Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Rebecca Taussig’s humor and passion shine through in her lively delivery of this illuminating collection of essays about disability. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discusses this new audiobook with host Jo Reed. Taussig captures the ups and downs of ordinary life in a disabled body: dating, navigating her first year of teaching, searching for an accessible apartment. Part wake-up call, part call-to-action, this audiobook will resonate with anyone who lives in a body, disabled and nondisabled alike. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seraphine Valentine narrates Alexis Daria’s charming romance where the two leads fall in love on the set of a new TV rom-com — and behind the scenes. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss costars Jasmine Lin and Ashton Suárez’s disastrous meet-cute and the roller coaster romance that follows. Both Jasmine and Ashton are hoping to make their new TV series a launching point for bigger steps in their careers, but they don’t count on falling in love. Valentine highlights all their complicated emotions and their intense connections when they finally give in. Perfect weekend listening. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ethan Herisse narrates this poignant novel in verse with a soft, slow, and somber tone, conveying all the intense emotions of Amal, a teenage boy who was wrongly incarcerated. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about this powerful audiobook, co-written by author Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated Five. Both poets’ brilliance shines in every line, and as the verses build and deepen, Herisse increases the earnestness of Amal’s journey to hold onto hope. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole Lewis captivates as she narrates a story of greed, love, redemption, identity — and interdimensional travel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about Micaiah Johnson’s thrilling sci-fi audiobook. Cara is a traverser who travels between alternate universes for a big tech company. When a routine job goes wrong, she discovers dangerous secrets that upend her understanding of her world, and all the others. Nicole Lewis inhabits Cara, and listeners will feel all the tension and drama as she navigates intrigue across dimensions. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nigerian-American author Akwaeke Emezi's lyrical and heartbreaking third novel is brought to life by the extraordinarily gifted pairing of narrators Yetide Badaki and Chukwudi Iwuji. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how Emezi’s prose comes to life in this audiobook centered around Vivek’s life and death in 1990s Nigeria. It’s an audiobook that explores grief, family, transgender identity, and societal expectations, with a vibrant third-person narration by Badaki and revelatory and powerful-first person narration by Iwuji as he portrays Vivek and his cousin, Osita. An impressive production of an unforgettable audiobook. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Miles’s powerhouse performance and Isabel Wilkerson’s excellent writing are perfectly matched in this stunning examination of the egregious effects of caste systems. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how hearing Miles’s clear, warm, and passionate narration helps listeners understand and resonate with this deep exploration of the caste systems in India, the United States, and Nazi Germany. A must-listen. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron Butler’s narration of this mediation on the meaning of driving takes listeners by the lapels and gently shakes their preconceived notions. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this treatise on all the reasons to hit the open road and explore by car. Author Matthew B. Crawford champions both driving and fixing cars as ways to exercise our freedom, and he takes a deeper look at technological advances such as driverless vehicles. Perfect for listening as you traverse the open road, or daydream about it. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Donovan smoothly narrates her memoir with a firm hold on its meaning and implications, reading with a clear, pleasing storytelling voice to reveal the twists and turns her life has taken as a pastry chef, wife, and mother. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff talk about her career successes and her real grievances about being underpaid and the commodification of her business. Donovan’s prose shimmers with sensory images and gustatory delights. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Cordileone narrates an accessible and highly informed audiobook all about voting in America. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the narrator’s explanatory yet interrogative tone used to deliver a text that ranges across centuries, covering the Know Nothings, gerrymandering, and the backstories for passing amendments on voting issues. Author Erin Geiger Smith’s focus is on invigorating the process of voting and encouraging voters to get to the polls. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicholas Boulton is simply a masterful narrator. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss Boulton’s tour-de-force performance that shows the full complement of his vocal ability: he does all manner of English accents and dexterously captures age, gender, and geographical idiosyncrasies. Dickens’s gifts as a storyteller are well served by Boulton. In this age of binging, here is an audiobook that can be listened to and enjoyed over time. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian actress Michelle St. John narrates this exhilarating novel with a sure sense of pace and a grip on its intense emotions. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss the nuanced narration of the new novel from Cherie Dimaline (Georgia Bay Métis). The story centers around protagonist Joan’s quest to bring back her wayward husband, who has been entranced by a rugaro (half-man, half-wolf). The rendering of the Indigenous descendants of Ontario’s Métis people is done expertly. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners join DCI Robert Kett, who is heading to Norwich to start a new life with his daughters after his wife’s disappearance. When a girl goes missing, he’s unwillingly dragged into the investigation. Host Jo Reed and AudioFIle’s Robin Whitten discuss this promising start to a new mystery series from Alex Smith, read with a skilled and straightforward style that suits the police procedural. Published by Zertex Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about a series of essays from award-winning crime novelist Laura Lippman, which consider her past and present choices in her life, her career, and on herself. She brings plenty of attitude and a distinct style to her audiobook’s narration, and is both candid and self-critical. Her soft, expressive delivery finds a spot between performance and storytelling, especially when she's focused on stories of her family. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a memoir that acts as a call to action about access for all communities to sports opportunities. Adam Lazarre-White delivers Arshay Cooper’s emotional and impressive true story of joining the first Black high school rowing team in the country in the 1990s. Cooper and his teammates create something great while navigating gang conflict, poverty, addiction, and systemic racism. A brand new documentary looks at this team’s success, and this audiobook makes for an excellent companion to the film. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rich historical fiction perfect for fans of Tudor history — complete with all the glamour, deceit, and tragedy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Rosalyn Landor’s one-woman full-cast performance of Alison Weir’s newest historical fiction audiobook. The story of Henry VIII’s fifth wife reminds listeners of how deadly dangerous he was, and Landor captures young Katheryn’s joy in youthful pleasures, the glittering life at court, and the inevitable tragedy. Exceptional storytelling, A+ listening. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's bonus episode of Behind the Mic, we're featuring a conversation between host Jo Reed and Dirk Maggs. Listen in as they discuss his decades of work bringing audio dramas to life. If you love audio theater, then you know the work of Dirk Maggs. As a producer, director, and writer, his productions immerse listeners in the worlds that he creates. In a career spanning 30 years, he's won many national and international awards. Dirk first made a name for himself turning DC comics into audio productions, and when Douglas Adams heard those adaptations, he pulled Dirk in to bring his HITCHHIKERS' GUIDE TO THE GALAXY series back to audio. Dirk has also had a longtime collaboration with Neil Gaiman, which most recently has resulted in an audio adaptation of THE SANDMAN, Gaiman's beloved classic comic book series. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a comprehensive study of the devastating 2018 Northern California fire. T. Ryder Smith narrates with dramatic pacing, speeding up during the nail-biting personal stories and slowing down when explaining the fire’s causes and behaviors. Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano have written an outstanding study of how humans create and respond to disaster, which calls to mind the continuing dangers of California’s fire seasons. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poet Natasha Trethewey’s emotional delivery adds to the impact of this harrowing memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s memoir about her childhood in Mississippi, and her mother’s childhood in the segregated South. Grief, shock, love, anger, and guilt are all palpable in Trethewey’s voice as she offers listeners a detailed account of her mother’s abusive relationship, her own understanding of it, and the events that led to her mother’s murder. Though it’s a hard and often viscerally painful listen, it’s a worthwhile one. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cassandra Campbell gives a stellar performance of this historical fiction audiobook, based on the life of 19-year-old mathematician Charlie Fisk who played a crucial role in creating the atomic bomb. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about Campbell’s performance of Stephen P. Kiernan’s novel, which blends romance, science, and heavier themes. Charlie has to leave his love, Brenda, so he can go manufacture the atomic bomb in Los Alamos, and the secrecy around his position puts a strain on their relationship as he struggles with the ramifications of his work. Campbell skillfully portrays a wide variety of characters, creating a vibrant portrait of an increasingly tense atmosphere. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Andrea Bang and Yuta Takenaka add refreshing vitality to the voices in this eclectic collection of stories showcasing the perspectives of young Asian-Canadians. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb share their thoughts on Doretta Lau’s debut collection of fiction stories from 2014 that are now available on audio. Bang and Takenaka’s performances turn these engaging slices of life into provocative listening experiences. Published by ECW Press. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three narrators deliver a tremendous performance of Kate Reed Petty’s remarkable debut novel about the long-term reverberations of a high school rumor about sexual assault. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the multiple voices and points of view. Combining multiple styles—thriller, letters, essays, and memoirs—the bulk of the story is carried by Kristen Sieh as Alice, who spends 15 years trying to figure out what happened to her at a party. Listeners hear Alexander Cendese narrating as a lacrosse player, and one of the boys involved in the incident, and Cassandra Campbell cameos as a college essay editor. Timely, timeless, and riveting, this is an astonishing listen, and an AudioFile Earphones Award winner. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Abel’s skilled performance of the famous story told anew from vampire Edward’s point of view is sure to delight fans of the series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this new take on Stephenie Meyers’s teen series. This is Jake Abel’s first audiobook, and his smooth voice and subtle shifts in tone convey all the emotions of each character. Edward’s frustration over monotonous vampire life changes to vitriol when he meets the tantalizing and challenging human Bella. Listeners will feel all the excitement and awe as they explore the story with new eyes. Published by Hachette Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hosts of the “Call Your Girlfriend” podcast are warm, open, and matter-of-fact narrators as they share personal details about the path their friendship has taken. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss an audiobook that centers around relationships that rarely get their due — friendships. Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman sound comfortable and natural behind the mic as they trade off narrating their story and pull in the voices of friends and experts they interviewed during the course of writing their book. After you listen, call up a good friend for a chat. Published by Simon & Schuster. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morag Sims has a bright and lively voice that matches the mood of Olivia Waite’s historical romance perfectly. Agatha Griffin is a widowed owner of a print shop in 1820s London, and is visiting her countryside warehouse when she discovers an alarming surprise — bees have taken up residence. She is pointed in the direction of resident bee expert Penelope Flood, and the two women strike up a friendship. When their smoldering passions eventually ignite, Sims’s adept use of textural cues fan the flames. Their seaside town, Melliton, is a fictional community one wants to climb inside and inhabit, and listeners will enjoy following Agatha and Penelope’s journey as they come to understand themselves and their love for one another. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sisi Aisha Johnson creates a realistic and relatable cast of characters in a middle-grade audiobook about friendship, family, and moving out of your comfort zone. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a story centered around 11-year-old Jenae, who wishes she were invisible and fears public speaking. When she makes a new friend with an outgoing kid at school and is pushed to debate on a school name change, she learns to make her voice heard. Lisa Moore Ramée’s audiobooks feature relatable young protagonists learning more about themselves and their role in making a difference and make for engaging listening. Published by HarperAudio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Black teens vote for the first time in an audiobook that takes place all in one day. Host Jo Reed and AudioFIle’s Emily Connelly discuss how the dual narration adds to the fun in Brandy Colbert’s YA novel that features a satisfying blend of character development and lessons about voter suppression, grief, and activism. Robin Eller voices Marva, who is first in line at the polls. When she sees Duke, voiced by Cary Hite, turned away because he isn’t on the registration list, the two pair up to make sure his vote is counted. Listeners will fall for Marva and Duke even as they are falling for each other. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s evocative narration skillfully complements Jordan Ifueko’s vibrant multilayered fantasy. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed the many reasons she couldn’t hit pause on this audiobook, a coming-of-age story with magic, mystery, and adventure. Tarisai grew up isolated but discovers friends and found family when she joins the crown prince’s council. But she carries a violent secret — her mother has cursed her to kill the beloved prince. Abbott-Pratt’s richly expressive characterizations imbue a fascinating cast with warmth and complexity, making this a listen that fans of YA fantasy won’t want to miss. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFIle contributor Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed about his delight with Kristin Kimball’s story of going back to the land, and her expressive narration. Kimball and her husband farm in upstate New York, and the audiobook breathes with the sounds, sights, and smells of their farm. They plow with enormous horses, feed hundreds through their CSA, and act as mentors for young farmers. You’ll be drawn into the inner workings of the farm, and the intimate murmurs of Kimball’s heart. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Buford narrates his culinary journey, taking listeners with him to Lyon, France, as he seeks to learn classic French cooking methods. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss Buford’s self-effacing, witty, and experiential narrative style, and listeners are treated to an exceptional tour of French food, its history, and the particular joys of Lyon. He narrates as a friendly storyteller who is revealing the hidden world of French cooking, drawing you into the kitchen to cook alongside him. Published by Random House Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victoria James narrates her inside account of her remarkable rise to prominence as a sommelier in New York’s fine dining world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss how James became the youngest sommelier in the U.S. at age 21, and her earnest and persuasive narration as she tells her story. Despite exploitation, harassment, and abuse, she perseveres and prevails, all while giving listeners an inside peek at the world of fine dining. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss all the science and pseudoscience about what we eat, uncovered by Canadian author Dr. Joe Schwarcz. This audiobook collects essays on nutrition, diet, and eating, in an attempt to apply scientific information about the foods we eat and address some wild internet claims. Narrator Jonathan Yen provides a clear and intelligent narration, and has the right tone for all the science — and the humor — found in this work. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to this extraordinary history of salmon from Mark Kurlansky, the author of COD, SALT, and other focused and powerful examinations of the natural world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss how salmon and the earth share fates, and threats to survival. Kurlansky narrates straightforwardly as he tells the story of the history of salmon, and how people have coexisted with salmon over time. In the end, the audiobook is a plea for the survival of the habitat where salmon still survive and thrive. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Kevin Kwan’s modern adaptation of A ROOM WITH A VIEW, with an enchanting narration by Lydia Look. Food, fashion, and romance all collide in an escapist listen perfect for fans of Kwan’s CRAZY RICH ASIANS. When Lucie meets George at an extravagant wedding, sparks fly. Years later, she must decide between her head and her heart when George re-enters her life. Lydia Look’s dramatic performance keeps the energy high and the dialogue extravagant, while also capturing the protagonists’ sweet nature and reserve amidst all the glamor. Listeners fond of Kwan’s series will not be disappointed. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A book steeped in math and epidemiology that addresses the basis for how a variety of contagion models — memes, malaria, financial crises — can document why things spread, and one day stop. While this isn’t a book addressing our current COVID-19 crisis, it does provide background information on concepts that will give you a stronger background in understanding what it means for something to go viral. British Narrator Joe Jameson delivers a narration that is immensely appealing to the ear and blends well with the author’s gift for narrative writing. It is a highly textured audiobook full of details, yet digestible. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Rebekkah Ross handles Megan Miranda’s latest mystery with maximum intensity. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a mystery with a great premise — a sleepwalking 6-year-old disappears for days and is later discovered in a storm drain, becoming a reluctant celebrity. As the twentieth anniversary of her disappearance looms, her stress level soars, and she starts sleepwalking again — and finds a dead body. Surprises and secrets abound. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shayla Lawson narrates her collection of autobiographical essays, adding a layer of depth and personalization to her tales of Black girlhood and womanhood. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about her compelling insights on topics as far-ranging as microaggressions at work, American Girl dolls, or the idiosyncrasies of Twitter. Her narration is as varied as the essays, reflecting their topics with her nuanced delivery and making this an audiobook a true pleasure to listen to. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive inside an American family in this Oprah Book Club pick. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss an enthralling true story that features an Earphones Award-winning performance by Sean Pratt. His timing and subtle delivery bring the listener inside the minds of this family of 12 children, half of whom suffer from schizophrenia. This empathetic audiobook explores the toll that mental illness takes on a family. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Miles’s performance channels the type of wise and nurturing voice you’d expect to hear from a child psychologist who aims to help kids in today’s tumultuous world. Gewirtz is an expert in helping families under stress, and has created a highly useful teaching and learning tool. Robin Miles portrays the information as an expert, delivering Gewirtz’s wisdom in an accessible but authoritative manner. A specific up-to-date chapter covering COVID-19 is integrated well with other suggestions Gewirtz recommends throughout the audiobook. An ideal listen for parents who are looking for extra guidance in trying times. Published by Workman Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gabrielle de Cuir’s luminous narration transports listeners into the turbulent life of acclaimed nineteenth-century French actress Sarah Bernhardt. AudioFile’s Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed what she loved about the absorbing historical fiction audiobook, including the colorful and unique characters, descriptions of Paris and events, and lavish Golden Age opulence. De Cuir’s accents are impeccable as she portrays the romance, complex family dynamics, and the many people who influenced Bernhardt’s life. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James McAvoy leads an all-star cast in narrating the audio adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s iconic graphic novel series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this AudioFile Earphones winner, which is full of dark humor, horror, fantasy, satire, and mythology. It’s a total tour de force with a cinematic score, fitting for the epic story. McAvoy, who portrays Morpheus, the King of Dreams, leans hard on his polished English accent, and Neil Gaiman takes the role as the narrator with his storyteller’s voice. Listeners are swept up in a saga in which cats talk and nightmares walk, and won’t be able to hit pause once they begin. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Grover Gardner breathes life into listeners’ favorite dog-loving lawyer, Andy Carpenter. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this latest mystery, centered around a defense of a man declared dead in a boat explosion — but who reappears when he picks up his dog from Andy’s rescue charity. Gardner has earned multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards for his narration on the series, and his delivery suits Rosenfelt’s mysteries to a T. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss an immersive audiobook about a pandemic and civil unrest — in 1918. Nurse Julia Power grapples with a web of concurrent social issues as she cares for patients in a Dublin maternity ward. Emma Lowe’s beautiful Irish lilt brings the story to life. Julia is united with two other seemingly dissimilar women, a physician with ties to the Irish independence movement, and a vibrant young volunteer from a Catholic boarding house. As circumstances around the women intensify, so will listeners’ investment in the outcome of their stories. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A. Kendra Greene’s enthusiasm and curiosity are contagious, and her love for Iceland is apparent in her delightful narration of an unusual travel book. Greene’s voice is rich and expressive, and she rolls through the Icelandic words with authenticity. There are 265 private museums in Iceland, a country with a population of 330,000, and Greene is a friendly and excited guide through them — including the phallological museum, the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft, and the Museum of Ghosts, Elves, and the Northern Lights. Her personable and smart narration makes one wish to visit Iceland immediately, but listening to her audiobook is the next best thing. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss what many believe to be the first example of great travel writing. Robert Byron’s account, published in 1937, details his travels across the Middle East to explore the farthest reaches of Persia and Afghanistan. British narrator Barnaby Edwards captures Byron’s historical commentary, humor, and bon vivant sensibility. Along with Byron and Edwards, we push through extreme heat, floods, and snow on foot, by horse, and by motorcar to visit the Mosque of Sheikh Lutfullah, Persepolis, and the crossroads village of Ghazni. Published by Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Lowe captures the author’s adventurous spirit, courage, and determination to ride a bicycle the 5,000 miles from London to New Delhi. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss Dervla Murphy’s epic adventure in 1963 that included taking on wolves, gun-toting bandits, and extreme temperatures, all by bike. Emma Lowe’s comfortable Irish lilt reflects the author’s amazing calmness and straightforward prose style, as well as her deep appreciation for those who helped her along her journey. Published by Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s never been a better time to indulge in John Muir’s inspiring observations of California’s iconic wilderness. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss Muir’s observations that were crafted over the two years he lived in a tiny cabin alongside Yosemite Creek. Narrator Nick McArdle is a Scotsman, like Muir, and the author’s words wash over listeners like a walk in the woods. McArdle imparts all of the author’s enthusiasm for every encounter with the park’s flora, fauna, and geology. Muir’s spirit of discovery and magical descriptions live on in this beautiful narrative trek through an awe-inspiring ecosystem. Published by Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travel to every national park in the U.S. without leaving the comfort of your home. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss Conor Knighton’s fascinating audiobook documenting his year-long exploration of America’s national parks. The “CBS Sunday Morning” contributor has a natural talent for narration, with a style that is informed but informal. He weaves together national park history, trivia, and his own personal story for an engaging listen. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shabazz Larkin and his family voice a lively audiobook all about appreciating bees. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly and host Jo Reed discuss this charming picture book read-along all about the role bees play in making food grow that’s also a loving story dedicated to Larkin’s sons. Buzzing bees, light piano music, and bongo drums add to the fun as Larkin explains how his kids share some sneaking and stinging tendencies with bees—and how essential they are to making his life sweeter, too. The atmosphere of joy and love listeners hear is reflected in the vibrant and textured illustrations found in the picture book. Perfect summertime listening for kids. Published by Live Oak Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Cobb and A.J. Beckles guide listeners through this vibrant new YA fantasy inspired by West African folklore. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the complex fantasy centered around Crown Princess Karina and Malik, who comes to her desert city seeking refuge and is swept up in a deadly competition. Cobb’s strong voice captures the ferocity of Karina’s actions as she attempts to assert herself in a new position of power. Beckles highlights Malik’s anxiety and love for his family. Both Malik and Karina are desperate to be reunited with lost family members and will do whatever it takes — though they each struggle with growing attraction to one another, even as they attempt to destroy one another. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

identical Black twins who run away from home, and whose lives divert when they choose very different paths. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss an audiobook that would be ideal for your next book group or for any listener seeking out a rich listen. Shayna Small’s narration brings the twins Stella and Desiree Vignes to life, and she creates lively and distinct voices for the entire cast. As we trace their lives, we meet their daughters and discover the impact of their choices on who their daughters become. It’s a story about searching for identity and becoming someone new centered around race, colorism, socioeconomics, and family. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices