Try some Adrian Tchaikovsky - intelligent arachnid protagonists and other wonderful, nontraditional sci-fi that always leave me feeling like I better understand the world or have something new to think about.

Or, for something happy and slice of life-ish, Becky Chamber's Wayfarer series, or Monk and Robot. Uplifting and hopeful, with none of the things you didn't enjoy.

Also, I second Murderbot. Murderbot is wonderful, and one of the few series I enjoy more as an audiobook if that's your jam.