One of my favorite ways to switch off is to read. I love that feeling of getting lost in another world, immersing myself in the characters and their experiences. Whether it’s a novel or non-fiction, I find reading a great pleasure. Last year, my husband discovered an app by Amazon called Audible which is a library of audiobooks that you can browse, purchase and listen to. From car rides to commuting to chilling out on the beach or by the pool when you just want to lie back and listen rather than hold a book, it’s such a great app to have on your phone. The best part? You can get a free 30-day trial here! My heartmate and I used it for long car journeys when we were travelling around the country saying goodbye to friends and family ahead of our move to New York City. So it’s exciting to team up with Audible today to share five books I recommend listening to this summer season! Click through after the jump to check them out.
The Swimmer by Joakim Zander | This is one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read. Seriously, I recommend this book to everyone and anyone at any chance I get. The story focuses on Klara Walldeen, orphaned as a child and brought up by her grandparents on a remote Swedish archipelago, who is now a political aide in Brussels. She witnesses something she shouldn’t: something that people will kill to keep hidden. Then, on the other side of the world, an old spy is hiding from his past, once a man of action he is now filling his days with swimming and not much else. On Christmas eve, Klara is thrown into a terrifying chase through Europe and only the swimmer can save her. I promise that you will be unable to stop listening!
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara | I am currently reading and listening to this book (no spoilers, please!) and, unusually for me, I was hooked on the characters from the first few pages. Normally, it takes me at least a few chapters to get into the grove of a book, but that wasn’t the case here. Hanya Yanagihara’s writing is effortlessly descriptive and detailed but all the while captivating and moving. The story follows four classmates from a small Massachusetts college during their move to New York. They’re broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity. I’m still early on in the novel but already I’ve found myself fascinated as I learn about the background and families of each character.
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin | Summer vacations are a great time for reflection, and although I don’t read a lot of self improvement books but I did find The Happiness Project useful and recommend it as a great beach listen. What if you could change your life without really changing your life? Gretchen Rubin takes you along for the ride on her year-long quest to learn how to better enjoy the life she already had. Split out by a new resolution each month, from going to sleep earlier and tackling a nagging task to bringing people together and taking time to be silly, amongst many more, Gretchen explores her own definition of happiness. developing her own definition of happiness and a plan for how to achieve it. This is an engaging, relatable and inspiring listen.
The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson | This is another fantastic thriller that I couldn’t put down. It’s a story full of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder. It starts with the meeting of Ted Severson and Lily Kintner at a bar in London’s Heathrow airport. They bond on the flight as Ted shares thoughts on his marriage. Their twisted bond grows stronger after arriving back in America and they are soon embroiled in a game of cat-and-mouse – one that they can’t survive. Thanks to multiple twists and turns, I was left guessing until the very end of the book – and you will be, too. So good!
Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam | After I finish A Little Life, this book is next on my listening list. I’ve lost count of the number of people who have recommended it to me so I am excited to experience it for myself! The book is set in contemporary New York, provides a sharp, insightful look into how the relationship between two best friends changes when they are no longer coming of age but learning how to live adult lives. What books are on your list? Don’t forget that you can get a free 30-day trial and book of your choice!
// Photography by Will Taylor |
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Audible. The opinions and text are all mine.
16 Comments
Love this post, really clever idea! Beautiful pictures as well!
@Bea – Oh, thanks so much! It was a beautiful day in the Hamptons!
Audible is the best! Great choices. You should add The Good Girl to your list.
@Jessica – Great minds! I read that a few months ago and LOVED it! 🙂
Awesome shots man.
@Adam – Cheers!
I’m road-tripping to Austin soon so this is perfectly timed. Thank you!
@Yari – Perfect! I’ve never been; have a great time!
I love Audible! I get through so many books on there while I’m cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, just doing any mindless but necessary activity. And I love your choices. The Kind Worth Killing is one of my favorite thrillers that I’ve ever read – so, so good. A Little Life – another absolutely amazing read. I won’t say anything more but it is something special. Also loved The Happiness Project and I just bought Rich and Pretty at the bookstore, so hoping to get to that soon. I’ll have to check out The Swimmer too!
@Jackie – Right?! Sooooo good. You HAVE to get The Swimmer, I know you will love it if you enjoyed this list of books!
Great tips, Will! I have never tried to listen to books… ever! SHOCK! 😀 I guess I’m afraid the voice will let me down, or maybe I’m afraid I’ll lose my interest. When it comes to reading books, I’m really old fashioned. 😀 If only I had more time, so maybe these audible books would be a great pick for me as a busy mum. 😉 Even my parents are a bit more up-to-date than me: they are reading their books from their Kindle nowadays. LOL!
Great pictures by the way, so beachy and beautiful! Love them! 🙂 Big hug, Inge x
@Inge – Thank you so much! I think you would find it so great for having on while you are doing housework etc.! x
You’re too cute! Great post!
@Pepe – Thank you very much!
“The Swimmer” sounds great!! Thanks for sharing this list and I am a HUGE fan of Audible too. I recently finished a book called “Not Black and White” by author G.A. Beller. I am not really into politics but I could not put this book down. The author brings this world to life through great characterization and very believable story-lines. I actually did not even know it was fictional until I did some digging after I finished it! Full of scandal and intrigue, this book is the perfect page turner for a lazy summer day. Hope you will check it out and it makes it on a future list.
You can read a little bit more about the book here http://www.gabeller.com
@Karen – It really is such a great book, I hope you love it as much as I did! Thanks for your book recommendation, too! 🙂