I listen to audiobooks every week - these are the best and worst I've read

When I first properly got back into reading early last year, I was a brand new mum with my hands constantly full. When I wasn't spending long stretches of time trapped on the sofa by my napping newborn or walking miles a day with the pram, I was endlessly washing bottles or doomscrolling in bed between night wakings.

So when a friend recommended trying audiobooks, I was intrigued. I'd been wanting to get back into reading for a while, but wasn't sure how easy it would be to follow along without physically reading the words on a page. Suffice to say, I needn't have worried, and fast forward 18 months, I'm back to reading physical books - yet can't imagine ever not having an audiobook on the go.

I try to listen to at least 30 minutes a day, but often end up continuing for longer. It's just so convenient, and I love being able to keep the story going while doing my grocery shop, walking the dog and doing chores around the house.

Over the past year and a half, I've listened to some amazing audiobooks that I've gone on to recommend to friends and family members. So whether you're new to audiobooks or are just looking for your next favourite listen, here are some of the best books I've listened to on Audible.

1. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

I've written about my love for Dungeon Crawler Carl before, but I think the audiobook also deserves a mention. As a series about a televised game show set in a dungeon and broadcast across the universe, this book features a huge cast of characters of all types (including goblins, orcs and talking animals).

I listened to the whole of the first book (13 hours, 31 minutes) thinking how impressive the production was. Every character had such a distinctive voice that they were immediately recognisable, even without following along in a physical book. So imagine my surprise when I found out that what a thought was a full cast production was in fact just one man, Jeff Hays.

This is without a doubt my favourite audiobook so far, and I've been recommending it to everyone I know ever since.

2. All the Best for the Future by Greg James

All the Best for the Future is BBC Radio 1 presenter and author Greg James' guide to finding the fun in every day and 'growing up without growing old'. As a regular listener of his breakfast show, I immediately knew this was one I just had to listen to.

Narrated by Greg himself, this audiobook (7 hours, 29 minutes) was an absolute treat and I felt like I was listening to an extended version of his radio show. It's funny, engaging and full of extras for those listening, including some great cameos and hilarious impressions.

3. Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

If you're a regular audiobook listener, you'll very likely have come across Julia Whelan. Also known as the 'queen of audiobooks', she's voiced hundreds of titles, including works by the likes of Emily Henry, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Kristin Hannah.

Julia is also an author herself and is known for Thank You for Listening and My Oxford Year, the latter of which was recently adapted by Netflix. Having listened to many audiobooks narrated by Julia, I knew I enjoyed the way she brings stories to life.

Luckily, Thank You for Listening (11 hours, 16 minutes) was everything I hoped it would be. It's pure romcom perfection, and easily one of my favourite listens.

Sadly, not every audiobook has been such a good experience, and there are some I found myself tuning out of or abandoning completely in favour of the physical book.

1. The Will of the Many by James Islington

The Will of the Many was one of my very favourite reads of 2024... but only after I swapped the audiobook for the hardback version of the book.

I had a couple of issues with it. Firstly, while the world-building in the book is fantastic, keeping up with it while also listening to names like Lanistia Scipio, Veridius Julii and Aequa Claudius without seeing them on paper proved to be a bit too much work, and I found myself rewinding quite often.

Another problem with this audiobook for me was the choice of narrator. The protagonist of the book is a 17-year-old, but Euan Morton sounds (and is) much older, which the narrator sounds much older, which felt like a bit too much of a mismatch considering The Will of the Many is written in first-person point of view.

2. My Friends by Fredrik Backman

If there's one thing that is sure to get on my nerves in an audiobook, it's repetition. Repetition of certain phrases can be a really effective literary tool, but it can also be incredibly annoying to listen to.

I know I'm in the minority with this opinion, but this audiobook really dragged for me and at the end of every listening session I'd sigh when I saw how many hours were left. If anyone with the Kindle version of this book wants to search how many times the phrase 'the artist' is used, please do let share in the comments below. My guess after listening? 3,000.