40+ Audiobooks Worth Your Time
Topher's Library
12,983 views
I ranked 49 audiobooks I picked from the hundreds I have heard, ordered from the ones that did not work for me to the great listens I still talk about. This covers multiple genres, including full-cast productions, single-narrator performances, and author-read memoirs, with a focus on narration, pacing, and who each listen fits.
If you listen to audiobooks on commutes, long drives, or while you read along at home, you will find honest audiobook recommendations across fantasy, thrillers, horror, mystery, and science fiction to help you pick your next listen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audiobook Providers
There are more ways than ever to listen to audiobooks, and each platform works a little differently. Some use monthly subscriptions or credits, while others let you buy books individually or borrow them free through your local library. Availability, pricing, and narrator editions can also vary by service, so it’s worth checking a few options.
Audible
One of the largest audiobook libraries, with both membership credits and individual purchases.
Link: https://amzn.to/4j0Fs9Y
Libro.fm
Similar to Audible, but your purchases support an independent bookstore of your choice.
Link: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm...
Spotify
Premium plans include a limited number of audiobook listening hours each month, with additional hours available for purchase.
Link: https://open.spotify.com
Everand
A subscription service offering access to a rotating library of audiobooks and ebooks.
Link: https://www.everand.com
Libby
Free audiobooks and ebooks through participating public libraries. All you need is a library card.
Link: https://libbyapp.com/interview/welcom...
Hoopla
Another library-based option offering audiobooks and other digital media, often without the traditional holds system. Availability depends on your library.
Link: https://www.hoopladigital.com
Apple Books
Purchase individual audiobooks without a monthly subscription.
Link: https://www.apple.com/apple-books/
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📚 Audiobooks Mentioned
The Fisherman — John Langan
To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
Good Omens — Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone — Benjamin Stevenson
Ready Player One — Ernest Cline
The Ten Thousand Doors of January — Alix E. Harrow
Mistborn: The Final Empire — Brandon Sanderson
The Briar Club — Kate Quinn
The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings — J.R.R. Tolkien
Patient Zero — Jonathan Mayberry
Pride and Prejudice — Jane Austen
Bossypants — Tina Fey
Fablehaven — Brandon Mull
World War Z: The Complete Edition — Max Brooks
Devolution — Max Brooks
The Strength of the Few — James Islington
The Hiding Place — Corrie ten Boom
Before the Ever After — Jacqueline Woodson
Headlights — CJ Leede
Anxious People — Fredrik Backman
Uprooted — Naomi Novik
Steel Gods — Richard Swan
Harry Potter series — Jim Dale edition
Harry Potter series — Stephen Fry edition
Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions — J.K. Rowling
Born a Crime — Trevor Noah
The Library After Dark — Ande Pliego
The Tainted Cup — Robert Jackson Bennett
Ode to the Half-Broken — Suzanne Palmer
The Feather Thief — Kirk Wallace Johnson
Memorial Days — Geraldine Brooks
The Last Murder at the End of the World — Stuart Turton
Nevermoor series — Jessica Townsend
Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke
Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman
Small Worlds — Caleb Azumah Nelson
The Caretaker — Marcus Kliewer
Babel — R.F. Kuang
Legendborn — Tracy Deonn
Rivers of London — Ben Aaronovitch
Winter’s Tale — Mark Helprin
Songs of Chaos, Books 1 & 2: Ascendant and Unbound — Michael R. Miller
Taiwan Travelogue — Yang Shuang-Zi
Lincoln in the Bardo — George Saunders
The Lies of Locke Lamora — Scott Lynch
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story — Bono
Red Rising — Pierce Brown
The Correspondent — Virginia Evans
Galahad and the Grail — Malcolm Guite
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Topher's Library is a channel dedicated to helping people fall in love with reading and find new books to add to their shelves or TBR. I am based out of the Greater Richmond, VA area in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, but my thoughts are often dreaming of Scotland and the UK.
TIME STAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
:17 Disclaimer
:41 Explanation of Tiers
1:31 The Rankings and Audiobook Recommendations
20 Comments
I could only listen to books that I didn’t want my children listening to when they weren’t around.
And with only a limited selection of the library I listened to a wide variety of books.
These books have stood out, some even after 20 years.
How to Train a Dragon was a favorite with the family AND very different from the movie.
Bloody Jack series by L. A. Meyers
But narrated by the amazing Katherine Kellgren. An absolutely brilliant narrator that died in 2018 at only 49 years old from cancer.
The Artimis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer narrated by Nathanael Parker
David Barry and Ridley Pearson wrote a youth series about Peter Pan called The Starcatchers read by Jim Dale
I strongly believe children become insatiable readers and always tested very high in comprehension.
Jim Butchers’ series Codex Alera narrated by Kate Reading (one of my favorite narrators)
Dresden Files narrated by James Marster, a very unique narration.
Amanda Ronconi is the absolute best at sarcasm and snarky dialogue. Now I don’t want to say the books she narrates aren’t good books, they are fun. The ones I generally listen to that she narrates are easy entertainment. I want a lighthearted book. Molly Harper, E. J Cooperman.
Michael Sullivan’s series are all very good. Tim Gerard Renolds is a fantastic narrator.
Ray Porter is absolutely a fantastic narrator. He narrated Project Hail Mary. Another narrator that has sarcasm mastered.
I have a 2-3 hour commute daily, so I’ve listened to many many many audiobooks.
I’ve heard many good narrators, some okay narrators, and some S Tier narrators.
Some personal favorites were Ray Porter reading Project Hail Mary, Craig Wasson reading 11/22/63, Michael C Hall reading Pet Semetary, and anything Will Patton has narrated. The full voice cast for Dracula, and Harry Potter were excellent as well.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks on my commute, and while it's hard to pick a favorite, here are a few that really stand out as ones I've loved enough to listen to multiple times:
1. Lovely War by Julie Berry (The full cast of narrators! The Greek Gods! The unusual [to me] WWI setting! So good...)
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (I laughed, I cried... one of my favorite audiobooks of all time)
3. The Emma M. Lion series (A case where the heart-filled and humorous narration truly elevates the experience)
4. Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan (The addition of music really adds to this middle grade story of a harmonica's life story that spans multiple generations.)
Another amazing audiobook experience I've had is The Masque of Apollo by Mary Beard red by Barnaby Edwards. Mary Beard is not for everyone, I totally get it, if you don't like her books, but Edwards is so amazing. He truly becomes the main character. If it wasn't for the fact that it's set in ancient Greece, I could believe, it was actually an old actor telling the story of his career
I agree with you on Red Rising. I would say it's not my favorite series...but! the audio helped me get through Red Rising. The next 2 books were better for sure.
I would like to add to the list The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Narration in the audio book was performed by Tom Hanks. He did a spectacular job. I envisioned myself as kid on my belly on the floor with popcorn totally enthralled with his story.
And anything narrated by Julia Whelan I am instantly SOLD! She is my...she could read me the dictionary or her grocery list lol
40+ Audiobooks Worth Your Time
Topher's Library
12,983 views
I ranked 49 audiobooks I picked from the hundreds I have heard, ordered from the ones that did not work for me to the great listens I still talk about. This covers multiple genres, including full-cast productions, single-narrator performances, and author-read memoirs, with a focus on narration, pacing, and who each listen fits.
If you listen to audiobooks on commutes, long drives, or while you read along at home, you will find honest audiobook recommendations across fantasy, thrillers, horror, mystery, and science fiction to help you pick your next listen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audiobook Providers
There are more ways than ever to listen to audiobooks, and each platform works a little differently. Some use monthly subscriptions or credits, while others let you buy books individually or borrow them free through your local library. Availability, pricing, and narrator editions can also vary by service, so it’s worth checking a few options.
Audible
One of the largest audiobook libraries, with both membership credits and individual purchases.
Link: https://amzn.to/4j0Fs9Y
Libro.fm
Similar to Audible, but your purchases support an independent bookstore of your choice.
Link: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm...
Spotify
Premium plans include a limited number of audiobook listening hours each month, with additional hours available for purchase.
Link: https://open.spotify.com
Everand
A subscription service offering access to a rotating library of audiobooks and ebooks.
Link: https://www.everand.com
Libby
Free audiobooks and ebooks through participating public libraries. All you need is a library card.
Link: https://libbyapp.com/interview/welcom...
Hoopla
Another library-based option offering audiobooks and other digital media, often without the traditional holds system. Availability depends on your library.
Link: https://www.hoopladigital.com
Apple Books
Purchase individual audiobooks without a monthly subscription.
Link: https://www.apple.com/apple-books/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📚 Audiobooks Mentioned
The Fisherman — John Langan
To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
Good Omens — Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone — Benjamin Stevenson
Ready Player One — Ernest Cline
The Ten Thousand Doors of January — Alix E. Harrow
Mistborn: The Final Empire — Brandon Sanderson
The Briar Club — Kate Quinn
The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings — J.R.R. Tolkien
Patient Zero — Jonathan Mayberry
Pride and Prejudice — Jane Austen
Bossypants — Tina Fey
Fablehaven — Brandon Mull
World War Z: The Complete Edition — Max Brooks
Devolution — Max Brooks
The Strength of the Few — James Islington
The Hiding Place — Corrie ten Boom
Before the Ever After — Jacqueline Woodson
Headlights — CJ Leede
Anxious People — Fredrik Backman
Uprooted — Naomi Novik
Steel Gods — Richard Swan
Harry Potter series — Jim Dale edition
Harry Potter series — Stephen Fry edition
Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions — J.K. Rowling
Born a Crime — Trevor Noah
The Library After Dark — Ande Pliego
The Tainted Cup — Robert Jackson Bennett
Ode to the Half-Broken — Suzanne Palmer
The Feather Thief — Kirk Wallace Johnson
Memorial Days — Geraldine Brooks
The Last Murder at the End of the World — Stuart Turton
Nevermoor series — Jessica Townsend
Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke
Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman
Small Worlds — Caleb Azumah Nelson
The Caretaker — Marcus Kliewer
Babel — R.F. Kuang
Legendborn — Tracy Deonn
Rivers of London — Ben Aaronovitch
Winter’s Tale — Mark Helprin
Songs of Chaos, Books 1 & 2: Ascendant and Unbound — Michael R. Miller
Taiwan Travelogue — Yang Shuang-Zi
Lincoln in the Bardo — George Saunders
The Lies of Locke Lamora — Scott Lynch
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story — Bono
Red Rising — Pierce Brown
The Correspondent — Virginia Evans
Galahad and the Grail — Malcolm Guite
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Topher's Library is a channel dedicated to helping people fall in love with reading and find new books to add to their shelves or TBR. I am based out of the Greater Richmond, VA area in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, but my thoughts are often dreaming of Scotland and the UK.
TIME STAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
:17 Disclaimer
:41 Explanation of Tiers
1:31 The Rankings and Audiobook Recommendations