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PARASITE ZERO

PARASITE ZERO

by Sean Bridges | Read by a Full Cast

Sean Patrick Bridges | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

With ambient sounds and the shifting voices of various characters, this production immediately draws the listener into an unfolding crisis. U.S. and Mexican agents uncover a cartel's lethal synthetic drug scheme, which infects an entire village with deadly parasites. The full-cast ensemble and subtle sound effects--footsteps, weapons clicking, and voices muffled by gas... Read More

A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE

A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE

by Adam Kay | Read by Andy Serkis

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

When a gay, bipolar doctor concludes that the death of his boss, his archenemy, may have been foul play, his life begins to go crazy. And nobody does "crazy" better than voice-over magician Andy Serkis. Serkis matches the rhythm and satirical tone in what can only be called "comic British noir." Besides performing Scottish and posh British accents, Serkis adds a dead-on voice... Read More

PARTY OF LIARS

PARTY OF LIARS

by Kelsey Cox | Read by Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, Suzy Jackson, Dan Bittner

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

The narrators depict a lavish Sweet Sixteen party. Kate Handford portrays Dani, the young, cool stepmother of the birthday girl, Sophie. Handford's voice trembles as Dani fights the crippling anxiety she works so hard to hide. Saskia Maarlveld portrays Kim, Sophie's mother. Her bitter tone reflects both her situation and her near constant state of inebriation. Suzy Jackson... Read More

THE PAYBACK

THE PAYBACK

by Kashana Cauley | Read by Chanté McCormick

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

"Dear Borrower," sighs narrator Chanté McCormick, voicing the exasperated, exhausted Jada, a 30-something Black woman who has defaulted on her student loans after having lost her job at the mall. College was supposed to be the answer to every question you have at age 18. In her sassy narration, McCormick invites listeners into a perilous and absurd alternate reality for student... Read More

PERSEPHONE'S CURSE

PERSEPHONE'S CURSE

Earphones Award Winner

by Katrina Leno | Read by Phoebe Strole

Listening Library | Unabridged
Young Adult

Narrator Phoebe Strole's expert approach to this contemporary fantasy shines. Winnie is one of the four Farthing sisters who've been told they're descendants of Persephone, the Greek goddess of the dead. While talking to the dead had always been the norm for the sisters, it wasn't until Winnie accidentally banished a resident ghost that she came to believe that she and her... Read More

PICCOLO

PICCOLO

by Dan Yaccarino | Read by Susan Vinciotti Bonito

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Children

Susan Vinciotti Bonito's endearing voice introduces Piccolo, a shrew who rides a scooter around his hometown in Italy. He makes a daily to-do list that includes his favorite places and is on his way to the gelateria for his favorite flavor--hazelnut--when he sees Mr. Russo struggling to take his painting to the art museum. Piccolo helps and deletes one item from his list.... Read More

PICKET LINE

PICKET LINE The Lost Novella

by Elmore Leonard | Read by Anthony Rey Perez

Harper Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

Billed as "the lost novella," this audiobook includes an introduction by Leonard biographer C.M. Kushins, which explains how the work was created and its place within Leonard's oeuvre. Narrator Anthony Rey Perez smoothly delivers the audiobook, a mystery revolving around migrant farmworkers. At times, Perez is reminiscent of the late Frank Muller, whose husky narration and... Read More

THE PLANET, THE PORTAL, AND A PIZZA

THE PLANET, THE PORTAL, AND A PIZZA

by Wendy Mass, Nora Raleigh Baskin | Read by Madeleine Curry, Valerie Gutierrez

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Children

Narrators Madeleine Curry and Valerie Gutierrez provide lively voices for a story that takes place in a multiverse. Two girls live in parallel versions of a town called Rockdale. Twelve-year-old Piper lives with her parents and her robot dog, Roody. Raisa lives in the parallel Rockdale with parents who are scientists. Each girl is on a mission: Raisa transports herself to... Read More

POLYBIUS

POLYBIUS

by Collin Armstrong | Read by Rachanee Lumayno

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Rachanee Lumayno performs one of the most fascinating and unique novels of the year with skill equal to the quality of the book. Lumayno breathlessly delivers a truly frightening story about an early video game that is too powerful to resist. Her dynamic rendering makes this audiobook as current as today's scary headlines on the future of AI. In the novel, Andi, an aloof... Read More

THE PREDICAMENT

THE PREDICAMENT

by William Boyd | Read by George Blagden

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

George Blagden's pleasant performance of William Boyd's second suspense novel about occasional spy Gabriel Dax floats equably along like a story told over a glass of postprandial whiskey. It's an adventure set in 1963 England and Berlin, where, between conducting MI5 jobs, Dax and his compatriots savor many cocktails and cigarettes. Blagden's vocal register rarely varies from... Read More

QUEEN ESTHER

QUEEN ESTHER

by John Irving | Read by Ari Fliakos

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Narrator Ari Fliakos brings a compassionate tone and exquisite pacing to Irving's sequel to THE CIDER HOUSE RULES--40 years in the making. Complicated, quirky, and enigmatic characters highlight this exploration of anti-Semitism and how Esther Nacht, a Viennese-born Jewish orphan, ends up at an orphanage in St. Cloud's, Maine, where Dr. Wilbur Larch takes her in. Fliakos... Read More

QUEENS AT WAR

QUEENS AT WAR England's Medieval Queens, Book 4

by Alison Weir | Read by Esther Wane

W.F. Howes | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

History as complex as that of 15th-century England, including the ending of the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of the Roses, requires a clear voice and precise diction. Esther Wane provides exactly that. This audiobook chronicles the lives of five queens--from Joan of Navarre, queen of Henry IV, through Anne, queen of Richard III. Wane works hard to concentrate on the women... Read More

READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP

READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP The Making of Sunset Boulevard and the Dark Side of the Hollywood Dream

by David M. Lubin | Read by Jason Culp

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Contemporary Culture

Jason Culp offers an excellent, well-toned, and enthusiastic narration, complete with spot-on imitations of Austrian-born director Billy Wilder, in this well-researched examination of the iconic 1950s Paramount film SUNSET BOULEVARD. The movie features Gloria Swanson as the faded silent screen star Norma Desmond. Culp's breaths at the ends of sentences distract slightly, but... Read More

RED CLAY, RUNNING WATERS

RED CLAY, RUNNING WATERS

by Leslie K. Simmons | Read by Cameron DelGrosso

Leslie K. Simmons | Unabridged
Historical Fiction

John Ridge, son of a Cherokee leader, finds himself at odds with the Christian values he's learned at a New England school. They don't align with the realities he's come to observe: racism and attempts at sowing tribal division. The strength and hope in narrator Cameron DelGrosso's voice gradually fades when Ridge returns home and the brutal seizure of Cherokee lands begins.... Read More

RED STAR HUSTLE / APPREHENSION

RED STAR HUSTLE / APPREHENSION Saga Doubles

by Sam J. Miller, Mary Robinette Kowal | Read by Ali Andre Ali, Jennifer Pickens, Kevin R. Free, Mary Robinette Kowal

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Science Fiction

Two novellas deliver uneven performances. In RED STAR HUSTLE, Jennifer Pickens, portraying bounty hunter Imadi, is spellbinding. Her voice imparts the heft of every emotion involved with tracking Aran, a sex worker wanted for murder. Ali Andre Ali's performance as Aran binds listeners to the humanity in the audiobook through his deft portrayal of the mental dance of addiction.... Read More

RETURN OF THE SPIDER

RETURN OF THE SPIDER Alex Cross, Book 33

Earphones Award Winner

by James Patterson | Read by Dion Graham, Fred Berman

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

Narrators Dion Graham and Fred Berman once again demonstrate their mastery of their craft in this James Patterson thriller. Graham returns as Alex Cross, fully embodying his multiple facets: loving family man, psychology scholar, and determined detective. Berman portrays serial murderer Gary Soneji to scarily calm perfection. Berman's performance allows listeners to inhabit... Read More

THE ROSE FIELD

THE ROSE FIELD Book of Dust, Book 3

Earphones Award Winner

by Philip Pullman | Read by Michael Sheen

Listening Library | Unabridged
Young Adult

Narrator Michael Sheen's return to the Book of Dust series gives it the spectacular ending it deserves. His versatile skills bring to life daemons, griffins, witches, and humans alike. Twenty-year-old Lyra is searching for her daemon, Pan, who is the physical manifestation of her soul. In chapters that shift viewpoint, Sheen's emotional range and mastery of accents keep... Read More

RUTH

RUTH

by Kate Riley | Read by Rebecca Lowman

Penguin Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Narrator Rebecca Lowman imbues Kate Riley's parabolic prose with verve and urgency. This ambitious debut unearths universalities of feminine curiosity from within the walls of a strict insular community. Ruth--a relentlessly inquisitive, slightly brainwashed member of a Christian communist cult in rural Michigan--is irresistible. While not overtly rebellious, she is... Read More

SALTCROP

SALTCROP

by Yume Kitasei | Read by Eunice Wong

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Science Fiction

Eunice Wong's calm, deliberate narration accentuates what author Yume Kitasei does best--meticulous world-building. In a not-so-distant future, three sisters are growing up in a time when the oceans have risen, food is scarce, and multinational corporations rule the land and islands. When the two younger sisters discover a cryptic message from the older sister, they set off in... Read More

SALVAGIA

SALVAGIA

by Tim Chawaga | Read by Amy McFadden

Dreamscape | Unabridged
Science Fiction

Amy McFadden's determined portrayal of Triss MacKay transports listeners to a flooded future Florida, where the legal and illegal are forced to battle in the mud. Using an array of accents, McFadden brings SALVAGIA's many characters to life. She bestows individuality on even the most inconsequential and elevates those to whom we grow attached. Despite the barrage of injuries,... Read More

SATIRES

SATIRES

by Juvenal, Niall Rudd [Trans.] | Read by David Timson

Naxos AudioBooks | Unabridged
Classics

David Timson performs Juvenal's 16 verse satires with energy, clarity, and precision. These works from the 2nd century CE are usually harsh, often personalized, diatribes against Roman--or simply human--venality and corruption. Timson's resonant voice and oratorical tones fit the rhetoric well. Occasionally, tirades are rife with homophobia, xenophobia, or misogyny and larded... Read More

THE SCHOOL FOR THIEVES

THE SCHOOL FOR THIEVES

by Peter Burns | Read by Zac Lowe-McAlley

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Children

Thirteen-year-old pickpocket Tom Morgan is dedicated to helping his fellow orphans who are imprisoned amid the unspeakable conditions of a Dickensian workhouse. Zac Lowe-McAlley breathes life into every ghastly situation and character--with Tom a standout. When a mysterious but compassionate recruiter from the School for Deception Arts encounters Tom, he recognizes the boy's... Read More

SCIENCE UNDER SIEGE

SCIENCE UNDER SIEGE How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World

by Michael E. Mann, Peter J. Hotez | Read by Tim Campbell

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Contemporary Culture

One can forgive the coauthors for straying from clinical detachment and instead writing with sharp edges, flashes of bitterness, and even a touch of snark. Both have endured frightening personal attacks simply for championing science. Tim Campbell's sonorous authoritative voice has a journalistic feel, but what makes his performance exceptional is how he channels the... Read More

SEARCHING FOR ALLAN ROTHBART

SEARCHING FOR ALLAN ROTHBART

by Barry Rothbart | Read by Barry Rothbart

Audible, Inc. | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

Comedian Barry Rothbart found recordings of his late father detailing a second life and crimes he had committed. Rothbart recounts his experience of making this discovery. The production also includes clips of his own comedy recordings, clips from his shows, and conversations with his wife, friends, and father's associates about what he found. Rothbart and his associates speak... Read More

SEARCHING FOR GALILEO'S DAUGHTER

SEARCHING FOR GALILEO'S DAUGHTER

by Jessica Dickey | Read by Ginnifer Goodwin, Moira Quirk, Gregory Harrison, Nick Toren, Jessica Dickey

L.A. Theatre Works | Audio Program
Poetry & Drama

Galileo had a daughter? Who knew? L.A. Theatre Works and playwright Jessica Dickey offer a fascinating glimpse of the renowned astronomer's world in this full-cast production. Galileo, who was condemned by the Church for his theory that the Earth revolves around the sun, is played with gentle ease by Gregory Harrison. His daughter, Maria Celeste, played with intelligent... Read More

SEASCRAPER

SEASCRAPER

by Benjamin Wood | Read by Benjamin Wood

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Author Benjamin Wood narrates his atmospheric story of a quiet life on the tidal flats of North West England. Over the course of three foggy days, listeners hear the softly sung lullaby of Thomas Flett, an impoverished boy who harbors musical ambitions while practicing the obsolete art of shanking--trawling for shrimp using a horse-drawn cart. Thomas' luck seems about to change... Read More

SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE

SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE

by Olivia Dade | Read by Stephen Dexter, Joy Nash

Harper Audio | Unabridged
Romantic Fiction

Narrators Stephen Dexter and Joy Nash delight listeners with this hilarious second-chance romance. Molly and Karl never dated in high school, but the feelings between them were always present. And then there was the time right after graduation when they almost crossed the line. Years later, when Molly returns to Harlot's Bay after reading Karl's obituary--which turns out to be... Read More

THE SECOND DEATH OF LOCKE

THE SECOND DEATH OF LOCKE The Hand and the Heart, Book 1

by V.L. Bovalino | Read by Samara MacLaren

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Romantic Fiction

The start of a new series, Hand and Heart, is narrated by Samara MacLaren. Grey Flynn is a knight with a magical well of power; her partner, Kier, is a mage who draws his power from her. They're childhood friends--and an extremely effective team in battle. When they embark on a dangerous mission to rescue a girl who is a prisoner of war, the odds of succeeding are slim. But, if... Read More

THE SECRET BOOK SOCIETY

THE SECRET BOOK SOCIETY

by Madeline Martin | Read by Saskia Maarleveld

Harlequin Audio | Unabridged
Historical Fiction

In a soft, melodic voice, Saskia Maarleveld breathes life into this novel set in 1895 London. Lady Duxbury, a three-time widow who survived an abusive marriage, shelters three vulnerable young women under the guise of a book club. Eleanor, a physically and emotionally abused mother; Rose, an American dollar princess; and Lavinia, a bullied young woman with a domineering father,... Read More

THE SECRET CHRISTMAS LIBRARY

THE SECRET CHRISTMAS LIBRARY

by Jenny Colgan | Read by Eilidh Beaton

Harper Audio | Unabridged
Romantic Fiction

Narrator Eilidh Beaton whisks the listener off to a remote Scottish castle at Christmastime. Mirren Sutherland and Theo Palliser travel from London to Scotland to help Laird Jamie McKinnon locate a rare book hidden on his estate that will help save his home. A snowstorm strands the three, along with Jamie's sister, Esmé, and the housekeeper, Bonny. Beaton brings a Scottish lilt... Read More

SEESAW MONSTER

SEESAW MONSTER

by Kotaro Isaka, Sam Malissa [Trans.] | Read by Pun Bandhu, Andrew Kishino

Recorded Books | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

These two loosely entwined novellas are set in Japan. The first, SEESAW MONSTER, is set against the backdrop of the booming 1980s. Former Special Agent Miyako must form an alliance with her mother-in-law, whom she hates and suspects is a murderer, to rescue her kidnapped husband. Pun Bandhu's narration excels at characterization; he makes the two female protagonists highly... Read More

SELECTED LETTERS OF JOHN UPDIKE

SELECTED LETTERS OF JOHN UPDIKE

by John Updike, James Schiff | Read by Miranda Updike, Elizabeth Updike Cobblah, Michael Updike, David Updike, Kimberly Farr, Jeff Ebner, Jason Culp, James Schiff

Random House Audio | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

While not strictly autobiographical, much of Updike's work is drawn from his own life, so listening to his letters does inform how we read his fiction. It's also quite entertaining since he was, from adolescence, an excellent writer of letters, and a prolific one. In this audiobook the letters are read by his children, with assistance from a talented group of... Read More

SELF PORTRAIT

SELF PORTRAIT

by Ludwig Volbeda, Lucy Scott [Trans.] | Read by Avi Roque

Recorded Books | Unabridged
Young Adult

Dutch author Ludwig Volbeda's 2024 Rainbow Book of the Year is translated by Lucy Scott. Avi Roque's neutral narration fits the unsent letters of Jip, who is struggling during a school break to draw a self-portrait and to determine their place in the world. Roque creates a verbal portrait of the solitary, artistic, bug-curious teen whose observations are sometimes painful in... Read More

THE SEVEN RINGS

THE SEVEN RINGS The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 3

Earphones Award Winner

by Nora Roberts | Read by Brittany Pressley

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Romantic Fiction

Narrator Brittany Pressley returns the listener to Maine and Poole Manor, the house Sonya has inherited--complete with ghosts and a curse. A witch, Hester Dobbs, has cursed the family and over the years has killed seven Poole brides. Sonya; her boyfriend, Trey; her best friend, Cleo; and her cousin, Owen, are determined to break the curse and rid the manor of Dobbs. Cleo is... Read More

THE SHACKLETON SIGNAL

THE SHACKLETON SIGNAL

by Joshua T. Calvert | Read by Gary Tiedemann

Podium | Unabridged
Science Fiction

Gary Tiedemann's crisp narration takes listeners to the lunar south pole in this science-fiction thriller. A mysterious signal from the Shackleton crater jump-starts a space race between the U.S. and China. Astronauts race to the moon, and intelligence personnel hunt for spies back on Earth. Author Joshua T. Calvert's pacing is strong as he cuts back and forth between the two... Read More

THE SHAPE OF WONDER

THE SHAPE OF WONDER How Scientists Think, Work, and Live

by Alan Lightman, Martin Rees | Read by Christopher Grove

Random House Audio | Unabridged
Contemporary Culture

As eminent physicists born in the 1940s, authors Lightman and Rees must be troubled by the erosion of public confidence in science. This audiobook examines the nature of scientific thinking. Christopher Grove's narration is well suited to the authors' message that scientists are real human beings with diverse backgrounds, personalities, motivations, and goals. The production... Read More

SHEEPDOGS

SHEEPDOGS

Earphones Award Winner

by Elliot Ackerman | Read by Chris Andrew Ciulla

Random House Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

Chris Andrew Ciulla's balanced performance is hilarious yet fully grounded. Operating as ex-military guns for hire, Skwerl and Big Cheese take a job to retrieve a luxury jet. When the job goes sideways, they wind up traveling the globe to set things right. While current news items such as the war in Ukraine punctuate the story, the main events effectively mix humor and action.... Read More

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE

Earphones Award Winner

by Clay McLeod Chapman | Read by Dominique Salvacion

Listening Library | Unabridged
Young Adult

Narrator Dominique Salvacion's emotionally vulnerable performance suits this young adult horror audiobook. Kyra, the adopted child of a drug addict, is haunted by disturbing nightmares connected to her childhood. Now a viral video challenge revolving around a new recreational drug is circulating at her high school, changing the students around her. Salvacion depicts Kyra's... Read More

SILVER AND LEAD

SILVER AND LEAD October Daye, Book 19

by Seanan McGuire | Read by Mary Robinette Kowal

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Fantasy

Mary Robinette Kowal's narration of the newest installment of the award-winning October Daye series shines with her characterizations and delightful timing. When Sir October "Toby" Daye, Knight errant and Hero of the Realm, is called upon to investigate the looting of the royal vaults, she answers the call despite being late in her pregnancy. Kowal's voices and accents bring... Read More

SIMPLY MORE

SIMPLY MORE

by Cynthia Erivo | Read by Cynthia Erivo

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

Award-winning performer Cynthia Erivo narrates her own memoir in which she focuses on what it means to fully embrace yourself, even if others do not. Today, Erivo is beloved for her role as Elphaba in the film adaptation of the musical WICKED, but as a child she was frequently told she asked too many questions and to stop being "too much." Performing her story herself, Erivo... Read More

SISTER WIFE

SISTER WIFE A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom

by Christine Brown Woolley | Read by Christine Brown Woolley

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

Christine Brown Woolley, one of the wives in TLC's "Sister Wives" series, bares her soul in this candid memoir about polygamous life, leaving behind what no longer serves you, and finding yourself in the broken pieces. In 2010, Woolley became a household name through the TV show, which broadcast episodes of the daily lives of an Apostolic United Brethren family, the Browns.... Read More

THE SISTERS

THE SISTERS

by Jonas Hassen Khemiri | Read by Aleksander Varadian

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Beginning right in the middle of the heaving, sweat-soaked fervor of a Y2K dance party, this explosive saga holds its firm grip for the next 20 hours. Narrator Aleksander Varadian keeps his foot on the gas for the length of this epic, shifting with apparent ease between Stockholm place names, Arabic slang, and French intimacies. As he weaves the decades together--unveiling the... Read More

SISTERS BEFORE MISTERS

SISTERS BEFORE MISTERS The Finch Sisters, Book 2

by Amelia Diane Coombs | Read by Soneela Nankani

Brilliance Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

The Finch sisters are drawn into another mystery, with Soneela Nankani returning as narrator. Remi joins Eliana and Maeve on a search for Eliana's estranged husband, Chad, after they find a severed fingertip at his ransacked home. Evidence and Eliana's strange behavior cause Remi to question her loyalty. Will this mystery unravel the sisters' new bond? Nankani portrays tension... Read More

SISTERS IN DEATH

SISTERS IN DEATH The Black Dahlia, The Prairie Heiress, and Their Hunter

by Eli Frankel | Read by Eli Frankel

Tantor Media | Unabridged
Contemporary Culture

Narrating his own work, Frankel is a bit flat, at first. But as the dual accounts of two gruesome murders unfold--one well known and one not--his thesis takes over and makes this audiobook highly engaging. Leila Welsh was murdered in Missouri in 1941; Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia, was murdered in LA in 1947. Frankel depicts intriguing connections between the two... Read More

SISTERS OF FORTUNE

SISTERS OF FORTUNE

by Esther Chehebar | Read by Olga Namer, Gail Shalan, Gilli Messer

Random House Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Three distinctive voices portray the Cohen sisters, who reside in a Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn. As the novel opens, middle sister Fortune is preparing to marry and fulfill her family's traditional expectations. Gilli Messer maintains a restrained, compliant tone that suits her character's personality. Olga Namer depicts the tough eldest sister, Nina, who is... Read More

SISTERS OF THE JUNGLE

SISTERS OF THE JUNGLE The Trailblazing Women Who Shaped the Study of Wild Primates

by Keriann McGoogan | Read by Chelsea Kwoka

Tantor Media | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

Narrator Chelsea Kwoka's bright, energetic performance creates an engaging listening experience centered on the pioneering women primatologists from the 1950s on who transformed primate research and inspired generations. Dr. Keriann McGoogan asks a central question: What drives high percentages of women into careers dedicated to the study of and advocacy for chimpanzees,... Read More

THE SIX LOVES OF JAMES I

THE SIX LOVES OF JAMES I

by Gareth Russell | Read by Gareth Russell

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
History

Belfast-born Gareth Russell's rich accent adds ambiance to this engaging biography of Scotland's James VI and England's James I. Despite the suggestive title, Russell's well-researched narrative covers all aspects of James' life and his place among the Stuart rulers who preceded and followed him. James' private inclinations have been known for centuries, and a significant... Read More

THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT

THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT A True Story of the Black Woman Battalion of World War II

by Tonya Abari | Read by Jade Wheeler

Harper Audio | Unabridged
Children

This is a very brief introduction to the 6,888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of WWII. Jade Wheeler narrates with crisp enunciation, slow pacing, and buoyant admiration for the work of the Black women serving in the newly desegregated U.S. Army. Letters from home were a great morale builder for the troops. The Six Triple Eight was deployed in the U.S. and overseas to... Read More

SMARTER

SMARTER 10 Simple Lessons for a More Productive and Less-Stressed Life

by Emily Austen | Read by Emily Austen

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Personal Growth

Television journalist, consultant, and conservative influencer Emily Austen explains how to overcome the way shame and low self-esteem can keep us from getting more output and satisfaction from our efforts. She narrates with strength and determination, a fitting tone for someone whose ideas and suggestions are informed by her own social hardships and mental health challenges.... Read More

SNAKE-EATER

SNAKE-EATER

by T. Kingfisher | Read by Elena Rey

Brilliance Audio | Unabridged
Fantasy

Narrator Elena Rey gives a solid performance of this story in which animal and plant spirits reign over an isolated desert town. Selena is still settling in, having just fled the city. It's a beautiful town, she thinks--except that she frequently feels she's being watched. Rey conveys the voices and emotions of all the characters, each easily distinguishable from the next. The... Read More

SOMEBODY'S SOMEONE

SOMEBODY'S SOMEONE

Earphones Award Winner

by Linda Oatman High | Read by Amanda Kelley

One Elm Books, Red Chair Press | Unabridged
Children

A candid performance like this one by Amanda Kelley occurs only once in a blue moon. Twelve-year old Ruby has a unique relationship with her mother, Ruthie, who has repeated episodes of disappearing due to mental illness. Aided by her loving aunt, Ruby is yet again on a quest to find Ruthie. Kelley narrates Ruby's steadfast determination to find her mother and her clever... Read More

SOMETHING I KEEP UPSTAIRS

SOMETHING I KEEP UPSTAIRS

by Philip Crawford | Read by David Bryant, Emma Brace

Provençal Press | Unabridged
Fiction

In 1970s New Hampshire, 17-year-old Coleman Cooper, relatably voiced by narrator David Bryant, is receiving mental health treatment at yet another institution. He follows his therapist's advice to get some work, but when a hospital executive is murdered at a gala where Coleman is serving, he's accused of the crime and must investigate to clear himself. Emma Brace portrays Haley... Read More

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES GreenTown, Book 2

by Ray Bradbury | Read by Paul Giamatti

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Classics

Combining his unpretentious style with the rhythms and tones of 1940s radio, actor Paul Giamatti smoothly creates the uniquely American feel of Ray Bradbury's 1962 classic dark fantasy. It's a week before Halloween, ominous clouds have gathered, and The Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to town. Only Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, two 13-year-old best... Read More

SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR

SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR A.A. Milne and the Creation of "Winnie-the-Pooh"

by Gyles Brandreth | Read by Gyles Brandreth

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

Multitalented biographer, journalist, and podcaster Gyles Brandreth has long been a fan of A.A. Milne--and was friends with Milne's son, Christopher Robin. Who better, then, to commemorate the 100th birthday of Winnie-the-Pooh with a view of childhood, Milne's family relationships, and shining moments from the Hundred Acre Wood? Though he covers Milne's many successes, at the... Read More

SON OF THE MORNING

SON OF THE MORNING

by Akwaeke Emezi | Read by Indigo Brown

Harper Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

This audiobook vividly brings Galilee Kincaid's personal journey to life. The story follows Gali, a young woman raised by the powerful Kincaid matriarchy, who yearns to be normal despite her magical Southern roots. When she meets Lucifer Helel at an opulent party, their electric connection exposes the truth about her hidden power and pulls her into a rising conflict between... Read More

SPELLBOUND

SPELLBOUND

by Georgia Leighton | Read by Kristin Atherton

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Fantasy

English actor Kristin Atherton's spectacular performance is perfect for this fantasy, a spin on the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty." The long awaited heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Bavaugh, a princess, is born with both a blessing and a curse. Three women--the queen, her lady-in-waiting, and a master's apprentice--try their best to alter the curse but encounter difficulties.... Read More

SPRINGBOARD

SPRINGBOARD Transform Stress to Work for You

by Rebecca Heiss | Read by Rebecca Heiss

Ideapress Publishing | Unabridged
Personal Growth

Stress physiologist Rebecca Heiss narrates her helpful audiobook with pacing and energy that give it motivational juice. Using colorful examples and solid rationales, she explains that there's a range of stress types and intensities. There's the annoying worry of "I lost my glasses" to an all consuming concern like "my dissertation is due" or "I need to get out of my marriage"... Read More

THE STOLEN CROWN

THE STOLEN CROWN

by Tracy Borman | Read by Tracy Borman

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
History

Historian Tracy Borman's research and narration offer a riveting account of the battle for succession following the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Borman narrates her careful investigation of the events leading to the end of the Tudor dynasty and the rise of the Stuarts. Borman sounds like a favorite professor. Her voice is well modulated, and her pace makes the history easy to... Read More

STRANGER THAN FICTION

STRANGER THAN FICTION Lives of the Twentieth-Century Novel

by Edwin Frank | Read by BJ Harrison

Tantor Media | Unabridged
Contemporary Culture

In fewer than 20 hours, this insightful, deeply immersive audiobook offers a full education on the 20th-century novel. The author is an esteemed "New York Review of Books" editor; here he distills a lifetime of reading and reflection. His narrative is probing and eclectic, covering a wide range of links and parallels while focusing on 30 or so significant novels. Narrator BJ... Read More

STRONG GROUND

STRONG GROUND The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, the Wisdom of the Human Spirit

by Brené Brown | Read by Brené Brown

Random House Audio | Unabridged
Business & Finance

Researcher, public speaker, and podcaster Brené Brown narrates this comprehensive guide to courageous leadership with her signature warmth and clarity. Drawing from decades of research and global experience, Brown offers practical insights on leading with authenticity, humility, and connection. Her personable narration sounds like a conversation with a trusted mentor--engaging,... Read More

STRONGWOOD: AN AUDIO CRIME DOSSIER

STRONGWOOD: AN AUDIO CRIME DOSSIER The Minnesota Mysteries, Book 7

Earphones Award Winner

by Larry Millett | Read by Anna Baker, David Andrew MacDonald, Emma Bjornson, Jay Albright, Michelle Myers Berg, Olivia Osol, Steve Hendrickson

Spoken Realms | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

Listeners are treated to a well-produced, full-cast production with fitting sound effects. The result is a captivating listening experience. Set in early-twentieth-century Minneapolis, the story unfolds through multiple points of view conveyed through journals, newspaper articles, letters, and court proceedings. The tale of Addie Strongwood, accused of murdering her beau,... Read More

SUMMERHOUSE

SUMMERHOUSE

by Yigit Karaahmet, Nicholas Glastonbury [Trans.] | Read by George Guidall

Recorded Books | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

George Guidall evokes resentment and obsession in this queer thriller, set on the isolated Turkish island Büyükada. Fehmi and ener have spent 40 years in love. Yet despite having an intimate group of friends, the men have hidden their marriage, living as "retired companions" with bitterness bubbling under the surface. When Deniz and his family move in next door for the summer,... Read More

SUMMERS IN SQUID TICKLE

SUMMERS IN SQUID TICKLE A Newfoundland Odyssey

by Robert Finch | Read by Rick Adamson

Tantor Media | Unabridged
Biography & Memoir

There's nothing easy about narrating Finch's memoir of his 20 summers spent in Burnside, a small town on the Newfoundland coast. Finch reflects on his conversations with the locals and the slow, almost imperceptible, changes in the community over the years. As narrator, Rick Adamson has to keep the story marching forward even though it feels like "Groundhog Day"--each summer is... Read More

THE SUNSHINE MAN

THE SUNSHINE MAN

by Emma Stonex | Read by Edward Rowe, Meg Salter

Penguin Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Edward Rowe and Meg Salter narrate this immersive psychological thriller. Birdie, portrayed by Salter, is preparing to avenge her sister's death after 18 long years. Jimmy Maguire, portrayed by Rowe, has been released from prison, and Birdie is determined to make him pay for killing her. As she pursues him, armed with a pistol, years of betrayal and family secrets catch up to... Read More

SWALLOWS

SWALLOWS

by Natsuo Kirino, Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda [Trans.] | Read by Allison Hiroto

Recorded Books | Unabridged
Fiction

Allison Hiroto portrays a contemporary 29-year-old woman who is trying to make ends meet in Tokyo. Although it's illegal to donate her eggs for remuneration, that seems to be the only way Riki can climb out of her financial rut. But what was intended to be a simple transaction becomes complicated when she's asked to be a surrogate, the biological father is in question, and the... Read More

SYMPATHY TOWER TOKYO

SYMPATHY TOWER TOKYO

by Rie Qudan, Jesse Kirkwood [Trans.] | Read by Hanako Footman

Simon & Schuster Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Hanako Footman's light tone perfectly contrasts with this chilling speculative fiction, which examines artificial intelligence, technology, and concepts of justice. Thirty-seven-year-old Sara Machina is the architect of the controversial Sympathy Tower Tokyo, a luxury residence for criminals whom society now sees as having been victims of their circumstances. Footman exercises... Read More

TAILORED REALITIES

TAILORED REALITIES

Earphones Award Winner

by Brandon Sanderson | Read by André Santana, Avi Roque, Dion Graham, Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick, Imani Jade Powers, January LaVoy, MacLeod Andrews, Michael Kramer, Ray Porter, Shahjehan Khan, Stephanie Németh-Parker

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Science Fiction

A dynamic ensemble of all-star narrators brings to life these stories assembled--and in one case, published--for the first time. Representing Sanderson's writing experimentation and growth over the course of 25 years, they feature worlds in which reality is unstable and characters move freely through simulations, universes, and bodies. The narrators are impressively well... Read More

TAYLOR'S VERSION

TAYLOR'S VERSION The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift

by Stephanie Burt | Read by Janina Edwards

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Contemporary Culture

Janina Edwards narrates this exploration of the musical phenomenon that is Taylor Swift--her lyrics and what it is about her music that makes her both relatable and aspirational. When author Stephanie Burt created a university course on Taylor Swift and her lyrics, the poetry scholar didn't expect hundreds of people to show up on the first day. Expanding upon Burt's lectures,... Read More

A TERRIBLY NASTY BUSINESS

A TERRIBLY NASTY BUSINESS A Beatrice Steele Novel

by Julia Seales | Read by Fiona Hampton

Random House Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

Fiona Hampton creates a panoply of amusing and sinister voices for the residents of Sweetbriar, budding detective Beatrice Steele's new London neighborhood. This second installment of screenwriter Searles's engaging Regency mysteries finds our intrepid heroine ostensibly searching for a wealthy husband, while actually working with Inspector Drake at their newly opened... Read More

THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR

THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR

by Leah Johnson, George M. Johnson | Read by Eric Lockley, Khaya Fraites

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Young Adult

A young adult holiday story is told through the perspectives of Dominique, portrayed by Eric Lockley, and Andy, portrayed by Khaya Fraites. On New Year's Day, Andy wakes up in a bathtub and then discovers her car is missing. The only person who can help her find it is Iris, whose family is responsible for the closing of Andy's family's store. While Andy and Iris search for the... Read More

THIEF OF NIGHT

THIEF OF NIGHT The Charlatan Duology, Book 2

Earphones Award Winner

by Holly Black | Read by Jonathan Davis, Sara Amini, Vikas Adam

Macmillan Audio | Unabridged
Fantasy

Sara Amini returns to narrate the majority of the second book in the Charlatan Duology. Charlie's lover, the powerful shadow Vince, lost his memories of their time together after becoming tethered to her. Amini's narration captures Charlie's trademark cynicism, as well as her heartbreak and feelings of vulnerability as she struggles with having a shadow that doesn't care about... Read More

THE THIRTEEN DOORS OF BLACK HOUSE

THE THIRTEEN DOORS OF BLACK HOUSE

by Laura Lavoie | Read by Natalie Duke

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Children

Narrator Natalie Duke is excellent in this spooky, funny, and fast-paced listen. Twelve-year-old Maya Murtagh is on a mission to fix her relationship with her best friend and writing partner. She also wants to find a story that earns her a regular column in her school's newspaper. The perfect story presents itself when her family visits Black House Mansion, the former home of... Read More

THIS IS THE ONLY KINGDOM

THIS IS THE ONLY KINGDOM

by Jaquira Díaz | Read by Almarie Guerra

Hachette Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Listeners will be moved as bilingual narrator Almarie Guerra delivers this family saga, which takes place in a barrio in Puerto Rico and in South Beach, Miami. The coming-of-age story follows Maricarmen, a Latina who marries a Black musician who is a kind of Robin Hood figure in their poor community. When he's killed by police, he leaves his youthful widow to cope with raising... Read More

THIS WAY TO HAPPY

THIS WAY TO HAPPY

by Alison Green Myers | Read by Sagan Chen, Alison Green Myers

Listening Library | Unabridged
Children

Narrator Sagan Chen creates an energetic voice for Reilly, who works with her family each summer, running the Rhoades Family Amusement Park. After her grandpa, the park's visionary, passes away, the rest of the Rhoades family tries to carry on, but nothing is the same. Chen captures Reilly's emotions when her grandma has a fall and needs heart surgery, causing even more... Read More

TODAY WAS FUN

TODAY WAS FUN A Book About Work (Seriously)

by Bree Groff | Read by Bree Groff

Page Two | Unabridged
Business & Finance

Presenting this liberating guide, the author, a corporate consultant, sounds like anything but as she asks listeners to lighten up and have a good time at work. Her cute personal stories, spontaneous writing style, and training examples are infectious, making the case that we'd all be happier and more productive with a looser and more joyous approach to whatever work we're... Read More

THE TREASURE OF OCEAN PARKWAY

THE TREASURE OF OCEAN PARKWAY

by Sarvenaz Tash | Read by Nikki Massoud

Listening Library | Unabridged
Children

Contemporary Brooklyn is home to a diverse group of characters voiced by Nikki Massoud in this middle-grade mystery with a slight fantasy twist. In this second installment, amateur sleuths Roya and Amin are approached by their neighbor and fellow classmate, 12-year-old Thea, to find the treasure left in their building by her estranged grandfather. Showcasing her skills, Massoud... Read More

TURNS OF FATE

TURNS OF FATE Isle of Wyrd, Book 1

by Anne Bishop | Read by Jesse Vilinsky

Penguin Audio | Unabridged
Fantasy

Jesse Vilinsky narrates an episodic urban fantasy with strong elements of a police procedural. Over the course of a year, Detective Beth Fahey interacts with both the humans of Penwych and the Arcane of Wyrd. In doing so, she also learns more about herself and her mysterious past. Central to the island of Wyrd is the maxim: "Words have power; intentions matter." Vilinsky... Read More

TWICE

TWICE

by Mitch Albom | Read by Mitch Albom

Harper Audio | Unabridged
Fiction

Bestselling author Mitch Albom narrates his imaginative novel about love, loss, and second chances. Albom's background in broadcasting makes him a creditable narrator who proves adept at portraying his characters. At an early age, Alfie discovers that he gets to have do-overs in his life. But he can only relive an episode once, and there are other rules, as well, including one... Read More

TWO PERFECT COUPLES

TWO PERFECT COUPLES

by Renita D'Silva | Read by Melissa Advani

Bolinda Audio | Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense

Narrator Melissa Advani captures a mother's worst nightmare when her child goes missing during a family holiday in India. Struggling with doubts about her husband's faithfulness and her own mental health, Jo begins receiving threatening texts shortly before the trip abroad with her husband's business partner and his family. When her son disappears from their rental cottage,... Read More

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