Discover more listening recommendations from the Audible Editors.
As a full-time bibliophile and a part-time Bookstagram/BookTok aficionado, I was one of the many, many people who devoured It Ends with Us, then proceeded to beg the queen of BookTok (Colleen Hoover) for a sequel. When CoHo announced the sequel was coming, I laughed, ugly-cried, and pre-ordered my audio version. It Starts with Us picks up right where It Ends with Us left off. This second-chance romance is a dual POV of Atlas and Lily, teenage sweethearts who lost touch after Atlas left for the military. As they find themselves at the right place and time in their lives, both work at navigating their relationship while also dealing with Ryle—Lily's very complicated ex. If you need me, I'll be in a corner with my trusty headphones, bracing myself for my most anticipated title of this year. —Patty K C.
Our Missing Hearts is not only my pick of the month, it’s one of the best novels I have ever listened to. Period. Full stop. At first glance, it may seem like a departure for a Celeste Ng novel: a dystopian tale set in a near-future where the US government begins reassigning custody of children whose parents are accused of being un-American. But after listening, I found this story had all the heart you’d expect from Ng, and so much more. Lucy Liu’s performance captures the essence of each unforgettable character (Bird, Margaret, Sadie…I love you all!). The added author’s note, read by Ng herself, gives some fascinating context. And we’ve got some bonus content for you—my interview with the author, who is as much a joy to listen to as her books. —Tricia F.
It’s every thriller writer I love!
If you told me that even one of the bestselling authors who collaborated on Birds of Prey: The Harlan Coben Challenge was releasing a new story inspired by a bird of prey, I would have listened immediately, but this all-star crew makes the collection impossible to pass up. Coben dared all my favorite authors (C.J. Box, Hank Phillippi Ryan, S.A. Cosby, and more) to let their imaginations soar (first bird pun)—exactly the motivation I need to be my best creative self this month. Each story is more egg-cellent (second bird pun) than the one before, and can be enjoyed on its own or in a binge session. I’m going to be coming back to this deliciously twisty listen over and over. Maybe I’ll relisten with friends, maybe I’ll listen owl by myself (final bird pun!). Birds of Prey can be enjoyed anytime you need a quick thriller fix. —Esther B.
Just a casual horror chat with the coolest queer authors 😱
From Dracula to The Babadook, monster movies and queer themes go together like peanut butter and jelly (or, as any true horror fan will tell you, like B-movie camp and academic theory). Lucky us, editor Joe Vallese went and made a book about it. A collection of essays from 25 notable queer authors, it’s packed full of amazing film recommendations and insightful criticism on everything from the gender and corporeal nonconformity of The Blob to the complicated queerbaiting of Sleepaway Camp. I’ve been flying through my digital advance copy, but I can’t wait for the audio, which is a full-cast assemblage of narrators from the LGBTQIA+ community, including Daniel Henning, Vikas Adam, Hope Newhouse, and many other in-house faves. If you need me this October, you know where I’ll be. —Kat J.
Melancholy, Barnacle, and Garlic are back!
Our favorite weirdo triplets have returned for the second book in The Weirdies series. If you’re unfamiliar, no worries: Imagine if Roald Dahl slapped Lemony Snicket with Neil Gaiman’s skeletal forearm, and you’re set. Hearing Kate Winslet slip in and out of the characters’ voices once again is a joy—she’s clearly having a lot of fun, and the conviviality of her performance contrasts deliciously with the dark and humorous plot and characters. This is one of those rare listens where adults with no particular interest in children’s literature will remain enraptured by the weird, slightly goth, completely unique world Michael Buckley has conjured, with clever and unexpected narrative touches that make it a winner for all ages. —Sean T.
Come for the magic, stay for the realness
How could I resist a memoir from the bad boy of the wizarding world? Tom Felton’s Beyond the Wand divulges many behind-the-scenes moments from his days as Draco Malfoy, but what kept me listening was the exploration of his youth and the ways that fame impacted both him and his family. Felton reflects on some of the harder moments of his childhood with a remarkable maturity that can only come from time (and a good therapist), and all of his stories are told with a self-deprecating humor that will immediately make you forget his origins as a Slytherin. Come for the magic of Malfoy, but stay for the candor, humor, and mental health journey. —Katie O.
Chad Sanders was a struggling writer sleeping on a mattress without a bed frame in his Brooklyn apartment not long before his Hollywood screenwriting career took off. While a pay increase and connections to great talents like Spike Lee and Kanye West afforded Sanders new comforts, it also came with challenges that nagged at his sense of self. In his new Audible Original podcast, Sanders documents his career journey and invites notable celebrities such as Issa Rae, Charles King, Soledad O'Brien, Gabrielle Union, and more to weigh in on a conversation about the personal ramifications of becoming wealthy, especially as they intersect with race. I'm looking forward to hearing fresh perspectives on the true cost of success and how it affects identity. —Rachael X.
When the monster in the woods is all too real
Equal parts horror story and searing social commentary about race, Erin E. Adams’ Jackal follows Liz Rocher’s search for her missing goddaughter in her largely white Rust Belt hometown, where young Black girls have been disappearing for years. Co-narrator Sandra Okuboyejo’s voice is tender and measured, effectively creating a sense of foreboding as Liz uncovers the dark truth and works to reconcile memories of the night her high school classmate also went missing. As Liz discovers that monsters still wear human faces, even in a world where supernatural threats exist, Okuboyejo poignantly captures her complex emotions in this unforgettable story. —Margaret H.
You don’t have to be sick to get better
Life is a journey, and no one knows that better than Superbowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson has talent, of course, but what’s his secret in going from a good player to one of the top performers on the biggest stage in sports? In Think Like a Champion, Wilson teams up with two of his close allies—his brother Harry and his former coach Trevor Moawad—to interview fellow top performers in the sports, business, and well-being worlds. Listen in on conversations with Tim Tebow, Von Miller, Arianna Huffington, and my favorite Peloton instructor, Ally Love, among others. You’ll learn their takes on the long game of life and how to stay focused, including the tip that how you talk to yourself is just as important as the actions you take. —Caitlyn L.
New stories from one of the best
Coming off of the Booker Prize–winning and Audie Award–winning novel Lincoln in the Bardo, as well as A Swim in a Pond in the Rain—a masterclass in story writing—George Saunders is back with a new collection of short stories, Liberation Day. In a time when it’s a lot easier to be cynical and even nihilistic about the world, Saunders is here to show us, once again, how to find empathy in the most hopeless-seeming places, all while managing to fit in some humor, because even at its most challenging, life is kind of funny. As always with his work, I walked away from this listen feeling a little more hopeful that we’re all going to be okay. —Aaron S.
Whether you see her as a misunderstood hero, a callous traitor, or a pathbreaking transgender activist, Chelsea Manning is polarizing. After the glut of news posts, magazine features, books, and documentaries that have detailed her astonishing crime—handing WikiLeaks hundreds of thousands of classified military and diplomatic records, for which she served seven years of a 35-year sentence—it might seem like the story had been pretty much exhausted. But listening to Chelsea's testament in her own words, including her struggle with gender identity, is a moving and truly eye-opening experience. Memoirs narrated by the people who wrote them are hands-down my favorite listening experiences, and to finally hear Chelsea bravely share her own narrative is as illuminating and transformative as her actions that changed the world. —Jerry P.
In the role of Zachary Quinto fan, I never break character
If you hang out with actors for any length of time—as those of us who work in spoken-word entertainment often have the pleasure to do—they will inevitably start talking about the craft. Therefore, the premise of The Method fascinated me before I ever downloaded the audio: a struggling actor named Brent Quill tries method acting, lands the ongoing role of a twisted serial killer, and...what could go wrong?! (Spoiler alert: everything, as only author James Patterson, writing with Michael B. Silver, can guarantee.) Zachary Quinto leads a full cast in this immersive, NSFW (in a good way!) thriller. I fell for Quinto’s noir and nuanced voice when he narrated the Audible fan fave The Dispatcher; in this performance, however, the entire cast is the star. —Christina H.
Treasure troves of wisdom, and a gem of a listen
I’ve long been a sucker for suction cup-studded stories, but my love for cephalopods has deepened more than I ever imagined it would this year, thanks to two unique literary debuts. Months ago, Shelby Van Pelt’s charming first novel entirely tickled my heart, and now Ray Nayler’s riveting new technothriller—which explores a darker side of the advanced intelligence of octopuses—has left me in awe all over again of these "remarkably bright creatures." From fascinating breakdowns in the building blocks of language to lyrical explorations of how it feels to be an exile, The Mountain in the Sea contains treasure troves of insight into human nature (as gleaned by sea monsters), and is truly a gem to listen to. —Haley H.
A memoir/fiction mash-up that brings the laughs & the love
I had high expectations for this comedy series co-created by Emmy Award–winner Lena Waithe and actress and comedian Kym Whitley, and I was not disappointed. I devoured each episode, loosely based on Whitley’s real life, about a B-list Hollywood celebrity raising a young boy, Trevante, whose biological mother is unable to care for him. It felt at once poignant, laugh-out-loud funny, and full of heart. The all-Black cast includes Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, Kym’s real-life BFF Sherri Shepherd, rising star Jess Hilarious, the legendary Jenifer Lewis, and the late David A. Arnold, who plays Kym’s past-his-prime, smooth-talking boyfriend with such swag you can’t help but love him. Did I mention Kym features original music by Grammy Award–winner Wyclef Jean? But don’t get too distracted. This is definitely Kym’s story–messy, imperfect, and larger than life. —Nicholas E.
A high-spirited celeb memoir with a whole lotta heart
The title of Geena Davis’s memoir, Dying of Politeness, resonated with me more than I’d care to admit. Much like the Academy Award winner’s self-effacing upbringing, I’ve spent the bulk of my life acquiescing to the whims of others to avoid coming across as rude. Speaking my mind often felt impudent, standing up for myself ill-mannered. But as Davis attests in her genuine and generous memoir, the journey from ever-courteous to outspoken is quite the winding road. Now a notable advocate for gender equity in entertainment, Davis details how she found a sense of self-assuredness in both the strong-willed characters she portrayed and the co-stars she shared the screen with. And as for Davis’s warm narration, it’s every bit as charming as the (vaguely hazardous but entirely adorable) tea party on its cover. —Alanna M.
It's not just water under the bridge…
What lengths are you willing to go to in order to know the truth? When Sloane Sheppard’s best friend, a local Instagram celebrity, is found dead under a bridge in their hometown of Wildflowers, Washington, she throws herself headfirst into uncovering what happened. Fans of mysteries and whodunnits are in for a treat with this Audible Original from Terry Miles. Told in a podcast format, Wildflowers takes you on a suspenseful ride to figure out what exactly occurred the night before Sloane’s friend was discovered. Listeners won’t be able to peel themselves away from the discovery of the truth in this quiet Washington town. —Nicole R.
