If you’ve been following along over the past couple of months, you know I adore audiobooks and have partnered with Audible to share some of my favorites with you for the rest of the year. While I use audiobooks as a way to get a better night’s sleep, they’re also one of the tools I use to unplug in general – for me, they’re a great alternative to reading a book, watching tv or browsing the internet. Listening to a story keeps my mind occupied just enough to allow me to relax and recover from a busy day, as well as keep my mind from wondering about my to do list the next day, along with a million other things that cause stress and anxiety. Trust me, the art of unplugging is certainly one that takes practice and constant effort, but it’s well worth it once you realize how much your stress level can improve by doing this!

My Favorite Way to Unplug via @GirlWithCurves

This past month, I listened to The Cherry Orchard by Russian playwright Antov Chekhov. Today, I’m going to give you a recap of the play (don’t worry, I won’t spoil it!) and tell you about what’s in the queue for next month.

To be completely honest, not everyone will be into The Cherry Orchard, but it’s definitely worth a listen if you’re up for trying something new! Because it was written more than a century ago and translated into English, the cadence and humor can be a little difficult to wrap your head around at first. Plus, it was a different experience listening to a play instead of a novel – more like an old-time radio drama where you hear different characters’ voices back and forth. That being said, it really ended up drawing me in!

As I mentioned in my last post in this series, The Cherry Orchard is set on a Russian estate at the turn of the 20th century as a family fights over whether or not to sell off their beloved orchard. It was incredible to hear how the characters and plot lines Chekhov created still resonate with modern audiences, proving what a genius playwright he was. If you listened to the audiobook, I’d love to know what you thought of it!

For this next month, I’ll be switching gears to a book you may be familiar with: The Girl On the Train. It’s a psychological thriller about a woman’s obsession with a couple she sees everyday when she passes their home while riding the train. (Creepy, but an intriguing premise, for sure.) If I were doing anything else other than running GWC, I’d be a psychiatrist, so this is right up my alley! I saw the movie starring Emily Blunt and loved it, but if what people say is true – that the book is always better than the movie – this will be a real treat.

Interested in listening to The Girl On the Train with me? Right now, you can get a free 30-day trial to Audible here. Keep an eye out for the next post in July, where I’ll discuss The Girl on the Train and share the next audiobook on my playlist!