The sure touch of Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan transforms Kristen Hannah’s absorbing novel about Vietnam War combat nurses into an addictive listen. An intimate portrait and a sprawling account of a searing time, the story focuses on 20-year-old Frances McGrath, who, in 1965, impetuously chooses the Army Nurse Corps over cotillions and marriage. Whelan’s intensity and warmth help listeners empathize with the personal and understand the big picture.  

AudioFile Earphones Award

Narrators Karen Chilton and Caroline Hewitt combine their considerable vocal talent to portray two legendary entertainers in this audiobook set primarily in the 1950s. Chilton mesmerizes listeners as she imbues Fitzgerald with subtle emotion, poise, and practicality. Hewitt is no less dazzling as screen icon Marilyn Monroe. The spirit of the times surrounds their friendship as each navigates family, romance, and career.

AudioFile Earphones Award

Kate Bowler's narration of her own title is a soothing balm for anyone who is struggling with the daily work of living in the midst of feeling broken. The poignancy of her audiobook comes from both her written words and from their brevity. For listeners in the midst of a terrible day of grief, frustration, or fear, Bowler's calming voice and relaxed volume are sure to provide helpful clarity. Through her performance, listeners may come to recognize beauty in even the most terrible day. 

It’s no exaggeration to call narrator Dorothy Dillingham Blue’s performance of this audiobook a Southern charmer. Putting her Vanderbilt PhD on hold, PJ Spoon becomes a chef at the Chickie Shack in Pennywhistle, Tennessee. She competes with her co-workers in a no-holds-barred chicken pageant. Blue’s voice weaves and dips through the constant hilarity of Tennessee-culture-based humor and PJ’s experiences with same-sex dating in a small Southern town. The mix of soul-searching and snort-inducing is worth the listen.