Are you looking for a new audiobook to listen to? The Audible Editors have just released their Top 20 Audiobooks of 2023. Some recent titles on this list, such as Patrick Stewart’s ‘Make It So,’ narrated by the actor himself. The list comprises many genres, so there should be something for everyone. I am fond of local Vancouver writer Naiomi Klein, and her new audiobook will impress me.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Boasting a remarkable cast of award-winning Canadian talent including Catherine O’Hara and Sandra Oh, this fresh and inspired dramatization of the classic cannot help but delight. Michaela Luci shines as Anne Shirley, exuding wide-eyed enthusiasm that provided the hopeful happy listening experience that we can’t wait to share with the world.
Love at First Psych by Cara Bastone
Performed by a full cast (led by Santino Fontana), I devoured the laugh-out-loud banter of this endearing romance. And the immersive soundscape of busy café sounds and even a shopping mall visit came to life thanks to spatial audio with Dolby Atmos, making me feel as if I was actually there.
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
In 2013, London, Ontario-born author Eleanor Catton made headlines as the youngest recipient ever of the Booker Prize at age 28, for her epic historical novel The Luminaries. With Birnam Wood (on the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist), her foray into the psychological thriller genre, she shows us that she’s kept her knack for imaginative storytelling and beautiful sentences.
The Circle by Katherena Vermette
Red River Métis writer katherena vermette is well known and loved for her groundbreaking and illuminating novels The Break and The Strangers, which both shine a light on her Indigenous community and its stories and struggles. The Circle is the third and final novel in vermette’s literary cycle, and just like the first two, I couldn’t put this one down.
All the Sinners Bleed byS. A. Cosby
In Charon County, the crimes are ugly and brutal, so the residents of this fictional southeast Virginia location are lucky to have Titus Crown as their first Black sheriff on the case. S.A. Cosby’s spot-on descriptive words slay, and narrator Adam Lazarre-White delivers all voices impeccably.
The Downloaded by Robert J. Sawyer
Cryo chambers? Interspace travel? An all-star cast narration? Sign me up! Beloved Canadian sci-fi author Robert J. Sawyer’s dystopian thriller is brought dazzlingly to life by Brendan Fraser, Luke Kirby, Vanessa Sears, and more top-tier talent.
Outlive by Peter Attia MD
What does it take to live long and well? Dr. Peter Attia provides compelling and useful techniques to promote better health throughout all the stages of life, with advice on optimizing nutrition, sleep, exercise, and uniquely, how to think about long-term wellness as an individual instead of following a blanket solution for all.
The Takedown by Lily Chu
Lily Chu delivers another rollicking rom-com with The Takedown, a charming and exhilarating ”will they or won’t they” romance featuring Hamilton star Phillipa Soo as narrator. This is a feel-good listen with wit, warmth, and a lot of heart.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Ann Patchett is one of my all-time favourite authors ( The Dutch House! Bel Canto!) and her latest novel, about mother-daughter relationships and past lives, further cements her status as one of the best writers working today. The fact that the audiobook is narrated impeccably by acting legend Meryl Streep makes this listen even more of a treat.
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
The audiobook’s stunning production had hooked me from the jump. Along with an impressive cast of performers, it also features actual podcast episodes, adding an extra layer of depth and authenticity. All my headphones were charged, because there was no way I was going to miss a minute of it.
Mistletoe Murders 2 byKen Cuperus
It’s the most wonderful crime of the year…again! Cobie Smulders and Raymond Ablack have returned to take you on another wildly entertaining journey full of holly and homicide with Mistletoe Murders 2. See why this cozy mystery series tops our list of the best Audible Originals two years running.
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
Author Sadeqa Johnson’s talent for crafting thought-provoking historical fiction is on full display in this exploration of young Black womanhood in 1950s America. Voiced by Ariel Blake and Nicole Lewis, Ruby and Eleanor are two unforgettable women at the center of this hauntingly beautiful novel.
Making It So by Patrick Stewart
I grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, so I couldn’t wait to dive into the life story of one of my childhood heroes. Stewart doesn’t disappoint, recounting tales from his years on the stage and in film & television–and proves himself to be a remarkable storyteller in addition to being one of our most legendary actors.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
June Hayward is a character whose mountain of crimes, lies, racism, and betrayals left us shocked, stunned, and obsessed. We blame narrator Helen Laser—she’s so good that we couldn’t help but love it all, and we hate ourselves for it.
Doppelganger byNaomi Klein
What do identity and sense of self mean in the age of AI, influencers, and other digital deceptions? Celebrated Canadian journalist Naomi Klein tackles these existential questions and what they mean for our future, adding in her own personal experience of being widely confused for another Naomi whose political and social views were the polar opposite of her own.
And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott
There’s been so much fantastic horror featuring Indigenous communities recently ( Bad Cree, Night of the Living Rez, and so many more) that I couldn’t wait to pick up Alicia Elliott’s latest (and first foray into the horror/thriller genre, after the brilliant A Mind Spread Out on the Ground). She doesn’t disappoint with this creepy, profound tale of inherited trauma, gaslighting, and what it means to revive the traditions and stories of one’s ancestors.
The Space Within by Greg O’Connor, Josh Fagin
One of the most exciting releases of the year sounds like a must-see movie: Jessica Chastain stars as a psychiatrist tasked with helping multiple patients who’ve all had the same bizarre, unexplained experience. This superbly performed, compulsive, and thought-provoking eight-episode podcast series had me repeat-listening to catch all the finer details.
Pageboy by Elliot Page
In this exquisitely written, delicately performed listen, Elliot Page explores the pursuit of authenticity and the fight for survival. Whether unearthing the trauma of a stalker who stole his sense of safety or exploring queer desire and joy in all its multifaceted glory, he doesn’t flinch or equivocate.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Beautifully brought to life by author/narrator/physician Abraham Verghese, this novel takes listeners on a journey from Kerala, South India to Scotland and around the globe. With deep dives into history and medicine, it tells the story of three generations that share a strange medical secret.
The In-Between b Hadley Vlahos R.N.
Hospice nurse Hadley Vlahos seeks to demystify death and dying, meditating on moments from her work in palliative care. This profound, compassionate listen is a testament to the power of empathy and a comfort through the grieving process. Vlahos’s storytelling is warmed further by her Southern American inflection that soothes with each syllable.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
