The Narrator Of The Summer I Turned Pretty's Audiobook Might Surprise You
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The number of options you have to read a book these days is actually pretty incredible. Whether you love the feel of a paperback in your hands, scrolling through a novel on a screen, or multitasking with headphones, there are so many different ways to get lost in a good book. If you're looking to emulate this feeling while reading "The Summer I Turned Pretty," there's one little detail you should know about: The audiobook's narrator. Once you hear who reads the book aloud, you're going to have a brand new obsession — trust us.
"The Summer I Turned Pretty" — which featured an integral character who wasn't in the books — took summer 2022 viewing by storm. The Prime Video series brings the Jenny Han world to life in a way that's as magical as the book is. If the visual representation of the story inspired you to dive into the book, let's just say you will not be disappointed by what unfolds. There's now a crossover between the book and the movie, which will transform even the most uninterested reader into a dedicated page-turner.
Whether this is your first time or your fifth time diving into the novel, this small audiobook detail will get you ready to read in no time!
Lola Tung, who plays Belly on the show, narrates the audiobook
If you're looking for another way to fall in love with "The Summer I Turned Pretty," then get your headphones ready. In the on-and-off-screen mashup that you never knew you needed, Lola Tung narrates "The Summer I Turned Pretty" audiobook on Audible. You know, as in the actress who plays the main character Isabel "Belly" Conklin on the show.
You can actually hear the book come to life as you listen. Tung reads in the same voice as her character, so it's essentially six more hours for you to fall in love with Belly as she falls in love herself. The full audiobook is currently available through the Audible app and through the company's website. You can even listen to it for free for 30 days with a Premium Plus subscription. Proceed with caution, though, because you'll inevitably become hooked and need to listen to the other two books in the series that Tung narrates as well.
Although the show only has one season (so far) that covers the entire first book, Tung also narrates the other novels for a complete story experience. So, after you finish "The Summer I Turned Pretty," you can dig into "It's Not Summer Without You" and "We'll Always Have Summer," too (via Audible).
The actress has a strong connection to the character
Every now and then the acting stars align to have the perfect person play a character. You know, someone who has both a personal and professional connection to the character that makes the experience even more enjoyable for them and for viewers. That's exactly what happened with the main character in "The Summer I Turned Pretty." Although she didn't read any of the books before landing the role, Lola Tung fell in love with Isabel "Belly" Conklin as a character (via Glamour). The connection is so strong, you can hear it through her sample of the audiobook.
It helps that Tung, who was 19 years old when the show aired, was so close to the age of her character. "This was the summer that [Belly] was really discovering who she was and who she wanted to be and creating her own path and finding her independence," Tung tells People. "And I related to that a lot." The connection was so strong that Tung told the publication that she actually brought a little bit of herself into the character for the show. Needless to say, she also carries all of that through "The Summer I Turned Pretty" audiobook.
Her fellow cast mates, Rachel Blanchard and Jackie Chung, spoke exclusively to The List about how deeply they connected with their characters on the show as well, so it seems like it was a gratifying experience for all involved!
Readers are obsessed with her narration
To say people love the audiobook narration for "The Summer I Turned Pretty" is an understatement. The book has 4.8 out of 5 stars with a whopping 2,700 reviews (via Audible). You can hear from the sample of the audiobook that Lola Tung carries the mannerisms of Belly throughout the book as well. She even keeps the same laugh as she has in the show!
"I finished it 6 hours straight! I loved it so much!!," one five-star rating says. One reviewer stated, "Lola Tung's narrating voice is so perfect! I enjoyed this book a lot!" Another comment reads, "I read this book by myself first, and then I watched the TV-series, and decided to give the audiobook a try. best decision EVER! It felt like a whole different experience having Lola narrate it. My respects to her, she did an incredible job!!"
If you can't already tell from all the exclamations, this version of the book is definitely worth listening to whether you've seen the show or not. So grab your headphones and get comfortable, because you're going to want to stay in the world of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" for hours.