As a devotee to escapism, especially the magical kind, Melissa's listening obsessions revolve around romance, YA, and fantasy. Give her a shout-out @MelissaBendixen if you've found a listen that is a Venn diagram of all those things; she be eternally grateful.

AUDIBLE EDITOR

Melissa Bendixen

As a devotee to escapism, especially the magical kind, Melissa's listening obsessions revolve around romance, YA, and fantasy. Give her a shout-out @MelissaBendixen if you've found a listen that is a Venn diagram of all those things; she be eternally grateful.

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The Stand-In

By: Lily Chu

Narrated by: Phillipa Soo

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

Release date: 07-15-21

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 28,811 ratings

The rare moment when everything just works

Has there ever been a more perfect match between narrator and story? I don’t think so. Phillipa Soo, whom you’ll know from her role as Eliza in the legendary Broadway musical Hamilton, performs The Stand-In as if she were born to be Gracie. Gracie is a joy of a main character—witty and funny, and you’ll be laughing at her jokes with Soo’s delivery. The story is pure candy too. Gracie is mistaken to be Wei Fangli, a Chinese movie star, by the paparazzi, and then is tapped by Wei Fangli herself to be her double at events. There’s sparkling romance, glamorous dresses, and an effervescent feeling in the air throughout this listen. You’ll fall in love with the characters and be crushed when it’s over. Really, the only thing I didn’t like about The Stand-In was that it ended.
Second First Impressions

A Novel

By: Sally Thorne

Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Release date: 04-13-21

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 601 ratings

Cute-couple overload

Who would have thought that a retirement home, an endangered tortoise rescue program, a tattooed boy, and a cardigan-wearing girl would make such a delightfully romantic combination? The writer of The Hating Game returns with her third novel, this time about the quirkiest couple you’ll ever met. We have Ruthie Midona, a 25-year-old retirement home manager who loves her job and wants nothing to change. And then we have loose cannon Teddy Prescott, who could not be more opposite from Ruthie: flamboyant, nomadic, covered in tattoos, and with absolutely no verbal filter. It’s a dynamic that sets the action going, driven by Jennifer Jill Araya’s bouncy, cheerful narration. I was slowly charmed by both Teddy’s messiness and Ruthie’s tidiness, and touched by the way they supported each other. Plus, the surrounding cast is so lovable. Shout-out to my girl Melanie Sasaki and The Sasaki Method. You rock!
A Pho Love Story

By: Loan Le

Narrated by: Ryan Do, Vyvy Nguyen

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Release date: 02-09-21

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 226 ratings

The universe was calling, and Loan Le answered

Author Loan Le must have known our unspoken need for a love story about two teens caught in a feud between their parents’ competing phở restaurants. It’s so yummy and delicious! For me, experiencing A Phở Love Story through audio felt essential, not only because Vietnamese narrators VyVy Nguyen and Ryan Do know their way around the Vietnamese phrasing, but because main characters Linh and Bảo are so cute and funny when you hear them through Nguyen’s and Do’s voicing. I truly felt for them and recognized my younger self in their shared struggles to find their path in life. But, one person can be the catalyst that sets us on the right track, and Linh and Bảo are those people for each other. I loved listening as they discovered that, and I felt more hopeful and affirmed after this story than I have in a long while.
Rhythm of War

Book Four of the Stormlight Archive

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

Series: The Cosmere, The Stormlight Archive, Book 4

Length: 57 hrs and 26 mins

Release date: 11-17-20

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 37,931 ratings

An automatic download for epic fantasy fans

We listeners of Brandon Sanderson have the immense delight of not having to worry if his next novel will be just as good as his last. That’s the beauty of Sanderson: he’s always on point. I’m sure I don’t need to convince anyone who has delved into his works before to pick up Rhythm of War, so I’m here to allay any potential listener’s fears about the length, depth, and commitment that listening to Rhythm of War and the Stormlight Archive appears to be. If you’ve enjoyed any epic fantasy in the past, you will enjoy this. Plain and simple. And narrator duo Michael Kramer and Kate Reading make listening to the Stormlight Archive the best way to experience it. They build the world for you, no work needed on your part. Now you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride with this can’t-beat credit-worthy story.
Black Sun

By: Rebecca Roanhorse

Narrated by: Cara Gee, Nicole Lewis, Kaipo Schwab, Shaun Taylor-Corbett

Series: Between Earth and Sky, Book 1

Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins

Release date: 10-13-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,667 ratings

Redefine what you think of high fantasy

I’ve known Roanhorse can deliver a mean genre-bending tale ever since the first and second installations in her Sixth World series were among Audible’s best fantasy picks of the year in 2018 and 2019. This time around she’s completely crushing the high fantasy genre with a new world that draws upon the mythologies of pre-Columbian America. Roanhorse’s hallmark swift plotting, one-of-a-kind worldbuilding, and likable but morally ambiguous characters are all here, which means potential listeners shouldn’t hesitate to dive into this out-of-the-ordinary epic fantasy. Four narrators, portraying the four main points of view, round out the experience with a cinematic feel. It’ll get you right away, I promise.
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

By: Christopher Paolini

Narrated by: Jennifer Hale

Series: Fractalverse, Book 1

Length: 32 hrs and 29 mins

Release date: 09-15-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 5,413 ratings

The triumphant product of nine years’ toil

We first met Christopher Paolini as the teenage genius who penned Eragon and the Inheritance Cycle, a generation-influencing series, in the early 2000s. Since then, Paolini has transcended into something of a character himself. We've gotten to know his journey as a writer through his honest commentary as he toiled on Eragon's story and then To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, his sophomore effort that took nine years of grueling, perfectionist work. Now, we fans can and should cheer for both the writer and his hard-won novel. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a well-researched and fascinating story with a propane-propelled plot that never lets up after an explosive first scene. It’s epic, and it’s topped off with the narration of none other than legendary voice actor Jennifer Hale, who executes her debut Audible performance to near perfection. It has been a long time coming, but Paolini’s sci-fi triumph was well worth the wait.
Midnight Sun

By: Stephenie Meyer

Narrated by: Jake Abel

Series: The Twilight Saga, Book 5

Length: 25 hrs and 49 mins

Release date: 08-04-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 23,459 ratings

Step aside, Robert Pattinson... we have our new Edward

As any Twihard would know, Midnight Sun has been a long time coming. I remember how devastating it was to learn that Stephenie Meyer had shelved the manuscript after the partially written draft leaked to the internet. Now, finally, we can hear Twilight from Edward's perspective, and, man, does it deliver. I couldn't have asked for a better voice for Edward Cullen than Jake Abel. His timbre and his emotional—but also strangely levelheaded—delivery captures exactly how I always imagined Edward would sound. And with 25 hours to get comfortable in the story, pretty much any detail that was glossed over in Twilight is covered here. Basically, this means my teen self can now die happy.
When Harry Met Harry

By: Sydney Smyth

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Malcolm Young

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

Release date: 06-23-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 3,096 ratings

Love doesn’t care if you believe in it

This new twist on a legendary rom-com classic by debut author Sydney Smyth sees Harrison and Henry, aka Harry and Harry, bumping into each other over the years. At first their encounters don’t necessarily end well, but nevertheless there’s something special left between them. With a dual narration from fan-favorite Teddy Hamilton and new-favorite Malcom Young, there’s something special in the audio performance as well. The slow fall of our two main characters is a ride I’ll sign up for any day, but now with these two accomplished narrators in the picture, listening to When Harry Met Harry has been a sweet summer song to my ears.
Beach Read

By: Emily Henry

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins

Release date: 05-19-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 13,186 ratings

Why yes I would like some beach time, thanks

I can’t tell you how fast I jumped on this listen when I saw that it was about two competing authors who fall in love, and that it was performed by can-do-no-wrong narrator Julia Whelan. This story is what the cover and title promises: a light, fun ''beach read'' that leaves you feeling warm and satisfied. But since this is also a story about writers writing books, it is also a meta adventure wherein we explore what makes characters (people) tick, and plot (life) fall into place. I was impressed with Emily Henry’s ability to put her finger on the small truths around what makes a great story, and why we love the stories that we do. Anyone who loves to play a little in the land of the meta, and/or would like to live a little in the beach read frame of mind right now, will find that this one hits the spot.
The Kingdom of Back

By: Marie Lu

Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Release date: 03-03-20

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 125 ratings

Did you know Mozart’s sister was also a prodigy?

Nannerl Mozart’s story is an unsurprising piece of history, but hard to swallow nonetheless: she was every bit as talented a musician as her younger brother, Wolfgang Amadeus, but once she reached marriageable age, she was no longer allowed to pursue a career in music. There is evidence that Nannerl composed music, but none of it has survived. It’s heartbreaking. Marie Lu has taken this story, and the world that the two Mozart siblings created for themselves as children, and given breath to it in a young-adult fantasy retelling, narrated by Lauren Ezzo. I was gently pulled along into Nannerl’s consciousness, through which I felt all the frustration of never being good enough to overcome the circumstances. But there was also a sense of quiet joy and celebration when Nannerl found a fantasy world that was wholly her own, and it was ultimately a story of finding herself despite the obstacles built in her way. Marie Lu gave Nannerl the story she deserved all along, and for that I was thankful.
Call Down the Hawk (The Dreamer Trilogy, Book 1)

By: Maggie Stiefvater

Narrated by: Will Patton

Series: The Dreamer Trilogy, Book 1

Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins

Release date: 11-05-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 890 ratings

Stiefvater’s most expansive world yet

I speak for Stiefvater fans everywhere when I say that we were never done with the Raven Boys. Here was our trajectory: Finished with The Raven Cycle, what now?! Oh look, there’s a whole world of Raven Boys fanfiction. Whew! Let’s live here now. Well, we Stiefvater addicts can now rejoice with the beginning of a whole new trilogy about our beloved goth-like misfit, Ronan Lynch, plus the full Brothers Lynch trio, Adam Parrish, and even more characters to fall in love with. Listeners who arrive at this novel by other means need not fear if they’ve never listened to any of Maggie Stiefvater’s previous works. Call Down the Hawk derives from The Raven Cycle but it stands on its own as a complete story. Will Patton returns to helm this new trilogy as narrator and his voice is just as melodic and mesmerizing as we’ve known it to be, so I can safely say that all is right with the world.
Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words

By: Tara Sivec, Andi Arndt

Narrated by: Andi Arndt

Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins

Release date: 09-03-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 10,963 ratings

The Minnesotan love story we all needed

Co-written by Audible Hall of Fame narrator Andi Arndt and best-selling author Tara Sivec, Heidi’s Guide to Four Letter Words is a product of everything this dynamic duo brings to the table. Andi Arndt, being a seasoned narrator, takes us for a look inside the daily workings of an audio studio. And being Minnesotan herself, Andi nails the lived-in feel of a Minnesotan accent in her performance. And Tara! She can make you laugh on any day. With the situation we have here—a shy kindergarten teacher getting tipsy on boxed wine while podcasting about the sexy bits in romance novels – she is in fine form. Put everything together, and this sweet Audible Original is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a love story between two people, but it’s also a love story about Minnesota, small town living, romance novels, and the joys of audio.
The Rage of Dragons

By: Evan Winter

Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi

Series: The Burning, Book 1

Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins

Release date: 07-16-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 7,408 ratings

A satisfying fantasy success story

Some backstory here: The Rage of Dragons is Winter’s debut novel. It was first self-published as an eBook in 2017, and it was so well-received by the online community that it’s now been picked up to be published in print and audio for the first time this July. Narrated by Prentice Onayemi, this already on-the-money fantasy epic has been elevated to a force of oral storytelling. You’ll see what I mean when you start listening. Chapters melt away with the well-paced action and fascinating societal and magical systems. Characters come to life. And most importantly, our main character is compelling. Focusing our story in on one lowly soldier who moves up the ranks to legendary warrior keeps the listener tied in to this familiar and commandingly exciting adventure.
The Magpie Lord

By: KJ Charles

Narrated by: Cornell Collins

Series: A Charm of Magpies, Book 1

Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins

Release date: 01-26-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,236 ratings

All of it, together

This has all the things: it’s a m/m historical urban fantasy murder mystery romance! That’s what made me pick it up. But then, I accidentally listened for hours straight and didn’t surface until I had almost finished the book. That’s when I knew I really had a winner on my hands. My favorite part about this series is the dynamic between our two main characters. They’re opposites in many ways, but that makes their bond stronger. Lord Lucien Crane has the upper hand in social status and in height, but Stephen is a practitioner of magic, so he does his fair share of protecting Lucien from harm. I love Cornell Collins’ narration because he sounds like a proper British gentleman, but then, you know, there are some not-proper parts to this story, so you get to giggle conspiratorially when the proper British narration gets dirty. It’s loads of fun.
I Capture the Castle

By: Dodie Smith

Narrated by: Jenny Agutter

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Release date: 04-14-06

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,869 ratings

Growing up never gets old

I’m so glad my fellow editor Christina gave me the push to finally listen to this lovely classic, because it was so, so worth it. It’s a story about coming of age through the lens of learning about love: what it means to love someone romantically, and what it feels like to love someone for the first time. Though it was written sixty years ago, its intimacy lends it a timeless feel. Needless to say I was enraptured, and the world feels a little more beautiful now, having experienced the story of Cassandra and her loveable ragtag English family. Christina had said she was curious to hear if I thought I Capture the Castle was a romance. And I think that, yes, this hopeful and uplifting tale can exist quite happily in that realm.
Sorcery of Thorns

By: Margaret Rogerson

Narrated by: Emily Ellet

Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins

Release date: 06-04-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 2,475 ratings

Triggered the binge mode

There’s a lot of really cool things going on here, but what really got me was that there are magic books in this story. They’re called grimoires, and they’re what sorcerers read to learn magic. They’re like the books at Hogwarts, but with even more personality. They can talk, and they need to be cared for, so being a librarian is far from a leisurely job. That’s what our main character, Elisabeth, is training to be when the action happens—it’s a librarian adventure fantasy story! If that isn’t catnip for us YA fantasy lovers, I don’t know what is. This listen, with Emily Ellet at the helm as narrator, promises much, and it follows through from beginning to end.
Verity

By: Colleen Hoover

Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Amy Landon

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Release date: 05-07-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 125,132 ratings

Is she really in a coma or…?

Colleen Hoover is known for writing deeply emotional and romantic stories about relationships. Verity is that, but with the dark and creepy factor dialed up to 100%. Fans have been completely surprised, then fascinated, then taken by this story. A down-on-her-luck author, Lowen, accepts an offer to complete the remaining three books of the best-selling series of Verity Crawford, an author who’s been in a car accident and is now mostly unresponsive. Lowen goes to the Crawford house in search of notes and outlines. Instead, she finds the manuscript of Verity’s tell-all memoir. From there, the alternating voices of Vanessa Johansson and Amy Landon tell us the story as we dip into Lowen’s perspective and Verity’s memoir. Neither we nor Lowen can put down the forbidden manuscript. Verity’s life hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows, you see, and for some reason, she seemed to know that her ending wasn’t going to be a happy one.
Bloodleaf

By: Crystal Smith

Narrated by: Nicola Barber

Series: Bloodleaf, Book 1

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Release date: 03-12-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,173 ratings

Tell me a fairy tale like this

Right out of the gate, Crystal Smith’s debut novel has been getting some capital-H Hype for its fast-paced plot and clever twists. It’s a fairy tale retelling of Grimm’s "The Goose Girl" about a princess who’s supposed to marry a prince she doesn’t like, but then has her identity stolen by her lady-in-waiting, causing things go awry pretty quickly. The princess, Aurelia, can use illegal blood magic, which she’s forced to use to survive in the underbelly of society. Narrator Nicola Barber can keep up with the fast clip of the story as well as slow it down when we reach the quieter moments. Death and danger run amok in this story, but there’s also romance here too, and Barber is deft in carrying us through it. I can see how this one is going to claim a spot in the lineup of fantastic new YA fantasies this year.
The Priory of the Orange Tree

By: Samantha Shannon

Narrated by: Liyah Summers

Series: Roots of Chaos, Book 1

Length: 25 hrs and 52 mins

Release date: 02-26-19

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 6,157 ratings

It can be the strength of a kingdom

I so, so appreciated listening to this 25-hour-long, self-contained fantasy world that leans into love across the spectrum. It's a true epic, complete with court intrigue, a sh*t ton of dragons, and an enemy that's great enough to destroy the world if not defeated in time. But during all of that, we are following three strong women and two men in their journeys of coming of age, making mistakes, and falling in love. I particularly hung onto one relationship (I will not reveal their identities to protect you from spoilers) between two women that grew like the kindling of a fire—slow at first, and then blazingly fast. I was struck with the realization that even among the chaos in a realm on the brink of collapse, the power of two lovers' embrace could be enough to hold it together. Such could be the strength of love.
Like the Wind

By: J. Bengtsson

Narrated by: Callie Dalton, Zachary Webber

Series: Disaster Love, Book 1

Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Release date: 01-15-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,004 ratings

A love story amidst an all-too-current fiery landscape

Having the seeds of love bloom during a California wildfire seems a counter intuitive beginning for a romance. I was, in fact, holding my breath over the stress of listening to two characters trapped in a life-threatening fire rather than holding my breath in anticipation for their potential meet-cute. No, it was not a meet-cute. But while their relationship was born in fire, it flourished in the quiet moments that came later. Through the performances of narrators Callie Dalton and Zachary Webber, the chemistry that draws Bodhi and Breeze together is undeniable—it’s especially cute to hear them laugh together. From an author who has a history of crafting lovable characters, this came as no surprise, and it was, in the end, an entirely uplifting story.