Why Audiobooks Deserve a Spot in Your Reading Life
There was a time when I quietly believed audiobooks didn’t “count” as reading.
I was wrong.
Audiobooks aren’t a shortcut. They’re a different doorway into story.
When you listen to a book, you experience it through voice, pacing, breath, and tone. A skilled narrator can deepen emotion, sharpen humor, and make dialogue feel electric. Some stories almost feel like they were meant to be heard – memoirs read by the author, full-cast productions, or novels with distinct character voices come alive in a way that feels intimate and immersive.
Listening uses different cognitive pathways than visual reading, but the comprehension, imagination, and connection to story are just as real. In some seasons of life, audio books aren’t just convenient, they’re essential.
Audio books make it possible to read when your hands are busy and your eyes are tired.
You can listen:
- On your morning commute
- During a long road trip
- While folding laundry or washing dishes
- On a daily walk
- While meal prepping
- During quiet evenings with a puzzle or craft
For parents, teachers, military spouses, busy professionals, for anyone trying to fit more story into full days, audio books expand what’s possible.
If you’ve never tried one (or it’s been a while), this list is a wonderful place to start.
And if you’re new to Audible, you can grab a 30-day free trial here , which includes one free audio book that you get to keep forever, even if you cancel. It’s a risk-free way to try listening and see how it fits into your rhythm.
There are other ways to listen to audio books outside of Audible, although Audible is arguably the most popular way. You can borrow audio books on Libby for free! Download the Libby app and attach your local library card to the app. You’ll get instant access to your library’s online catalog of e-books and audio books.
If you are a Spotify user, you can purchase audio books or if you are a Premium subscriber, you get 15 listening hours per month. Not all books are included in the membership, but their catalog is pretty extensive!
Finally, you can use the Libro.fm app to listen to books. What is great about Libro.fm is that you are purchasing your books from a local bookstore. You attach your account to a bookstore of your choice and then when you buy an audio book, your purchase directly supports that store. It’s a great way to support local businesses!
Below are 10 audio books that are truly exceptional, not just great stories, but remarkable listening experiences.
Affiliate Disclosure
This post contains affiliate links for audiobooks on Amazon. If you choose to purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only share books and resources I genuinely love and recommend. Thank you for supporting Simply Worth Sharing. (Note: Libro.fm links are not affiliate links)
The Correspondent
This book is easily the best book I’ve read in the last 10 years. I listened to it and it was a true gift! It is read by a full cast of characters and is brilliantly done.
Listen For The Lie
This book is meant to be listened to! It is about a murder mystery podcast. Every other chapter is the podcast episode. It is SO GOOD!
The Berry Pickers
This is a historical fiction/mystery novel. The story is told from the perspectives of two characters: Joe and Norma. Each character is read by a different actor and it is a beautiful story of family, heritage, and trauma.
When Stars Are Scattered
This book is a graphic novel and written for young adults. I listened to it and was totally immersed in the story! It is about two brothers who are refugees in Kenya and their story to get to America. It is such an important story of family, hope, and resilience. Brilliant! Highly recommend!
Savvy
We listened to this book on a family road trip. (My kids were 9 and 12 on that trip) It is an adventure story about magic and family and the risks we take for the people we love. So fun! My kids still talk about it.
Becoming
This is the first book I listened to on Audible. It was back in 2018. It is read by Michelle Obama and her story is a gift! It’s a beautiful memoir and you will love it!
Clap When You Land
This book is written in prose and geared for young adults. It is about a girl whose father splits his time between America and the Dominican Republic. But on the day he is supposed to come home, he dies in a plane crash. It is a story about grief, hope, and family secrets. So beautiful to listen to!
Between The World and Me
The book is raw and powerful. It is a memoir from a father and his concerns for his son. A must read.
All the Blues in the Sky
This won the Newbery Medal this year. My son (12 yo) listened to this book together. It is about a girl named Sage. On Sage’s 13th birthday, her best friend dies. The story is written in prose and read like a song. Heartbreaking and uplifting.
The One and Only Ivan
Another Newbery Award Winner, this book is the first in a series. My kids and I listened to this on a road trip and it was so fun and engaging. They couldn’t stop talking about it!
A Final Thought on Listening
Reading doesn’t have to look one certain way to matter.
Some seasons invite slow mornings with coffee and a physical book in hand. Other seasons require stories that travel with us, through carpools, commutes, deployments, dinner prep, and late-night tidying. Audio books meet us there. They tuck stories into the margins of ordinary days and quietly transform them.
Listening is not a lesser experience. It’s layered. It’s intimate. It allows a story to quite literally speak to you.
If one of these titles has been sitting on your “someday” list, maybe this is your nudge. Press play. Take the long way home. Fold the laundry. Go for the walk. Let a voice carry you somewhere new.
Stories are still stories — whether we turn the page or press play.
And either way, they’re simply worth sharing.
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