A Year in Reading: Pt. 2
Best audiobooks of 2023
Yesterday I shared my favorite romance books of 2023, and today I’m sharing the best audiobooks I read this year.
This week…
So as not to bombard you, I’ll be sharing a little bit each day until the end of the year. Coming to your inbox…
Thursday, December 28 – Top Romance Books (+ My Husband’s Reads)
Friday, December 29 (today) – Best Audiobooks of 2023
Saturday, December 30 – 2023 Superlatives
Sunday, December 31 – Top 10 Books I Read This Year
Now for the books!
Favorite Audiobooks
This year I read 79 audiobooks, which is a LOT.
And honestly it’s more than I’d like. I don’t know if it’s the pandemic, the season I’m in, or a combination, but the audiobook format has taken over reading. Which is okay, there’s nothing wrong with reading in one format more than another, but in looking at my end-of-year stats I noticed I consistently rate print books (4.4) higher than audio (3.6). This makes me think I might not appreciate books as much in that format, whether I’m not giving them my full attention or if I better absorb details in print.
In 2024 I’m going to be more intentional about what I read in print vs. audio. I often default to listening to a book while coloring or puzzling, and would like to spend that time reading print instead. My goal is to get closer to 50/50 rather than 75/25. We’ll see how that works out!
Mad Honey by Jennifer Finney Boylan and Jodi Picoult – (Narrated by Carrie Coon and Key Taw) It had been a while since I’d read anything by Picoult and was surprised by how much I liked this one.
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson – (Narrated by Marin Ireland) My all-time favorite narrator is Marin Ireland (she narrates the Beartown books, FYI) and I she contributed greatly to my enjoyment of this one.
Tell Me Everything by Minka Kelly – (Narrated by author) As a huge “Friday Night Lights” and “Parenthood” fan, Kelly has long been a girl crush of mine. Her memoir made me realize just how little I knew about her, and now I like her even more. Regardless of your familiarity with her, this is a memoir worth reading.
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby – (Narrated by author) I’ve adored all of Irby’s books, and they must be read on audio. Her narration makes them even funnier than if you read them on the page.
Finding Me by Viola Davis – (Narrated by author) I feel like I was the last one to read this, but if you haven’t yet, do it. And make sure to listen to the audio.
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell – (Narrated by full cast) I read the first half of this one in print but switched to audio because I just couldn’t put it down. A full cast narration is one of my favorites, and this one was a full production that sounded like a movie for your ears.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett – (Narrated by Meryl Streep) Who can resist a Meryl Streep narration?! As one would expect, she did an expert job and elevated the reading experience a few notches.
Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas – (Narrated by author) Thomas’ first book, Here for It, was another favorite on audio, but his newest is my favorite of his. Aside from the essays being highly relatable, his narration brought them to life. Plus, as a fellow Baltimorean, a lot of his references made me laugh out loud.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears – (Narrated by Michelle Williams) If you too are a millennial, you’ve most likely read this one. If by chance you haven’t, the audio is a must. Williams clearly takes great care in staying true to Britney’s voice (and there’s a particular part you definitely have to hear to fully appreciate).
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon – (Narrated by Jane Oppenheimer) My first of Lawhon’s and it definitely won’t be my last. Maybe it’s just me, but Oppenhemier’s voice reminded me of Meryl Streep’s, which made for a very soothing listen.
What were some of your favorite audiobooks this year?
If you haven’t tried audiobooks or don’t have an audiobook subscription, Libro.fm is my favorite way to listen to audiobooks, and my favorite audiobook company to support. Your purchase supports an indie bookstore of your choosing, and you can pause or cancel at anytime. Use my code (KATHARINE) or this link and get TWO audiobook credits for the price of one.
Link Roundup
What I’ve been reading on the internet.
75 Books By Women of Color to Read in 2024
Time’s 25 Most Anticipated Books of 2024
Book Riot’s Tips and Tricks for Doing a Reading Year-in-Review
That’s it for today! Check your inbox tomorrow for my 2023 superlatives. Thank you for reading!
- Katharine
Wow there are only 2 books on here I haven’t read yet and only 2 I read in print vs audio and the rest, I had the same thoughts about!! I recently did a favorite audiobook post and most of these were on there. 😆 That’s pretty amazing!
I also read more audiobooks this year than ever before, and noticed a similar trend that I rated them slightly lower! I’ll also be more intentional with what I read on audio this coming year. I feel like I started multitasking too much while reading, so I want to get back to reading as the sole activity while I’m doing it.