My favourite audiobooks!
Audiobooks that are must-reads.
In case you missed it, this is part three of a three-part series. Check out parts one and two below:
In this post, I’m going to share 5 of my all-time favourite audiobooks. It was really hard picking only 5 recommendations, but I wanted to keep this post short (life has been chaos recently).
Happy reading!
All Systems Red by Martha Wells - Narrated by Kevin R. Free
In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.
On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid--a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.
You should have known I would start this list with Murderbot. I’ve listened to both the dramatised and unabridged versions, and honestly, I prefer the unabridged ones. However, the dramatised version was a lot of fun, and if you’re just starting out, it’s a good listen.
The Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir - Narrated by Moira Quirk
Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.
Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.
Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
Of course, some things are better left dead.
Is it cheating if I put a whole series on here instead of just one book? If I had to pick a favourite, it would probably be Harrow the Ninth, but this whole series is just masterfully narrated. Half of the reason why I love these books so much is because of Moira Quirk. She does such a good job, her line delivery is superb. I laughed out loud listening to these books.
You should read The Locked Tomb regardless though. It’s ART.
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace - Narrated by Kristin Atherton
Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each one more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation, and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.
Another brilliant narrator. Like I swear my mouth hung open for most of this book, because her voice was like velvet. I don’t know what she looks like, but I’m already in love with her.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.
McCurdy narrates this one herself, and that makes the experience so much more immersive. Her tone is relatively flat throughout the book, even as she talks about some horrifying experiences, but there’s one burst of emotion that reduced me to tears. This book is a must-read.
Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken - Narrated by Sophie Amoss
Born without a trace of magic, Tamsin Lark is no match for the sorceresses and Hollowers who populate the magical underground of Boston. But when the only parent she’s ever known disappears without so much as a goodbye, she has no choice but to join in their cutthroat pursuit of enchanted relics to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive.
Ten years later, rumors are swirling that her guardian found a powerful ring from Arthurian legend just before he vanished. A run-in with her rival Emrys ignites Tamsin’s hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. But they aren’t the only ones who covet the ring.
I don’t know why this book worked so well on audio, but it did. I couldn’t stop listening. I had read some of Bracken’s other work, and her writing never really worked for me, but this book did. Sometimes the audio version just really makes the writing shine. This is a darker YA fantasy, but I still highly recommend it.
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