A Listen That Took Me By Surprise

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