All of us at UseAudiobooks are complete enthusiasts. Therefore, we decided to add the top audiobooks that we enjoy to this list of the best audiobooks of all time.
You will find the below audiobooks reviewed and rated. We’ve also included a sample excerpt of the reading and identified which the best audiobook service is for each specific title.
Make sure to check back frequently for more of our audiobook recommendations.
As well as writing reviews of the best audiobooks on UseAudiobooks.com, we also wanted to create dedicated pages for specific genres. So, if you are looking for your next fantasy, business or maybe comedy audiobook, then check out our dedicated best audiobooks via the genres below.
Audiobook sales are through the roof, but what exactly makes a great audiobook? Audiobooks are exactly the same as the paper version, just being read aloud to you. Although, we believe that there is more behind a good audiobook than just the written content.
The best audiobooks are enhanced beyond the content through the following points:
- The narrator’s performance
- Keep you entertained
- Interest on a personal level
- Insightful
- Keep you wanting more
Our first point is the narrator’s execution. Some listeners will be turned off by a poor narrator, no matter how good the book is. If the narrator’s reading style is monotone and uninspiring then audiobook listeners will be dissatisfied. That’s why it is vital for the audiobook narrator to get it right, otherwise, it’s just another average title. In our audiobook reviews, we have added sample excerpts. This is for you to listen to the narrator’s performance before purchasing or downloading the audiobook.
Audiobooks that have been narrated by the author are usually some of the best. With the author playing narrator there is often a deeper connection with the told story. They want the listener to feel the same emotions that they felt when writing it. Neil Gaiman is an amazing author who regularly narrates his own books. We recommend checking out his titles.
Audiobooks are a form of entertainment. In fact, a recent study by UCL showed that audiobooks are more engaging than films and TV programmes. Audiobook lovers are looking for this ingredient above all else. The story, fictional or non-fiction should make the listener want to continue listening whenever they aren’t.
It isn’t uncommon that you pick your next audiobook only to find that it doesn’t entertain you like you thought it would. If you have an unlimited audiobook subscription this doesn’t matter so much. But if you are using a credit-based membership you may have just wasted your monthly credit. Audible acknowledges this and allows you to return any audiobook that you didn’t enjoy.
Following on from entertainment, personal interest plays a big part in which audiobooks you deem the best. If you are a big science fiction fan then you probably won’t enjoy Sherlock Holmes as much as The Martian audiobook. Saying that we advise you to only pick Audible daily deals if the book actually interests you. If not, it’s a waste of your time and small change.
When we use the word insightful we aren’t only referring to non-fiction business audiobooks. Listeners can also discover valuable insights from fiction audiobooks. At the end of the day these books are stories and within each story are lessons to be learned. Your idol may have their biography in audiobook format, and offer answers that you hadn’t thought of before. If you discover a hidden life lesson in an audiobook why not write it down as a quote. Maybe even share it with your close friends or on social media. Audiobooks are helping you and you can help others through sharing.
As we said earlier a good audiobook should make you hungry to start listening as soon as you can. Even though some samples are just 3 minutes long, if you gain an interest in that short space of time then the audiobook might be for you. The best audiobooks are the ones that you have finished but could listen to over and over again.
The best audiobook in your mind may not be in our audiobook recommendations…yet. That, however, doesn’t mean that we won’t cover it at some point. We aren’t going to only focus on one or two genres as we know that our readers are interested in a wide variety of different categories.
As we already mentioned we will be posting a new title review in our best audiobooks section once a week. If you think that there is a good audiobook that we should listen to and review, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via our contact page.