9 Audiobooks to Get Cozy with in January

January can be a stressful time. The pajamas you lived in over the holidays have been swapped for real-life clothes. You’re thrown back into the normal work routine, but with the added pressure of trying to eat healthier or spend less money or go to the gym more. Never mind the annoyance of writing the wrong date on everything for the first few weeks. Welcome to 2019 2020!

A great way to balance out the stress: stay home and cozy up with a warm cup of tea and a good audiobook. Here are nine suggestions to get you started:

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, narrated by Nicole Lewis

Kiley Reid’s debut novel is so hilarious and full of heart that you’ll forget it’s talking about some serious topics.

When Emira Tucker, a young babysitter for the powerful Chamberlain family, is asked to take their toddler out to the grocery store, she is just excited to earn some extra cash. The evening takes a devastating turn when the grocery store security guard accuses Emira of kidnapping, simply because she is a black woman with a white child. After a video of the altercation is released, Mrs. Chamberlain promises to make it right for Emira. Instead, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.

Read more and sample the audio →

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick, narrated by James Langton

You won’t be able to resist falling for Arthur Pepper, an adorably quirky sixty-nine-year-old man. His story of loss, healing, and self-discovery is just about as uplifting as you can get. And his story is in line with the plot that we all fell in love with through the movie Up.

When he lost his wife Miriam, Arthur did everything he could to hold onto the life they shared. But the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death brings an opportunity to learn more about her. The surprising and unforgettable adventure that unfolds takes Arthur all over the world in search of hope and healing.

Read more and sample the audio →

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary, narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher and Kwaku Fortune

The Flatshare is as cheery and lighthearted as they come! Beth O’Leary‘s rom-com lets you be a fly on the wall in the apartment of two strangers, who might also be soulmates. Tiffy and Leon live together without ever having met. Leon works through the night, Tiffy during the day. Their paths never cross. Instead, they communicate solely through short notes left around the apartment. Adorable… But it is a good idea to fall in love with someone you don’t know? 

You’ll love this feel-good audiobook about finding love in the most unexpected of ways.

Read more and sample the audio →

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanna Fluke, narrated by Suzanne Toren

Craving a quirky mystery? Look no further than this start to the Hannah Swensen mystery series.

The owner of a small bakeshop called The Cookie Jar is thrust into an investigation when she finds her delivery man has been murdered. When a second person connected to the shop is killed, things get serious. Does Hannah have the right ingredients to solve the case?

Read more and sample the audio →

Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe, narrated by Gemma Whelan

This painfully funny account of life as a hapless teenager in the 1970s follows Lizzie Vogel, a 19-year old who lives a rather uneventful life (for now).

When Lizzie takes on a new job working for an eccentric dental surgeon, she quickly takes a liking to Andy, a patient who she calls her boyfriend despite never actually speaking to him. But Andy doesn’t turn out to be quite who he seems…

Read more and sample the audio →

Layoverland by Gabby Noone, narrated by Sophie Amoss

Perfect for those who love the show The Good Place, Layoverland is a darkly hilarious look at the afterlife.

When Beatrice Fox dies suddenly, she finds herself in purgatory – stuck between two possible fates. Tasked with a challenge that, if fulfilled, will bring her to the pearly gates, Bea works towards her second chance. But what she didn’t expect was to find love and friendship along the way.

Read more and sample the audio →

How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell, narrated by Rebecca Gibel

In an age where we’re constantly digesting information through technology, Jenny Odell argues for the importance of taking time to purposely do nothing at all. And we’re here for it! How to do Nothing is a reminder to take a break from the modern world and evaluate your relationship with your devices. That is not to say that the book pushes the luddite lifestyle. Instead, it praises balancing tech time with the simple things in life, too.

Provocative, timely, and utterly persuasive, this is the perfect next listen to frame the rest of your year!

Read more and sample the audio →

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, narrated by Therese Plummer.

When young, childless couple Jack and Mabel arrive at their new home in the Alaskan wilderness, they struggle with the level of work needed to keep their home running. Taking a break one afternoon, they decide to build a child out of snow. To their surprise, the snow child has disappeared by the next morning, though they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

Equally magical and twisted, The Snow Child is a must-listen.

Read more and sample the audio →

My Not So Perfect Life: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella, narrated by Fiona Hardingham

Have you ever felt like everyone around you has a picture-perfect life, except you? As a symptom of the social media age, being privy to everyone else’s lives can sometimes make you feel like you just don’t measure up. At least that’s how Katie Brenner feels after she is fired from her job and forced to move home to live with her parents. When her problems seem to follow her everywhere she goes, Katie finds solace in at least making her life seem exciting online.

My Not So Perfect Life shares the timely story of a girl who learns to find her worth outside of the unrealistic world that is social media.

Read more and sample the audio →


New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

Book Clubbin’: 10 Discussion Questions for Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Welcome to our monthly blog feature, Book Clubbin’!

Sometimes life can get so hectic that you’re lucky if you find time to grab a shower let alone read your book club book in time. If your New Years’ resolution is to read more but you can’t find the time, audiobooks are the answer! So, press play on this month’s pick during your commute, while you’re cooking dinner, or before bed!

January’s pick is Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, narrated by Nicole Lewis. This new release has drummed up a lot of buzz in anticipation of its release, that’s for sure! Not only has it become an instant bestseller, but it is also Reese Witherspoon’s January pick for her Hello Sunshine book club. Such a Fun Age tackles the issues of race and privilege through the perspectives of the babysitter, Emira, and her employer, Alix Chamberlain.

Don’t miss this striking debut novel. Check out our discussion questions below, but beware, spoilers ahead.

So take a peek at our questions, and as always, remember there MAY be some spoilers in here!

—————MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!————

1) Such a Fun Age is told from the perspectives of Alix and Emira. How did these different narrators affect your reading/listening experience?

2) Why didn’t Emira want to share the video from the grocery store?

3) Why do you think Alix is so set on becoming close friends with Emira? Is this linked to guilt she holds from the past?

4) What did you think of Kelley when he was introduced? Were you suspicious of his intentions?

5) After discovering Emira and Alix are linked by someone unexpected, did it change your opinion of either character?

6) Do you think that what happened in high school affected Alix and Kelley differently? Did it leave a lasting impression that carried over to the rest of their lives?

7) How did the events that unfolded in Such a Fun Age ultimately lead to Emira finding her path into a career?

8) How do you think the title, Such a Fun Age, relates to the story?

9) This novel touches on important topics such as: race, classic, identity…etc. Did you notice any other prevalent themes? Did the exploration of any of these themes change your opinions at all?

10) Were you satisfied with how the novel ended? Were you hoping for a different resolution?


New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!