New Reviews by Title: E-J

In this riveting audiobook listeners learn about a 1929 settlement on a deserted Galapagos island. This true-life account of couples seeking a new Eden illustrates why utopian dreams turn into nightmares. As one islander put it while describing their fruitful, lush, island, "It could be so beautiful on earth if humans weren't animals." Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell... Read More

January LaVoy and Jesse Vilinsky narrate an absorbing fantasy about an annual hunt sponsored by a tyrannical government. Anyone the Allied Force considers an outsider is forced into a seven-day hunt, after which the family members of any participant killed are executed. Coa, who hopes to survive, holds a secret magical ability, rare among the dwindling population. She finds an... Read More

Natasha Soudek performs this horror story from Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk. In 1913, a young Polish man suffering from tuberculosis arrives at a health resort in the Silesian mountains. There he meets other men with similar conditions, each of whom is sure the mountain air will cure him. But when they learn about all the men who have gone missing from the resort, their... Read More

Golden Voice narrator JD Jackson's tone reflects the seriousness of Kozol's brief but disturbing audiobook. Jackson performs this indictment of the "savage inequalities" of American schools with a measured pace and controlled cadence. He conveys the vigor of Kozol's takedown of the country's segregated schools, which he criticizes for their dilapidated buildings, stultifying... Read More

Escape with narrator Jennifer Macbeth to a family vacation in Greece. Flo needs a break after an embarrassing meltdown, so the timing of this vacation is perfect. However, her brother brings along his best friend, Jamie, who is gorgeous but a person Flo loathes. Yet, secretly, she has a crush on him. Macbeth adds just the right amount of vulnerability and passion to her tone to... Read More

This novel tells the story of a mega-rich octogenarian and a 33-year-old Black woman. Audie Award winner Nicole Lewis is an excellent narrator who does subtle gradations of tone and tempo. She makes an excellent guide to the gilded world in this story of wealth and aspiration, race and power. The plot involves Vassar-educated Brooke Orr; Lewis gets her sound and style. Orr goes... Read More

Dion Graham thoughtfully performs this companion to HOW FASCISM WORKS, unpacking how authoritarians erase history by omission, frame it in terms that suit them, and effectively divide citizens into "us and them." His warm baritone sets the listener at ease so they can process the many ways our society is being programmed to accept autocracy through such actions as instituting... Read More

The musicality of Helen Day's voice combined with her British accent provides an enticing entry into Buckthorn Forest, where a squirrel named Evergreen is afraid of pretty much everything, and her mama makes soup magical enough to be a cure for the sick. Mama tells Evergreen she must take soup to sick Granny Oak. Her firm and comforting voice is a marked contrast to the quavery... Read More

Narrator Barton Welch returns with his perfect pacing and engaging Australian accent to deliver the third installment of the Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Fans will recognize the clever clue reveals, sarcastic humor, and moments when the narrator breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the listener. Author Stevenson crafts a plot that nods to the Golden Age of mysteries... Read More

An ensemble of six narrators narrates this twisty British thriller, which follows six art students who are enrolled in a nontraditional graduate program. Eager to impress the university, their instructor secures a year-long collaboration with a local tech company as part of the curriculum, but when a student disappears after an off-site excursion, the group struggles to work... Read More

Jane Collingwood keeps listeners in Hitchcockian suspense with this new thriller set in the world of antiaging, beauty, and murder most foul. Ghostwriter Maddy Wight understands the need to be discreet about her clients, but her latest one, Dr. Angela Reynolds, brings new meaning to the word "secrecy." Left alone to write at Reynolds's massive estate in the Scottish Highlands,... Read More

A terrific performance by Christopher Lane transports listeners to Dickens's London 20 years before the events made famous in his novels. We learn why Miss Havisham became the embittered woman in GREAT EXPECTATIONS, as well as the origin stories of many other notable characters in Dickens's works. After being jilted at the altar and robbed of her fortune by Compeyson, a con... Read More

Bahni Turpin's narration draws listeners into the fifth in Ibrahim's Yellow Crocus series. The audiobook opens with a birth and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. (Turpin gets five stars for realistic childbirth sounds.) Friends since childhood, next-door neighbors Kay Lynn and Japanese-American Kimiko face the challenges brought by WWII. Filled with fear of the unknown, they find... Read More

What do you get when you bring together the expertise of master thriller writer Jeffery Deaver and the real-life law-enforcement experience of talented author Isabella Maldonado? A fast-paced nonstop thriller delivered by two well-matched narrators: Aida Reluzco and André Santana. DHS agent Carmen Sanchez reluctantly partners with cyber genius Professor Jake Heron to apprehend... Read More

Ramón de Ocampo's narration quickly reveals the close relationship between 8-year-old Felix Powell and his dog, Mary Puppins. Instead of barks, Felix hears clearly the British accents of his canine best friend. De Ocampo builds Felix's quirky, questioning manner so that listeners are not surprised when he buys an old thrift store blanket that he's sure has magic, hides beneath... Read More

The son of a film composer, Randy Newman used his lineage and extraordinary musical talent to write popular songs, as well as scores for movies and the theater. Occasionally controversial or snarky, his songs frequently called out injustices and moral hypocrisy in American life. In this rich biography, LOS ANGELES TIMES music critic Robert Hilburn makes sense of Newman's life... Read More

Creators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris return to narrate the third volume in their First Cat in Space graphic novel series. Its heroes face a villain who is likely to appeal to older listeners. That villain is Checkmate, a software program designed to correct grammar that decides to end all life on earth instead. Upon discovering the futility of its task, it turns everyone into... Read More

Expect to do a certain amount of relistening to this packed audiobook history of the momentous Greek victory over Persia at Marathon in 490 BCE. Ancient history has its vast deserts and dense forests, its unbridgeable gaps and conflicting versions of events. All of those complicate this epic narrative, which devotes only its closing chapters to describing the famous battle.... Read More

With its full cast and unflinching depiction of intimate scenes, this audiobook is gripping from the beginning. To start, there's a content warning that should be taken seriously as the story takes listeners through action-packed sex and small-town politics. Abby Craden brings the main character to life as she moves in and out of intimacy with the titular five brothers,... Read More

Amielynn Abellera delivers a lively performance of this romance. Evan gets shot down after casually asking out his new coworker, Dalisay, who has just arrived from the Philippines. His Filipino friends advise that to earn her heart, he must embark on the Five Stages of Courtship, a tradition that doesn't fit his modern sensibilities. Abellera's vigorous performance offers a... Read More

Listeners will empathize with closeted trans teen Asher Sullivan's dismay at finding himself moved to a Catholic high school for his senior year. His only escape from the school's Women in Christ club is a circus he escapes into in his dreams, in which he feels at home for the first time. The Midnight Circus brings him new challenges when his nighttime rival, Apollo, appears in... Read More

Golden Voice January LaVoy delivers an exceptional performance as Vida, who possesses a profound understanding of the mountains where she was raised. This knowledge is central to her existence. Her expertise becomes crucial when she suspects that the death of her beloved José Nochelobo was not an accident. LaVoy's precise and skillful portrayal of each character and moment adds... Read More

This family saga set in Venezuela follows political movements in the 1960s and the 1990s, and their effects on the lives of Stanislavo; Emiliana; Maria; and her son, Eloy. Four narrators take turns delivering the story of Stanislavo, which takes place in the jungles of northeastern Venezuela in 1964 as he participates in a leftist uprising and forms a relationship with... Read More

Jackie Blackmore, as Franke, and Lauren Potter, as Teresa, expertly lead an impressive full cast in this dramatic memoir set in Toronto from the 1960s to the present. Listeners meet 49-year-old Teresa who has Down syndrome and has been cared for by her family. Now, some of her siblings decide she should move into a nursing home. Teresa's well-rendered, spirited sister, Franke,... Read More

Rebecca Yeo narrates a romance that also features family drama. Renee Goh and Yap Ket Siong were on the verge of becoming something more than friends 10 years ago; now, after a chance encounter at a private gallery preview, they have the opportunity to reignite their relationship. Yeo perfectly balances the trauma Renee and Ket Siong both carry with the giddiness they feel at a... Read More

Narrator Keith Nobbs creates a passionate voice for sixth-grade student Josh, who tries to uncover his English teacher's past. Mr. N is a traditionalist who encourages his students to write with pen and paper, rather than their computers. However, when Josh discovers a pirated ebook version of one of his class texts, his entire class and Mr. N embrace technology and their... Read More

Julia Roberts narrates the late Lisa Marie Presley's writing, and Presley's daughter, the actor Riley Keough, shares her own memories of her mother. Clips of interviews with Presley are interspersed throughout this incredible listening experience. Elvis Presley's only child enlisted her daughter to help tell her story just one month before she died. Keough's voice is... Read More

The three Japanese actors in this charming collection of linked short stories offer sympathetic and generally successful interpretations of everyone from heartsick people to talking cats. While actor Sadao Ueda's strong Japanese accent and halting rhythm can occasionally distance listeners from characters, he narrates with warmth and appreciation for the audiobook's wisdoms.... Read More

After suffering several miscarriages, Irene Willard, now pregnant again in 1948, finds herself at a home/institution for expectant mothers who have had difficulties with pregnancy. Narrator Carlotta Brentan's slight, scratchy voice fits the fragile condition of the women. She provides lower pitched voices for the male characters when they do appear in this largely... Read More

Award-winning English author Olivia Laing's pleasant, light voice suits her narration of her newest work, a mix of memoir and nonfiction essay. Structured around her restoration of an eighteenth-century walled garden--yes, she acknowledges Frances Hodgson Burnett's A SECRET GARDEN--the book explores her delights and frustrations while working with plants, the history and... Read More

Narrator Mike Chamberlain makes this true-crime story seem like a novel. Master criminal Arthur Barry came from a working-class family in 1920s Massachusetts. He recognized early that to be upwardly mobile, he needed to change his accent and behavior. Barry deftly used disguises, charm, and violence when necessary to move into upper-class circles, even hobnobbing with (and... Read More

George Washington Carver was one of the greatest scientists of his era, a period that included Einstein, Curie, and Pasteur. This audiobook revives a biography that was first published in the year of Carver's death, 1943. While it feels dated in some ways, it introduces a new generation to the life of a man who did much to shape our world and its agriculture. Karl T. Wright's... Read More

Narrator Stewart Crank, with his delightful British accent, brings to life James Parker's collection of odes. The ATLANTIC magazine staff writer begins with a discussion of the origin and history of the poetic ode and then treats listeners to his own odes on a multitude of topics ranging from the pandemic to brain farts. Crank masterfully navigates the full spectrum of tone,... Read More

Alex Howard's endearing narration illuminates the time travel of a 15-year-old male cat living in 1887. After his death, Grimalkin spends his remaining eight lives in the supernatural realm, visiting the same Edinburgh tenement in 1902, 1930, 1942, 1953, 1969, 1997, 2008, and 2022. Howard's performance highlights Grimalkin's charming, sometimes cantankerous personality through... Read More

In a tone equal parts naïve and urbane, Matt Bomer brings an authentic and absolutely American middle-class voice to James Baldwin's 1956 bestseller. The story, controversial at the time, is about a white New Yorker living in Paris who has a fiery and ultimately tragic love affair with a young, gay Italian bartender while his fiancée is on holiday in Spain. In his fine... Read More

Rukhmani K. Desai fully expresses the many facets of 1992 Stanford freshman Gita Desai. Humorous sarcasm and success in her pre-med studies communicate Gita's intelligence. Desai also voices Gita's uncertainty about her developing sexuality and first girlfriend relationships. Desai moves easily between English and Indian terms. Her voice resonates as Gita wonders about why her... Read More

Karen Chilton's and Kirby Heyborne's performances bring a distinctive energy to this unique story about two talent agents who are chasing soccer's next rising star. Mark is bored yet intrigued by his brother's mission to find the elusive star, Godwin. Heyborne as Mark, captures the man's internal conflicts and decisions in a reflective tone that fits the character's... Read More

Narrators Kim Churchill and Oliver Clarke perform this rivals-to-lovers hockey romance. Sutton Jones is thrilled to have her dream job as a physical therapist for a professional hockey team--the same hockey team her brother and Shaw Daniels, the bane of her existence, play for. Shaw is her brother's best friend and has always been her rival in some way--or so she thinks.... Read More

Animal lovers are in for a moving listening experience as author and narrator Elaine Castillo takes them through her life-changing journey as a companion to Xena, her beloved German Shepherd rescue dog, and others she has fostered. Castillo's passion for responsible and thoughtful companionship leads into an examination of the indelible bond humans have formed with dogs over... Read More

In Mary Jones's debut short story collection, narrator Suzanne Freeman embraces her vocal task simply, her careful diction allowing each story to shine. Each brief work deals with the universal experiences of separation, departure, loss, or abandonment. The wide variety of stories varies in length--with some just a few minutes long, some many minutes more--and each is instantly... Read More

Joy Osmanski's uplifting narration conveys a teen's affection for her family and passion for ocean life in this heartwarming story about environmental awareness. Osmanski is delightful as Grace, a curious, enthusiastic girl with a love of snorkeling. Grace is thrilled when she convinces her parents to go to Honduras for their annual family trip, so she can sample a new reef.... Read More

Fans of Police Chief Bruno Courrèges will be delighted to hear that he is on the mend from his gunshot wound and is doggedly investigating a discovery in his village in southwest France. Re-creating his characteristic sonorous portrayal of Bruno, Robert Ian Mackenzie skillfully delivers the chief's ruminations as he investigates the unearthing of an unmarked WWII grave on a... Read More

The old gag line "It ain't brain surgery" comes up a few times as brain surgeon Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz shares what brain surgery is in this audiobook. Sean Pratt is soothing and gentle as he narrates Schwartz's descriptions of procedures. Schwartz compares his work to that of a mechanic, which could be amusing. Pratt's voice conveys Schwartz's awe at the sight of the human... Read More

Leon Nixon uses his vocal talent and enthusiasm to bring listeners from the early days of racism in football to the glory of the talented Black football players who enjoy leadership in the sport today. Two men at the forefront of this fight were Doug Williams and Vince Evans, promising talents in the 1980s. They both came up through the ranks at their respective colleges,... Read More

An ensemble cast performs a story of love and loss. Dara and Austin are just weeks from their wedding when Austin is given life-changing news. Their wedding is called off, and Dara hesitates to tell her family what has caused this rift. She travels to California and South Carolina, hoping to find solace. Austin flies home to the fate that awaits him in London. Told from... Read More

Narrator Eva Kaminsky gives this audiobook the respect it deserves as the author recounts the saga of the U.S. women's soccer team, whose players fought for an equal playing field through pay equity. Kaminsky clearly narrates with an interested tone, emotionally invested but never over the top. Every time she uses an accent in quoting someone, she does so with just the right... Read More

Jean Brassard, Louise Penny's choice to narrate her 19th Armand Gamache/Three Pines novel, proves an inspired selection. From his portrayals of familiar Three Pines residents to his introduction of new characters, Brassard, a native Quebecois and award-winning actor, gets it right. Domestic terrorism takes Gamache, Jean-Guy, and Isabelle from Montreal to the Vatican and to an... Read More

Narrator Dominique Franceschi creates a youthful and passionate voice for 11-year-old Colombian American Luchy, who encounters exciting and difficult changes as she enters middle school. Luchy struggles with the pressure of connecting to her Colombian heritage and living up to her family's expectations. To make matters worse, it seems like her longtime best friend, Cami, is... Read More

Listeners join Texas Ranger Darren Mathews who, after turning in his badge, reluctantly investigates the disappearance of a young, Black student from an otherwise all-white sorority house. JD Jackson's pitch-perfect narration is the ideal match for this fast-paced story, which is seen through the eyes of a Black man who is living in Trump's America. Jackson's gifted delivery... Read More

Melanie Crawley skillfully presents this unpredictable story, set in an English seaside village. Listeners meet a successful businesswoman, Nina, and her easygoing employee, Holly. Their genuine friendship is filled with both good and bad moments. However, Nina's tranquility vanishes after she has an intimate weekend with Gabriel, a relative stranger, who's later found... Read More

Narrator Jeannie Sheneman brings listeners to Boneyard Key, one of the most haunted towns in Florida. Cassie Rutherford has moved into the old Hawkins house, not knowing she's getting a ghostly roommate. When her laptop won't charge in her new home, Cassie meets Nick Royer, the owner of a local café. Nick is a bit grumpy, and Sheneman gives his voice a bit of gruffness. As Nick... Read More

Canadian producer and actress Panta Mosleh embraces these essays. She narrates in a strong voice and a clear tone, neatly adopting the author's sometimes interrogative style. Author bennett writes with unusual candor about their issues. These include being bipolar and estranged from their mother, their cooking trials while making gluten-free macarons, and their failures and... Read More

Celebrated Canadian poet and novelist Anne Michaels has written an exquisite novel (shortlisted for the Booker Prize) that looks at love, loss, and human connection. Michaels's intimate delivery and empathetic tone serve her bittersweet and elegiac text well. Starting in 1917 with a battlefield explosion, her exploration of characters during troubled times spans a century and... Read More

Narrator Lipica Shah embodies Abbas's poetic text about henna and its uses by many people in Southern Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The refrain "Henna is" invites listeners to join in and creates an open mood in which to explore its different aspects. From its cultivation and mix of ingredients to its color, texture, scent, and many uses, henna is a way to define one's... Read More

Narrators Caroline Lee and Geraldine Hakewill weave the threads of this tense exploration of free will. Everyone on a delayed flight across Australia is tired and frustrated as they await reaching their destination. Suddenly, a nondescript woman stands and begins pointing to fellow passengers and stating how they will die and when. She won't remember this later--when the... Read More

Narrators Austenne Grey and Arielle DeLisle deliver a sweet and hilarious performance in this sapphic holiday rom-com. When lawyer Tara Sloane Chadwich is invited to her ex-girlfriend's destination wedding, she's willing to attend--but not without a plus-one. Holly Delaney, an adventurous waitress whom Tara has been secretly crushing on for months, is happy to oblige. Their... Read More

This audiobook about American presidents clearly works better on audio than in print. Through taped discussions with historians, author David Rubenstein examines the lives and influences of prominent U.S. leaders. In print, these conversations are in an impersonal question-and-answer format. But on audio, they really are conversations. You hear the depth of respect and warmth... Read More

This quirky whodunit is seamlessly narrated by three award-winning narrators--Michael Crouch, Gail Shalan, and Helen Lloyd. Crouch voices Alfred Smettle, capturing his oddball sensibilities. It's been almost 15 years since Alfred has seen his college friends, so when he invites them to the first anniversary of his Hitchcock-themed hotel's opening, they accept. Some suspect it's... Read More

Karen Murray narrates this detailed exploration of how women in the United States are holding together families as systems of governmental aid become less available because of greed. During WWII the nation offered childcare to women working in factories to help the war effort, as well as other assistance to help growing families in times of crisis. This new audiobook explores... Read More

Narrator Eva Kaminsky provides great character differentiation in this second-chance romance, and her energetic delivery enhances the comedic aspect of the story. Post-divorce and looking for a place to stay, rental property agent Tilly plans to spend the holidays at what she thinks is a vacant Victorian mansion. She's dismayed when the new owner, George, shows up unexpectedly... Read More

Narrator Brittany Pressley delights listeners in this heartwarming holiday romance about two best friends who ultimately find love when they least expect it. Holly and Ivy are as close as they come. When Holly's fiancé bolts on the night before their wedding, leaving her with a nonrefundable honeymoon, she suggests that she and Ivy switch places. Ivy can enjoy Holly's Hawaiian... Read More

The director of a social neuroscience lab at Stanford narrates his positive audiobook about cynicism, trust, skepticism, and hope. Along with sounding personable and easy to understand, he performs with audible respect for his listeners and a desire to offer options for dealing with today's conflict-filled social climate. He's a great storyteller whose picturesque narratives... Read More

This audiobook delivers sci-fi horror at its best, and Brandon J. Peterson's narration adds a chilling layer to the experience. As the crew of the ODYSSEY searches for the legendary "horizon"--a phenomenon promising a return to one's happiest moment--they face a journey through the dark, empty Expanse, where unseen dangers lie in wait. Peterson's voice captures the tense,... Read More

A dual narration by Zion Jang and Laura Knight Keating plays up the contrast between proper witch Max and Texan Delia Merriweather, whose magic is trapped by a hex. Keating gives Delia a twangy accent that rings with both humor and confusion as she puzzles out her feelings for her new neighbor and discovers her power. Keating's voices for Delia's eccentric family members are... Read More

The cavernous voice of narrator Allan Corduner is the listener's first clue that this enchanted story is more expansive than the tiny, spartan attic room where Marta and her mother live above The Hotel Balzaar. While Marta's mother toils as the hotel's maid, Marta's job is to be unseen and unheard. Corduner's booming voice initially seems incongruous with the contemplative... Read More

Jean-Marc Berne and Daya Mendez narrate a thrilling blend of horror and crime set during a terrifying hurricane. Bimbo's on a quest for revenge after his mother's murder in a dispute over drug territory. His friends initially try to stay out of the bloodshed, but after one of them is murdered, they find loyalty a difficult thing to honor. And when a hurricane containing evil... Read More

Laura Benanti's narration enhances this engaging thriller. Stella is a lawyer with long buried memories, and Rose Barclay is a 9-year-old girl who has gone mute since witnessing her nanny's death. Listeners will be more and more intrigued by each twist of the plot as the lines between victim and perpetrator become increasingly blurred. The shifting dynamics between Stella and... Read More

Cynthia Nixon tells this story of loss with empathy and compassion. Magda is taking the road trip her best friend, Sara, had planned for the two of them--she's traveling with an urn containing Sara's remains. Except for the hint of Sweden in one character's voice, Nixon doesn't employ accents to identify characters. Instead, her amazing ability to insert emotions into their... Read More

Narrator Stephen Graybill maintains a clearheaded instructive style in this entertaining economic history lesson. The audiobook provides a fresh approach that mixes microeconomics, which explains how individuals make decisions, and macroeconomics, the study of the economy as a whole. The presentation is packed with plenty of anecdotes and FREAKONOMICS-style examples. Graybill... Read More

Not many 13-year-olds have favorite mathematicians, but Jamie O'Neill is not an ordinary 13-year-old. He's a math genius; he's stuck mourning the loss of his mother, who died when he was born; he's on the spectrum; and he's voiced by the very fine Gary Furlong. Jamie and his father, Eoin (Owen), live in a small fishing town on the west coast of Ireland, where Jamie is starting... Read More

Employing a calm, straightforward delivery, English actor Christian Coulson nicely balances the author's fine ear for language and spirited descriptions with this novel's tangled plot and boisterous LGBTQ+ humor. In a 24-hour period, a lonely, clever 23-year-old who still lives with his mother sets out in search of a package he wants no one to see; meets a menagerie of... Read More

This audiobook is at once a hymn to and prayer for forests. Evan Sibley performs eloquently, expressing the author's empathy for his Vermont woodlands. He gets the tone and cadence of this first-person memoir, which celebrates the meaning and significance of forests. He also captures author Tapper's voice, which is spirited and spiritual. Tapper is a fine guide to the woods. A... Read More

Josie Charles narrates a not-quite-fairytale told from the perspective of an "evil" stepsister. After her stepsister Beatrice marries the prince and has her happily-ever-after, Lady Theodosia Balfour--Theo to her friends--is determined to secure a similar fate for herself. Sadly, it's a lot harder than it seems. Charles does not soften Theo's unlikable personality but does... Read More

Alison Fensterstock and Ann Powers deliver an ambitious, sprawling, almost overwhelming project. That's by design. The history of music traditionally revolves around men and their recordings, with women as afterthoughts. This audiobook is not just about inclusion. It's a corrective recentering. The origin story of the song "Hound Dog" is a focal point. It's often attributed as... Read More

Author and narrator Huda Fahmy's graphic novel is adapted into a very funny audiobook with a full cast, music, and sound effects. Fahmy's rich timbre distinguishes Huda, a good-hearted teen, from her three sisters as they share a family trip, driving from Michigan to Disney World. Fahmy delivers comical sarcasm as Huda chafes at her parents' insistence that she bond with her... Read More

As an audiobook, Hamya's low-key novel might easily have employed two narrators--or even a third. The action revolves around the opening of Sophia's play, which is attended by her father, a novelist who is appalled when he finds himself depicted as a crass philanderer while they were on their vacation together in Italy when Sophia was a teenager. During the performance Sophia... Read More

Jully Lee reads the Korean author's second memoir in which she explores her disturbed psyche. Lee presents the moods of a sometimes-despairing young businesswoman who questions her choices, actions, and past and present feelings--both alone and with the help of a thoughtful psychiatrist. Lee reveals the strong relationship between Sehee and her psychiatrist as she examines... Read More

Fiction writer Charles Bock turns to memoir as he tells the story of his adored wife's death and the task of raising their 3-year-old daughter, Lily, solo. Bock narrates with such rhythm that you almost visualize the text's line breaks. His delivery illuminates the beauty of his writing and the harsh reality of his struggles with grief, trying to maintain a career despite... Read More

This audiobook continues to follow the thrilling journey of pop star Winter Young and secret agent Sydney Cossette as they embark on a dangerous mission in Singapore. Becca Q. Co's versatile narration creates distinct voices for each character, making it easy for listeners to differentiate between them. Co portrays Sydney's emotional strength and vulnerability, giving depth to... Read More

Narrator Janina Edwards inhabits Ida B. Wells, giving the determined Black woman a hero's spirit, an incandescent sense of her own worth, and a warrior's pride in accomplishment. In the 1880s, Ida was a teacher, a writer of articles for Black-owned newspapers, and an outspoken advocate for civil rights. Edwards creates a flesh-and-blood woman with a flirtatious personality who... Read More

January LaVoy returns to narrate the 28th book in the Kay Scarpetta series. This one is a doozy. A shocked Scarpetta learns that her former lover, Sal Giordano, has been murdered and that she must perform his autopsy in front of several high-ranking DC officials, including her husband, Benton, an FBI profiler. LaVoy's crisp delivery of dialogue crackles throughout the... Read More

Angel Pean narrates the chapters of San Francisco-based tech writer Bee Tyler, and Karen Malina White portrays Ohio farmer Clover Mills. Together, the narrators present a Christmastime romance that revolves around a house swap. In a story reminiscent of the movie THE HOLIDAY, two Black women are burned out and need a break. Clover finds queer friends and romance with Bee's... Read More

Sarah Skaer's bubbly narration captures Natalie Nakada's delight at times spent with her best friend, Imogene. But all too soon, Skaer reveals Natalie's lingering grief a year after Imogene's death. Her feelings of loss cast a pall over her senior project, a retreat at one of their favorite places, the haunted Harlow Hotel. There Natalie hopes to film paranormal activity that... Read More

Narrator Allison Grischow sinks into the misery of best-friend drama with gusto. Murphy and Kat plan to reunite on Thanksgiving Eve in their hometown of Geneva, Illinois. But when Kat shows up with her boyfriend in tow, Murphy's plans crumble. In a casual tone, Grischow makes Murphy realistic and endearing. Murphy's growing depression has her agreeing to be her high school... Read More

Narrators Shezi Sardar and Brent Billings make an appealing pair in this sweet and steamy romance set in Kansas City. Farzan and David hook up after a case of mistaken identity and some scorching instant chemistry. Farzan would like their relationship to become something more, but David, who is focused on studying for his master sommelier exam, urges them to continue as friends... Read More

Lindsey Dorcus narrates a sci-fi mystery set on Jupiter and its moon Io. Investigator Mossa and scholar Pleiti work together on a complicated new case involving multiple missing people, as well as new treachery at Valdegeld University. Dorcus portrays Mossa as brisk and straightforward; however, she captures Mossa's occasional hesitancy when it comes to her relationship with... Read More

Michael Taylor traces the history of the conflicts between the Bible and theories of evolution, particularly those considering dinosaur fossils. He considers thinkers--including Charles Darwin and Thomas Huxley--as he traces the evolving views and the many fossil discoveries that fueled those shifts. Michael Langan's British-accented narration poses the questions of the past... Read More

Narrators are expected to distinguish between men and women--and Shayna Small does it exceptionally well. Historical fiction comes alive with this account of the life of Effa Manley, who became a Negro League team owner with her husband Abe from 1935 to 1948. Effa faced racial stereotypes, as well misogyny from entering a male domain. The audiobook is entertaining from start to... Read More

Drawing inspiration from BLACK MIRROR, THE MATRIX, and 1984, this debut audiobook takes listeners inside the evolving world of AI with a dystopian twist. Although it's set in a world of cutting-edge tech, it is a deeply human story, and Joe Knezevich's narration imbues it with warmth and subtlety. When a tech start-up creates an algorithm that can change events in the real... Read More

Narrators Andrea Emmes and Tim Fannon take listeners on an action-packed journey through time and space. From her ship in orbit, Lieutenant Selene Genji has a horrific view of Earth's destruction, brought about by decades of factionalism over alien contact. When she awakens in a strange ship to discover she's been hurled back in time by the blast, she realizes she may change... Read More

Raffi and Britt are queer and extremely intelligent. Both are portrayed well by Natalie Naudus and Xe Sands. As a cosmologist, Raffi is searching for dark matter and longs to spend every free moment with Britt, a queer sculptor. Naudus and Sands provide strong performances in this speculative fiction, which explores parallel worlds; complex women who fracture into hordes of... Read More

A girl's innocence is threatened, along with her and her parents' lives, by a mysterious woman living in her closet. This story is brought to life in an unnerving performance by narrator Delanie Nicole Gill. Gill conjures young Bella's childish but unexpectedly confident and edgy tone. Her interpretations of Bella's parents are equally believable. The realism in Gill's delivery... Read More

Andrew Bates narrates a clever story about a young artist who is confronting destiny while breaking free of the shackles of the past. Evan skips senior year to attend an elite art program at New York University. There he crosses paths with the spitting image of a girl he painted from his imagination. Bates imbues Evan with youthful brightness; he's brimming with optimism tinged... Read More

Entomologist Barrett Klein describes the importance of insects to life on Earth, as well their influence on our culture and civilization. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins has a tone of curiosity and wonder as he takes the listener on a comprehensive tour of the insect world, covering topics such as insects' influence on developments in science and engineering, mind-altering... Read More

Narrator Emilia Clarke uses a soft voice and a crisp British accent interspersed with fluid Italian phrases for this story of music in early- eighteenth-century Venice. Venetian orphan Anna Maria della Pietà, daughter of a local prostitute, is a violin prodigy who studies under Antonio Vivaldi. Descriptions of the harsh life in the Pietà, an orphanage for the children of... Read More

Eanna Hardwicke's narration highlights the rich emotionality of Rooney's newest novel. Hardwicke's smooth voice shifts to capture every mood--becoming desperately angry, bitter, and frantic yet also achingly tender, patient, and loving--as he performs a story of two grieving brothers. Peter and Ivan's father has died, leaving them unmoored and their relationship strained. Peter... Read More

Pace matters in a globe-trotting audiobook that illuminates the scientific basis for climate change. Sean Patrick Hopkins narrates enthusiastically at the right tempo. He also alters his tone ever so slightly when quoting experts. Stanford-based Jackson, chair of the Global Carbon Project, is among the mainstays of those doing hands-on work in ecology: He has marked gas leaks... Read More

Comic Trevor Noah is the author and narrator of this delightful fable in four parts. A boy decides to run away from home with his beloved bear, rather than submit to the unreasonable bed-making and personal hygiene demands of his mother. Noah creates unique, kind voices for the boy, the bear, and the friends they meet in the uncut grass--a garden gnome, two snails, and a pile... Read More

A full cast performs this humorous investigation featuring upright-walking, talking, vest-wearing alligators. Mango and Brash go undercover at Batter Down Bakery to find a kidnapped baker and fight the evil "Crackerdile," who is also a bomber. The cast adapt their voices to multiple roles, especially Torian Brackett, who portrays the straightlaced narrator; Aaron Yamawaki, as... Read More

In Violet Sorrengail's intense second year at Basgiath War College, she faces brutal training and a ruthless new vice commandant. She also uncovers dangerous secrets that could change everything. This audiobook is a true delight as it brings the story to life with a full cast and immersive sound effects that pull listeners into the world of dragon riders. Khaya Fraites's... Read More

Nobody else could narrate this memoir like its author, actor and transgender activist Nicole Maines. Raw and candid, she lets the listener hear her anger and joy, frustration and hope. Her authenticity when describing messy moments in her life is all the more compelling in her own voice. Her story may be familiar from the book BECOMING NICOLE, which is about her and her... Read More

Listeners join Jasmine Garza as she begins eighth grade, hoping for a fresh start. During the four years and several moves since Papi died, she and Mami have been followed by a ghost. Jasmine is surprised and pleased to find out that Bea and Jorge, members of her school's Gay Straight Alliance, are willing to help her obtain proof that she sees a ghost. In a smooth, precise... Read More

Anyone can have a bad day, but Jenny's bad day is exceptional in this audiobook. Beth Eyre's sweet, lilting voice is ideal as she portrays the young, single mother whose hard-won, modest, and independent lifestyle is in jeopardy, thanks to a series of unfortunate developments. Eyre offers excellent pacing, and her comic timing suits Jenny well, especially in her conversations... Read More

Andrew Byron's voice sets the scene of a historic city with a culture steeped in both Europe and the East. His performance is transporting, embedding listeners in the city of Lviv, Ukraine. This fascinating place and its impact on its residents is the heartbeat of this quietly moving audiobook. Deeply drawn characters, including aging hippies, a former secret policeman, and a... Read More

John Lewis has been described as a quiet revolutionary and the conscience of Congress. This sums up the two halves of this biography, which covers his early years as a frontline civil rights campaigner and his later years as a driving force on Capitol Hill. Narrator David Sadzin offers a solid and engaging narration. He carries listeners along through detailed descriptions of... Read More

Christopher Gebauer narrated the tragic novel ORBITING JUPITER and now delivers its companion; both stories are told in the voice of an eighth-grader named Jack. Gebauer also reflects the silliness of 3-year-old Jupiter and the cheer and warmth of Jack's family, who are planning to adopt her. Gebauer expresses Jack's rage and grief as Jupiter's adoption is challenged by her... Read More

Olympic swimming star Katie Ledecky narrates her own work, recounting her time in pools ranging from the East Coast (she grew up in Bethesda, Maryland) to the West (she attended Stanford) and across the globe (she has competed in four Olympics). Her story blends anecdotes about competition and training with personal moments, many of which feature her family. Ledecky is not a... Read More

Narrators Sean Masters and Isabelle Turner combine forces to depict the romance between Brandy Bloom and Max Corbin. At an office Christmas party, Brandy kisses Max under the mistletoe, mistaking him for his twin brother. Sparks immediately fly between the two. Both Masters and Turner crank up the heat in their narrations. Masters gives Max a deep voice matching his passion for... Read More

Christine Lakin and Tim Paige deliver a fun, sexy, and relatable romance. Lakin voices Molly, a sassy and cynical rom-com screenwriter who reluctantly attends her fifteenth high school reunion. There, she unexpectedly reunites with her ex-boyfriend, Seth, voiced by Paige. Seth is in search of a fairy-tale romance. As they catch up, they make a playful bet on the outcomes of... Read More