Audiobooks to Make Chores More Interesting

In Pip’s town, everyone knows about the murder of popular Andie Bell five years ago. It was her boyfriend, Sal, of course — he even killed himself, clearly wracked with guilt, days after she went missing. But Pip is certain Sal is innocent, and as she starts digging, she falls down a labyrinth of dark secrets that can prove his innocence. The more she finds out, the more threatening messages she gets telling her to stop. And when she thinks she’s finally cracked the case, it just keeps going.

Ijeoma Oluo’s writing is so potent. Mediocre is a history of white male America and the many ways the country has been hindered by ego. The book is about more than just the shitty fans of the previous administration — it covers entire swaths of American history and all the ways women, people of color, and marginalized groups have been beaten down so white men can reign supreme. It’s a history book unlike any other I’ve read. It’s the perfect audiobook for doing chores — it’ll have you scrubbing hard with rage.

This book, y’all. Such a Fun Age is a deep exploration of two characters: Alix, a rich white lady with an internet brand, and Emira, her Black twentysomething babysitter. One night, Emira takes Alix’s toddler to the grocery store for an adventure and is accosted by security, who assume Emira has stolen this white baby. It’s riveting and addicting and so very good.

Ada Calhoun gives us a smart and funny and intimate take on that whole marriage ordeal, covering expectations and reality and everything in between. She draws from her own marriage and also talks with experts and friends to round out the narrative. Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give is a comfort of a book that boils down to one single note: the secret to a long-lasting marriage is simply not getting divorced.

Chloe Brown is chronically ill, and after almost dying she has a list of items to check off on her mission to getting a life. Ride a motorcycle, have meaningless sex, do something bad…These items become much more attainable when she meets her landlord, Redford Morgan, who is the heartthrobbiest of heartthrobs, a handyman and artist who keeps his emotions locked under a rough exterior. Talia Hibbert’s The Brown Sisters series is absolutely wonderful on audio — and very steamy.