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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. 

Brunch and Other Obligations by Suzanne Nugent

When Molly dies, she makes a final request of the three best friends she leaves behind: that they all have brunch together every month for a year. The problem is that Nora, Charlotte and Leanne are all very different people who have nothing in common. However, to honor the wish of their best friend, these incompatible women must put their differences aside. And what they find is hope in a time of grief. 

GreenLights by Matthew McConaughey

For the past thirty-five years, Academy Award®–winning actor Matthew McConaughey has been keeping diaries filled with insights on what he calls the riddle of life. Now, in his memoir, McConaughey shares with us the stories, lessons and beliefs he’s picked up along the way. He finds that there’s a way to live successfully, a way of living so that you keep “catching green lights.” At times funny, inspirational and moving, this is the perfect audiobook that will sprinkle kernels truth, insight and good humor to your day while on the move. 

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Couple Lux and Nico are thrilled to leave their day jobs behind when they are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific. Best friends Brittany and Amma say they are looking for an adventure, and Meroe island, with its swashbuckling history, seems like the perfect getaway. On the island, the group of four meet a wealthy couple that seem to everyone like the perfect pair. But when the sudden appearance of a mysterious stranger on the island begins to disrupt the harmony of the group, Lux and Nico also begin to discover that the others have not been honest about their past. What seemed like a blissful vacation becomes a harrowing experience as the full reality of their isolation sets in. 

30 Things I Love About Myself by Radhika Sanghani

Nothing could be further from what Nina imagined for her thirtieth birthday than the reality: sitting in a holding cell in her pajamas, alone and recently separated from her fiancé, and her career a mess. As she reflects on the shambles that are her life, a book titled How to Fix Your Shitty Life by Loving Yourself finds its way into her hands. In desperate need of a change, Nina commits to finding thirty things she loves about herself before her next birthday. 

The Buddha Sat Right Here by Dena Moes

In this unforgettable memoir, a family of four takes an odyssey that far surpasses the average family roadtrip. You have Dena, a mom balancing her career with motherhood; Adam, dad and yoga aficionado; fourteen-year-old Bella; and Bella’s sister, Sophia, who is happy to skip school to journey with her family to the other side of the world. For eight months, the family travels through India and Nepal, culminating in a memoir that gives us new ways of thinking about modern family life. 

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Learning from the mistakes, successes and life lessons of others who have gone before us, especially those who had to blaze their own path, makes for especially enthralling audiobook listening that will make any mundane task take on new life. In Michelle Obama’s memoir, we get an intimate look at the memories and experiences that made Obama into the influential woman she is today. Her inspiring story may provide the impetus and strength you need to forge your own path in 2022. 

What I Talk About When I talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

One of the greatest writers of our time offers a new look at art and writing through the lens of his love for running. Haruki Murakami’s memoir follows his progress as he trains for the New York City Marathon. What emerges is a bit of wisdom on how Murakami believes running and writing are connected, and a book that will inspire listeners to take action. 

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

Olga is a high-end wedding planner in New York City and her brother Pedro is a popular congressman in their Latinx Brooklyn neighborhood. In the months preceding a hurricane that will cause historical destruction in Puerto Rico, Olga’s mother, Blanca, re-enters Olga and Pedro’s life, stirring up a complicated family history that is intertwined with Puerto Rico’s rocky political past.