Audiobooks are a crowded field, but Hollywood stars bring something entirely different to the table. They don’t just read; they perform. They make you care about characters you’ve never met, live inside worlds you’ve only imagined and suddenly those hours spent commuting or cleaning become some of the most entertaining hours of your life.
These seven actors have lent their voices to unforgettable stories — from dystopian nightmares to literary classics — and the results are nothing short of mesmerizing.
Pick your next listen straight from this star-studded list (you won’t be sorry).
Heartburn by Nora Ephron
Narrated by Meryl Streep
Pregnancy, betrayal, love and food. Ephron’s witty debut comes alive in Streep’s hands — or rather, her voice. She balances heartbreak and humor perfectly, turning Rachel Samstat’s misadventures into a performance that’s both hilarious and achingly relatable. Listening to Streep is like having a front-row seat to a masterclass in timing, delivery and emotion. Of course, we couldn’t have expected anything different from one of the greatest actresses of all time …
Game of Nines by James Patterson & Max DiLallo
Narrated by Shailene Woodley
Every nine years, the Game of Nines begins: a cryptic letter, a body and a killer daring the authorities to stop them. Shailene Woodley, the book adaptation queen, leads a full cast in this cinematic audio thriller, making FBI agent Sarah Cole’s high-stakes investigation feel immediate and electric. The sound design — footsteps, buzzing phones, creaking doors — pulls you straight into the case. Twists hit hard, pacing is relentless and by the end, you’ll realize the real game has been played on you.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Narrated by Jeremy Irons
Irons, who starred in the 1997 adaptation of Lolita, lends his signature baritone to Nabokov’s darkly elegant, controversial masterpiece. Humbert Humbert’s obsession, wit and moral blindness are unsettling yet hypnotic in Irons’s hands. His narration transforms difficult material into a compelling, almost cinematic experience. Bonus: his narrations of Brideshead Revisited and The Alchemist prove he’s equally skilled with complex literary classics.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Narrated by Claire Danes
Danes brings Offred’s world to terrifying life, capturing fear, defiance and fleeting moments of hope in a society stripped of identity. Atwood’s dystopia is already haunting on the page, but Danes’s voice amplifies every nuance, every whisper of rebellion. A must-listen if you love Atwood’s novel, or Claire Danes’ hypnotic, unforgettable performances.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Narrated by Wil Wheaton
Wheaton’s nerd cred and warm energy make him the perfect guide through Cline’s immersive, virtual-world adventure. Wade Watts’s quest to solve a life-changing puzzle is filled with excitement, tension and nostalgia, and Wheaton delivers it all with infectious enthusiasm. It’s fast, fun and impossible to stop listening to — you’ll feel every moment of the hunt as if you’re inside the OASIS yourself. Wil Wheaton also has a fan following of audiobook fans, because he’s just that damn good!
The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
Narrated by Michael Sheen
If you love yourself an accent to get lost in, Michael Sheen is probably one of the finest ones to listen to. Sheen transforms Pullman’s sprawling, magical world into an intimate, thrilling adventure. Malcolm Polstead’s quest, the mysteries of Dust and Oxford’s riverside landscapes feel immediate under Sheen’s narration. Every line carries curiosity, tension and subtle wonder, proving that Sheen can make fantasy feel urgent, real and cinematic at once.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal
And because Taylor Swift is such a hot topic now with her latest album, I simply had to bring up her ex, Jake Gyllenhaal, and his narration of The Great Gatsby. Gyllenhaal gives Nick Carraway the perfect voice: reflective, precise and just a little weary. He navigates Gatsby’s glittering parties and doomed romance with nuance, making Fitzgerald’s critique of wealth, obsession and longing feel contemporary and palpable. The result is a performance that’s elegant, immersive and quietly heartbreaking. Foreshadowing, perhaps?
