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Children
BARRIO RISING The Protest That Built Chicano Park
Maria Dolores Aguila, Read by Victoria Villarreal • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Listening Library • Trade Ed.
Victoria Villarreal brings this story of community activism to life with her stirring narration. Smoothly shifting between English and Spanish, Villarreal tells the story of a girl joining her community to demand a park in their neighborhood. The community of Barrio Logan, San Diego’s oldest Chicano neighborhood, has wanted a park for years, but they’ve been ignored. After discovering that a police station is under construction, the people protest with a 12-day occupation of the construction site. An author's note with historical context concludes. Villarreal uses various voices and tones to portray multiple characters throughout the production. Music, present throughout the story, adds ambiance. Sound effects, such as city noises, voices using a bullhorn, and sounds from a construction site, complete the immersive listening experience. A.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
** THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
Yamile Saied Méndez, Read by Maria Liatis • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
Maria Liatis delivers a heartwarming performance as a 13-year-old with a passion for fútbol and her family. Valeria is a star player on the boys’ football team, coached by her gruff abuelo. Through spirited yet subtle energy, Liatis adds credibility to Valeria’s perseverance through trying times, including her mortification at getting her first period and losing her standing on the boys’ team, then having to transition to the girls’ team. Liatis also captures the closeness of the nontraditional family amid their grief following the death of Valeria’s aunt. Liatis’s sensitive, understated narration showcases the book’s rich themes of family, resilience, and perseverance and makes this an especially accessible listening experience for young teens who are trying to find their place in the world. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
BLACK STAR Door of No Return, Book 2
Kwame Alexander, Read by Angel Pean, Nile Bullock, Karen Chilton, Aaron Goodson, Dominic Hoffman • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
A full cast performs this heartfelt audio set in Jim Crow Virginia. Charley Cuffey loves two things best of all: playing baseball and her Nana Kofi’s stories of Africa. When Charley and her friends move a meaningful game to the whites-only field across town, the resulting backlash brings the widespread impacts of racism and violence to her door. All the narrators’ voices mix prose, free verse, and rhyming poetry. Angel Pean, as Charley, provides the anchor for the story as her cheerful optimism and self-confidence are challenged by the prejudice her family faces daily. Dominic Hoffman’s lovingly gruff tones as Charley’s grandfather, Nana Kofi, provide balance and a connection between the younger and older generations. N.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE
Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin, Read by Louis Hill, Georgina Jane, Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Listening Library • Trade Ed.
Listening Library • Library Ed.
Louis Hill and Georgina Jane narrate chapters featuring two British siblings who are doing unique sleuthing during WWII. Hill portrays serious 19-year-old Jakob, who is consumed with finding solutions to Germany’s Enigma codes at Bletchley Park. While Hill portrays Jakob’s straightforward focus, he hints at how his work distracts him from his grief over the loss of his mother, whom he believes to be dead. Georgina Jane narrates the chapters focused on spunky, adventurous 14-year-old Lizzie, who refuses to accept this reality and is determined to learn her mother’s whereabouts. Jane depicts Lizzie’s excitement at turning up clues, while Hill shows Jakob’s continual doubts. Finally, they learn how their skills complement each other. At the story’s end, the authors energetically deliver historical background and acknowledgements. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
** EVERGREEN
Matthew Cordell, Read by Helen Day • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Dreamscape Media • Trade Ed.
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 Evergreen’s, an aural cue that transmits her state of mind as she sets off on her journey. Day excels in conveying Evergreen’s growth on her journey as she overcomes dangers and obstacles, whether dealing with scary noises or creatures who try to steal Granny Oak’s soup, and even begins to have some fun. E.J.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
GRACIE UNDER THE WAVES
Linda Sue Park, Read by Joy Osmanski • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harper Audio • Trade Ed.
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. Osmanski’s gentle, optimistic tone models the family’s dynamics, especially their patience with Ben, Grace’s impulsive younger brother. Vivid descriptions of marine life and Grace’s dedication to the reef and to ocean conservation activities in general make for an uplifting listening experience for aspiring ichthyologists, budding marine biologists, and young environmentalists. M.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
MONSTER MOVIE!
Chuck Wendig, Read by Dan Bittner • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
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. Bittner’s bright narration shifts between a good-hearted jokey tone and a bombastic cadence perfectly suited to young listeners. The performance balances kid-friendly horror and a spooky story with surprising heart. Bittner’s narration makes this story all the more accessible. J.M.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
NARWHAL Unicorn of the Arctic
Candace Fleming, Read by Fred Berman • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Listening Library • Trade Ed.
Listening Library • Library Ed.
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 descriptions slowly, allowing time to imagine the narwhal’s life during different seasons and situations. He quickens his narration at points of tension as whales threaten the narwhal or a blizzard traps it. His pacing turns nonfiction into an involving story. Berman’s narration is more straightforward in the afterword, which offers more factual information on various concerns and current research relating to narwhals. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
NO MORE SENORA MIMI
Meg Medina, Read by Dominique Franceschi • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Dreamscape • Trade Ed.
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 her, Ana soon frets, realizing she won’t spend time with La Señora Mimi and her baby anymore. La Señora Mimi gently and lovingly reassures Ana that they will still see each other since they’re neighbors. Franceschi shifts smoothly between Ana's sweet little voice and La Señora Mimi's smooth adult voice. A delightful story for children experiencing change. A.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
PIZZA FACE Four Eyes, Book 2
Rex Ogle, Read by Brandon McInnis, Salli Saffioti, Kendell Byrd and a Full Cast • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Scholastic Audiobooks • Trade Ed.
Scholastic Audiobooks • Library Ed.
With his voice occasionally cracking and squeaking, narrator Brandon McInnis leads a full cast as author Rex Ogle’s protagonist, also named Rex, navigates seventh grade in this sequel to FOUR EYES. At school, Rex struggles with changing friendships, lagging physical development, and, as the title indicates, zits. At home he and his mother frequently clash. Fortunately, Rex has the steadying support of his abuela, voiced with pure Spanish-accented love by Eileen Galindo. The actors’ talents and a graceful adaptation ensure a good listening experience, but kids who enjoy the audiobook together with the graphic novel in print will especially enjoy the robust diversity of artist Dave Valeza’s and colorist Ash Szymanik’s panels. Young listeners who are grappling with early adolescence will find much that resonates. V.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Classics
THE MAN WHO DISAPPEARED (AMERICA) Amerika; The Missing Person; Lost in America
Franz Kafka, Ritchie Robertson [Trans.], Read by Leighton Pugh • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Naxos AudioBooks • Trade Ed.
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, places, and peoples that Karl endures. Pugh has a versatile voice, and he is able to affect a wide range of distinct and credible voices for individuals, male and female, who are from different regions and countries. M.T.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Contemporary Culture
THE ATOMIC HUMAN What Makes Us Unique in the Age of AI
Neil D. Lawrence, Read by Neil D. Lawrence • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
Neil Lawrence narrates his audiobook on why in this world of exponential digitization humanity is more significant than ever. If large language models are able to predict the next word of text, recognize and create images, and essentially replicate the essence of being human, could it be that there’s no point to being human? Lawrence provides a thorough rebuke of this fallacy. Lawrence sidesteps the typical issues academic authors often struggle with when narrating their own work. He's engaging, if imperfect—which is entirely fitting for this fascinating audiobook about the importance of human intellect and creativity. Lawrence provides a dynamic history of how humans have engaged with technology with examples of how the best designs enhance the human experience rather than replacing them. S.P.C. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
GRAY MATTERS A Biography of Brain Surgery
Theodore H. Schwartz, Read by Sean Pratt • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Penguin Audio • Trade Ed.
Books on Tape • Library Ed.
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 brain during surgery and becomes soft as Schwartz recalls a mistake—and his work to make it right. Schwartz considers all angles, even reminding listeners that the fictional Buckaroo Banzai was a brain surgeon. Pratt narrates peeks at the future, at brain implants and other new developments, with fascination—even though the thought of a brain chip may make some listeners uncomfortable. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
LAND RICH, CASH POOR My Family's Hope and the Untold History of the Disappearing American Farmer
Brian Reisinger, Read by Brian Reisinger • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Oasis Audio • Trade Ed.
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 mechanical. But in the most deeply personal passages, there is rawness and vulnerability, such as when he describes watching his father weeping after being forced to sell the family’s dairy cows and when reflecting on the birth of his own daughter. This is a thoughtful and important work about a disappearing way of life. D.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
NIGHT MAGIC Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark
Leigh Ann Henion, Read by Leigh Ann Henion • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Algonquin Books • Trade Ed.
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 her own backyard and travels the Appalachian region to attend festivals like Mothapalooza alongside experts and enthusiasts. Henion’s vivid descriptions will convince listeners that the wonders she encounters are special and worth venturing into the unknown to experience. And she’ll have listeners reconsidering the ways we light our world after dark, and what creatures we may be harming in the process. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE UNIVERSE IN VERSE 15 Portals to Wonder Through Science & Poetry
Maria Popova, Read by Maria Popova, Lili Taylor • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
Maria Popova, creator of THE MARGINALIAN, has compiled a series of essays by an assortment of renowned writers. All share the theme of the mysteries of the universe and existence itself, along with a dash of poetry. Popova and Lili Taylor alternate the narration of these selections; both employ a measured pace, poetic tone, and pleasantly meandering pace as listeners ponder the space-time continuum. Topics include women in science, the Hubble telescope, dark matter, the cosmos, planets, physics, and singularity. Both Popova and Taylor depict the art of the universe and the art of words as they demonstrate the art of narrative performance. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Fantasy
THE CRIMSON CROWN The Crimson Crown Duology, Book 1
Heather Walter, Read by Emily Woo Zeller • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Random House Audio • Trade Ed.
Books on Tape • Library Ed.
Emily Woo Zeller narrates this audiobook, which imagines the life of the Evil Queen before Snow White’s story begins. After her sister’s death, Ayleth becomes heir to one of the powerful witches known as the Five Ancients. And even though she has no power of her own, she disguises herself and infiltrates the White City to bring her dead sister back. As Ayleth moves through desperation, shame, and feelings of malevolence, Zeller captures them all perfectly. And as Ayleth’s feelings for her ex-best friend and crush, Jacquetta, grow, Zeller’s emotional connection tugs at listeners’ hearts. Her careful pacing suits this slow-burn romance, and her wide range of voices easily differentiates the large cast of characters. A.K.R. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
** THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS
Melissa Caruso, Read by Moira Quirk • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
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 magically restart time, thrusting everyone into subsequent layers of reality, each more violent and bizarre than the last. Kembral and her nemesis, Rika Nonesuch, must determine what’s restarting the party again and again before the deaths become permanent. Because of Quirk’s vocal expertise, each partygoer is deftly crafted into a unique and richly realized player in the night’s mystery. It’s a true master class in narration. A.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Fiction
** BLACK BUTTERFLIES
Priscilla Morris, Read by Rachel Atkins, Priscilla Morris • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Random House Audio • Trade Ed.
Books on Tape • Library Ed.
Narrator Rachel Atkins conveys the heartbreak, pain, and confusion experienced by Sarajevans under siege during the first year of the Bosnian War in 1992. Artist Zora Koovi chooses to stay in Sarajevo even as family members flee, bombs begin to fall, and snipers wreak havoc from nearby rooftops and hills. Atkins provides a pitch-perfect performance, capturing Zora’s love for her complex, cultured city and her growing despair at the brutal conditions she and other Bosnians endure—starvation, bitter cold, lack of electricity and running water, and never-ending raids. The world watches but does little to help, but even then, beauty, love, and connection provide sustenance. Author Morris delivers her author’s note with dignity and gravitas, supplying additional insight into this impactful portrait of survival, ingenuity, and hope. S.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER
Kerryn Mayne, Read by Annie Maynard • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Macmillan Audio • Trade Ed.
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 quirky, troubled character to life. She takes listeners back to 11-year-old Helena’s life, when her mother and stepfather disappeared, upending all she’d known before. As Maynard gradually reveals how Helena became Lenny, she injects personality into the surprising cast of supporting characters. Maynard smoothly moves between Lenny’s life today and her heartbreaking past. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE MIGHTY RED
Louise Erdrich, Read by Marin Ireland • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harper Audio • Trade Ed.
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 is speaking, and conveys emotional contexts and basic characteristics like speaking quickly or gravely or unseriously. The audiobook is divided into many short chapters with many viewpoint characters, covering a period from 2007 to the near future in Tabor, North Dakota. Love, change, and what we expect from one another all work on a group of memorable characters. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
** WELCOME TO GLORIOUS TUGA
Francesca Segal, Read by Kristin Atherton • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harper Audio • Trade Ed.
Narrator Kristin Atherton brings us to the tiny South Atlantic island of Tuga de Oro, known for being the most remote British colony in the world. London vet Charlotte Walker accepts a fellowship to study the endangered gold coin tortoises there, and perhaps find out more about herself. The caliber of acting Atherton displays is truly laudable. She goes beyond assigning memorable voices to characters by growling grumpy Pastor Garrick’s greeting, filling Levi’s voice with raw longing as Charlotte avoids kissing him, sounding breathy and tired as Joan’s health deteriorates, and adding sobbed pauses as Charlotte spills her heart. These hundreds of little choices show mastery of craft and thoughtful understanding of each individual character, making listeners care deeply for all of them. S.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
WHERE THEY LAST SAW HER
Marcie R. Rendon, Read by Erin Tripp, Marcie R. Rendon • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Random House Audio • Trade Ed.
Books on Tape • Library Ed.
Tlingit narrator Erin Tripp brings sorrowful resonance to this novel by Marcie R. Rendon, a member of White Earth Nation of Minnesota. The novel explores the individual tragedies that have given rise to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. Quill, a long-distance runner, lives on a fictional Ojibwe reservation in northern Minnesota called Red Pine. She’s training for the Boston Marathon when she hears a woman scream. This is just the first disappearance in this chilling novel. Tripp’s voice is gentle. Another narrator might have leaned into Quill’s anger, but Tripp evokes the fear and grief felt by Quill and the whole community. From there, she finds Quill’s resolve and resilience. Rendon’s understated yet passionate performance will linger in listeners’ ears. V.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Historical Fiction
THE BOOKLOVER'S LIBRARY
Madeline Martin, Read by Saskia Maarleveld • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harlequin Audio • Trade Ed.
A young mother and daughter who are struggling to survive the horrors of WWII London find solace in books in this novel, smoothly narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. With a pleasing accent and a mostly straightforward delivery, Maarleveld describes the community of a subscription library. Called booklovers’ libraries, these staples of early-twentieth-century England provided curated lending recommendations for patrons and were typically connected with Boots pharmacies. Maarleveld depicts the angst suffered by young widow Emma when she decides to send her daughter to the countryside to avoid London’s bombing raids. As Emma leans more heavily on the support of her neighbors and community, she also opens her heart to a handsome library client with a shared love of literature. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
** THE ROSE ARBOR
Rhys Bowen, Read by Nicola Barber • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Audible, Inc. • Digital Download
Nicola Barber masterfully portrays Liz Houghton, a determined journalist who is stuck in the Obituary Department of a national British newspaper. Liz is on a mission to launch her career by uncovering the link between the mysterious disappearances of three girls during WWII and a present-day case in 1968. Barber’s voice work shines as she differentiates Liz's posh British accent from her flatmate's Cockney one while also skillfully portraying the male characters. The story features a ghostly coastal village that was evacuated for use as a training ground during the war. Bowen’s writing paired with Barber's exceptional narration brings to life a gripping mystery and the haunting legacies of war. Barber’s ability to convey emotion and tension makes this audiobook a memorable experience. E.Q. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
** THE THIRTEENTH HUSBAND
Greer Macallister, Read by Suzanne Toren • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Recorded Books • Library Ed.
Aimee Crocker was a real person, born into a wealthy, conventional family in 1864. Narrator Suzanne Toren’s interpretation of Aimee’s development from naïve teenager to a beautiful intellectual and sexual gourmand well into her 50s is phenomenal. Toren’s fine performance will give listeners an understanding of this mysterious woman whom no one understood in her time. Women didn’t travel alone; Aimee did. Women weren’t expected to enjoy sex; Aimee did. Women didn’t get divorces; Aimee did—five of them. She was called a bohemian, a mystic, and lots of other things, but she remained an enigma. Toren’s intuitive presentation shows Aimee’s fragility and steel. She was afraid of her bad dreams, but she never stopped planning her adventures, which always made her feel alive. E.E.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
History
PARIS IN RUINS Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism
Sebastian Smee, Read by Julian Elfer • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Tantor Media • Trade Ed.
Tantor Media • Library Ed.
Julian Elfer narrates this in-depth exploration of life in Paris from the summer of 1870 to the spring of 1871. As Napoleon’s monarchy fell, Parisians starved and struggled to survive the bloody street battles of the Paris Commune. Elfer is riveting as he delivers art critic Smee’s well-researched account of this chaotic period. Artists Manet, Morisot, and Degas remained in Paris, experiencing the worst of the turmoil, while Renoir, Monet, and Pissarro left France for safety. Smee suggests that the artists’ awareness of life’s tenuousness caused their paintings to take on a new, idealized style. While the audiobook focuses more on war’s devastation than on its impact on the Impressionists, Elfer’s intelligent narration makes it must-listening for historians and art lovers alike. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Mystery & Suspense
** AFTER OZ
Gordon McAlpine, Read by Maria Ru-Djen • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Dreamscape • Trade Ed.
Maria Ru-Djen narrates this thought-provoking story about what happens to Dorothy after she returns from Oz. In Sunbonnet, Kansas, everything is black and white. Dorothy’s story describing where she’s been—Oz’s vivid colors, talking creatures, and good and bad witches—along with her remorse over melting a witch, convince the townspeople that she’s possessed by Satan. When the town’s most hated woman, an old witch, is murdered, Dorothy is sent to the Topeka Insane Asylum. Ru-Djen’s performance introduces two distinctive voices and perspectives. She heightens the town’s sanctimonious, religious hysteria while staying cool and logical as scientist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford begins a murder investigation. Ru-Djen’s tone of urgency keeps this cleverly imagined story vibrant. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE ASTROLOGY HOUSE
Carinn Jade, Read by Amanda Dolan, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Gilli Messer, Soneela Nankani, Allyson Ryan, Sura Siu, Carinn Jade • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Simon & Schuster Audio • Trade Ed.
A couples group arrives for a weekend getaway at an astrologically themed coastal inn in this full-cast production involving unresolved issues and closely held secrets. As the story is told primarily through the first-person perspectives of Margot (Soneela Nankani), Aimee (Allyson Ryan), Farah (Gilli Messer), Rini (Sura Siu), and Adam (Sean Patrick Hopkins), listeners are pulled in by its emotional depth and strong characterizations. Seemingly unflappable host Rini, embodied by Siu, engages with skeptical and receptive participants as the retreat blurs business and personal agendas. Astrological Cheat Sheets, delivered by narrator Amanda Dolan, give further insights into Margot’s fertility struggles, Aimee’s and Adam’s intimacy disconnect, and Farah’s newfound desires. Well-paced climactic scenes will surprise listeners. Carinn Jade delivers her acknowledgements. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE EXAMINER
Janice Hallett, Read by Anushka Chakravarti, Brendan Dempsey, Jonathan Andrew Hume, Rachel Handshaw, Sarah Durham, Dawn Murphy • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Simon & Schuster Audio • Trade Ed.
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 together under tense circumstances. As the story unfolds through emails, texts, reports, and messages from the course examiner, the narrators capture each character’s distinct personality, which makes the format easier to follow. Anushka Chakravarti and Brendan Dempsey are particularly great as Jem and Patrick, respectively, who form a tenuous friendship. The disastrous end-of-year gala keeps listeners engaged to the very end. C.A.P. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Emma Bamford, Read by Jane Collingwood • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Simon & Schuster Audio • Trade Ed.
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, Maddy finds herself falling in love with Reynolds’s seemingly emotionally unstable business partner, Scott. Maddy is crushed when she hears of Scott’s death—until she sees him exiting a Tube station in London. Jane Collingwood deftly moves between English, Scottish, and American accents, creating believable characters. Collingwood’s performance captures the confusion and frustration of Maddy’s quest for the truth. V.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
ON THE HUNT Kira Drake, Book 1
Iris Johansen, Read by Elisabeth Rodgers • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
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 strong-willed yet vulnerable Kira and emphasizing Taylor's truly evil nature. She also breathes life into Jack's feisty teenage niece, making her a believable and likable character. Rodgers's impeccable timing keeps the plot moving, taking listeners to Paris, Colorado, and Egypt, and builds suspense as events unfold. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
** THE SEQUEL The Book Series, Volume 2
Jean Hanff Korelitz, Read by Julia Whelan • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Macmillan Audio • Trade Ed.
Macmillan Audio • Library Ed.
Fans of THE PLOT, and they were legion, will rejoice at this sequel, performed with mesmerizing skill by the wonderful Julia Whelan. It’s no small feat to make a lethally dislikable character irresistible on the page, let alone in the ear, but Korelitz and Whelan have done it. Anna is a monster of ego, incapable of sympathy for anyone but herself. She is also brilliant, fearless, and like most psychopaths, contemptuous of others. This causes her to underestimate them, which leads to potentially fatal mistakes. Amazingly, you find yourself rooting for Anna to extricate herself, not because she isn’t horrifying, but for the thrill of seeing how she does it. Whelan’s achievement here seems like a little miracle, relentlessly compelling and wonderfully satisfying. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE WAYSIDE
Caroline Wolff, Read by Lauren Fortgang • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Blackstone Audio • Trade Ed.
Blackstone Audio • Library Ed.
Narrator Lauren Fortgang performs this emotional thriller about a death at an elite liberal arts college and the mother who is determined to discover what happened. Kate Cleary simply intends to prove to herself that her son did not commit suicide. But when a student who was close to her son is found crumpled at the bottom of a staircase, it’s clear something sinister is going on. Fortgang’s empathetic performance captures the roller-coaster emotions of a mother who is in the depths of grief. Fortgang’s pacing and distinct characters give listeners the eerie feeling that they, and Kate, are just once clue away from getting to the bottom of the two deaths. V.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
WHAT WE'LL BURN LAST
Heather Chavez, Read by Megan Tusing • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
When Leyna spots someone who looks like her missing sister, Grace, years after she disappeared, the past comes to light—and so do brutal secrets. Megan Tusing narrates with emotion throughout this story, which weaves the backstories of two families who are intertwined by the disappearances of Grace and her boyfriend, Adam. Tusing portrays more than basic personality traits. She brings out deep-seated anger, resentment, and a conniving undertone as mothers battle each other and families deal with what they think happened to their loved ones. As a wildfire rages, Tusing stays emotionally invested every step of the way until the story’s mystery is resolved. M.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
WORST CASE SCENARIO
T.J. Newman, Read by Joe Morton • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Hachette Audio • Trade Ed.
Joe Morton delivers a masterful performance in this gripping thriller set in the immediate aftermath of a commercial plane crash into a nuclear power plant outside a small town in Minnesota. Morton’s impeccable timing and nuanced delivery capture the escalating tension as the characters race to prevent a disaster with far-reaching catastrophic results. The story, with its many interwoven threads, shifts perspectives among key characters, including rescue workers having to make impossible decisions and townsfolk facing a situation they had once believed impossible. Morton brings each character to life with warmth and authenticity. Special audio effects add depth and help build the atmosphere, resulting in a thrilling listen. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Personal Growth
STOP PEOPLE PLEASING And Find Your Power
Hailey Magee, Read by Hailey Magee • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Simon & Schuster Audio • Trade Ed.
Life coach Hailey Magee’s youthful tone and audible desire to be helpful make it easy for listeners to absorb the guidance offered in this exceptional audiobook. Her appealing confidence invites us to become more curious about ourselves, more open to change. After the likable author opens with her accessible thinking about how people pleasing impacts us, she offers an excellent overview of the principles and skills she aims to teach. She explains the importance of self-respect and blends this foundational principle with an array of interpersonal skills we can use to support ourselves and avoid habitual compliance with others. Sounding empathetic and astute, she shows us how to be clear about what we want and what we don’t want—and how to handle the feelings generated when we begin respecting ourselves. T.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Romantic Fiction
** THE BREAK-UP PACT
Emma Lord, Read by Natalie Naudus • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Macmillan Audio • Trade Ed.
Natalie Naudus narrates this delightful romantic comedy with confidence. After adventurous escapades June comes back to her beachside hometown to manage her late sister's struggling tea shop. At the same time, Levi, recently thrust into the spotlight due to a public breakup, returns to assist Dylan, June's younger brother, with his upcoming wedding. When a chance photo of June and Levi goes viral, they seize the opportunity and concoct a plan to pretend to be in a relationship to benefit their respective situations. Naudus navigates the emotional and comedic narrative with impeccable timing, skillfully capturing the essence of each character without disrupting the seamless pacing. Her ability to convey the perfect tones through her intonation enhances the charm of the story. S.K.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
KNOW YOUR NEWLYWED
Heather Taylor, Hillary Nussbaum, Elena Armas, Read by Mary Mouser, Tyler Posey and a Full Cast • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Simon & Schuster Audio • Trade Ed.
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,” too. When a reboot of the show occurs, the two pretend to be married to compete. Mouser’s upbeat, vibrant tone showcases Cleo’s passion for the game while Posey’s warm timbre adds a touch of vulnerability and humility to Javi’s demeanor. A full ensemble along with several audio enhancements will make the listeners feel a part of Cleo and Javi’s reality-TV romance. J.J.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE MEMO
Rachel Dodes, Lauren Mechling, Read by Anna Caputo • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harper Audio • Trade Ed.
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 this time. Caputo wrings the right amount of empathy out of this story; she is the voice of every woman who has longed for a second chance. Never whining but ever hopeful, Caputo is captivating. As she brings forth Jenny’s self-actualization, listeners will question the definition of success and the repercussions of choices. L.M.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
NEVER DATE A ROOMMATE
Paula Ottoni, Read by Gabriela Tola • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harlequin Audio • Trade Ed.
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 with subtle British inflections that contrast with Sol’s stronger Portuguese pronunciation. Tola shifts fluidly from English to rapid-fire Portuguese when Sol speaks or texts with her family back home. As Sol and Erik’s relationship shifts from friends to more, they explore Copenhagen, engage in the team exercises, and, yes, fall in love. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
THE THIRD WIFE OF FARADAY HOUSE
B.R. Myers, Read by Imogen Church • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harper Audio • Trade Ed.
B.R. Myers’s story, set in 1816 in Halifax and on an isolated island off its coast, is brought to life by Imogen Church. She has a unique ability to inject accents and personality into the diverse characters. The heroine, Emeline, narrates her own story. Her guardian, the imperious Mrs. Stackhouse, arranges Emeline’s future with Captain Graves, whose first two wives died in childbirth—at least, that’s what everyone believes. Then it turns out that the second wife isn’t dead at all. Emeline is determined to solve the mystery of Faraday House, save the lady of the house, and go on to live the life she chooses. From Captain Graves’s harsh, judgmental voice to Reverend Pellerine’s French accent and Hettie’s cocksure tone—Church delivers. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
UNDENIABLE LOVE Wylder Love, Book 3
Samantha Chase, Read by Amy McFadden • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Dreamscape • Trade Ed.
Narrator Amy McFadden draws the listener into the romance between physical therapist Lucy Dawson and quarterback Jax Wylder. Lucy blames Jax for the accident that ruined her brother’s dream of playing professional football, and McFadden adds a touch of hostility to her performance. The pair are thrust together when Jax plans to open a camp for kids with disabilities. McFadden successfully transitions her narration from hate to love as Lucy learns the truth about the accident, adding warmth to her voice. McFadden brings a masculine feel to her portrayal of Jax, deepening it as he grows closer to Lucy. Listeners will appreciate McFadden’s performance as Lucy and Jax overcome the obstacles that have prevented them from finding their happily-ever-after. S.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Young Adult
FLYBOY
Kasey LeBlanc, Read by Avi Roque • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harper Audio • Trade Ed.
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 his classroom. Avi Roque confidently differentiates Asher from his friends with lilting, lighter tones for the younger characters and Asher’s mother. Roque also adds a wide variety of emotions as Asher learns that the existence of the circus is limited and, in so doing, finds a place in the real world. E.J.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
NEVER TRUST A DEMON
Bruce Coville, Read by Michael Larkin • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Full Cast Audio • Digital Download
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 range of exaggerated tones to emphasize the larger-than-life quality of this pulpy production, especially once the gravelly demon Guptas joins the action. Larkin’s voice is multiplied and echoed when the story calls for it, and musical cues are interspersed throughout. The result is an immersive soundscape that could have been silly but instead will have listeners on the edges of their seats. N.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
ONE KILLER PROBLEM
Justine Pucella Winans, Read by Katherine Littrell • Unabridged • OCTOBER 2024
Harper Audio • Trade Ed.
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 she has pined for becomes a reality. Littrell offers a dynamic narration of an equally dynamic story. The shocking reveals surrounding the mystery are delivered with the right amount of tension and intrigue. Gigi is presented as a personable protagonist, and Littrell’s performance of her romance is sweet and appealing. G.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
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