When you go on a long road trip, there is usually lots of excitement at the beginning of the trip as you get underway and again at the end as you draw nearer to your destination. That middle part can seem long and drawn out though, and when you’re in the car, there is only so much you can do to pass the time. Audiobooks are a fantastic solution to fill the bulk of your trip and cure any cases of boredom! In this post, we’re sharing 9 audiobooks for your next road trip that will make the time fly.
We prefer to listen to audiobooks on Audible, because the production quality is unmatched. Audible has the world’s largest selection of audiobooks and spoken word content. When you sign up for the Audible Premium Plus Plan with our special link, you get up to 2 free audiobooks for signing up, a free 30 day trial, and then one title of any length each month from Audible’s expansive collection.
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Our list of audiobooks for your next road trip have fantastic narration, great storylines, and are long enough that they can easily fill your time spent traveling!
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
In this fast paced thriller, Alix Summers finds herself the subject of her own true crime podcast after her path crosses with a strange and unassuming woman named Josie Fair. Josie and Alix are birthday twins – born on the same day and year. After Josie listens to Alix’s hit podcast, she decides she should be Alix’s next subject on the show. Alix finds Josie unsettling but can’t resist the temptation of uncovering the secrets Josie keeps hinting at. However, Josie knows no boundaries and soon creeps further and further into Alix’s life and home. Alix learns that the secrets Josie harbors are dark and that her birthday twin is capable of terrifying things that has Alix fearing for her family’s wellbeing.
We’ve read several of Lisa Jewell’s psychological thrillers, but this is the author at her finest. The ensemble of narrators Audible has put together are fantastic and the eerie music only adds to the suspense. We couldn’t stop listening!
11/22/63 by Stephen King
The assassination of John F. Kennedy altered the course of history and continues to fascinate the world. But what if you had the chance to go back in time and prevent the murder of President Kennedy from ever happening? Jake Epping, an English teacher in Maine, gets the chance to do just that. His friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession – to prevent the Kennedy assassination.
Jake leaves behind his time of 2011 and is transported to the world of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke everywhere. In this haunting world, Jake falls dangerously in love with Sadie, a beautiful high school librarian. And, as the ominous date of 11/22/63 approaches, he encounters a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald.
Craig Wasson does a fantastic job narrating this suspenseful tale, making you truly feel like you’ve been teleported to another time and place. This book sent us down a rabbit hole of listening to several podcasts about the Kennedy family, and the book has now been made into a TV show by Hulu that’s really well done – everyone knows the book is always better though!
The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
In 1990s Nigeria, the lives of four brothers are forever changed when they are told a foreboding prophecy from a madman in their town. We are shown how superstitions can break even the strongest family ties through the innocent eyes of the youngest brother.
Chigozie Obioma is a wordsmith who crafts beautiful sentences to describe his homeland of Nigeria and its complexities. The Nigerian narrator, Chukwudi Iwuji, enhances the story and its characters and adds to the book’s already strong sense of setting. You feel like you are an onlooker standing beside the characters, watching this heartbreakingly beautiful story unfold. This book made our list of Books to Scratch Your Travel Itch.
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter stories never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new listeners.
Everyone in the family will enjoy listening to the beloved Harry Potter series on Audible. The narrator, Jim Dale, brings the beloved series to life like never before. Kayla enjoys listening to the Harry Potter books on Audible so much, it’s usually how she kicks off her New Year!
If you’re a fellow Potterhead, you may enjoy our post on Visiting Harry Potter Sites in Edinburgh!
We, The Drowned by Carsten Jensen
This book spans four generations, two world wars, and a hundred years, is an epic tale of adventure, ruthlessness, and passion destined to take its place among the greatest seafaring literature. It is the story of the port town of Marstal, Denmark, whose inhabitants sailed the world from the mid-nineteenth century to the end of the Second World War. The novel tells of ships wrecked and blown up in wars, of places of terror and violence that continue to lure each generation. The result is a brilliant seafaring novel, a gripping saga encompassing industrial growth, the years of expansion and exploration, the crucible of the first half of the twentieth century, and most of all, the sea.
This book was awarded Denmark’s most prestigious literary award and was an instant classic when it debuted in Europe. This book is a great choice for those who enjoy books steeped in history.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
In her memoir, Michelle Obama invites listeners into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her – from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent in the White House. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it – in her own words and on her own terms.
We love Audible’s production of Becoming because it is narrated by the former first lady herself! Hearing Michelle tell her story of her upbringing, the innovative ways she and her husband made the White House so inclusive and welcoming during his presidential terms, and her journeys in motherhood were so inspiring. We laughed. We cried. We now have a newfound appreciation for the milestones Michelle Obama has achieved to become one of the most iconic women of our era.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
In 1945, Clair Randall has just returned from being a combat nurse in the war and has reunited with her husband after being apart for some time. They are enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland when Claire enters a stone circle and is hurled back in time to the year 1743.
Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, she learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives.
This book was published over 30 years ago, but is captivating audiences more than ever before in recent years. We love the historical and medical detail in this book, the well planned out characters, and the adventures that take place. There are 8 additional books in this series PLUS spin off series, so you’ll end up with lots of audiobooks for your next roadtrip!This book may or may not be the reason Kayla was inspired to have a destination wedding in a 13th century castle in Scotland.
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Charlie Reade is a 17 year old boy who is used to taking care of himself and others. His mother died unexpectedly when he was 7, and grief drove his father to drink. When Charlie encounters a dog named Radar and his aging master, Howard Bowditch, he quickly becomes invested in helping Howard out however he can. But Charlie’s world is forever changed when Howard dies and he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling him that the shed behind his house contains a portal that leads to another world.
This book has won a slew of awards including the 2023 Audie Award for Best Male Narrator. The award for the narration made us choose this book as our monthly Audible pick, but the fantastic story telling by King made us keep listening. King does a fantastic job of blending reality with a world where good and evil are at war and it’s up to a boy and his dog to save it.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
70 year old Tova Sullivan began working as a janitor at the Sowell Bay Aquarium following the death of her husband. She’s needed to keep her mind busy since her son mysteriously vanished at sea 18 years ago, and the job at the aquarium certainly keeps her busy each evening. While doing her nightly cleaning, Tova forms an unexpected bond with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus who lives in one of the tanks. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
We’re not going to lie – when we first heard one of the main characters in this book was an octopus, we gave it a hard pass. It sounded absurd. But after seeing so many rave reviews and people fawning over Marcellus, we gave it a listen. It is such a heartwarming story! The narrator for Marcellus does an excellent job capturing his wit and sense of humor. His parts ended up being our favorite despite our previous hesitations!
If you have any audiobook recommendations, please tell us about them in the comments below! We’re always looking for new ones to download!
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