By Stephanie McGrath
We recently spoke to an audiobook narrator Sean Pratt for an episode of the Kobo Writing Life podcast (listen here) and it got me wondering about what to listen to next! I enlisted the help of the KWL team for some recommendations and here is what they had to say.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
“Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman was a delight to listen to and I can’t recommend the book (or its wonderful narrator Cathleen McCarron) highly enough. It’s bittersweet and heartwarming and hilarious—I loved it. (Also of note is the story of its publication – it’s a debut novel that was entered in a fiction contest. She didn’t win, but one of the judges was a literary agent who signed her up.)” – Joni
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
“I finished this audiobook recently and loved it. It covers the rise and fall of Theranos, a biotech start-up that fundraised a crazy amount of money for a technology that didn’t really exist. It’s non-fiction but plays out like a thriller, with a sociopathic, villainous CEO at the helm.” – Tara
Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead by Cecile Richards
“I listen to a lot of audiobooks, but given everything that has happened recently in our provincial government, especially with the sex ed curriculum, this audiobook is a total standout. Cecile Richards’ story is very inspiring and there’s a lot to take away in terms of social change.” – Elizabeth
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
“I love audiobooks read by the author, and this one was especially wonderful to listen to. We had the chance to meet Jenny when she came to the Kobo offices, and I loved getting to hear about her experiences in her own voice.” – Chrissy
En Attendant Bojangles by Olivier Bourdeaut
“I haven’t listened to many audiobooks yet. However, my favorite one remains En attendant Bojangles, by Olivier Bourdeaut.
This is a vibrant love story between a man and a woman who dance their life by the beautiful tune sang by Nina Simone, Mr Bojangles. Their son narrates the story of his parents and his unordinary family life while his mother’s fantasy slowly takes them to dangerous edges. The audiobook makes the story even more vibrant as Nina Simone’s voice raises now and then throughout the narration. An unforgettable experience!” – Camille
(If you haven’t read that book yet, please wait until the English audiobook releases. It is really worth it!)
Get it on Kobo. (French audiobook)
Get it on Kobo. (English eBook)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
“I have grown up with Harry Potter so it was awesome to relive the experience on audio! I really enjoyed Stephen Fry’s narration. He is a great storyteller who came up with unique voices for each character that really made the story come alive.” – Laura
A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab
“If magic, parallel universes, pirates, cross-dressing thieves and surly royalty are of any interest to you, this series will become your new favourite. Schwab has created a vividly beautiful universe and Steven Crossley’s narration brings it to life.” – Stephanie
New to audiobooks? Your first audiobook is FREE when you sign up for an free trial with Kobo. Sign up here!
If you’ve been keeping up with the KWL podcast, you’ve heard Stephanie, who co-hosts with Christine. (She also runs her own podcast with her friends, which you should absolutely check out!) Stephanie is also in charge of approving the KWL books and making sure they go up on site.
She studied media studies and English literature at the University of Toronto and loves reading romance, fantasy, thrillers and YA. Her favourite part of her job is finding new KWL books to read.
