They definitely count as ingesting books but there is a difference between reading a book and listening to an audiobook.

Reading IS the activity but I feel like with audiobooks people are typically driving or something where the book is in the background. Though maybe some people put on headphones and just sit and listen or something. I don’t know if this makes me a snob lol.

Also The Expanse was the first book series I ever read. It was so good. And it made me like the show less even though the show is still great.