2022 AudioFile Earphone Awards

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • “A heartwarming mystery with a lovable oddball at its center” (Real Simple), this cozy whodunit introduces a one-of-a-kind heroine who will steal your heart.
 
“The reader comes to understand Molly’s worldview, and to sympathize with her longing to be accepted—a quest that gives... Read more »

“Just as awe-inspiring as the Nobel judges claimed.” – The Washington Post

“Olga Tokarczuk is one of our greatest living fiction writers. . . This could well be a decade-defining book akin to Bolaño’s 2666.” –AV Club

“Sophisticated and ribald and brimming with folk wit. . . The comedy in this novel blends, as it does in life, with genuine... Read more »

Shortlisted for the 2021 Costa Novel Award

In this powerful, highly anticipated novel from an award-winning author, four people attempt to make a home in the midst of environmental disaster.

Perched on a sloping hill, set away from a small town by the sea, the High House has a tide pool and a mill, a vegetable garden, and, most importantly, a... Read more »

The incredible true story of the last ship to carry enslaved people to America, the remarkable town its survivors founded after emancipation, and the complicated legacy their descendants carry with them to this day—by the journalist who discovered the ship’s remains.

Fifty years after the Atlantic slave trade was outlawed, the Clotilda became the... Read more »

A bold and original argument that upends the myth of the Fifties as a decade of conformity to celebrate the solitary, brave, and stubborn individuals who pioneered the radical gay rights, feminist, civil rights, and environmental movements, from historian James R. Gaines.

In a fascinating and beautifully written series of character portraits, The... Read more »

We’ve all been told that thinking rationally is the key to success. But at the cutting edge of science, researchers are discovering that feeling is every bit as important as thinking.

You make hundreds of decisions every day, from what to eat for breakfast to how you should invest, and not one of those decisions would be possible without emotion.... Read more »

A captivating blend of reportage and personal narrative that explores the untold history of women’s exercise culture--from jogging and Jazzercise to Jane Fonda--and how women have parlayed physical strength into other forms of power.

For American women today, working out is as accepted as it is expected, fueling a multibillion-dollar fitness... Read more »

By fall of 1863, Union forces had taken control of Tidewater Virginia and established a toehold in eastern North Carolina, including along the Outer Banks. Thousands of freed slaves and runaways flooded the Union lines, but Confederate irregulars still roamed the region. In December, the newly formed African Brigade, a unit of these former... Read more »

If you enjoyed Red at the Bone, then you’ll love Brown Girls.

“What an absolutely gorgeous debut. The audiobook, narrated by Tashi Thomas, was more of a breathtaking performance than a mere narration. I highly recommend listening to this book and getting swept up in the life Thomas gives it. This book follows a female friend group from Queens over the course of their lives, taking us through the different paths they travel and the common experiences shared. Told in first person plural and present tense, Palasi Andreades brings an urgency to their story, a universality to their experience. By having a whole group of girls as the protagonist, we the readers are able to meander through multiple lives, always feeling allied with each."”

Julie, Pocket Books Shop

In this “riveting, atmospheric thriller that messes with your mind in the best way” (Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author), three residents of a secluded, seemingly peaceful commune investigate the disappearances of two outsiders.

Travis Wren has an unusual talent for locating missing people. Often hired by families as a last resort,... Read more »

Honor

“This is one of those books that I didn’t want to end! It is a story of an Indian -American journalist going back to India for the first time in 20 years. She returns to cover the story of a young Hindu woman who defies tradition both by working outside the home and marrying a Muslim. The consequences for her are horrific and heartbreaking, shedding light on both the traditional treatment of women and the Muslim/Hindu conflict in India. The main character is also forced to face her complicated feelings toward the land she left as a teenager. Despite the atrocities that take place, it is also a love story on several levels with wonderful characters who I wish I could revisit in a sequel.”

Beth, A Great Good Place for Books

Joan Is Okay

“A smart, moving, and entertaining book. Joan is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and an ICU doctor in New York City. There's a pandemic looming, but Joan’s going to be okay. A witty and insightful story.”

Claire Benedict, Bear Pond Books

Introduction by New York Times bestselling author Henry Louis Gates Jr. 

Spanning more than 35 years of work, the first comprehensive collection of essays, criticism, and articles by the legendary author of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston, showcasing the evolution of her distinctive style as an archivist and author.

“One of the greatest...

The School for Good Mothers

“This novel toggles between infuriating, terrifying, and comedic. An interesting study on what it means to be a woman and a mother. Extremely satisfied with an unexpected ending.”

Kristine, Buttonwood Books and Toys

Hannah Morrissey's Hello, Transcriber is a captivating mystery suspense debut featuring a female police transcriber who goes beyond the limits to solve a harrowing case.

Every night, while the street lamps shed the only light on Wisconsin's most crime-ridden city, police transcriber Hazel Greenlee listens as detectives divulge Black Harbor's...

The compulsively readable and sometimes jaw-dropping story of the life of a notorious madam who played hostess to every gangster, politician, writer, sports star and Cafe Society swell worth knowing, and who as much as any single figure helped make the twenties roar—from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Most Famous Man in... Read more »

Wish You Were Here

“This book was very well written, and although I enjoyed the writing itself, I was disappointed with the political-ness of the storyline. Did not like the big plot twist half way through. It was far fetched and took away from the where the story line was headed. That being said, I thought the narrator was great. She did an amazing job of bringing the characters and the locations to life for the reader. This one was just ok for me.”

Julie, Gottwals Books

Award-winning Lily King’s first-ever collection of exceptional and innovative short stories

With Writers & Lovers and Euphoria, Lily King’s books catapulted onto bestseller and best-of-the-year lists across the country and established her as one of our most “brilliant” (New York Times), “wildly talented” (Chicago Tribune), and beloved authors...

Crossroads

“Crossroads is Franzen's first novel since the National Book Award winning The Corrections that smacks of his original genius. Gloriously the tale of a 1960's Chicago minister led family of six is the start of a trilogy. The type of book you can't put down, I banned it from night time reading due to the thrilling descent of some of the characters. Hungry for the next two, which is saying something considering the book's 500+ pages.”

Roxanne, Bookstore1Sarasota

Apparently There Were Complaints

“If you only know Sharon Gless from Cagney & Lacey, (or my favorite, Burn Notice) you've only had 1/2 the story. Gless grew up amidst Hollywood royalty and in a family integral to LA's history. Though she certainly doesn't flaunt her famous relatives. If you can, listen to, rather than read, this one, because her voice is so iconic and to hear her give voice to her story is the best way to experience it. Hers is the one of the best examples of why biographies are so fun: self deprecating, good humored, raucous and charming. However you experience the book, it's so worth the time.”

Charity, Schuler Books