8 Audiobooks Your Ears Will Thank You For

I got hooked on audiobooks last year when I had an hour commute to work each day. Even though I work from home now, I still find ways to sneak audiobooks into my day. I listen to them while running, cleaning, folding laundry. Pretty much anytime I can get away with plugging in some earphones and escaping. 

Audiobooks are tricky little things because if you get a crummy narrator, it's a rather painful experience. Strangely, I have found that the narrators for children's books are, for the most part, dreadfully boring, but the ones for adult books are quite talented. I wonder why?

Below are 8 audiobooks that I highly recommend. Happy listening!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. If I hadn't listened to this this book, I would have likely given up on it. The narration by Jesse Bernstein was out of this world!

Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. The story picks up right where Miss Peregrine left off, and it is just as imaginative, suspenseful and wonderful as the first book. Riggs weaves in new characters, plot twists and locations with the exquisite detail I've come to expect from his writing.  

The American Heiress: A Novel by Daisy Goodwin. I listened to this while jogging on the treadmill, walking through the neighborhood, emptying the dishwasher, folding the laundry ... anywhere I could steal a few minutes. The narrator was amazing and really helped bring the story to life. That said, I would have loved this book just as much if I had held a hard copy. Early English drama, scandal, politics and secrecy at its best! I'm excited for Goodwin's latest novel, The Fortune Hunter.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Better than Gone Girl. Wow! So good!

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. Oh. My. Great. Goodness.Just as good as her other two.

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Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. So much fun! A fun literary ride with a complex plot and a parade of unique, quirky characters.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Dark, gritty, detailed. I loved every second of it, except for the ending. Too "wrapped up in a pretty bow" for me. All the same, if you didn't jump on the bandwagon when this book dominated the shelves, make sure you don't miss it.

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. This is a children's book, and it is just the sweetest thing. My girls and I loved this one. The narration was amazing. It made us want to dive into the pages and meet every single character. Now, that’s good writin’ right there.

Are you into audiobooks? If so, share some recommendations! Or, tell us which ones to stay away from!

Thanks for reading! Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.