At the start of the year, I started listening to audiobooks. I always wanted to be a reader but couldn't/wouldn't make the time, so audiobooks were a way around it. I could be busy doing something while still listening to a book. Anyway, I thought I would share what I have been listening to. This post would have come sooner but I had to wait for my listening time to reset on Spotify to finish the last book. I have since moved away from Spotify audiobooks as 15 hours listening time per month is just not enough for me and I now borrow audiobooks from my local library through BorrowBox.
A Chosen Destiny: My Story by Drew McIntyre!
A destiny chosen, a destiny squandered, and a champion's relentless pursuit for redemption.
Growing up in a small village in Ayrshire, Scotland, Drew dreamed of becoming WWE Champion and following in the footsteps of heroes Stone Cold Steve Austin and Undertaker. With his parents' support, he trained and paid his dues, proving himself to tiny crowds in the Butlin's circuit. At age twenty-two, McIntyre made his WWE debut and was touted by none other than WWE Chairman Vince McMahon as "The Chosen One," who would lead WWE into the future. With his destiny in the palm of his hands, Drew watched it all slip through his fingers.
Through a series of ill-advised choices and family tragedy, Drew's life and career spiralled. As a surefire champ, he struggled under the pressure of expectations and was fired from the company. But the WWE Universe has not seen the last of this promising athlete. Facing a crossroads, this powerful Scotsman set a course to show the world the real Drew McIntyre. Buoyed by the support of his wife, Kaitlyn, and the memory of his beloved mother, Drew embarked on a mission to recharge, reinvent and revitalise himself to fulfil his destiny. It is a story of grit, courage and determination as a fallen Superstar discovers who he truly is and storms back to reclaim his dream.
This was the book which kicked this whole audiobook thing off for me. If you know me, you know I love WWE. I always have. Drew McIntyre is one of my favourites, so this was always going to be top of my list but I didn’t expect it to grab me the way it did! He reads it and comes across exactly how he does on screen. What really got me with this book was how open Drew is. There’s no glossing over the bad bits. He talks about the poor choices, the self-doubt, the ego and the knock to his confidence when he was released from WWE. Hearing him talk about that period, in his own voice, made it hit harder. You can hear the disappointment and the frustration, the way he rebuilt himself, not just physically but mentally and how much he changed as a person, not just a wrestler. Losing his mum clearly shaped so much of that growth too and those parts were emotional without being overdone but I did cry!
Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella!
Audrey can't leave the house. She can't even take off her dark glasses inside the house. Then her brother's friend Linus stumbles into her life. With his friendly, orange-slice smile and his funny notes, he starts to entice Audrey out again - well, Starbucks is a start. And with Linus at her side, Audrey feels like she can do the things she'd thought were too scary. Suddenly, finding her way back to the real world seems achievable. Be prepared to laugh, dream and hope with Audrey as she learns that even when you feel like you have lost yourself, love can still find you.
I don't usually listen to fiction but this was a great way to get into it! At first, it felt light and funny but underneath there’s a thoughtful look at anxiety, recovery and someone finding their way back to who they were. The way it is written feels kind and careful, not heavy or preachy. Nothing is rushed. There’s no big dramatic suddenly everything is fine moment. There are still laugh-out-loud moments mostly thanks to her family and her mum’s obsession with self-help books had me smiling more than once. As a mum myself, especially knowing the struggles my youngest Ellie has faced, some parts hit close to home. That feeling of wanting to fix everything, to make the fear disappear and sometimes getting it wrong despite good intentions. It was impossible not to relate. Even though this is aimed at young adults, I got so much out of it. It’s a reminder that kindness matters, patience matters and that small steps are still steps.
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella!
Lexi wakes up in a hospital bed after a car accident, thinking it's 2004 and she's a twenty-five-year old with crooked teeth and a disastrous love life. But, to her disbelief, she learns it's actually 2007 - she's twenty-eight, her teeth are straight, she's the boss of her department - and she's married! To a good-looking millionaire! How on earth did she land the dream life? She can't believe her luck - especially when she sees her stunning new home. She's sure she'll have a fantastic marriage once she gets to know her husband again. He's drawn up a 'manual of our marriage', which should help. But as she learns more about her new self, chinks start to appear in the perfect life. All her old colleagues hate her. A rival is after her job. Then a dishevelled, sexy guy turns up and lands a new bombshell. What happened to her? Will she ever remember? And what will happen if she does?
I loved this book while I was listening to it. I flew through it while laughing, cringing and muttering Oh no," like they could hear me. The whole idea of meeting a version of yourself you don’t recognise was so interesting. he ending but the ending! I didn’t dislike it, it wasn’t bad or disappointing but it just felt unfinished. Like we reached the most important part and that was it. Even with that, I enjoyed it. It was funny, warm and thoughtful.
The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back by Fiona Gibson!
Meet Celia. Life hasn’t worked out quite how she’d planned.
Since her son left for university, Celia has felt stuck at home battling with her husband Geoff over control of the thermostat, and without the merest glint of a social life. Her only joy comes from the plants she nurtures in her makeshift plant hospital in their Glasgow flat. Then three unexpected things happen: She catches Geoff in bed with a secretary from his sausage factory (no pun intended). Her high-flying best friend Amanda arrives on her doorstep without warning (but with a very large suitcase) and A tall handsome French teacher asks her to tend his daughter’s cactus back to health.
Suddenly, Celia finds her life in freefall, but she makes a decision: she won’t let this be the end of her. She’ll bring herself back to life, just like the plants she works her magic on. But just how do you change the habits of a lifetime?
Celia is so relatable, she’s the sort of woman you want to cheer for because she’s kind, a bit shy of the spotlight but when life knocks her down, she doesn’t just lie there. She starts figuring out who she is apart from all the roles she’s been playing. There’s humour too in the right places. Her dynamic with the other characters is brilliant, especially with Amanda, who has her own set of baggage and Enzo, the French teacher who doesn’t mind that she talks to cacti like they’re her best friend. I really enjoyed this. There was drama but no big drama. It was a cosy sort of book.
What have you been reading or listening to lately?
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