New Reviews by Title: K-O

Famous Filipino American drag queen Manila Luzon gives a heartfelt, charming narration of this delightful rom-com. Rex takes his drag queen persona, Regina, online in order to use his popularity to save a karaoke bar--all the while keeping his drag life a secret from his father. As he becomes successful, he also is faced with the need to reveal who he is to the world in order... Read More

The Scopes Monkey Trial was settled almost a hundred years ago, but if you think the issues it raised regarding what can be taught in public schools were settled, you're wrong. Brenda Wineapple's history of the trial, its antecedents, and its aftereffects--ably narrated by Gabra Zackman--ties the trial into continuing themes in American culture and politics. Science and... Read More

Actor, filmmaker, and author Edward Burns's narration features gentle humor and an unmistakable Long Island accent. His novel takes listeners on a bright-eyed and bittersweet tour of a sensitive child's recollections of growing up in the outer reaches of New York City in the 1970s. The novel seamlessly weaves tales of his 1940s immigrant grandparents; his stern father, a cop;... Read More

Narrator Troy Glasgow is a gift--a natural storyteller who knows how to pace this dynamic debut. Glasgow's acting prowess is on full display as his baritone voice seeps into listeners' ears--and into their souls. He carries listeners into, as described in this book, "the secret side of [London], full of winding, serpentine streets and back-alley bargains . . . It was the outer... Read More

Two new audiobooks--THE STALIN AFFAIR and now this full biography--present a fresh, sympathetic view of one of the last century's most intriguing and maligned figures, Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward Harriman. She was the daughter-in-law of Winston Churchill, the widow of the astronomically wealthy Averill Harriman, the lover of a legion of powerful men, the patron to a... Read More

Narrator Caroline Fantozzi's exultant performance will swell the Scroogiest listener's heart as she recounts the challenges surrounding an underdog CHRISTMAS CAROL production. Fantozzi illuminates the pure soul of school counselor Harriet Smith, who fights her Christmas mopes with diligent care of five at-risk teens. Harriet sounds both determined and desperate as she faces... 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

Mary Mouser, Tyler Posey, and a full cast delight listeners in this immersive rom-com. Cleo has been obsessed with the decades-old game show "Know Your Newlywed," in which married couples compete. Currently pursuing her PhD in anthrozoology, she has put aside finding a relationship. But then she comes across Javi's dating app profile and discovers he loves "Know Your Newlywed,"... 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

Speaking with a Wisconsin accent, Brian Reisinger pours a lot of passion into this audiobook, so it's appropriate that listeners can hear the emotion in his voice. This audiobook is part memoir and part history of the ongoing challenges faced by American farmers. Reisinger weaves the two narrative threads skillfully. Sometimes the narration sounds rushed, and occasionally even... Read More

A supremely talented cast narrates 12 short works that could only have originated from master storyteller/director Pedro Almodóvar. This first collection ranges from personal essays--there's one about the death of his mother--to a fascinating retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" that revolves around the Spanish Queen Juana la Loca. Fans of Almodóvar's work will recognize the story... Read More

In this locked-room fantasy, Moira Quirk's vocal confidence and captivating talent are on full display. Just two months after giving birth, the famous Hound Guildmember Kembral Thorne attends a New Year's Eve party. But what's supposed to be a gathering of various public officials and guilds quickly becomes a bloodbath. Violent creatures come out of nowhere to kill guests and... Read More

Tamika Katon-Donegal narrates this fantasy, the first in a series. From the moment Kai wakes up in the woods with amnesia and discovers her belongings have been looted, life becomes a struggle. With the help of a gorgeous man who, suspiciously, seems too skilled at swordplay to be stuck in such a remote town, Kai hopes to regain her memories. Narrating quickly, Katon-Donegal... Read More

John Pirhalla portrays an everyday guy named Frank whose life is turned upside down when his estranged daughter gets in touch to announce her wedding to Aidan, the son of a tech billionaire. When Frank mysteriously receives a photo of Aidan with a missing girl, he decides to investigate to ensure the safety of his daughter. Pirhalla's excellent narration highlights Frank's... Read More

This audiobook begins with a thoughtful foreword, written and narrated by Idra Novey, and a comprehensive introduction that provides essential historical and linguistic context, narrated by translator Gwendolyn Harper. Then, Vico Ortiz vividly narrates the selection of crónicas (short chronicles) written by Chilean queer activist and artist Pedro Lemebel. These essays are a... 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

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin has reconstructed her set of presidential biographies about four great American leaders to aim at a young audience. Briefly describing each president's early years before expanding on his leadership skills, Kearns encourages listeners with the idea that anyone can rise to an influential role. Lincoln is surprisingly voiced by Graham Sibley as a... Read More

Narrator Annie Maynard's comfortable tone and Australian accent set the scene for this audiobook. Kerryn Mayne's debut introduces listeners to Lenny Marks, a fifth-grade teacher in her mid-30s. When a letter from her parole board addressed to Helena Winters is delivered to her school, Lenny's long-buried past is resurrected. Maynard injects humor and pathos as she brings this... 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

Narrator Mia Barron displays deft timing and impressive range in her performance of this story of a blockbuster author beset by writer's block and her biggest fan. When early-onset dementia overtakes 40-year-old Libby Weeks, she's desperate enough to seek out 11-year-old Peanut, whose persistent fan mail suggests she might be able to help Libby finally complete the much-delayed... 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

In this entertaining account of the jazz saxophone player's life in music, we hear about the hard work, maturity, and self-respect that Kenny G applied during every phase of his fifty-year career. The diminutive Jewish boy who was bullied at his Seattle high school recounts discovering the saxophone and playing pro gigs with prominent jazz and pop bands as a teenager. Learning... Read More

Comedian, actor, and writer Jenny Slate is observant, sharp, and vulnerable in her latest audiobook about the nature of life. Her focus is wide--ranging from pregnancy and birthing to her place in the universe. The totality of the listening experience is deeply moving and delivered with a kind of openness that simply compels listeners to pay attention. Slate is not above the... Read More

With his recognizable gravelly voice, the Hootie and the Blowfish singer delivers his heartfelt memoir with genuine gusto. He narrates clearly and naturally, always sounding engaged with the considerable pathos of his personal life and career in music: his substance abuse, early career playing at frat parties and dive bars, and eventual status as a solo country music star. What... Read More

Narrator Shannon Tyo delivers this audiobook's author's note, briefly describing Seal's real-life struggles with anorexia, clinical depression, suicidal ideation, and skin picking--all of which started during her teen years. Tyo tempers this opening with the author's understanding of and respect for resilient teens who currently face these challenges. Once the story begins, Tyo... Read More

Rebecca Lowman superbly narrates this messy multigenerational story of ambition and intergenerational trauma. Lowman's tones of indignation and ruthlessness capture Lila, executive editor of a prestigious Washington, DC, newspaper. After enduring a brutal childhood, Lila's focus is on her career; she leaves the care of her three daughters to her supportive husband, Joe. Her... Read More

Eunice Wong's narration of this debut novel captures the essence of its story with a perfect deadpan tone. Linh Ly is confronted with a multitude of challenges that disrupt her routine. First, she finds herself coping with her mother's new dating life and with an active shooter lockdown at work. She's also experiencing palpable anxiety as she grapples with her past, family... 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

Narrator Jack de Golia wields impressive vocal skills to create vivid characters in this sci-fi audiobook. James is a typical high school student who is crushing on a cute girl and drawing comics with his friend. But after an accident, his dreams become full of alien wonders, he hears voices, and his drawings look more like schematics than comic characters. Fearing he could be... Read More

After a steamy one-night stand, athletic trainer Khadijah Upton and professional basketball player Shae Harris reunite unexpectedly as new colleagues on the Atlanta-based WNBA team, the Atlantic Cannons. Narrators Lauryn Nichols and Marcella Cox are a dynamic duo, alternating wonderful performances of spontaneous, open Shae and careful, regimented Khadijah. Their fun, flirty... 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

A fantastic ensemble cast narrates Lucy Westenra's story where her original story in DRACULA leaves off. Billie Fulford-Brown voices Lucy in two separate timelines: through her journals in 1890 and her therapy transcripts in 2024. Her transformation from a naïve girl to a capable vampire is perfectly realized through Fulford-Brown's powerfully emotional performance. In the... Read More

This theatrical production brings a cast of nearly 30 actors (and the author) to the recording booth for a dramatic four hours of audio entertainment. Julia Whelan delivers a sure-footed performance as Sara Branford, narrator and a participant in the story. Set in the small town of South River, the mystery opens with news of the shooting of Gin Talcott and her second husband,... Read More

Narrator Sunny Lu creates charming character voices in this action-packed retelling of a children's classic that is a perfect family listen. Amy is struggling with art assignments in school, missing the days she spent drawing her fantasy creature, Luna. When she's visiting her Lao Lao (grandmother), she discovers a jade paintbrush that literally brings her drawings to life,... Read More

Dara Rosenberg returns to narrate another Meltzer contemporary romance, this time featuring a Jewish shop owner in Woodstock, New York, and the man who might be a golem she accidentally summoned. After an anti-Semitic group papers the town with hateful flyers, Faye drowns her fears in wine and performs a ritual for protection. The unexpected appearance of a handsome man with... Read More

Aaron Goodson presents moving personal essays that vividly depict the joys, sorrows, and frustrations of an American Black man. Listeners meet Jerald Walker, a former cult member who is now a successful academic. Goodson energetically shares Walker's years as a member of the Worldwide Church of God, whose founder he hilariously compares to Donald Trump. Listeners will be... Read More

Adetinpo Thomas narrates the story of 17-year-old Small Sade as she leaves the orphanage in the magical city of Oluwan to find work. She accidentally binds herself to a powerful god called the Crocodile, who hopes Small Sade's Curse Eater abilities can save him. But all she aspires to is keeping her head down as the humble worker bee she was raised to be. While occasional lines... Read More

Childhood sweethearts get a second chance in this bittersweet holiday romance. Serious, closed-off violinist Charlotte is devoted to her successful classical quartet, and narrator Kristen DiMercurio gives her an unemotional, lower-register voice. Singer-songwriter Brighton is reeling from being kicked out of her own band. Five years earlier, Brighton left Charlotte at the... 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

While most would not consider a Kafka work to be a pleasant listening experience, Pugh does a splendid job at narrating Kafka's account of the (mis)adventures of one Karl Rossman in a post-World War America. The plot is not as surreal as the author's METAMORPHOSIS or some of his fables such as "Before the Law," but it is nevertheless a somewhat surreal set of adventures,... 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

Sophie Amoss's engaging performance enhances this young adult fantasy about a world divided between those who have the signs of magic on their palms and those who do not. The disenfranchised latter are called the Markless. When Ruti, a frank and sarcastic Markless witch, is apprehended for royal theft, she is coerced into helping the haughty Princess Dekala in her quest to rule... 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

Author Allison Carmen offers a new mindset to help ease the uncertainties and anxieties that are a part of being a parent. Narrator Kim Niemi has a soothing voice as she delivers Carmen's positive approach toward parental worries and fears. With compassion and clarity, Niemi voices the author's advice to choose to think everything will work out in the end and to keep an open... Read More

This fun and evocative audiobook begins with narrator Paul Woodson's authoritative and upbeat delivery of the author's many accounts of urban wildlife. Keim's description of San Francisco's coyote population, performed with an air of respect and wonder, is particularly joyful. Woodson shifts his tone as the author discusses his deadly serious new vision for wildlife science and... Read More

Anna Caputo brings both joy and melancholy into her narration of Jenny Green's failure at life as she has watched her friends succeed. At her college reunion, she is given a chance to make amends by a secret consortium of women who give out memos for success. Now Jenny travels back to key moments in her life, guided by her memo, which dictates what choices to make to succeed... Read More

Stellar narrator Jefferson Mays and bestselling author James S.A. Corey are in warp drive as they launch the first book of a planned trilogy set in the far future. This loose reinterpretation of the Book of Daniel begins on a planet settled long ago by humans. When the planet is invaded by a hostile force interested only in utility, selected people are transported to an alien... 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

Author Ta-Nehisi Coates narrates this must-listen, a powerful and thought-provoking collection of essays. In recounting his travels to Senegal and South Carolina, Coates incisively reflects on slavery and white supremacy. From his travels to Israel and Palestine, Coates meditates on the trauma of the Holocaust, segregated society, dehumanization, and voices that are missing... Read More

Vico Ortiz narrates this fantasy audiobook with an intensity that fully embodies Marney Honeycutt's vow of vengeance. Yann Chauncy, the sole person responsible for the extraction of ichorite, a new valuable metal, responds to his striking manufacturing workers by massacring them all. Only Marney survives, and a decade later, she disguises herself as an aristocrat, infiltrates... Read More

Those who listen to this audiobook will join a group of friends lost to time. It's been 25 years since the last meeting of the Midnight Club. The old group of friends who bonded over the campus literary magazine have returned to campus, where they're also bonded by having experienced something sinister all those years ago--the death of their friend, Jennet. A mysterious... Read More

Most very good novels, like this one, cover a broad range of subjects, but they also often focus on some specific questions about human existence--in this case, what we do for love and how we recover from that. Narrator Marin Ireland manages to keep everything in this novel tied together without creating voices for all the numerous characters. She trusts the text to tell us who... 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

Elizabeth Knowelden's vibrant performance sparkles in a fantastically fun story that celebrates uniqueness. Young Millie Fleur La Fae's garden, with plants like sneezing stickyweed and fanged fairy moss, clashes with Garden Glen's theme of sameness and perfection. Millie considers planting more ordinary flora that would blend in and be considered less "weird" but devises an... Read More

Narrator Brittany Pressley jumps into action, ramping up the tension as this story opens where the previous audiobook left off. Sonya has inherited a mansion filled with ghosts and a curse placed by a witch centuries ago. The witch, Dobbs, has cursed seven Poole brides to die on their wedding days. Pressley embodies evil as she voices Dobbs, who still inhabits the mansion.... Read More

An Albanian interpreter in New York City becomes more and more involved in the life of her client, Alfred. They develop a speedy intimacy as she interprets personal information in a therapy session that leads to some challenging moments in her marriage. Narrator Morgan Hallett employs accents to distinguish the Albanian characters and adopts a relaxed pace. Her tone... Read More

Nic Davey-Greene delivers this environmental adventure. Listeners meet gamer and fast-food lover Finn and shy genius Milo, called "Prof," who are reluctantly participating in an Alpine class trip. They'd rather be home doing their own thing. Soon they find a 65-million-year-old egg that hatches. Vivid descriptions of Finn's connection to newly hatched, squawking Arty segues... Read More

Gabby Beans performs this suspenseful novel about a Black nonbinary protagonist who is haunted by the events that occurred at their childhood home. After years of living in the UK, Ezri finds themself on a plane back to the U.S. to visit their parents in their suburban home outside Dallas, Texas. There, Ezri finds their parents dead and begins trying to reconstruct their last... Read More

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Diane Seuss reads her own work at a stately pace. Some listeners may find this hard to get used to, but it gives them the opportunity to think about the poems, rather than just experiencing them. They are a portrait of the author--who she is and how she became that person. Her love of Keats (the man and his work) is a theme, and the title poem is a... Read More

Patty Nieman's pleasing voice and steady pace keep this biography of painter Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) interesting. Nieman provides the right amount of expression and manages Dutch and French names with a convincing accent as Mondrian moves from the Netherlands to Paris and London. Mondrian evolved from painting profitable landscapes, portraits, and flowers to his deceptively... Read More

Dan Bittner performs a middle-grade story about an anxious boy who is pulled into a horrifying situation after watching the scariest movie ever made. Ethan is terrified of everything, but his understanding friends try to help him through his fears by inviting him to a horror movie. However, the movie isn't a movie but an actual monster that Ethan is the only one to escape from.... Read More

A full cast of creatures—including a shape-shifting coyote, werewolves, vampires, fae, the local witch, and humans—are depicted by a talented cast of voice actors. Most impressive is Khaya Fraites, who takes on the role of first-person narrator Mercy Thompson, a plucky 20-something mechanic and shape-shifter. Mercy and macho neighbor Adam Hauptman, an alpha werewolf voiced by... 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

Narrator Tessa Albertson captures the turmoil experienced by Maddy, a college student who is grappling with a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Albertson's youthful timbre and expressive intonation perfectly convey Maddy's myriad symptoms, which include obsessional thinking and self-harm by cutting. Albertson's varied pacing helps listeners sense Maddy's intense discomfort... 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

Narrator Abigail Reno transports listeners to November 1957 and a dysfunctional marriage. The story begins on an unseasonably warm fall day. Kathleen decides to skip church and instead sends her boys and her husband, Virgil, out of the house for the day. As Kathleen reflects on how she went from college tennis star to homemaker and mother, Virgil spends the day reflecting on... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld and Zachary Webber narrate this suspenseful romantic suspense. Maggie Chase writes cozy mysteries, and Ethan Wyatt writes popular thrillers. Maggie hates Ethan. Both have been invited to attend a Christmas party at an English estate. Upon arrival, Maggie and Ethan are stunned to find out that world-famous mystery writer Eleanor Ashley is hosting the party;... 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 illuminating story of the Women's Liberation movement in the pivotal period of 1963-1973 is powerfully told by multiple narrators who give voice to nearly 150 women activists and nearly 20 men. This inclusive work creates a representative account of Second Wave Feminism by centering contributions from women of color and queer women. Kamali Minter, Janina Edwards, Natalie... Read More

Charming characters populate this delightful series debut, wonderfully narrated by Philip Battley. City-dweller Addison Harper travels to the tiny New Zealand town of Milverton to deal with an inheritance from an uncle he barely remembers. He meets a snarky attorney whose irritating manner causes his blood to boil. When Addison finds the attorney murdered later that night,... Read More

Helen Lloyd provides an excellent portrayal of Berit Gardner, the author turned sleuth who is the heroine in this new Swedish mystery series. Berit is only one of a cast of eccentric characters in the rundown village of Great Diddling. After an explosion in the library of a manor house kills a local man, Berit ends up taking part in running a book-and-murder festival designed... Read More

Author Meik Wiking uses a soothing and peaceful tone to narrate the history and philosophy of the Danish concept of hygge. He comprehensively explains its foundations, focusing on how prioritizing a pleasant atmosphere and immersing oneself in life's simple joys can lead to happiness. Wiking is engaging, enjoyable, and comfortable with his narration as he explains how to... 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

A trio of talented narrators brings the story of these independent women to life. When grandmother Olvido dies suddenly, her daughter, Angustias, and granddaughter, Felicitas, travel home. Olvido pesters Felicitas, who is able to see the dead, to improve Angustias's life. Yareli Arizmendi portrays Olvido as she ages from domineering mother to caring grandmother with a deep... Read More

This audiobook is a charming rom-com with a paranormal twist, and the narrators, Daniel Henning and Helen Laser, bring the story to life with flair. Henning's portrayal of Reginald captures every bit of the vampire's quirky, old-fashioned charm. Laser gives Amelia's practical nature and wittiness a grounded quality that contrasts perfectly with Reggie's flamboyance. The... Read More

To most people, geography means listing the continents and naming the 50 states. But what defines a continent? And why are borders drawn the way they are? These are among the questions explored in this thought-provoking audiobook. Orlando Wells ably narrates this work. His English accent and even delivery add a professorial tone without sounding pedantic. His pacing makes it... Read More

Fred Berman narrates this narrative nonfiction, which puts young listeners in the perspective of an Arctic narwhal with an ivory tusk that is as "thick as a lamppost, taller than a man." Berman delivers the sounds of clacking as the narwhal jousts with another male and the narwhal's sigh of relief when the ice opens up to allow it to breathe. Berman delivers sensory... 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

Libby Cudmore and Jay Karnes take turns bringing vibrancy to lead characters Valerie and Martin in this tightly woven noir. Cudmore's delivery reinforces Valerie's practical personality as she leaves behind a shadowy past and starts anew as an assistant at Martin's PI firm in Upstate New York. Karnes gives ex-punk rocker Martin a dismissive tone that hides a vulnerable soul.... Read More

Narrator Gabriela Tola uses an expressive voice for Brazil native Sol Carvalho, a software designer at a video game firm in Copenhagen. She loves the city and wants to stay, but that depends on whether she gets a promotion that hinges on various team-building exercises. In the meantime, she rents a room from Viking look-alike Erik Storm. Throughout, Tola blends Danish accents... Read More

Narrator Michael Larkin throws himself into enthusiastic theatrics in this fantasy-adventure. Unremarkable Marilyn Sparks is content just to listen to the exciting stories of her eccentric Aunt Zenobia. But when Zenobia entrusts her with a cursed amulet containing an ancient demon, Marilyn finds herself fighting for her life and the fate of the world. Larkin adeptly creates a... Read More

Leigh Ann Henion's fascinating exploration of the natural world after dark is indeed magical. With genuine enthusiasm and a warm hint of a Southern accent, Henion invites listeners along on her adventures to seek out salamanders, fireflies, moths, glowing fungus, screech owls, night-blooming flowers, and other nighttime denizens. She spends time getting to know the nightlife in... Read More

Narrators Gilli Messer and Josh Bloomberg team up for a compelling performance of this young adult paranormal adventure. Molly is a vampire, and Boaz is a young man who can see the undead. When Molly's girlfriend, Anat, goes missing within the dark depths of New York City, Molly suspects Boaz is behind her disappearance. To ensure Anat's safe return, Molly must work with Boaz,... Read More

Narrator Julia Whelan portrays Nora Noone with an earnest tone in this gripping family drama. Nora's father, Liam, a thrice-married hotel magnate, has become distant from his grown children. After recently changing his will, he falls from a slippery cliff at a California seaside cottage. Did he slip, or was he pushed? Whelan voices Nora's estranged stepbrother, Sam, with a... Read More

Narrator Ellis Evans's total commitment makes what could be a ridiculous premise a fun and compelling listen. College student Nicholas "Coal" Claus is the heir to Christmas. After his attempt at spreading joy goes wrong, Coal shares a drunken kiss with a man who then disappears. Fast-forward a couple of years, and Coal finds himself facing an unwanted arranged engagement to his... Read More

Narrator Dominique Franceschi narrates this sweet story in a joyful, tender tone. La Señora Mimi has been babysitting for Ana daily while her mom works; together, they go to the park, have snacks, and feed squirrels. All will change when Ana's grandmother comes to live with them; Ana will no longer need to have a babysitter. Happy, at first, that her grandmother will be with... 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

This audio biography doesn't shimmer as brightly as its subject, the wildly talented and stereotype-defying Chinese American actor Anna May Wong. The author narrates the preface slowly in a wooden tone. Caroline McLaughlin narrates the rest in a scratchy voice that evokes the tinny, high-pitched quality of audio recordings made during Wong's career apex in the early twentieth... Read More

In 1963, Tove Jansson built a cabin on Klovharun, a tiny, rugged island in the Gulf of Finland, with the help of a fisherman named Brunstrom. Narrator Orlagh Cassidy takes a minimalist approach to her narration, enunciating precisely and adopting a slow pace as she recounts Brunstrom's notes on building the cabin, the island's weather, and Jansson's and her partner Tuuti's... Read More

Carefully selected ambient sounds combine with Fred Berman's deliberate narration as this audiobook and accompanying picture book tell the story of the inaugural performance of composer John Cage's 4'33"--in which a pianist sat at his instrument for four minutes and 33 seconds without playing it. Biographical passages about Cage alternate with the "concert" itself. The papery... Read More

Narrator Jack de Golia tells the story of a bleak future on Earth in which most of the population has fled to another planet after the "oil wars." Few people remain. De Golia's laid-back voice conjures cowboys and the Wild West, rather than spacemen and rockets, but is perfectly appropriate for a desolate planet on which horses and muscle are in vogue once again. If there is... Read More

Pastor, speaker, and podcaster Davey Blackburn shows his talent for storytelling, his knowledge of the Bible, and the strong religious belief that centered him after the murder of his wife. He calls this audiobook the book he "never wanted to write." Blackburn's transitions are clear as he weaves the multiple elements of his memoir. His narration varies from accounts of... 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

Black romance novelist Saira Wright seeks holiday inspiration and finds love in Santa Claus, Indiana. Portrayed by Charlie L. Wood, Saira, exudes self-confidence and competence as she enjoys Christmas traditions along with the owner of her vacation rental, widower Dorian Black. Tony Roberts's quiet and emotionally controlled narration demonstrates the tightly held grief that... Read More

Narrator Lorelei King once again works her magic in bringing to life Stephanie Plum and her crew of quirky characters. The previous audiobook in the series left fans hanging with Stephanie engaged to the two sexy men in her life. Of course, as Stephanie would say: "It's complicated." The plot relies on familiar situations that go from silly to outright ridiculous, but thanks to... 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

Jen Zhao's narration of this silkpunk fantasy enhances the intriguing story. Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a master engineer like her father, but women are barred from the Engineer's Guild. After witnessing her father's assassination and receiving his journal, Ying sets out to avenge his murder. Disguised as a boy, she travels to the capital to take the guild's entrance exams.... 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 this engrossing and challenging examination of freedom and what it means to be free, Yale historian Timothy Snyder employs a heady mix of history, biology, civics, memoir, philosophy, and personal observation. Sounding like a favorite professor, Snyder demands the listener's undivided attention as he draws a distinct line between our freedom from such phenomena as government... Read More

Elizabeth Robbins and Jesse Inocalla narrate Anna Sortino's novel about two challenged teens. Robbins ensures that Ellie sounds angry when her boarding school for the deaf closes. Forced to return home to her hearing family and a public high school where she'll probably be the only deaf student, she wonders how she'll survive senior year. Portraying Jesse, Inocalla careens... Read More

Elisabeth Rodgers's talented narration perfectly complements this fun adventure, featuring Kira Drake and her rescue dog, Mack. Jack Harlan's brother was killed by supervillain Taylor, and Jack wants him to face justice. Rodgers's stylish characterizations brings these larger-than-life figures to life, infusing Jack with a delightful touch of pomposity while creating a... Read More

Trista Shaye zestfully looks at who may have invented one of the world's favorite foods--pizza. Listeners meet an array of memorable characters. In "Galileo's Neighbor," a baker crashes into his gravity experiment using dough, cheese, and tomato, resulting in mouthwatering results. Shaye's relatable voice and humor are winning, and outstanding sound effects--a falling tomato,... Read More

Narrator Tanya Eby masterfully handles the large cast of characters in this Christmas story. Julie Parker has been planning a quiet Christmas with her younger boyfriend, Heath, but her two grown children, Nick and Dana, insist they celebrate together at the family cabin. Joining them are Nick's wife's estranged mother and her uncle, as well as Heath's two young children and... Read More

This thrilling performance by Katherine Littrell will captivate a wide audience. Junior high schooler Gigi is engrossed in her friend group and her crush on classmate Mari until she finds one of her teachers, Mr. Ford, murdered in a classroom. When Gigi and her friends team up to identify the murderer, she uncovers odd mysteries surrounding Mr. Ford. In addition, the romance... Read More

Narrator Christian Barillas's youthful, expressive voice tells the story of 17-year-old Nico Kardos. Nico can't get over the death of his friend, Rosario. The story, written as journal entries, sheds light on Nico's feelings as he aspires to attend college and become a writer. But his ambitions are halted when his single mother gets cancer and the care of his 12-year-old... 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

Author and narrator Herbie Pilato stitches together the facts surrounding the attractive, highly talented English-born actress Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg. She is most famous for her role as Emma Peel in the iconic 1960s television series "The Avengers." Pilato's narration is understandable, workmanlike, and without much flair or intonation. Direct quotes from other sources... Read More

With her vibrant and expressive delivery, Weruche Opia's narration elevates this family comedy about Temi, a young Nigerian woman who plans to have glute-enhancing surgery. Her ability to capture the distinct voices of Temi, her family, and the extended family of female characters adds depth to each personality, making the listener feel fully immersed in their world. Opia's... Read More

Ruby Corazon brings festive cheer to this sweet and spicy holiday novella. Evie Cruz is on a tight deadline illustrating superhero comics, so much so that she's barely unpacked into her new apartment. At the start, Corazon's voice reflects her stress, but she brightens up as Evie discovers anonymous Christmas ornament gifts left at her door--and gets delightedly flustered at... Read More

With her literary skills on full display in this absorbing memoir, a senior editor for a media company combines an elegy for two departed friends with absorbing philosophical perspectives on how language is formed and passed on to others. She narrates her lyrical writing in hushed tones, sounding as though she's sharing intimate feelings and creating an atmosphere that is... Read More

Peter Hessler arrived at Sichuan University in 2019 to teach nonfiction writing just in time for the first wave of Covid in nearby Wuhan. Hessler's performance is a pleasure to listen to--authentic, engrossing, and often wry. He speaks Mandarin, so the multiple Chinese words, names, and phrases are naturally interspersed. Hessler's experience teaching in China more than 20... Read More

In practically his first audiobook credit, British actor Prasanna Puwanarajah delivers a masterful performance as David Win, the British Burmese protagonist in this latest by one of Britain's most esteemed novelists. Like earlier Hollinghurst protagonists, David is a prism: a gay outsider who is given entry into a world of wealth and privilege. The action is subdued, episodic,... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini's spellbinding performance of this intergenerational tale of love and survival lingers in the mind long after one is done listening. Based on memories of the author's Dutch grandmother, the novel incorporates two stories--the child Mieke, who is trying to survive Holland's "Hunger Winter" of 1944, and Mieke's adult grandson, Will, who visits his now elderly... Read More

Narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson creates a determined voice for seventh-grader Melody, who has cerebral palsy and uses a device to communicate with others. When her neighbor, Miss Gertie, has a fall, Melody jumps in to save the day by calling 9-1-1 on her device. Following the incident, Melody is invited to speak at a symposium in England and travels there with her newfound friend,... Read More

Popular author Brigid Schulte delves into the complicated problem of a struggling and exhausted American workforce with thorough investigative reporting, bold arguments, and comprehensive recommendations on how to fix it. Rachel Perry approaches her narration with the same intensity that the author has as she explains crucial research, channels personal stories of burnout, and... Read More