Cozy hospital reads for audio books

August 13, 2024 2:59 PM

I'm going into the hospital for 5-7 days. I'm not sure I'll have it in me to read-read, so I'd like to download some audiobooks. Something cozy but not completely vapid. Avoid death and dreary. I was thinking something along the lines of House on the Cerulean Sea, which I read recently, but it seems that the author's other books are either darker or death-involved. I'm also open to books marketd to the 9-11 age range, which I'm finding are often quite emotionally deep (e.g. the wild robot books, his dark materials) and fun or funny. I had picked out The Magic Mirror today at the library but it turns out there's no audio book. Please give me your best suggestions.

A smattering in no particular order of books I have enjoyed recently. These probably are not very helpful as my tastes are often not cozy, but nobody wants to read a downer in the hospital, so don't go too much by these. Mostly just tell me fun and interesting cozy stuff.

The House on the Cerulean Sea
The Adversary by Michael Crummey
The Defector by Chris Hadfield
Mercy Among the Children by David Adam Richards
Clara and the Sun by Kuzuo Ishiguro
No Relation by Terry Fallis
The Mystery of Right and Wrong by Wayne Johnston
The Wager by David Grann
No One Goes Alone by Erik Larson
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Now is not the Time To Panic by Kevin WIlson
Foe by Iain Reid

posted by If only I had a penguin... to Media & Arts (14 answers total)

I got a lot of good suggestions as answers to this question
posted by knapah at 3:02 PM on August 13

In knapah’s previous question, someone recommended Robin Sloan’s Sourdough, and I heartily recommend it to you now. It is (to me) truly a comfort read. Minimal real peril, low stakes adventure, friendship and community. I enjoyed it greatly and re-read it when I need a boost (and I don’t generally re-read books anymore—too many new books to read before I die!). It’s brought a smile to my face each time.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:04 PM on August 13

Oh my goodness - if you have not yet read the Becky Chambers Monk and Robot books - A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy - please check them out! (Heck, even if you HAVE read them!) My library shows them being available as audio. They're wonderful.
posted by kristi at 3:18 PM on August 13 [3 favorites]

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison is a regular Mefi suggestion, and this is the book that turned me into an audio book listener. It is fantasy, with murder mystery and political thriller elements, but entirely cozy. And kind. The narrator, Kyle McCarley, is a delight. This is a comfort listen for me, I've probably been through the book 7 or 8 times now (and I am not someone who regularly does repeats in any media).
posted by kimdog at 3:22 PM on August 13 [1 favorite]

Legends and Lattes! Features an Orc opening a coffee shop. I don't know how the author and reader manage to keep you on the edge of your seat for an entire chapter about baking cinnamon rolls, but they do. Delicious in all senses of the word.
posted by Ausamor at 3:35 PM on August 13 [1 favorite]

Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City series.
I Hope this Finds You Well
Julia Whelan’s Thank You For Listening
I just finished reading Alison Espach’s The Wedding People and it was delightful. I can’t speak to the quality of the audiobook, but it was beautifully written.

If you like the absurd, Christopher Moore’s audiobooks are fantastic, weird and wonderful.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 3:54 PM on August 13 [2 favorites]

I really enjoyed I Hope This Finds You Well and a lot of it is very funny, but be warned: a major plot point of the book revolves around a character’s unprocessed trauma from having a childhood friend die in a tragic way. The death isn’t in the present, it isn’t described in a super-graphic way, and like I said, a lot of the book is very funny and sweet, but I felt your question warranted a heads up on this aspect.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:08 PM on August 13

Kids books: I found Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, many read by Tim Curry, to be a fun listen.
posted by hovey at 7:29 PM on August 13 [2 favorites]

Seconding hovey's recommendation of A Series of Unfortunate Events and adding my perpetual recommendation, the Septimus Heap series.
posted by cocoagirl at 8:18 PM on August 13

Came here to suggest The Goblin Emperor as well. There are technically a few deaths but they are at a remove so to speak. The general vibe is very cozy and comforting.

For a cozy listen, I also like the first episode of the Maintenance Phase podcast (What's our deal).
posted by M. at 8:34 PM on August 13

As you're open to books nominally aimed at children, I get to recommend my favourite ever book: Bilgewater by Jane Gardam.

I suppose these days it might be said to be for the YA market. I first read it when I was about 11 or 12, and now re-read it every year. The audiobook is surprisingly good.
posted by JJZByBffqU at 5:00 AM on August 14

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. I have legitimately never read anything like it before. There are brief mentions of past abuse, but the main threads of the story are uplifting ones about finding family and community and the power of music. It’s also full of mouth-watering descriptions of East Asian foods.
posted by ActionPopulated at 7:28 AM on August 14 [1 favorite]

T. Kingfisher's Saint of Steel series is excellent.
posted by maryellenreads at 7:34 AM on August 14 [2 favorites]

The audiobook of Holly Gramazio's The Husbands is excellent. The book itself is a very fun read that slyly asks some really important questions about love, marriage and identity.
posted by yellowcandy at 7:37 AM on August 14