summer reading Archives

We’re halfway through the year and at a perfect moment to consider which humorous, intriguing, and entertaining audiotales have captivated readers thus far in 2024. Spotify’s editors have explored the virtual book shelves to recommend the audiobooks that are making waves and are ready to add to your queue.

James: A Novel by Percival Everett

Narrated by Dominic Hoffman

This harrowing and darkly humorous reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view. Upon discovering that he is about to be sent to New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter, Jim hatches a plan while hiding out on nearby Jackson Island. Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father and begins the classic story of his journey by raft down the Mississippi River. While much of the familiar Huckleberry Finn remains, James paints Jim’s agency, intelligence, and compassion in a radical new light.

Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne

Narrated by Patric Gagne

Patric Gagne’s bestselling memoir explores her struggle to understand her own sociopathy and sheds light on the maligned and misunderstood mental disorder. When she was diagnosed, Gagne was told there was no treatment and no hope for a normal life. She was haunted by sociopaths in pop culture, madmen, and evil villains. But reconnecting with an old flame offered a glimpse of a brighter future. With the help of her sweetheart (and some curious characters she meets along the way), she embarks on a journey to change her fate and build a life full of love and hope.

The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Creation of Tabloid Justice in America by Alex Hortis

Narrated by Erin Bennett

Polly Bodine was the first American woman put on trial for capital murder. On Christmas night 1843, shocked neighbors discovered the remains of young mother Emeline Houseman and her infant daughter, Ann Eliza. When an ambitious district attorney charged Polly Bodine—Emeline’s sister-in-law—with a double homicide, the new “penny press” exploded. Polly was the perfect media villain, and between June 1844 and April 1846, the nation was enthralled by her three trials for the “Christmas murders.” The Witch of New York is the first narrative history about the dueling trial lawyers, ruthless newsmen, and shameless hucksters who turned the case into America’s formative tabloid trial.

Breaking Free from Broke by George Kamel

Narrated by George Kamel

Despite living in the most advanced society in history, we have less time and less money than ever before. The book explores how the path between financial stress and financial peace is littered with traps, myths, and distractions. George Kamel shares a personal story of how he broke free from debt and went from a negative net worth to a millionaire in less than a decade. Breaking Free from Broke promises that you’ll feel confident in your ability to buck the toxic money system, ditch debt, and build wealth.

Collide by Bal Khabra

Narrated by Julia Knippen, Max Meyers

Summer Preston is an honors student with ambitious graduate school plans. Aiden Crawford is a jock with only hockey on his mind. The two “collide” as part of a research project. While Summer can’t stand Aiden’s blasé approach to life and Aiden doesn’t understand why she’s 20 years old with a 25-year-plan, their bickering soon turns to bantering and their connection is hot enough to melt an ice rink.

This is just a sampling—we have lots more picks. For the full list, check out our Best of the Year (So Far) hub.

Summer is officially in full swing, and that means it’s time to chill out. Whether you’re heading out on vacation or hoping to make the most of Summer Fridays, a good audiobook or podcast is the perfect companion. If you’re craving an offbeat rom-com, murder mystery, or intimate conversation with a Hollywood legend, Spotify’s editors are here to help you find your next summer beach read (or lakeside listen).

Audiobooks:

Going Bicoastal

Written by Dahlia Adler

Narrated by Mara Wilson

In this queer YA rom-com, main character Natalya must choose between spending the summer in NYC with her dad (and the girl she’s always had a crush on) or in LA with her estranged mom (and, it turns out, a guy she never saw coming). How’s a girl supposed to choose? Thankfully she doesn’t have to, because in Going Bicoastal, both summers play out in alternating timelines.

Just for the Summer

Written by Abby Jimenez

Narrated by Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber, Abby Jimenez

Just for the Summer introduces readers to Justin and Emma, who share a common curse: Every person they each date goes on to find their soulmate the second they break up. So, the pair comes up with a plan: They’ll fake-date each other and then break up. Their curses will cancel out, and they’ll both go on to find “the one.” What could go wrong?

In Just for the Summer, set in a cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka, discover what happens when a relationship that was supposed to be temporary turns out to be more.

Beach Read

Written by Emily Henry

Narrated by Julia Whelan

In Emily Henry’s bestseller Beach Read, Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction, and January Andrews writes romance. The only thing they have in common is that for three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block. The two struggling authors decide to strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

The Midnight Feast

Written by Lucy Foley

Narrated by Joe Eyre, Sarah Slimani, Roly Botha, Laurence Dobiesz, Tuppence Middleton

The Midnight Feast takes listeners into a world where darkness stirs under the burning midsummer sun. It’s opening night at the Manor, the newest and hottest luxury resort, and no expense small or large has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles, cocktails are being poured with a heavy hand, and everyone is wearing linen. But old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And it’s not too long before the local police are called. Turns out the past has crashed the party, with deadly results.

Swan Song

Written by Elin Hilderbrand

Narrated by Erin Bennett

In Swan Song, a $22 million mansion is snapped up by the mysterious Richardson family and everyone in the community is swept into the ensuing high drama. The Richardsons throw lavish parties, flirt with multiple locals, and flaunt their wealth with not one but two yachts. And when their house goes up in flames and their most essential employee goes missing, the entire island is up in arms.

Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of beach reads, and this last book in the Nantucket novels series—with its glittering gatherings, sun-soaked drama, and cast of beloved characters that includes the island itself—shows why.

For more summer reading inspo, head to our Beach Reads hub.

Podcasts:

CounterClock

In order to tell the story of a crime, sometimes you have to turn back time. On her podcast CounterClock, investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra digs deep into a mind-bending mystery with the hopes of reigniting interest in a decades-old homicide case.

The Big Picture

Whether you’re looking for must-see movie reviews, Top 5 rankings, Oscars analysis, or anything else under the Hollywood sun, The Big Picture has you covered. In each episode, hosts Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins are joined by a rotating cast of Ringer colleagues including Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, and Bill Simmons.

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Each week on Wiser Than Me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus engages in a funny, touching, personal conversation with an iconic “older woman” brimming with the kind of unapologetic attitude and wisdom that only come with age. Julia and her 90-year-old mom, Judy, sit at the feet of some extraordinary teachers, including Patti Smith, Carol Burnett, and Gloria Steinem. Tune in to laugh, cry, and get wise.

Couples Therapy

On Couples Therapy, comedians and real-life couple Naomi Ekperigin and Andy Beckerman gab with their favorite actors and comics about their romantic lives and answer your burning relationship questions with all the wisdom two unlicensed entertainers can possibly muster.

Murder in the Hollywood Hills

Kristi Johnson was shopping at a mall in Los Angeles when a man invited her to a photo shoot for the next Bond film. That afternoon, the 21-year-old got into her white sports car and drove to meet him in the Hollywood Hills. She was never seen alive again. In Dateline’s latest podcast, Murder in the Hollywood Hills, Keith Morrison takes listeners to the city of dreams for the story of a smooth-talking predator who lured young women into a nightmare with promises of fame and fortune. It’s the story of how he evaded justice for years. But most of all, it’s the story of a group of women who banded together to lock him up for good.

For more podcast inspo, head to our Essential Travel Listening hub.

Tag: summer reading

The Best Audiobooks of the Year (So Far)