Author Jon Acuff's entertaining narration encourages listeners to maximize their potential and finish their projects. FINISH reexamines the premise that Acuff put forth in his previous book, START: Starting is the hardest part of a goal. In his lively and encouraging narration, Acuff now explains why finishing is even harder than starting and describes how to overcome the... Read More

Read by the author, this audiobook delivers a thorough examination of how and why we make our daily choices. Gretchen Rubin explains her well-researched, home-grown four-tendencies matrix in a conversational tone. Her casual style gives listeners the sense they're hearing advice while having a cup of coffee with a friend. Rubin uses changes in pitch and speed to help to... Read More

Cyril Avery's story begins in the womb of his teen mother as he narrates her exile from her Irish village, his birth, and his adoption. Narrator Stephen Hogan's performance of the twists and turns of Cyril's struggle is dramatic, life affirming, and inspiring. Hogan's pleasing Irish lilt shifts appropriately as he portrays the accents and diction of the upper- and lower-class... Read More

Narrator Rebecca Soler establishes characters and settings quickly and convincingly. She portrays heroine Jane's intelligence and sarcasm with a tinge of grief, resulting from the recent death of her beloved aunt. Cynicism surfaces in Soler's depiction of wealthy Kieran, the girl who has invited Jane to a gala at her island mansion. Later, Soler makes clear the insecurity... Read More

M.T. Anderson's narration shows deep knowledge of his invented world. A tone of menace characterizes hero Adam Costello when a group of aliens, called "vuvv," land on Earth. They soon monetize Earth's culture beyond anything humans have ever imagined, and Adam's family's survival is threatened. Anderson shifts to a romantic tone as Adam embarks upon a survival plan with his... Read More

The combined performances of author John le Carré and narrator Tom Hollander in this new George Smiley espionage novel are a tour de force to be savored and cherished. Our protagonist is Peter Guillam, who, 40 years on and under interrogation, must revisit the disastrous events of THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD. We're back in the morally ambiguous world of Cold War spy craft... Read More

When she returns from boarding school to spend the summer with her family in Los Angeles, 16-year-old Suzette is struggling with defining her sexuality, and with reconnecting with her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Narrator Alisha Wainwright pours emotion into her performance. Taking her cues from the text, she sighs and laughs, her voice... Read More

As three of the teenaged Richardson children watch their suburban Ohio home being engulfed in flames, they must consider whether the absence of their rebellious sister is significant. With a youthful voice, Jennifer Lim depicts Izzie's angst and awakening joy in the months preceding the fire, when she discovers friendship with newcomer Pearl and her artistic single mother. Lim... Read More

Narrator Sullivan Jones conveys the desires, frustrations, and determination of Detroit teen Emmett Atwater as well as the tension in this fast-paced audiobook. Emmett is one of 10 poor teens, most of color, who are competing aboard a spaceship for a position with Babel, a company that mines nyxia, "the new black gold." Jones conveys Emmett's African-American background through... Read More

Ward's latest novel takes the heroic quest motif, adds ghost story elements, and then plunges into contemporary America's battle with poverty and addiction. There is a truth and grittiness here that narrators Kelvin Harrison, Rutina Wesley, and Chris Chalk enhance significantly with their powerful talents. Thirteen-year-old Jojo's voice is both innocent of and sadly experienced... Read More

Adjoa Andoh delivers a strong portrayal of this audiobook's main characters, Yejide and Akin, an African couple entangled in cultural traditions they hope to share with their future children. Some of the traditions, however, challenge their growing family. Andoh clearly differentiates the characters by altering her tone and adding accents to her pronunciation at various times.... Read More