If possible, all my books would be in hardcopy. I love the book feel, the book smell, and of course, creating all the voices and visuals in my head. But physical books take up A LOT of space and, naturally, A LOT of time. Enter audiobooks. A medium that took me a few years to accept, after just getting used to eBooks.
Fast forward to today, and I’m usually listening to two audiobooks and reading one hardcopy book at once. Why do that to myself? Hell, idk, I just like reading multiple books, and this became my latest system. 🤷♀️ I never thought I’d be listening to as many audiobooks as I am, but here we are. I love ’em. Here are a few of the standouts.
Scrappy Little Nobody.
Written and narrated by Anna Kendrick.
The first celebrity memoir I listened to, back when I was in college and still riding off the Anna Kendrick wave from the Pitch Perfect movie. She seemed like such a darling in interviews, and I wanted to experience more of her bubbly personality through her book. (Not gonna lie, I was also curious about her tea on the Twilight movies.) Hearing her story in her voice, as if she were in the room chatting with me — it was a revelation.
The Fault in Our Stars.
Written by John Green, narrated by Kate Rudd.
This was an interesting experience, because I’d already read the book. I can’t remember why I decided to revisit it in audiobook form — I’m guessing to listen to something familiar — but I’m glad that I did. Kate Rudd’s narration wasn’t at all what the protagonist Hazel sounded like in my head, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed her performance. I was able to see and hear things completely differently, making me want to re-read even more books this way.
The Hate U Give.
Written by Angie Thomas, narrated by Bahni Turpin.
I listened to THUG at a very busy time in my life, when the only times I could tune in were while driving. And let me tell you, once I reached my destination, I hated having to stop the book. Sometimes, I would sit in the car an extra 5-10 minutes to at least finish the current chapter. It was just SO GOOD, like being sucked into a movie.
Are u ok?
Written and narrated by Kati Morton.
From audiobook drives to audiobook walks. While walking my dog, I decided to switch up my usual music with this self-help book. Kati is a licensed therapist who discusses counseling and mental health on YouTube, and I always appreciated her openness and sweet and gentle nature. Hearing the affirmations in her book was perfect for walking, like a true breath of fresh air. And now, I listen to books on walks all the time.
Tweet Cute.
Written by Emma Lord, narrated by Dan Bittner and Emily Shaffer.
Dual narrations are the best. Especially when you can hear the chemistry despite the voice actors never sharing sections. (Doesn’t make sense, I know.) Tweet Cute was great as an audiobook in general, since it’s super modern and fun and fast-paced, but for me, it was elevated by the narrations. The voice actors were so into their roles, being silly and dramatic in all the right ways. It made the book so easy to listen to that I finished it in like a day.
Welp, what do ya know, audiobooks can be just as magical. I still prefer having a hardcopy when I can, but it’s nice to have some variety. Anyway, like I’ve heard John Green say, it doesn’t matter how we read as long we’re reading.
Sara Bechtol 