10 Excellent Audiobooks

Book Recommendations

If you’re planning to road trip for the upcoming holidays and find yourself in need of an engrossing audiobook to help pass the time, look no further! Scroll down to see my recommendations.

I listened to all of these books on audio and absolutely loved each of them. Whether narrated by the author (which is the case for both the memoirs listed) or performed by a series of voice actors, all of these productions knocked it out of the park. 🙌🏼

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Best known for her role in the Nickelodeon show, iCarly, Jennette McCurdy recounts her adolescence as a child actor in this darkly funny and revelatory memoir. As she pulls back the curtain and share her life behind the scenes, McCurdy discusses everything from addition and sexual misconduct to eating disorders and a strained relationship with her mother. 

I wasn't familiar with Jennette McCurdy or her acting career prior to picking this one up, but I still really enjoyed it. Plus it's only about 5.5 hours on audio, so perfect for a road trip!

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

I absolutely adored this touching debut novel, which stars a curmudgeon octopus who forms an unlikely friendship with the grieving widow who cleans his aquarium tank. As the two develop a special bond, Marcellus (the octopus) helps his new friend discover the truth about her son decades after his mysterious and tragic disappearance.

If you're looking for a sweet and uplifting read, or a book that accurately portrays grief (without being too sad), I can't recommend this one enough!

No Light to Land On by Yara Zgheib

This beautiful and tragic novel explores the impact of the Trump administration's 2017 travel ban from the perspective of a young Syrian family torn apart. After Hadi travels to the Middle East for his father's funeral, he is refused entrance back into the United States where his pregnant wife anxiously awaits his return.

While this book is a work of fiction, it feels all too real. I highly recommend this one to my current events fans and/or those who are interested in learning about other cultures and/or immigrant stories.

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

After the passing of their mother, Maise and Grant are sent to Palm Springs to spend the summer with their fabulous gay Uncle Patrick. A semi-retired C-list actor, Patrick struggles to adapt to his new role as parental figure. However, he tackles the job the only way he knows how... with humor, heart and (many) cocktails.

This is another sweet and uplifting book that (like Remarkably Bright Creatures) perfectly captures grief without making the storyline feel too heavy and sad. So if you're looking for a funny, (mostly) light and endearing story, I highly recommend you give this one a listen. It's one of my all-time favorite audiobooks!

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

A story about one Puerto Rican family's complicated history and legacy, this contemporary fiction novel stars an ambitious Latinx wedding planner living in Brooklyn... one who dabbles in some dubious business practices. The book examines Olga and her politician brother's strife to protect their community while in pursuit of the American Dream. 

This debut novel is all about oppression, resistance, perseverance and revolution. ALSO... exciting news! The book is currently being adapted into a series for Hulu starring Aubrey Plaza as Olga.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah 

In his humorous and educational memoir, stand-up comedian and host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, tells the story of his upbringing in South Africa during apartheid. While narrating the defining moments of his life in hilarious fashion, Noah provides illuminating details about the culture and history of his home country. 

The audiobook is read by Trevor Noah and he truly knocks it out of the park with his various accents, impressions and impeccable comedic timing. This book was an easy five stars for me!

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour

In this incredibly unique satirical memoir, a young Black boy meets the CEO of a well-known tech start-up while working at Starbucks. When the CEO unexpectedly offers him a sales job, the protagonist is thrown into an entirely new world of money, tech bros, start-up culture, tokenism and much more. 

Told in the style of a memoir, this satirical fiction book is wildly unique and kept me engrossed from start to finish. Furthermore, the collection of voice actors that narrate the audiobook really bring the story to life.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

This enchanting fantasy story is all about acceptance, equality and love in all its forms. As a longtime employee of the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, Linus Baker spends his days evaluating government sanctioned homes where children with supernatural powers reside. Linus' regimented life is turned upside-down when he's sent to evaluate a top-secret children's home on Marsyus island.

This book is truly a gem. With humor and sentimentality, the author tackles tough subjects through thinly veiled metaphors and fantastical-yet-relatable scenarios. These enchanting and wholesome characters will make you smile and stick with you long after reading. If you’re looking for a family-friendly tale packed with real-world lessons, look no further!

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

This Reese’s Book Club thriller begins in Sausalito, California. Hannah Hall is living a seemingly perfect life with her husband, Owen, and step-daughter, Bailey. That is until Owen suddenly disappears, leaving behind a note with just two words, “protect her.” As Hannah and Bailey attempt to unravel the mystery behind Owen’s disappearance, their search takes them to Austin, Texas, where they discovers many questionable pieces of evidence about Owen’s identity.

I really enjoyed this one! While the ending wasn’t quite as unexpected or shocking as some other thriller books, it still held my interest all the way through. For those of you that love a good thrill, but don’t particularly like anything too creepy or gory (like me), this is the perfect mystery/domestic thriller.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

This one is for my romance lovers! From the author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation, this witty romance stars a headstrong literary agent and the editor who drives her crazy. When the two run into each other in a small town and are forced to work together, romance novel cliches become a reality. 

While I'm not much of a romance reader, I picked this one up to see what all the hype was about and actually didn't hate it. Emily Henry is truly the queen of writing witty dialogue, which kept me interested and chuckling. 

That's all for now - stay tuned for more audiobook recommendations!

Also one important thing to keep in mind (as it seems to be a point of debate among some in the book community) is that audiobooks 100% COUNT AS READING. To suggest otherwise is ableist (as not everyone has the ability to read with their eyes).