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The Wall Street Journal recently reported audiobooks are the fastest-growing format in publishing. While there's data to back this claim — audiobook sales in the US and Canada increased by 21% in 2015 and this year's sales so far indicate further growth — we can understand why they're so popular.

While they can add up in you listen to a lot of them (Kindle Unlimited is worth investigating, if you're an avid reader), audiobooks are a great way to engage your brain at the office, you can easily listen to them on a crowded subway, and they're a suitable alternative to paperbacks for those who are prone to motion sickness on long car rides. Several big-time Hollywood actors and actresses have even narrated a few of them.

If you don't know which books are just as compelling recorded as printed, have a look at this year's best-selling audiobooks on Amazon so far.