My Must-Listen Audiobooks
I always hear people saying “I’d love to read but I don’t have time for it,” and honestly? I didn’t either before I started listening to audiobooks.
I love to read. If it was up to me, I’d never stop reading. And now I rarely have to! Because every single time I’m folding laundry, tidying up my kitchen, or scooping the litter box? I’ve got an audiobook playing in the background. And these 10 are some of my absolute FAVES!
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
Imagine a great actor recording her own book that SHE WROTE!! So many feels. I laughed, I gasped, and I got misty. The range of her accents (and her male voices) is next level.This book works in so many ways. An audiobook narrator ends up on her own romance journey, full of all of the tropes she's so reticent about. (Like literally SO many tropes and they all spoil the story sooooo...). But I loved every bit of it, even the sad parts... And there were plenty of sad parts - from the story of how Sewanee lost her eye to her grandmother's journey with dementia - but it's also so uplifting and cozy. Annnnnnnnd the STEAM. Make sure your phone is *actually* connected to your phone, you've been warned.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
I've melted into a puddle of goo. This book is PHENOMENAL as I'm sure everyone knows. It simultaneously massages your heart and then just squeeeezes it. It's quirky, crochety, almost meta at times, but so heartwarming. It's a book about life, friendship, and mortality. J.K. Simmons absolutely SLAYS the audiobook and had me tearing up at the end. I just want to hug Ove and tell him that he's a wonderful grump that should never change. And I may be considering buying a Saab.The Sun Down Motel by Simone St James
I love me a dual timeline, what can I say? And on audio, this one SLAPPED. Both of the narrators had such distinct voices for their characters that there was never any confusion for me as to which timeline I was in. Plus it's a mystery that toes the line of thriller, mixing cold cases, missing persons, and serial killers. You get paranormal elements as well, which left me questioning at times if people we were interacting with were actually ghosts! While I do still have some burning questions, I loved the writing style, the pace, pretty much everything. Wow wow wow!The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D Jackson
This is an amazing Carrie retelling that is *perfect* for spooky season. For awhile I thought that it took place in the 80's until it was just casually dropped in conversation that it was 2014!! And after some Google searches, I found out that these segregated practices still exist in the South. Mind blown.
I loved the podcast angle, as we got to see an outside perspective on the events that went down in Springville. And adding in the multiple PoVs, we get a deeper understanding of the characters who unknowingly contributed to the Springville Massacre. I was honestly cheering when Maddy snapped because they had it coming. After YEARS of bullying and all of the racist behavior she endured, I don't blame her at all. This book made me feel so many things, especially with the ending. Just read it.Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Yes, I got misty about an octopus. And I am unashamed by this fact. We follow Marcellus in the last year of his life as he develops an unlikely friendship with the aquarium's cleaner Tova. And honestly? It's better to go into this book blind (in terms of plot). This book is ultimately about the relationships we form across a lifetime and how we're all connected. It's also incredibly hopeful and uplifting, while also delving into tough topics like addiction and loss. There are elements of literary fiction, magical realism, and mystery throughout, creating a book unlike any I've ever read. There was laughter, anger, tears... just AMAZING. I want to live in the Sowell Bay, thank you.Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Can grumpy/grumpy be an official trope? Because I'm tired of grumpy/sunshine, give me ALLLLLL the grouchy love. (It's quite possible that this is just my inner grinch speaking, who knows?)
But I absolutely loved it, even more than People We Meet on Vacation... and for me that's huge. I loved that Nora never lost herself and that the 3rd act conflict that thrusts her and Charlie apart is actually *realistic*. Nora shows that boss ass bitches deserve love too, though they might be a bit blind to it at first. And it alludes to the questionable trope of giving up your life's passion to work on a Christmas tree farm a la Hallmark in the best way. Julia Whelan crushes it as usual, with her "man" voice being just the perfect amount of Roy Kent to send shivers down my spine. And Emily Henry is just sheer perfection with her acerbic prose and plots that leave you devastated. All around, an amazing book.Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I have to start with this - the audiobook is just captivating. For me, tennis has just been one step above golf in terms of sports I'd want to watch, but this definitely changes things. Between the dynamic sports broadcasts and Carrie's inner dialogues during games, you can't help but be invested. Did I scream when it ended? Absolutely. But let's be clear - Carrie is not a particularly likable character. And maybe that's part of her charm - she doesn't CARE about being liked. I wish that we'd gotten to see more of Nicki and Bowe throughout, but the story overall worked very well as is. Plus Carrie just has so many good quotes, my favorite being "I will hold their beating hearts in my hands". What a boss ass bitch.White Smoke by Tiffany D Jackson
This book is AMAZING! I'd describe it as a combination of When No One Is Watching and Home Before Dark, but definitely greater than the sum of those parts. We follow Mari as she battles addiction, moving to a new town with a new family, and the fact that her house is *definitely* haunted. In a town full of mysteries, what's one more? This book is unputdownable in audio, so I can only imagine how it would be in text. The ending is beautifully foreshadowed but still somehow unexpected until the moment that you're screaming out loud in reaction. Check out other reviews for trigger warnings, as there are MANY, but this book is seriously amazing... just amazing.The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
HOOOOOOOOOLY COW. This is plotception - a plot within a plot within a plot. I had an inkling of the final outcome near the 30% mark, but I was so satisfied seeing it come to fruition. Being able to listen to it on audio made it so much easier to relate to Jake as he spiraled in paranoia. I was also so pleasantly happy for this to NOT be the stereotypical novel where an author murders someone and steals a book from them.
For me, a plotcentric reader, I absolutely loved this book. It definitely can stand on its own in the world of thrillers and I'll recommend it time and time again.A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
Oh my GOOOOOOD. This book is a raunchy delight that I can't stop telling people about. A pop star meets porn star Hallmark fantasy that will have you alternating between giggles and swoons. The plot is absurd in the best way and the sexual tension between Bee and Nolan is *immediate*. I loved all of the subtle gags of the adult film crew and just the disaster that is Uncle RayRay. Annnnnd the narrators were PHENOMENAL throughout, even at 2x! They made the dual PoVs all that much better because I felt like I really got a sense for who they were as characters. Overall if you want a steamy holiday romp, check this one out!
If you’re interested in any of these books, check out my affiliate playlist with LibroFM here!
