Ann's Recent Listens

Heartwood (A Read with Jenna Pick)

By: Amity Gaige
Narrated by: Justine Lupe, Alma Cuervo, Rebecca Lowman, Ali Andre Ali, Cary Hite & Helen Laser
Length: 8 hours 44 minutes

“The woods can be unforgiving, and when experienced hiker Valerie Gillis vanishes on the Appalachian Trail, the search for her becomes a race against time. Heartwood is a gripping thriller with true-crime elements. Told through transcripts, messages, and poetic letters, it follows a desperate search, led by a determined game warden and an... Read more

All the Noise at Once

By: DeAndra Davis
Narrated by: André Santana
Length: 9 hours 49 minutes

“I loved this audiobook. The narration was wonderful and coming from the perspective of an autistic teenager was enlightening. Not only do you get an understanding of what it is like being autistic, but also being black in a mostly white neighborhood. It is a very emotional book. Read more

At Home in a Faraway Place

By: Lynne Rae Perkins
Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez
Length: 1 hour 3 minutes

From Newbery Medal winner Lynne Rae Perkins, this short novel for younger middle grade readers explores themes of empathy, friendship, discovery, language, and the life-changing epiphanies of travel. Lissie, her dad, and her grandmother travel “to a faraway place, in a different part of the world” in this short illustrated novel. Their... Read more

Saving Five

A Memoir of Hope

By: Amanda Nguyen
Narrated by: Sura Siu
Length: 6 hours 5 minutes

“Absolutely stunning execution of the speculative memoir form, and the audiobook narration by Sura Siu is brilliant. I’m so grateful to Amanda Nguyen for her work and for sharing her story over and over and over again. Read more

The River Has Roots

By: Amal El-Mohtar
Narrated by: Gem Carmella
Length: 3 hours 53 minutes

“This is such a beautiful fairytale and a marvelous example of the magic that can be found in an audiobook, filled with enchanting music and stunning narration you will long to return to. Read more

Wild Dark Shore

A Novel

By: Charlotte McConaghy
Narrated by: Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld & Steve West
Length: 9 hours 34 minutes

“One of my favorites this year! Austere, anxiety-inducing, & also kind of educational? The characters are compelling & dynamic, the story twisty yet perfectly interconnected -- devastating but sooo good. Read more

Fable for the End of the World

By: Ava Reid
Narrated by: Gail Shalan & Emily Lawrence
Length: 10 hours 48 minutes

“Fable for the End of the World delivers an intense, dystopian thrill ride that blends the suspense of The Hunger Games with the gritty world-building of The Last of Us. Inesa and Mel, two women from vastly different backgrounds, find themselves thrust together in a brutal fight for survival after Inesa’s family falls into crippling debt. The... Read more

It's a Love/Skate Relationship

By: Carli J. Corson
Narrated by: Gail Shalan
Length: 9 hours 24 minutes

“This was a sweet lesbian enemies to lovers romance between a hockey player and figure skater. The hockey player is suspended because of a fight, and as a challenge learns to pair figure skate. It lifts the spirits. Read more

Tartufo

By: Kira Jane Buxton
Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt
Length: 11 hours 31 minutes

“My first 5 star listen of the year-thank you Libro.com for the ALC! Funny, intelligent, heartwarming and a wonderful cast of characters. As always Kira breathes amazing life and thoughts into her animal characters (and all the humans too!) Fantastic as both a physical and audio book with extra brava to author and audiobook reader! Read more

Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space

A Literary Mixtape

By: Rémy Ngamije
Narrated by: Janina Edwards, Aaron Goodson, Dennis Kleinman & Anthony Oseyemi
Length: 8 hours 19 minutes

In this “absolute marvel of a book” (Dinaw Mengestu, author of Someone Like Us), acclaimed author Remy Ngamije offers up a vibrant collection of award-winning short fiction.

Presented as a literary mixtape, Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space is a work that provides you with a uniquely modern reading experience. The A-Side, read as one... Read more

The Queens of Crime

A Novel

By: Marie Benedict
Narrated by: Bessie Carter
Length: 10 hours 23 minutes

“I really enjoyed this book about five well-known women mystery writers who gather in the 1930s to solve a crime. It's marvelous. Read more

Rental House

A Novel

By: Weike Wang
Narrated by: Jen Zhao
Length: 5 hours 47 minutes

“Weike Wang’s sharp insights on marriage, family, and home shine on every page of this slim novel. A treat for anyone who’s ever silently (or not so silently) questioned the absurdities of in-laws. I dare you to read this on your family vacation! Read more

I Make Envy on Your Disco

A Novel

By: Eric Schnall
Narrated by: Charlie Carver
Length: 10 hours 52 minutes

“I loved everything about it - the amalgam that was Berlin in the early 2000s, captured here so beautifully, the compelling characters, excellent dialogues, and a pace that is just right. A perfect novel for nostalgic armchair travel! Read more

Pony Confidential

By: Christina Lynch
Narrated by: Erin Moon & Blair Young
Length: 11 hours 28 minutes

“I was never a horse/pony girl. But now I’m in love with a fictional pony. Pony Confidential is the sassy, heartwarming mystery turned epic adventure you need to read. Travel across the country with a sassy, jaded pony as he searches for his owner who is accused of murder. Read more

The Queen's Cook

Queen Esther's Court: Book #1

By: Tessa Afshar
Narrated by: Rachel Botchan & Jonathan Todd Ross
Length: 12 hours 16 minutes

In the heart of ancient Persia, the empire’s Jewish citizens face an ominous edict that threatens their very existence. Roxannah, the daughter of an impoverished Persian lord, is devastated by the news but feels helpless to come to the aid of her Jewish friends. Desperate to support her family, Roxannah approaches the royal physician, Adin—the... Read more

What the Chicken Knows

A New Appreciation of the World's Most Familiar Bird

By: Sy Montgomery
Narrated by: Sy Montgomery
Length: 2 hours 17 minutes

“As someone who grew up with chickens but never positively connected with them, Sy Montgomery's What the Chicken Knows transformed my perspective. In this short yet powerful book, Montgomery reveals the surprising intelligence and charm of these often misunderstood birds. She helps readers discover what most of us have overlooked about these... Read more

Like Mother, Like Mother

A Novel

By: Susan Rieger
Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
Length: 10 hours 59 minutes

“Lila was a compelling character from beginning to end. I found the interweaving of scandalous political storylines to be both timely and surprisingly fun to read. This book takes the concept of good motherhood and twists it back and forth until it fits. I loved it! Read more

By Any Other Name

A Novel

By: Jodi Picoult
Narrated by: Billie Fulford-Brown, Laura Benanti, Jodi Picoult, Jayne Entwistle, Andrew Fallaize, Joe Jameson, John Lee, Nicholas Guy Smith, Simon Vance & Steve West
Length: 18 hours 25 minutes

“This is a fascinating story and so well researched! The full cast audio makes this a perfect listen! Read more

We're Alone

Essays

By: Edwidge Danticat
Narrated by: Edwidge Danticat
Length: 4 hours 35 minutes

“One of my favorite authors is Edwidge Danticat; her writing is beautiful. She does a great job of narrating this book of essays. Danticat covers a lot of ground; from her childhood, to current events in Haiti. If you'd like to gain a sense of Haitian history and what it's like to be an immigrant from Haiti, this book is enlightening. From the... Read more

The Life Impossible

A Novel

By: Matt Haig
Narrated by: Joanna Lumley & Jordan Stephens
Length: 10 hours 42 minutes

“Matt Haig does it again! If you loved The Midnight Library, you will love this book. A science fiction novel that takes you on an exciting magical journey through all the hard feelings and self discovery. It was a book that made me sad when it ended but left me smiling and thinking about my own life, and all the things that bring me joy. Read more