The Best Audiobooks Under 8 Hours

Marie Lu's debut novel packs a lot of action in just under eight hours. It's the dual POV story of June, a military academy prodigy, and Day, her nation's most wanted criminal. When June's brother is murdered and all signs point to Day, June vows to track him down. But Day knows he's been framed—he just has to prove it before June succeeds in capturing him. Mariel Stern and Steve Kaplan do a great job tag-teaming the narration of Legend.

Kaylin Heath narrates The Seventh Bride, a fairy tale retelling with a dark twist. Rhea is a commoner, so when Lord Crevan claims her as his bride, she has no choice but to be dragged to his enchanted castle. Once she's there, however, she discovers that he's been married before—six times—and he's imprisoned all of his previous wives. Rhea demands her freedom but instead is given a series of impossible tasks to complete by dawn...or face the same fate as Craven's other wives.

Stardust is one of Neil Gaiman's most memorable novels, and this audiobook is narrated by the author himself. Tristan is just a young man pining after a girl who hasn't quite given him her heart. They're sitting outside their small English village when a star falls, and his love asks Tristan to retrieve it for her. He agrees, going over the stone wall on an adventure that will change his life forever.

Comedian and actress Amy Poehler is perhaps best known for her role as Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation. In Yes Please, she shares hilarious stories, experiences, and assorted things she's learned along the way. This very funny audiobook is not to be missed, as it features narration from stars like Carol Burnett, Seth Meyers, Mike Schur, Patrick Stewart, and Kathleen Turner, as well as Poehler's parents.

Michelle Zauner is the musician behind Japanese Breakfast and the author of the viral New Yorker essay that shares the title of this memoir. In Crying in H Mart, she expands upon her experience growing up Korean American in an overwhelmingly white town, feeling disconnected from her heritage, and the loss of her mother at a young age—and how that experience led her to rediscover her identity. This moving memoir is narrated beautifully by Zauner herself.

Growing up in the 1990s and 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw depictions of disability in stereotypical forms, from an able-bodied perspective. None of these ever felt right to her, since being a wheelchair user was her norm. In this collection of essays, which she narrates, Taussig talks about wanting a more complex and nuanced view of disability, and advocates for a more inclusive world. As Sitting Pretty drives home, we are all affected by disability, whether we realize it or not, and likely know someone who has a disability, whether it be visible or not.

This moving literary novel is set in 1862 against the backdrop of the American Civil War. When his young son Willie dies, President Lincoln goes to the tomb where the boy's body is laid to rest to hold him. Various ghosts and spirits observe this moving exchange as a battle for Willie's soul unfolds beyond Lincoln's reach. Featuring a star-studded full cast that includes Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, George Saunders, Carrie Brownstein, Miranda July, and Lena Dunham, Lincoln in the Bardo won the 2018 Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year.

Actress Marin Ireland gives voice to this suspenseful and thought-provoking listen. Clay and Amanda, a white, middle-class couple with two teenagers, decide to leave New York City for a little summer getaway. They rent a beautiful home in a remote corner of Long Island, looking forward to a few blissful, lazy days—until, less than 24 hours into their stay, an older Black couple shows up at the door. Ruth and G.H. are the owners of the home, and they come bearing news of mysterious rolling blackouts in the city that hint at a wider disaster. But can Clay and Amanda trust them, and what is the real danger? These are just a few of the compelling and unsettling questions author Rumaan Alam raises in the short but affecting Leave the World Behind.

Antonia Vega is an immigrant writer, a recently retired English professor, and now, quite unexpectedly, a widow. She's trying to make sense of her new reality without her husband when her sister disappears, and a pregnant, undocumented teenager shows up at her doorstep. As the plot thickens, literature, normally Antonia's guiding light, isn't quite so clear on what she should do next. Narrated by Alma Cuervo, Afterlife is a beautiful novel about the limits of words and the magic of human kindness.

To understand how to become more inspired and happier in your work life—and beyond—Simon Sinek urges listeners to ask why: Why are some companies and individuals more innovative or successful than others? Why do some brands and movements inspire fierce loyalty? People won't buy a product or buy into an idea unless they understand the why behind it, Sinek firmly believes, as he makes clear in Start with Why. Sinek narrates this audiobook, and listeners will feel his energy and passion throughout.

If you've ever wanted to learn how to be more mindful and at peace, Eckhart Tolle offers a path for leaving behind your analytical mind and ego. In The Power of Now, he leads the way to finding happiness and fulfillment in the Now, which is in the space all around you and deep within you, no matter where you are in life. Tolle narrates, and begins by asking simple questions of his listeners, guiding them to become fully present and surrender to the Now.

Stacey Abrams has ample experience learning how to speak out and become a leader when the odds are stacked against her: as a Black woman politician, she knows how hard it is to break into spaces that normally aren't welcoming to those who look like you. In Lead from the Outside, which she narrates, Abrams offers leadership advice and strategies to make your voice heard, specially catered to women, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, youth, and all those who might find themselves excluded.

Mindy McGinnis is a must-listen author for dark and suspenseful YA novels. In The Initial Insult, a dual perspective thriller inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Tress Montor lives with a burning question: What happened to her parents? They disappeared seven years ago while driving her former best friend, Felicity Turnado, home—and Felicity claims she has no memory of that fateful night. But Tress has gone too long without answers, and finally has a plan to get them, no matter the price. Lisa Flanagan, Brittany Pressley, and Tim Campbell offer a tense and compelling performance that will leave listeners on the edge of their seats.

Liz Lighty feels out of place in her white, prom-obsessed town and can't wait to bust out. But when she learns that the financial aid she needs for college has fallen through, her longed-for escape seems out of reach—until she remembers that the prom queen gets a hefty scholarship. Now she must give it her all in the running to beat the odds and win that scholarship, but her plans are tested by Mack, the new girl in school, who she's competing against...and seriously crushing on. Alaska Jackson narrates, capturing the urgency of first love and the high stakes Liz faces in You Should See Me in a Crown.

In an impressive full-cast audio production with narration from Rebecca Soler, Fred Berman, Dan Bittner, Gabra Zackman, and more, Sadie dives into the case of a missing teenager who is on the road for revenge in her little sister's murder. The story is told mostly as a (fictional) true crime podcast, with chapters from Sadie's point of view as the investigators, fans, and listeners follow her harrowing journey.

Fellow YA author, audiobook narrator, and poet Elizabeth Acevedo narrates Ibi Zoboi's a modern take on Pride and Prejudice. In Pride, Zoboi recasts Elizabeth Bennet as Zuri, a proud young woman who loves her Bushwick neighborhood and hates the gentrification that threatens her community. When the wealthy Darcys move into a building across the street, she instantly clashes with the young, stuckup Darius Darcy. But before long, listeners will be rooting for Zuri and Darius as they find common ground and understanding through their love for their families.

Inspired by the author's blog Bitches Gotta Eat, this hilarious collection of essays and personal stories reveals Samantha Irby's oftentimes bumpy and usually cringeworthy but always funny ride into adulthood, with all of the bad relationships, shirked responsibilities, and ill-advised taco feasts that go with it. Irby is one of the funniest writers working today, and her narration makes this book even funnier in audio.

This powerful collection of essays, written and narrated by Morgan Jerkins, explores various topics at the intersection of feminism, race, genders, and sexuality in America. Jerkins covers a broad array of topics, from dating to Rachel Dolezal, traveling abroad to seeking therapy. Along the way, she's constantly exploring the question of what it means to be a Black woman in America. The answers she reveals make This Will Be My Undoing essential listening for us all.

Written by two journalists who were on the ground when the disaster began to unfold, this book tells the story of the formidable Camp Fire that destroyed every home in Paradise, CA, and displaced tens of thousands of people. Fire in Paradise is a harrowing account of unimaginable loss, courage, and the ferocious will to survive as ordinary people fought to escape the flames and then later rebuild their lives. T. Ryder Smith lends heart and solemnity to this astounding audiobook, which won an Audie Award for Best Nonfiction.