THE MONSTERS WE DEFY

In this dazzling fantasy set in 1920s Washington, DC, narrator Shayna Small imbues her voice with the power of spirits and the determination of a Black woman with the power to talk to them. Clara’s gift saved her once, but it left her with a terrible debt. So when a spirit offers her freedom in exchange for pulling off a dangerous heist, she accepts. Small pulls off a feat herself, shape-shifting through the many colorful characters in Clara’s crew. Each one comes alive with a unique voice—from the smooth, charming lilt of a talented man who can hypnotize people with music to the sharp, no-nonsense staccato of a woman who was raised in the circus. Small’s emotional delivery will draw listeners into Clara’s world of African American folklore and magic. L.S. 2023 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2022]