Saturday, October 24, 2026

10 Ways to Listen to the Emma M. Lion Audiobooks for Free (or Almost Free!) and more...

If you’ve been anywhere near BookTok, Bookstagram, or book-loving friends lately, you may have heard people raving about The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. The cozy historical fiction series by Beth Brower follows Emma M. Lion through life in ...
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10 Ways to Listen to the Emma M. Lion Audiobooks for Free (or Almost Free!)

If you’ve been anywhere near BookTok, Bookstagram, or book-loving friends lately, you may have heard people raving about The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion.

The cozy historical fiction series by Beth Brower follows Emma M. Lion through life in 1880s London, and the audiobooks have become especially popular. All eight currently released volumes have been produced as audiobooks, narrated by Genevieve Gaunt.

There’s just one problem if you’ve been looking to read these books for free: the library waitlists can be LONG!

If you’ve been waiting weeks (or months!) for your turn, don’t assume your only other option is buying every audiobook at full price. I did some digging and found quite a few ways you may be able to listen to the Emma M. Lion books for free, or at least very inexpensively.

Quick note: Audiobook catalogs, free trials, prices, and library availability can change, so always double-check that the Emma M. Lion volume you want is included before signing up for a paid service.

How to Listen to the Emma M. Lion Series for Free:

Two library copies of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion stacked horizontally on a white wooden railing outdoors.

1. Check Your Local Library First

Let’s start with the completely free option. Search your local library catalog for The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. Depending on your library system, you might find physical books, ebooks, audiobooks, or some combination of the three.

And don’t give up just because your particular branch doesn’t have them. Ask whether your library participates in an interlibrary loan program or gives cardholders access to other library systems.

You can also ask your library to purchase a title. There’s no guarantee they’ll say yes, of course, but enough patron requests can help libraries know which books are in demand.

Digital library listing for the first audiobook in The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion series by Beth Brower.

2. Search Libby

If your library gives you access to Libby, this is probably one of the first places you’ll want to check. The Emma M. Lion audiobooks are distributed through OverDrive and can be available through participating libraries on Libby.

The downside? Availability is determined by your library, so one library might have several volumes while another has only one or two. And because this series has gotten so popular, you might encounter a lengthy hold list.

Still, place those holds! You can always use one of the other options below while you wait.

Money-saving tip: If you’re eligible for cards from multiple library systems, add all of them to Libby and compare availability. Just be sure you’re following each library’s residency and eligibility requirements.

3. Don’t Forget About Hoopla

Here’s one that could help you bypass the Libby line entirely.

Some libraries offer the Emma M. Lion audiobooks through Hoopla. Unlike Libby, where you often have to wait for another patron to return a digital copy, Hoopla titles are typically available for instant borrowing when they’re offered by your library. For example, library catalogs currently show Volume 1 available as a Hoopla eAudiobook.

There’s a catch: Hoopla’s selection varies by library, and libraries generally limit how many Hoopla borrows you get each month. You may find all of the volumes, only a few of them, or none at all.

But it’s absolutely worth checking before paying for an audiobook.

4. Try an Audiobooks.com Free Trial

If you’re new to Audiobooks.com, check its current free-trial offer and search for the Emma M. Lion volumes before signing up. A free trial can be a great way to listen to one or more books without committing to another long-term subscription.

Just remember to make a note of when your trial ends if you don’t want to continue paying for the service.

5. Use an Audible Free Trial

Audible is another place to check, especially if you’ve never subscribed before. The Emma M. Lion audiobooks are available through Audible, including Volume 1 narrated by Genevieve Gaunt. Audible currently advertises a free trial for eligible new customers, though the exact offer and membership options can change.

Depending on the current promotion, you may be able to use your trial to listen to or purchase one of the books without paying the normal price.

And even if you’re not eligible for a free trial, keep an eye out for sales. Audible occasionally deeply discounts audiobooks, which could make buying several volumes cheaper than expected.

Everand search results for Emma M. Lion showing 22 audiobook results.

6. See If Everand Has the Volume You Need

Everand is another audiobook subscription service worth checking. As of this writing, Volume 1 through 5 is available on Everand, and the service advertises a free trial for new subscribers.

Before starting your trial, search the catalog for the specific Emma M. Lion volumes you need. If several are available, you could potentially get quite a bit of listening done during your trial period. Again, set yourself a reminder to cancel before the trial ends if you don’t want another monthly subscription.

7. Check Amazon Music

This one is easy to overlook! If you’re eligible for an Amazon Music Unlimited free trial, check the audiobook catalog to see which Emma M. Lion volumes are currently included and what audiobook listening benefits come with the current plan.

Amazon changes its Music Unlimited promotions periodically, so check the terms before signing up. And if you’re already paying for Amazon Music Unlimited, definitely search there before paying for an audiobook somewhere else. You may already have access to audiobook listening as part of your subscription.

8. Check Spotify Premium Before Buying Anything

Already pay for Spotify Premium? You may have audiobook listening time included in your existing plan. That means you should always search Spotify for the Emma M. Lion volume you need before buying it somewhere else.

There are some limitations to Spotify’s audiobook benefit, including monthly listening-hour limits and differences between plan types. Since the Emma M. Lion books are relatively short compared with many audiobooks, however, your included hours could potentially stretch farther.

The important thing is to use the subscriptions you’re already paying for before adding another one!

A hand holds two turquoise volumes of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower outdoors.

9. Watch Chirp For Cheap Emma M. Lion audiobooks

This might be my favorite option if you’ve exhausted the freebies. Chirp sells discounted audiobooks without requiring a monthly subscription. And Emma M. Lion fans recently spotted the first five audiobooks for just $2.99 each.

Sales change, so you may not see the same price when you check. But, if you love the series and want to own the audiobooks rather than borrow them, it’s worth watching for another sale.

At $2.99 each, you could potentially own several volumes for less than the cost of a single month of some audiobook subscriptions.

Eight colorful covers of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower arranged in two rows.

10. Combine Services Instead of Sticking With Just One

This may ultimately be the best strategy for listening to the entire series on a budget. Don’t feel like you have to get every volume from the same place.

Maybe you listen to Volume 1 on Libby, grab Volume 2 instantly through Hoopla, use a free trial for Volume 3, listen to another through a subscription you already have, and snag the next few during a Chirp or Audible sale.

It might take a little more effort, but mixing and matching your options could dramatically reduce what you spend on the series.

Start Listening Without Spending Much

The sudden popularity of the Emma M. Lion books is both good news and bad news: It’s fun to discover a series everyone is excited about, but not so fun when you’re number 87 in line for the next audiobook!

Fortunately, you have more options than simply waiting or paying full price. Start with your library, Libby, and Hoopla since they’re free. Then check any audiobook or music subscriptions you’re already paying for. After that, consider strategically using a free trial or watching for a deeply discounted audiobook sale.

And one final tip: Don’t sign up for four free trials at once! Use one, listen to as much as you reasonably can, cancel if you don’t want to keep it, and then move on to your next option.

That way, you can hopefully spend a lot more time hanging out with Emma in St. Crispian’s, and a lot less money getting there.

A hand holds two turquoise volumes of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower.

Have you read the Emma M. Lion books yet? Share your favorite volume and any tips for getting free audiobooks in the comments below.

   
 

Brigette’s $110 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 4!

Aldi

2 jugs Orange Juice – $6.70

1 gallon Milk – $2.85

1 4-lb bag Sugar – $2.69

1 pkg Fresh Boneless Chicken Breasts – $10.87

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $3.49

1 Party Pack Brats – $6.79

1 32-oz carton Egg Whites – $4.79

1 Family-Size Box Cinnamon Crunch Squares – $2.79

1 box Raisin Bran – $2.15

1 large box Rice Squares – $2.95

1 Cauliflower – $2.89

1 carton Gourmet Medley Tomatoes – $2.39

3 cartons Raspberries – $4.47

2 8-oz pkgs Sliced Cheese – $2.90

1 loaf Honey Wheat Bread – $1.79

1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $1.29

Total: $61.80

Publix Trip #1

1 tub Cedar’s Organic Hummus – $4.99, received $4.99 Rebate from Flavor Wiki – FREE after Rebate

1 tub Fresh Cravings Hummus – $4.59, received $4.59 Rebate from Flavor Wiki – FREE after Rebate

1 tub Sabra Hummus – $2.14, received $4.99 Rebate from Flavor Wiki – $2.85 Money Maker after Rebate

1 Digiorno Stuffed Crust Pizza – $11.79, received 8000 points from Fetch ($8) – $3.79 after Rebate

2 boxes First Phorm Bars – $11.99, received (2) $2.50/1 First Phorm Ibotta Rebates – $6.99 for 2 after Rebates

1 20-ct box Go-Go Squeeze – $7.49

2 cans Bush’s Sidekicks – $1.89, received $1.25/2 Sidekicks Ibotta Rebate – $0.64 for 2 after Rebate

2 cans Contadina Tomatoes – $2.49, received (2) $0.50/1 Contadina Ibotta Rebates plus received 2000 points from Fetch ($2) – $0.51 Money Maker after Rebates

5 blocks Kraft Cheese – $12.47, received (5) $0.75/1 Kraft Cheese Ibotta Rebates – $8.72 for 5 after Rebates

1 OxiClean Stain Remover Spray – $2.09, used $2/1 OxiClean Publix Digital Coupon – $0.09 after Coupon

1 Dove Aluminum-Free Deodorant – $9.19, used $2/1 Dove Deodorant Publix Digital Coupon plus received 6250 points from Fetch ($6.25) – $0.94 after Coupon and Rebate

2 boxes Dunkin Bold Blend K-Cups – $11.09, received (2) $1/1 Dunkin Bold Ibotta Rebates – $9.09 for 2 after Rebates

2 cans Pillsbury Biscuits plus 1 pkg Oscar Meyer Hotdogs – $7.12, used $2.50 off Oscar Meyer and Pillsbury Publix Digital Coupon, plus received $1/2 Pillsbury Ibotta Rebate and 5000 points from Fetch ($5 – this completed a couple of Fetch offers for me) – $1.38 Money Maker for 3 after Coupon and Rebates

1 can Tuttorosso Tomato Paste – $1.29, received 2000 points from Fetch ($2) – $0.71 Money Maker after Rebate

3 jars Old El Paso Taco Sauce – $5.68, used $1/2 Old El Paso Publix Digital Coupon, plus received 7500 points from Fetch ($7.50) – $2.82 Money Maker for 3 after Coupon and Rebates

1 Bob’s Red Mill Baking Flour – $6.69, received $6.69 Rebate from Aisle – FREE after Rebate

3 pkgs McCormick Taco Seasoning Mix – $2.08, received $0.75/3 McCormick Ibotta Rebate – $1.33 for 3 after Rebate

2 boxes Annie’s Mac and Cheese – $2.69, received $0.50/2 Annie’s Ibotta Rebate plus $0.10/1 Any Brand Mac and Cheese Ibotta Rebate – $2.09 for 2 boxes after Rebates

~ Received $5 Midweek Ibotta Bonus

Total after Tax, Coupons and Rebates: $27.90

Publix Trip #2

5 cans Bush’s Chili Magic – $4.72, received (5) $0.50/1 Bush’s Chili Magic Ibotta Rebates – $2.22 for 5 after Rebates

7 Talenti Ice Cream – $20.29, received $1/2 Talenti Ibotta Rebate plus received 10,400 points from Fetch ($10.40) – $8.89 for 7 after Rebates

2 Springer Mountain Farms – $8.99, used (2) $1.50/1 Printables – $5.99 for 2 after Coupon

5 boxes Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Breakfast Bars – $14.47, received (5) $2/1 Dave’s Breakfast Bars Ibotta Rebates plus 6000 points from Fetch ($6) – $1.53 Money Maker for 5 after Rebates

2 bags Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Snack Bites – $6.49, received 3000 points from Fetch ($3) – $3.49 for 2 after Rebate

1 box New York Bakery Baked Bites – $3.59, used $1/1 Baked Bites Publix Digital Coupon plus received $1/1 Baked Bites Ibotta Rebate – $1.59 after Coupon and Rebate

Total after Coupons and Rebates – $20.65

Grocery Total for the Week: $110.35

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Grits, Omelets, Smoothies, Eggs/Bacon

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Applesauce Pouches, Veggies with Hummus, Breakfast Bars (School Lunches) x 4

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Brats, Roasted Cauliflower, Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Chicken, Broccoli, Easy Whole Wheat Muffins

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza, Breadsticks

Waffles, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs

Venison Burgers, Baked Potato Wedges, Green Beans

Build-Your-Own-Soft Tacos (on homemade tortillas), Spanish Rice

Chicken Noodles Soup, Easy Whole Wheat Muffins

   
 
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