New Reviews by Title: E-J

The author intent for this audiobook is to present her interpretation of the Founding Fathers' vision for our nation at a time when Americans may welcome being reminded of what we're all about. However, the fact that her sources include popular websites, encyclopedias, and Wikipedia does not inspire one's full confidence in her discussion. Nelson also narrates, and her voice... Read More

Berman's audiobook is filled with details of past cataclysms, present- day near-cataclysms, and possible future cataclysms. Narrator Peter Ganim navigates listeners through colliding galaxies, solar storms, and gamma-ray bombardments on earth with ease and confidence as he details scientific findings about the Big Bang theory and its present-day consequences. Berman's... Read More

This program--dubbed "a movie in your mind" by the publisher--is one of the most immersive audio experiences available. Expanding on the character Lift's story, this STORMLIGHT ARCHIVE novella ties up some loose ends between WORDS OF RADIANCE and OATHBRINGER. Narrated by Terence Aselford and a full cast, the story comes alive with background music and stimulating sound effects... Read More

Michael Urie narrates this novel about author James Smale, whose big break comes when the novel inspired by his dysfunctional family is picked up by Jackie Kennedy Onassis, an editor at a major publishing house. The story moves back and forth between the novel, his actual family's story, and interactions with his famous editor. Urie's performance is inconsistent. He captures... Read More

Fred Sanders's narration provides a comforting yet informed tone to Richtel's fascinating discussion of the human immune system, the biological realities of humanity, and why some suffer illness while others stay healthy despite their environments. Throughout, Richtel's audiobook is anchored by four compelling stories of individuals negotiating medical challenges, including a... Read More

Tommy Tomlinson narrates his audiobook in a voice filled with the honest heart and soul-baring courage of his writing. Tomlinson, diagnosed as morbidly obese, grew up in a loving household, a love demonstrated through meals. He discusses openly his experiences of having to navigate a world not built for people his size. He describes his reflexive ability to consume food, a... Read More

The Texas-based setting of this audiobook makes everything about it just a bit different, from its twangy style to its unusual, but engaging, Southern charm. Narrator Christopher Ryan Grant recognizes the need to include a downhome accent and wit in every scene, ensuring that Joe Lansdale's relatively short audiobook is enjoyable listening. The investigative duo of Hap and... Read More

Narrator Walter Dixon contributes a grounded, easy-to-hear performance that fits Marc Agronin's professional stature and message. The geriatric psychiatrist and WALL STREET JOURNAL contributor shows how people in their later years can shrug off decline and seize opportunities to live more fully. Dixon's relaxed confidence keeps listeners tuned in as the doctor's inspiring... Read More

Narrator Eric Paulins does a serviceable job with this audiobook, whose central debate is over which symbol we want to best represent our nation--the open frontier or the border wall. He is easy to understand and presents each word flawlessly, using a low-pitched voice with a slightly nasal tone. Paulins also succeeds at putting some emotion behind his narration to push this... Read More

Caroline McLaughlin narrates the story Congressman Norman Mineta's WWII experience in a serious tone. In response to war hysteria and anti-Japanese sentiment, the U.S. government imprisoned more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans in hastily constructed internment camps. Many were U.S. citizens. In 1941, fourth-grader Norman, his parents, and his four siblings were forcibly removed... Read More

Amber Tamblyn authentically delivers her memoir, but that doesn't mean it's enjoyable. She explores questions of female identity and place amid the social hierarchy in the age of #MeToo and also discusses how these questions have impacted her own sense of self, her relationship with her husband, and her growing daughter. Her delivery is often languid, and even when she's... Read More

How splendid that the audiobook celebrating the titular character, who is a storyteller, is offered to us by two talented narrators. Cynthia Farrell and Timothy Pabon share the narrative responsibility here, and the result is outstanding. Farrell's performance is richly textured and brimming with enthusiasm. Her voice has a resonant quality that gives it depth; her narration of... Read More

Narrator Andrew Eiden will thrill listeners with his smooth transitions between the organized heroine and the Quebecois hero in this contemporary sports romance. For Amy Callahan, the hits just keep coming, but when a French-speaking hockey player comes to her rescue, things begin to look up. But if the well-meaning Emile isn't careful, his overprotective tendencies might ruin... Read More

Narrator Emily Eiden has a flair for portraying 7- to 10-year-olds. Abby has just moved to Smithville and is highly disgruntled about it. When she and her younger brother, Jonah, explore their new basement, a mysterious mirror whisks them into a deep and dark forest. There they meet a most uncooperative and grumpy woman, a girl named Snow, and some remarkable miniature people.... Read More

Narrator Oliver Wyman has the difficult task of engaging listeners with this audiobook's grim tidings on climate change and pending social collapse. The sobering introduction, read by the author, renowned environmentalist Bill McKibben, warns listeners not to expect unwarranted hope. While McKibben is cautiously optimistic about renewable energy and the power of the people,... Read More

Narrator Karissa Vacker brings impeccable timing and pacing to this hilarious story about how people change. Holly has been reflecting on her former days on the popular kids' show "Diego and the Lion's Den"--so much so that the subreddit thread she started on the topic has landed her in "Internet rehab." Vacker's steady tone mirrors Holly's thoughts and flashbacks to "the old... Read More

The hard-working folks at GraphicAudio once again make the difficult seem easy in their creation of a comic book made of sound. In just one audiobook, they do more with the Fantastic Four than three big-budget Hollywood films did. The characters sound like the Fantastic Four would sound, which is pretty hard to do--just look at The Thing in any of the films for comparison.... Read More

Monika Felice Smith's youthful voice has a slight rasp, matching the personality of 12-year-old CJ, who is both worldly-wise and naïve. For some years, CJ has traveled the country with her aunt, a medium, who periodically channels CJ's late mother. Smith expresses CJ's can-do attitude toward driving a truck with a stick shift, planning a route anywhere in the country, and... Read More

In this debut audiobook, women carrying surrogate pregnancies submit to constant monitoring and near total isolation at the titular farm in exchange for nine months of luxury and a hefty sum. Narrator Fran de Leon uses accents and tone to differentiate between the points of view of several characters. Some of de Leon's characterizations are more effective than others. Filipina... Read More

Narrator Katherine Littrell deftly re-creates the sophomore year of Fat Angie and her friends after her sister's death in Iraq. Because she's overweight and lesbian, Angie is targeted for extreme bullying at her high school. Littrell gamely overcomes choppy, unrealistic writing to portray troubled Angie, her angry mother, and diverse friends. Especially moving is Littrell's... Read More

A small village in Ireland, classical music, and a garden show may appear harmless; however, listeners will find the body count soon starts to rise in this audiobook. Helen Duff narrates with confidence and brings to life the wide cast of larger-than-life characters, including Gethsemane Brown, an African-American classical musician, and Eamon, a friendly ghost. Duff's talent... Read More

With her painstaking research, author-narrator Amanda Little is sounding alarm bells on the planet's dwindling food supply. She is a compelling narrator of this comprehensive look at crop and animal raising; her steady and stern tone reflects the harmful ways that humans are using our water and land. This audiobook may come across as information overload for listeners who are... Read More

Listeners over 50 will enjoy this review of the major political and cultural changes that have occurred during their lifetime--from the resignation of Nixon to the improbable ascendance of Trump. Narrator Fajer Al-Kaisi is a capable guide who moves the audiobook along at a brisk and confident pace. He plays it straight except for a mischievous imitation of Ronald Reagan, and... Read More

Narrator Julia Whelan's tone is just right for this intimate look at Hollywood's Golden Age. A lovely tribute, this dual biography describes the lives of Riskin's parents. Her mother, actress Fay Wray, made over 120 films and is best remembered for being the beauty the beast falls for in KING KONG. Her father, Academy Award-winning producer and screenwriter Robert Riskin, is... Read More

"I don't want to make photographs, I want to make windows," says the subject of this fictional biography of a street photographer, single mother, and provocateur who set out to make a name for herself in the late 1950s-early 1960s New York arts scene. Using a natural and direct delivery, and with the help of a few veteran narrators, author Myla Goldberg deftly takes up much of... Read More

Author Molly Harper and narrator Amanda Ronconi are a match made in audio heaven. In the small town of Lake Sackett, Georgia, Margot has recently discovered her long-lost family, owners of McCready's Bait Shop and Funeral Homes. She's also fallen in love with the town's school principal, Kyle. Then she discovers she's pregnant, a situation that accelerates the need for a... Read More

James Fouhey delivers an entertaining narration of Philippe's debut novel about Norris Kaplan, a black French-Canadian teenager who is reluctantly relocated to Austin, Texas, because of his parents' divorce and his mom's new job. Fouhey injects Norris's voice with the usual teenage snark, amplified by his judgmental "lasting first impressions" of the teens and culture of the... Read More

Two narrators deliver alternating chapters, portraying characters who are linked by an odd situation and by their determination to understand their futures. British narrator Anthony Mark Barrow depicts Hugo, one of a set of sextuplets. His clipped speech hints at the emotional depth beneath his words. When his girlfriend, Margaret Campbell, breaks up with him, leaving him with... Read More

It's difficult to imagine a better narrator than Natascha McElhone for this exploration of how art, music, writing, science, and love intersect across time and space, folding in on themselves and changing our worldviews and self-images. McElhone's soft voice and poetic cadence guide listeners into the personal and professional lives of groundbreaking women such as astronomer... Read More

Narrator Rebecca Soler returns for the final installment in the Caraval trilogy, and with the Fates free, the stakes are higher than ever. While Soler's characterization of Scarlett was soft and motherly at the beginning of the series, the listener now hears her passion and desperation as she must fight for those she loves. Tella began as reckless and aloof, but here Soler... Read More

Political adviser Valerie Jarrett delivers her memoir of her experiences in the Obama administration in an even conversational tone that suits the text. As narrator, she exudes a confidence that makes her sound like someone capable and steady. These are clearly traits that served her well when she was at the center of hurly-burly Chicago politics and then in the trenches in... Read More

Lisa Flanagan welcomes listeners back to the Endling world with her second narration in this series. She meets the challenge of new characters and maintains fluidity and connection with those listeners already know. The main character, Byx, who recounts the adventure, believes herself to be an endling--the last of her species. Flanagan gives her a range of tones that express... Read More

An ensemble cast of narrators gives each student in this 1990s high school drama a unique voice that reflects each character. The story is told through the notes passed between students. Sound effects, such as the opening of a note and the scratching of a pencil on paper at the beginning of each chapter, help set the scenes. Narrator Taylor Spreitler creates a striking voice... Read More

Narrator Joel Richards has a rich story before him, and he presents it in the perfect tone. That means that on rare occasion he imitates--appropriately--one of the many subjects interviewed. Most of the time he narrates with an interested and incredulous voice, using slight accents here and there. Jeff Pearlman has written a fascinating, comprehensive, and laugh-out-loud... Read More

Poet Richard Blanco discusses important aspects of his life, commenting in particular on being an openly gay Latino immigrant and on having been named an inaugural poet by President Barack Obama. He also talks about struggling to find his place in America as a new immigrant. This short work features four poems, narrated in a haunting tone. "Where did I come from? Where do I... Read More

Narrator Soneela Nankani delivers a powerful performance of two teens who are on a path to healing and self-discovery. Kat King has just survived an attempted rape, and now even her physical strength as a jujitsu champion isn't enough to make her feel safe around men. Nankani captures Kat's fear, anger, and desperate compassion as she works to help other survivors during a... Read More

This audiobook chronicles the battles freed slaves faced as they sought to exercise their new rights after the Civil War. Of particular menace was the recently created Ku Klux Klan. Federal efforts to thwart the Klan were led by the Secret Service and its controversial leader, Hiram Whitley--"the man who masterminded America's first war on terror." Jonathan Yen is an engaging... Read More

Bailey Carr narrates this charming school story about the social repercussions of fads. When visiting her grandfather at an old factory building he recently purchased, Grace finds boxes filled with thousands of buttons, which he happily lets her take. Grace brings some to school for show and tell and inadvertently starts a schoolwide trend. Though her classmates are interested... Read More

Actor Tembi Locke narrates her memoir in a smooth, warm voice that carries the listener through her story of falling in love with Saro, an engaging Sicilian chef, his early death from cancer, and how time with his family helped heal her intense grief. Locke's memoir frequently shifts timeframes, alternately voicing the devastation of his death and the joy of their life... Read More

Film historian McGilligan offers the first full biography of comedy icon Mel Brooks. Narrator Stephen Hoye picks up on McGilligan's snarky tone, delivering the numerous negatives about the mercurial writer/actor/director/producer with admirable objectivity. Brooks, the comedy genius who created YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, BLAZING SADDLES, and THE PRODUCERS, was also a fractious... Read More

Narrator Hillary Huber uses a slow, even pace and authoritative tone in her narration of this twisted true-crime story set in Alabama. What makes this audiobook even more engaging is that it is also a literary biography of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD's Harper Lee, who leaves an unfinished manuscript based on the incidents. That manuscript, THE REVEREND, was supposed to be similar to... Read More

George Newbern does a fantastic job narrating this wonderful dive into a college athletic rivalry set amid the political unrest of the 1960s. It's been more than 50 years since the famed 1968 Harvard-Yale football game, an Ivy League match that caught both schools having great seasons. Newbern narrates with the tone of a storyteller and shapes each sentence with the perfect... Read More

Peter Kenny narrates Claire North's mind-blowing, genre-defying audio trilogy. In the first story, the characters are from almost every country because the setting is the mystical Gameshouse, which can appear practically anywhere in the world. Kenny must switch between voices as the players play life-or-death versions of childhood games. One game of hide-and-seek takes place in... Read More

Despite an earnest and effective narration by Neil Shah, this audiobook is a slog. It is long, often turgid, and almost overwhelmed by Hindi quotes that make the work nearly inaccessible. The subtitle--"The Many Pasts of an Indian River"--hints at the audiobook's diversity: It is at once a collection of myths, an exegesis of texts, and a cultural history. Author Sudipta Sen... Read More

Narrator Mandy Williams has many different characters to master in this new fantasy series, Lord of the Islands. Principal among them is Katarina, who is denied her legacy as heir to the throne at 16 because of her gender and forced to marry. But soon after, she murders her husband--and begins her campaign to win the throne. Williams also delivers three subplots in which male... Read More

Heather Wilds delivers an intense narration that never slows down. Emmeline St. Germaine, in the guise of the "Avengeress," sneaks through nighttime London of 1810 to rescue a 13-year-old scullery maid from being raped at knifepoint by her master, Sir Henry Claybourne. The next morning Emmeline awakens to the news that Sir Henry has been murdered--with the Avengeress as the... Read More

Carrington MacDuffie's narration of this audiobook is first-class. Carys, a rare-book authenticator, seeks to uncover clues hidden in the ancient journal of a monk that may lead to the location of King Arthur's grave. Add to this an appearance by said monk, and listeners know they are joining a fast-paced adventure. MacDuffie's pacing allows the interweaving plots to unfold... Read More

Narrator Susannah Jones flawlessly delivers the variety of accents and meticulous vocal nuances that are part of this paranormal noir. Skeptic Lionel Page has spent his career as a reporter debunking supposedly supernatural scams that are meant to prey on the desperate and unfortunate. His background makes him the perfect man for the job of verifying a lost Edgar Allan Poe... Read More

With crisp, youthful intonations, author Helen Oyeyemi narrates her bizarre coming-of-age tale, unfurling the history of two families, two worlds, and many batches of warm, intoxicating gingerbread. Combining the everyday and the extraordinary, Oyeyemi travels in time between the daily indelicacies of Harriet Lee's adult life and her strange adolescence in Druhástrana, a realm... Read More

Narrator Brittany Pressley delivers this oddly tangled story of archaeology, mystery, and hidden identities. Archaeologist Richard Mathis, who specializes in Etruscan culture, is portrayed in a smoky voice. His young assistant, Angela Chase, helps Richard unearth an Etruscan settlement on Crete. The pair stumble into an unanticipated affair. Pressley adopts a variety of husky... Read More

Narrator Pilar Witherspoon portrays American heiress Frankie Baumgarten, whose mother is looking for a title to buy her. Nevada silver is the bait in the husband search for Frankie and her sisters. Reynard (The Fox) Boulton is a family friend and the king of gossip. Witherspoon gives him an upper-crust British accent that contrasts with Frankie's slightly Western twang. The two... Read More

Author-narrator Rachel Hollis pulls no punches with this manifesto in which she exhorts women to claim the lives that they've always wanted. She sounds direct, confident, and kind. Her warm, down-to-earth style makes this listening experience like having your best friend or a life coach as close as your pocket or earphones. In a friendly tone she lists the main reasons why... Read More

Caitlin Davies shines as narrator of this first audiobook in a new dystopian series. Beautiful and obedient Mena and her classmates at Innovations Academy know they are elite. The young ladies are taught courses such as gardening and art appreciation, nothing as taxing as math and science, as they are happily groomed for their futures as wives and caregivers. Davies... Read More

Nancy Wu narrates this time-bending, genre-hopping story. This audiobook is set in a future in which people can travel through time, live underground, and might just as easily have six tentacles in place of two legs. The two female leads, Minh and Kiki, are polar opposites, and Wu differentiates them perfectly. Kiki, the younger of the two, is full of verve and passion. Wu... Read More

Mira Jacob's graphic memoir is thoughtfully adapted to audio with members of a full cast narrating each voice. They create a sense of intimacy as listeners eavesdrop on a lifetime of conversations about race, racism, and colorism. Mira Jacob's voice reflects exasperation as she faces impossible questions from her young son, who is portrayed with curiosity by Kivlighan de... Read More

Alana Kerr Collins affectionately narrates this tragic love story with a beautifully calm tone and Irish accent. Both belie the racing thoughts of Grace, who loses Henry, the love of her life, when he's killed in a bike accident. Grace is shattered until Henry's long-lost twin, Andy, portrayed by Euan Morton, shows up. This dramatic twist is given gravity, thanks to the... Read More

Narrator Josh Hurley creates an emotional voice for a middle school student who puts on a brave face at school but is actually struggling to stay afloat due to his tumultuous homelife. Jeff's mom has become increasingly dependent on alcohol. When she eventually loses her job, she's unable to pay the rent, and she and Jeff become homeless. As Jeff takes on adult... Read More

Part very personal memoir, part travelogue, part intellectual obsession--it's hard to know whom this audiobook is for. Mary Norris, former NEW YORKER copy editor, is here most interesting when discussing classical Greek language and literature, modern Greek, and the history of written languages. Norris's personal journey learning to speak Greek, and her passion for Greece the... Read More

Orchestral music filled with the chirping of birds fades into the background as narrator John Pruden begins the story of Central Park in New York City. The two winners of the 1858 design contest, Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, set out their vision on a ten-foot-long schematic of the new park they called The Greensward. Bubbling fountains, a myriad of bridges, and a... Read More

Daniel Okrent narrates his extensively researched work on the history of eugenics in the United States, illuminating a largely forgotten dark chapter of American history. Given the abundance of detail, Okrent's comfortably relaxed pace is beneficial as he thoroughly describes the birth of the American eugenics movement and its key figures. Okrent chronicles the movement's... Read More

Orlagh Cassidy narrates Blake's beautifully written multigenerational story of love and lies with consummate skill. Elegant and clear, distant yet passionate, she helps listeners discover the quirks in characters' personalities and explore their motives, both evident and hidden. The story, which spans the 1930s to the present, revolves around the Milton family of New York and... Read More

Richard Armitage offers an emotionally nuanced and atmospheric narration of the fourth book in the Jackman & Evans detective series, set in England's fen country. The plot hits close to home when Jackman's sister-in-law tries to protect her family from a killer by committing suicide. Soon there are two more suicides, and Jackman, Evans, and the team are chasing a sadistic... Read More

Narrator Alexander Cendese is a great match for smart, arrogant Miami defense attorney Tatum Graham. Disillusioned by his success at getting a guilty client off, Graham returns to his hometown in Utah and becomes a prosecutor. When a teenage girl in the Hallows, an isolated park area, is murdered, Cendese's tone and tempo are in sync with the investigation that follows. He does... Read More

Narrator Corey Allen captures the author's poignant picture of the origins of the 369th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters. His husky, measured tones bring the listener into the world of African-American soldiers in the midst of WWI as they fought for the right just to join the Army and serve their country. The thoroughly detailed story includes a brief... Read More

In this follow-up to Clark's DEAD DJINN IN CAIRO, narrator Julian Thomas's smooth, resonant baritone immerses listeners in a steampunk version of Cairo, circa 1912. When Agent Hamed Nasr of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities is dispatched to investigate a supposedly haunted tram car, he and his young partner, Agent Onsi, soon find themselves... Read More

Gabrielle Baker comes across as smart, knowledgeable, and firm, three qualities essential when narrating a well-researched look at contemporary women's workplace choices. Her delivery is easy on the ears while at the same time informing listeners about the lives of the women who make up the case studies at the heart of this book. Her tone is sympathetic when delivering the... Read More

Listen closely and you can discern what makes Gabra Zackman such an accomplished audiobook narrator. Historian Hoganson uses her adopted home of Champaign, Illinois, to make her case that the Midwest has had a long historic relationship with the needs of foreign powers--especially Britain. From land ownership to hog species, the author shows just how important these needs were... Read More

Narrator Laura Jennings believably delivers the intonations of a number of Native American characters in this mystery. What appears to be a straightforward missing persons case involving members of a local Pueblo tribe takes on a supernatural twist when police sergeant Nicky Matthews has a vision of an old woman who may or may not be the Wind Mother, or "kachina." Jennings... Read More

Stewart O'Nan revisits the Maxwell family, introduced in WISH YOU WERE HERE (2002) and EMILY, ALONE (2011). In the third audiobook, narrator Richmond Hoxie's scratchy voice gives Henry just a hint of amusement as he deals with the routine things that give order to his ordinary life. In a charmingly understated delivery, Hoxie reveals a gentle man who helps out at church, looks... Read More

Molly Parker Myers returns to narrate the second book in the Ilke Jensen trilogy. Myers effectively portrays the Danish protagonist with a slight foreign accent to distinguish her from her Midwest family, friends, and enemies. However, the many personalities in this audiobook, who might seem interesting in a Nordic noir (like Blaedel's Louise Rick series), seem flat in the... Read More

The most effective narrators are often those who vanish into their subjects like water into sand. That is especially important for audiobooks that explore some facet of contemporary culture or technology such as quantum physics or, in this case, stock market machinations. Narrator Christopher Grove assigns his phrases and clauses degrees of emphasis, guiding the listener... Read More

Narrator Jean Ann Douglass energetically makes listeners aware of 25 notable women throughout history who have been mostly left out of history books. Divided into five spheres of influence, the fun and fascinating portraits include females who were stronger, faster, and more capable than their male counterparts. One such example is Bessie Stringfield, an early African-American... Read More

An ensemble cast presents Sakata's powerful play about real-life Gordon Hirabayashi's courageous stand against the U.S. Government during WWII. After the Japanese-American was arrested for staying out after curfew, he took his case to the Supreme Court, where his conviction was upheld. It took an incredible 40 years before his conviction was overturned. L.A. Theatre Works'... Read More

Narrator Hillary Huber delivers a cogent and heartfelt narration of bestselling author Barbara Brown Taylor's beautiful and timely new audiobook. As the theology teacher and former Episcopal priest describes her experiences teaching comparative religion in rural Georgia, her memoir also serves as a deep consideration of what the world's faiths have to teach both the religious... Read More

A dozen narrators perform this collection of stories about Chinese 20-somethings who are navigating the road to adulthood. All the narrators underscore the central drama of the stories, such as the clash of generations, the difficulties and joys of immigration, and the complexities of friendship. The characters are primarily the children of immigrants, university students... Read More

Emma Powell's evocative narration creates drama and suspense in this touching story about a young woman who is uncovering a repressed trauma. When her honorary godfather and friend, Patrick, is hospitalized, Maddy returns to Havenbury to take care of him. She also must run the pub Patrick owns, where she lived and worked three years earlier. Although the voices of the... Read More

This story of estrangement and forgiveness will move listeners. In a smooth voice and steady pace, David Pittu narrates the plight of two families as they confront the devastating effects of the Basque-Spanish conflict. In a Basque country village occupied by militants, Bittori and Miren are lifelong friends. But when Bittori's husband is gunned down by Basque separatists, a... Read More

Candace Thaxton's almost wistful narration sets an appropriately nostalgic tone for this beautiful, perceptive memoir. From a young age, Meredith May and her brother were emotionally rejected by their divorced, mentally ill mother and treated coldly by their grandmother. Thaxton infuses Meredith's drug-addled mother with almost hysterical insecurity and her grandmother with a... Read More

There is an appropriate gravitas to James Naughton's fine performance of this ambitious audiobook. Lopez's far-reaching self-proclaimed "autobiographical reflection" crosses broad swaths of time and boldly travels the world, and Naughton provides excellent navigation throughout this expansive recording. His patient, capable voice steers the listener through shifts not only in... Read More

Award-winning cookbook authors and brothers Matt and Ted Lee go behind the scenes to examine the most competitive cooking of all--New York City's high-end catering. As the Lees deftly interview chefs, workers, and clients, their Southern charm enhances their narration. Listeners will feel part of the team as they spend four years working at all levels of preparing "fiestas" for... Read More

Author and narrator Jane Yolen brings another of her dinosaur escapades to life. Young listeners may be shocked or perplexed as dinosaurs mistreat books by chewing them, tossing them, and jumping on them but then will be treated to demonstrations of proper book care and the joy of sounding out words and making sense of them. At bedtime, Yolen's spot-on characterization shines... Read More

Narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson transports listeners to rural South Carolina in the 1940s through the passionate perspectives of three characters: 11-year-old Ella and her two cousins--14-year-old Myrna, an orphan, and 12-year-old Henry, who is Ella's best friend. They live together with their grandparents, but life is dangerous for African-Americans in the South. Teased by other... Read More

Narrator John Keating drops listeners right into the heart of London during WWII in this historical mystery. Bertie Bradshaw is a civil defense volunteer whose job is to bring citizens to safety during air raids. When he finds a secret spy notebook, dropped by an American girl, he becomes intrigued and tries to find out more about its owner and how to decipher the code in the... Read More

Actress Kate Mulgrew delivers an emotive and finely tuned performance of her newest memoir, which centers on the period of time when she returned to her Iowa hometown to care for her dying parents. The book explores the often painful yet loving dynamics of their large Catholic family and examines how her parents' dissimilar temperaments and complex relationship shaped the lives... Read More

Narrator Luis Moreno carries a heavy load here, with more than 17 hours of audio, but he's outstanding. Few Americans think of our country as an empire, and Daniel Immerwahr wants us to understand why. Moreno's expressive voice complements the author's narrative style, which is warm and personal rather than academic. Immerwahr builds a compelling case that the United States has... Read More

Veteran BBC broadcaster Zeb Soanes has just the right British tone for this fascinating and dense audiobook. His gives the text an intelligent reading. This audiobook details the impact of demographics on human history. Author Paul Morland, a research fellow at the University of London, argues that demography affects human destiny on a planetary scale. He highlights the role of... Read More

Geneticist and seasoned broadcaster Adam Rutherford shares his excitement for human evolution and animal behavior with listeners. The research sounds captivatingly new, and Rutherford makes evolutionary theory understandable. Through jaw-dropping examples, he shreds any notion of normalcy when it comes to animal sexual behavior. He delivers a commendably steady performance even... Read More

Narrator Joe Knezevich's even, restrained tone and mastery of timing help make this enlightening audiobook a smooth, fast listen--which is no small feat, considering its high-tech subject matter. But don't let the title throw you; this is not a coder polemic, and you won't have to rewind complex passages for a second listen. Author Hosanagar weaves together examples of how... Read More

Narrator Janina Edwards draws listeners in to a complex story that offers an up-close view of the slave trade in the nineteenth century. She pulls out all the stops for this heartrending coming-of-age story about Aminah, a young Ghanaian woman. Listeners will appreciate Edwards's lively delivery and her strong portrayals of both male and female characters. Her repertoire... Read More

Stina Nielsen's narration reflects the fierce character of Inspector Embla Nyström, who can't catch a break even during a family hunting holiday. The intimacy of friends and family is broken when a stranger joins them and two guests suddenly disappear. Nielsen is precise, measured, and flexible as she capably portrays male and female characters in scenes of considerable... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld's beautiful voice is an impeccable instrument for this finely wrought historical novel. She can indicate a change of speaker with the subtlest shift of timbre, and often seamlessly alternates, say, the voices of an Englishman, a Siberian girl, and a Brooklyn-born man, with yet a different tone for the narrator, all in one paragraph. In the next paragraph it's... Read More

Author Grace Byers's graceful narration conveys the message of living life to its fullest, with confidence and resilience. Her poem for children is composed of similes such as "Like a tree, I am here to grow" and draws comparisons between the beauty, majesty, and purpose in nature and in ourselves. Inspiring courage and intentional living, Byers relishes the lyricism of... Read More

The mature character of narrator Erin Bennett's voice adds authority to the author's insights on friendship and never dampens the emotional immediacy of her stories. While Barth purports to focus on the experiences of women, she's actually talking about elements that are common to all friendships--emotional sharing, loyalty, trust, and forgiveness. She explains how friends are... Read More

Narrator Stephanie Racine masterfully keeps the listener's attention even as this story gets stranger and more uncomfortable with every second. When actress Aimee Sinclair's husband goes missing, she is sure a past stalker is responsible. But she can't prove it to the London police. Racine skillfully moves between a posh English accent and the Irish accent of a scared child as... Read More

A girl's feelings of loss and and yearning during the Bangladeshi war for independence are captured beautifully by narrator Deepti Gupta. Her voice is melodic and mournful as we hear the earliest memories of the protagonist as a baby. Gupta infuses these moments of family life with a love so warm that it's palpable. This depth of feeling makes the wrenching pain of separation... Read More

Narrator Amielynn Abellera's spirited reading of this loose retelling of I, CLAUDIUS will keep listeners riveted with her unique characterizations and theatrical delivery. With a limp, speech impediment, and heart condition, Claudia doesn't fit the model of the suave politician, but during her first year at Imperial Day Academy, a posh Los Angeles prep school, she is swept into... Read More

Brian Nishii narrates this imaginative tale set in Japan about the complexities of death, life, and cats. At the outset, an unnamed 30-year-old man receives a terminal diagnosis. As imminent death looms, he receives a visit from the devil (cheekily named Aloha). The young man must decide if Aloha's offer to extend his life is worth the alternative losses he'd have to endure. As... Read More

Through shifting perspectives delivered by dual narrators, this audiobook examines life in an Appalachian town. Narrators Tom Stechschulte and Kate Forbes capture the diverse and engaging characters who tell the story of Sadie Blue, a young woman who realizes very quickly that she never should have married Roy Tupkin. The two narrators portray townspeople of various ages,... Read More

This speculative audiobook will surely engage listeners. What would you do if you saw an alternate version of yourself from a parallel universe? The story centers around four residents of a quiet Oregon neighborhood and the decisions they make after experiencing strange occurrences. There's Ginny, who sees a parallel version of herself who is happier with a woman; Mark, who... Read More

Three talented narrators team up to bring the dysfunctional MacAllister family to life. The MacAllister siblings are back at the summer camp owned by their late parents for the reading of their will. While there, the siblings are forced to do a little sleuthing into the murder of a camp counselor who worked at the camp 20 years earlier. Amazingly, through tone, breathing, and... Read More

This is a listen for fans of the Oscar-winning documentary FREE SOLO. It's a listen for fans of incredible feats of daring and athletic accomplishment. And it's a listen for those wanting a glimpse of what drives extreme athletes. Mark Deakins does an excellent job narrating the story of Mark Synnott--a climber, a friend of Alex Honnold (the subject of FREE SOLO), and perhaps... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld and George Newborn provide a dual narration of this intriguing historical fiction with a time-travel twist. German bookstore owner Max Beissinger and German-Jewish violinist Hanna Ginsberg, star-crossed lovers, meet before WWII. Their love lasts far beyond it despite being separated from each other and despite Hanna's postwar amnesia. While the majority of... Read More

Listeners join Detective Cat Connolly as she investigates the disappearance of her best friend in contemporary Dublin. Narrator Aoife McMahon's soft Irish accent combined with the story's grittiness and sense of urgency adds to the tension in this police procedural and complements the toughness of its lead character. McMahon's timing is a perfect match for the twisting plot,... Read More

Adrian Scarborough narrates Garfield's examination of "how small things illuminate the world." By small things, the author is referring to such miniatures as the world's smallest book; the largest model railroad, in Hamburg; and Queen Mary's dollhouse. He also includes "micro-miniatures," things listeners would need a microscope to see. Garfield approaches the meaning in... Read More

Jan Morris's quirky, endearing, stimulating collection of daily thoughts is given a wholehearted narration by Jennifer M. Dixon. Now that the renowned travel writer and essayist is in her 80s, opportunities for voyaging far and wide have diminished. Though she has settled into the Welsh countryside, her opinions haven't moderated. Dixon doesn't sound exactly like Morris, whose... Read More

People say if you remember the 1960s--you weren't there. Happily, Johnny Heller's narration convinces us that music insider Danny Goldberg remembers very well what Haight-Ashbury and the hippie movement were all about. This audiobook is a combination of Goldberg's personal recollections, studies, and suppositions about the hippie phenomenon. He digs deep into the era and... Read More

Narrator Alex Wyndham leads the listener through a plot that provides many points of view but not a clear idea of who the good guys are. Dunne's debut in the genre of fantasy is the start of a trilogy about gods who are the parents of twins who were exiled many years earlier. Wyndham delivers a narration that maintains a sense of ambiguity about the story's heroes and which of... Read More

Amielynn Abellera energetically narrates this hyperkinetic, surreal YA adventure set in 1984. When Hollywood comes to Griffin Flat, Arkansas, sarcastic Laura Ratliff is excited to win a walk-on role in the movie EVE OF DESTRUCTION despite her genuine fears about the possibility of nuclear war. When an on-set explosion triggers a possible nuclear incident, Laura faces a whole... Read More

Narrator Carolyn Morris delivers high tension from the moment this story opens on the aftermath of a duel. Henry Lowell is brought to the hospital run by Viola Cartwright, Duchess of Tremaine, to have a bullet removed from his shoulder. Henry becomes intrigued with Viola, who is reluctant to become involved with anyone, given the scandal of her marriage to the elderly Duke of... Read More

Narrator Gabrielle Baker takes charge of a complicated and strange world, the setting for a dense tale of political exile, alchemy, and raw ambition. The two main characters are from opposite ends of every conceivable spectrum, but Baker recognizes and plays off of their similarities. This interplay between the two characters is central to the audiobook. Isten is a feisty... Read More

Fans of this popular series will be happy that narrator Derek Perkins was tapped to perform the latest installment. The mystery begins as five strangers arrive at a small-town law office and learn they are to split a sizable inheritance from a distant relative--as soon as the sixth beneficiary can be located. After one of the group dies under questionable circumstances,... Read More

Rebecca Lowman's quiet but expressive performance perfectly captures O'Gieblyn's essays about coming of age in a Midwestern evangelical family before losing her faith altogether. O'Gieblyn is wry and affectionate as she riffs on her parents' stocking up on dried food rations in anticipation of the end of the world in 1999 or her own catching the intentionally convenient bus... Read More

Narrator Amanda Carlin is perfect in her very minor role in this frustrating audiobook, expressive and with the subtlest hint of a Vermont accent. Justine Eyre, who performs the lion's share of the story, has a lovely voice and is quite good at dialogue, but she has performance tics that muddy the author's intention and weary the listener. Still, this story of the afterlife of... Read More

Here is a teenage version of the legendary star-crossed love between Tristan and Iseult. Caitlin Davies portrays Izzy, a white girl whose family has recently moved to Brooklyn, and Ryan Vincent Anderson portrays Trinidadian-American chess prodigy Tristan, whose guardian aunt has deep roots in the neighborhood. Their love is kindled when Izzy, an aspiring doctor, treats... Read More

Writer Sarah McColl narrates her memoir about love, the relationships between a mother and her children, and the end of a marriage, giving the listener brief views of her life. McColl tells her stories as a series of vignettes, seemingly going from one piece to the next with nary a breath between. Whether discussing her childhood, her mother's illness and death, or her failing... Read More

Narrator Joe Arden performs his best "uh-oh" maneuvers when Josh accidentally texts a picture of his "junk" to a complete stranger. Peyton, portrayed by Savannah Peachwood, is equally offended and intrigued by Josh's text and follow-up apology. Surprise! Josh turns out to be her new business partner. Arden navigates Ryan's "meet-cute" premise with wry masculine deprecation that... Read More