8 Books I Preferred Listening To on Audible
Hi friends!
I think there are some books that are perfect for curling up with on the couch, and then there are some books that are 1,000 times better when you read them as audiobooks. I really think that an incredible narrator reading a thriller, a more emotional book read by someone with great storytelling or an actor reading their own memoir are pretty much chefs kiss genres that are just better as an audiobook! The person reading the story can just completely change the reading experience which is such a cool thing! I love reading a physical book but I also love to multitask so I love audiobooks just as much! The narrator can add so much personality and emotion to characters that it feels like you’re part of the story, and other times the pacing simply works better in audio form, at least I think so. I wanted to share 8 books that I personally preferred listening to rather than reading them! I feel like this is a good list to keep in your back pocket when you are looking for your next listen! Maybe you are looking for something to listen to on a roadtrip, getting some chores done or even just on a long walk, I think so of these books could be your new favorite listen! I have written many blog posts talking about books recently like all of the books that I read in 2025 which you can read here! You can also follow me on Goodreads to see what I am reading currently, you can do that here and I will follow you back!
Happy Reading!
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fiction
Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late. Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid. The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah’s white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss. Derek’s father Buddy Lee was almost as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed his father was a criminal. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy. Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys.
The Third Gilmore by Kelly Bishop
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Memoir
After more than a half century in show business, Kelly Bishop has stories to tell.
From her Tony Award-winning performance in the original Broadway cast of A Chorus Line, to playing Jennifer Grey’s mother in Dirty Dancing, to her iconic role as matriarch Emily Gilmore in the groundbreaking television classic Gilmore Girls, few actors have enjoyed such long-running success—and even fewer can claim the adoration that this legendary actress has cultivated over her many working years. Kelly's instantly recognizable voice has echoed through theaters and living rooms for decades. For the first time, Kelly opens the door into her own life. She retraces her steps from Broadway to Hollywood and everywhere in between, reflecting on her decades-long career and sharing some of her greatest memories and the lessons she learned along the way. From her early days as a dancer at Radio City Music Hall in the '60s, to marrying young to a compulsive gambler, to her time as a burned-out Las Vegas showgirl, nothing is off-limits. She takes readers behind the scenes, from how she helped create a role in A Chorus Line, what it was like having Ed Herrmann as her TV husband and Lauren Graham as her TV daughter, and working with some of the biggest names in showbiz. The result is an enchanting celebration of a fearless and versatile performer whose talent and spirit have earned her an enduring place in the hearts and homes of millions. Chock-full of witty insights and personal photographs, The Third Gilmore Girl is a warm, unapologetic, lively memoir from a woman who has left indelible impressions on her audiences—and who has no plans of slowing down.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fiction / Historical Fiction
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
Listen For The Lie by Amy Tintera
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
️️️️Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all and, if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. But after Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast Listen for the Lie and its too-good looking host, Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one who did it. The truth is out there, if we just listen.
107 Days by Kamala Harris
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Politics / Memoir
Your Secret Service code name is Pioneer. You are the first woman in history to be elected vice president of the United States. On July 21, 2024, your running mate, Joe Biden, announces that he will not be seeking reelection. The presidential election will occur on November 5, 2024. You have 107 days. Written with candor, a unique perspective, and the pace of a page-turning novel, 107 Days takes you inside the race for the presidency as no one has ever done before.
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate… with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end. In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance. Tricia plays the tapes one by one, late into the night. With each one, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s web of lies slowly unravels. And then Tricia reaches the final cassette. The one that reveals the entire horrifying truth.
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fantasy / Romance
The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love. Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite. When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home. In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries. But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop. Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.
Like I said before I really do love sitting down with a physical book, but audiobooks have completely changed the way I enjoy stories. They make long drives more entertaining, chores feel less repetitive, and busy days a little more relaxing with something to look forward to! If you’ve been hesitant to try audiobooks or are just looking for your next recommendation that I think are especially worth listening to, I hope this list helps you find your next favorite! If you’ve read any of these books, I’d love to hear what you thought about them or if we had similar ratings! Also, if you have recommendations you think I’d like, please send them my way! As always, if you have any questions I would love to answer them! You can let me know recommendations or leave any questions in the comments below or you can always send me an email at hello@emmatarynjones.com and I will get back to you over in your inbox as soon as possible!
Cheers and happy reading!
Emma