As summer begins to wind down, it’s important to grab all the down time you can before work (or school) picks back up. For me, that means listening to anything I can get my hands (ears?) on. Here’s what I’ve been enjoying recently:
I realize I am a few years behind on raving about The Night Circus, but, considering that Jim Dale could read the phone book and leave me entranced, it’s never too late to pick up this audio. The story is everything you want in a well-crafted fantasy:  bewitching magic, old rivalries, and profound love. Combine beautiful prose with Dale’s legendary narration, and you won’t be able to put down your headphones. For years I’ve heard nothing but praise for this book, but after growing up hearing Dale read Harry Potter, I wanted to listen to The Night Circus. His voice makes you feel like you’re sitting beside a roaring fire while he reads aloud. You won’t want to miss out.
Podcasts are on everybody’s mind, and listening to two self-proclaimed nerds argue about movies they love is my idea of a good time. Overinvested is a weekly podcast from Daily Dot writer Gavia Baker-Whitelaw and fellow pop-culture obsessive Morgan Leigh Davies, in which they discuss a film, TV show, or…well…anything. Ranging from big blockbusters, like the recent Wonder Woman, to films that might not have been as big at the box office, like Assassin’s Creed, Overinvested feels like listening in on a funny conversation between two friends, and sometimes that’s exactly what I need.
When I’m not watching movies or listening to audiobooks, I can usually be found playing video games. Persona 5 came out in April, and it is amazing, to put it mildly. And since I can’t be at my console at all times, I’ve also picked up the soundtrack, and Shoji Meguro has done it again. In tracks that range from pop and fun to sad and somber, the music evokes a range of emotions. With the main story usually taking 80 to 120 hours (and at the rate I’m going, it’s going to be on the long end of that range), a great soundtrack is important, and Meguro has certainly delivered.