New Reviews by Title: U-Z

Podcast host and life coach Mary Marantz narrates her exceptional guide in a tone that fits the diligent research and personal introspection that make it so helpful. Sounding at once humble and confident, her vocal character inspires openness to her thinking about how creative people can become productive and fulfilled. She surveys fascinating research on how achievement is... Read More

This is the ideal audiobook for those who enjoy literate, dark family dramas with a gothic vibe. The crisp, posh English voice of Nathalie Buscombe introduces a quartet of young women whose lives are ruined by a freak shooting accident and the destructive aftermath that follows. Lonely, middle-class Gillian longs to be a part of the social elite, who are represented by the... Read More

Carly Robins's warm, expressive narration suits this delightful rom-com set mainly in New York City. Therapist Nora's life is filled with work; time spent with her best friend, Dane; and caring for her lovable, anxious dog, George. In the seven years she has been anonymously writing an advice column for a London publication, she has struck up a friendship with her copy editor,... Read More

Narrator Aoife McMahon returns to masterfully draw listeners into this multilayered police procedural featuring DI Cormac Reilly. In Ireland, it's not unusual for ancient bodies to surface in bogs--but this one is the victim of a recent murder. Reilly and his colleagues peel back layers of lies to uncover what happened, a task that is further complicated by a string of copycat... Read More

This audiobook, a rom-com lover's dream come true, is brought to life by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Lee Osorio. Hutchinson-Shaw is easy to listen to as she convincingly depicts Sawyer's emotions while adding depth and impact to the story. The chemistry between Sawyer and Mason is undeniable, and Hutchinson-Shaw delivers a nuanced performance as the saucy foil to Mason's brooding.... Read More

When a rich Washingtonian known for his parties is murdered, John Mahoney, former Speaker of the House, discovers that the president of the United States could be involved. Joe DeMarco, a Washington fixer, is brought in to get to the bottom of the scandal while an aide works to stop him. Joe Barrett portrays the characters well, providing an engaged tone as the narrator, a... Read More

The year is 1756; the French and English are at war. Esther Wane narrates this fantasy, which combines elements of "The Little Mermaid" and "Cinderella" with some pirate lore. Luce is the youngest daughter of a rich Frenchman who is discovering many things about herself, including her origins and her ability to do magic. Luce begins this tale as a naïve girl, and Wane guides... Read More

It's possible that another performer could make this delicious audiobook more fun than Harriet Walter has, but hard to see how. "The usual desire to kill" is the emotion felt by two English sisters who are trying to cope with their aging and blithely infuriating parents who have moved themselves to a ramshackle stone house in rural France. Walter's astringent delivery is... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Soneela Nankani takes on this paranormal thriller set in an alternative New York City of the mid-1800s. Nankani takes on the role of Miss Radhika Dhingra, a newly minted lawyer of South Indian heritage with a hard shell and the need to overcome racial prejudice. Dhingra's first client is the undead Mr. Evelyn More, a 400-year-old vampire who has been... Read More

Listeners join Alex Carter, wildlife biologist and conservationist, as she accepts an assignment to research the endangered jaguar on a protected reserve in New Mexico, where she discovers that a white supremacist group is threatening locals. When the group learns of the potential impact of Alex's studies, her life is soon in danger. Eva Kaminsky's stylish narration is... Read More

Vera Wong is back, bringing with her characters from Sutanto's previous audiobook, along with a host of new suspects and friends. Narrator Eunice Wong turns in another stellar performance, ensuring that this second audiobook featuring the 60-year-old Chinese mother and self-styled super sleuth is just as entertaining and thought-provoking as the first. This time, Vera gets... Read More

Most histories of the Tudor era focus on royals and their male underlings, but this absorbing audiobook takes a fresh look at the women who served Henry VIII's queens. Ladies-in-waiting fade into the background of most accounts, but in this introduction author Nicola Clark takes a firm feminist stand, reopening the narratives of their varied and complicated roles during the... Read More

Narrator Caroline Hewitt's approach to this audiobook is gentle but skilled. She provides a warm yet ultimately moving performance about a woman's journey, both geographical and emotional. Veronica is traveling in Europe, searching for insights into her ancestors. Her first stop, an Irish castle, includes an encounter with Niall, a fellow foodie and kindred spirit. Actual... Read More

Isuri Wijesundara's smooth delivery and pleasant voice provide an interesting counterpoint for the scandalous lives of Andy Warhol's "superstars." The 10 women portrayed before, during, and after their relationships with Warhol and his legendary Factory are the stuff of tabloids. These women from privileged backgrounds shared a desire to be "bad" and gave themselves willingly... Read More

This engrossing audiobook describing the post-WWII trash trade will transform every listeners' attitude toward waste. Narrator Greg Lockett's fast and focused delivery matches the author's vivid descriptions of the communities that serve as dumping grounds for wealthier nations' radioactive waste, toxic and banned chemicals, trash, and "recycled" plastic. The author, who... Read More

An upfront caution: The plot of this audiobook revolves around a serial rapist and includes intense first-person accounts from both the perpetrator's and victims' points of view. Set in New Zealand, the story is brought to life by three talented narrators. Clare, who has been commissioned to write a book about convicted rapist and killer Travis Crill, serves as the primary... Read More

Jenna Coleman's skilled narration elevates this heartfelt and hilarious family drama. Lila attempts to co-parent her kids with her ex-husband, who left her. Her oldest daughter has been skipping school, and her sweet and grieving stepfather has quietly moved into their home, which is in constant need of repair. Lila faces writer's block and is navigating the complexities of... Read More

Author and narrator James Robinson combines his documentary filmmaking skills and familiarity with audiobooks to render his experience with serious visual disability in audio. Sound effects immerse the listener in Robinson's memories, like the ticking of the school clock as impatient classmates wait while he struggles to read. Slow pacing reflects the gravity of each memory. He... Read More

Elizabeth Lamont's lively performance transports listeners to the Netherlands in this second-chance romance, which also includes a marriage of convenience. When a workplace relationship goes south, American Dani loses both her job and her boyfriend, and impulsively takes a new position in Amsterdam. There she runs into Wouter, her first love, who lived with Dani's family as an... Read More

In this hopeful audiobook, the soft-spoken author asks 20 diverse experts what's needed to slow down climate change. The people she interviews share their well-informed views, and three of them--the additional narrators--narrate their own poems and other writing. Together, they make this lengthy production a fast-moving joy to hear. Rather than being discouraged about the... Read More

Retired basketball coach George Raveling's audiobook is a road map to living a productive life. He says that can be achieved by reading, giving, listening, and doing everything you can to leave the world a better place. Golden Voice JD Jackson handles the reflective audiobook with the right amount of emotion. It's not a memoir, but Raveling describes his upbringing and lays out... Read More

Narrating his audiobook, author Graydon Carter devotes several chapters to his early years, beginning in Toronto and ending with college in Ottawa. Though his accent is subtle, there's no doubt that those formative years in Canada had a profound impact on him and his career. He credits his parents with teaching him values, his Canadian education with honing his editorial... Read More

Wil Wheaton narrates the newest comic sci-fi novel by John Scalzi. When the moon unexpectedly turns to cheese, humanity has to deal with the aftereffects. Wheaton chronicles the reactions of a sweeping cross-section of Americans during the first lunar cycle post-change: Scientists and government officials, billionaires and moguls, cheesemongers and retirees--literally everyone... Read More

Narrated primarily by Helen Laser, this fast-paced horror story starts with a bang. Jess, a struggling actress, finds a scared 5-year-old boy hiding outside her apartment. When the boy's angry father attempts to retrieve him, a monstrous creature attacks Jess's neighbors and roommate, leaving behind death and destruction. Jess has no choice but to take the boy and run, but... Read More

Golden Voice Ramón de Ocampo, who narrated each of the author's memoirs, delivers this hard-hitting YA novel in verse. De Ocampo guides listeners on its emotional journey, using the genre's rhythms to illuminate the relationship between high school seniors Diego and his best friend, Lawson. De Ocampo's poignant delivery highlights the contrast between anxious, rule-following,... Read More

Joan Baez fans of a certain age will cherish this sweeping collection of poems about her life, her friends, and her sensitive reactions to the world around her. Because this is a personal diary, only the author could have delivered this writing with such arresting impact. Baez's timbre may reveal her stage of life, but it expresses the gravitas you'd expect from one of the... Read More

It takes just the right narrator to weave a story of the world ending. Eunice Wong proves up to the task in this fascinating audiobook. In Nayler's gripping cybernetic thriller, governments across Europe start to crumble when their AI leaders begin to fail. Wong skillfully brings to life a handful of characters who get caught up in the turmoil of a deteriorating Europe. She... Read More

Sophie Jo Wasson transports listeners to Ireland in 1847 with her poignant performance. Like many throughout the country, Nell's family's potato crop is infected with a black rot that makes the potatoes inedible. Farmers are forced to choose between paying their rent from the sale of their oat crops, or feeding their families and facing eviction. Amid those tragedies, Nell and... Read More

Octogenarian Eliza Pickney is the matriarch of her vast homestead in the lush South Carolina Low Country, and her plan to preserve the family land in a conservancy disrupts her descendants' expectation of inheritance. The story unfolds in two timelines: Jenna Lamia charmingly narrates Eliza's stories from her early life, while Cassandra Campbell superbly portrays Eliza in her... Read More

Narrator Esther Wane provides an outsider perspective in this unconventional historical romance featuring a lady's maid who is posing as her mistress, the fiancée of an unconscious duke. Wane perpetuates Adelaide's deception in an elegant, textured voice with an ironic undertone, reflecting her many experiences traveling the world. Rhett, the duke's wastrel younger brother, has... Read More

Think the federal civil service is filled with pencil-pushing drones? This collection of essays--curated by Michael Lewis and narrated by their authors--will quickly disabuse you of that notion. Casey Cep uses a journalistic tone that, nonetheless, conveys her genuine admiration for a remarkable Veterans Affairs employee who has devoted his life to honoring fallen soldiers. For... Read More

Savannah Peachwood and Connor Crais deliver swoon-worthy performances in this small-town contemporary romance. Camille had always planned to marry and cement her daughter's future--until her groom failed to show up for their wedding. Now, Dusty is done traveling and is finally home and ready for a second chance with Camille. Both narrators add passion and nuance to their... Read More

This eco-thriller is set on a research island near Antarctica. Saskia Maarleveled portrays Rowan, a woman who washes up on the island half-dead. Steve West depicts the island's caretaker, Dom. Cooper Mortlock portrays 9-year-old Orly. Kat Littrell voices teenagers Fen and Raff, along with scientist Alex. As Rowan's injuries heal, she suspects that there's something the... Read More

Sophie McKnight, portrayed by Karenna Foley and Lachlan Campbell, portrayed by Nathaniel Priestley, alternate narrating this knightly tale set in Loren Brae in the Scottish Highlands. Having inherited Loren Brae, its castle, and a knighthood in the Magickal Order of Caledonia, Sophie travels to the Highlands. Lachlan, a prickly Scot who is the castle's manager, is surprised,... Read More

While the onset of adolescence is traumatic enough in itself, the young protagonist in this eerie audiobook ends up facing so much more. Narrator Nick Mondelli captures the confusion of a preteen boy whose perfect life in coastal South Carolina is thrown into turmoil at the appearance of his mother's estranged father, whose overly long stay leads to tension between his parents.... Read More

Elizabeth Wiley narrates this extensive biography based on new research on the French artist Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) as if it were a wondrous adventure tale. Gauguin began as a Post-Impressionist and Symbolist but is best known for his unique paintings of Tahitian women and his tumultuous friendship with Van Gogh. Discovering art in his early 30s, he freed himself from his... Read More

Aoife McMahon and Aidan Kelly manifest a pantheon of Irish gods in this enchanting story of family and loss. After killing dozens with a never-ending frost, Cailleach is forced to live multiple lives to learn the responsibility of godhood. Newly human and fragile, Cailleach forms unshakable bonds with a small dog, several lovers, and her daughter--only to lose them again and... Read More

British narrator Penelope Rawlins gives her American accents some exercise in voicing FBI Agent Kimberley Reynolds in this Rivers of London urban fantasy series. The Oklahoma native recounts her adventure with a slight twang, which Rawlins smoothes out for the Upper Midwest characters Kimberley encounters in her investigation of strange occurrences in northern Wisconsin.... Read More

Duet narrators Zara Hampton-Brown and Shane East pair well together in this romantasy set in an alternative Scotland. Princess Aurora rejects a loveless betrothal in England, instead making a pact with a Scottish clan leader who is a wolf changeling. Hampton-Brown uses an arch tone and a British accent for Aurora, a jaded campaigner who must quickly absorb the intricacies of... Read More

This moving audiobook is a tribute to the women of Ireland who championed reproductive rights and changed the laws of a country where all forms of birth control were prohibited in the 1970s. It's not merely a polemical piece; it's a poignant, heartwarming novel about Irish women from different backgrounds who formed deep attachments to one another and to the cause of... Read More

In fascinating detail, this audiobook reveals the life of Woodrow Wilson, including his opposition to racial equality and women's right to vote. Narrated by Jonathan Davis, the biography highlights the many traits that made Wilson a leader, while also exposing the contradictions that have made him such an interesting and ultimately controversial figure. Davis is an excellent... Read More

Max Meyers's performance of Yoko Ono's biography works because it's done with a reporter's professionalism--minus the invisible eye rolls. The audiobook offers an insightful examination of the controversial woman John Lennon not only loved, but also respected as an artist. Born to a wealthy but loveless Japanese family, she found her life shattered when Japan was devastated by... Read More

Podcaster Kelsey McKinney offers up an entertaining analysis of gossip. Using research, opinion, and her own personal experiences, McKinney digs beneath the surface of "spilling the tea" and takes a passionate, captivating, and bubbly approach to her narration. In a casual tone, she introduces a history of gossip and its contributions throughout generations, as well as the... Read More

A cast of narrators bring their talents to this psychological thriller about three neighbors--wealthy women with deep, dark secrets. Their friendship is tenuous and fraught with jealousies, and alliances shift based on actions and reactions. The bulk of the narration is done by Elizabeth Knowelden as Margot, Moira Quick as Anna, and Clare Corbett as Liv, the newest neighbor.... Read More

Micaela Blei's narration of her 2006 experience with a Divine Feminine course is expressive, touching, and humorous. Through "Moth"-style storytelling, she shares how the self-help class transformed her confidence and approach to life, especially in finding love. At the time, Blei loved her work as a third-grade teacher, but her lack of a love life kept her from feeling truly... Read More

In this outstanding guide to all aspects of managing people, an international executive coach and former Microsoft insider explains her approach to becoming all you can be as a developer of people. She narrates her ideas and suggestions with authenticity and confidence. Combined with her accessible thinking and vivid examples, the clarity and compassion in her performance will... Read More

Narrators January LaVoy and Shayna Small deliver vivid, highly animated, and thoughtfully developed performances in this audiobook. The saga begins in 1865 with a couple separated by slavery and war and makes its way to the present day and a new couple. Thanks to the skilled narrators, the wide array of characters come to life whether they're speaking in 1865, the 21st century,... Read More