Owl's Nest Books What We're Reading!

The Curse of Pietro Houdini

A Novel

By: Derek B. Miller
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
Length: 11 hours 23 minutes

“Fourteen year-old Massimo is orphaned when the Americans bomb Rome in 1943, and rescued by a mysterious but trustworthy aging man, who calls himself Pietro Houdini. Together they 'lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill, and sin' their way to survival, while rescuing priceless masterpieces from the art collection of the abbey of Montecassino. This... Read more

After Annie

A Novel

By: Anna Quindlen
Narrated by: Gilli Messer
Length: 7 hours 49 minutes

“A heartfelt story about loss: How does Annie’s husband, children and her best friend figure out who they are after she suddenly dies? No one knows. The husband is overwhelmed, the daughter has to care for her siblings, and the best friend struggles to stay clean. The story unfolds over four seasons, with Annie present in their thoughts and... Read more

A Wild and Heavenly Place

By: Robin Oliveira
Narrated by: Angus King, Katy Townsend & Tavia Gilbert
Length: 12 hours 46 minutes

“The magnificent prose, the wonderful sense of place and the compelling historical details of life in the early days of Seattle would be enough to make this a fabulous book but combined with the constant struggle between love and duty, the hardships faced by the main characters, the never ending love between Samuel and Hailey and the beautiful... Read more

Family Family

A Novel

By: Laurie Frankel
Narrated by: Laurie Frankel & Patti Murin
Length: 14 hours 57 minutes

“Laurie Frankel is becoming one of my must-read authors. In Family Family, she weaves a complex story around families formed and cemented by adoption. Frankel’s books are gems for handselling; I can’t wait to put this into readers’ hands. Read more

The Bullet Swallower

A Novel

By: Elizabeth Gonzalez James
Narrated by: Lee Osorio
Length: 9 hours 59 minutes

“Elizabeth Gonzales James blends horror and humor in her genre-blending, Faustian, western, adventure, family saga, odyssey. The tale is set in Mexico/Texas in two different time frames, focusing on the Sonoro family. I'm so glad I read this! Oh and magical realism! So well produced for audio! Read more

The Heiress

A Novel

By: Rachel Hawkins
Narrated by: Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla & Patti Murin
Length: 8 hours 20 minutes

“What is not to love about family drama, murder, secrets, twists and lies upon lies upon lies! Kalynn, Anna and I tore through this thriller and could not wait to discuss with each other and recommend to you! Read more

Pox Romana

The Plague That Shook the Roman World

Turning Points in Ancient History

By: Colin Elliott
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
Length: 10 hours 59 minutes

This audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell gives a dramatic account of the Antonine plague, the mysterious disease that struck the Roman Empire at its pinnacle In the middle of the second century AD, Rome was at its prosperous and powerful apex. The emperor Marcus Aurelius reigned over a vast territory that stretched from Britain to Egypt.... Read more

The Wager

A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder

By: David Grann
Narrated by: Dion Graham & David Grann
Length: 8 hours 28 minutes

“An absorbing non-fiction nautical shipwreck thriller, this is the story of the ill-fated journey of The Wager in 1740-41 as it attempts to to sail round Cape Horn, the treacherous tip of South America. The hardships seem unreal: starvation, illness (scurvy, typhus), death, but also murder and a mutinous crew, never mind the truly wild weather... Read more

Dulcinea

A Novel

By: Ana Veciana-Suarez
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Length: 10 hours 4 minutes

A feminist Shakespeare in Love reimagining of Cervantes, Dulcinea tells the story of Dolça, the fictional muse behind Don Quixote—a must-read for fans of Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks and The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. The daughter of a wealthy merchant, young Dolça Llull Prat is besotted with the dashing, bootstrapping Miguel... Read more

The Library of the Unwritten

A Novel from Hell's Library: Book #1

By: A. J. Hackwith
Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
Length: 13 hours 57 minutes

In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.

Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in... Read more

The Star and the Strange Moon

By: Constance Sayers
Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers, Josh Hurley & Helen Laser
Length: 15 hours 58 minutes

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.  

A vanished star. A haunted film. A mystery only love can unravel…
 
1968: Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Now the actress is on the cusp of obscurity. When she’s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma... Read more

A Fire So Wild

A Novel

By: Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
Narrated by: Marisha Tapera
Length: 6 hours 49 minutes

Zibby Mag, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, and She Reads Most Anticipated Book of the Year“Grossman balances the social and political, the emotional and physical, with insight and precision. Her disparate characters all hail from different worlds, and it’s a horrific thrill to witness their dramas unfurl and collide.""—New York Times Book... Read more

The MANIAC

By: Benjamin Labatut
Narrated by: Gergo Danka & Eva Magyar
Length: 9 hours 50 minutes

“After reading When We Cease To Understand The World, I was immediately anticipating whatever Benjamin Labatut would release next. With The MANIAC, Labatut strikes gold again. This time he takes his truth based fictional approach and hones in on one man, John von Neumann, whose range of expertise includes mathematics, quantum physics, nuclear... Read more

The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick

A Novel

By: Ariel Lawhon
Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer & Ariel Lawhon
Length: 15 hours 5 minutes

“I tend to struggle a little with fiction on audio - I'm always afraid I'll lose the characters or the story! But The Frozen River is an engaging listen that hooked me from the first hour. The story is interesting and a part of history I know little about. The narration is wonderful; I feel like I'm back in 1700s Maine and it's been a great book... Read more

The Phoenix Crown

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn & Janie Chang
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld & Katharine Chin
Length: 11 hours 34 minutes

From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles.San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very... Read more

Beautyland

By: Marie-Helene Bertino
Narrated by: Andi Arndt
Length: 8 hours 56 minutes

“I've decided Beautyland is my favorite book of all time. It’s dripping in sincerity, vulnerability, and ironically(!) humanity. I laughed out loud and often, I made extreme outward noises of heartache, and I often had to pause reading just to shut the book and hug it. As soon as I was done, I read it again. Read more

The Tainted Cup

Shadow of the Leviathan: Book #1

By: Robert Jackson Bennett
Narrated by: Andrew Fallaize
Length: 13 hours 50 minutes

“Ever read a Sherlock Holmes story and thought, 'wow, this mystery could use more krakens?' This is the book for you! Granted, the krakens (titans or leviathans as they are called here) don’t make too much of a physical appearance, but what you’ll get instead are superpowered people augmented by pieces of leviathans, victims murdered by trees... Read more

Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club)

A Novel

By: Ann Napolitano
Narrated by: Maura Tierney
Length: 15 hours 6 minutes

“This entertaining novel brings you fully into the richly detailed and realistic lives of the four Padavano sisters and their family. You'll alternately want to shake these characters out of their flaws and hug them. Read more

Big Swiss

A Novel

By: Jen Beagin
Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Carlotta Brentan, Stephen Graybill, Joy Osmanski & Matt Pittenger
Length: 11 hours 15 minutes

“If you're looking for a sapphic romp with dark humor that's comparable to Ottessa Moshfegh, look no further than to Big Swiss by Jen Beagin! Greta is a transcriber for a sex therapist and begins a torrid affair with one of his clients after meeting her in their small town dog park. With sarcastic prose, an outlandish narrator, and sapphic... Read more

Amazing Grace Adams

A Novel

By: Fran Littlewood
Narrated by: Claire Skinner
Length: 9 hours 51 minutes

“A moving novel about a mother grappling with a past tragedy and oncoming perimenopause. Estranged from her daughter and with a pending divorce, she fights back and shows her family who she really is and how she will not give up on them. Or herself. Read more