With kids, job(s), husband, podcast, I do not have as much time to read books as I would like. Which is why I love listening to audiobooks.

But, audiobooks can be expensive. For example, to purchase the CDs of Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox from Amazon.com will cost over $24 (plus shipping). If you want to download the audio file from Audible.com, that will save you a little money - available for just over $19.

If you have the time, and inclination, you can save a ton of money by heading to your local library to find new audiobooks. But then you, like me, will be left with the dilemma of either juggling multiple CDs (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has over 20 CDs and costs $50) or importing the audio to your MP3 player.

For those looking for an inexpensive alternative to audiobooks, I suggest you check out podcast novels – serialized stories presented in podcast format, often available for free.

Since listening to my first podcast novel, I've had the pleasure of discovering talented, unpublished authors, presenting work that has not been found, or even rejected, by publishers and agents. And did I mention that they are free?

Like any podcast, audiobook (or other form of entertainment), finding a podcast novel that you will enjoy is completely personal. I have listened to some that sucked me in from the first word, and others that I couldn't finish even after slogging through 4 or more chapters. And, unless you are a more patient person than me, you may become frustrated by the serial nature of the delivery (a simple solution – start podcast novels that have completed there run so you can download all the episodes at once and never have to wait for the next chapter).

I don't know if its because the authors or listeners tend to be more 'tech saavy'  than the average audiobook listener, but most of the podcast novels I have discovered do seem to be in more 'guy-friendly' genres (science fiction, horror, thriller). Fortunately, these are some of my favorite genres, so I've found some great listens:

* Seventh Son by J.C. Hutchins - My first podcast novel, this sci-fi trilogy has enjoyed such success that it is now going to be published in the fall by St. Martin's Press. The first couple of chapters of the first novel, Descent, are a little hard to get through because there are so many (many, many) characters to keep track of, but the author does a great job of establishing voices for each character.

* Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood - Another podcast novel seeing "real world" success is Seth Harwood's crime drama "Jack Wakes Up" which hit stores last month. The story is a little gritty (I found myself swearing like a mobster after listening for a couple of hours) and gory, but very enjoyable.

* Chasing the Bard by Philippa Ballantine - Recommended by one of my followers on Twitter, "Chasing the Bard" twines fantasy elements with the life story of William Shakespeare. Unlike Seventh Son and Jack Wakes Up, Chasing the Bard uses actors and sound effects to enhance the story as read by the author. I love Philippa's reading style and don't really think the actors are necessary, but it doesn't distract from the story.

* Underwood and Flinch by Mike Bennett - If you are into vampire stories (think Dracula not Twighlight) you will enjoy Underwood and Flinch, the story of an age-old vampire (Underwood) and the family that has dedicated generations to serving him. This is an active novel, so you will have to be patient!

So where should you start if you want to find a podcast novel? Podiobooks.com has a fairly comprehensive list of free books, including reviews by other listeners. I have found my favorites through iTunes by looking at the "Listeners also subscribed to" list – that's how I found out there sequels to Jack Wakes Up (which are already loaded into my iPhone, ready for when I'm done with Chasing the Bard.")

Have you listened to an audiobook or podcast novel? What is your favorite?