for you!

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  14. I got To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf – interesting! 🤔 I have the Trevor Noah on my wish list so thanks for the tip. I usually listen to my books on Audible and don’t really mind the cost ATM coz the credit is managing to last me all month. Maybe if I end up listening to it more I might change but at the moment it’s all good! 😁

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    1. I certainly wouldn’t peg you as someone who reads Virginia Woolf, but who knows haha! Trevor Noah is a must read/listen to soon! I’m listening to my third audiobook this month so I’d be way over the 1 credit limit, so I’m going to have to keep hunting around, although I do like that you can earn badges on Audible, I’m ever the achiever! Haha!

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  15. Pingback: 5 on Friday: 5 Things I'm Loving Lately - It's Book Talk

  17. Wow- your creative hour is really… early! Late? Early? 😀 hahaha… wow! This reminds me, every time I went ‘out’ in my younger years, I’d tell my parents- I won’t be too late. And my dad would always reply with a bit of a conspiratory smile- ‘Yeah, getting back early is always better than late.’ I swear it took me a solid year before I finally cracked his attempt at a Dad joke- he meant, don’t come late e.g. 12am, come early the NEXT DAY! 😀

    But yeah, I envy people who are creative at night time because I am such a sleeper and the rare time I have been awake at these hours has been so peaceful!

    I checked out the Classic book link, too.. I got To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I haven’t read it, but I am curious now 🙂

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    1. I like the dad humour! 😂 I’ve alway been a night owl, even when it comes to writing my essays, I usually wait till about 9am before I start working on them and work till about 3am. Although, I’m getting older, so I’m trying to not stay up so late (she says checking the clock: 00:03). On the plus side, it means I don’t struggle when I have to do night shifts.

      The classic book link made me super curious too, so curious I bought Great Expectations. When I took the quiz, I just assumed the book wasn’t for me, and then I googled it – “full off extreme imagery – poverty, prison ships and chains, and fights to the death…” – so maybe it is for me after all! 😆

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      1. Oh, don’t even mention age and late hours! I struggle being awake at 11PM nowadays… oh those old days when you’re young, fresh and 17- could go all night! haha… but I hear ya on the late nights helping with the night shifts! Gosh, it’s admirable!

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