2018 Summer Reading Guide: Absorbing Audiobooks
Whether you’re road-tripping or just need something to entertain you while you fold beach towels, these audiobooks are thought-provoking and funny and guaranteed to make it at least a little more interesting to do the dishes.
Savvy by Ingrid Law
I listened to this back when it first came out and loved it so much I had Bart listen to it too. This is a great one for the whole family, about a family where everyone gets a “savvy” when they turn thirteen. A savvy is some sort of special ability that might be totally cool or pretty worthless, but either way, no one knows what it will be until it manifests. Mibs can’t wait to see what hers is, but two days before her important birthday, her father is in a terrible accident and now her only hope is that her savvy is something that can save him.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the EndYou know it’s a good audiobook when you want your 40 hour cross-country road trip not to end so you can keep listening. That was this book for me a few summers ago. At the time, I was 29 and the thought of aging and geriatrics wasn’t exactly top of mind for me, but this book was so engaging and well-written and had me thinking of tons of things I’d never considered about end of life and aging. I truly think every person should read this.
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison
I know that this title is off-putting, and I delayed reading it for ages as I was working my way through Printz titles, but I was delighted by how funny and charming this series is. I listened to all ten books in the series on audio and loved every single one of these slightly-batty British young adult books. If you want something completely light-hearted, this is for you.
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
This was probably my most-recommended book last year (after To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, of course. If you haven’t read that one, please add it to your list immediately). This is the sad history of Lady Jane Grey, which isn’t exactly a promising setting for a hilarious, side-splitting story, but after the major events roll out, the authors let you know that the time for following the historical record is over and now it’s time for things to get funny. Katherine Kellgren is the PERFECT narrator for this (I’m devastated that she died earlier this year) and I pretty much guarantee you’ll laugh your face off. The next book in this series, My Plain Jane, about Jane Eyre comes out later this month and I CANNOT WAIT.