RMFAO (Reading My Frigging A** Off) discussion

Hello dear members of RMFAO,

With the evolution of technology, the book industry has also progressed by leaps and bounds. Where there were only physical books available at one time, there came ebooks and took the world by storm. As we progressed ahead in time, a new format introduced itself in which readers could enjoy stories in audio format. Audiobooks instantly won everyone's heart as not only were they easy to carry (like ebooks) but also one could listen to them while doing something else that was mundane, like driving or cycling or washing clothes or cooking, or anything really because now there is no need to hold the book physically in your hands to read.

Today, many readers prefer listening to audiobooks over other formats, but there are few who either don't like audiobooks or simply haven't got the chance to explore them enough. No matter which category you belong to, this challenge is meant to help you listen to more audiobooks!!

All you have to do is pick a Level, and try and listen to at least that many audiobooks in the entire year. Simple. No rules whatsoever.

Levels:
Level 1: Casual Reader: 1-10 books (easy)
Level 2: Frequent Reader: 10-25 books (moderate)
Level 3: Bookworm: 25-50 (mildly strenuous)
Level 4: Bibliophile: 50-100 (strenuous)
Level 5: Bookiopath: 100 books or more (challenging)

You can download this image here: https://heenarathorep.files.wordpress...

Feel free to use this discussion board for recommending books, discussing the ones you're reading or really love and posting links to the books or your reviews.

Other challenges that you can participate in:
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Classics Catchup
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Classics Catchup
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Series Challenge
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Author Alphabet Challenge
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Theme-Link Challenge

If you are as crazy about reading as we are then go wild combining all or any challenges to spice up your reading lists!

Happy listening!

Level 1 for me. I have a hard time finding narrators I can listen to for 6+ hours

I got to level 4 in 2021, so I’ll hope for the same again. Happy listening, everybody 😃

Excellent ideaa, Dagny. This will help all of us!
I have a couple of names to share for good narrators but I'll just go through my reading list for this year again to make sure I get them all. Will share it once I am through.

Thanks, Dagny!

So I finally checked my last year's progress and turns out I read only 26 audiobooks last year! I was sure it was way more. Lol. Anyway, this year I am planning to go for Level 4 with at least 50 books. Hopefully, I'll be able to meet my goal! I know one thing for sure - you guys inspire me so much. SO many people read more than 50 and even 100 books!! I hope I can read 100 audiobooks sometime!

I'm gonna shoot for level 5

Hello all. I'm aiming for level 5 for this challenge. Can't wait to see where I go this year with this challenge! Happy New Year to everyone, may 2022 bless us with great book treasures and wonderful adventures.

Dagny wrote: "LeiAnna wrote: "I'm gonna shoot for level 5"

Glad you are joining us for this, LeiAnna!"

Glad to be joining. Everyone here seems so lovely and so kind!!

Fran wrote: "Hello all. I'm aiming for level 5 for this challenge. Can't see where I go this year with this challenge! Happy New Year to everyone, may 2022 bless us with great book treasures and wonderful adven..."

I think we might need to add another level (Level 6) only for you and Dagny! Lol. All the best with your goals for this year!
Happy Reading!!

LeiAnna wrote: "Glad to be joining. Everyone here seems so lovely and so kind!!"

So glad to have you join us!! :)

I’m shooting for level 4! And if anyone has Greek mythology books to recommend other than Madeline Miller’s and Stephen Fry’s, I’d love to hear them. I just got caught up on Lore Olympus and want more Greek pantheon!

LeiAnna, I have found this to be a super intelligent, supportive, and enjoyable group. I love all you guys, you have certainly given me the courage to spread my book ;)

Hello friends. I spent the first week of January sick, in bed for several days, which means that I devoured audio books, in between numerous naps. I'm recovering slowly but getting stronger every day. Hope everyone is staying safe and well.

1.) American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins
2.) Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie
3.) Sleeping Beauties - Stephen/Owen King
4.) Year of Yes - Shonda Rhimes
5.) Don't Let Go - Harlan Coben

Thank you for all the well wishes. The kids and I are beginning to make our way back to "normal". But I still am enjoying my afternoon naps ;) Once the headaches are gone, hopefully I won't be strictly relying on audio books as a way to get my reading fix.

6.) A Question of Honor - Charles Todd
7.) The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Howard Pyle
8.) An Extraordinary Union - Alyssa Cole

Level: Bilbliophile - 50 to 100

January total 2
1. The Cinnamon Bear: A Holiday Adventure
2. Panic: Ghost and Legends

Welcome Lindsey. So glad to have you!

Fran wrote: "Welcome Lindsey. So glad to have you!"

Thank you! This audiobook challenge is perfect for me. I really got into them last year and really want to listen to more this year.

January total 3

3. Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy

January total 4

4. Deep Fake

9.) The Island of Dr. Moreau - H.G. Wells
10.) Curtsies and Conspiracies - Gail Carriger
11.) Another Country - James Baldwin
12.) The Deep - Rivers Solomon

13.) Golden Son - Pierce Brown

#1 #2

14.) Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
15.) Illuminae - Amie Kaufman

#3 #4

16.) Germinal - Emile Zola
17.) Andromeda Evolution - Daniel Wilson
18.) Three Bedrooms, One Corpse - Charlaine Harris
19.) Wayfarer - Alexandra Bracken
20.) The Winner's Crime - Marie Rutkoski

21.) Fire and Ice - Julie Garwood
22.) Crossfire Trail - Louis L'Amour
23.) Sackett's Land - Louis L'Amour
24.) My Reading Life - Pat Conroy

First of the new year:
Hamilton: The Revolution

25.) Ruby Red - Kerstin Gier
26.) My Vanishing Country - Bakari Sellers
27.) Paradise Sky - Joe R. Lansdale

#5 #6 #7 #8

Great job Lorraine. Which of these newest audiobooks was your favorite?

2. Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the 116 Days that Changed the World by Chris Wallace
3. Music Is History by Ahmir Questlove Thompson

Fran wrote: "Great job Lorraine. Which of these newest audiobooks was your favorite?"

I think I’d say #7 or #8 - both very well narrated and engaging 🙃

My audiobooks so far:

#1 Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - 4/5
#2 People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry - 3/5
#3 When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi - 5/5
#4 The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewel - 4/5

#9 #10

Way to go Heena! What did you think of Illuminae? I finished the first two in this series recently as well.

28.) Gemina - Amy Kaufman
29.) The Christmas Books - Charles Dickens
30.) Kindred - Octavia E. Butler
31.) The Gunslinger - Stephen King
32.) All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
33.) Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah
34.) Nemesis - Brendan Reichs
35.) Then Answer Is... - Alex Trebek
36.) Between the World and Me - Ta-Nehisi Coates
37.) Centennial - James A. Michener

38.) Unnatural Habits - Kerry Greenwood
39.) The Colors of All the Cattle - Alexander McCall Smith
40.) A Deadly Web - Kay Hooper
41.) The Nickel Boys - Colson Whitehead
42.) The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place - Julie Berry
43.) Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts - Kate Racculia

Dagny, my interest waxed and waned throughout the entire book. I too, felt the beginning was very tedious, however I did like the ending as well. It wasn't enjoyable enough to recommend to anyone and I'm sure i won't remember most of it by the end of the year...lol.

#5 The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewel - 3/5
#6 Watching You by Lisa Jewel - 4/5
#7 The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - 3/4
#8 The Golden Couple by Greer Hendrix and Sarah Pekkanen - 4/5

Fran wrote: "Way to go Heena! What did you think of Illuminae? I finished the first two in this series recently as well."

Thanks a bunch, Fran! I liked it, maybe not loved it, but definitely liked it. I'm also looking forward to the next one and then the 3rd. It's a trilogy only, right?

Heena wrote: "#5 The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewel - 3/5
#6 Watching You by Lisa Jewel - 4/5
#7 The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - 3/4
#8 [book:The Golden..."

Heena,

Are you a Lisa Jewel fan? I've never read her books before. Are they mysteries, thrillers, or something else? I've been thinking of giving them a try.

lol at Cheryl and Dagny...I haven't read anything by Lisa Jewel either! ;) Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person on the planet ;)

Cheryl wrote: "Are you a Lisa Jewel fan? I've never read her books before. Are they mysteries, thrillers, or something else? I've been thinking of giving them a try."

Yes, I am. The more I read her books, the more I like her writing!
She is an excellent mystery writer. Her books are mostly mystery enlaced with light thriller-like elements, but they are rarely full-blown thrillers and that is the best part about her books for me because her mysteries unravel slowly with amazing characterisation!
And her books are in British English so it is always good to read about characters who have biscuits with tea (like we do in India) and not coffee with cookies... Lol.

Dagny wrote: "I'm another who has never read anything by Lisa Jewel."

Really? You out to give her books a try. She writes amazing mysteries!

Fran wrote: "lol at Cheryl and Dagny...I have read anything by Lisa Jewel either! ;) Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person on the planet ;)"

You too? You must try her books... I really enjoy them! Worthwhile mysteries!

Heena,

Thanks for the info about Lisa Jewel! I learn so much from everyone in this group.

Heena wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "Are you a Lisa Jewel fan? I've never read her books before. Are they mysteries, thrillers, or something else? I've been thinking of giving them a try."

Yes, I am. The more I read he..."

I agree Heena - I’ve read several of her books and always have the new one on my TBR

Heena, she is already on my tbr, but then eveerytime I go to the library I get sidetracked;)

Cheryl wrote: "Heena, Thanks for the info about Lisa Jewel! I learn so much from everyone in this group."

Pleasure! And that's exactly what I love about our sweet little group. Everyone has some golden bookish nuggets to share with all of us!

Brenda wrote: "I agree Heena - I’ve read several of her books and always have the new one on my TBR"

Awesome, Brenda! Which one are you planning to read next? I have a couple from her starting years that I need to read along with the recent releases.