Thank you!!! 
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decided to get the latest issue since I saw some subjects that I wanted to see what they have to say about them
will update 
edit: this is supposed to be a tragic subject but I’m laughing at her explanation because overall she pretty much turned everyone into japanese prefectures and I feel like I’m having a very weird Japanese prefecture lesson 
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I started ブラックボックス | L41 (learnnatively.com) and it was going reasonably well (meaning I had to listen and relisten to the same track to finally get what was going on, exactly as it was with きらきらひかる | L31 (learnnatively.com) at first), but then I made the mistake to look up its Natively level and got hugely discouraged. If a L31 book didn’t come easy to me as an audiobook, what hope could I have with a L41 book?
I haven’t given up quite yet, but decided to try something easier to see how I would fare. And what do you know - audiobooks can actually be easy, even for me! 変な家 | L28-30 (learnnatively.com) is not my kind of book (it hardly feels like a book, the writing is so uninspiring and the characters so flat), but it’s entertaining enough, and it’s EASY. I’m about halfway through, had to pause for lookups only a handful of times (which I could also have skipped) and have only repeated sentences once or twice when I wasn’t concentrating enough. Good confidence boost for sure.
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If I remember correctly I listened to that entire book in one shot when I had a long distance bus ride I’m listening to another book by the same author which is equally easy, but imo shouldn’t be consumed solely as an audiobook as the pictures are much more important to the story.
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If you have it from audiobook.jp, you still have access to the pictures through the app. Not ideal to have to look at your screen while walking or cleaning or whatever, but not impossible either.
My problem with the book is that it almost feels like a game, or a youtube video. There’s no depth to it at all. And having said that, I realize there are actually games and even videos with depth to them, so that was unfair of me to say, sorry. 
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Sadly, mine is through Audible (so files through desktop /pdf only) and looking at my screen while listening is indeed inconvenient in my case. I found with 変な家 I only looked at the picture once and never needed it again because it was described to death though.
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Essentially the summary of everyone experiencing this book 
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Well, I finished it. While it was a good confidence boost in terms of listening, it was also rubbish. I need to restore my faith in literature, and if a L41 book is what it takes, so be it. ブラックボックス | L41 (learnnatively.com), here I come! 
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ブラックボックス | L41 (learnnatively.com) is going so slowly 
. If I hadn’t effortlessly listened to 変な家 before it and hadn’t gotten 91% in an online Japanese test, I’d be convinced I just suck at listening (I’m actually still convinced, but at least I’m probably not completely useless). I’m at 60%, but every new track I listen to is still like a, well, black box to me. It takes several casual listens and at least one intense one (with pauses and lookups) to feel like I have adequate comprehension of what I heard. And I’m still afraid I’ve missed important details here and there, and I’m not the kind of person who can let it go and move on.
So now, especially with the Bookwalker Golden Week 50% coin back promotion, I’m wondering whether I should just give up and get the book and read along while listening. On the one hand, this would ensure 100% comprehension. On the other hand, I would have given up on pure listening (for this book at least), and all the benefits it can bring (in both listening and listening confidence -ha-). I’m being really indecisive here, so what do you all think?
- Get the ebook and read along with the audiobook. Then maybe try pure listening with a book lower than L41?
- You’re already past the halfway point. Surely you can see it to the end? がんばって！
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voters
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I feel you forgot 2 options:
- DNF and forget about it
- DNF for now and come back later, when it has become easier
but if you absolutely have to finish it, I vote: get the ebook. Otherwise that’s a reading listening slump waiting to happen, imo.
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Oh DNF is definitely not an option. And I’m enjoying the book.
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Looks like the overwhelming majority has no faith in my listening ability (I don’t blame you)
Sigh…Okay, I guess I’m getting the book. Need to find at least two more to get the order to 1500 yen or more, so you’re all responsible for increasing my 積読, just so you know 
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You should of course update us on what books you end up getting. 
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we just want you to make your life easier. 
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Nope, just voted on what I would do in that situation. Imo if a book is making me struggle hard in pure listening I get more benefit from reading along because I’m seeing the kanji/punctuation and giving my brain more information to latch onto ahead of the next book like it.
I think from a studying perspective there is more value in getting the ebook in this situation.
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Pretty much in the same camp.
That’s why I have many books that I have the audiobook available while I own the ebook too, so I can read along.
I feel like I get more return of my time, when I’m able to read along of course.
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I just worry that when I read along I rely on the text too much and don’t practice my listening as much as I could. But yeah, a L41 book is probably not the best for pure listening practice when you’re not yet comfortable in listening, and I knew it when I started it. I sometimes like challenging myself beyond all reason
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Well that’s also true.
I do want to focus on learning reading more than increasing my listening comprehension, so I guess it depends on a case by case.
I don’t think it hurts too much though, and you could always alternate reading along to just listening, as a practice/boost in-between.
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Hello comrades 
I am seeking recommendation once again for audiobooks
Things that are typically casual, understandable (I understand well enough as long as it’s not something super specific like a book about medicine that doesn’t include explanations to will be very helpful since I use them for 40 minutes drives to and from my college
Any genre will be appreciated but just for references to previous audiobooks as to what I mean “casual”
変な家
変な絵
君の膵臓をたべたい
ハサミ男
心霊探偵八雲 INITIAL FILE
An example to something that had a lot of very specific terms and vocab that made it difficult to listen to while driving
罪の声
星を継ぐもの
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I only just now noticed you have this here too lol
I’ll warn you that some of the vocab here is tough
I had to decide to give it a break and try other things first because I had to relisten to some parts a lot
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