At the beginning of the year, we released The Nerd Daily 2018 Reading Challenge, consisting of 52 challenges, one for each week of the year. One of those challenges is pretty straightforward – read an audiobook. I came around to audiobooks about two years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Do you ever wish you had more time in the day to read? With audiobooks, you will! You can read during your commute, while cooking a meal, or while cleaning your house. So whether you’re new to the format or you’re already an audiobook lover, these 10 full-cast audiobooks will help you not only check off a box on The Nerd Daily’s 2018 Reading Challenge, but will also help you fit a little more reading time into your busy schedule.

Read on to discover 10 full-cast audiobooks perfect for any reader. Do you plan on giving any of these titles a listen? Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1)  by Philip Pullman

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford’s Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Length: 19 hrs and 39 mins

Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. All he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life. But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and a rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself. Soon Shadow learns that the past never dies . . . and that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing—an epic war for the very soul of America—and that he is standing squarely in its path.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins

February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln’s beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. “My poor boy, he was too good for this earth,” the president says at the time. “God has called him home.” Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns, alone, to the crypt several times to hold his boy’s body. From that seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of its realistic, historical framework into a supernatural realm both hilarious and terrifying.

Meet Cute: Some People are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. Meet Cute is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of “how they first met” from some of today’s most popular YA authors. This incredibly talented group of authors brings us a collection of stories that are at turns romantic and witty, epic and everyday, heartbreaking and real.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Special Edition by Margaret Atwood

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

“Are there any questions?” The final line in Margaret Atwood’s modern classic, The Handmaid’s Tale, has teased and perplexed fans since the book’s original release more than 30 years ago. Now, in this Audible Original production, listeners get some of the answers they’ve waited so long to hear. Featuring an all-new interview with Professor Piexoto, written by Atwood and performed by a full cast, The Handmaid’s Tale: Special Edition is a must-listen for both fans and newcomers alike. Emmy Award winner Claire Danes (Homeland, Temple Grandin) gives a stirring performance of this classic in speculative fiction, where the message (and the warning) is now more timely than ever.

You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins

This elegant young adult novel captures the immigrant experience for one Indian American family with humor and heart. Told in alternating teen voices across three generations, You Bring the Distant Near explores sisterhood, first loves, friendship, and the inheritance of culture – for better or worse. From a grandmother worried that her children are losing their Indian identity, to a daughter wrapped up in a forbidden biracial love affair, to a granddaughter social activist fighting to preserve Bengali tigers, Perkins weaves together the threads of a family growing into an American identity.

Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Centered on a community of immigrants who have traded their endangered lives as artists in China and Taiwan for the constant struggle of life at the poverty line in 1990s New York City, Zhang’s collection examines the many ways that family and history can weigh us down and also lift us up. From the young woman coming to terms with her grandmother’s role in the Cultural Revolution to the daughter struggling to understand where her family ends and she begins, to the girl discovering the power of her body to inspire and destroy, these seven stories illuminate the complex and messy inner lives of girls struggling to define themselves.

The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories by Denis Johnson

Length: 5 hrs and 16 mins

The Largesse of the Sea Maiden is the long-awaited new story collection from Denis Johnson. Written in the luminous prose that made him one of the most beloved and important writers of his generation, this collection finds Johnson in new territory, contemplating the ghosts of the past and the elusive and unexpected ways the mysteries of the universe assert themselves. Finished shortly before Johnson’s death, this collection is the last word from a writer whose work will live on for many years to come.

Everything Here Is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee

Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins

Two sisters: Miranda, the older, responsible one, always her younger sister’s protector; Lucia, the vibrant, headstrong, unconventional one, whose impulses are huge and, often, life changing. When their mother dies and Lucia starts to hear voices, it’s Miranda who must fight for the help her sister needs — even as Lucia refuses to be defined by any doctor’s diagnosis. Told from alternating perspectives, Everything Here Is Beautiful is, at its core, a heart-wrenching family drama about relationships and tough choices — how much we’re willing to sacrifice for the ones we love, and when it’s time to let go and save ourselves.

Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen

Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins

Natalie is a Bloomingdale’s salesgirl mooning over her lawyer ex-boyfriend, who’s engaged to someone else after just two months. Felicia has been quietly in love with her boss for 17 years and has one night to finally make the feeling mutual. Andie is a private detective who specializes in gathering evidence on cheating husbands – a skill she unfortunately learned from her own life – and lands a case that may restore her faith in true love. For these three women, as well as half a dozen others in sparkling supporting roles – a young model fresh from rural Alabama; a diva Hollywood star making her Broadway debut; and an overachieving, unemployed Brown grad who starts faking a fabulous life on social media, to name just a few – everything is about to change thanks to the dress of the season, the perfect little black number everyone wants to get their hands on….

Any other great audiobooks you would recommend? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Reading Challenge: 10 Audiobooks appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you’re in a reading slump or perpetually unable to finish the books you want to, the simple answer isn’t to give up on reading forever. In fact, you should be picking a short book, which you will be able to finish in a day or two, and feel great about your accomplishments! Not only are short books both fun and appealing since they only require a minimal time commitment, but they are one of several guaranteed cures for a reading slump. We’ve found 10 diverse books under 200 pages to help cure your reading slump!

Check out our list and let us know in the comments below if you will be adding one to your TBR!

Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote | 178 Pages
A charming and simple classic which will make you laugh and fill you with longing for decades of the past!
This short classic follows Holly Golightly, an offbeat, charming woman living in New York in the mid-20th century. The book feels decadent and if you’re wondering, it’s quite different from the movie in plenty of ways, meaning it’s not a waste of time for those who’ve seen Audrey Hepburn in this role already.

Chasers of the Light: Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson | 144 Pages
Gorgeous poetry, both in appearance on the page and in quality of the writing.
Most poetry books are very short, but not all are worth reading. While I personally have plenty of experience reading poetry, I have never enjoyed looking at or reading a book of poetry more than this one. Writing poems on a typewriter makes the collection look stunning by giving the poems a vintage and nostalgic feel.

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern | 159 Pages
A funny and concise memoir about a son’s relationship with his very vocal, honest, and funny dad, who became internet famous.
This book will have you laughing as Halpern’s dad is an awesome character, and the fact that he and all of his quotes are totally real makes it an even better read!

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster | 181 Pages
An often overlooked classic book that’s funny, charming, and compulsively readable.
This is one of my favourite books of all time (I’ve read it at least 4 or 5 times now) and it still never ceases to charm me. It’s an older story, told entirely in letters, and it’s hilarious and sweet. You could finish it in a couple of hours and have time left in the day to think about how great it was.

The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain | 160 Pages
A short novel about a man in Paris who finds a purse on the street and attempts to track down the woman it belongs to.
While I am yet to read this, it’s a favourite of my mother’s. It’s an adorable book which takes place in Paris and you can quickly finish it! What more could you want?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald | 64 Pages
A short work by the famous author, featuring the strange story of a man who ages backward.
Technically this one is more like a short story or novella, this story is a well-known movie but a lesser known piece of writing. Many people probably don’t even know it was written by the incredibly famous Fitzgerald, but indeed it was. The story is well written, quirky, and can be easily finished in one afternoon sitting.

Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling | 74 Pages
A beautifully illustrated print rendition of an incredible speech given by J.K. Rowling.
No, it’s not a member of the Harry Potter collection, this was originally a speech given by Rowling to the members of a graduating class at Harvard. The speech is beautiful, inspiring, and of course well-written, but what makes the book even better are the incredibly stunning illustrations along with gorgeous typography. This is a book you’ll end up wanting to reread at least once a year!

Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson | 160 Pages
A masterfully written book of short stories that requires a lot of thought and reflection.
Johnson’s stories are unlike any others as they’re simply written, but surprisingly complex. They examine ordinary lives thrust into uncommon situations. They’re dark, moving, honest and raw. While it is short, you will take the time to appreciate and explore the stories it will stick with you for a long time.

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett | 120 Pages
A humorous novella about the queen of England discovering a love of the library.
This quaint short novella tells the story of the queen of England wandering into a mobile library with her dogs and discovering the joys of reading.

Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs | 160 Pages
A companion to the popular Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children series, this book is filled with fables and fairytales based on the world Riggs created.
This book, appearance-wise, is absolutely beautiful, but the stories inside are both awesome and entertaining. The nice thing about a book of stories like this is that if you have 20 minutes you can read one story, set the book back down, and move on to another whenever you have time again.

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