Presenting our Audiobook of the Year, plus an obsessively curated selection of editor and listener favorites–each one boasting a standout, not-to-be-missed performance–to help you find your next great listen.
Presenting our Audiobook of the Year, plus an obsessively curated selection of editor and listener favorites–each one boasting a standout, not-to-be-missed performance–to help you find your next great listen.
Audiobook of the Year
Audiobook of the Year
Taylor Jenkins Reid
"NAVIGATOR!" The Audible Editors have taken to shouting out the name of this fictional spacecraft in the past few months. Part battle cry, part stress-reliever, 100% in dedication to Taylor Jenkins Reid and narrators Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio, who put us all in an emotional chokehold with Atmosphere. Reid anchors the listener in 1980s Houston amid the first wave of women scientists and pilots in NASA’s space exploration program. We watch our heroine Joan ascend from candidate to astronaut, fall in love, and fight to keep that love when a mission goes south. Whelan and DiMercurio deliver deeply moving performances, pulling you in until the characters’ emotions are your own. Brimming with nostalgia and hope (and with an ending that will knock you sideways), Atmosphere won’t let you go once you’ve entered its orbit.
"NAVIGATOR!" The Audible Editors have taken to shouting out the name of this fictional spacecraft in the past few months. Part battle cry, part stress-reliever, 100% in dedication to Taylor Jenkins Reid and narrators Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio, who put us all in an emotional chokehold with Atmosphere. Reid anchors the listener in 1980s Houston amid the first wave of women scientists and pilots in NASA’s space exploration program. We watch our heroine Joan ascend from candidate to astronaut, fall in love, and fight to keep that love when a mission goes south. Whelan and DiMercurio deliver deeply moving performances, pulling you in until the characters’ emotions are your own. Brimming with nostalgia and hope (and with an ending that will knock you sideways), Atmosphere won’t let you go once you’ve entered its orbit.
Our Top 20
Our Top 20
Jane Austen
This immersive multicast dramatization is set to become your repeat comfort listen. The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth—voiced by Harris Dickinson and Marisa Abela—is off-the-charts. Also featuring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Bill Nighy, and Glenn Close, the all-star cast rivals any other Jane Austen adaptation.
This immersive multicast dramatization is set to become your repeat comfort listen. The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth—voiced by Harris Dickinson and Marisa Abela—is off-the-charts. Also featuring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Bill Nighy, and Glenn Close, the all-star cast rivals any other Jane Austen adaptation.
Stephen Graham Jones
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter brings an indelible Indigenous voice to classic vampire tropes through the story of Good Stab, a man seeking revenge for a massacre that left 217 of his people dead. It’s a towering achievement from Stephen Graham Jones, and the narration from Shane Ghostkeeper, Marin Ireland, and Owen Teale is flawless.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter brings an indelible Indigenous voice to classic vampire tropes through the story of Good Stab, a man seeking revenge for a massacre that left 217 of his people dead. It’s a towering achievement from Stephen Graham Jones, and the narration from Shane Ghostkeeper, Marin Ireland, and Owen Teale is flawless.
Mel Robbins
This is Mel Robbins’s best yet. Her signature blend of relatable anecdotes and actionable advice is enhanced by a newfound depth and tranquility in her narration. Her fresh perspective on letting go is both enlightening and liberating, guiding listeners to tap into their internal approval systems. It's no wonder it has resonated with millions.
This is Mel Robbins’s best yet. Her signature blend of relatable anecdotes and actionable advice is enhanced by a newfound depth and tranquility in her narration. Her fresh perspective on letting go is both enlightening and liberating, guiding listeners to tap into their internal approval systems. It's no wonder it has resonated with millions.
Suzanne Collins
As politically sharp and utterly heartbreaking as the rest of the Hunger Games series, this prequel reaffirms Suzanne Collins’s gift for dystopian world-building and complex character development. Jefferson White brings fan-favorite character Haymitch Abernathy to life with masterful narration that balances the optimism of youth with a wry edge.
As politically sharp and utterly heartbreaking as the rest of the Hunger Games series, this prequel reaffirms Suzanne Collins’s gift for dystopian world-building and complex character development. Jefferson White brings fan-favorite character Haymitch Abernathy to life with masterful narration that balances the optimism of youth with a wry edge.
J.K. Rowling
The beloved stories that have enchanted a generation, brilliantly presented in a way that delights die-hard fans and new audiences alike. This captivating production features hundreds of unique voices, immersive sound design, and an all-star cast that bring the wizarding world vividly to life in Dolby Atmos.
The beloved stories that have enchanted a generation, brilliantly presented in a way that delights die-hard fans and new audiences alike. This captivating production features hundreds of unique voices, immersive sound design, and an all-star cast that bring the wizarding world vividly to life in Dolby Atmos.
Virginia Evans
This epistolary novel follows an aging but brilliantly bold woman through her correspondence with family, friends, and strangers. The premise sounds simple, but the emotional landscape that unfolds is anything but. The full-cast audiobook, led by Maggi-Meg Reed, makes it a novel meant to be heard.
This epistolary novel follows an aging but brilliantly bold woman through her correspondence with family, friends, and strangers. The premise sounds simple, but the emotional landscape that unfolds is anything but. The full-cast audiobook, led by Maggi-Meg Reed, makes it a novel meant to be heard.
Fredrik Backman
Fredrik Backman crafts a touching dual-timeline story about four teenagers who find solace together on a forgotten pier. Their summer days become immortalized in a painting that changes a girl's life decades later. Narrator Marin Ireland beautifully renders these intertwined stories of friendship, transformation, and how art connects people across time.
Fredrik Backman crafts a touching dual-timeline story about four teenagers who find solace together on a forgotten pier. Their summer days become immortalized in a painting that changes a girl's life decades later. Narrator Marin Ireland beautifully renders these intertwined stories of friendship, transformation, and how art connects people across time.
Tembi Locke
In a follow-up to her transportive memoir From Scratch, Tembi Locke takes us back to Sicily as she prepares for her daughter to leave for college. Her warm narration is peppered with clips of ambient sounds and conversations, resulting in a comforting listen full of hard-won wisdom about motherhood, middle age, and new beginnings.
In a follow-up to her transportive memoir From Scratch, Tembi Locke takes us back to Sicily as she prepares for her daughter to leave for college. Her warm narration is peppered with clips of ambient sounds and conversations, resulting in a comforting listen full of hard-won wisdom about motherhood, middle age, and new beginnings.
Scott Z. Burns
Scott Z. Burns attempts to write a sequel to his film Contagion using a "team" of AI writers, actors, and producers. The bots sometimes get it right, often get it wrong, and occasionally terrify, making for a bizarre yet illuminating experiment into what happens when we involve this technology in our artistic endeavors.
Scott Z. Burns attempts to write a sequel to his film Contagion using a "team" of AI writers, actors, and producers. The bots sometimes get it right, often get it wrong, and occasionally terrify, making for a bizarre yet illuminating experiment into what happens when we involve this technology in our artistic endeavors.
Ian McEwan
The year is 2119. Climate change and nuclear disaster have dramatically altered the world. Tom is a scholar obsessed with a lost poem from 2014. David Rintoul and Rachel Bavidge’s performances submerge you into this story, driving two propulsive timelines and a central mystery that reveals itself slowly to the listener.
The year is 2119. Climate change and nuclear disaster have dramatically altered the world. Tom is a scholar obsessed with a lost poem from 2014. David Rintoul and Rachel Bavidge’s performances submerge you into this story, driving two propulsive timelines and a central mystery that reveals itself slowly to the listener.
Torrey Peters
Torrey Peters's story collection interrogates everything we think we know about gender, queerness, and binaries. The result is an audio experience that forces us to sit with the uncomfortable truths that come with living authentically, guided by four unique performances from Lee Osorio, Briggon Snow, Eileen Noonan, and Pyrrha Nicole.
Torrey Peters's story collection interrogates everything we think we know about gender, queerness, and binaries. The result is an audio experience that forces us to sit with the uncomfortable truths that come with living authentically, guided by four unique performances from Lee Osorio, Briggon Snow, Eileen Noonan, and Pyrrha Nicole.
Maulik Pancholy, Zackary Grady, Achilles Stamatelaky
With a fantastic ensemble cast, including co-writer Maulik Pancholy, Richard Kind, Anna Camp, and Padma Lakshmi, this Agatha Christie-style tale blends humor with heart. Mixed in with the mystery is a touching story of a gay son who reconnects with his family after having vowed never to return home.
With a fantastic ensemble cast, including co-writer Maulik Pancholy, Richard Kind, Anna Camp, and Padma Lakshmi, this Agatha Christie-style tale blends humor with heart. Mixed in with the mystery is a touching story of a gay son who reconnects with his family after having vowed never to return home.
S. A. Cosby
With longtime collaborator Adam Lazarre-White on the mic, King of Ashes is S.A. Cosby’s juiciest thriller yet—a Godfather-inspired, Southern crime epic centered on three siblings navigating shady deals, dangerous characters, a comatose father, and the fallout of a long-missing mother.
With longtime collaborator Adam Lazarre-White on the mic, King of Ashes is S.A. Cosby’s juiciest thriller yet—a Godfather-inspired, Southern crime epic centered on three siblings navigating shady deals, dangerous characters, a comatose father, and the fallout of a long-missing mother.
Angela Flournoy
The Wilderness follows five Black women navigating decades of friendship in New York and LA. Narrators Aja Naomi King and Ashley Nicole Black—author Angela Flournoy's middle school best friends-turned-accomplished actors—breathe authentic life into these characters, and Flournoy's own narration of select chapters draws listeners deeper into their intimate world.
The Wilderness follows five Black women navigating decades of friendship in New York and LA. Narrators Aja Naomi King and Ashley Nicole Black—author Angela Flournoy's middle school best friends-turned-accomplished actors—breathe authentic life into these characters, and Flournoy's own narration of select chapters draws listeners deeper into their intimate world.
Eliezer Yudkowsky, Nate Soares
Whether or not you agree with their breathtakingly unambiguous level of "p(doom)," AI experts Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares lay out a compulsively listenable argument for extreme caution on the issue of our time: the existential threat of artificial superintelligence. Rafe Beckley’s performance is pitch-perfect.
Whether or not you agree with their breathtakingly unambiguous level of "p(doom)," AI experts Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares lay out a compulsively listenable argument for extreme caution on the issue of our time: the existential threat of artificial superintelligence. Rafe Beckley’s performance is pitch-perfect.
Amal El-Mohtar
Grammar is magic in this fairy tale—the beauty and power of the way words meld together, play off one another, and construe meaning. The audio is alive with the hum of nature, enriched by Gem Carmella's gorgeous, lilting narration and original music performed by author Amal El-Mohtar and her sister.
Grammar is magic in this fairy tale—the beauty and power of the way words meld together, play off one another, and construe meaning. The audio is alive with the hum of nature, enriched by Gem Carmella's gorgeous, lilting narration and original music performed by author Amal El-Mohtar and her sister.
Arundhati Roy
Born out of the memories and emotions surrounding her mother’s death, this memoir from Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy is one of the most moving audiobooks of the year. Narrated by Roy herself, the story of how she became the woman and writer she is today is as inspiring as one of her novels.
Born out of the memories and emotions surrounding her mother’s death, this memoir from Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy is one of the most moving audiobooks of the year. Narrated by Roy herself, the story of how she became the woman and writer she is today is as inspiring as one of her novels.
qntm
This fascinating novel portrays a world full of "antimemes"—entities that are impossible to remember—the more nefarious of which are devouring teams of scientists. The structure of the story—moving back and forth in time and peppered with classified documents—makes for a rich audio experience, helmed by Rebecca Calder's compelling narration.
This fascinating novel portrays a world full of "antimemes"—entities that are impossible to remember—the more nefarious of which are devouring teams of scientists. The structure of the story—moving back and forth in time and peppered with classified documents—makes for a rich audio experience, helmed by Rebecca Calder's compelling narration.
Imani Perry
After listening to Imani Perry’s impeccable discourse on the significance of the color blue in Black history, beginning in Africa and with dyed indigo cloth, we’ll never think of the color the same way again. The connections seem endless, and it’s all brought together beautifully through Perry’s exquisite scholarship, storytelling, and narration.
After listening to Imani Perry’s impeccable discourse on the significance of the color blue in Black history, beginning in Africa and with dyed indigo cloth, we’ll never think of the color the same way again. The connections seem endless, and it’s all brought together beautifully through Perry’s exquisite scholarship, storytelling, and narration.
David Yazbek, Erik Della Penna, Itamar Moses
This Broadway hit translates perfectly to audio. The truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tale about the mummified remains of train robber Elmer McCurdy is zany, dark, and oddly moving. The music and lyrics by Tony winner David Yazbek will have you singing along with the full cast while quietly ruminating on your own mortality.
This Broadway hit translates perfectly to audio. The truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tale about the mummified remains of train robber Elmer McCurdy is zany, dark, and oddly moving. The music and lyrics by Tony winner David Yazbek will have you singing along with the full cast while quietly ruminating on your own mortality.
Browse our top picks in your favorite genres
Browse our top picks in your favorite genres
The Best of 2025 podcast
The Best of 2025 podcast
In this special Best of the Year episode of
This Is Audible, hosts Katie O’Connor and Kat Johnson dive deep on some of the winners and spill the tea on how the team selected 2025's best listens. Plus, hear directly from the author and narrators of our Audiobook of the Year!
Explore more of the Best of 2025
Explore more of the Best of 2025
Our favorite interviews and podcasts, plus staff picks.
A note from your editors
A note from your editors
We get to spend the whole year listening and offering up recommendations; it's a fun and never-ending gig that we're so grateful to call ours. But aligning on the Best of the Year? That really challenges our hearts and our headphones. As editors, we immerse ourselves in all genres and styles—nothing is off the table. And, of course, we look to you, our passionate listeners, to see what you've been loving most. Then, we come together for our favorite tradition: gathering as a team for heated debate and heartfelt advocacy, culminating in an obsessively curated audio-first list full of amazing storytelling and performances.
Cheers to the Best of 2025!
Meet the editors
Meet the editors
Discover our personal picks of 2025.
The perfect personalized gift
The perfect personalized gift
This season, give them an Audible membership or a title they'll love.