{Mechanics} Yes, I Read to Myself! Problem?

My first ever audio book was Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.

That was narrated by Sarah Drew, and I was completely blown away by how compelling the narration was. That being my first time, I was led into believing that all audio books were this well acted out.

If you don't get this meme, you suck.

In fact, as I soon learned, most YA audio books are less than satisfactory compared to my first one, which was so chilling, and MADE ME FREAKING CRY. I didn't even cry at Micheal Jackson's funeral, ya'll. That's how much of a stone cold person I am, and Sarah Drew narrating Before I Fall made me weep more than for the King of Pop!

You see, I try to find audio books that don't sound like they're narrated by a forty year old. I like YA books that sound like they're narrated by an actual teenager. (Take The Hunger Games audio book for example. It sucks.) What I liked about Sarah Drew's narration in Before I Fall is that she didn't sound so steady all the time. In The Hunger Games audio book, it sounds sort of robotic at times, which freaking unnerves me.

Robotic voices unnerve me, but Micheal Jackson doesn't.

Considering that I get free audiobooks from Overdrive and my library (I live in a city that's big on reading), I don't really care if I get a horrible audio book. But I found a completely awesome way to fix my post-awesome narration syndrome.

Read to myself. Out loud.

I'm not kidding. Don't you remember when your mum used to read to you out loud at night? (If not, then I figure you're a psychopath. Don't hurt me!) Well, that kind of experience can't be reproduced unless you live in your mother's basement, so whenever I'm alone, I'll start reading to myself, and I even give different voices to the different characters.

So you might be thinking:

1. Then you read slow!
2. You can't pay attention to the story then!

To that I reply

1. I read slow already. Have you seen my last Mechanics post?
2. I actually pay more attention to the story. 

I guess I should elaborate on point 2. I cannot read for more than 30 minutes without my brain being completely fried. I am distracted way too easily. This is the reason I never watch movies at a theatre: because I can't freaking pay attention to the movie! But when I read aloud to myself, it gives me something active to do, as opposed to passive, which describes reading.

I mean, do you find that you need to twirl your hair when you read, or squish a ball in your hands? It's because you need something else to do when you read, or else it becomes too passive of an activity.

So in conclusion: try this next time you're reading. You might be surprised with the results. Or not.

By the way: Here's the Chuck Testa reference:

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Mechanics is a weekly feature on Wake Up at Seven. It explores everything surrounding books and reading, to make you hyper-aware that books are nothing but chopped paper.