New Reviews by Title: E-J

Helen Castor delivers political intrigue, dynastic maneuvering, romance, treachery, and war during the reigns of Richard II and his usurping cousin, Henry IV, up to the accession of Henry's son, Henry V. Overall, Castor narrates this historical drama with suitable intensity. Some authorial liberties, such as expressing the inner thoughts of historical personages, blend into the... Read More

This delightful Regency romance introduces Lydia Hope-Wallace, the rich, fiery redhead who secretly writes pamphlets denouncing the excesses of the aristocracy. Arthur Baird is the tall, blond reclusive Earl of Strathrannoch, who owns a moldering castle in Scotland. Narrator Mhairi Morrison spins the pair's adventurous love story, beginning with her wonderful vocal... Read More

Sebastian Humphreys and Vivien Carter perform this complex story about Hannah, her family, and Max, Hannah's late boyfriend who's now haunting their London apartment. After he dies, Max watches Hannah move on with her life and marvels at how much he still had to learn about her. Before she met Max, Hannah had fled Australia and--more importantly--her family. Humphreys performs... Read More

Justin Price narrates this story of a Montana town that is in the midst of a murder mystery. When George Blackwater is shot while working on a screenplay, the sheriff of Blue Deer assumes the attacker is Blackwater's put-upon wife. But when the number of killings climbs, it becomes clear there's much more to unravel. Price's narration gives this audiobook the tone of a noir... Read More

Nicole Cash delivers a steady and engaging narration of this complex story of immigration to the U.S. from modern-day Nigeria. She captures the novel's emotional depth and the shifting landscapes of Nigeria and New Orleans as Amina's arrival in America coincides with a hurricane. Cash guides listeners through Amina's journey from Ibadan to America, toggling between youthful... Read More

This techo-thriller narrated by acclaimed actors Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Tim Lounibos is set at a company called Infopendium, a fictional version of Wikipedia, during the pandemic. The narrators have a difficult task: to bring listeners into the world of passionate--and often partisan--editors who constantly jostle textually for their points of view to gain traction. Imagine... Read More

Narrators Ell Potter and Michael Dodds return in this lively third installment of the Emily Wilde series. Emily embarks on another adventure in her fantastical field of study as she takes on her most ambitious role as faerie queen. Additionally, Emily and her fiancé, Wendell, must also uncover the cure to a deadly curse cast by Wendell's stepmother. This performance is packed... Read More

Narrator Fred Berman takes listeners on an absorbing journey through Arctic and Antarctic landscapes, revealing the myriad ways that ice has been intricately connected to life throughout Earth's history. Berman communicates paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Neil Shubin's passion for the complexities of polar regions. His search for fishapod fossils introduced him to the... Read More

A dialogue began when Thomas Piketty, a French economist who has written widely on economic equality, and Michael Sandel, a Harvard philosopher, met in May 2024 at the Paris School of Economics. In this edited version, Derek Dysart, as Sandel, interviews Piketty, whose part is narrated by Stephen Graybill. Both have a lot to say about the value of equality, especially as it... Read More

Piper Goodeve's energetic narration is a perfect match for this funny and charming story, making this a perfectly paced listen. Emma takes over her parents' estate-sale business and lands their biggest client to date. The grand house and its furnishings are overshadowed by its reputation: a previous bed-and-breakfast that also offered services of ill repute. Emma, unaware of... Read More

Narrators Kyla Garcia and Bradley Ford perform an angsty contemporary romance. Miranda, a fashion editor, loves everything about the busy city life of Madrid. But her boyfriend, Tristan, can't stand the fast-paced lifestyle and longs to live a simple life in the country and have a family someday. The pair have strong chemistry, but ultimately Tristan decides they should part... Read More

On a visit to Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone, bestselling author John Green met Henry, a charismatic patient who looks much younger than his age due to the ravages of a tuberculosis infection on his body. They established a friendship, and Green's interest in the disease grew, leading him to become a supporter of Partners in Health and an advocate for reducing... Read More

In a voice full of curiosity, insight, and the driest sense of humor, author/podcaster Dorian Lynskey takes the listener on a fascinating and comprehensive tour of one of civilization's most durable tropes: the end of the world. Mixing fact, fiction, and prediction, Lynskey smoothly moves from the terror of the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa to the Martian "invasion" of H.G.... Read More

Eliza Foss gives a performance as elegant and energetic as any "Gibbs girl" graduate in this entertaining and surprising account of the founding, growth, and eventual demise of the Katharine Gibbs School and the capable women who forged ahead with confidence from its several academies. In 1911, the widowed and destitute Gibbs opened her first secretarial school. Her goal was... Read More

This audiobook is set in a dystopian future in which a powerful megacorporation enforces debt repayment through a brutal death match known as the Lamb's Gauntlet. The story revolves around Inesa, who is unwillingly offered as a sacrifice by her mother, and Melinoë, a cybernetically altered assassin who is sent to kill Inesa. As the two journey across a wasteland, something... Read More

David Timson performs in the character of author Bernard Mandeville as he is revealed in this early-eighteenth-century satirical discourse on economics and morality. In his engaging performance, Timson explicates and clarifies the text, making it easier to absorb while also enlivening it. Subsequent dialogues between a Mandeville proponent, narrated by Justin Avoth, and a... Read More

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Aoife McMahon, with her lovely Irish brogue, brings Síne Quinn's introduction to 15 Irish faeries to life. This children's audiobook will also entrance adults as it looks at the light and dark sides of Irish faeries ranging from banshees and leprechauns to other shape-shifting and trickster characters. With her Irish lilt, McMahon introduces... Read More

Accomplished narrator Moira Quirk brings her fine skills to this first audiobook in a Regency Era romantasy trilogy. Highborn Aileana Kameron is the last in a bloodline of assassins who protect Edinburgh from murderous fae. Now she must work with a powerful fae named Kiaran MacKay to protect the city when the ancient seal that keeps the hoards at bay falters. Quirk's rich... Read More

Narrators Julia Whelan and Connor Crais deliver unique performances in this short yet moving audiobook. Seth and Charlotte are neighbors who meet over the disappearance of their stairs from a construction mix-up. Deciding to remain on their floor over the weekend, the two connect and talk about their isolated lives. The narrators' performances offer a full experience. Each... Read More

Narrator Emilia Fox does a fantastic job showcasing the range of emotions in this addictive thriller. It's Camilla's first day back at work after her maternity leave, and she's on edge from not being able to reach her husband, Luke. Police arrive to tell her that Luke has been identified as being involved in a hostage situation. She goes from scared to disbelieving as it's... Read More

Brittany Pressley and Aaron Shedlock charm listeners in this contemporary paranormal romance. Alex Lawson was once the outsider of her small town. Now she's Internet famous as the expert on the online fan forum she built for a long-running werewolf detective show. But she still can't stand the show's star, Devin Ashwood, whose career plummeted when the show ended. Waking up... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini has the perfect voice to match the crisp rhythms and assured ease of Hemingway's celebrated prose style in his bestselling semi-autobiographical 1929 classic about an American adventurer who joins the Italian Army in WWI. Known for its realistic depiction of the violence and destruction of war, the novel follows the travails and growth of... Read More

Eva Kaminsky gently introduces little listeners to Farmer Eva, whose understanding of the "brown underground" helps her garden thrive. As Kaminsky delivers the story, her musical tone makes the most of the author's rhythmic phrasing. Youngsters will learn about the contributions made by "all the helpful critters . . . and the microbes too," and the careful inclusion of children... Read More

Listeners don't need to be superfans of ice skating to be drawn into this audiobook. The world of pairs skating competition provides the setting for a story of young, elite athletes who are fighting for Olympic gold. Structured as oral history, the narrations are uniformly exceptional. Standouts include Christine Lakin as the complicated lead; her voice captures a mix of... Read More

Performing this fascinating memoir, published originally in French in 1929, Belgian actor Jade Wheeler captures the charm and depth of the American singer Josephine Baker, who lived in the U.S. and France. Wheeler performs with the spunk you'd expect from Baker, who enthralled audiences with her seductive personality and talent. In France, she enjoyed an unfiltered, irreverent... Read More

Angela Dawe brings Finlay Donovan's comedic crime solving to life with her narration of the fifth book in this series. When a body is discovered in a neighbor's backyard and Finlay's husband is arrested, Finlay and her nanny become involved. The nosy neighbor, Mrs. Heggarty, moves into Finlay's house and busies herself with her duties as head of the neighborhood watch. Does she... Read More

Katie Koster will charm a wide audience with this fun romantic performance. Wordle enthusiast Emily daydreams at her dead-end job as a receptionist at a car shop. When her car's alternator dies, her co-worker, John, comes to her rescue, and the bland mechanic suddenly becomes interesting when he shares his own enjoyment of Wordle. Koster offers an authentic narration of this... Read More

Jacques Roy's narration sounds like a political science lecture as Alexander Vindman's analysis of Russia's invasion of Ukraine delves into the history behind the conflict. He covers the Chernobyl disaster, denuclearization efforts, Ukraine's role in the fall of the Soviet Union, and relations between Russia and the region dating back to the seventeenth century. It's packed... Read More

Add "outstanding audiobook narrator" to Brown's impressive resumé. He is, after all, a Food Network personality, a cookbook author, and an avid food science researcher. Given his long-running gigs on "Iron Chef" and "Good Eats," along with his work as a pitchman for GE, it's no surprise that he performs his "essays and ruminations" smoothly and wittily. His range of interests... Read More

Jonas Oloffson's exploration of the sense of smell starts with herring: Narrator Adam Verner's light tone suggests Oloffson's awareness that his love of the fish dish is not widely shared. As a smell researcher, Oloffson undertakes such activities as smelling lampposts to understand what dogs smell and trying pungent durian ice cream in Singapore. Verner captures the author's... Read More

Diane Bustelo and Krysta Gonzales narrate this YA story of two friends, each of whom is hoping to fulfill her deepest desire. Bustelo embodies Mayte, who is threatened by debt collectors because her father has lost the family fortune. Her best friend, Lo, portrayed by Gonzales, lives with her abusive father. The girls decide to visit Fortune's Kiss, a magical gambling den that... Read More

There's a presumed sense of fairness in our justice system. But Michael Beck's harrowing performances of 10 true stories of devastating injustices reveal the error of that presumption. A neighbor is falsely accused of murdering a woman on the same day that his wife has major surgery. Four Navy sailors are pushed into falsely confessing to a vicious crime in Norfolk. A man goes... Read More

Narrator Cynthia Farrell has demonstrated her versatility over a wide range of subjects and genres. She--like her present topic--embraces material but doesn't intrude, and is thrifty, ingenious, and reliable. The Franklin stove, today a relic of history, was in its time a revolution in domestic life, and its story provides an unexpectedly rich and compelling perspective on... Read More

Jennifer Sun Bell narrates this early novel by PACHINKO author Min Jin Lee. It's the story of Casey, a young Korean American woman who is striving to make her mark in New York City's wealthy financial sector. Bell does a proficient job narrating Casey's coming-of-age story; however, while she captures Casey's youthful spirit, her voice lacks the gravitas needed to animate the... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Juliet Stevenson's skills shine in this memoir by the former chancellor of Germany. Angela Merkel's father, who was a Protestant pastor, moved her family from West Germany to the DDR when she was just weeks old. Her recollections of growing up in the East, especially of being a pastor's child, are quite fascinating. In many ways this is a typical memoir of... Read More

Narrator Nicolette McKenzie conjures a stifled and decaying world in this unusual dystopian story. Aging sisters Evelyn and Lily have been alone together for longer than they can remember, tending their garden despite a growing dysregulation of time and the seasons. The appearance of a boy inside the supposedly secure wall surrounding their property throws everything about the... Read More

Narrator Nancy Wu's pace starts off slow and steady--just like the search-and-rescue techniques depicted in this mystery set in the Pacific Northwest. Deputy Mattie Cob and her dog, Robo, are asked to join the team that is looking for a lost 9-year-old boy named River Allen, who wandered off from the trailer of his mother, a movie star named Crystal. Once the teams find an old... Read More

Harrison Knights narrates TJ Alexander's debut historical romance. Needing to keep up appearances while in London for the season, eccentric Lord Christopher Eden reluctantly hires James Harding as his valet. Knights captures Christopher's somewhat persnickety nature, as well as the aching loneliness that causes him to make deeply awkward overtures of friendship toward his new... Read More

The second novel in Joseph O'Connor's proposed trilogy bristles with life. Superb performances from a talented cast reveal the thoughts and emotions of a group of righteous men and women who saved hundreds from Nazi brutality. In return for the Pope's agreeing to remain neutral, Vatican City is forbidden to the German occupiers. In this audiobook inspired by the true story of... Read More

Narrator Jennifer Robideau transports listeners to Waikiki to join former journalist Maya Wong as she returns to Hawaii to ghostwrite the biography of a controversial developer. When a member of his family is found murdered and Maya's ex-boyfriend, Detective Koa Yamad, heads the investigation, Maya soon finds herself embroiled in the twisting mystery. Robideau's use of Hawaiian... Read More

Jane Oppenheimer provides a tone of truthfulness to this historical novel highlighting the friction between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr as they seek to defend a murder suspect in 1800s America. Levi Weeks is accused of murdering Emma Sands, a lively young woman who disappeared from her boardinghouse. Lawyers Hamilton and Burr have political aspirations as each tries to... Read More

Golden Voice January LaVoy clearly differentiates the many characters in this story and smoothly transitions among them. She gives the deepest portrayals of the two main characters and their developing relationship: sullen, angry 14-year-old Ruby, who is accused of murder and is facing being moved to an adult women's prison, and compassionate Cadence Ware, the calm social... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell tells the WWII story of two childhood friends, Hilde and Hannah, whose lives converge in a "model camp" for Jews, Theresienstadt. The camp is described in Nazi propaganda as Hitler's "gift to the Jews"--however, it's actually a concentration camp with dehumanizing work, scant food, and harsh punishments. Hilde, an aspiring filmmaker and... Read More

The youngest ever inaugural poet, Amanda Gordon, brings to life her powerful poem and message to all girls. It's a love letter to girls using any pronoun, from any culture, and with any level of ambition, saying that they have the means to make change, inspire and support others, and achieve their goals. Gordon's narration is motivating and vigorous. Delivered at a steady pace,... Read More

Narrators Victoria Connolly and Jason Clarke enchant listeners in this heartfelt contemporary romance. Millie loves her job as an entomology curator at a museum; now she has the opportunity to interview for the position of department director. Finn is learning how to handle his job at the museum while raising his nieces after the death of his sister. These two may need each... Read More

A stellar cast performs Tennessee Williams's first major play, produced here by L.A. Theatre Works. Calista Flockhart has the difficult role of the painfully shy Laura Wingfield, while Julie Harris is her overbearing and talkative mother, Amanda. John Goodman soberly narrates the painful story, which is based on Laura's brother Tom's memories of his family's struggles to stay... Read More

In French author Giebel's homage to John Steinbeck's OF MICE AND MEN, narrator Max Meyers portrays the loving brothers Léonard and Jorge with deep empathy and the increasing tension of inevitable tragedy. Léo, who was a foundling, is continually victimized because of his size and reduced intellect. In addition to extraordinary abuse, he suffers from the delusion that his... Read More

Eliot Sumner narrates a genre-defying near-future novel that often seems like a fairytale. Two children, Briar and Rose, are left to fend for themselves with just a few cans of food in what is most likely rural Britain. Their free-thinking mother is missing, and they fear the government will find them before she does. The story is told in Smith's signature stunning prose, which... Read More

Listeners soon realize that Glory Broussard is not your typical amateur sleuth. She's Black, bright, bold, brash, and the most notorious busybody in Lafayette, Louisiana. In this mystery, her second adventure, Glory is looking for the murderer of her ex-husband. In addition to seeking clues, Glory must organize the Mardi Gras gala for the Red Hat society while mending... Read More

Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick's playful narration captures the shenanigans in this romance between the spare Prince of Christmas and the Crown Prince of St. Patrick's Day. One shamrock is the only clue left behind when Kris Claus and his brother, Coal, discover someone is siphoning the joy of Christmas, the source of their magic, out from under their noses. To get it back, Kris sets... Read More

Rukhmani K. Desai delivers a sharp, dynamic performance that captures the biting wit and dark humor of Sanjana Satyanandais's contradictory existence. After she walks out on her failed marriage, her husband goes missing. Desai balances Sanjana's cynicism and vulnerability, making her struggles with adulthood, academia, and modern womanhood sound raw and relatable. Desai shifts... Read More

This audiobook tells the story of 30-something Téo, who becomes the guardian of a toddler named Joel after the suicide of the boy's mother. Téo is joined in this new endeavor by three others: Ben, his best mate; Sybil, a progressive female rabbi; and Vic, his elderly disabled father. Jot Davies narrates this family story. While some voices, like that of Joel, prove a bit... Read More

Bob Souer is a strong, energetic narrator who brings character and clarity to this excellent history of America's most colorful and dynamic state. Equally important, Souer maintains the author's reportorial balance and unmistakable enthusiasm for his subject. Arranged chronologically with each chapter devoted to a different era or feature of California's history, this is the... Read More

Golden Voice narrator January LaVoy brings empathy and believable characterizations to this multigenerational saga by the author of the bestselling novel BLACK CAKE. Years ago, Ebby Freeman's brother was killed and a family heirloom shattered in a still unsolved crime. In the present, Ebby, who's from an affluent Black family, has been jilted by her white fiancé. After bolting... Read More

Nila tells no one who she is in this coming-of-age story of a 19-year-old Afghan girl who lives in Germany, where she tries to find her way to adulthood. Narrator Mozhan Navabi ably portrays Nila in a breathy voice. Her life is full of anger and pain from the recent loss of her mother. She becomes romantically involved with an older American man named Marlowe, a writer whose... Read More

Jeff Chu, an ordained minister in The Reformed Church in America, narrates the story of his experiences at Princeton Theological Seminary, also known as its "Farminary." Working the land and forming connections with strangers there informed his intellectual and spiritual lives. A journalist prior to seminary, Chu still writes, and both journalist and preacher are evident in his... Read More

Rebecca Lowman gives a wondrous performance of this debut audiobook inspired by the real-life 1980s "Preppy Murder" case. In the Upper East Side neighborhood filled with WASPs where she lives, 18-year-old Nina Jacobs, who is Jewish, is spending the summer before college with her friends, drinking and experimenting with cocaine. She is drawn to the preppy, seemingly perfect... Read More

Edwin Bancroft Henderson--E.B.--was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. Amir Abdullah narrates Henderson's grandson's account of his grandfather's life with enthusiasm and admiration that echo the campaign for his induction. His namesake recounts how E.B. introduced basketball to Black students in Washington, DC, played center himself, and helped the... Read More

Shana Pennington-Baird narrates this historical true-crime story set in Washington DC and Baltimore during Reconstruction. Forthright Jane Gray's medical skills and familial ties are severely tested as friends and family members succumb to mysterious ailments and deaths. Pennington-Baird uses a variety of Southern and Northern accents for Jane's educated family, as well as for... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan delights listeners with this heartfelt contemporary romance. Alice Scott is optimistic about her writing--always hoping for a big break. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hayden Anderson is a grumpy enigma. Both find themselves on Little Crescent Island for the same reason: They're competing to write the biography of an elusive heiress, the... Read More

Seth Numrich narrates this classic Jazz Age novel with an introduction by Jesmyn Ward, foreword by Eleanor Lanahan, and afterword by James L.W. West III. The story follows the mysterious Jay Gatsby through the eyes of Nick Carraway, and Nick's cousin, Daisy. Numrich captures Nick's optimism and Daisy's softness with his lively narration. Excelling at long passages full of... Read More

Expertly narrated by Justin Avoth, and just under 10 hours, this history of the Turkish siege of Malta in 1565 is a good summary and analysis of one of the crucial struggles in Western history. Working with a narrative in which dramatic action is outweighed by critical analysis, Avoth maintains a solid pace and a steady tone, establishing a degree of focus and immediacy lacking... Read More

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith narrates an immersive fantasy set in post-WWII London. When Dennis Knuckleyard suddenly and violently learns there is a second London alongside the one he knows, it causes his entire worldview to reshape itself. Holdbrook-Smith depicts Dennis as naïve and somewhat feckless, mostly harmless, and truly out of his depth. The vast scope of characters Dennis... Read More

With his friendly, reedy English accent, content creator and social media stalwart Adrian Bliss takes the listener on a wonderful and often laugh-out-loud tour of the back pages of history, told from the perspective of some very odd characters. There's the ferret (or is it an ermine) that posed for one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous paintings. A giant oak tree that helped... Read More

In a companionable, sometimes amused-sounding, narration, Lola Milholland shares her memoir about growing up in an unconventional family dedicated to communal living. Detailing both the benefits and quirky challenges of communal living arrangements, along with lots of tasty insights into recipes created there, she offers an eclectic mix of memories, family history, and shared... Read More

Nigerian author Funmi Fetto's narration anchors this wide-ranging collection of short stories with a steady, immersive presence. She modulates her voice to reflect the unique emotional terrain of each character. Fetto makes it easy to distinguish between Ifeoma's escalating tension as she tries to leave her abusive husband, Nkechi's cautious resilience, and Riliwa's evolving... Read More

Sara Matsui Colby is the main narrator of this audio adaptation of a graphic novel, and various narrators chime in as minor characters. Japanese-American author Christine Mari recounts her study abroad experience as a time of culture shock, depression, a feeling of lack of belonging, microaggressions, and, eventually, self-discovery. To supplement the lack of visuals, various... Read More

Jolene Kim narrates this sci-fi heist audiobook steeped in Hawaiian culture and language. Edie spent eight years in prison after their partner, Angel, sold them out. But Angel has one more job, and Edie's family back home on Kepler space station needs their support. Kim's voice is pleasantly low and unhurried, steeping listeners in the rich setting and slow-paced writing style.... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Gerard Doyle once again brings the quirkiness and erudition of D.I. Sean Duffy to life as he takes on a case that his boss, who is away on vacation, can't handle. It's 1992 in Belfast, and the murder of an IRA assassin means that Duffy must clock more time hunting for the killer despite his efforts to cut back as he nears retirement. Never mind that his... Read More

Talented narrators Clare Corbett and Melanie Crawley deliver a haunting ghost story that shifts between 1776 and the present day. Corbett gives illiterate Hettie Gale a sharp West Country accent as she recounts her life and death in the late 1700s. Hettie's story alternates with that of soft-toned Alice McKenna, performed by Crawley. In the present time, Alice searches for her... Read More

Crisp and to the point, Matt Godfrey delivers this timely audiobook in a tone of urgency and optimism. Heaphy led the legal team charged with investigating the Unite the Right riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and the January 6 riot in Washington, DC, in 2021. Listeners hear a concise overview of those events with well-organized details that illuminate how these... Read More

Singer-songwriter Neko Case narrates her memoir and brings to it a vitality and dynamism that give the listener a sense of actually being with her as she falls victim to manipulation by her mother, beginning at age 8. Case allows us to feel the tumult and trauma of impoverishment, neglect, and a steady stream of dislocations and relocations. Case balances these with a gentler... Read More

Narrator Robin Miles doesn't miss a nuance in this passionate fictionalization of Jessie Redmon Fauset's life (18821961). W.E.B. Du Bois, founder and editor of the NAACP's magazine THE CRISIS, hired Fauset as literary editor, a prestigious appointment unheard of for a woman, particularly a Black woman, in her time. Fauset's unprecedented work finding and first publishing... Read More

Harpo Marx was known as the silent Marx Brother. In the foreword of this audiobook Johnny Heller describes the voice he uses to narrate the pantomime comedian's fascinating recollections of his life from childhood to stardom, first published in 1961. Heller refers to the voice he created as "1930s East Side" and resembling that of Harpo's brother Groucho. As for tone, Heller... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld performs a gothic horror story about dark family secrets that haunt a pair of sisters in postrevolutionary Russia. Irina and Lili's family mansion is taken over by the Bolsheviks, who force the owners into the attic. The house, brimming with ghosts and secrets, falls deeper into decay. Maarleveld imbues the narration with a tone of intense patience that layers... Read More

Will Damron brings alive FBI Agent Gardner Camden and the rest of the elite team of unconventional agents in the Patterns & Recognition Unit. They must race against time to hunt down a serial killer who is targeting other serial killers. Damron's strong narration creates a group of likable and believable characters. In particular, he draws out the thoroughly analytical... Read More

This audiobook, translated from the Korean, follows Jungmin, a young woman who quits her job and isolates herself in her apartment. When she goes for a walk and stumbles into a pottery workshop, it opens up her world again. Jennifer Kim narrates with a scene-setting Korean accent and effortlessly pronounces the Korean names and words. While her delivery can be somewhat choppy,... Read More

Andre Santana and Annalee Scott portray dueling chapters in this survival story. Estranged childhood friends Tuck Mattice, an ex-con, and Emily Swanson, a pop star, coldly reunite after 13 years. Tuck's new job as the singer's bodyguard is over before it can begin when their plane crashes. Now they must figure out what has happened to the world they once knew as they trudge... Read More

Narrator Rong Fu returns in the next audiobook in the Iron Widow series. Zetian has awakened Qin Zheng, legendary emperor of Huaxia from centuries past. He desires a complete overhaul of Huaxia to eliminate corruption and misogyny, but despite a common goal, it is still one Zetian is forced into. Fu skillfully adjusts her accent when voicing Qin Zheng, using a British accent... Read More

Brian Nishii, who was born and raised in Tokyo, is the perfect voice to narrate these eyewitness accounts of the bombing of Hiroshima. This volume is the first of a two-volume series on the atomic bombings of August 1945. Drawing on extensive interviews with those who survived, called "hibakusha" in Japanese, author Sheftall gives great detail on the day-to-day lives of the... Read More

Deep-voiced Piers Hampton fluidly recounts the history of Rome from its earliest days to its collapse through beautiful handcrafted coins of the realm. This lengthy history unfolds with a detailed description of each coin and the period during which it was inscribed and stamped. Hampton's voice lovingly caresses the coins and coils around age-old stories that range from Aeneas... Read More

Karen Chilton's performance provides the vocal resonance to convey the power of this audiobook. Listeners unfamiliar with the urgency of environmental justice are advised to prioritize this title. The land people live on and their access to water, plumbing, and healthcare are among the fundamental qualities discussed. Much of what makes environmental policy work involves a deep... Read More

Award-winning author Matt de la Peña warmly narrates his children's audiobook, which ponders the meaning of home. The story begins with soft music. While home can be thought of simply as a physical house, de la Peña's melodic prose points out that home can also be gestures of love from our families, such as a mother's note in a lunch box or an abuelita's sharing of secrets... Read More

As Kevin R. Free deftly narrates this 1928 bestseller with understated ease, the strength, newfound artistic freedoms, and dizzying magic of the Harlem Renaissance come to life. The Roaring Twenties roar loudly in wonderfully vivid descriptions of gambling, prostitution, cutting-edge jazz, and perfectly groomed mobsters, but it's the story of a job-hopping down-on-his-luck... Read More

Narrators Katharine Chin and Kenneth Lee captivate with this 60-year saga. Childhood sweethearts Haiwen and Suchi grow up in the same Shanghai neighborhood before being torn apart by war and time. Suchi's perspective, narrated by Chin, moves forward in time, while Haiwen's, narrated by Lee, moves backward. Chin's voice is warm and emotive, capturing Suchi's personality as she... Read More

Dan Bittner's narration pairs nostalgia for American baseball with an incisive examination of the game today. Throughout the summer season of 2022, listeners follow the fortunes of a town whose MLB affiliation was removed in 2020 as part of a 25% downsizing of minor league baseball. In an effort to retain local baseball in Batavia, New York, new owners purchased the Batavia... Read More

When you think of horses, do you just think of the animal--or do you also consider the impact they've had on the entire world? Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins delivers a detailed history of horses themselves and their usefulness to humans, particularly how they're sometimes viewed as machines of progress. After an informative introduction, Hopkins dives into the challenges horses... Read More

Narrator Sasha Frost delivers an outstanding performance as Miss Pauline, a lifelong resident of the village of Mason Hall, Jamaica, who is almost 100 years old. Miss Pauline knows that her time draws near. She hears voices at night, her house has begun making strange noises, and she knows she must right some wrongs. Reflecting on her life with the help of her granddaughter and... Read More

The third book in the Witchlings series, delightfully narrated by Cyrina Fiallo, sees friends Seven Salazar and Thorn Laroux searching for a cure for their best friend, Valley Pepperhorn, who has been turned to stone. As "spares" of Ravenskill, the girls have less magic and power than traditional witches. And as the tension between spares and witches escalates, spares begin to... Read More

Mimi Kwa narrates her memoir tracing her family's journey from China to Hong Kong and then to suburban Australia with unflinching candor. At the heart of the story is a legal dispute over the estate of Kwa's beloved Aunt Theresa, which leads to a long history of family tensions. Kwa unravels this history with humor and grace, beginning with her father, Francis, one of 32... Read More

Whew, there's a lot going on in this work, which tells tawdry tales of the city of Houston, reported and written by a host of locally famous authors and performed by a talented ensemble of narrators. Some stories are longer than others, but all seem to be as long as they need to be. The many different performers do an excellent job, though the collection would be better served... Read More

Adam Barr offers a solid narration of this audiobook about backyard conservation. In his 2007 book, BRINGING NATURE HOME, ecologist Douglas Tallamy described the relationship between native plants and native birds and insects. In this audiobook, Tallamy uses a question-and-answer format to provide easy-to-follow ways individual homeowners and gardeners can have a significant... Read More

Every second of this dynamic production--from the bouncing notes of the opening theme to the last snapped finger--creates a musical soundscape. Narrator Karen Murray's sweet and steady tones guide the listener through a history of Black music told in rolling lines of poetry. Murray moves seamlessly from the talking drums of Africa through the origins of the blues, jazz, funk,... Read More

Psychologist and therapist Ellen Hendriksen has a likable, easygoing narrating style that holds together the impressive amount of useful information in her latest audiobook. With her vocal clarity and strength, she sounds at once relaxed, assertive, and focused on connecting with her listeners. Her desire to help sounds authentic. This guide to recognizing perfectionism in... Read More

Narrating this exceptional audiobook with power and confidence, Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa, the host of a popular podcast, uses her training in neuroscience and her own personal growth adventures to explain the mindset and strategies needed for each of us to live our best life. The implicit message in her muscular voice and matter-of-fact tone is that all of us have the ability... Read More

Joe Jameson delivers an impressive performance of this comprehensive text. His pace and cadence work well with this fact-filled audiobook; even his intelligent-sounding British accent effectively conveys Smil's expertise on the state of the world's food supply. Smil, an energy expert, has long been a student of the planet's food. He says, "Numbers are the antidote to wishful... Read More

As this dynamic guide to space exploration begins, narrator Melinda Sewak blasts off with a brief history of astronauts around the world and their contributions. Overall, this audiobook encourages listeners to consider what life might be like on the moon. Sewak's enthusiastic narration is paired with instrumental music that changes to match the topic under discussion; a variety... Read More

Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde narrates in a calm, well-modulated voice with a deliberate, sometimes halting cadence, evoking her delivery from the pulpit. The bishop explores six practices generating effective responses to "the decisive moments when we are called to act with courage." Using examples from her own life, as well as from luminaries including Justice Thurgood... Read More

Japanese narrator Yuriri Naka's penetrating narration of this International Booker Prize longlisted audiobook will grip listeners. In her debut novella, Saou Ichikawa, who suffers from a congenital muscle disorder, has fashioned a persuasive denunciation of Japan's cultural insensitivity toward disabled persons. Its main character, Shaka, a 40-something woman who suffers from... Read More

Sid Sagar immediately draws listeners into this riveting novel, set in ancient Thebes. Phaidros is a soldier who was raised to fight. Now he's in his 30s, lonely and grieving the loss of his sworn companion even as he trains a new generation. He's immensely likable, and the first-person perspective and colloquial language mean that Sagar is able to bring listeners intimately... Read More

Tempest Mensah narrates this fantasy-romance and supposed comedy featuring mostly Black and demon characters. The last single person in her friend group, Rayna, a 36-year-old career woman, summons a demon lover using a spell she read in a novel. When it actually works, she proceeds to act like a spoiled brat while he protects her from his world. Mensah's outstanding acting is... Read More

Author, broadcast journalist, and JFK's niece, Maria Shriver also served as California's first lady. Here she offers a heartfelt "sort of memoir,'' which is supplemented by her personal, occasionally cryptic, poetry. Shriver's performance is polished, varied in pace and tone, easy on the ears, and moving. Poems reflect a life of major accomplishments and wealth advantages but... Read More

Allison Sweet Grant portrays 19-year-old Elisabeth Amos, who has fled her home to live quietly in an isolated Wisconsin town. The audiobook moves back and forth in time. Surviving brutal medical procedures done to lengthen Elisabeth's bones takes place at home, and enduring a snowstorm and power outage takes place in Wisconsin. Time shifts are differentiated through chapter... Read More

Hazel Addison's dramatic delivery guarantees a laugh-out-loud experience for those who listen to this wacky romance. Just when Dory is about to earn her PhD in wildlife biology, she's attacked by a lion-- only to be saved via alien abduction. Now on an unfamiliar planet, Dory and her new best friend, Toto, a talking lion, navigate their dangerous new environment, which is full... Read More

Daniel K. Isaac gives a warm, often hilarious, and touching performance of this delightful family saga. When Jack Jr. awakens from a two-year coma, he's shocked to discover just how much his life has changed. With his boyfriend and job gone, he returns to New Jersey to the family he hasn't spoken to in years and their struggling Korean sushi restaurant. What follows is a moving... Read More

John Kenney's latest novel successfully walks a tightrope between dark humor and genuine warmth, and Sean Patrick Hopkins's narration provides the necessary balance. Bud Stanley is a newspaper writer who one night drunkenly writes and publishes his own obituary, setting in motion a grimly amusing series of events. Hopkins's even tone perfectly conveys Bud's sarcastic wit, as... Read More

Narrator André Santana riffs on popular tropes--one bed, fake dating, and second chances--in this queer rom-com. No one in Denzel Carter's family takes him seriously. So when he throws his hat in the ring to be CEO of his family's event-planning empire, he knows he needs a serious relationship to prove his maturity. Who better to fake that with than his first-love-turned-ex,... Read More

Erin Moon regales listeners with this close-up look at the inner workings of a family that is faced with coinciding personal and global crises. Canadians Marlen and Hilda must process a terminal diagnosis, along with news of an oncoming cosmic disaster. Moon capably balances portrayals of the extended family members who gather on the family farm at Christmastime and the... Read More

M.L. Sanchez's narration immerses listeners in the eerie atmospheric world of a small coastal town in Trinidad, where an undocumented 11-year-old girl named Milagros is sheltering. Sanchez's ability to weave together the story's time-shifts keeps it fluid yet gripping. She captures the unease that ripples through the island via the many characters. Her delivery highlights the... Read More

Robyn Holdaway narrates this atmospheric debut about a summer afternoon gone wrong. As a fractious extended family gathers for a celebration in 1989, a pack of cousins roam the creepy woods around the house, looking for their suddenly missing youngest and oldest members. Holdaway carefully mixes the wry voice of the unnamed narrator, recalling this episode from far in the... Read More

Kauffman's realistic novel examines a year in the lives of two couples who are connected through the pregnancy of their married children. Elisabeth Rodgers uses a consistent narrative voice to tell their stories. Although the characters don't have obviously individual voices, Rodgers projects the large cast's unique personalities through tone and pacing. She captures the relief... Read More

Women have often been considered muses to famous artists, providing inspiration for great works of art. However, some of these very women have been great talents in their own right with gifts that were overlooked. Narrator Traci Odom makes an enthusiastic call for listeners to recognize the importance of championing women. Odom's narration is casual but impassioned as she makes... Read More

Whether you know actor/singer Josh Gad from THE BOOK OF MORMON (Elder Arnold Cunningham) or FROZEN (Olaf), you'll recognize his voice as he narrates his memoir. With great stories about his worklife and some enjoyable cameos by Sacha Baron Cohen, Mel Brooks, and Ron Howard, this audiobook offers a lot of entertainment. In a clear timbre and a melodic intonation, Gad proves his... Read More

Weathersby deserves thanks for bringing attention to ongoing efforts to replace the sculptures, monuments, and street names that honor the racist heroes of the Civil War. While the author specializes in writing, not narrating, his sincere, pleasing tone propels stories that range from the Dakotas--Mount Rushmore and the still unfinished massive monument to Crazy Horse--to the... Read More

Golden Voice Nicholas Boulton gives yet another excellent performance in this second part of Gorky's three-part autobiography. Sometimes titled in English "My Apprenticeship," this work, published in 1916, covers his youth and is as unsentimental as the first part, MY CHILDHOOD. Boulton is superb--as he is in all the many other Naxos classics of Russian literature that he's... Read More

Shaan Dasani's engaging performance captures all the tumultuous emotions Darby experiences upon returning to his Illinois hometown for the first time since he transitioned and came out. Adrift and unmoored, he discovers a portal in the bookstore he used to work at that allows him to talk to his teenage self. Dasani's voice moves between exasperation, confusion, pent-up anger,... Read More

Narrating in his gravelly timbre and Scottish accent, Callum Robinson invites listeners into his workshop as he recalls the highs and lows of his bespoke woodworking business. The son of a master woodworker, Robinson found his way into the profession as an apprentice and then learned more through his travels. Reflecting on childhood lessons, he marvels at how far his father's... Read More

This audiobook thriller begins with the Agarwal family's reunion. When the Agarwals gather at the island owned by eldest sister Myra, they expect Raj to announce his retirement and divide their company shares. What actually happens shatters everyone's expectations, and secrets begin to pour out. Avita Jay portrays Myra with clarity, delivering a strong performance. Zoe, voiced... Read More

Magic-loving young listeners have a new world to explore. With a crisp English accent and a spirited performance, Ell Potter invites listeners into this middle-grade adventure. Eleven-year-old Meticulous (Metty) has been afraid of her own fate ever since her magical tattoo predicted she'd become a murderer. When her father disappears, Metty is desperate to find him. As she... Read More

Passion fills this story narrated by Malik Rashad about 12-year-old baseball fanatic Timothy "Pumpsie" Strickland. Pumpsie and his soft- spoken mom, Donya, share a love for their local team, the Nashville Wildcats. One of five kids, Pumpsie feels overlooked and is sometimes defensive, muttering during uncomfortable conversations. After his confident sister, Tiana, films a... Read More

Narrator Peter Ganim is outstanding due to his ability to deliver varied voices. Charlie Webb, who didn't graduate at the top of his law school class, finds himself defending Guido Sabatini, an artist who is in possession of a flash drive with damaging evidence. Those who don't want the information leaked will stop at nothing to get it. Ganim gives Charlie a deep voice and... Read More

Leadership expert Adam Galinsky, who is also a social psychologist, offers tips, research, and stories in support of his belief that effective leadership is created through leaders inspiring others, rather than infuriating them. Narrator Will Damron's clear performance is perfectly matched to the material. Damron's narration exudes the author's gravitas and sense of urgency.... Read More

The author, who is from Ukraine, is open about the fact that he's not presenting an unbiased history. Narrator Phillipe Bosher delivers Finkel's impassioned and erudite examination of the nation and its relations with Russia from the time of Kievan Rus' to the present day, including the present war. Bosher's intonation is perfect; his pronunciation is clear and quite... Read More

Think an interplanetary gastronomical showdown sounds silly? Think again. Narrator Soneela Nankani brings depth and heart to this imaginative sci-fi. Earthling Saraswati Kaveri travels to the planet Primus to compete on the elite cooking show "Interstellar MegaChef." Things don't go as planned, and Saras ends up cooking in a prestigious kitchen, only to face ridicule and... Read More

Hillary Huber delivers another great audio performance voicing this adventurous mystery set in the glacier-carved wilderness of the Canadian Shield. Huber skillfully embodies the distraught confusion of Sarah Anderson when her husband inexplicably disappears on a backcountry canoe trip. She also reflects Sarah's anger and feelings of betrayal when she discovers her husband... Read More

Jon Waterman has written an ode to an Alaskan wilderness that is quickly disappearing due to climate change. His warm, almost poetic text, combined with photos in a pdf file, paints a clear portrait of what is and what was. Sadly, his narration doesn't match his words. The tone is reverent, and his delivery generally matches it. But many times he starts a sentence with a loud... Read More

Narrator JD Jackson delivers a stirring performance of this cathartic companion to Daniel Black's DON'T CRY FOR ME. Isaac, a young, queer Black man, undertakes therapy for help processing his emotions following the death of his father. His therapist encourages him to write down his life story to help him unpack its difficult circumstances. Jackson moves listeners with his raw... Read More

Longtime television writer and comedian Bruce Vilanch narrates his wry, sardonic, whimsical, and perhaps too detailed examination of some of the greatest disasters in his TV writing career. His delivery is well articulated, understandable, enthusiastic, and varied in tone and pace as he, primarily, examines the 1970s penchant for musical comedy specials: "The Star Wars Holiday... Read More

Narrator Marni Penning performs this story of unlikely friendship and divided loyalty during the chaos of the American Civil War. Southerner Libby Steadman does all she can to keep the family gristmill going while her husband is away fighting. When she discovers a horribly injured Union soldier, she has to weigh the dangers and benefits of keeping him alive behind enemy lines.... Read More

Rebecca Romney, an author and dealer in rare books, narrates her intriguing exploration of eighteenth-century women writers in a mellow, welcoming voice. A longtime Jane Austen fan, she set out to explore the other women writers Austen might have been reading. Romney interweaves Austen's life with the life stories of these pioneering authors, her own reactions to their writing,... Read More

A full cast of narrators, including the author, delivers this enchanting collection of short stories about love, magic, and betrayal. Stephanie Németh-Parker voices a woman who grants wishes at a bridge during the full moon, enhancing the romance with her careful pacing and delivery of banter. David Monteith portrays a man who accidentally kills the woman he intends to marry,... Read More

Authors Ethan Bernstein and Michael B. Horn narrate this audiobook's introduction and acknowledgements, while voice pro Adam Barr performs the chapters. In a clear, steely voice, Barr performs the thoughtful guide to job hunting with a vocal tone and phrasing that convey friendliness and respect for the authors' empowering message. Through their research and consulting... Read More

As John Pirhalla demonstrates, the trick with narrating this Long Island-based mystery is to use the "Lawn Guyland" accent sparingly, and primarily for local color--for example, when a diner waitress wisecracks to a contentious customer. Pirhalla, an experienced architect of suspense, gives this audiobook considerable zing. Kevin Wade's lean writing style, low-key humor, snappy... Read More

Any listener who's a fan of Julia Child will delight in this audiobook, which is a metaphorical time capsule of American home kitchens in the second half of the twentieth century. Elizabeth Wiley describes how Julia and her husband, Paul, organized their kitchen for comfort, efficiency, and hospitality in their Cambridge home. Wiley warmly narrates the many interviews of the... Read More

Narrator Angel Pean's stand-out performance is essential here. Her storytelling skill is consistently riveting, fully embodying these characters and the detailed and occasionally magical world they inhabit. Junie, an enslaved girl in 1800s Alabama, lives with the loss of her sister, Minnie, whose death is a weight on her conscience. Her days of servitude include companionship... Read More