New Reviews by Title: K-O

Kelli Tager and Will Watt deliver dialogue that reflects how people actually talk. After New Yorker Sylvie Devereaux is cut off financially by her parents, temporarily marrying a wealthy Scottish brute for a huge payout seems like her only option. So what if the contract his sister drafts stipulates that at the end of 12 months she must sign over Killian Barclay's family manor... Read More

Television journalist Claire St. Amant takes listeners behind the scenes of her job as a reporter and producer for "48 Hours." St. Amant does a fine job of narrating the audiobook herself--though at times some of the more emotional aspects of the work might have been better performed by a seasoned actor. That said, momentum is enough to propel the listener forward. St. Amant's... Read More

Listeners are given a well-rounded portrait of the leading figure in the Civil Rights movement, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King--fleshed out by fascinating and coherent accounts of the events of the day and the people around him. Dion Graham masterfully portrays the voices and emotions of Dr. King's orations; Coretta King's softer, lighter speech; and the racist attitudes... Read More

Sebastian Humphreys delivers an enthusiastic performance of a delightful cast of characters in this mystery. Chef Paul Delamare steps in as a culinary teacher to help his injured friend, celebrity chef Christian Wagner, and finds himself in the middle of a kitchen disaster. Humphreys's warm, pleasant voice and English accent pair perfectly with Paul's empathetic personality.... Read More

Tanya Talaga, a Canadian journalist of Anishinaabe descent, weaves her own family's history into this heartrending account of her country's shameful treatment of Indigenous peoples. Given the personal nature of this work, it's natural for the author to take on the role of narrator, but it's largely unsuccessful. The writing is frequently passionate and powerful, but its impact... Read More

Five narrators bring together multiple perspectives and two timelines to create a rich and cohesive listening experience in this one-of-a-kind thriller. Lindsey is 6 when her older sister, Jess, goes missing. Three other women are reported missing from Jess's college that year, but it's not until 24 years later when one of the bodies is found at a nearby lake that the cases are... Read More

Braden Wright provides a crisp, even narration of this thoroughly researched overview of land--specifically, who owns it and how that ownership fortifies power over time. Albertus's audiobook seeks to provide a comprehensive review of how "the great reshuffling"--a phenomenon through which land is acquired, repossessed, or stolen-- consistently results in various significant... Read More

Narrator Bailey Carr introduces listeners to Liz, a 17-year-old who is taking sanctuary in the bookstore she worked in before a cataclysmic storm left her one of the few survivors in New Jersey. When she catches a girl named Maeve breaking into the store to find shelter from another impending storm, Liz needs to balance the difficulties of having a relationship with the... Read More

Eric Yang's gentle narration perfectly suits this slow-paced fantasy audiobook. Sai can see the red threads of fate that link people to their soulmates. Through this skill he earns enough to care for his sick mother and keep his family's teahouse running. After a miracle medicine made of dragon scales heals her, the emperor orders him to find the dragon they belonged to. But... Read More

Narrator Stephen Graybill captures a young man's complicated feelings about his family and the cruelty he witnesses at The Combine, the family's criminal enterprise. With the idea that blood is love as its overarching theme, this gritty story about identity, belonging, and family will pull listeners in. Luke Crosswhite is lost. He dropped out of school and struggles to find his... Read More

Todd McLaren depicts the rocky romance between Tony Garza and Odalie Everett. Odalie and Tony have been at odds since they met. Tony has always been attracted to her but doesn't want to come between her and her singing career, especially now that she's been offered an opportunity to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. Tony's family is from New Jersey, and McLaren provides the... Read More

Novelist Richard Price has as fine an ear for American speech as anyone writing today, and his panoramic novels have tested the skill of a string of fine audiobook narrators. His latest, revolving around the collapse of an apartment building in East Harlem in 1982, moves from one character to another--a photographer, a policewoman, an undertaker, and the Lazarus Man of the... Read More

The stories of four corrupt, authoritarian leaders--two heads of countries and two corporate CEOs--show how charismatic and immoral leaders can manipulate followers and attract allies to gain power they inevitably abuse. The author says the pattern of decline is predictable and can be stopped when we recognize the four stages of toxic leadership. Though Linda Jones's... Read More

Narrators David Lee Huynh and Andrew Grace create a romantic melody in this story from Chinese folklore. Prince Xian must locate a spirit pearl to cure his mother's illness, caused by being bitten by a white snake. On the way, he meets Zhen, a stable boy who can transform between being a white snake and a human. As the young men journey together and become closer, Zhen is torn... Read More

Mel Robbins's superpower is transforming common-sense actions into powerful tools for change. She dives into background research, tests concepts in her own life, and shares them with relatable, actionable clarity. This time, Robbins focuses on the core principle of control: understanding what's beyond your grasp--others (them)--and what's within it--yourself (me). Robbins... Read More

Dr. Sacks was a prodigious researcher, tireless clinician, voracious reader, indefatigable traveler, influential neurologist, and long-winded correspondent. The talented James Langton pays close attention to Sacks's English accent and British point of view. He seems to inhabit the great man's extraordinary mind. These revealing and erudite letters testify to Sacks's appetite... Read More

Using her vast vocal talent, narrator Spring Inés Peña brings the story of a teen named Libertad, known as Libi, to life. During the 2017 presidential election in Honduras, Libi undergoes a political and personal awakening. Along with her older brother, she becomes involved in student protests and shares political poetry that she writes. A tense home situation worsens when... Read More

Three accomplished narrators create a unique listening experience. The Liberty scarf is a motif weaving its way through three novellas by three authors. It's WWI, and three women are making their way in a male-dominated world. In Runyan's story, Ann Marie Gideon voices Iris with determination as she tries to get her designs noticed at London's venerable Liberty company (of... Read More

Julie Webster narrates the companion to BITTERSWEET IN THE HOLLOW. A previously minor character, Rowan James, a teen who can smell lies on people's breath, tells this story. Webster's soft Southern accent reflects the Appalachian setting, and she deftly communicates Rowan's sarcasm. Also strong is Rowan's distrust of Hadrian, the family's farm worker. Webster captures Rowan's... Read More

Lori Felipe-Barkin's narration brings listeners into the everyday life of a Salvadoran migrant worker, but there's something about him that isn't everyday: his repetition of chicken-killing motions while asleep. Alice Driver talked to Tyson Foods workers in Arkansas to report on the company's working conditions, including its reluctance to maintain Covid safety. Felipe-Barkin... Read More

Sally Phillips's heartfelt performance of this novel has perfect pacing and inflection. From Little Alien's first attempt at language, listeners sense something extraordinary about her. The story's narrator, an analytical linguist, breaks down Little Alien's sentences with empathy, while Phillips's detached tone and well-timed pauses emphasize the complexities of English and... Read More

Don't assume a gardening book won't translate well to audio. Narrator Marni Penning's upbeat pacing and enthusiastic tone make this listening experience as relaxing as being surrounded by blooming flowers. The author, an expert gardener and prolific writer of instructional books on producing your own food, provides an intimate view of her relationship with growing plants.... Read More

Charlotte Brontë's skill ensured her place in literary history, and this audiobook delves deeply into her life and times. Lucy Scott is the consummate British narrator. Her brisk pace and animated tone remain consistent throughout this extensive audio performance. Supporting cast members are used well to voice various primary sources; these moments highlight the quotations and... Read More

This fantastic ensemble of narrators excel equally at emotionally connecting to complicated emotional characters, elevating colloquial language, and enhancing mysterious, violent horrors. Kristolyn Lloyd portrays 25-year-old Calla as she struggles to hold her life together while raising her troubled 16-year-old brother, Jamie. Portrayed by Zeno Robinson, Jamie is reckless and... Read More

Bilingual actor Akira Matsumoto brings to life this stand-alone in Seishi Yokomizo's classic mystery series featuring legendary detective Kosuke Kindaichi. Matsumoto's immersive performance sets the stage as listeners find Kindaichi looking forward to peace and quiet in the remote mountain village of Onikobe, where his old friend, Inspector Isokara, has acquainted him with an... Read More

Australian philosopher of science Peter Godfrey-Smith narrates this history of life on earth from its beginnings to the present, going on to explore possibilities for the directions life may take in the future. In a light Australian accent, Godfrey-Smith presents theories of evolution, mind, and connectedness and consciousness. His narration is down-to-earth and comfortable yet... Read More

The last of Adler-Olsen's Department Q thrillers is long and complex, but narrator Steven Pacey does a splendid job of keeping up the pace--and the accents. Most are Danish, delivered with clipped Anglo diction, but he's equally comfortable with other accents. Carl Mørck, of Copenhagen PD's Cold Case Unit, has been framed in an old drug case and is in prison awaiting trial.... Read More

Escape with narrator Andi Arndt to a luxurious ski resort in Vermont in this contemporary romance with a slight touch of mystery. Alix Morgan is elated when she's offered the opportunity to ghostwrite a memoir for an infamous former boy band member. Given the penthouse in a fancy resort in order to work away from her cramped apartment, she doesn't expect to fall for handsome... Read More

Tim Machin narrates this latest installment in the Arthur Beauchamp series. Canadian criminal attorney Beauchamp sets out to write a memoir that gives insight into a historical murder trial that he argued as a young lawyer in 1966. His goal is to refute the way that he was scandalously portrayed in a popular biography. Machin's narration carries listeners into Beauchamp's... Read More

Narrators Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor portray Teddy and Gus, Teddy's best friend's older brother. They can't stand each other; however, when Gus needs a caregiver for his daughter, Teddy steps into the role. Forced proximity provides a look into each other's real self, making them re-evaluate the sometimes thin line between love and hate. With their extensive audiobook... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld narrates this story of generational sins and salvation. Agnes is the American granddaughter of an Icelandic man who fled his homeland amid accusations of murder. She travels to Iceland in an attempt to uncover details of her family's past and becomes entangled in the current disappearance of a young woman. Maarleveld anchors her nuanced performance in Agnes's... Read More

Not all of the damsels in this audiobook are in distress. One of them needs Galahad only to lend her a sword. Aside from that, these "rediscovered" tales hew pretty closely to the style and tone of medieval Arthuriana. A lot of the humor comes from the puckish introduction and footnotes, which treat the tales as serious historical documents. Narrator Simon Vance does his usual... Read More

Narrator Becca Q. Co excels in this coming-of-age story about identity, culture, and family. Seventeen-year-old Queenie moves from the Philippines to Brooklyn with her younger brother and elderly Chinese father. There they unite with her Filipino mother, who moved there five years earlier to work as a nurse. When they arrive, it's nothing like Queenie expected. The family lives... Read More

Gabra Zackman narrates this audiobook about new discoveries and second chances at love. Like her father, Augusta Stern has devoted her life to pharmacy science after a disastrous attempt to use her great aunt's mysterious mixtures to capture the love and attention of a young man named Irving. Sixty years later, Augusta is forced into retirement and finds herself at a sunny... Read More

Deepa Samual narrates a family saga that spans continents and generations of secrets. In 2015, Lila De works for a boutique publishing firm in New York. When she unexpectedly receives word that her grandfather has died and left her the crumbling family home in Kolkata, Lila travels there to deal with it. Samuel gives Lila a believable mix of professional confidence and social... Read More

Seven talented voice actors will delight listeners who dive into this creative collection of 19 loosely connected short stories and compact mysteries revolving around archaeology, ghosts, and other supernatural entities. Many stories feature author Elly Griffiths's beloved characters: archaeologist Ruth Galloway; DCI Harry Nelson; their daughter, Kate; and the ever-mysterious... Read More

Catherine Ho's narration explores the aftermath of the death of Vivian, a famous, reclusive Chinese actress. Vivian's daughters stake their claim on their inheritance against lesser-known family members as shocking last-minute changes to the will are revealed. Eerie events unfold in the mansion everyone is fighting over, and Ho's tone builds suspense, mirroring a growing sense... Read More

Lyrical music accents this poetic, poignant audiobook, which begins as Falasteen seeks to find her family's country on a map and finds she can't locate Palestine. Narrator Dalia Ramahi voices the girl's confusion, which leads her to speak to family members. Ramahi evokes her grandfather's steadiness as he draws an image-laden map, giving life to various locations. Ramahi reads... Read More

Sofia Jin's gentle, calming voice perfectly suits this cozy audiobook about a woman who washes away painful experiences from people's hearts. Jieun has spent many reincarnated lives searching for her missing family until she finally settles into a laundromat. Five people with wounded souls come through, including a disheartened filmmaker and an overburdened social media... Read More

Elizabeth Wiley narrates this short biography of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, an early champion of the Florida Everglades ecosystem and author of the groundbreaking book RIVER OF GRASS. Douglas was born in 1890 and lived for 108 years, working as a journalist, writer, and conservationist. Wiley's narration of her story, which includes numerous quotations, evokes a sense of the... Read More

Award-winning actor and singer Keke Palmer weaves personal stories and valuable advice into her inspirational self-help memoir. Authentic and deep, she draws listeners in with her signature voice, which has the ability to be energetic, sincere, and playful all at once. Palmer candidly speaks of moments in her life that have had significant impacts on her self-improvement and... Read More

Johnathan McClain narrates his irreverent fantasy about an author who is pulled into the world he created. Despite being one of the most popular fantasy writers of all time, Bruce finds himself dissatisfied. Eager to shake things up, he decides to kill off his beloved hero--only to discover himself in his own fantasy world, having replaced the former hero. McClain shifts from... Read More

When novelist Geraldine Brooks's husband, Tony Horwitz, dies while on a book tour, she gets the call from a harried medical resident who can't get off the phone fast enough. Brooks alternates between memories of those first days and her life three years later on an isolated island in Australia, where she finally takes time to focus on grieving. Listening feels particularly... Read More

Michael Crouch and Jonathan Todd Ross narrate an atmospheric horror story that draws upon the power of grief. In 1983, three college students set out on a road trip to film a documentary on the varied roadside memorials dotting America's roadsides. What starts out as an adventure morphs slowly and painfully into terror. Crouch and Ross alternate narrating, and both maintain an... Read More

Channeling the author's trademark enthusiasm, humor, and curiosity, a host of big-name actors and voice talents such as Ryan Reynolds and Golden Voice Robin Miles narrate selections from Nate DiMeo's singular and popular podcast. DiMeo's stock-in-trade includes Plymouth Rock, the nickel candy bar, and a telescope that could see the canals on Mars as he finds the beauty and... Read More

Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts this newly revised edition of his McDonald Observatory StarDate column as the immortal space traveling wizard, Merlin. This audio production radiates with the astronomer's humor and passion for demystifying the universe for listeners of all ages. Tyson, as Merlin, answers readers' queries about our solar system and the cosmos beyond. A talented group... Read More

Amelie Griffin shines in this spicy holiday romance novella. Everleigh Dangerfield's a bit of a hot mess. She's spending one last Christmas in her late grandmother's home and is decking it out with holiday cheer to honor her grandmother's memory. But her gingerbread cookies and kitchen go up in flames, she nearly falls off the roof, and every time, the disarmingly handsome... Read More

Listening to this history of the 1850s competition to decipher ancient Mesopotamian inscriptions is like listening to a Jules Verne or Conan Doyle adventure yarn. Narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies is a familiar voice in mystery and suspense fiction, and he clearly relishes what is not a musty story of scholarly reflection, but a cliff-hanger full of surprises and unexpected twists.... Read More

John J. Sullivan tells the story of his years as the U.S. ambassador to Russia, revealing behind-the-scenes secrets about international politics and war, including Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. Sullivan performs his own work in an unadorned manner. At times, the performance lacks energy and sounds like what it is--a book being read aloud. He may have been better served by... Read More

This audio adaptation of a cross between a Lemony Snicket story and an Enid Blyton story makes for an engrossing middle-grade adventure. Comedian and author Kate McKinnon shines at voicing the three Porch sisters as they end up in mad scientist Millicent Squibb's etiquette school after having been expelled from all alternatives in Antiquarium, where attendance in etiquette... Read More

Daniel Penz skillfully introduces this combination of science fiction and mystery set in Cincinnati, which exposes technology's dark side. Listeners meet Detective Jack Stewart, who is confronting inexplicable murders that are connected to a business staffed by seemingly ancient people. Stewart discovers that possibly sentient extraterrestrials are cloning modern people to... Read More

A full cast, backed by sound effects and music, transform this queer adaptation of Jane Austen's EMMA from the graphic novel to an audiobook. High school senior and Instagram influencer Evan, a leader in his high school's LGBTQ+ student association, sees himself as Cupid and can't resist the opportunity to set up shy and dowdy newcomer Natalia--despite the warnings of his best... Read More

Jenny Funnell's authoritative performance perfectly suits this lengthy, well-researched history. Her resolute cadence and crisp tone enable listeners to engage with the many stories of women who worked, loved, and served alongside men of the ancient Mediterranean world. Author Daisy Dunn provides Funnell with details of empire builders ranging from the Minoans to the citizens... Read More

Joanne Harris narrates this fairy tale set in London. Tom is a young photographer who has a special talent for capturing surprising effects in his photos. When he becomes enamored with Vanessa, he is drawn into the magical world of the midnight folk and the daylight folk, where memories are currency. Harris does an outstanding job of making this world come alive. She imparts... Read More

Korean American Ami Park ably voices Yoon Ha Lee's space opera, incorporating the character names and gender-neutral pronouns naturally, allowing listeners to more easily follow the story. Ten-year-old Hwajinn is saved by a Lancer pilot after being the only survivor of an Imperial attack on her rebel moon. Five years later, she's become Hwa Young, a loyal servant of the Empire... Read More

Andy Carpenter's plans for a quiet holiday season are interrupted when a rescue dog he once placed with a local family shows up at his front door. Grover Gardner reprises his portrayal of the curmudgeonly lawyer as he returns the pooch to its family, only to discover that the dog's young owner has been arrested for murdering his college professor. Gardner voices Andy's... Read More

In a silvery tone, narrator Mela Lee recounts the story of a bittersweet holiday house swap. Struggling Malibu artist Chelsea and Chicagoan Ramona agree to swap houses during Christmas week. Chelsea needs to make some money, and Ramona wants to avoid her family over the holiday. When Ramona's West Coast experience begins with an incident of racism, Lee conveys how its menacing... Read More

The popularity of audiobooks that reinvent classical characters has led novelists to literary figures who were previously ignored. Novelist Bear, author of MEDUSA'S SISTERS, now turns to the mother of Rome's founders, Romulus and Remus, who, legend claims, were suckled by a she-wolf. Here that improbable origin story is treated realistically. In pre-Rome Latium two young women,... Read More

Andrew Gibson and Janet Metzger both give resonant, emotionally compelling performances in this devastating but deeply human novel about secrets, silence, familial legacies, and what it means to live a good life. Gibson voices Peter, a 40-something immigration lawyer in New York City who's spent his adult life using other people's stories of suffering to avoid facing his own... Read More

Daniel Henning zestfully introduces a busy dog shelter's diverse inhabitants. Listeners meet Mouse, who lives there for all the free-flowing kibble but also to befriend and help the most troublesome dogs. Outstanding sound effects, including constant background barking, add atmosphere, as does Mouse's endearing voice and personality. His best buddy, masterfully rendered, is... Read More

The subject here may seem too vast and esoteric for one audiobook: the influence of classical Greek culture on the last three centuries of Western civilization. But the narrative proves so rich and enriching, and the voice of narrator Justin Avoth so fluent and adept, that this unique history soon takes hold of the listener. Arranged chronologically, with each chapter focused... Read More

Morven Christie performs this captivating memoir by English writer and academic Sarah Moss. From an early age, society taught Moss that girls are to be restrained, smart but not too smart. At home, she learned to have a poor relationship with food; a girl must stay thin above all else at whatever cost. Moss's memoir recounts her life as she pushes back against the patriarchal... Read More

Narrated with both passion and compassion, this audiobook is an incredible collection of powerful essays, poems, and more, celebrating the contemporary Native American experience and inviting the listener to learn, grow, and collaborate through it. With a list of contributing authors that is impressive in its own right, the four narrators--Carolina Hoyos, Kamali Minter, Tanis... Read More

Narrator Joel Froomkin is the perfect Hercule Poirot; his accent, vocal eccentricities, and braggadocio are spotless. Listeners first meet Captain Hastings, Poirot's friend, who is on respite from WWI at Styles. When Hastings learns of the murder of the lady of the house, he brings in Poirot, a Belgian refugee. Hastings, splendidly rendered by Froomkin, is an ideal sidekick who... Read More

In this thoughtful audiobook about women's position in our overachieving, sexist culture, a former editor of TEEN VOGUE uses her career fortunes and misfortunes to make a powerful point: Working women deserve a life defined by what fulfills and pleases them, not the compulsive overachievement, shallow gratifications, and draining quests for success defined by others.... Read More

In the second Inspector Cutter/Sergeant Bliss mystery, the mood is bleak, and Charles Armstrong's performance is irresistible. After a murdered civil servant is found clutching a child's bone, Cutter, Bliss, and journalist Octavia Hillingdon begin an investigation that shakes their faith in humanity. More brutal murders of civil servants occur, seemingly connected to an asylum... Read More

Whether he's spotting a fox or watching big ants, Christopher Brown is easygoing as he talks about the nature he encounters on his street in Austin's edgeland. Exploring nature has been a constant part of his life since he built a home on an empty lot. Brown has taken apart a birds' nest to find plastic used as a construction material. He tells of his dream of incorporating... Read More

Corinne Davies performs this story of scientific discovery with aplomb. The setting is New South Wales, and Davies gives broad Australian accents to naturalist Charles Winton and his teenage daughter, Rose. In 1808, they are studying the mysterious platypus, or mallangong. Subsequently, Rose, whom Davies voices as young but determined, travels to London to report their findings... Read More

Vidish Athavale narrates a lengthy, largely dry examination of how the flow of information has evolved and influenced human existence and evolution. Athavale employs an appealing British-by-way-of-India inflection, rhythm, and tonality, dramatically improving the listening experience. NEXUS, which means connection, trends toward being a niche work for those who are interested... Read More

A NASA systems engineer who's led many high-stakes missions shares what he's learned about succeeding in today's workplace. His advice, neatly packaged in 42 concise chapters, goes well beyond how to be nice. Ruffa also provides help with an array of familiar challenges like navigating hierarchies, learning from mistakes, questioning the status quo, and negotiating with people... Read More

Narrator Janina Edwards gives an exceptional presentation of this biographical examination of Harriet Tubman. This audiobook compares the work of Tubman and other known civil rights activists in the pre-Civil War period. Edwards effectively delivers the vignettes of Tubman's life, complete with Southern accents and the local vernacular of the era. Tubman endured more physical... Read More

Mary Robinette Kowal serves as both translator and narrator of this atmospheric Icelandic novella. In the heart of Reykjavík, a woman wakes every morning with bruises covering her body, aching joints, and a throbbing headache--yet medical tests reveal nothing. When she falls asleep one night wearing a step-counting watch, she learns that she's walking miles each night to a... Read More

In this first part of a duology, Nneka Okoye narrates a story that begins when 9-year old Princess Viella loses her mother in a violent coup. When she flees, along with Luka, her young bodyguard, they barely keep ahead of sinister forces. In their flight, they meet a wide range of characters who give Okoye an opportunity to show her skill at differentiating characters. A pdf... Read More

Sarah LaBrie, a successful television writer based in Los Angeles, narrates her gripping memoir of family trauma in a calm, sweet voice that keeps listeners engaged. Throughout LaBrie's childhood her mother ricocheted from one psychiatric episode to another, terrifying and caring ineptly for the girl. With hard work and luck, LaBrie made it to an Ivy League college. There, a... Read More

Narrator Ashford McNab takes listeners to 1760 England and the romance between Julian Greycourt, nephew to the Duke of Windemere, and Lady Elspeth de Moray. Elspeth's family has a challenging history with Julian's. Now they encounter each other in Julian's uncle's library, where Elspeth is looking for a diary. Elspeth is Scottish, and McNab provides her with a lovely lilting... Read More

Maria McCann's Spanish-accented narration sets the tone for this sweeping novel about an outbreak of a plague causing amnesia in an unnamed Latin American country. McCann employs a dramatic tone to tell the story of Angustias and her husband, who lose their infant sons while fleeing for a better life. As they search for a place to bury them, they meet larger-than-life... Read More

Narrator Rama Krishna Vallury charms in this heartfelt audio about when to fit in and when to stand out. Ajay always follows his Sri Lankan parents' strict rules for him: no bad grades, no scary movies, and NO friendships with girls. When a taunt from a popular kid goads Ajay into stealing a chocolate bar with a valuable prize inside, he has to figure out how to get his life... Read More

Narrator William Hope serves up the second adventure in a noir-influenced series featuring a lead character with a perpetually arched eyebrow. Craven's hero, Ben Koenig, is a former U.S. marshal with a rare genetic syndrome that makes him incapable of feeling fear or having second thoughts about dispatching villains. Hope adds warmth and humor as Koenig finds himself connected... Read More

Khaya Fraites and Emily Lawrence give spirited performances in this introduction to a rich duology based on Finnish fantasy. Aina and Siiri have been separated by the death gods as they work to survive a very harsh winter. Aina is sent to endure Tuonela, the underworld, and Siiri travels to save her. Both women embark on challenging trials, and Fraites and Lawrence depict them... Read More

Olivia Dowd and Kit Griffiths narrate a slow-burn romance between the granddaughter of Robin Hood and the healer she has kidnapped. Mariel Hartley-Hood knows that what she does as part of the Merry Men is right and benefits the common people. But Clem, who is unarguably a "common person," disagrees and starts to raise uncomfortable points. Dowd and Griffiths complement each... Read More

This captivating audiobook is an enemies-to-lovers story about Rosie, a spirited romance writer, and Aiden, a reserved literary fiction author. When their NYU writing workshop instructor forces them to collaborate on a novel, their partnership becomes an exploration of their differences, mutual attraction, and the blurred lines between fiction and reality. Frankie Corzo's... Read More

Catherine Ho narrates a thriller featuring a practical joke gone awry. Old friends May, Lauren, and Kelsey spend a holiday weekend together in the Hamptons, but after a drunken prank goes horribly wrong, their friendship is tested in unexpected ways. May is eager to see her friends in person for the first time in several years, and Ho capably balances her eagerness and anxiety.... Read More

Narrators Jesse Vilinsky and Charlie Bushnell are swoon-worthy in this highly anticipated sequel to BETTER THAN THE MOVIES. The story is told from alternating perspectives. Wes is re-doing his freshman year at UCLA after quitting school, moving back home to deal with a tragedy, and breaking up with Liz. Liz is drawn back to Wes when her internship requires them to work... Read More

Narrator Michael Braun provides a flawless interpretation of this extensive look at the high-flying AI company Nvidia. Along with his inviting vocal tone, his creative phrasing is engaging--never repetitive and always in sync with the riveting dynamics of the company's rise to prominence. The captivating story details Jensen Huang's 31 years leading Nvidia and how he... Read More

An admittedly limited survey reveals that practically nobody knows who Charlemagne was, or even what millennium he belonged to. If nothing else, this audiobook will correct that. It will also clear up any misunderstandings concerning the purpose and whereabouts of the Holy Roman Empire--the two being, not coincidentally, closely bound. Narrator Paul Bellantoni, whose past... Read More

Two generations before Jane Austen's Mrs. Bennet struggles to marry off her daughters, listeners meet Mrs. Morrell, who also has daughters in need of husbands. Thea, the eldest, is the problem. She's more interested in natural history than in balls or eligible suitors. The accomplished, award-winning narrator Charlie Albers portrays this budding scientist, as well as 35 other... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini rises to the challenge of narrating Michael Crichton's first-ever novel, which was published in 1966. Listeners follow the adventures of three crooks as they plan a heist in the south of Spain with their leader, Steve Jencks, using computer technology in its infancy to calculate the chances of success. Ballerini seamlessly delivers a variety of accents,... Read More

Shaun Taylor-Corbett's upbeat narration perfectly suits this heartwarming adventure full of drama, Indigenous folklore, and interspecies friendships. When injured Great Grandfather Bat must get from Chicago to Georgia for a legendary animal ball game, he asks Grandpa Halfmoon for assistance. Grandpa agrees, and soon Great Grandfather Bat and adolescent Grey Squirrel are off on... Read More

In 1978, Rick Steves left his job teaching piano lessons to set out on the legendary Hippie Trail. Starting in Europe, Steves and his friend Gene left the "wading pool of European travel" (as he puts it) to visit old friends in Bulgaria and then embark on an epic journey from Istanbul to Kathmandu. Steves's trademark enthusiasm and joie de vivre are on full display as he... Read More

Narrator Kyla Garcia delivers a slam dunk in this fun contemporary romance. Annie takes a new job with her college's basketball team, which she left in the dust during her senior year and no one knows why. While she's uneasy about taking the position, her co-worker, charming former classmate and teammate Ben, makes her anxiety even worse. The focus of Garcia's performance is... Read More

The narrations of Victoria Villarreal and Anthony Rey Perez will melt the heart of any listener. Claire is shocked with the news that her boyfriend is in a coma right before he planned to propose. When he wakes up, Matias has amnesia, and Claire must do what she can to have him fall in love with her again. Villarreal's gentle yet determined delivery pairs well with Perez's... Read More

Narrator Amelia Leith convincingly presents this coming-of-age story set in 1990s Scotland. Listeners meet 14-year-old Cora, whose wheelchair-bound mother invites a one-eyed petty criminal named Gunner to live with them. Leith's endearing, independent Cora struggles in school and is protective of her mother. Varying descriptions of the changeable Scottish weather and the... Read More

The collected voices featured here have an emotional power that's funny, shocking, and heartbreaking as they provide an absorbing look at contemporary Namibian life. Loosely threaded together into "A" and "B" sides, like a mixtape, the material has a natural rhythm. Anthony Oseyemi portrays the brash writer-on-the-make voice of the "A-side," which recounts how his dreams of... Read More

André Santana narrates this short novel in verse about the power of dreams and finding compassion in one's community. Twelve-year-old Onyx is entranced by space, the stars, and the idea of flying. His daydreams are one of his only escapes from anxiety over his mother's increasing memory loss. Santana voices Onyx in soft, lyrical tones that evoke the verse format without... Read More

This third volume in Yarros's fantasy romance series offers an engaging listening experience. It centers on Violet Sorrengail, who after nearly 18 months at Basgiath War College, embarks on a dangerous quest beyond the crumbling Aretian wards to gather allies against both internal and external threats. With her dragons, family, and love interest, Navarre, at risk, the story is... Read More

Kudos to the author, publisher, and narrator of this audiobook. Author Ewing delivers her introduction, which sets up the arguments. She then turns the body of the text over to Golden Voice narrator Robin Miles. Miles is a gifted performer whose tone, tempo, and cadence enhance the dark truths of this provocative work on the failure of our educational system. Ewing, who is a... Read More