These days we have a virtual library in our pockets, with books, movies, shows and music all available at the touch of a button. For a rapid reader, this can be extremely handy, allowing you to always have a new book to read while you wait for the bus, or find yourself stuck at the DMV. It’s in those moments that audiobooks truly shine.
Instead of trying to squint down at the tiny print on your phone, you can sit back and listen as new and exciting stories are told directly to you. It’s like the grownup version of story time. Sometimes narrated by the author, sometimes by a professional (and, if you’re lucky, even a celebrity!), it’s always fun to hear how your favorite characters sound or how a world comes alive when it’s lifted off the page. From boring car rides to meandering walks, there’s nothing better than listening to great audiobooks.
Thankfully, June is Audiobook Month, which means it’s time to officially commence all things audio. Created by the Audio Publishers Association as a way to promote and celebrate the audiobook genre, Audiobook Month is all about how we listen to the written word. Even their tagline for the event recognizes the importance that audiobooks have in our reading lives: “A good audiobook speaks volumes.”
In honor of Audiobook Month in June, here are 5 recently published audiobooks that we can’t stop listening to:
Hunger, Roxane Gay (Harper Audio, June 13, 2017)
Known for her culturally-critical essays, Gay turns her thoughtful eye on a subject that’s both intimate and unintentionally universal: her body. She dives deep into her relationship with food and self image, showing how the way we eat can be a psychological, and even political, act. In this audiobook version, Gay narrates the memoir herself, bringing us closer to the events and letting us hear her words through her own point of view. Haunting and engaging, this is one reading experience you’ll definitely want to hear.
Camino Island, John Grisham (Random House Audio, June 6, 2017)
The king of the thriller returns with a story about a heist, the black market, and an undercover mission gone wrong. When a secret stash of priceless manuscripts is stolen from Princeton University, the literary world is clamoring to figure out what happened. Novelist Mercer Mann ends up going undercover in Camino Island, Florida, home to Bruce Cable’s less-than-upstanding bookshop where he sometimes deals in stolen goods. As Mercer tries to figure out if he’s got the stolen books, she soon finds herself in more danger than she could have anticipated. Camino Island, narrated by January LaVoy, is suspenseful, heart-racing and everything you expect from a classic Grisham novel.
Dangerous Minds, Janet Evanovich (Random House Audio, June 20, 2017)
Part of Evanovich’s popular Knight and Moon series, Dangerous Minds continues the story of Emerson Knight and Riley Moon. This time, Emerson is trying to solve a mystery that seems impossible. So he turns to the tough and talented Riley Moon for help, as well as his cousin and friend, Vernon. Now it’s up to the rag-tag group of crime fighters to figure out just what is going on in the National Park Service, and how an entire island could disappear. Narrated by Lorelei King, this is the kind of fun, thrilling tale that will perfectly capture your attention in an audiobook format.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson (Blackstone Audio, May 2, 2017)
DeGrasse Tyson is America’s favorite scientist for a reason — he makes science both accessible and interesting. His trademark wit and honesty is a quality he most definitely brings to this scientific guide. Whether you love science or can barely pronounce astrophysics, this book will make information about the universe (and our place in it) easily digestible. As an added bonus, it’s narrated by deGrasse Tyson himself. His voice is soothing, and his writing style is fun and informative. This is the perfect read for anyone who wants to know a little bit more about space and time and how humans fit into it all.
Blood & Rust, Cat Porter (Tantor Audio, June 20, 2017)
It’s always a little bit awkward to listen to an erotically-charged audiobook, especially when you’re listening to it in public. But Porter’s Blood & Rust is definitely worth any fleeting secondhand embarrassment. Part of her Lock & Key series, the narrative is told from two dual perspectives. And, awesomely, we get to hear the story from two dual voices as well. Aiden Snow narrates Butler’s point of view, a bad boy with a dark and troubling past, while Lidia Dornet becomes Tania, a woman who’s just as lost in her own way. You’ll be riveted as the two fall for each other, their voices intertwining in this unique and consuming love story.
