Tag: audiobooks

Like I mentioned last week, I’ve been trying to sneak in a few more summer-related reads. My most recent strategy is to work on home improvement projects I’ve been putting off. I have furniture to build, mirrors to hang, and artwork to frame. For heaven’s sake, I’ve even been going to the gym more! But no matter how much I listen, there are always more audiobooks waiting in the wings.

One of the audiobooks I’ve loved is Rise to the Sun, the second book from Leah Johnson, whose You Should See Me in a Crown landed at the top of so many readers’ Best of the Year lists. I always feel a little nervous heading into an author’s second book when I loved their debut. Can lightning strike twice? With Leah Johnson, it most certainly can.

Toni and Olivia meet at a music festival, but neither have any intention of falling in love. They bicker and protest every step of the way, but soon they fall for each other. This is such a heartwarming story, and Lexi Underwood and Alaska Jackson provide the perfect voices for Toni and Olivia. It’s like they are performing monologues for each character as they truly embody our lovestruck duo.

In her MacLean’s latest romance novel, she gives us another steamy story that leads to a fabulous happily ever after. Sesily Talbot’s reputation is ruined, and she’s the talk of the town. But Sesily finds that her reputation gives her a new found freedom as no one is surprised if she’s seen alone with a gentleman or two. When Caleb, a friend of the family, seems more concerned for her place in society than she is, Sesily begins to look at him in a different way. Is there more to Caleb than what she’s thought all this time?

Narrated by Mary Jane Wells (Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas and The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare)

In this riveting new memoir, Kat Chow shares the story of her family’s journey with grief. After her mother dies from cancer, Kat and her family try to figure out what their family looks like without her mother. The author interweaves her family’s present with its past, giving listeners an inside look at their journey from China to Hong Kong, Cuba, and America. Perfect for lovers of Crying in H Mart and H is for Hawk, Chow’s portrait of grief gives a unique perspective of a family’s journey to learning how to pick up the pieces after a loved one dies.

Narrated by the author

In Jeffers fiction debut, she gives listeners a sweeping epic that spans generations of characters across the decades. Ailey grows up in the North, but spends summers in the South with her extended family. She begins to wonder about her family’s past and starts researching the generations of her family, going back hundreds of years. Slowly, Ailey comes to better understand her heritage and embrace who she is today.

Narrated by Adenrele Ojo, Karen Chilton, and Prentice Onayemi

Pat Barker follows up the critically acclaimed Silence of the Girls with The Women of Troy. Briseis, a Trojan Queen and former slave of Achilles, returns as our protagonist. She’s now enslaved by Alcimus, and uses her position to reconnect with other women of Troy in hopes of concocting a plan for revenge for the murder of their husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons. Perfect for any myth retelling fan, The Women of Troy will have you sitting on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Narrated by Kristin Atherton (Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker and The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman)

In this brilliant sequel to his novel The River, Peter Heller returns with the story of a young man who takes a job at a fishing lodge that caters to wealthy clientele. But when piercing screams rip through the clear, bright mountain air, our protagonist realizes that this resort may not be so idyllic. Prepare yourselves for a riveting suspense story that will have you second guessing at every turn.

Narrated by Mark Deakins (Dark Places by Gillian Flynn and The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood)

With the end of Disability Pride Month last week, I found myself thinking about books by disabled authors. Previously in the newsletter, I shared my love for Disability Visibility. I also love Growing Up Disabled in Australia edited by Carly Findlay. Both anthologies celebrate disability in all of its many forms, but I loved learning more about disabled folks’ experiences in Australia.

The editor, Carly Findlay, also has an excellent memoir called Say Hello, in which she shares her experience living with a rare skin condition. Findlay is such a huge disability rights advocate, particularly for people with facial differences.

Findlay narrates both Growing Up Disabled in Australia and Say Hello, performing each book like a pro. I cried at points during both books, so I’m not entirely sure how Carly managed it. She’s able to communicate the frank realities that many disabled folks face while maintaining poise, but there’s still so much emotion and heart in her delivery.

Both books are available as audiobooks here in the US, so definitely go check them out!

Mira fled her small town of Kipsen to find a better life, but she finally returns home to attend her friend Celine’s wedding. Hoping to reconnect with her childhood friends, Mira tries to make nice, but the plantation’s dark history looms over the event, casting everything in its shadow.

Narrated by Kara Young

Pitched as a gender-swapped The Stepford Wives, The Husbands features Nora Spangler, a successful woman who seems to have it all. But Nora often feels like her husband doesn’t work nearly as hard as she does. When she decides to buy a new house, she can’t help but feel drawn to a neighborhood where all the men seem so perfect. My guess is that she may just realize that these men might be too good to be true.

Narrated by Allyson Ryan (Long Bright River by Liz Moore and Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner)

Megan Abbott is back with another engrossing read. The Turnout includes all of the signature Megan Abbott elements, including a thrilling plot, dancers, and intricately drawn characters. The novel revolves around two sisters and one sister’s husband who all run a dance studio together with precision—until it all seems to go wrong.

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell (Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot)

I have a huge weakness for books about trees, so from the moment I heard that this audiobook was about a family who owns a logging company in California, I knew I had to listen to it. Set in 1977, Damnation Spring centers around Rich, his wife Colleen, and their young son. There’s lots of drama around the business, a grove of redwoods, and all sorts of shenanigans. Where do I sign up?!

Narrated by CJ Wilson, Rebecca Lowman, Mark Sanderlin, and Candace Thaxton

Nora Blake accepts a new job and goes to live in Castle Dark. With a name like that, you’d think she would know that sinister things are about to happen. Alas, when a man at the castle dies, she’s completely surprised, but she soon recovers and begins trying to figure out who is guilty of the crime.

Narrated by Imani Jade Powers (The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles)

Shallow Waters follows a young Yoruba woman named Yemaya who travels from her home to America in the mid-1800s. When we meet Yoruba, she has no idea that she possesses the power of an Orïsha — a deity in the religion of the Yoruba people. Her journey takes her from Africa to North America as she tries to find a mysterious man who may have some answers for her.

Narrated by Michelle Kopacz