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8 of Libro.fm’s Most Pre-Ordered Books of Summer 2023

Kendra Winchester

Contributing Editor

Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.

Summer is finally here, which means it’s time for all of those audiobooks perfect for days on the beach or hours spent road tripping to your favorite vacation destination. Good thing there are an endless number of great audiobooks to keep you company on your summer adventures. Plus, they’re all available on Libro.fm.

As stated on their website, Libro.fm “encourages more people to read while supporting local, independent bookstores.” They share their profits with their independent bookstore partners. So instead of supporting large corporations with your audiobook purchases, you can support your local bookstore.

Libro.fm offers a monthly subscription, which gives you a credit for one audiobook per month and discounts on other titles. You can also give a subscription or specific audiobook titles to others, making it the perfect gift for all occasions. Plus, their app includes the ability to buy a book with your monthly credit, customize your listening speed, use a tagging feature to sort your library, and  it also offers dark mode.

This list includes thrillers, a complex set of love stories, a family drama, and literary fiction. So whatever you consider your favorite kind of summer read, we’ve got you! Here are some of the most pre-ordered audiobooks for your summer listening TBRs.

a graphic of the cover of Zero Days by Ruth Ware

Zero Days by Ruth Ware, Narrator Imogen Church (June 20th)

Jack and her husband Gabe are hired to break into buildings and hack through security. But after one of their jobs goes horribly wrong, Jack finds her husband dead. Now she must figure out who killed Gabe before they come for her next. Ruth Ware’s audiobooks are always a good time, and Zero Days is no exception.

a graphic of the cover of Tales of Burning Love by Louise Erdrich

Tales of Burning Love by Louise Erdrich, Narrator TBA (June 27th)

As more of Louise Erdrich’s backlist comes out on audio, I grow to love her work even more. Next is her novel Tales of Burning Love, which follows Jack Mauser’s relationships with five different women. These women have loved him in their own ways, and now, for the first time, they have all gathered together to share their stories with the only women who can truly relate.

a graphic of the cover of Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Narrator Gisela Chipe (July 18th)

Set in Mexico City during the 1990s, Silver Nitrate follows Montserra, a sound editor who works in the film industry. Through a strange series of events, Montserra and her best friend Tristán must work with an up-and-coming actor to help lift a curse before it ruins their lives forever.

a graphic of the cover of Falling Back in Love with Being Human by Kai Chang Thom

Falling Back in Love with Being Human by Kai Chang Thom, Narrated by the Author (August 1st)

Kai Cheng Thom is a trans Chinese Canadian writer who firmly believes that every human life matters. But with anti-trans hate on the rise, she’s losing her faith in humanity. Falling Back in Love with Being Human follows her thought process of working through her ideas on identity, humanity, and lived experience. Having listened to her perform her work before, I am over the moon that Thom is reading her own audiobook.

a graphic of the cover of Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo, Narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo, Sixta Morel & Danyeli Rodriguez del Orbe (August 1st)

As a huge Elizabeth Acevedo fan, I couldn’t be more excited for her first adult novel. Family Lore centers around a family with more secrets than they can count. Flor possesses an ability to predict when someone will die. When she decides to throw a living wake for herself, her family begins to wonder: does Flor know when she’s going to die or are there other motives behind her gathering them all together? Acevedo performs part of the audiobook with Sixta Morel and Danyeli Rodriguez del Orbe performing other perspectives in the novel.

a graphic of the cover of Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, Narrated by Meryl Streep (August 1st)

Lara, a former actor, gathers with her adult children in the family’s orchard in Michigan where they beg her to tell stories from her former life. As Lara describes her love affair with actor Peter Duke, her daughters begin to examine their own lives and the decisions that they have made. With Meryl Streep performing, Tom Lake is sure to be a gem of an audiobook.

a graphic of the cover of Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher, Narrated by Jennifer Blom (August 15th)

Thornhedge is a twisted fairy tale told as only T. Kingfisher can. Toadling is stolen by the fairies, but she grows up safe and loved in fairyland. Or so she thinks. When she reaches adulthood, the fairies ask a favor of Toadling, to grant a blessing on a newborn baby. But what starts out as a simple request becomes intensely complicated, as everything with the fae does.

a graphic of the cover of He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan, Narrated by Natalie Naudus (August 22nd)

In the second installment in the Radiant King duology, Shelley Parker-Chan’s new fantasy novel follows Zhu Yuanzhang, the Radiant King. But her recent victory over the Mongols is not enough. She desires to move south and crown herself emperor. But is it worth the cost of potentially losing everything she’s already worked for?


No matter what your taste, there is sure to be the perfect audiobook for you coming out in the next few months! For even more audiobook suggestions, check out and Libro.fm’s Most Preordered Audiobooks for Winter 2023 and Libro.fm’s Most Pre-ordered Audiobooks of Spring 2023.

And as always, you can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index, carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.