As a perpetual night owl, I often find myself up in the middle of the night, sorting through my audiobook TBR. I don’t know if you run into this problem, but since I don’t have physical copies of all of my audiobooks, I struggle to keep track of which audiobooks I want to read next. My efforts at record-keeping have turned into a half dozen notebooks filled with scribbled lists of audiobook hopefuls.
I’ve tried keeping track of audiobook possibilities on Goodreads and Storygraph, but nothing has seemed to work for me. I need something I can carry with me on my phone AND scribble on. Maybe a digital list on my iPad? Should I try making a Google doc? I’d love to hear how you all keep track of your audiobook TBRs! Feel free to email me suggestions at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com.
As I wander around my library and hunch over my computer in the middle of the night, Gwen has decided that my library chair will forever be her nest. She refuses to go to bed before I do, and I often turn around to see her staring back at me sleepily blinking in her efforts to stay awake.
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Recent Favorite
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Nora has an incredible career as a literary agent, living her best life in New York City. When Libby, her sister who is seven months pregnant, asks her to go on a vacation to small-town North Carolina, Nora reluctantly agrees. But her entire vacation plans are thrown off kilter when she runs into Charlie, her New York nemesis.
I’m a sucker for books about the book industry. But even more, I love grumpy characters in romance novels, and Book Lovers follows two very grumpy people falling in love. Nora constantly resists the trope of the big city girl who falls in love with the small town guy. She just wants to get through this vacation and go home to the city. But Charlie ends up working with her on a book, meaning she has to spend time with one of the men she likes the least. And when she learns he’s actually from this tiny town in North Carolina, well, that’s just perfect isn’t it?
As the listener experiencing every single moment of this novel, yes, it is wonderful. I love watching two city people fall in love in my neck of the woods. The contrast is perfection. And while I’ve listened to a lot of witty banter in romance novels, Julia Whelan performs the dialogue perfectly. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire book. I guess that’s just the magic of a great novel finding the perfect narrator.
Narrated by Julia Whelan
New Releases!
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
A month before her graduation Chloe kisses Shara Wheeler. When Shara vanishes after they kiss, Chloe decides to try to find Shara. But as she investigates, she realizes that she isn’t the only one to kiss Shara. As the mystery unfolds, Chloe finds herself chasing clues into unusual places.
Narrated by Natalie Naudus
Trust by Hernan Diaz
It’s the 1920s, and Benjamin and Helen Rask are at the top of their game. He’s a Wall Street tycoon and she’s got the well-known family name. Together, they are taking New York by storm. But a question starts circulating: how did they make their fortune? As rumors start circulating, the Rasks must navigate a high-stakes game of the New York elite.
Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò, and Orlagh Cassidy
Book of Night by Holly Black
Charlie Hall lives in an alternative world where people can manipulate their shadows, creating a sinister underworld. Charlie wants nothing to do with her old life stealing things for the criminal elite, but when she finds herself backed into a corner, Charlie decides to do one last job before she retires for good.
Narrated by Sara Amini
Companion Piece by Ali Smith
Only Ali Smith could write a quartet with five books, but I’m here for it. While this novel stands apart from the quartet, it still possesses the timely nature of the other four books. Smith’s prose, per usual, is incredible. I love the way her writing just flows in this beautiful way.
Narrated by Natalie Simpson
By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
Look, I will read anything that Jasmine Guillory writes. This time around she’s writing a standalone novel about Isabelle, a Black woman working in publishing determined to make her mark in the industry. So when she hears that one of her boss’s clients is about to miss his manuscript deadline, she decides to go to his house and collect.
Narrated by Sarah Hollis
Ballad & Dagger by Daniel José Older
Rick Riordan presents Daniel José Older’s latest fantasy novel. It focuses on Mateo Matisse, whose island homeland disappeared. Now he and the other members of his community move to Brooklyn, creating their own neighborhood. Mateo becomes determined to find out why he had to flee his island, and to take down whoever caused such a horrible disaster in his community.
Narrated by Lee Osorio
Over on Book Riot
“Free Audiobooks for Teens Available to Download from Sync”
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
Around the Web
“What qualities make an audiobook good?” (NPR) – I talk about some of my favorite memoirs on audio!
“Quiz: Audiobooks by Asian American and Pacific Islander Authors” (Libro.fm) – Check out this quiz to find more recommendations for AAPI Heritage Month!
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave or over on Instagram @kdwinchester. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE audiobook content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy listening, bookish friends!
~ Kendra