Feature photo @MrHarrisonSr

With commutes, road trips and errands, audiobooks are great for book lovers—although, when given the time, we’d all prefer a physical book in our hands, the crisp swish of pages, the aroma of wood, vanilla and glue, the sanctity of reading words from the hearts of trees. So each month, SheReads editorial director Lauren Wise curates a list of binge-worthy audiobooks, new and old. An added bonus: as the She Writes Press and SparkPress associate publisher, she also highlights the indie author audiobooks you should listen to now. 

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Alix Chamberlain has built a brand and reputation on promoting women’s empowerment and success. She is determined to set things right when a security guard accuses her babysitter, a young Black woman named Emira, of kidnapping while shopping with Alix’s two-year old daughter. Although Alix’s help is well-intentioned, Emira is wary of her help. When someone from Alix’s past reconnects with Alix, events are set in motion that will further complicate Emira and Alix’s employer-employee relationship, the racial tensions that are involved, and what it means to belong to someone’s family.

Why Sinatra Matters by Pete Hamill

Journalist Pete Hamill brings Frank Sinatra’s life into the foreground in this riveting biography and homage to the man who became an icon. This is an intimate portrait that examines Sinatra’s life as it was shaped by Prohibition, the Depression and war, showing how and why he came to represent a whole generation of Americans. It might just be me, but sipping a Manhattan while listening to this made it even better!

The Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books: Christopher Columbus, His Son, and the Quest to Build the World’s Greatest Library by Edward Wilson-Lee

Who doesn’t love a book about books? This is the captivating story of one man’s ambitious dream and the lengths he went to try to make it happen. Hernando Colón was the illegitimate son of Christopher Columbus, who survived Columbus’ final voyage to the New World, a voyage that involved shipwreck and mutiny. Living in an age when the printing press spread across Europe, Hernando realized there was a need to amass all the printed works from around the world into a central collection for the sake of universal knowledge. What follows is a race against time and countless obstacles as Hernando attempts to achieve an impossible dream.

I Love You but I’ve Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins

As a wife and new mom desperate to escape the constrains of domestic life, Claire jumps at the chance to attend a conference in Reno, back to the desert where she is from. The return home to the West turns into an unhurried exploration of unresolved things from her past that continue to haunt her. In the wilderness, Claire forges a new path forward to find meaning and belonging.

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown

What are the experiences that make us who we are? What emotions are essential to our humanity? And how can we use this knowledge to live our lives more intentionally? In Atlas of the Heart, Dr. Brené Brown takes listeners on a tour of eighty-seven emotions and experiences that make up the human experience. Using knowledge gained from years of research, she explores how we can make more meaningful connections with others and live our lives more courageously.

Check out the best self-help books of all time>>

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

Convicted serial killer Ansel Packer is 12 hours away from execution. As the time of his end draws nearer, the story of Ansel’s life unfolds through the eyes and perspective of three women—his mother, his sister-in-law, and the detective that captured him—providing a captivating portrayal of the way violence impacts the lives of women.