For the second year now, we’ve asked our bookselling partners to vote on their favorite audiobooks of the year. What better way to find our next read than by a list the experts recommend? Just like when we visit our favorite bookshop in person, we know booksellers will never steer us wrong.
The Bookseller Choice Awards highlight the year’s best audiobooks, as chosen by booksellers from around the globe. We invited our bookselling partners at over 4,000 indie bookshops to vote across categories featuring their favorite Bookseller Picks.
The 2025 categories are:
- Audiobook of the Year
- Best Under-the-Radar Audiobook
- Better on Audio
- Young Readers
Drum-roll, please!
Young Readers
Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Children’s reads aren’t just for young readers—they’re for all ages to enjoy. Audiobooks in this category captured our booksellers’ attention and can help anyone enjoy reading.
They Bloom at Night
“A beautiful tale about a girl who is lost but finds a way to grow even in the midst of such devastation. Highly recommend the audio of this one, another fantastic narrator!”
—Marguerite, The Doylestown Bookshop
Runner up:
The Library of Unruly Treasures
Better on Audio
Audiobooks in this category have been known to get readers hooked! Booksellers particularly emphasized the audio production of the nominated audiobooks—from full cast to incorporated music.
The River Has Roots
“A wonderful audio experience like none other! Not only is it [a] beautiful story for fans of fairytales and poetry, but the music and sound effects will have you dreaming of another world.”
–Katie, Lake Forest Book Store
Runner up:
The Favorites
Best Under-the-Radar Audiobook
The stories in this category received multiple glowing audiobook reviews from booksellers, but have yet to catch the ears of readers. Let’s spread the word and press play!
The Lilac People
“Sheds a bright light on this important piece of history. Well written, great voice acting, I can’t emphasize enough how much I think you should read this book.”
–Jean, Books on Main
Runner up:
Eat the Ones You Love
Audiobook of the Year
Audiobook of the Year nominations not only received numerous bookseller recommendations across the globe, but reviews praising everything from the author’s writing to the narration to the production of the audiobook. In fact, the winning audiobook is many of our booksellers’ favorite read of the year!
Everything Is Tuberculosis
“His narration and prose make you feel like you’re sitting in his living room listening to an impassioned friend.”
–Maggie, Nantucket Book Partners
We hope these winners inspire your next read!
We invited our bookselling partners at over 4,000 indie bookshops around the globe to vote on the year’s best audiobooks.