10 Best Audiobooks You’ll Love Listening To in 2025

Audiobooks have reshaped reading in recent years. With daily commutes, at-home chores, or evening wind‑downs, listening replaces reading without losing the richness of the story. The best audiobooks feel like a skilled friend reading to you, especially when paired with immersive narrators and crisp production.

Here are ten of 2025’s top audiobooks across fiction, memoirs, nonfiction, self-help, and genre stories. Each one feels fresh, insightful, and perfectly suited for listening. Let’s press play.

1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Narrator: Ray Porter

This science-led survival thriller follows Ryland Grace, the last hope to save Earth. Ray Porter’s voice brings out Grace’s curiosity, humor, and loneliness. If you love The Martian, this offers scientific puzzles and emotional payoff—best enjoyed hands-free.

Why it works as audio: The chemistry scenes and inner monologue gain depth in voice. Porter balances light banter and tension perfectly.

2. Becoming by Michelle Obama

Narrator: Michelle Obama

A memoir with warmth, brain, and soul. Listening to Michelle herself narrate makes this feel like a conversation across generations. She offers soft laughs, measured tone, and personal insights with ease.

Why it stands out: Hearing the author’s own voice adds authenticity. Her storytelling is smooth and heartfelt—a genuine highlight in audiobook memoirs.

3. Dune by Frank Herbert

Narrators: Simon Vance, Scott Brick, etc.

This epic sci-fi classic comes alive with a full cast performance. From desert dunes to political conspiracies, the audio production is cinematic and immersive.

Why to listen in 2025: New film adaptations are sparking more interest. The audiobook gives both old fans and new listeners a chance to dive deep and imagine Ronin-style wails of sandworms.

4. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

Narrator: Derek Perkins

Human history in one crisp listen. Unique ideas—like shared myths and modern consumerism—gain clarity when spoken simply. Perkins helps listeners navigate big concepts without feeling overwhelmed.

Why it works in audio form: It feels like a lecture podcast, but smoother and better organized. Perfect for long drives or thoughtful walks.

5. Verity by Colleen Hoover

Narrator: Julia Whelan

This psychological thriller grips listeners with confusing truths and ambiguous morality. Hoover’s words are unsettling; Whelan’s calm, measured tone enhances every dark twist.

Why it’s ideal for audio: The unusual manuscript-within-a-novel becomes eerier when heard. The line between fiction and reality blurs in voice, not print.

6. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Narrator: Carey Mulligan

A comfortingly weird take on life, regret, and alternate timelines. Carey Mulligan’s soothing, British-accented tones make you feel understood, as you flip through regrets and possibilities.

Why become an audiobook fan: A gentle reminder that life is precious and choices matter—perfect for nighttime reflection.

7. Educated by Tara Westover

Narrator: Julia Whelan

This memoir of a woman raised with no formal schooling who ends up at Cambridge is emotionally powerful. You feel Westover’s confusion, wonder, and courage more clearly through Whelan’s nuanced delivery.

Why choose the audio version: The voice brings out the emotional contrasts—rural isolation vs academic achievement—and makes it feel like you’re alongside her on each page.

8. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Narrator: Tom Stechschulte

A bleak, poetic post‑apocalyptic story of a father and son. The sparse narration helps keep the story’s tension and emotional undercurrent intact.

Why listen instead of read: The narration’s quiet tone enhances the haunting prose. Audio makes the father-son bond more tender and terrifying.

9. Atomic Habits by James Clear

Narrator: James Clear

Yes, self-help shines in audio form. Clear’s own voice makes habit mechanics feel personal, and his tone is calm, direct, and encouraging. It’s like getting coaching in your ears.

Why it works as audio: Hearing these tips while doing a daily routine reinforces habits. It feels actionable and practiced.

10. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Narrator: Liyah Summers, Vikas Adam, et al. (full cast)

An epic stand-alone fantasy with dragons, gender politics, and a sprawling world. The full-cast performance distinguishes characters, accents, and mythology beautifully.

Why pick audio here: The scale suits the medium. You’ll feel like you’re inside a dragon’s lair or ceremonial hall without wading through dusty pages.

Beyond the Book: Bonus Audiobook Picks for 2025

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – Narrated by Julia Whelan, this novel about immortality and memory blends heartbreak and hope in voice.

The Body Keeps the Score – Narrated by Sean Pratt, this emotional science book on trauma healing reads like a gentle guide for mental health.

Red Rising – Tim Gerard Reynolds narrates this Mars-based rebellion tale in a tight, thrilling, dramatic style perfect for long trips.

These bonus titles fill out listener moods—from dystopia to memoir, healing to pure adventure.

Listen Smart: Tips for Audiobook Lovers

1. Adjust Playback Speed
   Increase speed by .25x to fit more books into the day, or slow down to savor dialogue.
2. Mark Key Moments
   Most apps allow bookmarking. Tag inspiring passages or highlights you might revisit later.
3. Make Listening Social
   Start an audiobook club or chat with friends. Discuss your reactions in real time.
4. Multitask Thoughtfully
   Audiobooks are great for chores, exercise, or evening routines, but avoid heavy listening when multitasking distract comprehension.
5. Combine Text and Audio
   Some apps offer “Immersion Reading.” Seeing text while hearing it reinforces focus and memory.

Why Audiobooks Matter in Modern Life

Audiobooks make storytelling accessible. As smartphones fill downtime—waiting lines, grocery runs—they become narrative companions. They offer comfort, information, or escape without adding eye strain or burden.

In 2025, with our multitasking lives, audiobooks reinsert story and meaning into moments that repeat daily.

How to Choose the Right Audiobook for Your Mood

Just like picking a playlist, audiobooks hit differently depending on your emotional state or daily rhythm. Here’s how to match your current mood with the right listening experience:

• Feeling reflective or tired? Choose memoirs like Becoming or Educated. They offer calm pacing and introspection.
• Need motivation during a walk or workout? Try Atomic Habits or Sapiens. The ideas are energizing and make you feel productive.
• Want comfort or distraction? Dive into fiction with rich narration like The Midnight Library or Project Hail Mary.
• Craving thrill or tension? Verity and The Road deliver suspense and intensity.

Matching the tone of the book to your energy level enhances your engagement and emotional connection.

Audiobooks vs. Reading: Which One’s Better?

Some readers wonder if listening “counts.” It absolutely does. Both formats activate similar cognitive and emotional processes, especially when the book is well-written and the narrator is skilled.

Benefits of Audiobooks:

• Multitask while you learn or escape into a story.
• Great for auditory learners or people with reading challenges.
• Helps with pronunciation, tone, and even vocabulary retention.

Benefits of Traditional Reading:

• Easier to highlight and reread.
• Better for visual learners and those studying complex materials.
• Creates a different kind of focus and quiet.

The truth is, they’re both powerful. Choose the one that fits your lifestyle, moment, or mood. Some stories are even better when told aloud.

Create Your Own Audiobook Experience with Estorytellers

Have a story that deserves to be heard, not just read? Consider Estorytellers:

• Narration coaching to develop voice, tone, and presence on the mic.
• Connected writing support for manuscripts destined for audio production.
• Audio-friendly editing to ensure pacing, dialogue clarity, and immersive rhythm.

Narration is performance. Estorytellers will help you bring your story to life in listeners’ ears—not just on the page.

Final Thoughts

Audiobooks offer new ways to connect with stories, knowledge, and emotion. The ten titles here give you science, memoir, fantasy, and personal growth—all delivered in voice form that fits your life.

So plug in, press play, and let the narrator guide you through another world. And if your own words are itching to be heard, we’d love to help you tell them too, with Estorytellers by your side.

Happy listening.