New Reviews by Title: E-J

In apprehensive tones, André Santana artfully conveys the concerns of tween Eli as he mourns the sudden loss of his mother, a professional chef, due to the pandemic. At the same time, he is adjusting to life in New York City after a move from Minnesota. When Eli stumbles upon an archive of cooking videos made by his mother, Santana taps into Eli's grief with a falling... Read More

Mary Beard's audiobook examines the various roles of the emperor during the first three hundred years of the Roman Empire. Her voice and British accent are pleasant, and a slight lisp is not distracting. Her delivery can be a bit slow, but the pace helps comprehension and is easy to get used to. She smoothly matches tone, emphasis, and the shaping of phrases to the text while... Read More

Narrator Carlotta Brentan transports listeners to a private island in coastal Maine, where a group of friends united by hidden secrets meet to celebrate an engagement. Brentan's talented performance builds the tension in this Christie-esque locked-room mystery as the deeply unpleasant characters find that the consequences of previous actions are fast catching up with them.... Read More

Renowned VILLAGE VOICE dance critic Deborah Jowitt has written an informative biography of the legendary modern dance choreographer, performer, and teacher Martha Graham. Erin Bennett delivers a sophisticated yet relaxed performance of the text. Three cheers for an enchanting effort so well matched to the book at hand. Bennett's tone and intonation are solid--in all respects... Read More

Saddle up with narrators Rachel Jacobs and Tristan Wright as they take listeners to the Texas panhandle for a heartfelt cowboy romance. Nineteen-year-old bull rider Case Michaels is trying to keep it together after the death of his best friend, Walker. Walker left Case a list of things to accomplish. One of those tasks is befriending Winnie Sutton, a sassy ranch hand who works... Read More

Julie Chavez projects the cheer and passion that have earned her recognition for her podcast, "Ask a Librarian." Here she writes about a time of personal crisis when she was juggling the demands of her job and taking sole care of her sons when her husband was frequently traveling for work. Suddenly, she found herself experiencing a mental health crisis that manifested as panic... Read More

Nneka Okoye masterfully portrays estranged cousins Kitan and Iyanu. The pair are trying to get to the bottom of who leaked the secrets of Wodebury Hall's most popular students. It's a tough nut to crack because the cousins' Nigerian heritage makes them outsiders at their elite British school. Okoye provides a soft, delicate voice for Kitan, whose wealth and silence in the face... Read More

The much-anticipated sequel to IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK, this audiobook is a compelling listen that begins where the previous book ended. The story is told from the perspectives of Brittany-Rae von Lundin, voiced by Mela Lee, and Kemi Adeyemi, voiced by Dele Ogundiran. The two Black women live in Sweden, having moved there from the U.S. Palmira Koukkari Mbenga voices... Read More

Murderbot's fourth adventure is brought to life by a team of talented voice actors and subtle sound effects. Murderbot has traveled far and wide through the universe in an attempt to understand itself and its programming. For a sentient robot programmed to kill, Murderbot has become surprisingly human and decides to help its owner by facing down a deadly corporation. David Cui... Read More

Golden Voice Narrator Julia Whelan creates an intimate and immediate listening experience in this contemporary audiobook featuring the California landscape. Thirty-three-year-old Daphne, an assistant to a movie producer, is searching for love. Whelan takes listeners through Daphne's romantic history with one unusual twist: At the start of each relationship, Daphne mysteriously... Read More

Ethan Hawke delivers a spectacular performance of Dave Eggers's 2024 Newbery Medal-winning middle-grade animal story in which Eggers assures us, ". . . the dogs are dogs, the birds are birds, goats are goats, the bison bison." Hawke is more than up to the task of interpreting the rich, complex language describing creatures who, along with three penned bison, maintain the... Read More

Bahni Turpin narrates a West African-inspired romance blended with high fantasy. After a falling out with their chieftain, elven sisters Yeeran and Lettle wind up in fae lands and must adapt if they hope to survive. Turpin portrays elder sister Yeeran, a battle-hardened warrior, as proud and energetic, always ready to take charge. In contrast, younger sister Lettle is training... Read More

In this second audiobook featuring Detective Harriet Foster, a serial killer in Chicago is killing the city's aldermen. Narrator Chanté McCormick has a strong no-nonsense tone that suits the sharp detective, who has recently lost her son in a senseless murder. McCormick also creates appropriate voices for the various other police officers and for the murder suspect. McCormick's... Read More

High school senior Whit is still reeling from a summer filled with medical appointments and tests in this audiobook narrated by Victoria Villarreal. Whit has PCOS, a condition that causes uncomfortable body changes. All she wants is to throw herself into organizing the Fall Fest, the event at which her grandparents fell in love decades earlier. Unfortunately, she is forced to... Read More

The narrating trio of Frankie Corzo, Robb Moreira, and Victoria Villarreal add warmth and expressiveness to this mystery involving two families. When Isabella was five, her baby sister disappeared from their home in Puerto Rico. Twenty-five years later, Marianna, living in New York, takes a DNA test that is a match to Isabella. Wanting to write a magazine article about faulty... Read More

Those who listen to this audiobook will learn that Tolstoy was wrong when he said happy families are all alike. There are many kinds of happy families, and they appear in all sorts of configurations here. The novel's focus is on adoption and how it is a positive, uplifting choice for those concerned. The liquid, uplifting voice of Patti Murin tells the story of actress India... Read More

George Newbern narrates Elinor Lipman's entertaining comedy with zest and an appreciation of its mix of improbability and realism. The blend of screwball and social humor focuses on Henry, a sympathetic retired lawyer who came out as gay late in life. His comfortable life on New York's Upper West Side is upended by a needy ex-wife, a handsome home design expert who lives with a... Read More

Unlike washed-up golf pro Wells Whitaker's swing, narrator Callie Dalton shoots par on her performance of this audiobook. When Wells's career hits a low, he asks superfan Josephine Doyle to caddy for him. Dalton's delivery of Wells's and Josephine's steamy chemistry is electric, as is their snarky repartee. Listeners will sink deep into their swoony romance. Josephine's voice... Read More

Joshua Wichard is phenomenal at narrating this endearing novel, which captures a poignant time in a teenager's life. Thirteen-year-old Houston lives with his single mom and younger brother, Robbie, who has cystic fibrosis. The boys share a dream of traveling to the moon one day, just like their estranged grandpa. Hard work pays off, and Houston is accepted to the Junior... Read More

Wayne Mitchell ensures that sparks fly as romance develops between Jedidiah Stephens and Memphis Osborn. When Memphis buys a campground in the Colorado Rockies, Jedidiah shows up to work as a "handyman." But what she really wants is to find out the truth about the fire that killed her family--and she's already discovered it's got something to do with that campground. When... Read More

Listeners familiar with Abdaal's YouTube channel will instantly connect with his familiar voice, accent, and dynamic delivery. Listeners who are being introduced to Abdaal will quickly respond to his speaking style. He offers a new way of thinking that listeners can apply to transform their lives. Drawing from scientific research, diverse case studies, and personal anecdotes,... Read More

Cherry Jones's expertise shines in a short novel that's long on emotions. Her narration emphasizes 10-year-old Ferris's fundamental belief that "every story is a love story." Jones's nuanced delivery captures the affection of Ferris's large family; listeners will feel the many facets of their love. Central to the story is Charisse, Ferris's beloved grandmother. Each time Jones... Read More

This posthumously published novel, a meditation on death, has a dark side, but Eunice Wong's performance balances its undercurrent of grief with buoyant energy that will have listeners rooting for its antiheroes. A comatose Korean cello aficionado named Alma has ambivalent memories of her relationship with Daniel, a white violinist. Daniel, meanwhile, finds himself locked in a... Read More

As a founding member of the Evolving Faith movement, Sarah Bessey, with her charming Canadian accent and self-deprecating humor, is an ideal escort for the story of her journey from stalwart churchgoer to skeptic and back again--sort of. Bessey's original faith was built by a church unshakable in its exclusionary doctrine, and when that failed her, she was left rejected,... Read More

Narrator Hillary Huber fully immerses listeners in this suspenseful second-chance romance. Hailey and Jesse grew up together as kids and fell in love when they were teenagers. When Jesse had the opportunity to go to college and start fresh, Hailey ended their relationship. Now all grown up, Hailey runs a new branch of a security company. She and Jesse reconnect when one of... Read More

Narrator Henriette Zoutomou entices the listener into this story of frenemies who conduct a fake romance. Charity Simmons is a baker and part owner of a cat café; Will Schwartz is a marketing executive. Charity needs a boyfriend in order to stop her parents from trying to match her up with men they deem "appropriate." She turns to Will for help. Zoutomou provides Charity's... Read More

Ramón de Ocampo offers a charming performance of this middle-grade fiction with a touch of science fiction. Michael and his crush, Gibby, run into Ridge, a strange boy who soon reveals he's visiting from the future. The year is 1999, and with the threat of Y2K brewing, the kids come together and bond through their doomsday planning. De Ocampo's flexible narration moves between... Read More

Reams of paperwork, tasteless breakfast cereals, and corporate branding--what else would you take to space? With his natural ease and a large dollop of deadpan silliness, Scott Brick takes the listener on the maiden voyage of the GP GALLANT two hundred light-years into the cosmos in search of untapped, uncharted sales territories. As the crew of misfits stumble upon an alien... Read More

Beth Eyre and Chris Harper share the narration of Frear's precarious story. Ellen leads a seemingly perfect life with her husband, three children, and luxurious house in Britain. When she receives a letter threatening retribution for past deeds, she must identify the culprit while keeping her secrets and maintaining her social status. Eyre narrates the chapters involving female... Read More

Mari Oyaizu Carson enthusiastically brings to life the delightfully eccentric inhabitants of a senior mobile home park. At the outset, Stewart Johnson and his daughter determine that he's a good fit for living there--even though the well-rendered perky saleswoman irritates Stewart. As time passes, nosy neighbors are intrusive, and bigmouth Suzy unhesitatingly shares advice. But... Read More

While narrator Jennifer Pickens wrings all the passion she can out of this novelized life of Henry David Thoreau, the audiobook keeps its focus firmly on Thoreau's inner world, especially his relationship with nature. Although that relationship is active, it is not dramatic. Thoreau may have been thrilled to discover a climbing fern, but few listeners will share his excitement.... Read More

What starts out sounding like chick-lit fluff, soon takes on the gravitas of a tangled, engrossing mystery. Narrator Stephanie Cannon delivers the bright enthusiasm of Rosie, a senior at Yale and a member of the elite equestrian team. When new girl Annelise, a superb rider and a gifted tarot card reader, joins the team, jealousy, bitterness, and classism overtake the genial... Read More

Shayna Small delivers a variety of accents as a group of New Yorkers gather on the rooftop of their dilapidated building during the COVID-19 pandemic, telling stories to pass the time. The audiobook features a "pots-and-pans symphony" that applauds the healthcare workers who risk their lives to treat the sick. Small shines in this reboot of another plague novel, Boccaccio's... Read More

In this dramatized adaptation, Khaya Fraites brings to life the character of Violet Sorrengail, and Gabriel Michael embodies Xaden Riorson. Together, they lead a distinguished cast, which includes LaMont Ridgell, Torian Brackett, and Rob McFadyen, through the harrowing world of the Empyrean series. Their performances, augmented by immersive sound effects and cinematic music,... Read More

Author and narrator Yangsze Choo gently narrates this fantasy audiobook about foxes that can transform into dazzlingly beautiful humans. Bao has the ability to tell truths from lies and has been tasked with solving a murder mystery that might involve foxes. Meanwhile, Snow has taken human form and gets a job as a servant, all to aid her in avenging the death of her child. Choo... Read More

Fran Burgoyne depicts a swoony romantasy between a seamstress and a prince. Niamh O Conchobhair has come to Avaland to improve her future, not to fall in love with the one man she cannot have. Kit Carmine, younger son of the king, is engaged to a woman he does not love. Burgoyne demonstrates Niamh's fierce pride in her heritage by giving her a strong accent she refuses to... Read More

Shannon McManus's cocksure, feisty delivery will keep listeners engrossed as Dani, a magically gifted art thief, prepares to steal works from a coveted art collection. McManus uses a gentle Southern accent as Dani heads home to Kentucky to reunite with the crew she betrayed years ago. Devising unique voices, McManus portrays the confident crew of magical criminals as they plan... Read More

James Murtha dynamically narrates this horror story set in the Adirondacks. Listeners meet Frederick, a clever 11-year-old with autism who is desperately trying to win back his former best friend, Cindy, a Bigfoot skeptic. Fred gamely delivers a school report on Bigfoot while enduring his classmates' mockery. Effective sound effects add to the well-rendered atmosphere during... Read More

Josephine Huang and Cassandra Morris join forces to deliver the captivating story of best friends in this exceptional middle-grade audiobook. Helen, voiced by Huang, and Gracie, portrayed by Morris, are known for their mischievous antics. Their latest escapade leads them to join the Community Action Club, currently dedicated to promoting period equity. Morris's dynamic... Read More

The latest book by a professor of organizational behavior and a colleague is served well by the upbeat performance of veteran narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins. Much like the principal author's speaking style--a bonus interview with Sutton and his coauthor concludes the production--Hopkins's vocal enthusiasm is prominent but never detracts from the intellectual soundness of these... Read More

Thérèse Plummer narrates the stories of four women in various stages of their lives who have built a strong friendship together. Marnie is a single celebrity cook whose daughter Bella is pregnant. Working for Marnie is her friend Ellen and an intern, Sophia. Plummer depicts the emotional ups and downs of Bella's pregnancy. As Marnie becomes involved in a romance with Sophia's... Read More

André Santana and Meg Sylvan narrate this friends-to-lovers romance with compassion and full-throated emotion. Jesse was a firefighter, but now that a car crash has left him with an injury, he's uncertain about his future. Santana's thoughtful narration provides insight into Jesse's anxiety, quiet nature, and warmth. Lulu, a history professor, is living with her parents after a... Read More

Noah James Butler guides listeners through what scientists know about life's origins and what remains a puzzle with excitement and a well-placed sense of awe. He narrates clearly at a steady pace, allowing those who may be unfamiliar with medical terminology time to absorb researcher Ben Stanger's findings. This pairs well with Stanger's accessible, energetic writing style. The... Read More

Carlotta Brentan and Joy Osmanski, both talented and experienced narrators, are a fantastic match for this updated and very American retelling of the myth of Persephone and Demeter. It's set in New York and on a private island over the course of one summer. Brentan voices Cory Ansel, an aimless 18-year-old. Alternate chapters feature the perspective of Cory's mother, Emer, who... Read More

Tara Sky and Jessica Matten narrate this fantasy featuring Winifred, a half-Métis teen who wanders the haunted cemetery near her home at all hours of the night. Sky is the primary narrator as Winifred and her father consider allowing tourists to visit the cemetery in order to save the family's failing business. Matten delivers short segments as Phil, one of the cemetery ghosts,... Read More

Julia Whelan tells a funny story, much like a Shakespearean comedy is a funny story, of a woman who falls in love with her ex-fiancé's new girlfriend's ex-boyfriend. When Daphne's fiancé, Peter, realizes he is in love with his formerly platonic best friend, Petra, just days before their wedding, Daphne recognizes she has built her whole life around Peter. Furthermore, she... Read More

André Santana artfully re-creates Brazil in the 1920s as he introduces capoeira, a blend of martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality. Listeners meet Salvador Bimba, who advocated for capoeira. Santana enthusiastically delivers lyrical descriptions accompanied by spirited background music, with Indigenous and Portuguese words adding atmosphere. Heartbreaking... Read More

The general of the audiobook title is Grant; Julia is his wife. Gibson Frazier delivers a solid performance of this historical novel. His voice is appealing and plainspoken. His pace is reasonable, with appropriate pauses and subtle character voices that are effective in dialogue. Indeed, there is little to find fault with when it comes to Frazier's narrative skill. The novel,... Read More

Elizabeth Jasicki narrates with upper-class accents that set the tone for this delightful Regency romance. Catriona Campbell juggles her responsibilities as a socialite, suffragist, writer, and her progressive father's only heir to a struggling estate in Scotland. Would it be proper for Catriona to pursue her father's new young colleague, Elias Khoury, and what will she do when... Read More

Entrepreneur and business coach Dave Kerpen shares knowledge and skills he gained from launching and growing multiple businesses. His treatise addresses the impacts of AI, social media, gig work, and remote work. These developments require that today's leaders concentrate on the most important, not necessarily the most urgent, company matters--and delegate essentially... Read More

Journalist Bianca Bosker narrates her witty audiobook about the art world with pizzazz. She has a pleasing sound, paces the sometimes frantic-sounding proceedings well, and comes across as an authentic seeker. Performing in a comic style, she enhances the audiobook's ironic undertone, which suggests that many in the art world see journalists as "the enemy." In this work she... Read More

Narrator John Rubinstein returns to take listeners on a ride-along with psychologist Alex Delaware and Police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis as they solve another complicated crime. Rubinstein has perfected the voices of Milo and Alex, while skillfully performing secondary characters male and female, including a precocious male teenager. This 39th addition to the series provides... Read More

After personally struggling with anxiety over uncertainties in her life, business consultant and life coach Allison Carmen offers a short but precise discussion of how to face challenging times with positivity. Exuding a comfortable air and a feminine persona, narrator Kim Niemi delivers the author's mindset on the importance of being present and recognizing that what is... Read More

Jane Oppenheimer's challenge in narrating this audiobook is to capture emotions that range from utter frustration to seething anger. All those feelings fuel protagonist Daphne Gauge, who frantically seeks the truth about what happened to missing boys from her hometown. As the story unfolds and Daphne deals with her past and present, Oppenheimer shifts between vengeful bullies... Read More

The chemistry between narrators Tyla Collier and Benjamin Charles is unmistakable in their compelling performance. Kayla is finally living her dream of becoming a rock star, but amid the glow of fame comes an unexpectedly public lifestyle. This and her budding romance with her tour bus driver, Ty, are making her life complicated but exciting. The unique romantic setup and the... Read More

Stacy Gonzalez performs a dystopian novel set in a near-future America in which government-sponsored counseling centers treat radical behavior. Riley continues her family's practice of speaking out in the face of injustice and winds up in an renewal center for mandatory reeducation. Gonzalez imbues her performance with a surprising brightness that contrasts with the... Read More

Successfully conveying teenage angst, David Lee Huynh infuses his performance with longing and youthful doubt as he delivers the story of Gary Võ. Gary and his best friend would do anything to be popular in high school. Then the notorious "Rooster Club" learns that Gary has befriended the most beautiful girl in school, Gloria. They challenge Gary to steal something from Gloria... Read More

Listeners meet Glory, voiced by Bahni Turpin with all the sass, spark, and cantankerousness written into this story. Glory is a hoarder (or maybe not?) and a bookie (definitely). Now her daughter has arrived to help her sort through her house and her life. Together they seek to solve the untimely and mysterious death of Glory's friend, a local nun. Turpin's narration is... Read More

Having a full cast along with sound effects and music should elevate an audiobook production. And multiple narrators are nearly a requirement for this densely populated second half of the second volume in Brown's Red Rising series. The audiobook's many characters orbit around Darrow (Stewart Crank), who rises to infiltrate the upper crust, seeking freedom for those in his lower... Read More

Hillary Huber narrates the story of Lacey and Edith, former friends from different worlds who come together to face and heal their forty-year estrangement. Hummel's powerful prose is brought to life by Huber's lyrical voice. Lacey, the child of immigrants who escaped from Germany in the 1930s as Hitler came into power and found success in California, befriended Edith, daughter... Read More

Risa Mei reprises her hilarious character performances in this third book of the Aunties trilogy. Meddy and her husband return from their honeymoon to spend Chinese New Year with her mother and aunties. A former suitor of Second Aunt brings extravagant gifts to the celebration, and, when an important red envelope goes to the wrong person, chaos ensues. As she did in the first... Read More

Music piracy meets murder in this fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable audiobook. The story features criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck and focuses on Imani Nichols, a pop superstar who is at odds with her estranged husband. Jonathan Davis delivers a superb performance, giving every character a distinct personality that reveals the depth of author James Grippando's story.... Read More

Mary Jane Wells's eloquent voice captivates the listener as she delivers this historical romantic suspense. Jane Halliwell once had dreams of owning her own home. However, due to her father's death, those dreams never materialized. Now working as a governess to make ends meet, she finds her life turned upside down when her employer is murdered. To solve the crime, Jane must... Read More

Dalia Ramahi narrates this companion to Aya Khalil's picture book THE ARABIC QUILT. Egyptian American Kanzi walks proudly past her quilt as she leads her classmates to the library. But the display of diverse books there is now empty: They've been banned. Ramahi captures the dismay of both children and educators, with plaintive music underscoring their shock. Back in the... Read More

Aaron Goodson has a pleasing narrative style. He performs this coming-of-age novel in a conversational manner. His pensive tone works for narrator/protagonist David Hammons, the well-read but adrift young man who finds himself working as a fundraising assistant in the 2008 presidential election for the unnamed African American senator from Illinois. This clearly... Read More

Tavia Gilbert, who has narrated works by this author twice before, clearly gets her informed and impassioned voice and neatly emulates her literary style. Gilbert's even tone captures the seriousness of this ambitious endeavor. Kakutani offers listeners a version of cultural history that entwines two phenomena--radical disruptions in media and the arts and the rise of the... Read More

Narrator Sasha Simon gives voice to 20-something Hera as she figures out who she is in this new audiobook. After exhausting her options at art school, Hera enters the workforce as a content moderator for a news website. Every day she monitors the bad behavior of others, but when she finds herself in an affair with a married colleague, she has to justify her own bad behavior.... Read More

Narrators Natalie Beran and Jackson Bliss portray queer Russian-Maori siblings Greta and Valdin in this wise, hilarious novel about a loving and chaotic New Zealand family. Beran depicts Greta, a 20-something PhD student who is navigating various relationship messes, in a perky, wry tone that is dripping with millennial angst. Bliss narrates Valdin's sections with a mix of... Read More

Narrating her memoir, Sloane Crosley delivers ironic humor that balances the horror of back-to-back traumas. Admitting the unlikelihood and disorientation of what happened, Crosley links the vulnerability she felt at a burgled apartment and, a month later, at the suicide of her boss and friend, Russell. Their shared history in the shifting publishing industry serves as a... Read More

Ron Butler sets a lively pace for this allegorical story of a man who is revisiting the unnamed African country of his childhood after a lifetime abroad. As the main character, also unnamed, sets out to find his brother, he encounters obstacles ranging from vengeful sharpshooters to corrupt bureaucrats, along with a series of storytellers. Through the main story and the... Read More

Sarah Cullum commendably portrays 19-year-old Jane Austen as she's traditionally known and as an intrepid amateur sleuth. Listeners attend a ball with Jane, where a body is found. Unfortunately, Jane's handicapped brother finds himself under suspicion because he has the victim's necklace in his possession. Jane is determined to find the murderer. Cullum masterfully delivers the... Read More

Helen Laser and Sean Patrick Hopkins lead listeners from one wedding to the next in this contemporary romance. Sophie Steinbeck finds out her fiancé has been unfaithful and decides to call off the wedding. However, she doesn't want to be the one to do it. Enter Max, a professional wedding objector, to save the day. Sophie and Max have an instant connection, so they decide to... Read More

The eight performances here provide depth to the settings of these evocative short stories. Themes of race and class are covered, offering fascinating windows into lives on the fringe. Among the standout moments: Alan Carlson exquisitely conveys the violence and ethical dilemmas a professor faces when his daughter is attacked and the police do nothing. Gary Furlong captures a... Read More

In a crisp British accent, Jane Collingwood fills this mystery with tension as police investigate the 1990 disappearance of Charlotte Salter, who never arrived at her husband's fiftieth birthday party. Collingwood portrays Charlotte's 15-year-old daughter, Etty, as frantic, while her four brothers, who are mostly stoned or drunk, are voiced with all the nonchalance of... Read More

Kate Bowler's narration of her own title is a soothing balm for anyone who is struggling with the daily work of living in the midst of feeling broken. The poignancy of her audiobook comes from both her written words and from their brevity. She is firm in her convictions, as well as graceful in her speech, at a time when listeners may be struggling through their worst moments.... Read More

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are celebrated in this moving, inspirational audiobook. Karen Chilton, Adam Lazarre-White, and original contributors, including author Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, narrate passages about what brought individual students to HBCUs and how their lives were changed. The result is a seamless listening experience. Contributors... Read More

Amy Lin's husband was running a virtual half-marathon when he dropped dead for no discoverable reason. He was 32 years old. She was left absolutely broken. Lin's performance of her memoir, told in vignettes of meeting and losing Kurtis, is so staggeringly beautiful that it will break your heart. Her grief is so obviously raw and her memories of their life together so full of... Read More

Devon Sorvari brings this contemporary urban fairy tale to life with her portrayal of Rose and Cecilia. The two sisters, who live in New York City, are struggling to find their way in the world. In doing so, they must navigate their relationships with each other and with a mystical and mysterious cabaret troupe called Avalon. Sorvari's narration morphs during the book, giving a... Read More

Christina Delaine's deep, rich voice makes for a mostly easy listen as she narrates this cat-and-mouse thriller. Listeners may find Delaine's slow-paced and low-pitched delivery a bit monotone in contrast to the adrenaline-fueled scenes. The story is told mainly from the perspectives of the hired assassin, Leo Sealy, and his target, smart and well-trained security expert... Read More

Shaun Taylor-Corbett movingly narrates this sequel to HEALER OF THE WATER MONSTER. Brian Young's use of his own family history and Navajo spiritual figures brings added dimension to this story. First, listeners meet Nathan, the new guardian of Dew, a young water monster who is learning traditional songs to create water for parched Phoenix. Taylor-Corbett perfectly contrasts the... Read More

Annabelle Hirsch's feminist look at history through 101 idiosyncratic objects is given a captivating performance by the author and 100 narrators. The choice of performers, including actors, authors, and commentators, is as clever as the short essays about the objects. We have an anecdote about a healed femur from 30,000 BCE, narrated by Gillian Anderson; a fifth-century BCE... Read More

Ayse Babahan thoughtfully narrates this coming-of-age story. Ada feels forever suspended between two states of being. She is one person during the school year in California and another during summers spent with her mother and grandmother in a holiday villa along the Turkish coast. In her nineteenth year, when a chance encounter occurs and an old romance rekindles, all the... Read More

Nadia Davis, an attorney who is the ex-wife of a former California attorney general, shares her recovery from various traumas to help those who are facing similar challenges. Davis tells her story with unapologetic honesty and power. She describes how she healed from the physical and psychological pain of a car accident that nearly killed her, spousal abuse, addiction, and... Read More

Jeffrey Toobin gives a thorough, detailed, yet quickly moving account of Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh's life, beliefs, actions, and death--and how his credo lives on in current right-wing extremism. Like his text, Toobin's narration is brisk, clear, and free of adornment. His guy-next-door manner keeps the material approachable and the focus on the story. No emotional... Read More

Richard Blanco, a Cuban American poet, narrates an intimate collection of poems that reflect on humanity, home, family, identity, and healing. His voice is deep and intense. He enunciates words in English and Spanish with clarity and steadiness. Many endearing moments are conveyed in his tone as he depicts different characters in his life--sometimes his mother, grandmother, and... Read More

Pop culture drag star RuPaul's soft narration opens with sensory details that evoke the power of memory. His gentle voice allows listeners to enter early scenes of his life in San Diego that are not always easy--waiting for his father who never shows up, arriving home for lunch to find a locked door. Within those scenes are wise reflections about the world around him and his... Read More

Narrator Lyssa Browne guides listeners through this audiobook on the history and myths that surround the concept of the housewife in the U.S. From the idealized idea of the 1950s housewife to the contemporary woman who is expected to do it all with no help, this audiobook explores how expectations of women have changed and what can be done to create a more egalitarian society.... Read More

This timely audiobook on migration translates extremely well to audio due to its straightforward organization and clear summaries of statistical material. Matthew Spencer's measured pacing and professorial tone are well suited to represent the author, a Dutch sociologist who is director of Oxford University's International Migration Institute. The audiobook begins with precise... Read More

Hip-hop artist Tony Keith, Jr., narrates his free-verse coming-of-age memoir. His pacing and tone allow listeners to feel the power of his words and imagine his world. His skill as a narrator is evident as he delivers lyrical imagery mixed with dialect. Sound effects illuminate the poems' themes: Drums aid listeners in picturing the richness of African imagery in one poem; in... Read More

Scintillating poetry from Sappho and examinations of Pythagoras's and Homer's lives and ideas are just some of the material that makes up this fascinating audiobook. Narrator Leighton Pugh introduces the literature, art, and thinking of these and other early Greeks. He connects their lives and theories with those of some of our Western thinkers whose own philosophies are rooted... Read More

Shayla Lawson presents their collection of wide-ranging travel essays in a low, measured tone that mirrors the essays themselves. Lawson's voice is crisp and clear, with a professional cadence that never sounds lofty or removed; instead, Lawson sounds calm, centered, and curious. In essays set in locales across the globe--Egypt, Bermuda, Japan, the Netherlands, and more--Lawson... Read More

Dual narrators Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs tackle a twisting tale in this engaging audiobook. When she is abruptly summoned to the Gravesdown Estate to discuss a possible inheritance, Annie Adams is eager to meet her famously paranoid Great-Aunt Frances. But Frances is murdered just before Annie arrives, and Annie's attempts to investigate may put her squarely in the... Read More

History buffs will relish this well-narrated history of Britain's wartime disinformation campaign against Germany, but it also speaks to a broader listenership. The author is Ukrainian born, a respected British journalist, and a disinformation expert. He focuses on Thomas Sefton Delmer, a Britisher born and raised in Germany, and a master of German speech and slang. Delmer's... Read More

Lindsey Dorcus and Gail Shalan's wonderfully matched dual narration gives a satisfying emotional fullness to this warmhearted contemporary romance set on the sneaker-streaked hardwood courts of Tennessee. When former professional basketball player Elle Cochrane takes in her cousin's daughter, Vanessa, it draws her reluctantly back into the basketball world. Recognizing the... Read More

Narrator Ariel Blake captures the climate-devastated, AI-driven world of this novel. From the opening scene, Phillips raises the stakes continually as May, a desperate mother, sells her face to be used in an experiment. The city is run by intelligent robots called "hums," and without her face, May is unrecognizable by them. Blake's steady voices for the hums add a sense of cool... Read More

Not every listener has felt that Tana French's stand-alone novels have lived up to the pleasures of her psychologically shrewd Dublin Murder Squad series, but THE HUNTER marks a return to form, at least in Roger Clark's thrilling audio performance. Here Cal Hooper, an American emigré like French herself, has moved to a ferociously insular Irish village. He's a retired Chicago... Read More

Jeanne Syquia's narration of this audiobook skillfully portrays the enthralling story of Talasyn, a young woman who possesses hidden light magic, and Prince Alaric, the Night Empire's heir, who possesses shadow magic. Their intertwined destinies on the battlefield set the stage for a compelling narrative. Syquia's nuanced portrayal of each character's emotions enriches the... Read More

Memoirs are often best when they're read by the author, and Lucy Sante's intimate and poignant account of her journey from assigned-male-at-birth to female-presenting is sometimes raw, sometimes soft, and altogether genuine. Her own voice delivering vignettes from her life resonates with authenticity. Sante's lifelong success as a writer comes through in her near-poetic... Read More

Narrator Stacy Gonzalez offers a glimpse of the trials and tribulations experienced by a first-year American college student who is studying in London at the fictional International School. In this first in a series featuring a character-driven plot, the story follows 19-year-old Maggie as she forms new relationships--both romances and friendships. Gonzalez delivers a... Read More

These six funny, tender, and romantic stories, full of promising beginnings and well-developed characters, are performed by eight talented narrators. Christina Lauren's meet-cute is a strong start to the collection. A high schooler accidentally emails another student instead of a teacher and begins a correspondence tradition on Valentine's Day. Marli Watson and Andrew Gibson... Read More

Jane Yolen's poems, delivered by Cassandra Campbell, celebrate relatable childhood experiences with nature, school, and sports. Short musical interludes group thematically related works together. Campbell's clear voice matches the mood of the whimsical and wistful lines. The audio is perfect for inspiration in English class or for short car rides to school. It lets listeners... Read More

British narrator Graham Mack brings listeners into the ocean with François Sarano, who once accompanied Jacques Cousteau on the CALYPSO. Sarano wants to bring humans closer to sharks, if only metaphorically. Mack sternly catalogs the current dire threats to sharks, such as the market for their fins. Switching gears, he makes swimming with sharks seem like a normal, even... Read More

Rich Miller gives a solid narration of this history of the United States' transition from the post-WWII alliance to the beginning of the Cold War in 1949-50. Bunker shows us the people who made history with all of their foibles, hypocrisy, and human flaws. All of them are very human beings filled with confidence and, all too often, not much wisdom. My father and mother both... Read More

Barbara Benjamin-Creel's clear voice and strong performance bring Mendez's memoir to life. Mendez began her nearly thirty-year career in the CIA as a "contract wife"--an administrator who was the spouse of a CIA agent. Embarking into this "man's world," she used her brains, grit, and persistence to become an intelligence agent herself and eventually rose to be the chief of... Read More

Mhairi Morrison narrates a sweet yet decidedly spicy historical romance. Delighted at being half of the notorious Halifax Hellions, Margo Halifax is unwilling to see how her shocking reputation could limit her. Buttoned-up Henry Mortimer has loved Margo for years, precisely because of her impetuosity but has never spoken of his feelings. Morrison's narration captures both... Read More

Mhairi Morrison narrates a heartfelt historical romance dealing with consent and agency. Matilda Halifax is tired of being half of the notorious Halifax Hellions. She's well aware of how society judges her. When she accidentally embarrasses the Marquess of Ashford by selling the woman's erotic illustrations, Matilda is determined to make amends. Morrison's portrayal of Matilda... Read More

Mhairi Morrison narrates a charming and passionate historical romance. Ten years ago, Winnifred Wallace invented a husband named Spencer Halifax and forged a document in order to secure a safe future. Now it turns out her imaginary man is not only real, he is intent on legally disentangling himself from her. Morrison imbues Winnie with courage and determination, showing just... Read More

Every Holocaust memoir offers a unique perspective. This audiobook shows its horrors through the eyes of innocent children, Stefan and Marion Hess. Tavia Gilbert delivers their story of life with their parents in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp with tenderness and care. She manages to depict the reality and fragility of their existence without surrendering its fleeting moments... Read More

Listeners will learn some interesting facts about space in this production, but it's not a scientific treatise. The audiobook is a psychological novel about a troubled young woman, Enid, who is involved in a multitude of dysfunctional relationships. Natalie Naudus captures Enid's offbeat personality in such a way that one feels her tortured thoughts and her phobias, such as her... Read More

Narrator Kit Griffiths embodies three London women in this novel about witches and curses. Zara wants to bring her sister back to life, Jude is looking to undo a self-administered curse gone wrong, and witch Emer writes powerful invocations. When some of Emer's customers are murdered, all three women come together to solve the mystery before one of them is next. Listeners will... Read More

Narrator Amy McFadden enlivens the romance that develops between dancer Lily Montgomery and Noah Wylder, a financier who works for her family's firm. Lily has returned home to recover from an injury only to find that most of her family is on vacation, leaving her to stay with her grandfather. Noah and Lily shared a kiss in the past, and sparks fly again. Because Lily is... Read More

Dominic Hoffman narrates this reimagining of ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, but this time Jim tells his own story. When Jim learns that he's going to be sold to someone downriver, he flees, leaving behind his wife and daughter. But he soon finds himself tangled up with Huckleberry Finn, a white boy who is always getting into the worst sorts of trouble. Jim is practiced at... Read More

Anishinaabe performer Jennifer Bobiwash returns as Jo Jo Makoons, an ebullient Ojibwe first grader. Jo Jo's class is studying healthy foods, but when a snowstorm closes school, Jo Jo and her reservation friends get to celebrate their first snow day. Jo Jo tells her tale in the first person, and Bobiwash infuses her performance with just the right combination of childish... Read More

Marni Penning narrates one woman's personal takedown of the art world. After stealing a famous portrait painted of her more than 20 years earlier, Johanna Porter must come to terms with her past, present, and future as an artist. Penning deftly navigates all the complex emotions Johanna feels when coming face-to-face with both her former mentor/lover and the famous portrait of... Read More

Through this audiobook, listeners will come to see Civil Rights pioneer John Lewis as a living bridge from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., to President Barack Obama. The force behind the concept of "good trouble," Lewis was inspired to become a minister and to join the Civil Rights movement after hearing King preach over the radio. Lewis was just a boy at the time. His life,... Read More

Narrators Alex Knox and Angelina Rocca combine their talents to give life to the romance between Skye Tremont and Tripp Daniels. The two were in a relationship years ago, but Tripp broke things off to concentrate on medical school. Skye ended up in an abusive marriage. Tripp and Skye meet again as Skye is longing for a baby. Knox evokes the tenderness Tripp feels for Skye.... Read More

Nikki Massoud narrates the first-person story of Iranian American Mitra, who has little expectation of friendships when she enters a Catholic school. But four years later, she and her best friend, Bea, have written 13 books of poetry together and fallen in love. Massoud's narration realizes the vulnerability of a girl full of questions: Can she allow her drug-addicted mother to... Read More