Some Books Are Better as Audiobooks!

Hi, my bookish friend!

Last year, around this same time, I called an end to the debate of whether audiobooks count as reading. They do count! And they’ve helped me double the number of books I’ve read since adding them to my reading repertoire!

But now I’m jumping onto a new audiobook debate: Does the format you decide to experience a book impact your enjoyment of it? Are some books better as audiobooks?

Let’s find out! Today, I’m sharing …

• Your audiobook recs, plus how and why you enjoy listening to them!

• The most-streamed audiobooks on Spotify

• New poll: What’s your audiobook speed?

Finally, this week’s Bookish Updates include May 2026 book club selections, the Booker Prize shortlist, and a link to an honest review of the hottest book everyone is reading! (Can you guess what book it is?)

Happy Reading! (And Listening!)

Your friend,

Audry

Audiobooks have recently experienced a glow-up. Many now feature talented narrators, multiple voices, and celebrity readers. Some include music!

So, is going with the audiobook better for certain titles?

There’s no right or wrong answer. It really comes down to personal preference! For example, a great narrator can make a story feel alive. But it can also work in reverse. If you don’t like the narrator’s voice or style, it can distract you from enjoying the book.

To find out which books are exceptional on audio, I went to the source: book lovers!

In a recent Note, I asked for your recommendations for audiobooks you thought were better than the print copy or the ebook. You understood the assignment!

“Daisy Jones and the Six is WAY better on audio and I have the physical book as well. Because there are so many characters it’s so nice to have different voices to help keep track of them all.” (via Mary)

“I prefer listening to memoirs read by the author versus reading them! I also loved the audiobook for Where the Crawdads Sing, which remains one of my favorites.” (via Laura Ricciardi, Ph.D)

“I’ve been enjoying listening to Breath by James Nestor on my walks. I sometimes find myself practicing what he’s preaching while I walk and listen. I also really loved listening to The Lion Women of Tehran. That was beautifully recorded.” (via The Visible Reader (Michelle))

“I really enjoyed listening to Matthew McConaughey‘s Green Light book. I think if I had read it, it would not have appealed to me as much.” (via Readdaholic)

“I like going for the audiobook whenever I pick up something by Paul Tremblay. He’s a horror writer but he tends spice up his novels with mixed media. The audiobook productions of his novels are always top-tier. I especially enjoyed “The Pallbearers Club”.” (via Ela D.)

“I love Elin Hilderbrand’s books on audio because the narrator is fantastic!” (via Heidi McCahan )

And that’s just a few of the great recs and fascinating conversations about audiobooks you can find in the comment thread on this Note!

Spotify recently released its most-streamed audiobooks of all time, and the list includes (surprise, surprise) mostly well-known bestsellers!

The list is also dominated by romantasy! Sarah J. Maas appears FOUR times with the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, while Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and Iron Flame also take top spots! (See the full list here!)

These audiobooks from the list stood out to me:

#9 The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - The movie was riveting, so the audiobook must be unstoppable! (Freida McFadden’s The Boyfriend also made the list at #18!)

#13 Icebreaker by Hannah Grace - Romance on skates has been having a moment, so I’m not surprised!

#15 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I have the paperback waiting for a beach trip. But now I’m wondering: Should I listen to it?

#17 The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - I listened to the audiobook in January to see if I could master this “art.” I’m still a work in progress, but the book was entertaining!

#20 Funny Story by Emily Henry - I recently listened to Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life and really enjoyed the narration and the story. So, no wonder another of her novels made this list!

Check out Morgann Book’s post on Bookish Media (read it here), where she comments on her experience with listening to most of the audiobooks on this list!

I had no idea you could adjust how quickly you can listen to an audiobook. I’m a slow reader who loves to savor words and the story. So 1.0x is my jam! What’s your perfect speed? (Also, see the fun conversation about play speeds in this note!)

Ending the debate, plus the best audiobook sites and top audiobooks of 2025:

Audiobooks Are Not Cheating!

·

April 2, 2025

After discovering that a recent article in the Washington Post had discussed the seemingly never-ending debate of whether or not you can say you read a book after listening to the audiobook, I thought it opened up the perfect chance to end the deliberation …

Life’s Short, Talk Fast: Fifteen Writers on Why We Can’t Stop Watching Gilmore Girls by Ann Hood

Through personal essays about moms, daughters, friendship, and Stars Hollow’s charm, this collection shows how the show became more than a TV series. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Prairie Pages is a free virtual book club from Melissa Gilbert’s brand Modern Prairie. It features monthly reads, often with a nostalgic feel! And my bookish friend Laura K. Bray (find her at The Cozy Library here on Substack) is the book club host!

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

Artie Dam seems to have a steady, ordinary life as a history teacher, husband, and neighbor, but inside, he feels deeply alone. When a shocking secret comes to light, he has to rethink his whole life, his closest relationships, and the mysteries that connect us all. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one, sharp-tongued, and perfectly happy keeping to herself … until a neighbor’s death brings old rumors roaring back. As the press closes in and a curious little girl moves in next door, Elsie must face the truth about her past as Mad Mabel Waller. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The International Booker Prize celebrates fiction and short story collections translated into English. Discover which books made the esteemed short list here!

This book! Sometimes a book goes viral. And that’s so exciting! But the reviews have been all over the place for Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear. So, when I saw my friend, fellow bookish Substacker, and librarian extraordinaire, Kelly Mayfield write a review on it, I knew I’d get the real deal! Read Kelly’s honest review of Yesteryear here!

“When you read a book, the story definitely happens inside your head. When you listen, it seems to happen in a little cloud all around it, like a fuzzy knit cap pulled down over your eyes.”

― Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

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