The Audiobook Challenge

Welcome to the Lovely Audiobooks audiobook challenge! This reading challenge is for every interested listener, whether you’re new to audiobooks or listen every day.

The challenge is very flexible and you can play it however you like. So no matter your listening habits, if you think it’d be fun to explore the world of audiobooks, go for it! The goal is to shake up your usual listening habits and to show you all the different flavors of audiobooks, like different narration styles. That’s why – unlike the Audible challenge – there are 30 specific prompts that introduce you to all aspects of audiobooks.

**The marked links and book covers on this page are affiliate links. If you use them to purchase something, I earn a fee at no additional cost for you. Disclosure**

F.A.Q.

What is the Audiobook Challenge?

The point of a reading challenge is first and foremost fun, but also to read a bit differently than you usually do. Unlike the Audible challenge, this audiobook challenge isn’t only about a number! The challenge prompts cover different narration styles and forms of audiobooks, as well as many book genres, to help you explore the world of audiobooks.

What can you do with the prompts?

If you want to start listening to audiobooks or have the reading goal to listen more, you can use the prompts as an inspiration to pick audiobooks. You can also combine prompts and work your way through the list like that.

What if I already listen to a lot of audiobooks?

Perfect! Then you can do the challenge like a marathon and go through the entire list of prompts in one go, maybe even in 30 days! It’s a fantastic way to get rid of a reading slump and mix up your listening habits.

Audiobook Challenge prompts list (Audible challenge)

Prompts Printable

Grab the audiobook challenge prompts as a printable PDF so you can easily mark which ones you’ve already done!

Audiobook Suggestions

Not everyone loves prompt research. So, if you’d like to do the audiobook challenge but don’t feel like searching for fitting books, you can use my suggestions. However, I’m a Romance reader, so my recommended books are usually… just that 😉 You can also take a look at my audiobook marathon diary where I listed all the Audible books I listened to in January 2020: 30 audiobooks in 30 days!

To keep the challenge affordable, most of my suggestions are included in an unlimited audiobook subscription. Grab a free test month for Kindle Unlimited**, Audible Plus**, and Scribd if you don’t have a subscription yet!

Related article: The Guide to Affordable Audiobook Binge-Listening

Audiobook Challenge 2020 Prompts

Level 1: The World of Audiobooks

1 One narrator: Pick a book narrated by only one person

The Mountain and the Sea**

2 Dual narration: Pick a book narrated by two people who each take turns narrating a whole chapter

Thirty Day Boyfriend**

3 Duet narration: Pick a book narrated by two people who each narrate the same characters in every chapter

Shy Girls Write it Better**, Kitty Cat**

4 Full-Cast / Multi-Cast or Radio Play: Pick a book with at least 3 narrators voicing different characters

The A.I. Who Loved Me**, The Virgin Gift**

5 A new-to-you Narrator

Paradise**

6 A book narrated by the Author

Misadventures of a College Girl**, A Wedding Thing**

7 A famous Narrator: Pick a book narrated by an actor or someone who is famous for something other than audiobooks

Wanderlust**

8 Audiobook-only or audiobook-first: Pick a book that’s only available as audiobook or was first released as audiobook

Repeat**, The A.I. Who Loved Me**

9 A singing Narrator: Pick a book with a narrator who doesn’t only read but also sings in the recording

The Hobbit**, Satisfaction Guaranteed**

10 A narrated Podcast: Listen to a narrated podcast or story podcast

Selected Shorts

11 Narration with a British accent

Tallulah’s Temptation**, A Crack in Everything**

12 Narration with an accent different from yours

Peachy Flippin Keen**, Spencer Cohen**

13 A book with more than 1,000 Audible.com ratings

Lucky Suit**

14 Own Voices Author and Narrator: Pick an #ownvoices production

George, Felix Ever After

Level 2: Kick that Reading Slump!

15 Short Story audiobook

Forward Collection**, Winter Collection**, Brief Cases (Dresden Files)

16 Cozy Mystery

And Then there Were Crumbs**, Murder at Mountain Vista** (KU)

17 Romance

Let Us Dream**

18 Thriller

Close to the Bone**, The Mist

19 Urban/Paranormal Fantasy

Ready to Were**, Moon Dance**

20 Women’s/Literary Fiction

Evidence of the Affair**

21 Historical Fiction

Josephine**

22 Non-Fiction

The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl, You’re Never Weird on the Internet

23 Lesfic, Trans, Nonbinary, or asexual Main Character

You Should See Me in a Crown, Felix Ever After

24 Something smuttier than your usual choices

American Queen**, Human Omega

25 High Fantasy

The Fellowship of the Ring**, The Palace Job (Rogues of the Republic)**

26 Science Fiction or Dystopian

Forward Collection**, Marked (Servants of Fate)**

27 Middle Grade

Odd and The Frost Giants, Secrets of the Magic Ring**

28 Poetry

Love & Misadventure**, Rummage**

29 A Classic

Northanger Abbey – Abridged**

30 A book with less than 60 Audible.com ratings (Extra karma points if the audiobook is older than a year and you leave a review afterward!)

Thicker Than Water**

Have fun! 💕

The info in this post is also part of my web story on why audiobooks are awesome!

All about Audiobooks

5 thoughts on “The Audiobook Challenge”

    1. It depends which part you want to do. Library audiobooks alone should work to finish the challenge in your own time. But to do the marathon, you probably need at least one other source as well since it might get difficult to find enough books short enough for your listening habits. I don’t think it’ll be possible to do 14-in-14 or 30-in-30 with library books only. If you don’t have any free trials available to you anymore for KU, Escape, or Scribd, you can try to find enough free Audible copies.

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