Christina Reads YA

Have you tried one of the audiobooks offered by Audiobooksync? Maybe I should have written this earlier in the summer - oh well, remember this for next year, if you're interested, and these next two weeks. Audiobooksync is a program sponsored by AudioFile magazine, in which a classic is paired with a young adult novel, and available for free download during the week that they are offered. If you're in the U.S., well, here are a lot of big name titles like The Ring and the Crown and Around the World in 80 Days (and if you're not in the U.S., there are still plenty of titles for you too).

For me, Audiobooksync has offered titles that have introduced me to some fantastic authors. Last year I was introduced to Code Name Verity, a book which nearly made me cry and which made me a huge fan of Elizabeth Wein. I was so excited to learn about Rose Under Fire being offered this year, and indeed it was an absolutely excellent read (hugely recommended if you haven't already read it!). This established Elizabeth Wein as one of the queens of historical YA for me. And not just YA titles cause the excitement. For years I have been meaning to read books written by more "traditionally classic" authors. This year I got to listen to Great Expectations, and Charles Dickens was as fabulous an author to finally have read as was Elizabeth Wein.

Whether I'm walking to the train station before work or performing mind-numbing repetitive work, I'm going to be & have been taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity. I hope that you will be too, and perhaps we can discuss these books. There are only a couple of weeks left now, but you can definitely also mark your calendars for next year (mark the beginning of May & then check back with the website, or at least that's what I'm planning on doing).