Discover more listening recommendations from the Audible Editors.
My biggest piece of advice for this listen is to approach it knowing it’s only 33 minutes long. You’ll want more, but trust me, what Brit Bennett manages to fit into this short piece will amaze you. It’s a “day-in-the-life” exploration that brilliantly captures one woman’s fertility journey, but it’s layered with so much more. You’ll be left wondering what happens next and will have questions about some of the backstory (a certain past relationship and how, exactly, things went down, for one). I’d listen to anything Brit Bennett writes, or Tessa Thompson narrates, for as many hours of entertainment they want to give me, but this expertly crafted short story is more than enough all on its own. —Tricia F.
As an avid Bridgerton fan who is eagerly awaiting the next installment, I was delighted when I heard about Krystal Marquis’s debut YA title. Set in 1910 Chicago, this fictional tale was inspired by the family of real-life inventor Charles Patterson, who founded a thriving business in carriage making and eventually started the first African American–owned automobile manufacturer. In this story, everything I didn’t know I was seeking for my next listen unfolded before me: Romance, heroines rebelling against social constructs, a thoughtful exploration of what it meant to be a successful Black person navigating society in the early 1900s and the weight they carried. Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s narration captures the energy of the characters and vibe of the time with thoughtful cadences and endearing rasps. If you are looking for a listen that boasts not only heart but depth, The Davenports is for you. —Kelley S.
It can be hard to find a good piece of feel-good nonfiction. But Unity in the Community, hosted by the one and only Queen Latifah, is my new go-to listen when I need some extra positivity in my life. Each episode of this Audible Original podcast highlights the good being done by one of seven real-life activists. From a restaurant owner who fed his community during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic to a community organizer fighting to lift up Native Americans in urban centers, Unity is the perfect reminder of just how much good there is in the world around us—and of how important it is to put in the work and inspire change in your own community. —Michael C.
Jojo Moyes is responsible for my first audio ugly cry (thanks, Me Before You), but despite the tumultuous start to our relationship, Moyes has been an auto-download for me ever since. Her latest novel, Someone Else’s Shoes, is a second-chance tale centered on female friendship. Disha and Sam lead very different lives, but a mix-up leads to a chance at reinvention that is sure to make listeners root for both women. The word I keep hearing associated with Someone Else’s Shoes is warmth—and between Moyes’ seamless, signature storytelling and a performance from British actress Daisy Ridley (of Star Wars fame), this is sure to be the listen I need to warm my cold, February heart. —Katie O.
Bringing on the flava of the Bronx
Jon Gray, Lester Walker, and Pierre Serrao are a culinary collective known as Ghetto Gastro. It began in the Bronx, where their tastebuds and food activism were awakened by the many different kinds of people who call it home. In each episode of In the Cut, they “bring the Bronx to the world and the world to the Bronx.” GG riffs and raps on the famous chopped cheese sandwich, which becomes the chopped stease, made with a plant-based meat alternative. The collective pays homage to various ethnic groups and the foods and flavors they’ve brought to tables and streets all over their home borough. They also invite listeners into their lab, a.k.a., the Ghetto Gastro Kitchen. Bring your appetite for a taste of the good life in the Bronx. —Yvonne D.
Greta Thunberg continues to be the collective slap in the head we all need. There’s always been an awe-inducing delight to watching this young woman dress down world leaders and elucidate the stakes of the climate crisis in language so sharp and true I think I physically stumbled back a few steps the first time I heard her speak. And now she has brought the full power of her voice to bear in this climate-crisis bible she’s compiled with more than 100 of the world’s foremost climate experts and storytellers. This listen is a resource I will return to again and again. It is full of clear, concise, accessible chapters on everything from ocean acidification to deforestation to sustainable food systems. If you’re looking to get a better grasp on what we’re doing to our planet, begin here. —Phoebe N.
CBT (cognitive bodega therapy)
As the comedy editor and an admitted oversharer who prefaces at least one sentence a day with “I was just talking about this with my therapist,” Michelle Rojas Is Not Okay caught my attention immediately when I saw it on the slate for this month. With the story brought to life by Dascha Polanco (Orange Is the New Black, Samaritan) and The Kid Mero (Desus & Mero), Michelle Rojas even sounds like New York. The characters, the comedy, the vibe, all of it. It’s a New York story—a Washington Heights story, specifically—that’s just as much about one woman figuring out her next steps in life as it is about her community. I guess you really can find anything you need in a bodega. —Aaron S.
A beautiful end cap to a multifaceted journey
While Maureen has been described as the ending of a trilogy, Rachel Joyce writes that the fan who first suggested the idea of continuing Harold Fry's story actually called it a tryptic. And the description feels apt: This is a work of art. The remarkable Penelope Wilton (who stars alongside Harold Fry's narrator, Jim Broadbent, in an upcoming film) voices Maureen, bringing her astringent and seemingly inflexible personality to being, but modulating to provide glimpses of the grieving mother who is just trying to hold it together for herself, her husband, and the son whose ghost lies at the heart of the entire series. I was so sorry to come to the end of this beautiful journey, but Joyce provides a fitting and incredibly satisfying conclusion for these characters that so many have come to love so dearly. —Emily C.
There’s no place like home(coming)
I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a new Kennedy Ryan romance. In her first Audible Original novella, Ryan takes us to the campus of fictional HBCU Finley University, where Niomi and Touré are reunited 20 years after they shared a fateful kiss. Old feelings flood back upon their reunion, and homecoming weekend sets the stage for their second chance at love. Coupled with the superlative narration of Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem and a special performance from the legendary Southern University marching band, Coming Home is a story you will fall in love with. —Margaret H.
A winning listen for gamers and audio fans
Ask any gamer: Story is just as important to the experience as the gameplay itself. And when it comes to story, the quality of performance really can’t be understated. That’s why Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) was such an exciting choice as villainous dictator Antón Castillo in 2021’s Far Cry 6. Now, we’re offered a closer look into this character and his machinations in this dramatic production—with a cast led by Esposito himself. As someone who is always a bit more inclined toward the roleplaying and character development in games, I’m excited for more listens that enhance the games we know and love and immerse us further into their universes. —Sam D.
Something must be brewing in the literary world, because for a while now, we have been blessed by an abundance of witchy listens to devour. I’m certainly not complaining, especially with my first trip to New Orleans right around the corner. Having grown up not too far from Salem, Massachusetts, I am so excited to explore the occult through such a different, distinctly vibrant cultural lens, and what better way to begin finding fresh perspective than by listening to a debut novel? One part romance, one part love letter to the forces that bind families together across generations, Diane Marie Brown’s Black Candle Women crafts an entirely enchanting portrait of the perks, pitfalls, and powers that arise when a woman manifests her deepest desires. —Haley H.
Foley returns with more friends and fun for the whole fam
The third season of The Sesame Street Podcast with Foley and Friends is here, and it covers an exciting range of topics, from morning routines to libraries to dealing with the grouchies to outer space. Each topic gets its own episode, and they all remain vibrant and energetic, making sure to hold your family’s interest, perhaps as part of your morning (or evening) routine. (And if you’re new to Foley and Friends, it’s never been easier to get to Sesame Street: Listen to Season 1 for FREE on Audible, Amazon Music, Wondery, or Amazon Kids+.) —Sean T.
Falon Ballard became an instant auto-download for me with her debut novel, Lease on Love. Her latest novel, Just My Type, has the best opening scene, which includes an Elle Woods reference that was just the beginning of this pop-culture-filled, second-chance, rivals-to-lovers workplace romance. Serial monogamist Lana Parker and nomadic journalist Seth Carson were each other's first loves, with a less-than-ideal ending. When an awkward run-in at Lana's job has them competing against each other for their own column in a publication, both are forced to spend more and more time together, and the lines of their assignment begin to blur. Full of supportive best friends, sweet moments, and hilarious Slack conversations, Just My Type is amazingly narrated by Tegan Ashton Cohan, and will grab your attention from the first sentence. —Patty R.
In the past few years, true crime has shifted its fascination from serial killers to con artists. And why not? To those of us prone to self-doubt, the idea of committing 100 percent to living a lie is almost as alien as burying bodies in the basement. Consider the strange case of Nicholas Rossi, who US authorities allege fled rape charges by faking his death and assuming the identity of an Irishman named Arthur Knight. If you were such a person, how much confidence would it take to go on the record for the podcast of a dogged local journalist, telling your wild tale in an accent UK ears are already hyper-attuned to analyze for clues? Or maybe, just maybe, you’re telling the truth. This shocking story—sensitively reported, with a warning for sexual violence and domestic abuse—had me riveted. —Kat J.
