Editors Select: November 2026

I couldn’t stop listening

We’ve been listening nonstop for weeks for our Best of the Year campaign. To be honest, sometimes I need a break after powering through so many books in such a concentrated amount of time. And at 17 hours, I had my reservations about diving into such a credit-worthy (iykyk) new book, but I never should’ve doubted Rebecca Yarros—I simply couldn’t stop listening. The emotionality of her storytelling is so well-suited to the intimacy of the audio format. Peculiar Stars is a castaway romance, as our heroine Callista is stranded on an island for 18 months with the mysterious Dominic. Talk about a slow burn. But the journey to finding the version of yourself that brings you the most peace is just as important as the journey to finding real, lasting love. Yarros's longtime narrator Teddy Hamilton (an Audible Hall of Famer) performs as Dominic alongside Audrey Obeyn as Callista. Told in dual timelines and alternating points of view, I relished being lost at sea with these two.

An icon’s story, in his own words

I am lucky enough to be among the generations of adults who grew up with LeVar Burton hosting Reading Rainbow. I’m even luckier that I grew up nerdy enough to have had a crush on his Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, despite my cousin’s insistence that the original series was the better show. Burton has come a long way since he played those unforgettable roles, and now it’s his time to share the tales that made him who he is. In his memoir, Take My Word for It—which he narrates himself—Burton uses his superpower understanding of the importance of stories to shed light on the man beyond the nostalgia. But don’t take my word for it! Listen for yourself.

Marry the man, save the ranch (maybe)

Catherine Cowles delivers another addictive blend of small-town romance and heart-pounding suspense in Beneath a Midnight Moon, the third in her Starlight Grove series. Aster and Maverick have a complicated past filled with heartbreak, secrets, and years of misunderstandings. But when Aster’s fight to protect her grandfather’s legacy leads to a marriage of convenience with the man who once broke her heart, old feelings come rushing back. Between the sizzling chemistry, the yearning, and a mystery that keeps you guessing, there’s plenty to love here. And the full-cast duet narration led by Andi Arndt and Adam Gold makes Aster and Maverick’s relationship all the more irresistible.

I laughed, I cried, I loved it

After picking up Bob Mortimer's novel Michael expecting laughs, I ended up discovering he is so much more than just a funny guy. Narrated by Mortimer himself, this audiobook is a beautiful blend of humor and heartbreak that caught me completely off guard. It's a coming-of-age story about second chances, those awkwardly relatable teenage years, and the unexpected kindness that shapes us. How can a comedian be so good at making me cry? Mortimer's voice adds such intimacy to Michael's journey that you can't help but be moved. It's effortlessly listenable, flies by in the best possible way, and is absolutely worth your time.

The caller you are trying to reach is busy listening

I always knew I could listen to Edoardo Ballerini read me the phone book, and this listen confirms it. This comprehensive guide to the infinite ways the invention of the telephone continues to shape our modern world shines in audio for obvious reasons. To hear the human voice reassembled by sound waves, relaying information across the ether from one source to the next, is honestly stunning to consider on its own. It’s the same beauty we marvel at as audiophiles every day. Renowned science writer James Gleick puts it all into mind-boggling perspective in this deeply researched history packed with insights on how the phone has changed human culture, the inventors who made it possible (beyond Alexander Graham Bell), and more than a few fun facts. Did you know “hello” was a word rarely uttered before it became the standard greeting when picking up a phone? Well, say “hello” to a whole new perspective on the device in your pocket.

A new holiday tradition

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that celebrating the holidays at Pemberly is as much a Christmas tradition as hanging stockings or wondering what glogg is. This sweetly spirited semi-sequel to last year’s Christmas at Pemberly focuses on the last of the singletons in that Austen-land narrative: The docile Kitty and the defiant Georgiana (once almost grievously misled by Lydia’s now husband, Mr. Wickham). Georgiana, having invited some newcomers to the family fete, awakens her brother’s old prejudices. Cue the prideful quarreling among siblings, but there is comfort in knowing that when it comes to the Bennets and Darcys, family affection always wins out.

Don’t mess with Brenda

We all know every small town or village has a nosy busybody. But this one? It has a whole WhatsApp group of them. So when they set their sights on Brenda, a quiet grandmother with a furniture-restoration hobby and a suspicious number of late-night visitors, the gossip spreads fast. But Brenda has spent a lifetime solving problems methodically and permanently. And this group of women has no idea who they're messing with. I’d describe Warm Bodies as Dexter meets Miss Marple, with a British village twist. It's gory, it's clever, and its dark humor cuts deep. This novella gave me everything I needed. It’s short but definitely not sweet.

Communication skills for the chronically online

Picture this: You ask your loved one a question that goes unanswered. So you try to get their attention again, only to notice their eyes are glazed over as they thumb through an endless social media scroll. Sound familiar? Magician-turned-businessman-turned-communication coach Vinh Giang has spent his life searching for the secret to authentic connection, and in his latest listen, he homes in on the four keys of communication: voice, body language, storytelling, and listening. With a keen awareness of how our screens have eroded our in-person presence, Giang argues that anyone is capable of strengthening their relationships by developing better practices. To hear more from Giang, check out our interview.

Stay weird, Ohio

A new Wil Wheaton-narrated John Scalzi novel is always a treat, and this story feels near and dear to Scalzi’s heart as a longtime Ohio resident. (Presumably, though, he encounters significantly fewer cryptids in his day-to-day life than his protagonists do.) What makes the author's work deeply accessible is his ability to tug on those universal threads of what makes us all human: in this case, our fascination with the goings-on, big and small, of the people in our orbit. Wheaton channels the denizens of Ohio effortlessly with wry humor. It's clear from his performance that he had fun recording this one—and that makes it an especially enjoyable listen.

The days are all we have

There’s something a bit devastating about listening to memoirs written when the subjects knew their death was on the horizon. Such is the case with Eric Dane’s My Book of Days, which will be released less than a year after his death in February. The memoir, narrated by Jacob Elordi, who played his son on Euphoria, is full of that self-awareness. Dane doesn’t shy away from the reality of how his ALS diagnosis affected his final months and how his illness inspired the candid reflections that lay bare his journey into stardom, addiction, marriage, and fatherhood. The connection between Elordi and Dane is obvious in the way the actor captures his late co-star’s inflections and dynamic personality. Elordi seems to understand how Dane would have told these stories, making them all the more raw and immersive.

Fall guys and girls

This is my first Phillip Margolin thriller, and I shall return to his work. Interestingly, I had just finished Jackie and Maria, a fictionalized telling of one of the most famous love triangles in history that didn’t really happen. Jackie Kennedy feared for her life and her children's lives, which is why, it is believed, she married Aristotle Onassis. Margolin’s novel is about a First Lady who is assassinated. Enter Michael Harris, a lawyer and a writer of bestselling legal thrillers. Someone gives him a tip about the murder, and his next book ends with a bang (inside joke). Harris, no doubt, has another bestseller. Thérèse Plummer is a terrific, deft narrator. I’m so glad this is fiction.

Survival is only half the battle

Danielle L. Jensen delivers an absolute masterpiece with Defy the Dusk, a dark, twisted dystopian fantasy packed with rich world-building, dangerous monsters, political intrigue, and devastating betrayals. Set 20 years after magic shattered the world, this high-stakes story explores grief, redemption, divided loyalties, and an unlikely found family forged between bitter enemies. And the romance? The forbidden, age-gap slow burn is overflowing with forced proximity, jealousy, yearning, and delicious angst. Jensen balances brutal survival with emotional depth, creating a world and characters I became deeply invested in. Performed by Jay Myers and Emily Shaffer, this is the perfect listen for fans of heart-wrenching romance and brutal cliffhangers.

A devastatingly honest non-self-help self-help book

Have you ever considered the origin of that sinking sensation of guilt that seems to creep in if even just one hour of your life is not “optimized” for efficiency? Author Priyanka Mattoo digs into this incessant pressure, and without preachiness or judgement unspools the tangled threads of her own life, allowing the listener to follow her lead and access their own inner critic. By the end of the book (part memoir, part survival guide), I found myself cheering from the sidelines as Mattoo joyfully steps into a lighter life.