Category: Audiobooks

When I read Peng Shepherd’s first novel, The Book of M, I found myself swept into a world where people’s shadows disappear and then they lose their memories. The novel felt gloriously messy and all engrossing. So when I heard Shepherd’s second book was coming out in 2022, I immediately marked it as one of my most anticipated novels of the year.

The Cartographers begins when Nell’s father, a prestigious cartographer at the New York Public Library, dies, leaving behind a disheveled office, which makes Nell believe there was foul play. As she looks around at his papers, she finds a secret compartment in his desk holding what seems to be a worthless map with a mysterious symbol on it. From there, Nell is thrown into a part of her father’s life that she never knew existed. There are secret societies, missing towns, and a mysterious figure haunting Nell’s every step.

All-star narrator Emily Woo Zeller performs the audiobook when we’re in Nell’s perspective. She captures the emotions of the protagonist with precision. Whenever we enter the perspective of a new character, a different narrator performs that chapter, giving each perspective a unique feel. Each narrator fits their character perfectly.

As I listened to this adventure story, I loved following clues to discover the truth that’s always lingering at the edges of Nell’s life. While the book’s vibe is incredibly different from The Book of M, The Cartographers reminds me of a story that’s made for television, fast paced and intriguing with all of its twists and turns.

Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, Nancy Wu, Karen Chilton, Ron Butler, Neil Hellegers, Jason Culp, and Brittany Pressley

In a town with few trans people, Aaron and Oliver, two young trans men, have always had each other. But when Aaron moves away, they both feel so much more alone. They find solace in looking into American history, trying to find more people like them in America’s past.

Ingrid Yang is an exhausted PhD student trying to finish her dissertation on poet Xiao-Wen. And after it’s done, she never wants to think about Xiao-Wen again. But as her time as a grad student comes to an end, Ingrid begins to wonder if it’s been worth it.

With library budgets shrinking, libraries are in danger of becoming an endangered institution. Amanda Oliver discusses the history of libraries in America, and the many services they provide. Using her own experience as a librarian, Oliver gives listeners an incredible portrait of one of America’s most beloved institutions.

A master forger, said to be a woman, becomes notorious in Buenos Aires for her forgeries of the work by painter Mariette Lydis. Lydis is known for her portraits  of well to do Argentinians. When an art critic becomes determined to find the forger and to learn more about what drives her to imitate the art of others, the chase is on.

Savvy Sheldon is obsessed with house renovation shows, so when she finally realizes that her life is a hot mess, she decides to renovate her life. Savvy starts by renovating her kitchen and her body, determined to become a healthier version of herself. But then she keeps running into a handsome stranger. Will he fit into her new plans for her life?

As someone with a disabling chronic illness, I spend my days managing my health. So I wasn’t sure I wanted to listen to a book about it. But while books about chronic illness can bring back some of my least favorite memories, I still desperately want to feel that I’m not alone. And Meghan O’Rourke books feel like she’s taking my hand and saying, “I see you.”

Meghan O’Rourke begins her book with her story of living with chronic illness, describing her deterioration over the years. From there, she shares her experience visiting different doctors searching for a diagnosis. Interspersed with the memoir portions of the book, O’Rourke includes research on different aspects of chronic illness. She weaves these two parts together, showing both the medical and the personal parts of living with a chronic illness.

As we share similar stories, I expected to be overwhelmed by The Invisible Kingdom. But while I could deeply relate to her story, I felt encouraged. I wasn’t the only person experiencing the never-ending parade before doctors, hoping that this will finally be THE ONE who will be able to help. Millions of people are going through this just like me.

That’s why books like this are incredibly important. They don’t just educate people about the lives of the chronically ill. They also help sick people, like me, to be seen.

Narrated by the author

Amani, a divorced poet, is looking forward to returning to Jordan with her father for the King’s birthday. To celebrate his special day, the king has ordered a fencing tournament and wants Amani’s father to participate. Amani begins to learn more about her father’s mysterious past as new secrets come to light.

Narrated by Rasha Zamamiri

With this poetry collection, Harold Green III celebrates Black women, highlighting the creators and innovators of our time. Green reflects on Black women’s achievements and how they’ve influenced contemporary society. He also reads the collection, and there’s nothing like a poet reading his own collection.

Narrated by the author

Naomi is struggling to write her novel. In the meantime, she works as a bookseller to pay the bills. But when her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters her life, she wonders what they might have in common. What begins as some casual stalking on social media quickly turns into something more nefarious as Naomi begins a friendship with Rosemary based on false pretenses.

Narrated by Kristen Sieh

In this multigenerational family saga, we follow a family across the decades. Beginning in 1938, Meilein flees across China with her son to escape the Japanese invasion. Her son, Henry, settles in America and avoids talking about his past with his family. But his daughter, Lily, is desperate to learn about her family’s past.

Narrated by Eugenia Low

Peng Shepherd, the author of the much-beloved The Book of M is back with her second novel, The Cartographers. Nell Young inherited her love of maps from her father. When he’s found dead in his office, she finds an old map in his desk that at first she thinks is worthless–just another one of her dad’s papers. But with a little digging, she discovers that it’s actually a very rare map. In fact, it’s so rare, people would kill to have it.

Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, Nancy Wu, Karen Chilton, Ron Butler, Neil Hellegers, Jason Culp, Brittany Pressley

With its unique blend of fantasy and myth, Vagabonds! follow characters living at the edges of Nigerian society. Their lives intersect and intertwine, weaving together a complex story until their fates all converge into a single event that changes them all forever.

Narrated by Arit Okpo, Atta Otigba, Eloghosa Osunde, Ifeyinwa Unachukwu, Obongjayar, Sheila Chukwulozie

From the first hour of the audiobook, I knew I was listening to a new favorite book. The Sentence begins when Tookie is sent to prison. When she gets out, she marries the love of her life and starts working at a bookstore in the twin cities. One of Tookie’s most annoying customers has to be Flora, a white woman who claims Indigenous ancestry. In her role as a Native American wannabe, Flora constantly inserts herself into the lives of the Native folks around her. So when Flora dies, Tookie isn’t surprised that Flora’s spirit refuses to leave the bookstore.

The majority of The Sentence covers an entire year of Tookie’s life. From late 2019 to late 2020, Tookie and her friends at the bookstore come face to face with the challenges of the pandemic as Flora’s ghost continues to cause havoc in the store.

Louise Erdrich creates an intimate setting that draws you into her story from the first few pages. As a book lover, I’m a sucker for any novel set in a bookstore or library. Add in a sinister spirit looming in the background and you have an excellent atmosphere for Erdrich’s story.

But Erdrich doesn’t stop at a simple ghost story. She examines what it was like for an Indigenous-owned business to survive the pandemic, discusses contemporary issues around colonialism, and examines who gets to tell their own stories.

I adored this novel so much—I finished the entire audiobook in one day! Erdrich performs the audiobook, voicing her characters as she heard them in her head. Erdrich is an incredible narrator, and I love that she reads most of her audiobooks.

The author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, the Man Booker Finalist, is back with her latest novel, Booth, which follows the life of John Wilkes Booth. From his parent’s early days living outside of Baltimore to that fateful night at the theater, listeners follow the life of the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.

Narrated by January LaVoy

Bestselling fiction author Amy Bloom has a different story to tell this time: her own. When her husband is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Bloom’s world is upside down. Examining her experience as a caregiver, Bloom asks difficult questions about caring for a disabled spouse. As her husband’s disease deteriorates, Bloom and her husband begin to discuss his options and what dying with dignity means to him.

Narrated by the Author

From the much acclaimed author of The Rib King, The Last Suspicious Holdout features twelve short stories. These interweaving tales tell the stories of a Black community in Southern suburbia. Ladee Hubbard is a gem, ensuring that this collection will be one of the best of the year—you won’t want to miss this audiobook!

Narrated by Adenrele Ojo and JD Jackson

In this much-needed look at the environmentalist movement, Leah Thomas discusses the need for more activists to approach their work in environmentalism through an intersectional lens. She illustrates that Black, Indigenous, and other people of color bear the brunt of environmental injustice.

Narrated by Leah Thomas, Hayden Bishop, and Erin Walker

In this incredible anthology of Chinese science fiction and fantasy, nonbinary and female authors tell stories across the spectrum of some of my favorite genres. Translated from Chinese by Regina Kanyu Wang, The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories is a rich exploration of the fantastical and wondrous.

Narrated by Katharine Chin

When Delilah Green returns to her hometown to photograph her stepsister’s wedding, she runs into Claire Sutherland, who becomes a welcome distraction. But what starts out as a fling during all of the wedding hoopla might turn into something more.

Narrated by Kristen DiMercurio

Kian Andrews gets a call from his ex-boyfriend, Hudson Rivers, so he agrees to meet up and chat. But instead of wanting to get back together, Hudson wants to pretend to be together for his parents. Kian agrees, though reluctantly. Of course, this being a romance novel, what starts as pretend might rekindle the love they thought they had lost.

Narrated by Timothy Bell Reese

Each year, Mina’s community throws a maiden into the ocean to appease the Sea God. With so many storms and floods, the ritual has never been more important to the community. To save the girl her brother loves, Mina throws herself into the water to become the bride of the Sea God herself.

Narrated by Rosa Escoda

Claudia Lin’s parents think she has a traditional career. But in reality, Claudia works as an investigator for clients wanting to check their love interests’ identities on an exclusive dating app. But when a client goes missing, Claudia must solve the mystery to save her career, all while keeping her real life secret from her parents.

Narrated by Eunice Wong

The author of We Ride Upon Sticks is back with latest novel When I’m Gone, Look for Me in the East, which follows Chuluun, a young monk tasked with finding the reincarnation of a great lama. Along with his twin Mun, Chuluun must traverse the vast Mongolian landscape while working out his strained relationship with his brother.

Narrated by David Lee Huynh

In the last several years, I’ve realized I really like romance novels. Imagine, all of that misogynistic nonsense that was I told actually isn’t true and these books are truly incredible?! I know, I know, I was very behind the curve for so long, and my romance loving friends very patiently just kept handing me books, knowing exactly what was happening. (Thank you, my wonderful friends!)

Talia Hibbert, one of my favorite romance writers, hurtled into my life with Get a Life, Chloe Brown, which is about a chronically ill Black woman who finds love. Each successive book in the series features another Brown sister finding her HEA (happily ever after).

I love each and every one of those books, so, naturally, I went to investigate Hibbert’s backlist and—behold!—there were so many more, AND they’re available on audio. The Ravenswood series begins with A Girl Like Her where we meet Ruth Kabbah, an autistic Black British woman living in her small town. For the most part, Ruth stays in her apartment working on her webcomic. But when a VERY attractive man moves in next door, her plans for a pleasant life in her hobbit hole are turned upside down.

As a book nerd, I love seeing authors’ beginnings: those debuts that didn’t get immediate buzz, but are still pretty great. For me, the Ravenswood series shows all of my favorite parts of Hibbert’s romances—witty banter, delightful characters, steamy scenes—but written by a less experienced Hibbert just coming into her full powers.

Rupert Channing performs the three audiobooks in the trilogy. While I wasn’t sure how I felt about a guy narrating a romance novel, after the first hour, I became completely convinced that this man could do no wrong. He captures the quaint, English charm of these novels so perfectly.

Mystery fans will be all over Mia P. Manansala’s sequel to Arsenic and Adobo. Lila Macapagal thought her brushes with death were over. But once again she finds herself thrown into yet another sticky situation. And of course, there’s another dead body, and she’s the one that needs to figure out how it got that way.

Narrated by Danice Cabanela

As a huge O’Neill fan, I will read whatever she writes, and I’ve been counting down the days until her next novel hits my earbuds. When We Lost Our Heads features Marie Antoine, the daughter of the richest man in Montreal. She’s incredibly lonely, but when a new girl moves into the neighborhood, she might finally have found the best friend she’s always wanted.

Narrated by Jeanna Phillips

Right before she and her husband Tony are going to adopt a boy from China, Tam receives the news that her husband and his cousin Mia are killed in an accident. Tam finds herself now the guardian of Mia’s young daughter. Will she go through with the adoption? How is she supposed to parent two children on her own?

Narrated by Natalie Naudus

Sarah J. Maas is back with the sequel to The House of Earth and Blood, the first book in the The Crescent City series. In the first book we follow a half-fae, half human protagonist as she seeks revenge. I don’t want to give away spoilers, so let’s just say, if you love fantasy novels, this is for you!

Narrated by Elizabeth Evans

The much anticipated sequel to Black Leopard, Red Wolf has finally arrived! Marlon James is back with Sogolon the Moon Witch telling her version of events when she tries to beat the Tracker to find a missing boy.

Narrated by Bahni Turpin

Jess, a woman looking for a fresh start, convinces her brother to let her stay with him in his Paris apartment. But when she arrives, her brother is nowhere to be found. As she looks into his disappearance, she begins to suspect things aren’t quite as they appear.

Narrated by Clare Corbett, Daphne Kouma, Julia Winwood, Sope Dirisu, Sofia Zervudachi, and Charlie Anson

At the end of December, I started a medical leave after my podcast Reading Women ended our six year run. Almost immediately, my disabling chronic illness completely took over, and I’ve been trying to rest and recover ever since. Naturally, I began to read ALL of the things, including Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen and Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May. 

Can’t Even re-assured me that my experience was not unique. Even before the pandemic, millennials were beginning to burn out, our expectations of a star-studded future winking out in spectacular fashion. While Can’t Even gave me stats and all the practical reasons why people burn out, Wintering reminded me that taking time to rest and recover has always been a natural part of life. I write a little more about these books over on Winchester Ave.

While I enjoy the occasional nonfiction book to give me a better perspective on my life, I found myself reaching for more genre fiction than I have in years. I might be VERY late to this party, but I LOVED Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby. The story grips you from the first few pages, and I found myself making up more chores for myself to do so I could keep listening. I ended up listening to the entire novel last Saturday and immediately picked up Cosby’s second novel Razorblade Tears (which Roxane Gay said was her favorite book of the year!).

Adam Lazarre-White performs both Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears, and he’s definitely become a new favorite. The South is such an important part of both stories, and Lazarre-White captures such a wide range of Southern dialects with his performance. I have already insisted that my spouse needs to listen to both of them ASAP. They are just THAT good.

At the end of the month, my hold for Fiona and Jane hit my Overdrive app. I was like, sure, I’ll check it out. MY GOODNESS, I was not prepared for how much I would love this book. I enjoyed this book so much that I listened to the entire thing in one sitting. 

This collection of linked short stories follows the friendship between two Taiwanese American women, Fiona and Jane. From the very start, we learn about their childhoods, Jane’s life with her parents and Fiona’s with her single mom. As their stories unfold, they come back together again and again, always at least partly in each other’s lives.

Jane’s stories, always told in first person, feature a queer woman coming into her own as she navigates adulthood without any real sense of direction. Fiona’s stories, always in third person, present her as a high achiever who always has a plan for everything, but no schedule or spreadsheet can shield her from heartbreak.

Each woman’s voice is distinct, easily discernible from the other, even with both perspectives being performed by the same narrator. I loved the intimate look at a female friendship as it shifts and changes over the decades.

Natalie Naudus performs the audiobook with her usual attention to detail, distinguishing between both Fiona and Jane’s characters with such ease.

Narrated by Natalie Naudus

I’m a huge Tahereh Mafi fan, so when I heard she had a new trilogy inspired by Persian mythology, I thought, where do I sign up? There’s a long-lost heir to a Jinn kingdom and a crown prince who never expected that his world was about to turn upside down. Ugh, yes, please.

Narrated by Kate Reading

You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this book to be translated into English. Nobel winner Olga Tokarczuk finally has her magnum opus out here in the US. Set in the mid-18th century, The Books of Jacob follows a man who becomes a renowned religious leader.

Narrated by Allen Lewis Rickman and Gilli Messer

Jennifer Haigh’s novel features Mercy Street, a clinic that focuses on women’s health, giving them second chances in a patriarchal society. But when forces beyond the clinic’s control try to close its doors, the women push back.

Narrated by Stacey Glemboski

This novel centers around two siblings’ inheritance: a recipe for a traditional Caribbean black cake. There’s secrets, hidden family drama, and a whole lot of heart. 

Narrated by Lynnette R. Freeman and Simone Mcintyre

Jayne Allen is back with her sequel to her much-beloved Black Girls Must Die Exhausted. After being told she’d never have children, Tabitha Walker discovers she’s pregnant. Tabitha decides to have the baby, even if it means raising them on her own.

Narrated by Marcella Cox

Alexandria Bellefleur is back with another novel in her Written in the Stars queer romance series. In this second chance romance, childhood loves Margot Cooper and Olivia Grant meet after years apart. When their spark reignites, they realize their love might just have a second chance.

Narrated by Lauren Sweet

When this book first arrived on my doorstep, I literally jumped around my kitchen. I LOVE nerdy bookish facts, and this book is full of fascinating tidbits from the history of The New York Times Book Review. But then I had to pause: did a gorgeous coffee table-like book like this have an audiobook?

The answer is a resounding YES! Now, the pages are full of sidebars, headers, and illustrations, which could make for a very confusing listening experience. But the producers cleverly hired a range of different narrators to perform the various parts of the book. A single narrator reads the headers and intros to the different sections, giving the audiobook a singular voice that provides structure for the audiobook. Then the different narrators perform the essays and sidebars, signaling to the listener when one essay is ending and another is beginning.

With this clever structure, I could easily follow the different excerpts of past reviews of some of English Literature’s most well-known titles, like Anne of Green Gables, Mrs Dalloway, Native Son and Beloved. There are also sections about what The NYT Book Review got wrong and op-eds full to the brim with personality.

So much thought and effort went into producing this audiobook, which just ten years ago may not have gotten an audio edition at all. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy listening to The New York Times Book Review: 125 Years of Literary History, I was reminded how far audiobooks and accessibility have come in just the last decade.

Narrated by Robert Petkoff, Tina Jordan, Gary Shteyngart, Jodi Picoult, Sloane Crosley, Jenna Wortham, Tayari Jones, Roxane Gay, Sarah Weinman, Jericho Brown, Dominic Hoffman, and more

From the first scene, I found myself drawn into Greenidge’s version of Brooklyn right before and after the Civil War. Libertie is the daughter of a single mom who is the doctor for their small town. Libertie’s mom pushes for her daughter to be the best, encouraging her to work hard at learning her trade. Eventually, Libertie goes to college to learn how to follow in her mother’s footsteps, but she’s not sure she actually wants to be a doctor.

For me, the mother/daughter relationship in this book shines off the page. You can see their deep love for one another, the push and pull that comes from the growing pains of an adolescent girl coming into her own. The world Greenidge builds around them acts as a vibrant backdrop to their story.

I didn’t know where this novel was headed, but the characters and the world the author created kept me listening. Channie Waites performs the story with this incredible ear for dialogue. Each character came alive in different ways that drew me even farther into the story. After I finished Libertie I had to look up more of Waites work—she’s just that brilliant of a narrator!

Narrated by Channie Waites

Kendra James was the first African American legacy student at The Taft School. In Admissions, James looks back at her time at this elite prep school, examining the respectability politics, diversity recruitment, and the microaggressions she experienced as a Black student. 

Narrated by Mela Lee (Seven Days in June by Tia Williams and The Wish by Nicholas Sparks)

After his daughter dies, a scientist travels to the arctic circle to continue her work studying a girl frozen in the ice who carries a virus that may threaten the rest of the world.

Narrated by Julia Whelan, Brian Nishii, Keisuke Hoashi, MacLeod Andrews, Jeanne Sakata, Greg Watanabe, Kurt Kanazawa, Matthew Bridges, Kotaro Watanabe, Brianna Ishibashi, Joe Knezevich, Micky Shiloah, Stephanie Komure, and Jason Culp

In one of the buzziest thrillers of the season, Anthem throws us into a world where Simon is staying at the Float Anxiety Abatement Center in a suburb of Chicago. But soon he breaks out with an odd cast of characters to find a man known as the Wizard.

Narrated by Shiromi Arserio and Noah Hawley (The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri and Taken by Katerina Martinez)

Chemistry author Weike Wang is back with her sophomore novel Joan Is Okay. Joan is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and works as a doctor in New York City. After a family tragedy, her mom tries to reconnect with her children, but Joan isn’t quite sure she’s ready for that yet.

Narrated by Catherine Ho

Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other, launched her into literary stardom. Now back with her first book since her Man Booker-winning novel, Evaristo shares her life’s story in Manifesto. Narrated by the author, this is sure to be an audiobook you won’t want to miss.

Narrated by Bernardine Evaristo

Dahlia Woodson starts off a cooking competition with a complete disaster. But when her competitor, London Parker, takes notice, sparks begin to fly between them. Will being competitors ruin their chance at a happily ever after?

Narrated by Lindsey Dorcus (The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder and A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee)