Hear Hear Some Christmas Cheer from Audible...

With Christmas getaways, shoppers and commuter traffic, the festive period is one busiest times of the year. Last year alone over 14 million drove home for Christmas and with journeys on some roads taking almost three times longer than normal, festive entertainment is a travel essential. With this in mind, the editors at Audible have compiled a list of the ultimate Yuletide audiobooks to keep the festive spirit alive in a traffic jam, in flight, or after you’ve shopped till you’ve dropped.

Please see below for Audible’s top picks this Christmas

A Christmas Carol: An Audible Original Drama
Author: Charles Dickens 
Narrated by: Various cast

Jenna Coleman, Miriam Margolyes, Derek Jacobi, Brendan Coyle and Roger Allam are amongst the celebrity voices coming together this Christmas in a brand new multi-cast dramatization of Charles Dickens’ ghostly Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol.

The festive tale has been released as a free gift to members.

A Boy Called Christmas

 Author: Matt Haig

 Narrated by: Stephen Fry

 £9.19 (free for Audible members)

You are about to listen to the true story of Father Christmas. It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible. If you are one of those people who believe that some things are impossible, you should put this book down right away. It is most certainly not for you. Because this audiobook is full of impossible things. Are you still reading? Good. Then let us begin....

The idea for the series came when Matt Haig’s son asked what Father Christmas was like as a boy. A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and an 11-year-old boy called Nikolas, who isn't afraid to believe in magic.

The Girl Who Saved Christmas

Author: Matt Haig

Narrated by: Carey Mulligan

£9.19 (free for Audible members)

If magic has a beginning, can it also have an end? When Amelia wants a wish to come true she knows just the man to ask - Father Christmas. But the magic she wants to believe in is starting to fade, and Father Christmas has more than impossible wishes to worry about. Upset elves, reindeers dropping out of the sky, angry trolls and the chance that Christmas might be cancelled.

Midnight Gang

Author: David Williams

Narrated by: David Walliams, Peter Serafinowicz, Morwenna Banks, Nitin Ganatra, Ellen Thomas

Midnight is the time when all children are fast asleep, except of course for...the Midnight Gang. That is when their adventures are just beginning....

The Midnight Gang tells an extraordinarily heart-warming and, of course, funny story of five children on a hospital ward and on a quest for adventure. It is a story of friendship and magic - and of making dreams come true.

Listeners are set to be utterly spellbound by this heartfelt story that will bring magic to everyone's Christmas.

Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days

 Author: Jeanette Winterson

 Narrated by: Jeanette Winterson, Imogen Church

£14.99 (free for Audible members)

New York Times best-selling author Jeanette Winterson brings together 12 brilliantly imaginative, funny and bold Christmas tales. For the 12 Days of Christmas - a time of celebration, sharing, and giving - she offers these 12 plus one: a personal story of her own Christmas memories.

 From trees with mysterious powers to a tinsel baby that talks, philosophical fairies to flying dogs, a haunted house and a disappearing train, Winterson's innovative stories encompass the childlike and spooky wonder of Christmas. Perfect for listening to by the fire with loved ones or while traveling home for the holidays. Enjoy the season of peace and goodwill, mystery, and a little bit of magic courtesy of one of our most fearless and accomplished writers.

A Christmas Feast and other stories

 Author: Katie Fforde

 Narrated by: Jilly Bond, Rita Sharma

 £19.99 (free for Audible members)

A delicious Christmas feast of short stories from the Sunday Times number one best-selling author of A French Affair and The Perfect Match.

Add some extra sparkle to your Christmas by joining Katie Fforde for a perfect romantic Christmas feast of short stories. Collected together for the first time and including one brand-new story. Make your Christmas wishes come true....

 The Night Before Christmas

 Author: Clement C. Moore

 Narrated by: Jeff Bridges£6.39 (free for Audible members)

Academy Award Winner Jeff Bridges' iconic voice brings the beloved holiday classic story "The Night Before Christmas" to life.

Celebrate the holiday season with the only audiobook of "The Night Before Christmas", read by Jeff Bridges. No other narrator brings Santa and these merry scenes to life quite like Mr. Bridges - it's an instant Christmas classic! Create a new family tradition as you add this audiobook to your holiday activities leading up to December 25th.

Letters from Father Christmas

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Narrated by: Derek Jacobi

£5.99 (free for Audible members)

Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply?

Every year, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien would write to Father Christmas, and the letters they received told wonderful stories of his adventures at the North Pole.

These humorous tales are brought to life by Derek Jacobi as Father Christmas, John Moffatt as Polar Bear, and Christian Rodska as Ilbereth the Elf, complete with specially composed music.

 Find out more about Audible  by clicking here

My thoughts about listening to

  

I enjoyed listening to Carey Mulligan read The Girl Who Saved Christmas. She has a nicely expressive voice and conveys the story in an entertaining away which should appeal to children and also to adults who listen along with the story. I thought the story was exciting, there seems to be lots of adventure. There is also lots of Christmas magic which is combined with stories of trolls and pixies. And of course, there is also Father Christmas who needs so much help from Amelia who, throughout the story, is a wonderful feisty protagonist .

The narration runs over 5hrs and 20 minutes, so it's a story that could be listened to over several nights or to break up a long journey. I found that I could easily listen to the story in short bursts and still pick up the story when I returned to it.

Nice Christmas elements, exciting content. Overall, the story will appeal to those who like Christmas adventure with a smattering of nostalgia.

My thanks to Audible for the opportunity to listen to this story and also to Midas PR

Review ~ Holding by Graham Norton (Audio)

Hodder&Stoughton
2016

A bit about the book..

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of­ two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste.

So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former­ love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.

My thoughts..

When offered the opportunity to listen to Graham Norton's debut novel, Holding which is narrated by the man himself, well, as a huge fan, I couldn't resist spending 7 or so hours in his congenial company.

The small Irish town of town of Duneen is, on the surface, rather a gentle place, and for the local police officer , PJ Collins,  the only excitement is perhaps where his next bite of breakfast is going to be coming from. However, as with all small towns what you see on the surface is not necessarily what you get, and when human bones are discovered on the edge of an old farm, well, the anticipation generated is beyond anything that PJ has ever experienced.

There is a very good mystery at the heart of the novel which is explored in sympathetic detail. And as the story progresses, and despite gentle hints of humour, there is genuine pathos and more than a hint towards a darker time in the town's history. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, particularly Brid and Evelyn, but I also had a whole bucket load of sympathy for the enigmatic Mrs Meany and longed to be sitting in the Garda House with PJ tucking into one of her sturdy Irish breakfasts.

What I loved about this story, and yes, I did love every word, was the subtle way the author teased the reader with sly innuendo and tantalising little snippets of gossip so that it became like sitting down in a cosy chair, with a plate piled high with scones and biscuits, and having a good old natter with your best friend.

Graham Norton narrates Holding with his inimitable charm and flair. It’s beautifully written, splendidly narrated and a real joy to listen to from start to finish and every minute of the 7 hours and 20 minutes of the audio file was, for me, time well spent. 


Without doubt, this is a commendable debut novel which I hope is the start of many more by this talented author.

Best read with....a hearty breakfast and maybe a glass or two of strong Irish stout but not necessarily at the same time..

About the Author

Graham Norton is one of the UK's best loved broadcasters. He presents The Graham Norton Show on BBC1, has a weekly show on BBC Radio 2, and writes a column for the Telegraph. He is the winner of eight BAFTA awards. Born in Dublin and raised in West Cork, Norton now lives in London. Holding is his first novel.

Website

Twitter @grahnort

My thanks to  Audible.co.uk for the opportunity to listen to Holding and also to Francesca at Midas PR for the invitation to review the book.

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Review ~ The Tale of Kitty-In-Boots by Beatrix Potter, Quentin Blake (Illustrator) (Audio)

September 2016
Warne
Puffin

"A serious, well-behaved young black cat, who leads a daring double life defeating vile villains."

When I was a little girl I had a much loved copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and I can remember the comforting feeling of snuggling under bed covers and having someone read the story to me. The comfort of listening to stories and particularly Beatrix Potter stories has not diminished over time and so when asked to listen and review The Tale of Kitty-In-Boots I jumped at the opportunity, as not only was this a chance to read a completely new story from a much loved author, but also an introduction to listening to stories via Audible.

The Tale of Kitty-In-Boots tells the story of Miss Katherine St Quentin, an intrepid black cat, known as Miss Kitty, who gets herself into all sorts of exciting situations. In a cunningly dangerous adventure she meets the notorious villain, Mr Todd, a foxy hunter with devilish charm and whose outward demeanour belies his deadly intent. Beautifully narrated by the actress, Helen Mirren, the story has an olde-worlde charm which is so reminiscent of Beatrix Potter and yet, there is freshness to the story which makes it feel surprisingly more modern than its more famous counterparts. Written in the years before 1914 it was never published, until now, and personally, I think that this story shows Beatrix Potter at her enigmatic best.

The narration of The Tale of Kitty in Boots lasts around 16 minutes which is a perfect length to listen to the story in one sitting and just enough time for even fidgety children to sit still. The rest of the narration which runs to over 56 minutes continues with the actress, Anna Friel reading five more classic Beatrix Potter tales and which need no introduction from me. 

They are :

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck

The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

The Tale of Jeremy Fisher

Whilst both narrators are unique in their style of delivery, each individual tale was read with just the right amount of fun and gravitas, all beautifully spoken in a narration which was clean and precise. I especially enjoyed listening to Anna Friel sing Squirrel Nutkin's riddles so beautifully.

I know that there has been some debate around the Quentin Blake illustrations in The Tale of Kitty- In-Boots, which are so very different from Beatrix Potter’s more whimsical interpretation. Having 'listened' to the story I don't have a physical copy to look at, so I can't give an informed appraisal of the illustrations, except to say that what I have seen of the cover, I rather like Blake's depiction of Miss Kitty in her Boots.

Audible UK

Best Read with ...A glass of milk two chocolate digestive biscuits.

About the Author

Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator and conservationist who was best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters such as Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Jeremy Fisher, et al.

My thanks to Audible.co.uk for the opportunity to listen to this book and also to Francesca at Midas for the invitation to get to know Miss Kitty-In-Boots. I think Jaffa is a little in love with Miss Kitty !

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