When I was an English teacher, I often read three—sometimes four—books at once.

Reading wasn’t just something I did.

It was who I was.

Then, in 2013, during psychiatric medication withdrawal, something in my brain broke.

I couldn’t read more than a few lines at a time. The skills that had once come so naturally—pattern recognition, symbolism, literary devices—were gone. Words no longer connected to each other. Meaning slipped through my fingers.

It wasn’t just books. Text on a page overwhelmed me. Too many letters, too much contrast, too much information all at once. My eyes burned. My head throbbed. I’d look away exhausted, ashamed, and afraid.

I figured I’d lost books forever.

Recovery, when it came, crept in slowly, over years. I could read articles in short bursts, and I could handle texts and emails enough to get through the day. But the deep, immersive reading—the kind where you disappear into a story— has still not yet returned.

Then, last year, a friend mentioned a free app called Libby.

Libby lets you borrow audiobooks, e-books, and magazines from your public library with nothing more than a library card. I downloaded it without much expectation, not realizing I was about to get something back.

Now, audiobooks come with me everywhere.

They’re with me while I make my bed, brush my teeth, unload the dishwasher, sit in traffic, wait in line.

Some people say listening isn’t the same as reading. And maybe it isn’t.

All I know is that stories are back in my life, and that is nothing short of miraculous.

19 Audiobooks I Enjoyed in 2025

The Measure
by Nikki Erlick
Audiobook • Fiction
One day, everyone in the world receives a mysterious wooden box containing a string that reveals the exact length of their life, forcing humanity to confront mortality & destiny, and the meaning of a life well-lived. I absolutely loved the premise of this book, and the writing was delicious.

The Silent Patient
by Alex Michaelides
Audiobook • Fiction
A psychological thriller about famous painter Alicia Berenson, who shoots her husband, Gabriel, and then never speaks again, becoming a media sensation and institutionalized at The Grove. The story follows psychotherapist Theo Faber, who becomes obsessed with getting her to talk, delving into her past and his own troubled childhood. There’s a cool twist in this one.

Small Great Things
by Jodi Picoult
Audiobook • Fiction
A Black labor and delivery nurse is ordered not to touch the newborn son of white supremacists. When the baby goes into distress, the nurse hesitates, then chooses to intervene to try to save the infant’s life. When the baby dies, she is charged with murder. The story is expertly woven from several perspectives: that of the nurse, the white supremacist father, and the nurse is white public defender. This book was a heartbreaker, and I loved how the author was able to explored the themes of racism & privilege & how our deeply ingrained beliefs shape lives & society.

It Ends with Us
by Colleen Hoover
Audiobook • Fiction
Lily Bloom finds love with a charming neurosurgeon, Ryle Kincaid, and opens her dream flower shop, but their relationship tirns abusive, mirroring her own traumatic childhood, and she is forced to confront her past when her first love, Atlas Corrigan re-enters her life. I loved this book, the characters, the way the past and present intertwined so masterfully, and I didn’t want it to end. Proof that we can grow up & learn to make different & better choices for ourselves.

Spellbound
by Phil Hanley
Audiobook • Memoir
Spellbound is a story of humor and struggle and heartbreak. Comedian Phil Hanley shows us that dyslexia can be a huge challenge, but it doesn’t spell certain condemnation (and neither can he). I listened to this via audiobook, and I absolutely loved that producers left in clips of Hanley nervously getting preparing to read, even mispronouncing some of his own words. For me, I found this endearing and it made me have a lot of empathy for the author.

Sociopath
by Patric Gagne
Audiobook • Memoir
Patric Gagne realized she made others uncomfortable before she started kindergarten. Emotions like fear, guilt, and empathy eluded her. For the most part, she felt nothing. And she didn’t like the way that “nothing” felt. A fascinating memoir revealing the author’s struggle to come to terms with her own sociopathy and shed light on the often maligned and misunderstood mental disorder. I’ve known a few people who were, at one time, diagnosed as sociopaths — and I truly believe that all people have the power to change — if they decide they want to; in that way, this book is inspiring because Gagne works very hard to learn how to communicate about her feelings.

Mad Honey
by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boyle
Audiobook • Fiction
Two moms and their children: Beekeeper Olivia McAfee, and her son, Asher, and Forest Ranger Ava Campanello, and her daughter, Lily, who’ve recently moved to town. When Asher and Lily become romantically involved, it seems like a match made in heaven and both moms are delighted to see their children so happy. But bliss turns to a nightmare when Lily is killed and Asher is arrested as the prime suspect in her murder. Did he do it? That’s the mystery. Personally, I loved this story’s message and how it deals with identity – how we see ourselves and what it means to truly see someone else. I will this book tries to address all the controversial subjects of the day — race, color, politics, the justice system, gender and sexuality, transgender, women’s rights, spousal abuse, etc. & as a person who believes in the worldview exemplified by the authors, I still felt it was a little heavy handed.

Educated
by Tara Westover
Audiobook • Memoir
Westover’s coming of age story is one of an unusual family, the power of education, and the triumph of a person, despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Her experience of living with a parent with extremist worldviews shows how children are created by environment, but that curiosity can help us to grow and change. Tara’s story of intellectual self-discovery inspiring and, for me, very relatable.

Apples Never Fall
by Liane Moriarty
Audiobook • Fiction
I found this book positively scintillating! Joy and Stan Delaney appear to be the perfect couple, but shortly after a strange girl named Savannah named LITERALLy arrives at their doorstop, Joy disappears, and we are left wondering what happened to her. Her children are reluctant to report her missing because they know her husband, their father, will be the prime suspect, and they are not sure of his innocence. Honestly, I loved the writing — and I LOVED the back story even more. Despite their wealth and blessings, none of the members of this family are happy. The ending was a little too perfect, but I LOVED the writing and the snarky humor enough to forgive that.

The Teacher
by Freida McFadden
Audiobook • Fiction
If you’re looking for a fast paced, less than deep story, this is the audiobook for you. The story explores the aftermath of a student-teacher affair scandal and delves into themes of trust, deception, and revenge.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
by Taylor Jennings Reid
Audiobook • Fiction
This book far exceeded my expectations. Reclusive, aging Hollywood icon, Evelyn Hugo decides to share the truth about her scandalous life to an unknown reporter. I loved every minute of this novel which explores themes like ambition and identity, romantic love and intimacy and sacrifice. I didn’t want it to end.

The Women
by Kristin Hannah
Audiobook • Historical Fiction
Frankie McGrath is a young woman from a wealthy family who decides to enlist as a nurse in the Vietnam War after her older brother is killed in action. When she returns, the atmosphere in America is hostile to veterans, dismissive of women’s contributions in the war and she struggles to reassimilate. I was so damn mad at the father in this novel! A poignant, emotional look at the emotional, social, and psychological impact of war on women who served.

Mark Twain: The Complete Life Story
by Rory Young
Audiobook • Non-Fiction
I know a lot about Mark Twain because he is an author who really impacted me as a young reader. That being said, this book was massively long and incredible detailed. The audiobook was 44 hours long — and quite repetitive. I did find the story fascinating, and I learned a lot more about his personality, moods and quirks.  I didn’t know that as a baby he wasn’t expected to live long. (It’s interesting to me that someone who wasn’t expected to survive went on to become such a huge personality.) I didn’t realize what a terrible businessman he was, and I didn’t know much about his interpersonal familiar relationships. Interesting to note that he glommed onto a wealthy woman who handled all the affairs and loved him, warts and all, and whose loss he mourned until his dying days. His deep fascination for young girls (whom he called ‘angelfish’) is super creepy in light of today’s Epstein Files, and despite the fact that there is no evidence of wrong-doing, I’m sure Twain’s name would’ve been found on that dubious list.

The Anxious Generation
by Jonathan Haid
Audiobook • Non-Fiction
Jonathan Haidt argues that the shift from a play-based to a phone-based childhood caused a mental health crisis beginning in the early 2010s. He says overprotective parenting and constant digital connectivity have deprived children of resilience, leading to spikes in anxiety and depression and calls for a return to independent, real-world play and delaying smartphone/social media access. 

Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President
by E. Jean Carroll
Audiobook • Memoir
Carroll provides a witty, behind-the-scenes memoir detailing her successful civil sexual abuse & defamation lawsuits against Donald Trump. The book combines court transcripts with personal, humorous accounts of the proceedings, legal battles, and her fight for justice. So many people have horror stories with this predator!

The Ex
by Freida McFadden
Audiobook • Fiction
I knocked this book out in 2 sittings. A psychological thriller, following Cassie, who follows for the seemingly perfect Dr. Joel. However, his late ex-girlfriend, the perfect and universally, beloved Francesca, looms over their relationship, prompting Cassie to suspect she is being stocked. The story features, intense, shifting perspectives and a major plat twist.

The Wedding People
by Alison Espach
Audiobook • Fiction
By far my favorite book of the year. Recently divorced, depressed professor, Phoebe Stone, travels to Newport, Rhode Island to a fancy end, intending to enter her life. Her plans are derailed when she accidentally becomes involved in a week-long wedding, bonding with the self-absorbed bride and finding a reason to live. The novel explores themes of self-discovery, the absurdity of modern weddings, grief, and finding hope in unexpected places.

DISCLOSURE: I have provided links to AMAZON’s Audible, and, if someone makes a purchase thru one of my links, I might occasionally make a few extra dollars. I am required to share this information with you, and so I am. All of these titles are also available for free thru the LIBBY app, which is how I read them.