Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Sarah LaBrie, a successful television writer based in Los Angeles, narrates her gripping memoir of family trauma in a calm, sweet voice that keeps listeners engaged. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this deeply personal memoir that explores mental health and self-acceptance. Throughout LaBrie’s childhood her mother ricocheted from one psychiatric episode to another, terrifying and caring ineptly for the girl. With hard work and luck, LaBrie made it to an Ivy League college. There, a Black woman in a predominantly white school, she encountered new challenges. When, at last, her mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia, LaBrie began to explore the family’s history of mental illness and her own survival. A harrowing and engrossing listen. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maggi-Meg Reed shines in Christopher Bollen’s psychological thriller pitting an octogenarian against an 8-year-old boy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story full of dark humor, plot twists, and increasing suspense. Set during Covid at the Royal Karnak Hotel on the banks of the Nile, the story features 81-year-old Maggie Burkhardt, a meddler who gets involved in fixing people's lives—even when she shouldn't. Reed does a remarkable job of transitioning between Maggie's role as narrator and her interactions with others, making for engrossing listening. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oscar-winning actor, respected singer, and self-declared icon whose comebacks and reinventions have had their own comebacks and reinventions, Cher offers the first volume of her memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this memoir narrated both by Cher and by actor and friend Stephanie J. Block, who portrayed Cher in a Broadway musical biography. Both narrators are charming, effective, and pleasing to the ear. The work is intimate and revealing while sparing listeners gossipy details. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sebastian Humphreys delivers an enthusiastic performance of a delightful cast of characters in Orlando Murrin’s new mystery. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this British mystery with a foodie bent. Chef Paul Delamare steps in as a culinary teacher to help his injured friend, celebrity chef Christian Wagner, and finds himself in the middle of a kitchen disaster. Humphreys’s warm, pleasant voice and English accent pair perfectly with Paul’s empathetic personality. When Christian is found brutally murdered, Paul and his students are natural suspects, and Paul must use his expertise and observation skills to find the real culprit Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Recorded Books. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Woolf creates a foreboding atmosphere in this disturbing mystery with strong Christie vibes. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this newest story from Ragnar Jónasson set in Iceland in 1952, 1983, and 2012. Listeners enter a tuberculosis sanatorium repurposed from the 1940-50s and meet likable Helgi, who is reopening an investigation into earlier unsolved murders. Woolf maintains a consistent atmosphere of dread while flawlessly segueing from ordinary to terrifying situations. Audio is ideal for the slowly unfolding police procedural and its abrupt, disturbing conclusion. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a new historical audiobook from Fiona Davis. Charlotte Cross is an assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1978. Charlotte is quietly conducting Egyptology research that harkens back to her devastating experience in Egypt in 1936. Linda Jones’s excellent narration reflects Charlotte’s ambivalence: She’s determined to prove her controversial theory about an Egyptian ruler but fearful of returning to Cairo. When an artifact is stolen, Charlotte and her young student Annie must travel to Egypt to pursue the thief and prove Charlotte’s hypothesis. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this compelling coming-of-age novel set on a Maine island. Evan Sibley performs Lewis Robinson’s audiobook with narrative drive, a convincing tone, and a sure sense of the unfolding drama. The setting is a posh but remote club on fictional Whaleback Island—just the place to retrain young misfits to work hard on land and sea to please the billionaires who have founded this Outward-Bound-style experience to fight against the “soft” youths of today. Skillfully written and performed. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Vibrance Press. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When executed as beautifully as this one, multigenerational novels are all consuming in the best way. Sandra Oh's performance of Min Jin Lee’s audiobook makes the experience even more immersive. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this story of young Sunja, who is saved from ruin and moves from Korea to Japan. Thus a family tale begins and proceeds through four generations in the early 20th century. Oh is an outstanding narrator. Her pace is brisk yet easy to follow, and her crisp enunciation and gentle tone are a pleasure to hear. PACHINKO is a visit to another place and time, and Oh is an exceptional guide. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Hachette Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danez Smith, a poet, performance artist, and devotee of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes presents a selection of Hughes’s early poems, songs, and other writings, created from 1921 to 1927. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this collection and Smith’s extraordinary performance. With their clear baritone voice and extraordinary vocal talent, Smith’s performance is beautiful to hear and unfailingly connected to the core messages within these poems, journal entries, and other works. Performed with stunning authenticity and verve, this audiobook is a showcase for the artistry of Danez Smith, as well as a revelatory lesson on one of America’s greatest writers. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Hachette Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each American poet laureate is expected to carry out at least one project, and the 24th, Ada Limón, created this anthology of poems about humans in nature. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Kim Ramirez’s narration of this collection that includes a range of exemplary contemporary poets. Ramirez gives each of the 50 poems its due, acting but never overdramatizing, allowing rather than forcing the emotions to emerge. This is an exploration of our changing relationship to the natural world, and an invitation to share in it. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Tantor Media. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shannon Tyo’s gentle, soothing tone proves effective and engaging as she narrates Miye Lee’s Korean bestseller, now in translation by Joosun Lee. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the whimsical story. Penny lands her dream job at the Dallergut Dream Department Store. Each floor of the store sells different types of dreams. As Penny learns about the importance of sleep and dreams from the store owner, Mr. Dallergut, she and her kooky co-workers realize what an important function the store fulfills. In a light, relaxed tone, Tyo delivers dreamy characters and an imaginative premise. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harlequin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ciaran Saward gives an appealing narration of Maiga Doocy’s fantasy. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about the fun of this magical adventure. Leo, a rakish scriver from a privileged gentry family, and Sebastian Grimm, a studious caster whose parents are farmers, are rivals in their fifth year at the Fount, a school of magic. After Grimm unwittingly casts a spell on Leo that compels him to do whatever Grimm says, they eventually decide to enter the Unquiet Wood, full of monstrous plants and animals, in search of a counterspell. Saward’s characterization of the mysterious sorcerer they encounter there is a delight. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Hachette Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cindy Kay sweeps listeners away into Samantha Sotto Yambao’s memorable and otherworldly story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss an audiobook full of magic and adventure. On the day Hana is due to inherit her family’s pawn shop, where people from our world can trade away their greatest choices and regrets, she wakes to find it ransacked, her father missing—and one of their precious choices gone. Kay’s narration balances this story that alternates between dreamy and thrilling, carrying listeners on a great adventure. Hana seeks out her father alongside Kei, a scientist, who discovers that Hana’s world is full of beautiful magic and mystery but there’s grave danger, too. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caitlin Davies performs Sarah Beth Durst’s enchanting fantasy story about a reclusive librarian finding her way home. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun of listening to this magical audiobook. Academic librarian Kiela has lived in the Great Library of Alyssium for years, caring for the Empire’s spellbooks with only a sentient spider plant named Caz for company. When the fires of the Revolution reach the library, they escape by sea to her secluded childhood home with a few crates of precious books. Could she use their magical knowledge to aid the struggling islanders without risking her safety? And why are they all so friendly?? Davies uses a prim yet empathetic narration that suits the introverted librarian and brings the colorful cast of characters to life for listeners. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this anthology that presents widely varied mystery and suspense tales. They are quite well read and will hold the attention of mystery lovers and curious listeners. Jane Oppenheimer’s intimate and expressive narration of Abby Geni’s “The Body Farm” tells a story of justifiable homicide. Nicole Lewis captures the multiple voices, quick pulse, and meta quality of Alyssa Cole’s “Just a Girl”, while John Pirhalla performs Nate Kolakowski’s “Scorpions,” an ironic story, with verve and subtlety. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Sacks was a prodigious researcher, tireless clinician, voracious reader, competitive weight lifter, indefatigable traveler, influential neurologist, and long-winded correspondent. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss James Langton’s narration of Sacks’s letters, through which he seems to inhabit the great man’s extraordinary mind. These revealing and erudite letters testify to Sacks's appetite for study, need to communicate, and insatiable yearning to solve problems. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

British food writer, television personality, and memoirist Nigel Slater writes stylishly, and his fine performance is a happy surprise for listeners. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this packed text with short chronicles of Slater’s experiences dining, cooking, traveling, and reporting from countries ranging from Lebanon to Iceland. But it may be his more homespun revelations of his own London home and interactions with the craftspeople who have created his plates and pots, wooden spoons, and cookware—along with his handmade paper and unusual inks—that remain with the listener. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Fourth Estate. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maya Hawke performs Joan Didion’s classic collection superbly. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Hawke pays attention to Didion’s exquisite prose and captures her careful observations. Hawke gets Didion’s measured pace and thoughtful tone just right as she conveys the much-admired author’s idiosyncratic, elegant language. The audiobook vividly brings back the 1960s, when Didion, Tom Wolfe, and Hunter S. Thompson created "new journalism." Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss an exquisite novel on audio from celebrated Canadian poet and novelist Anne Michaels. Her novel, shortlisted for the Booker Prize, looks at love, loss, and human connection. Michaels’s intimate delivery and empathetic tone serve her bittersweet and elegiac text well. Starting in 1917 with a battlefield explosion, her exploration of characters during troubled times spans a century and ends in the near future. This extraordinary novel plumbs the heart through vignettes of a photographer, a doctor, and a journalist in troubled places. It is a mesmerizing listen. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tiffany Yu invites listeners to join her in advocating for a more accessible society for disabled people. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this audiobook from the founder of Diversability, an organization dedicated to disability advocacy. Using a combination of personal experience and research, Yu examines topics like language, microaggressions, and the importance of creating more inclusive events. Yu’s performance matches the tone of her prose well. Her voice is often warm, inviting, kind, and resolute. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Hachette Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss disability rights advocate Johanna Hedva’s essay collection, 10 years in the making. Hedva’s observations about society are sharp and insightful. Disability sits at the core of their writing, and they challenge listeners to see it as a social experience, in addition to a biological one. Hedva’s performance, personable and intimate, makes the listener feel as if they are sitting at a live author event. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Hillman Grad Books. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a delicious story set in Japan. Hanako Footman performs this feel-good novel about Chef Negare and his daughter, Kioshi, who run the Kamogawa Diner in Kyoto. Together, they are the Kamogawa Food Detectives, who track down lost recipes from their clients’ pasts. Footman’s narration captures the cozy atmosphere and heartwarming tone of the novel as the father-daughter duo go to great lengths to re-create the lost dishes. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristin Atherton delivers a powerhouse performance of the final volume in Booker Prize novelist Pat Barker’s trilogy reimagining the Trojan War from a female perspective. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story of Ritsa, a Trojan healer who is enslaved to Cassandra, who is herself the slave-concubine of King Agamemnon. The war is over, the seas perilous, egos fragile, prophesies unkind, and in Mycenae Clytemnestra plots revenge. Atherton, who won Earphones Awards for the previous books, again demonstrates exquisite timing that reinforces the drama. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss an Appalachian horror story set in West Virginia. Dani Martineck performs as Miles Abernathy, who is sixteen and has just come out to his parents when a group of boys attack him and land him in the hospital. The Abernathys have been in a blood feud for over a century, but Miles believes he finally has a way to end it once and for all. Martineck’s narration makes Miles come alive in a new way, adding emotional depth to an already complex character. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Listening Library Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re revisiting our conversation about Hanif Abdurraqib’s latest audiobook, THERE’S ALWAYS THIS YEAR. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Abdurraqib’s mesmerizing narration and rich writing. You can hear the love in his voice as he performs his ode to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio; a love letter to basketball; a meditation on home and belonging; and an exploration of faith, Blackness, music, and place. Listen to learn more about this transcendent audiobook, named one of AudioFile’s Best Nonfiction audiobooks of 2024. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we revisit host Jo Reed’s conversation with AudioFile’s Michele Cobb about Whoopi Goldberg’s BITS AND PIECES. It’s what Michele calls an “audio must,” as Goldberg’s raspy timbre and amused tone make her the only person appropriate to narrate her memoir. Listen to learn more about one of AudioFile’s picks for Best Memoir and Biography Audiobooks of 2024. And for even more insights into the story, watch Michele’s conversation with Whoopi on AudioFile’s website. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Blackstone Audio Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile is celebrating our 2024 Best Audiobooks by sharing conversations about the year’s best listening. Today’s episode features host Jo Reed’s conversation with AudioFile’s Robin Whitten about the joy of OLIVETTI, written by Allie Millington, and read by Christopher Gebauer and Simon Vance. This unusual listen is one of the Best Children’s and Family listening of 2024. It’s a charming story about Olivetti, a typewriter spilling his tapestry of tales in order to find his missing owner, and angsty 12-year-old Ernest, who must trust this typewriter to help him find his mother. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Recorded Books. Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode revisits host Jo Reed’s conversation with AudioFile’s Robin Whitten exploring Harini Nagendra’s A NEST OF VIPERS, one of AudioFile’s 2024 Best Mystery Audiobooks. Golden Voice Soneela Nankani immerses listeners in this third installment of the Bangalore Detectives Club series, set in 1920s India. It’s a story rife with intrigue, politics, and the fight for autonomy. Nankani’s brisk, distinctly voiced performance is riveting as she expertly distinguishes among the large cast of characters. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Tantor Media. Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’re sharing some of our conversations about audiobooks on our 2024 Best Audiobooks list. Today’s episode features host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discussing JAMES by Percival Everett and read by Golden Voice narrator Dominic Hoffman. JAMES won the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction, and Hoffman’s captivating narration earned it a spot on AudioFile’s list of Best Fiction Audiobooks of 2024. Listen in to Jo and Kendra’s conversation to learn more about this fascinating audiobook. For a deeper dive into Dominic’s narration, don’t miss Jo’s interview with him here on our podcast. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed is joined today by AudioFile contributor Caitlin Augusta, who has shared her insights on romance audiobooks in her Tease column and audiobook reviews for years. Today she talks about gifting KISS ME AT CHRISTMAS, Jenny Bayliss’s story full of Christmas magic, narrated by Caroline Fantozzi. It’s centered around an underdog production of A Christmas Carol, with school counselor Harriet Smith fighting her Christmas blues by diligently caring for five at-risk teens. Fantozzi’s performance evokes a sense of wonder and joy, warming even the Scroogiest listener’s heart—and just might make a perfect audiobook gift. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Ellen Quint discuss the fun of gifting mysterious listens during the holidays. Ellen’s been writing about mystery audiobooks for AudioFile for years, and we’re delighted to have her on to discuss Edoardo Ballerini’s narration of A DEATH IN CORNWALL. Daniel Silva’s latest starts in Venice, where Gabriel Allon and his wife get a call to investigate a death in Cornwall, England. Ellen talks about Silva’s compelling spy thrillers and her love for Ballerini’s narration on this series that takes listeners racing around Europe. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed talk about the fun of giving gifts to young audiobook listeners. This holiday season, Robin recommends the Yoto Player, a portable screen-free audiobook player that her grandchildren have been carrying all around the house to hear their favorite stories. The player lets the kids choose their own stories to listen to, all without a screen or getting parents’ phones involved. Her grandkids have enjoyed classics like FROG AND TOAD and THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, and tales from favorite Disney movies. It’s a great gift for any kids (or their parents) curious about kids’ audiobooks. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Hope Newhouse joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to tell AudioFile listeners about performing Lois Lowry’s newest audiobook, TREE. TABLE. BOOK., one of our picks for Best Children’s and Family listening. Hope tells Michele about what it was like to take on the narration of one of Lois Lowry’s audiobooks, given her status as a beloved children’s book author. She also explains why she enjoys narrating audiobooks for young listeners, and what’s stayed with her about this moving audiobook. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/251030/ Published by Harper Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Children’s & Family Listening are: THE BEAUTIFUL GAME by Yamile Saied Méndez, read by Maria Liatis BRIDGES INSTEAD OF WALLS by Mavis Staples, Carole Boston Weatherford, read by Mavis Staples, Adenrele Ojo FREE PERIOD by Ali Terese, read by Josephine Huang, Cassandra Morris IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES by Katherine Rundell, read by Samuel West OLIVETTI by Allie Millington, read by Christopher Gebauer, Simon Vance TREE. TABLE. BOOK. by Lois Lowry, read by Hope Newhouse Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/best-audiobooks-2024/ Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Hope Newhouse photo by Jessica Wolpman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Alejandro Antonio Ruiz joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to tell listeners all about narrating CANTO CONTIGO by Jonny Garza Villa, one of AudioFile’s picks for Best YA Audiobooks of 2024. It’s a vibrant audiobook full of emotions, and Alejandro tells us about how they bring all of the tension and rich feelings to life for listeners. They also explain the joys and challenges of narrating audiobooks for a teen audience. Read AudioFile’s review of CANTO CONTIGO. Published by Macmillan Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Young Adult Audiobooks are: CANTO CONTIGO by Jonny Garza Villa, read by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz A CRANE AMONG WOLVES by June Hur, read by Greg Chun, Michelle H. Lee HOW THE BOOGEYMAN BECAME A POET by Tony Keith, Jr., read by Tony Keith, Jr. JUPITER RISING by Gary D. Schmidt, read by Christopher Gebauer TWENTY-FOUR SECONDS FROM NOW... by Jason Reynolds, read by Guy Lockard WHEN THE WORLD TIPS OVER by Jandy Nelson, read by Michael Crouch, Alex McKenna, Briggon Snow, Caitlin Kinnunen, Julia Whelan Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Elizabeth Knowelden joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss one of this year’s Best Romance Audiobooks, THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE by India Holton. Elizabeth tells Michele about what’s most interesting and fun to her about romance audiobooks. She gives a charming performance of the audiobook, and in her interview, she explains how she created the voices for the many characters listeners will encounter in the story. Read AudioFile’s review of THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE. Published by Penguin Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Romance Audiobooks are: AVENGING ANGEL by Kristen Ashley, read by Stella Bloom THE BREAK-UP PACT by Emma Lord, read by Natalie Naudus JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez, read by Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber LOVE AT FIRST BOOK by Jenn McKinlay, read by Brittany Pressley THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE by India Holton, read by Elizabeth Knowelden THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston, read by Emma Galvin, Max Meyers Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Elizabeth Knowelden photo by Dana Patrick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss narrating one of this year’s best in Mulit-Voice audiobooks, the oral history WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE, edited by Garrett M. Graff. Edoardo tells listeners about the challenges of narrating audiobooks that include so many voices—here, there were 26 narrators performing 700 real-life historical figures. It’s an impressive and moving listen, and deep exploration into those who participated in D-Day. Read AudioFile’s review of WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Multi-Voice Audiobooks are: DANGEROUS VISIONS by Harlan Ellison [Ed.], read by Mara Wilson, Jim Meskimen, Simon Vance, Steven Jay Cohen, Johnny Heller, Edoardo Ballerini, Dion Graham, et al. GEORGE ORWELL'S 1984 by George Orwell, Joe White [Adapt.], read by Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, Tom Hardy, Chukwudi Iwuji, Romesh Ranganathan, Natasia Demetriou, Francesca Mills, Alex Lawther, Katie Leung HOW WOMEN MADE MUSIC by Alison Fensterstock [Ed.], Ann Powers [Intro.], National Public Radio, read by Alison Fensterstock, Ann Powers, et al. JOURNEY'S END by R.C. Sherriff, read by James Callis, Josh Cole, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Tobias Echeverria, Adam Godley, Ian Ogilvy, Darren Richardson, Simon Templeman, Matthew Wolf MOON CALLED by Patricia Briggs, read by Khaya Fraites, Gregory Linington, Christopher McLinden, Rayner Gabriel, Chris Stinson, Renee Dorian, and a Full Cast WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE by Garrett M. Graff [Ed.], read by Edoardo Ballerini, Garrett M. Graff [Note], and a Full Cast Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Edoardo Ballerini photo by Ed Brantley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Moira Quirk joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss a fantastical dark academia tale by M.L. Wang, BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN. Moira tells listeners about what she enjoys the most about narrating science fiction and fantasy audiobooks, and the particular challenges she encounters while narrating the genre. BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN not only explores the realm of dark academia, but also examines the ripple effects of colonization, and it makes for an engrossing listen. Read AudioFile’s review of BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN. Published by Random House Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Audiobooks are: BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN by M.L. Wang, read by Moira Quirk THE CRONE OF MIDNIGHT EMBERS by Iris Beaglehole, read by Bethan Dixon Bate THE MERCY OF GODS by James S.A. Corey, read by Jefferson Mays THE STARS TOO FONDLY by Emily Hamilton, read by Vico Ortiz THE WARM HANDS OF GHOSTS by Katherine Arden, read by Michael Crouch, January LaVoy, Katherine Arden WHEN AMONG CROWS by Veronica Roth, read by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, Tim Campbell Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Jean Brassard joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss narrating Louise Penny’s latest in the Three Pines series, THE GREY WOLF. It’s a thrilling mystery and a new voice for a beloved series, and Brassard describes what it was like to step into the shoes of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. He discusses how his Quebecois background informed his performance and what he enjoyed the most about narrating this mystery named one of AudioFile’s Best of 2024. Read AudioFile’s review of THE GREY WOLF. Published by Macmillan Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Mystery & Suspense Audiobooks are: THE BRIAR CLUB by Kate Quinn, read by Saskia Maarleveld THE GREY WOLF by Louise Penny, read by Jean Brassard A NEST OF VIPERS by Harini Nagendra, read by Soneela Nankani THE SEQUEL by Jean Hanff Korelitz, read by Julia Whelan SHANGHAI by Joseph Kanon, read by Jonathan Davis YOU'LL NEVER FIND ME by Allison Brennan, read by Hillary Huber Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Jean Brassard photo by Steve Vaccariello. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Gabra Zackman joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss her narration of CUE THE SUN! The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum. It’s one of our picks for Best Nonfiction & Culture Audiobooks this year, and it takes listeners on a deep exploration of reality TV. Gabra tells Michele about how this audiobook may have changed her view of reality TV, and what surprised her about performing this audiobook. Read AudioFile’s review of CUE THE SUN! Published by Random House Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Nonfiction & Culture Audiobooks are: CUE THE SUN! by Emily Nussbaum, read by Gabra Zackman THE MESSAGE by Ta-Nehisi Coates, read by Ta-Nehisi Coates OUR HIDDEN CONVERSATIONS by Michele Norris, read by Michele Norris and a Full Cast A POETRY HANDBOOK by Mary Oliver, read by Kimberly Farr THERE'S ALWAYS THIS YEAR by Hanif Abdurraqib, read by Hanif Abdurraqib WHAT'S NEXT IS NOW by Frederik G. Pferdt, read by Sean Pratt Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Gabra Zackman photo by Ashley Garrett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrator Dion Graham joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss his performance of James Kaplan’s biography of jazz greats, 3 SHADES OF BLUE. The audiobook traces the lives of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Bill Evans, and required some research before recording. Listen to Dion’s discussion with Michele for more insights into his narration of this exceptional audiobook that’s one of AudioFile’s Best Biography & Memoir titles of 2024. Read AudioFile’s review of THREE SHADES OF BLUE. Published by Penguin Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Biography & Memoir Audiobooks are: BITS AND PIECES by Whoopi Goldberg, read by Whoopi Goldberg BITTER CROP by Paul Alexander, read by Maya Days JOHN LEWIS by David Greenberg, read by David Sadzin PROFILES IN MENTAL HEALTH COURAGE by Patrick J. Kennedy, Stephen Fried, read by Johnny Heller, Patrick J. Kennedy 3 SHADES OF BLUE by James Kaplan, read by Dion Graham WHAT I ATE IN ONE YEAR by Stanley Tucci, read by Stanley Tucci Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to tell listeners about narrating Kristin Hannah’s memorable historical fiction audiobook, THE WOMEN, one of our picks for Best Fiction of 2024. It’s an emotional story about Vietnam War combat nurses, and Julia details how she prepared for performing this intense listen. Julia has narrated several of Hannah’s audiobooks, and she explains what she likes about getting to narrate multiple works by the same author, and what’s stayed with her about this audiobook. Read AudioFile’s review of THE WOMEN. Published by Macmillan Audio. AudioFile’s 2024 Best Fiction Audiobooks are: THE CEMETERY OF UNTOLD STORIES by Julia Alvarez, read by Alma Cuervo COME AND GET IT by Kiley Reid, read by Nicole Lewis HERE ONE MOMENT by Liane Moriarty, read by Caroline Lee, Geraldine Hakewill JAMES by Percival Everett, read by Dominic Hoffman THE LIMITS by Nell Freudenberger, read by Rebecca Lowman THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, read by Julia Whelan, Kristin Hannah Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Julia Whelan photo by Kelly Puleio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten joins host Jo Reed to discuss AudioFile’s 2024 Best Audiobooks. Listen to their conversation to discover how AudioFile’s editors choose the year’s best audiobooks, which titles Robin is particularly excited about, and to hear all the details on our upcoming interviews with narrators of some of this year’s honored titles. Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Tony Keith Jr. photo by Randolph Garrett, Hope Newhouse photo by Jessica Wolpman, Dion Graham and Julia Whelan photos courtesy of the narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and Laura Rossi, AudioFile’s Director of Publicity and Social Media, talk all things holiday gifting on today’s episode of Behind the Mic. Laura recommends a favorite audiobook to give to friends and family this time of year, HOLIDAYS ON ICE, written and read by David Sedaris, with a little help from Amy Sedaris and Ann Magnuson. This is where you’ll find the hilarious “SantaLand Diaries,” among other essays. Laura talks about what she loves about the audiobook, and what listeners can expect from the raucous collection. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Hachette Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Managing Editor, Jenn Dowell, joins host Jo Reed on our podcast to talk about a favorite gift of hers for the holiday season — SMITTEN KITCHEN KEEPERS, written and read by Deb Perelman. Deb is well known in the food world for her long-time blog Smitten Kitchen, and her accessible cookbooks, both packed full of recipes. Now, she has an audio adaptation of her newest cookbook, giving listeners a chance to learn more about the recipes and spend time with Deb’s friendly voice in your ear. Jenn shares a bit about her interview with Deb for a recent issue of AudioFile Magazine, and tells listeners about gifting this great cookbook and audiobook pairing. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Read Jenn’s interview with Deb Perelman in the December/January issue of AudioFile magazine. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Andrew R Chow’s account of the spectacular rise and fall of FTX's cryptocurrency wunderkind, Sam Bankman-Fried. Eric Yang narrates with a reporter’s detachment, allowing the facts to speak for themselves. And speak they do! While Yang uses a measured tone, avoiding sensationalism, the facts detailing SBF's shocking hubris and willingness to risk the funds of others will appall listeners. Even listeners with no interest in crypto will be transfixed by the greed and lies that transformed an altruistic endeavor into a con that duped millions and cost billions. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Max Lucado, Kathie Lee Gifford, Bob Goff, Lysa TerKeurst, and many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ina Garten narrates her memoir with the same precision, charm, poise, and irreverence exhibited on her “Barefoot Contessa” television productions. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss an audiobook that would make a great companion for anyone cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Garten’s philosophy has been to make quick decisions and “dive in”—figuring it all out later. Garten’s narration is measured, personal, and absorbing. This is a memoir not to miss if you enjoy Ina Garten, food, and restaurants—or if you simply want to be ready to apply your special talents when the luck happens to you. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Max Lucado, Kathie Lee Gifford, Bob Goff, Lysa TerKeurst, and many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Pirhalla portrays an everyday guy named Frank whose life is turned upside down when his estranged daughter gets in touch to announce her wedding to Aidan, the son of a tech billionaire. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this twisty thriller from Jason Rekulak. When Frank mysteriously receives a photo of Aidan with a missing girl, he decides to investigate to ensure the safety of his daughter. Pirhalla’s strong characterizations are carefully crafted; listeners will enjoy having their perceptions change with each twist of the plot. Pirhalla’s spot-on timing helps keep listeners engaged. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Max Lucado, Kathie Lee Gifford, Bob Goff, Lysa TerKeurst, and many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fans of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s THE PLOT will rejoice at this sequel, performed with mesmerizing skill by the wonderful Julia Whelan. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story of a lethally dislikable character, Anna, and how Whelan narrates this twisty tale. 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. Whelan’s achievement here seems like a little miracle, relentlessly compelling and wonderfully satisfying. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Max Lucado, Kathie Lee Gifford, Bob Goff, Lysa TerKeurst, and many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Brick can be relied upon to deliver intensity in every audiobook he narrates, but he outdoes himself in this story of a family on the run in a world gone mad. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Blake Crouch’s audiobook that truly had Michele on the edge of her seat. Jack doesn’t know why Americans started killing one another in a pointless frenzy of rage, but it's up to him to keep his family safe. Brick's frantic performance forces listeners to empathize with the desperate Jack as he narrowly escapes the killers. It’s an intense and graphic listen but one you won’t be able to put down. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Max Lucado, Kathie Lee Gifford, Bob Goff, Lysa TerKeurst, and many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruby Corazon brings festive cheer to Alexis Daria’s sweet and spicy holiday novella. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the fun of cozying up with a holiday romance audiobook. Evie Cruz is a comic illustrator on a tight deadline, and she’s barely unpacked into her new apartment. Corazon’s voice echoes Evie’s stress, but she brightens up as Evie discovers anonymous Christmas ornament gifts on her door—and gets delightedly flustered at any signs of her hot neighbor, Theo. When they encounter each other at their building’s Santa-themed party, sparks fly. A delicious holiday treat. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Brilliance Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Max Lucado, Kathie Lee Gifford, Bob Goff, Lysa TerKeurst, and many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices