Look, we love a long listen — a world building, all encompassing epic novel — but sometimes you just want a snackable story you can finish in a day.
Maybe you’re going for a mini road trip and want an audiobook that you can finish by your ETA. Maybe you need a palette cleanser in between sagas. You know, a little treat 😉 Or maybe you’re like me and your attention span is struggling. Not to mention the fact that short audiobooks are great for folks just getting into reading!
Here’s a list of bookseller-recommended short listens to (briefly) keep you company.
1-3 hours long:
Rosarita
“Approached by a tricky stranger, Bonita reluctantly embarks on a haunting and unpredictable stumble through a strange city and through her mother’s past. For fans of Laura van den Berg and Yoko Ogawa, this novella reads like a fever dream.”
— Ellen • Blacksburg Books
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Falling Back in Love with Being Human
“In this highly recommendable collection of poetic letters full of love, pain, sadness, anger, hope and forgiveness, Kai Cheng Tom speaks to her trans* feminine sisters, but also people who have hurt her or have been hostile towards her and others.”
— trans*fabel • trans*fabel
View the audiobook
Carmilla
“The OG lesbian vampire story, which predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula by 25 years. Are you obsessed with gothic tales about a sexy seductress with an inexplicable taste for bLoOd? Do you want to read about the mousy, sheltered girl’s sexual and personal revolution? Then Carmilla is the perfect book for you!”
— Josh L. • The Underground Bookshop
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All the Blues in the Sky
“A beautiful story-in-verse that takes us through Sage’s journey of grief after her best friend’s death. This is an accessible approach to helping a child navigate the death of a loved one. Sage’s story is best enjoyed as an audio book as poetry is meant to be spoken; Bahni Turpin’s voice gives an additional layer of beauty to this book.”
— Donna • The Well-Read Moose
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Recitatif
“The only short story that beloved author Toni Morrison wrote is a literary experiment that everyone must experience once in their life. The story follows a Black woman and a white woman, Twyla and Roberta, who begin at the same place, an orphanage, and how they find themselves again as adults though often on opposite sides. The American structure of race and class have shaped their lives though we the reader don’t know which race each woman is. Racial codes for the characters have been removed from this story testing the bias of the reader…”
— Sofia • Phoenix Books
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Safe Harbor
“Safe Harbor is a touching story about the inherent growing pains of change. When Geetha’s mother uproots them from their family, country, and routine for a fresh start in the United States, the sheer amount of NEW in Geetha’s life is overwhelming. Venkatraman guides readers through Geetha’s grieving process as she acclimates to a new normal with the help of an aquatic friend.”
— Elena • Schuler Books
View the audiobook3-6 hours long:
Everything Is Tuberculosis
“John Green beautifully weaves the historical, cultural, and personal impact of Tuberculosis. His narration and prose make you feel like you’re sitting in his living room listening to an impassioned friend sharing all they have learned about the world’s deadliest infectious disease. A must-read!”
— Maggie • Nantucket Book Partners
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I Gave You Eyes and You Looked Toward Darkness
“I insist that you’ll be obsessed with this magnificent, slim book. Curious, disgusting, beautiful and resoundingly feminist this is a book to captivate your hungering Madeline Miller readers, your Oyeyemi fans.”
— Dustin Kurtz • Literary Arts
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Trans History
“So important right now and always. A thorough, well researched, and diverse look into trans history throughout time, and the history trans people are making today.”
— Miki • Titcomb’s Bookshop
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The River Has Roots
“This lyrical fantasy novella is a retelling of a 17th-century murder ballad that has such a beautiful atmospheric setting and wonderful characters with a unique magic system built on grammar, about two sisters’ love that transcends the border between worlds. It’s stunning! I will definitely re-read! “
— Sandra • Underground Books
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To Save and to Destroy
“For: Anyone interested in anything human; interested in what in the world is happening in the world; anyone who is a fan of the author; anyone who loves when the author narrates; anyone who grapples with being the other… This is a must read, such an important work! It’s rare for me to ever want to ever meet authors, but I would be honored to have a conversation with Viet Thanh Nguyen about the weather!”
— Senufa • Undercover Books & Gifts
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The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun
“Wendy Shang does it again… this book rings with an authentic voice, filled with all of the everyday concerns of a middle school girl. Esme’s struggle with trying to be friends with the popular girl but finding real friendship with the new girl will feel familiar to young readers. The overbearing mom and the overachieving sisters give some tension to the family story line. And Esme’s tendency to let her mouth out run her common sense is spot on. Wrapping the story in summer swim team will be a quick hook for lots of young readers, but you don’t have to be a swimmer to love Esme’s story.”
— Sara • Book People Richmond
View the audiobookThese titles may be short in listening time, but they’re packed with mystery, suspense, imagination, knowledge, and more!