27 Immersive Audiobooks That'll Take Your Mind Off Things For A While

Narrated by: Nicole Lewis

Release date: Dec. 31, 2019

What it's about: When Emira Tucker is confronted by a security guard and accused of kidnapping after he sees her, a young black woman, out late with a white child, 2-year-old Briar, she is furious and humiliated. After being accused of kidnapping the child she babysits, an incident caught on camera by a bystander, Emira is wary of an offer of help from Briar's mother, Alix. And when someone from Alix's past pops up in Emira's life, everything they think they know about each other will flip on its head.

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Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

Release date: Sep. 3, 2019

What it's about: Emily just got roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenage niece — not exactly what she signed up for when she relocated to small town Maryland for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident. The faire is a family legacy for Simon (volunteer coordinator, schoolteacher, irritating) and he's not super into the approach Emily (volunteer wench, Shakespeare conspiracy theorist, lighthearted) takes to life. But when he's in costume, he flirts freely with her, and she cannot get him off her mind.

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Narrated by: Ocean Vuong

Release date: Jun. 4, 2019

What it's about: Told in the form of a letter, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous follows Little Dog, a Vietnamese-American in his late twenties, delving into family history and opening a doorway into his life for his mother who cannot read. Lyrically depicting Little Dog's experiences with things such as race, language, sexuality, and masculinity, poet Vuong's debut novel sticks with readers for a long time.

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Narrated by: Daniel Henning

Release date: Mar. 17, 2020

What it's about: Are these six dangerous magical children likely to bring about the end of the world? That's the question Linus Baker is supposed to answer. As a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he oversees the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. And these 6 are a handful — a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Plus, there's the master of the orphanage, Arthur Parnassus, who will do whatever it takes to keep the children safe.

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Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell

Release date: May 14, 2019

What it's about: Ami Torres is lucky. She's about to get married, at a wedding paid for entirely through contest winnings, and go on a gorgeous honeymoon to Maui. But this story isn't about Ami, it's about her twin, Olive. Because as it turns out, Olive is one of two people in the wedding party without food poisoning, and there's now a free honeymoon up for grabs. Two problems. The first is that the other person is best man Ethan Thomas, who is Olive's nemesis. The second is that the two of them will be spending 10 days in paradise...but they have to pretend they're the newlyweds.

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Narrated by: Almarie Guerra

Release date: Dec. 17, 2019

What it's about: Jazz just got a phone call that could change her life. Her foster mother, Carol, has always been fanatical, but now that Jazz is out of the house, her younger brother Joaquin's life is put at risk. But the person on the other end of that blocked phone call has a solution. An underground network of people like her — people the law has failed — who agree to eliminate the abuser of another. And Carol will be taken care of for good, if Jazz fulfills her mission. All she has to do is kill a stranger.

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Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan

Release date: Jul. 10, 2018

What it's about: In this loose Rumpelstiltskin reimagining, Miryem, a young woman from a family of moneylenders, has to take matters into her own hands after her father's inability to collect his debts left them near poverty. Soon after setting off to claim those debts, she gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold, and draws the attention of both the king and the Staryk (icy fey creatures). And if you're looking for even more Naomi Novik fairy tales to pass the time, Uprooted is also available as an audiobook!

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Narrated by: Summer Morton & Brian Pallino

Release date: Aug. 6, 2019

What it's about: If you've been receiving "we're all in this together" notifications from the dating app you forgot was installed on your phone, this one is for you! One magical night, Rhiannon Hunter was wooed by sexy and (seemingly) sweet former pro-football player, Samson Lima. And then he ghosted her. Months later, he reappears — in league with a business rival. Rhiannon is cynical, even if she may have created a revolutionary dating app, and has to determine whether she's willing to open her heart back up to him.

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Narrated by: Alma Cuervo, Julia Whelan & Robin Miles

Release date: Jun. 13, 2017

What it's about: Monique Grant has just gotten the offer of a lifetime, and she has no idea why. Evelyn Hugo, reclusive Hollywood movie icon, is finally ready to tell the truth about her life...but she'll only tell it to Monique. As Evelyn tells her story, Monique learns about her life in 1950s LA all the way to leaving show business in the '80s. Not to mention the 7 husbands along that journey. But as the end nears, the reasons why Evelyn selected Monique start to become clear, as the intersection of their lives has already changed Monique's world forever.

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Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell & Emily Woo Zeller

Release date: Jul. 16, 2019

What it's about: Like Evelyn Hugo, This is How You Lose the Time War falls into the category of "books I read because it seemed like 90% of my Twitter wouldn't shut up about them and they were correct it is amazing." Two rival agents begin a correspondence after Red finds a letter marked, "Burn before reading. Signed, Blue.” Red belongs to the Agency, a post-singularity technotopia, while Blue belongs to the Garden, a vast consciousness. They have nothing in common, and no possible future together, but their letters will span time and space.

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Narrated by: Jason Reynolds

Release date: Mar. 10, 2020

What it's about: Stamped is a remix of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning, a National Book Award winner that delves into the construct of race. Jason Reynolds adapts (and narrates) this version, directed towards young adult readers, discussing the history of racist ideas in America and the hope for an antiracist future. Make all of your friends listen to it as well and use it for a virtual book club discussion...you'll want to talk about it.

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Narrated by: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Release date: Oct. 16, 2018

What it's about: Honestly, there has never been a time when I've craved sweet little pep talks this much. Luckily, Hamilton and In the Heights creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, made his little Twitter messages into a lovely book (illustrated by Jonny Sun). If you want 45 minutes of Lin-Manuel literally reading inspiring words to you, this will make you very happy.

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Narrated by: Chanel Miller

Release date: Sep. 24, 2019

What it's about: Chanel Miller was known as Emily Doe when her victim impact statement went viral. The man who sexually assaulted her on Stanford's campus was sentenced to just six months in county jail. In the aftermath, her statement was read on the floor of Congress, viewed by eleven million people within four days, and lead to the recall of the judge in the case. Know My Name is Chanel's story. Delving into a culture that protects the privileged, despite evidence of their wrongdoing, and the oppression foisted upon victims, Miller's story is filled with strength, determination, and hope.

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Narrated by: LeVar Burton

Release date: Sep. 4, 2018

What it's about: Listen, sometimes you just need Mr. Rogers, and I think this is one of those times. The Good Neighbor is the first full-length biography of Fred Rogers (narrated by Reading Rainbow's Levar Burton), telling the story of the icon of kindness and compassion. King pulls from interviews, oral histories, and archival documents in order to follow decades of Rogers' life through the personal, professional, and artistic.

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Narrated by: Michelle Obama

Release date: Nov. 13, 2018

What it's about: From a childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years serving as the First Lady, Michelle Obama chronicles (and narrates) her life in this bestselling memoir. As the first African American First Lady, she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, and established herself as a powerful advocate for women, girls, and families in the US and around the world. Becoming showcases her triumphs and disappointments, in her own words, and provides honesty, wit, and hope to her readers.

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Narrated by: Jenna Ushkowitz

Release date: Mar. 3, 2020

What it's about: Equal parts Gossip Girl, Crazy Rich Asians, and Tolstoy, Anna K is a retelling of Anna Karenina set in Manhattan. Anna K is at the top of society. She has Alexander, her perfect(ly boring) boyfriend, has made her Korean-American father proud, and sails above the normal pitfalls of teenage life. Well, until she meets Alexia Vronsky, that is. Vronsky is a playboy who has bounced around boarding schools and has never once found love. As he and Anna are pulled together, she has to decide how much of her life she's willing to give up to be with him.

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Narrated by: James Fouhey

Release date: Jan. 8, 2019

What it's about: Norris is a cynical Black French Canadian teen whose knowledge of American high schools comes directly from the sitcoms he's watched. And since he moved to Austin, Texas, he has found himself cataloging everyone he meets. When he royally messes up at prom, he realizes that maybe it's time to stop hiding behind his snarky opinions and start truly living his life. The most recent winner of the Morris Award for best YA debut novel, Norris' story is filled with a unique voice and a whole lot of heart.

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Narrated by: Elizabeth Acevedo

Release date: Mar. 6, 2018

What it's about: Slam poet and YA superstar author Elizabeth Acevedo narrates her multi-award-winning debut novel, which is an absolute must-listen. Xiomara pours all of her feelings into a leather notebook — feelings about the boy in her class that her family can't know about, feelings about the way her mother tries to force her to follow the rules of the church. And when she's invited to join the school's slam poetry club, she isn't sure if she could attend without Mami finding out. But she can't stop thinking about performing her poems.

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Narrated by: Stephanie Kate Strohm and a full cast

Release date: Jan. 11, 2016

What it's about: When Avery chooses her topic for her oral history report, she surprises her teacher by choosing to investigate why she can't hang on to a boyfriend. Though Avery is popular, not a single one of her relationships have worked out (the last one ended with him breaking up with her right before prom.) Tracking down her exes, her friends, her enemies, and more, she's determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

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Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham and Steve West

Release date: Apr. 28, 2015

What it's about: Now seems like a great time to get caught up on the series that has repeatedly destroyed the emotions of several of my friends. Set in a fantasy world inspired by Ancient Rome, Ember follows characters from two different groups in the Martial Empire. Laia is a Scholar, who goes undercover as a slave at the military academy in exchange for assistance in saving her brother, who has been arrested for treason. Elias is a soldier at the academy...one who is considering deserting. Book 4 comes out later this year, and it's certain to be a gut puncher.

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Narrated by: Nicola Barber

Release date: Sep. 16, 2014

What it's about: While you'll have to wait for book 4 of Ember in the Ashes, Jackaby here is part of a fully released series, so you have 4 whole books to occupy your time. Searching for a fresh start and a new job, Abigail Rook applies for the position of an investigator's assistant in 1890 New England. But the investigator, Jackaby, is not your typical sleuth — he's got an eye for the extraordinary and the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail's first day finds her in the center of a case involving a serial killer...one who Jackaby is convinced is the work of a creature who the local police won't acknowledge the existence of.

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Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

Release date: Jan. 24, 2017

What it's about: Mary Addison killed a baby when she was 9 years old. Allegedly. Though she said little back then in her interviews with detectives, the public had made up their minds and the jury made it official. Before now, there was never a reason to speak in her own defense. But for teenage Mary, an unexpected pregnancy means that the state will take her baby...if she doesn't set the record straight.

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Narrated by: Eileen Stevens & Tristan Morris

Release date: Apr. 4, 2017

What it's about: In this geeky retelling of Cinderella (and bookish equivalent of wrapping yourself in a blanket and drinking hot cocoa), Elle Wittmer is determined to win the cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie. After all, she grew up watching the classic series with her late father, and the prize for the contest is meeting Darien Freeman, the actor playing Prince Carmindor in the reboot. For Darien, Carmindor is the role of a lifetime, but the fandom sees him as just a heartthrob and has written him off already. When the two collide at Excelsicon, nothing will ever be the same.

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Narrated by: Vaneh Assadourian

Release date: May 28, 2019

What it's about: In Jasmine Warga's Newbery Honor Award book, Jude and her mom have just come to live in Ohio with her uncle, leaving her dad and brother behind in Syria. Adjusting to a new culture is hard enough, but with half her family on the other side of the world, and people putting labels on her that she's never expected, she'll need to find herself and rediscover what home means. Discover the new surprises in Jude's life, such as new friends and a school musical, through gorgeous free verse.

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Narrated by: James Fouhey

Release date: Oct. 1, 2019

What it's about: When Cog wakes up in an unknown lab after an accident, he's surrounded by scientists who want to study him. After all, while Cog looks like a normal 12-year-old, he is actually a robot created by a scientist named Gina. His name is short for cognitive development and he exists to learn. But Gina is missing, and so Cog recruits 4 other robots — ADA, Proto, Trashbot, and Car —to help find her. If what you've needed recently is a big hug from Big Hero 6's Baymax, this is your book.

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Narrated by: Gemma Whalen

Release date: Oct. 31, 2017

What it's about: Narrated by Game of Thrones' Gemma Whalen, Nevermoor follows Morrigan Crow, a girl who is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. But while she's waiting for her predetermined fate, a strange, remarkable man named Jupiter North whisks her away to a magical city called Nevermoor, so that she may contend for a spot in the Wundrous Society. To join, she must compete against hundreds of other children in four difficult and dangerous trials, and she'll need to pass the tests in order to stay.

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Narrated by: Anthony Ray Perez

Release date: Mar. 5, 2019

What it's about: There was a raw chicken is Yasmany's locker, and student council president Gabi is determined to prove that Sal Vidon was responsible. But proving he did something is difficult when there were no witnesses and the chicken in question has mysteriously disappeared. As it turns out, Sal has the ability to reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes — even his late mother. Gabi, who has a newborn brother on life support, could use his help. But if you mess with the universe, sometimes the universe messes with you, too.

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