My Audiobook Reviews: 2015

I admit it--I have no time to read. But I love to read, and have found audiobooks as a happy medium to get my reading fix. This past year I received for Christmas a year to Audible (no, this is not an ad), and it ended up being one of my fave gifts. I listened to them on my commute from work or when I was driving to my hometown. I thought I'd share my reviews of them with you. Maybe you'll get some ideas for future books (or audiobooks)? I was really drawn to biographies this year for some reason--normally I'm into fiction. Let me know the ones you've read!

Top Row:

• Yes Please--Amy Poehler--Funny. I liked it. There were some extra narrators and the last chapter was from a live reading she did.
• Stories I Only Tell My Friends--Rob Lowe--He has had a fascinating, very lucky life. I enjoyed it.
• Not My Father's Son--Alan Cumming--It starts out with his abusive father, so it took me a while to get into this. Once I did, it was a fast listen. I liked it.
• Down the Rabbit Hole--Holly Madison--Yes, I used to LOVE the show she was on, and I wanted to know all of the juicy gossip. I'm not sure I believe she was miserable all of the time though. And her English accent was the worst I've ever heard. Very quick listen.

Middle Row:

• Girl In A Band--Kim Gordon--I am not really a Sonic Youth fan, but this was recommended. It goes through her life, her life with a 90s alternative band, and her divorce, of which she is still very, very bitter.
• I Must Say--Martin Short--I didn't know much about him before this book. I loved his tales of life in Hollywood and really liked it, even the heartbreaking stuff. Since I didn't know his characters, those chapter intros were lost on me.
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up--Marie Kondo--I felt this philosophy could have been summed up in a few pages, not an entire book. I agree with her idea of getting rid of what is no longer useful. Not read by the author, and I would have preferred the book version, so I could underline/highlight/bookmark certain areas.
• How to Make Friends and Influence People--Dale Carnegie--This is a classic book read by a classic narrator. A lot of the info is dated, but the basic principles are useful. As someone who struggles with social anxiety, I hoped to find more techniques. I didn't care for the narrator and wished I had the book version so I could again highlight/bookmark certain things.
• 10% Happier--Dan Harris--After a tough year, I wanted something, anything to bring my life happiness and peace. I found the first half of the book boring as it goes through his life but it ended up being necessary as it showed his journey. I haven't started meditating, but have changed my attitude towards it. BONUS: PDF guide on meditation

Bottom Row:

• Not That Kind of Girl--Lena Dunham--Lena is a gifted writer, but I did not like this memoir. I didn't like her voice narrating it either. I found myself listening to it at double speed so I could make it through this book. Disliked.
• Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl--Carrie Brownstein--Again, another 90s band that I'm not really a fan of, but I love her on Portlandia. I felt she gave a book report of her life and left out the juicy, personal stuff.
• Grace--Grace Coddington--I loved this, her stories, her voice, her idgaf attitude. I found her career at Vogue fascinating. BONUS: Images from the book of her life.
• Choose Your Own AutoBio--Neil Patrick Harris--Since this is the audio version, you don't really get to choose your own adventure, but it is still really awesome. I loved it. BONUS: Recipes and magic tricks can be downloaded
• #Girlboss--Sophia Amouroso--I only listened to this because it seemed like every blogger was reading it. I didn't really care for the narrator's voice, and don't feel like I learned anything. It was more like a "look at me and my billion dollar company" book, but I liked it.

What was your fave book this year?