Podcasts, Audible & Earbuds

Paige: How did I just get on the podcast Choo Choo a year ago?! If you aren’t listening to these at work, in the car, while you clean the house etc, you are missing out! I’m sharing my top choices and a ton of reader recommendations as well!

Jeni: I really like to read. The problem is once I start I ignore ALL other areas of my life. Laundry piles up, I don’t talk to my husband at night, the kids want to be fed 3 meals a day….annoying. 😉 Seriously though, I don’t read often because of it. Audible has helped me jump back into my love of books in a way that I can manage. I can listening in the car while driving kids to school or other activities. I can listen at home while washing dishes or doing laundry. For the season of life I am in right now this is about the only way I can “read.” Multi-tasking mama, right here.

Earbuds are life when it comes to podcasts and audible. Between the two of us we have 7 kids running around…. little ears are EVERYWHERE! 9 times out of 10 whatever we are listening to is most likely a strong PG 13 or higher and these babies help keep it for our ears only.

Right now you can get these earbuds for 15% off using code styleduplicated at checkout. They come in some fun, cute colors and work great! We suggest adding the ear-tip pack for $6 for a custom fit.

Paige’s Top Choices:

S Town: The gateway podcast. John B. McLemore is fascinating. His voice, his horology, his hatred for his ass backward Alabama tiny town, his life. 7 episodes unfold in an addicting way #plottwist. S Town made me look forward to driving long distances and it was what made me fall in love with podcasts.

Up and Vanished: Season 1 is the only one I got into. It outlines the unsolved disappearance of a high school teacher, Tara Grinstead. This podcast made it on the top charts and helped bring the case back into the public interest after 12 years.

To Live and Die in LA: I recently finished this one and it was really good! An aspiring actress vanished from her Hollywood apartment. Another crazy case with twists and turns and omg moments through the whole thing.

Bible Binge: Y’all, they cast pop culture celebrities as Bible Characters and it makes it so easy to take it in. Knox and Jamie are incredibly funny and the kind of Christians that don’t make you cringe and feel like you suck. They are so relatable, so real and SUCH A BREATH OF FRESH JESUS LOVING AIR! Bible stories are told like a modern day TV show and the drama is there. If you know the Bible well or aren’t really familiar with it at all, this has something for everyone.

Gladiator: This is story of the life and death of NFL star Aaron Hernandez. Repeated head injuries are addressed, mental illness, CTE and abusing pain medication. Very eye opening and just sad, but really interesting.

Cold: Susan Powell disappeared from her home and her body was never recovered. This story is 18 episodes of crazy.

Serial: Season 1 was awesome. In 1999 Hae Lee, a high school senior, disappears after school one day. Her ex boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was arrested for her murder. He says he’s innocent and he’s very convincing. After you listen to this, watch the HBO documentary, The Case Against Adnan Syed.

Reader’s Podcast Recommendations:

1. Dr. Death A charming surgeon, 33 patients and a spineless system.
2. My Favorite Murder True crime comedy podcast breaking download records.
3. Armchair Expert Dax Shepard exploring vulnerable and honest people’s stories about their struggles and shortcomings.
4. Courageous Parenting Podcast for Christian parents who want to equip confident Christian kids in an uncertain world.
5. What Should I Read Next Anne Bogel interviews readers about the books they love, hate and what they are reading now.
6. Joe Rogan Experience One of the most popular podcasts, a long form conversation with guests.
7. 3 in 30 Top motherhood podcast.
8. Serial An investigative journalism podcast, one story at a time.
9. Dirty John A successful interior designer meets a handsome man who seems to check all the boxes, her family doesn’t like him. It’s complicated and crazy.
10. Hidden Brain Unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships are revealed.
11. Call Her Daddy Two best friends in their 20s talking about their relationships, sex, the NY social scene, embarrassing moments and more.
12. Mom Brain Mom advice from experts, doctors and trusted mom friends.
13. Ex Bachelor/Bachelorette Contestant’s Podcasts
14. The Big Boo Cast Big Mama and BooMama talk about all the important stuff.
15. Man in the Window Never before revealed details about one of California’s most deadly serial killers.
16. The Way I Heard It Mike Rowe telling short mysteries for the curious mind.
17. How I Built This The stories of some of the best known companies and the movements they built.
18. Goop Gwyneth Paltrow and Elisa Loehnen cat with leading thinkers, culture changers and industry disruptors.
19. This Land An upcoming Supreme Court decision will determine the fate of 5 tribes and nearly half of the land in Oklahoma.
20. The Fall Line Gives a platform to families and victims who have been passed over by mainstream media.
21. Culpable A compelling story about a suspicious 21 year old’s death.
22. The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey
23. The Simple Sophisticate
24. Believed An inside look at Larry Nassar and the olympic gymnast sexual abuse cases.
25. Swindled White-collar crimes and corporate greed.
26. The Dropout The Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos story.
27. Juicy Scoop Comedian tackling the juiciest and most controversial pop culture topics.
28. 22 Hours: An American Nightmare A hostage and murder story.
29. The Popcast Weekly pop culture conversation between two hilarious folks.
30. Get Real with Caroline Hobby Country singer interviewing country’s women stars. Honest women, honest talk.
31. Small Town Dicks Big crime in a small town.
32. Crime Junkie For listeners who are obsessed with all things crime related.
33. Martinis and Murder Each episode focuses on a new crime, the crazy details and the theories.
34. Missing and Murdered What really happened to Cleo?
35. 88 Days A couple was brutally murdered and their 13 year old daughter vanished. Hear how it all unfolded.
36. Absolutely Not with Heather McMahan A safe space to tell-all and bitch about the rest.
37. Broken Harts A murder-suicide of a couple and their six adopted children.
38. Revisionist History Malcolm Gladwell’s journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood.
39. Good Christian Fun A comedy podcast delving into the strange upside-down world of Christians and pop culture.
40. #MOMTRUTHS With honesty and humor, Cat & Nat dismantle the unrealistic portrayals of motherhood.

Jeni’s Current Audible Library: From Christian self help, to steamy romance novels and everything in between, there is no method to my madness. I like what I like.

1. It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lisa Terkeurst: Challenging the idea that “God will never give you more than you can handle,” TerKeurst shares the personal stories of her husband’s infidelity and her battle with breast cancer to help readers rethink how to define disappointment.
2. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman:  is the story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes the only way to survive is to open your heart.
3. Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren:
4. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens : Had to stop this one and buy the book with only 2 hours left. The fake accents almost did me in. Buyer Beware.
5. Three Women by Lisa Taddeo: Just started this after my friend Shay’s book review. I needed to know more, not sure if I will regret this choice or not.
6. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson: does away with the positive psychology craze to instead give you a no bs approach to living a life that might not always be happy, but meaningful and centered only around what’s important to you.
7. Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman: Haven’t started this one yet but downloaded it after my sil recommended it.
8. It Ends with Us By Colleen Hoover: Loved this book. It’s one I still think about. A powerful story of strength, courage and prevailing.
9. The Enneagram: The #1 Made Easy Guide to the 9 Types of Personalities: I am an enneagram nerd.
10. Girl, Wash Your Face By Rachel Hollis: Quick and easy listen. Some good truths in this one.
11. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate: Haven’t started this one yet either but it was recommended by a few friends. A historical fiction based on a real-life scandal. A Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country.
12. November 9 by Colleen Hoover: I love me some Colleen Hoover. Fallon meets Ben the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together. Over time they continue to meet on the same date every year.
13. Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren: Just downloaded tonight after a reader suggested it! Stay tuned.
14. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: A workplace romance all about the fine line between love and hate. Fun read!

What are you currently listening to? Or what is something you LOVED that we need to add to our list?

Happy Listening.