Rediscovering Reading Through Audiobooks

Amanda's New Obsession

Rereading Via Audiobooks

I’ve always been a rereader. The kind of reader who returns to favorite books like old friends, finding something new each time or simply sinking into the comfort of a story I already love. But somewhere along the way, rereading got harder. Life got busier, my focus started fracturing with everything happening in the world, and carving out uninterrupted reading time felt nearly impossible.

Then I discovered something that changed everything: audiobooks.

I know, I know—audiobooks have been around forever. But I was never really an audiobook person. Until I wasn’t not an audiobook person anymore.

🎧 The Gateway: Nora Roberts and January LaVoy

It started with Nora Roberts. I wanted to revisit some of my favorites, but I couldn’t find the time to sit down and actually read. So I tried the audiobook versions narrated by January LaVoy, and honestly? She can do no wrong. Her narration brought these stories to life in a way that felt both familiar and completely new. I was hooked.

Suddenly, rereading didn’t require me to carve out dedicated reading time. I could listen while cleaning, during my commute, folding laundry, or just existing. The books I loved were back in my life, and I didn’t have to choose between them and everything else demanding my attention.

🎬 The Obsession: Graphic Audio

Then I discovered Graphic Audio, and everything escalated.

If you’re not familiar, Graphic Audio productions are immersive, full-cast audio experiences—think movie-quality sound design, multiple voice actors, music, and sound effects. They call it “a movie in your mind,” and they’re not wrong.

I started with the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Then The Innkeeper Chronicles. Then Hidden Legacy. These are some of my favorite series ever, and experiencing them through Graphic Audio felt like falling in love with them all over again. The production quality is stunning, and it adds a whole new dimension to stories I already adored.

From there, I dove into K.F. Breene and Shannon Mayer’s Graphic Audio titles, and I haven’t looked back.

🔄 The Shift: Audio-First Listening

Here’s where things really changed: I’m not just rereading via audiobook anymore. I’m listening to books I haven’t even read yet.

My newest obsession is the Rockton and Haven’s Rock series by Kelley Armstrong, narrated by Thérèse Plummer. I had already read the first six books in the Rockton series, but I listened to book seven on audio first—and it completely sold me. Now I’ve started book one of Haven’s Rock as an audio-first experience, and I’m loving every minute. Plummer’s narration pulls you straight into the story, and I found myself completely absorbed in a way I wasn’t sure I could still manage.

This shift from “rereading via audio” to “audio-first listening” has opened up my reading life in ways I didn’t expect. I’m reading more. I’m enjoying it more. And I’m not constantly fighting against my fractured focus or feeling guilty about not having enough time.

💭 If You’re Struggling to Read the Way You Used To

If you’re finding it harder to sink into books lately, or if life has made dedicated reading time nearly impossible, I’m here to tell you: audiobooks might be the answer.

Start with a book you already love and a narrator with great reviews. Let yourself ease into it. You might find, like I did, that audiobooks don’t replace reading—they expand it.

And if you’re already an audiobook listener, I’d love to hear your favorites. Who are the narrators you trust with your favorite stories? What productions have completely blown you away? Drop your recommendations in the comments.