If you can believe it, the first half of the year has already come and gone. For readers, that makes this the perfect time to check in on those reading goals — and if you’re behind, you’re far from alone. If your TBR pile is always growing, audiobooks can make it easier to fit more reading into your day, whether you’re traveling, exercising or tackling chores at home.
As for what to listen to, Audible’s editorial team recently curated a list of the best audiobooks of 2026 (so far) and we have to admit, we’re excited about their selections (several of which also made our favorites list). Below, we’re sharing eight new releases from Audible’s list, along with a selection of audiobooks our editors are recommending this summer — from buzzy new titles to longtime favorites.
In the mood for a personal narrative? Belle Burden’s new bestselling memoir, “Strangers,” will have you racing to the final page. If you’re more of a sci-fi fan, Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary” will have you in its high-stakes grip. Plus, one of our editors suggests returning to Ann Patchett’s “Tom Lake” on audio, as it’s narrated by none other than Meryl Streep.
PS. If you’re not already an Audible member, now is a great time to give it a try: through Sunday, July 5, new subscribers who are also Amazon Prime members can get a free three-month trial plus $20 in Audible credits.
With a standard membership, subscribers can stream one audiobook each month, along with podcasts, sleep tracks, guided meditations and a range of other audio content. Note: Memberships automatically renew at $8.99 per month.
Audible’s best audiobooks of the year (so far)
Check out some of the books our editors are most excited about from Audible’s midyear roundup.
After Belle Burden’s 2023 essay about her divorce went viral, she expanded it into this bestselling memoir “Strangers.” The book opens in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across America. Burden and her family have just relocated from New York City to their second home on Martha’s Vineyard when her husband delivers a stunning revelation: he wants a divorce. The memoir traces Burden’s unraveling in the wake of her husband abandoning her and their children, alongside her gradual rediscovery of herself. Along the way, she also reveals a financial decision she came to regret, one that jeopardized her future.
I (Shop TODAY associate editor Erica Marrison) listened to this audiobook last month and especially appreciated that Burden narrates it. James, the alias of her husband in the memoir, shows emotional cruelty that is shocking at every turn, but it’s Burden’s unwavering honesty in sharing her experience on the other side of it that makes the book raw and engaging from start to finish.
This bestselling work of nonfiction by award-winning writer Patrick Radden Keefe investigates the death of London teenager Zac Brettler. On November 29, 2019, surveillance cameras near the headquarters of Britain’s spy agency captured him jumping into a river to his death. When confronted with the devastating news, his parents struggled with the suggestion that their son had died by suicide, believing instead that something more sinister had happened. As they searched for answers, they discovered there was much they hadn’t known about their son’s life. Using a different name, he had adopted a false identity and became entangled in London’s criminal underworld. The book is a gripping investigation into a shocking death, a propulsive true-crime narrative and an exploration of the challenges of parenting in an increasingly complex world.
In Douglas Stewart’s “John of John,” John-Calum Macleod is coming home. He’s run out of money and his career post-art school doesn’t seem to be taking off. Now, back to his life balancing a religious sheep farmer father and a maternal grandmother with a fraught relationship to her son-in-law, Macleod is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The novel explores these rising tensions, the fragile relationships in his home town and how his sexuality plays into his day-to-day life.
Amin Ahmad’s “A Killer in the Family” puts a lens on a privileged family with a ton of secrets. Main character Ali needs to mature, so the first move? Having an arranged marriage to the daughter of a New York City real estate tycoon. What starts as a fun introduction to elite status turns dark, as corruption, infidelity and deception bubble to the surface. As Ali starts investigating, his ability to be a participating member in this wealthy clan comes into question.
In Katie Bernet’s reimagining of “Little Women,” Beth March is found dead in the woods — and her sisters are going to find out who did it. “Beth Is Dead” follows the girls as they tick off suspects in search of who killed their sister. But the more they learn, the more their relationships with each other are at stake. Fingers are pointed and family trust is tested: Would one of these girls be capable of murdering her own sister? The March family may not survive this, but you’ll have to listen to find out.
If you’ve seen the term “tradwife” pop up in your social media feeds over the past few years, you can further explore the weight of the word through Caro Claire Burke’s “Yesteryear.” To her women followers, Natalie Heller Mills lives a charming, conservative life as a wife managing six beautiful children, a rustic farmhouse and a cowboy to support her. But, it’s all a facade. She’s got high-tech kitchen gadgets, nannies and her white-collar husband behind it. It all feels like a means to an end for fame and money until Natalie wakes up in a life that isn’t her own. She’s transported to an era where Instagram doesn’t exist, she must wash clothes by hand and her husband is a true farmer. Life is no longer leisurely and she must figure out how to escape.
In her latest novel, bestselling author Tayari Jones tells the story of Vernice and Annie, two girls who grow up next door to one another in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, each raised without a mother. Though they are inseparable throughout childhood, their lives take very different paths as they grow older. Through their intertwined journeys, Jones explores race, family, enduring friendship and the complexities of womanhood in the American South.
A favorite author of the Read with Jenna book club, Ann Patchett’s latest novel is centered on a woman named Daphne Fuller who unexpectedly encounters her former stepfather while visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Their chance reunion sparks a series of conversations that revisit shared memories, long-buried emotions and the lasting impact of their relationship. It’s a thoughtful exploration of family, memory and the ties that continue to shape us long after we think they’ve been severed.
Read Audible’s complete “Best of the year (so far)” list of 2026 audiobooks here.
More Audible audiobooks our editors love
Lena Dunham’s recent bestselling memoir, “Famesick,” traces her journey from her rapid rise to fame to the lasting impact of celebrity, which unfolded alongside her struggle with chronic illness. Funny and sharp, Dunham examines two experiences she’s expected not to discuss — fame and sickness — and reflects on how both have shaped her, asking if her creative ambitions were worth the cost. Shop TODAY commerce editor Emma Stessman shared that she’s “so happy I listened to it so I got to hear the memoir in Dunham’s voice.”
Stessman also recommends Rufi Thorpe’s tale of modern adulthood, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.” Margo is a young single mom struggling to find money and support, so she turns to OnlyFans as a means of survival. Her newfound income feels great at first, but with the nature of her work, problems soon ensue. Can she block out the noise and make this work? Or will being internet virality result in too much strain on her relationships and mental health? Stessman adds, “Elle Fanning did a fantastic job narrating!”
Shop TODAY senior editor Julie Ricevuto suggests psychological thriller, “My Husband’s Wife.” The book follows artist Eden Fox whose life unravels when she returns to her new home and finds another woman living there — one who looks just like her and is believed by her husband to be his wife. As identities blur and reality fractures, the story shifts to Birdy, a reclusive Londoner who inherits her home and uncovers a mysterious clinic that claims to predict death dates, including her own. A twisting tale of deception, obsession and buried secrets, it asks who can be trusted when nothing is exactly as it seems. Featuring multicast narration with Audie Award–winner Richard Armitage, you won’t want to press pause. Plus, Ricevuto notes that “the audiobook has multiple narrators. And they all have English accents!”
“I may prefer physical books most of the time, but I not only recommend the audiobook version of the ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ series — I practically beg people to listen,” shared Shop TODAY audience development writer Danielle Murphy. A dark and satirical fantasy, “Dungeon Crawler Carl” follows a man and his ex-girlfriend’s cat as they are thrust into a deadly, galaxy-wide game show unlike anything on earth. In an instant, every human structure collapses and is transformed into a vast 18-level dungeon filled with traps, monsters and loot. With the world erased, the survivors are forced into a brutal competition where survival depends not just on strength, but on gaining followers, entertaining an audience and more spectacle-inducing activities. As the levels grow deadlier and the stakes rise, staying alive means learning how to perform. It’s the first of an eight-book series, so if you enjoy it, there’s plenty more to tune into!
Murphy adds, “Author Matt Dinniman’s ability to meld truly bananas plot lines with heartwarming and well-done character building will never cease to amaze me. I’ve never had so much fun while reading a book simply ever.”
“In my opinion, The Reformatory is a five-star read,” says Shop TODAY special projects associate Jordan Murray. “The Reformatory” follows Robert Stephens Jr., a young boy in the summer of 1950. Growing up in Jim Crow Florida, Stephens already experiences the fear and struggle of deep-rooted racism and harsh segregation. But after a small tussle with the son of a powerful white man sends him to Gracetown School for Boys, a new set of horrors awaits. This juvenile corrections facility is haunted by the many boys who have died from mistreatment and abuse. And while Stephens definitely fears these ghosts, he must enlist their help to survive and uncover more about the school’s sinister governor and his Funhouse. But can these ghosts be trusted?
“The historical horror novel blends real life fears of systemic racism with supernatural figures that will make your skin crawl,” adds Murray. “If you love horror movies or true crime podcasts, you’ll be interested in the eerie feeling this story will bring. Plus, listening to it via audiobook will enhance that energy.”
When protagonist Lara’s three daughters come home to Michigan asking to hear stories about their mother’s past relationship with the famous actor Peter Duke, the four women begin to reassess certain aspects of their own lives and their relationships with each other.
“This novel is an absolute favorite of mine,” Shop TODAY partnerships editor Kara Quill said. “The audiobook is narrated by Meryl Streep so it might be time for me to listen to it!”
Another Stessman pick? “Project Hail Mary,” which was recently adapted into a film starring Ryan Gosling. The book follows Ryland Grace who awakens from what he knows has been an extraordinarily long sleep. What he doesn’t know — at least at first — is that he’s the sole surviving member of a last-ditch mission deep in outer space. If he can’t complete his mission, the consequences are catastrophic: Earth likely won’t survive. Equal parts mystery and survival story, it’s a high-stakes sci-fi adventure that keeps listeners hooked.
Stessman added, “It’s not the kind of book I would normally read, but I’m really glad I did because it’s such a rich story. There’s a lot of complicated science and I think it would have been just too much to read on a page, so it was nice to hear someone talk me through it all.”
Frequently asked questions
Audible is an audio subscription service. Depending on the membership tier, listeners can stream one or more audiobooks per month from a catalogue of more than 1 million titles, plus access podcasts, sleep tracks, guided meditations and other audio content.
Since Audible is an Amazon company, it syncs with your Amazon or Amazon Prime account.
Audible has two membership tiers: Audible Standard and Audible Premium Plus. Regular pricing for Standard is $8.99 per month, while Premium Plus is $14.95 per month.
How we chose Audible audiobooks
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products and sales out there. We research products, interview experts and use our own personal experiences to curate our recommendations and make shopping easier for our readers. For this article, we included recommendations from Audible’s recently released list of the best audiobooks so far this year, as well as edior-selected audiobooks from Audible’s library. We rounded out the list with additional recommendations from Shop TODAY editors.
For paid content, the Shop TODAY editorial team independently chooses products to recommend that are sold by the retailer (in this case, Audible). The retailer does not review or approve the content. Learn more about Shop TODAY.
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