New Reviews by Title: U-Z

Dr. Vonda Wright skillfully narrates her manifesto on unlocking the miraculous design of the body to challenge the biological time bombs of aging. Her mission is to help women achieve healthy longevity down to the cellular level. A renowned orthopedic surgeon, researcher, and health advocate, Dr. Wright brings her scientific and clinical expertise directly to listeners. Her... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw narrates this contemporary paranormal romance featuring a small-town Christmas with a vampire twist. Tiffenie Ruba is a 300-year-old vampire who desperately needs to get her life in order. When she unexpectedly inherits a bed-and-breakfast business in rural Vermont, she'll finally have the opportunity to live her Hallmark fantasies. However, she'll have to... Read More

Narrator Angel Pean brings to life this beautiful coming-of-age story written in verse. Jaelyn Coleman is 16 years old, and her world revolves around WestSide Roll, a roller skating rink in her community. Her parents met there, and they're the ones who taught her to skate. Her friendships are tied to skating. Her community remains linked because of the music, history, and... Read More

A six-person cast narrates a story spanning two centuries, set on a remote island in New York. Rachel Hirsch portrays Providence, a sweet nineteenth-century maid who is secretly fleeing Boston after the murder of her employer. In modern times, Audrey, portrayed by Helen Laser, is feeling frazzled and cynical due to her responsibility for shepherding her sultry movie star... Read More

Eugenia Cheng's consideration of equivalence and equality in math and in life could be applied to the identity she presents in this audiobook: Her narration is always easy to listen to, but WHAT she narrates is not; the two are not equal. Her voice and English accent are likable; her manner is warm, friendly, and engaging; her performance is clear and gently musical. Even the... Read More

Mitch Crawford narrates this nonfiction account of the Fountain Grove utopian community in California in the late 1800s. Run by minister, spiritualist, and poet Thomas Lake Harris, the community went through a large public scandal involving gender, race, and sexual mores. As a result, it was dubbed the first "cult"--and Harris the first "cult leader." Crawford narrates with a... Read More

Richard Simon's sturdy speaking voice has wonderful clarity and a masculine pitch range that gives his relaxed performance a solid and respectable sound. His vocal personality makes him sound open and flexible. It's a great vehicle for the smartphone addiction remedies he offers in this fresh-sounding audiobook. Stories of how people wrestled with and benefited from ditching... Read More

This chilling audiobook features an outstanding ensemble cast. When a mysterious boy wanders into Isla's backyard from the woods, she's desperate for him to join her large family despite his unsettling strangeness and disjointed body. Erin deWard voices Isla gently as she escapes her spiraling depression through her unwavering certainty that the boy will complete her family.... Read More

Narrator Liz Fodor creates a strong, believable character in attorney Camille Delaney. While providing legal aid inside a women's prison, Camille meets inmate Charli Zhao. Charli is not only serving time for a crime she didn't commit, but also, years earlier, after giving birth while shackled to a bed, she suffered the kidnapping of her daughter. Moved by Charli's plight,... Read More

Actor Tim Curry narrates his memoir recounting five decades of his work on stage, screen, and television. Curry's early life gave him the "heart of a vagabond," a path he's continued throughout a diversity of famed roles. As only he can, Curry gives detailed views of his legendary parts in movies such as THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and SPAMALOT. His narration conveys his... Read More

Listeners will enjoy an enemies-to-lovers romance as grumpy Parker Harris repeatedly meets Amy Gibson at singles events. Amy remains determined to find herself a boyfriend despite a series of awkward encounters and first dates from which the cynical Parker ends up rescuing her. Vanessa Moyen and Lee Samuels shine at portraying the pair as they maintain their distance while... Read More

Narrators Cris Dukehart and Eric G. Dove return to the North Carolina/Tennessee town of Rocky Start, where most of the inhabitants are former spies. Max Reddy, also a former operative, had been hiking the trail when he stopped in Rocky Start and formed a relationship with Rose Malone. Dukehart portrays Rose and her daughter, Poppy, while Dove portrays Max. Max wants to get back... Read More

Benton Frank continues her saga of the Adams family of South Carolina's Lowcountry. Shy, introverted Violet Adams finds herself in a shaky frame of mind now that she and her boyfriend have broken up. At the same time, her best friend, Aly Knox, moves to the Lowcountry after the loss of her mother. Mia Hutchinson-Shaw doesn't give Violet a trace of the Lowcountry accent. Aly, a... Read More

M.L. Sanchez introduces listeners to Wanda, a real-life Puerto Rican child who, after seeing the magic of the stars on a fishing trip, grows up to be an astrophysicist. She goes to college but, tragically, loses her vision to diabetes. Wanda's determination and dedication, along with her friends and assistants, are rivetingly portrayed by Sanchez. The moment that a friend... Read More

Jesse Vilinsky narrates this thrilling historical novel with pizzazz. Thirteen-year-old Evie arrives at the 1936 Berlin Games with one goal in mind: a Gold Medal in gymnastics. Though she notices the tension in the air, it's not until she's drawn into a plot to steal Nazi gold from the German National Bank that she realizes the biggest stakes she's playing for. Vilinsky's... Read More

This extensive, thoughtful, and well-researched biography of the martial arts great Bruce Lee smoothly draws the listener in. Lee was an enigma in some ways, and author Chang has captured his life, which was cut short at age 32. Narrator James Chen deftly uses slight shifts in his voice when delivering quotes. He maintains control of his tone, making shifts when appropriate but... Read More

Narrator Kathleen Early delivers a consummate performance of this complex crime novel, skillfully voicing every character--ranging from a sulky teen to a swaggering drunk--with distinction. Early's nuanced portrayals anchor the story, which introduces Deputy Emmy Clifton and her legendary North Falls family. The mystery begins with the disappearance of two teenagers during a... Read More

As Mona Awad returns to the dark academia of her cult classic, BUNNY, Sophie Amoss artfully handles the challenging narration. The plot unfolds mostly through monologue and dialogue. Amoss gives specific tones and styles to "the Bunnies," the quartet of entitled MFA students who are holding fellow former grad student Samantha captive because of the way she portrayed them in her... Read More

The U.S. Constitution is under threat, but it has a self-contained aspect that can right the ship of state if only we will let it: the amendment process. Harvard historian Jill Lepore contends the country's guiding document was not born fully developed and shouldn't be treated as a static entity. Rather, it was designed to allow for adaptation to changing times. Lepore is also... Read More

In this clear, conversational, and often humorous retelling of Greek myths, Elizabeth Klett delivers Hera's chapters and Christian Black delivers those of Heracles. Together, they accentuate the intrigue, backstabbing, and good old-fashioned sex and violence in the stories. Hera, wife of Zeus, was one of the most powerful and ill-tempered gods on Mount Olympus. With her... Read More

This audiobook is an offbeat, avant-garde look at the American Southwest as seen through the eyes of a poet, philosopher, cowboy, and "weeper" named Ed. Weepers are professional mourners hired to add tangible signs of grief to funerals. Narrator David Aaron Baker brings Ed to life. His warm and folksy voice is instantly likable. Ed's verbal ruminations are sometimes profound,... Read More

Narrator Carlotta Brentan skillfully voices all the characters in this audiobook. As Cath goes through her late mother's effects, she discovers two nonrefundable tickets to a fake murder week in a quaint English town. She decides to go alone to discover why her mother wanted her to attend. Brentan demonstrates talent at both English and American accents. During her stay, Cath... Read More

Listeners will either love or hate this story of self-discovery. Narrator Jenapher Zheng portrays Lola, a woman in her early 30s who is mourning the sudden death of a close friend. Lola is launched into social media fame when a video of her giving a monologue on her grief goes viral. Despite moral concerns about capitalizing on personal tragedy, she decides to try to become an... Read More

VyVy Nguyen delivers a powerful performance of this coming-of-age horror novel. Fourteen-year-old "Ronny" Nguyen's brother, Tommy, the pride of their Vietnamese immigrant parents, will soon be the first in their family to go to college. When Tommy dies in a car accident, the family is devastated. Ronny's world further collapses when she's sexually assaulted at a party. When she... Read More

The advantages and perils of technology have long been examined in fiction, and this audiobook offers an excellent, profoundly human view of the topic. Helen Laser is outstanding as Jane, a teenager who is living off the grid in Montana with her father. As Jane learns more about her history, Laser's portrayal subtly changes to reflect her growth. Jane's voice shifts from that... Read More

Narrators David Rintoul and Rachel Bavidge perform with distinct British styles as this speculative novel jumps around in time. Rintoul portrays Tom, who lives in the 22nd century, when the diminished world has experienced climate catastrophes and been ravaged by AI-controlled wars. Rintoul's professorial tone and diction strongly suggest an indoor life of the mind. Bavidge... Read More

Cassandra Campbell and Helen Laser deliver outstanding performances as Lori, a former-actress-turned-nun, and her niece, Lu, in this dual-timeline story revolving around an Old Hollywood mystery. In 1990, Lu interviews her aunt for her college history thesis. Until now, Lori has refused to talk about her decision to join the Church at the height of her acting career. Laser uses... Read More

Narrator Skye Alley introduces talented poet Fred, know-it-all Luisa, and monster-loving Drake, who've been chosen to write their school's holiday play. Adding to the pressure--and honor--Luisa's Uncle Reyes, a playwright, will assist. Alley's best creation, Fred, wants their play to illustrate the darkness of the winter season. As his writing partners reluctantly agree, they... Read More

Fred Sanders delivers this audiobook about metacognition with a perfect balance of erudition and approachability. Psychology professor Pinker describes how we understand our thoughts and how we know what others are thinking. To frame this discussion, he evokes the classic moment from the '90s television show "Friends," the one in which Phoebe realizes "they don't know we know... Read More

Will Packer, producer of numerous Hollywood hits, brings his talents as both author and narrator to this inspiring collection of career and life lessons. Known for being "all in" on his projects, Packer delivers masterful storytelling enhanced by cameo appearances from celebrities, lively music and sound effects, and a sideline commentator who keeps him honest. His narration... Read More

If you associate the Jane Austen you learned about in school with the words "prim" and "proper," then you need to listen to what one of the leading scholars of Austen's work has to say about the famous writer. This audiobook, which covers Austen's full body of work--the early short stories, as well as the published novels--adds greatly to the existing literature around the... Read More

This audiobook, narrated by Aja Naomi King, Ashley Nicole Black, and author Angela Flournoy, follows five young women over two decades as they navigate the uncertainty of early adulthood in New York City and Los Angeles. Desiree, Danielle, Nakia, Monique, and January are all dealing with grief, love, loss, and race amid the turbulent backdrop of the George Floyd demonstrations... Read More

At the beginning of this audiobook, the protagonist is experiencing the brain fog of long Covid, losing track of time and events and emotions. As author Patricia Lockwood narrates, she sounds lost and emotionless. But this is a story of survival, so the confusing elements--including the decision not to mention the heroine's name more than twice in the whole story and the... Read More

James Rottger presents this timely story with verve, his Scots accents reflecting its varied locales. When thoughtful Dr. Neil Anderson is misunderstood by a student, a serious complaint results. After he discovers his girlfriend's unfaithfulness, he retreats to the Isle of Mull, rather than defend himself. Rottger lustily utters the strong feelings of longtime friend James,... Read More

Laura Knight Keating captures every nuance--both human and doll--in this contemporary yet old-fashioned fantasy. In front of a dollhouse shop, lonely, 11-year-old Tiph captures and returns a runaway dog to its elderly Hungarian owner, Nene (Aunt) Szilvia. Spunky Tiph and Nene are Keating's standout characters, with Nene's stunning voice and accent making every appearance a... Read More

The lives of four women change course on Halloween when a dead body is found nearby in DeCarolis's story of deceit and abuse, deftly narrated by January LaVoy. Each woman has a secret that must be protected at all costs. LaVoy captures the apprehension that newlywed Hannah feels when she receives threatening notes in the mail. After Georgina takes Hannah under her wing, LaVoy... Read More

Kirsten Potter's resonant narrative voice guides listeners safely through the red herrings of Carol Goodman's locked-room mystery set on an isolated Greek island. A group of writers has reconvened on the island 15 years after their first traumatic meeting. Their apparently AWOL host has set in motion dangerous events with which the group copes as its members navigate their... Read More

Horror in the form of an alien invasion and a bug infestation is compelling and dramatic in this audiobook, and Max Meyers does an excellent job of narrating without overdoing it. Their tone and pacing allow the suspense to build naturally, even during frequent scenes of horror. Their voices are appropriately differentiated as they deliver dialogue and action, and they navigate... Read More

With her down-to-earth vocal personality and audible commitment to her teaching, teacher/trainer Karen Salmansohn creates a secure atmosphere for considering the invitations in this compelling audiobook. Her conversational phrasing and reasonably quick pacing engage listeners. Her captivating message is that facing the reality of death can jolt us to live more boldly and to pay... Read More

Trust narrator Joy Nash to make the zombie apocalypse a barrel of laughs. Edie Brandstrup is constantly on the lookout for zombies. Sure enough, some escape from a nearby prison. Rushing to save her neighbors, Edie first heads for Gaston "Max" Boucher, a brainless surfer dude who turns out to be a French vampire with hidden depths. Edie's mockery of Max in the form of incessant... Read More