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

    It's like your favorite author and narrator teamed up to tell you a bedtime story.

    Rachel Strolle
    by Rachel Strolle

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    If you're stuck inside and looking for both a way to keep your mind off things and a way to support your favorite independent bookstore, Libro.fm has you covered!

    Libro.fm is an audiobook company that partners with indie bookstores to bring you your next favorite listen. When you create your account, you can choose your favorite indie, and profits from your purchases are split between Libro.fm and that store! They just wrapped up their #ShopBookstoresNow campaign to help bookstores in the current crisis, which raised over $73,000 for indies. If you start a membership now, part of your purchase will go towards your local bookstore and you will get two audiobooks for the price of one.

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    1. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, David Goddard

    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.

    Download it from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    2. Well Met by Jen DeLuca

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, Via jendeluca.com

    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.

    Download it from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    3. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, Tom Hines

    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.

    Download it from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    4. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

    Macmillan Audio, Natasha Michaels

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    5. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

    Simon & Schuster Audio, Via christinalaurenbooks.com

    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.

    Download it from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    6. The Kill Club by Wendy Heard

    Harlequin Audio, Via wendyheard.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    7. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, Via goodreads.com

    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!

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    8. The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

    HarperAudio, Via alisharai.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    Simon & Schuster Audio, Via taylorjenkinsreid.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    10. This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

    Simon & Schuster Audio, Via goodreads.com, Via goodreads.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

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    11. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

    Hachette Audio, Via goodreads.com, Stephen Voss

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, Via goodreads.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    13. Know My Name by Chanel Miller

    Penguin Random House Audio, Via goodreads.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    14. The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King

    Oasis Audio, Joshua Franzos

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    15. Becoming by Michelle Obama

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, Via goodreads.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

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    16. Anna K by Jenny Lee

    Macmillan Audio, Jackson Berlin

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    17. The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe

    Balzer + Bray, Via benphilippe.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    18. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

    Quill Tree Books, Via acevedowrites.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    19. It's Not Me, It's You by Stephanie Kate Strohm

    Melissa Lynn

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    20. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, Via sabaatahir.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    21. Jackaby by William Ritter

    HighBridge, Via workman.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    22. Allegedly by Tiffany D Jackson

    Katherine Tegen, Via writeinbk.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    23. Geekerella by Ashley Poston

    Blackstone Audio, Ashley Poston

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

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    24. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

    Balzer + Bray, Via jasminewarga.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    25. Cog by Greg van Eekhout

    HarperCollins, Via writingandsnacks.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    26. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

    Hachette Audio, Via goodreads.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    27. Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

    Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, Via goodreads.com

    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.

    Download from Libro.fm here or Audible here.

    There's no better time to curl up with a book, so check out more suggestions if you've already gone through this list!

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