Audiobooks

in response to AMB

What is your favorite low-energy activity/hobby?

This is very low energy (bc energy is my most precious resource these days), but audiobooks have been saving my life lately. It took me a while to get used to them, and the whole thing is very narrator-dependent, and it’s not the same experience as reading with my eyes, but it is truly a gift to have a stranger read you a story. This is my favorite app for audiobook purchases (non-Amazon) and then of course there’s Libby for free ones from the library.

book alert

5 months ago

Comments

AMB

@riverbankxMay 8, 2026

Yes!! I have to be strict about what I dedicate my limited energy to as well; so this is a great rec for me! I haven’t liked most audiobooks I’ve tried (the narrator dependent part being my main issue). What are some of your favorite audiobooks? I’m open to any genres! I’ve found that sometimes a book can be excellent in an audiobook format but just an okayish book story-wise, but I’ll push through to keep hearing the narrator tell the story. I listened to Theo of Golden not too long ago and enjoyed the narrator’s different character voices. His accents made the characters rememberable.

Lida Richardson

@lidarichardsonMay 8, 2026

Solidarity! Okay so lately I have been listening pretty much exclusively to romance, which is not for everyone and frankly even more narrator-dependent. But I generally prefer them for more commercial fiction/genre stuff just because if I really want to dig into the language, I’d rather read with my eyes. When I first started getting chronic migraines I listened to a lot of thriller audiobooks, like Gone Girl and all of Gillian Flynn. I also really enjoyed the British spy series Slow Horses, which is very flawed but fun and a great British narrator. If you want to mess around with what I would call elevated romantasy, Samantha Shannon has a series starting with The Bone Season that has a phenomenal Irish narrator. Also a lot of people love audiobooks where the writer reads their own work, so you could look for those. I just recommended All Fours by Miranda July elsewhere, and I’m pretty sure she reads the audiobook.

AMB

@riverbankxMay 8, 2026

Okay thank you thank you! I am taking notes of these all ASAP!

Lida Richardson

@lidarichardsonMay 8, 2026

My roommate just told me Toni Morrison narrates the Song of Solomon audiobook herself, which sounds so special. Also (on a very different note) God of the Woods is a very fun mystery

AMB

@riverbankxMay 8, 2026

Perfect!!

April

@apriltettMay 17, 2026

It being narrator dependent is so real. I’ve learned I can’t tolerate people who read different “character voices” like voice actors.

Lida Richardson

@lidarichardsonMay 17, 2026

It’s so tricky bc I need them to differentiate enough for me to follow dialogue but it can get goofy fast. Honestly I just love when they’re British, which is pretty shallow

April

@apriltettMay 17, 2026

Ok but I’m also starved for an accent sometimes for what reason I HAVE NO IDEA

Lida Richardson

@lidarichardsonMay 17, 2026

I am such a freak for an accent it’s kind of embarrassing.

Across Rec League

Libro.fm

Jenni

“Audible alternative for audiobook lovers! Begging you to cancel your Audible subscription and switch to Libro.fm — the subscription price is comparable to Audible (though you don’t have to subscribe to buy books à la carte), the user experience and app are MILES better, and you get to pick a local bookstore to support with your purchases! I wish I could sing their praises from the mountaintops, tr”

Casey Collins

“I have transitioned from using audible in an effort to reduce my Amazon purchases. This has been an almost seamless transition. There are occasionally audiobooks that I cannot find through my library account or Libro.”