Audio Books are the Perfect Way for Busy Mums to Treat Themselves These Holidays

Don’t you just love the leadup to Christmas, where the ad campaigns have mothers smiling and relaxing with the kids, throwing together Christmas lunch. Most mothers I know are busier than ever at this time of year. Are your chances of relaxing right up there with Chris Hemsworth dropping by with coffee? Rather than wait for miracles, start treating yourself. One way you can do that now is audiobooks. Book-loving mums never have enough time to read all the books on their list, even over the holidays, but audiobooks are one way to address that.

Audio is the fastest growing category in publishing. Over 2.5 million adult Australians are using audio books to multi task, and that number is expanding rapidly. In children, we know that listening to audio books increases reading accuracy by 52%, improves comprehension by 76% and a combination of listening and reading increases recall 40% over print alone. For dyslexic children, audiobooks are a brilliant way for them to read at an age appropriate level, and also improve processing issues.

For busy mums, audio books are a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the latest releases while you’re on the go: driving, exercising, while you’re cooking, hiding in the bath with wine.

Here are some of our top picks for the summer holidays. All are Bolinda titles, and each book is available in CD or MP3. For those of you who can’t afford to buy the titles, Bolinda has created the fabulous BorrowBox, a library app where patrons of any library who has signed on to BorrowBox can download eAudiobooks and eBooks for free.

Don’t wait for others to treat you. Treat yourself, and listen to a great read.

Letters from Berlin By Tania Blanchard (Read by Arian Parkes-Lockwood)

From the bestselling author of The Girl from Munich and Suitcase of Dreams comes an unforgettable tale of love, courage and betrayal inspired by a true story.

The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper (Read by Casey Withoos)

A young woman’s quest to heal a family rift entangles her in one of Australia’s greatest historical puzzles when an intricately illustrated map offers a clue to the fate of a long-lost girl from bestselling author Tea Cooper.

The Angel of Waterloo by Jackie French (Read by Edwina Wren) 

From bestselling author Jackie French comes the story of one woman’s journey from the hell of Waterloo to colonial Australia, where she can forge her own dreams in a land of many nations.

The Invitation by Belinda Alexandra (Read by Caroline Lee)

In Gilded Age New York, money buys everything. What is your price? From the bestselling author of Tuscan Rose comes a mesmerising tale of two sisters and the dangers and seductions of excess.

A Life of her Own by Fiona McCallum (Read by Jennifer Vuletic)

Alice Hamilton loved being a mature-age student, but now she’s finished her university degree she needs to find herself a career. When she’s offered a role in a major real estate agency, she jumps at the opportunity. But Alice quickly realises all is not as it seems… From Australia’s master storyteller comes an inspiring story about standing up for yourself, making difficult choices and chasing your dreams.

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty (Read by Caroline Lee)

The eagerly-anticipated new novel from the worldwide #1 bestselling author behind Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning HBO series Big Little Lies. Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? Nine perfect strangers are about to find out … Watching over them is the resort’s director, a woman on a mission to reinvigorate these tired bodies and minds. But to what lengths will she go to achieve her goal? These nine perfect strangers have no idea what’s about to hit them.

Arcadia by Di Morrissey (Read by Vuletic)

In the 1930s, in an isolated and beautiful corner of southern Tasmania, a new young wife, Stella, arrives at her husband’s secluded property – Arcadia. Two generations later, Stella’s granddaughter, Sally, and her best friend, Jessica, stumble over Stella’s secret life in the forest. Di Morrissey has written a breathtaking Tasmanian tale of ancient forests; of art and science; of love and, above all, of friendship.

The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

The mesmerising sixth novel from the bestselling author of The House at Riverton and The Lake House. Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a story of murder, mystery and thievery, of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter.