If reading is a way to get whisked away to a whole new world, reading via audiobook allows you to dive even deeper into an author’s imagination. With advances in recording technology, audiobooks can incorporate music, sound effects, and talented voice actors to build an atmosphere of total immersion for the reader. Frequent readers of audiobooks find that in addition to favorite authors, they also develop a love of certain narrators, giving them a whole new way to find new titles they’ll enjoy. With the popularity of romantasy as a subgenre, audiobook listeners who love a good fantasy-romance ..read more

As the days grow longer and the weather warmer, I can’t help but spend extra time meandering through the neighborhood with my Corgis. I don’t mind their tiny attention spans flitting from smell to smell. I walk down the street and under the trees of the park. Every new sign of spring is a wonder to behold. Of course, any trip or mundane task isn’t complete without an audiobook. Stories of fae heroines, robot dystopias, and wily demons transport me to other worlds. True stories of ex-wives, queer Catholic school girls, and Southern backyard animals accompany me on my errands. And one of my favo ..read more

Audiobook lovers and those eager to dip your ears into the format, this year’s finalists for best audiobooks across the 27 categories of the Audie Awards have been announced. The Audies, presented by the Audio Publishers Association, recognize excellence and distinction in audiobook and spoken-word entertainment. They are given to the performer of the audiobook. Several changes have been made to this year’s slate of awards. Among them are the changing of Best Female Narrator and Best Male narrator. To be more inclusive, these categories are now Best Fiction Narrator and Best Nonfiction Narrato ..read more

On September 20, 2022, Spotify issued a press release about a much-requested inclusion to its catalog: audiobooks. Starting that same day, U.S. listeners were able to purchase audiobooks directly from the app. Over the following months, users in several other countries, such as Canada and the UK, had the same opportunity. Just over a year later, on October 3, 2023, they announced that audiobooks would become part of the Spotify Premium package. This made Spotify a one-stop destination for just about all listening needs: music, podcasts, and now audiobooks. But is it worth it? Let’s find out. I ..read more

One of the best things about the new year is new audiobooks! There’s something special about an audiobook. Whether it’s a walk on a brisk winter day or an evening in front of a faux fireplace while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, audiobooks give readers new ways to experience the stories that they love. With just the push of a button, listeners can travel to other worlds and go on endless adventures. In 2024, we’re starting the year off with a host of new audiobooks. With January comes a myriad of engrossing stories. Alvaro Enrigue reimagines the moment Hernán Cortés arrived on the shores of ..read more

New year, new audiobooks! With 2024 just around the corner, we are all about to head into an incredible season of new audiobook releases. There are few things more delightful than curling up on the couch in front of a fire (even a fake one), drinking a cup of tea, and listening to an audiobook. Or maybe you are the brisk-winter-walk-for-your Corgis type. Whatever your activity preference, you can’t go wrong with winter listening. As stated on their website, Libro.fm “encourages more people to read while supporting local, independent bookstores.” They share their profits with their independent ..read more

RBMedia, one of the world’s top producers of audiobooks, has released a list of the ten bestselling audiobooks of the year. Some of the titles line up with bestsellers in print, like the newest book in Rebecca Yaros’s hit romantasy series The Empyrean. Others, though, seem to have found unique success with this format. Gigi, Listening by Chantel Guertin and narrated by Natalie Naudu has a celebrity author, which gives it a built-in audience in any format, but it follows a main character who travels to England to try to find an audiobook narrator she’s fallen for — it’s no surprise that readers ..read more

As the leaves turn golden and flaming orange before falling from the trees, I’m reminded that just around the corner is Nonfiction November! This most wonderful time of year is when the bookish internet gathers together to celebrate all things nonfiction — memoir, essays, history, true crime, we have it all! Now, of course, as an audiobook lover, I’m not just looking for any nonfiction books to add to my TBR. I’m looking for titles that are incredible as audiobooks. But what makes a good nonfiction audiobook? Ask 100 audiobook lovers, and you’ll get 100 different answers. But for me, I’m looki ..read more

When I was a kid, getting read aloud to at bedtime was a sacred tradition. My brothers and I would dig into our family’s bookshelf and spread the kids books all over the floor like an epic milk spill in an effort to choose our just right reads. Then we’d all squeeze ourselves onto the couch around our parents to hear our stories read aloud. As we got older, our parents would continue to read aloud to us at bedtime, moving from picture books to children’s chapter books. I remember my brothers getting The Hardy Boys, while I listened to Nancy Drew. By the time I reached about 5th or 6th grade th ..read more

I have a lot of favorite things in this world, but both video games and audiobooks are pretty high up there. The fact that you can sometimes do both at the same time is truly magical. When I listen to audiobooks, I always have to have my hands busy — but not with anything that involves a lot of words, because then I can no longer focus. I often listen to audiobooks while walking my dog or doing chores around the house, or of course, when I’m playing video games. There’s just nothing like it! A great book and a great game make for a great day. Now, not all books can be listened to while playing ..read more