June's Bookseller-Recommended Audiobooks

“Joseph Cassara's debut novel follows the life of Angel, a young transgender woman who goes on to become the "House Mother" of the legendary House of Xtravaganza. Gritty, yet always tender, House of Impossible Beauties explores the 1980's Harlem drag ball scene made famous in Jennie Livingston's documentary Paris is Burning in a way that is humanizing, deeply interesting, and impossible to put down. I was so entranced with this book that I went through it twice: once on the page and once on audio, which might have been an even more interesting experience, simply because narrator Christian Barillas presents a singular performance, uniquely emulating each character in a way that tattoos them indelibly on the mind. A 10/10 listening experience.”

“Drawing on her experiences of growing up in the Cayman Islands, attending university in London, and practicing law, outstanding debut author Sara Collins has drawn a character one will not soon forget. Told with evocative language, Frannie Langton’s confession is a life story not to be missed. Raised on a sugar plantation in Jamaica, then transported to a life of servitude in London, Frannie lives a life of twists and turns of love and betrayal that will both shock and intrigue you. I was as tense as she was waiting for the verdict to be handed down. Thank you, Sara Collins!”

“Le swoon. I feel so healed. This book is pure and wonderful and and hilarious and utterly charming. Talia Hibbert has made a fake-dating trope convert out of me - her execution was just that perfect. Dani Brown is the career-focused nerd so many women have been told not to be and I felt so seen in her struggles to balance her needs in a relationship. Zafir Ansari is one of the kindest souls and his mental health and grief struggles were all too relatable. Add a dash of smash the patriarchy, all the sarcasm, and a hint of steam and I do believe you have a perfect concoction to escape the 2020 madness.”

“"All we owe to each other is the best we have to give." This is now underlined along with several other lines like "God, this boy's laugh could eclipse the sun." I flew through this book, but did pause a couple of times to look up a few unfamiliar-to-me words. This is the first book I've read about a transgender teen, and it won't be the last. Look, high school is hard enough with all the different cliques, bullying, keeping up with others, daily fashion show, and what car you drive. Being yourself, having good friends, being supported, and most importantly being loved (plus hot chocolate and macarons) is crucial. Such a delightful book with sweet characters, kind gestures, physical touch, and more. Simply one of the best YA books I've read in a long time. Bravo to Jasper Sanchez!”

“I am fairly new to audiobooks because I've found myself to be incredibly picky when it comes to narration. That being said, I couldn't have picked a better book to listen to. Not only is this a beautiful and important story, but the narrators are nothing short of brilliant. I still think about this one often and highly recommend!”

“Pizza Girl, set in a Los Angeles neighborhood, explores the tangled mess of a young pregnant girl’s life. While this charming 18-year-old pizza delivery driver has a devoted mom and a committed boyfriend, she grieves her dad, a complete loser, and mucks through her existence with no direction or motivation. Meeting a bizarre array of customers on any given night is the norm. One night, an unusual request by suburban mom Jenny for a pickle-topped pizza sparks an obsessive relationship. A fast-paced, fresh story with smart observations of a completely screwed up situation, a modernly tragic girl, and witty, yet flawed characters... Jean Kyoung Frazier delivers a satisfying read.”

“Something to Talk About is an incredible debut about a Hollywood showrunner, Jo, and her assistant, Emma, who realize the tabloids may be correct in thinking there is something romantic between the two of them. The slowest of slow-burn romances in the best possible way, Something to Talk About touches on the #MeToo movement, the meaning of consent, and what it means to be a powerful woman in Hollywood.”

“For Brandi Carlile fans, her memoir Broken Horses is an intimate look into her life and her music. I always pull up songs mention in books I am reading, but in this case, the Libro.fm audiobook makes it even better. Brandi not only reads, but sings throughout the book. ”

“The twelve Black British women who are the central characters in Bernardine Evaristo's GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER are so vastly different that when their connections are slowly revealed, like a spider web you didn't see until the light hits it just so, you'll settle in and become entranced. I loved this deep dive into a part of British culture that isn't often depicted. The form is unusual but once you give yourself over to it, you'll see why it works. I particularly loved the last part of the book which reminded me of enjoying a long leisurely meal and still leaving room for the perfect dessert. The ending was terribly satisfying. Highly recommend.”

“People will often refer to a book as one that’s ‘unlike anything they’ve ever read before,’ but for maybe the first time in my reading life, I can honestly say that about K.M. Szpara’s Docile. This erotic speculative science fiction novel takes place in a frighteningly plausible future where people become ‘dociles’ — essentially indentured slaves working off debt — and explores themes of consent, capitalism, and the abuse cycle. A visceral reading experience that will challenge, confront, titillate, and disgust, Docile feels like a book we will be talking about for decades.”

“Chubby femme bisexual from Louisiana meets effortlessly cool butch Chinese American, except the latter is from the 1970s and is stuck on the subway. Both August and Jane have bounced around the country looking for a home (and an identity), only to meet in New York in what should have been impossible circumstances. August had an unconventional childhood surrounded by a never ending investigation into a missing relative, and Jane survived the violence against queer people as a revolutionary in the gay liberation movement. Of course they fall in love. With a very diverse cast of characters and a race to save a neighborhood landmark, One Last Stop explores community and queer magic in more ways than one. ”

“Vern is fleeing an abusive cult that targets Black people. As their body mutates into something entirely new, Vern must face the past before they can move towards their future. This book is many things: an adult fairytale, a Southern gothic horror, a thriller that twists and turns. A testament to forging pain into strength, this book is unlike anything else you’ve read.”

“Excuse my French here, but The Bright Lands is one scary-ass book. Think Friday Night Lights rewritten by Stephen King. Set in where else but high-school-football-obsessed Texas, the story revolves around the brutal murder of the Bison's quarterback. When his brother comes back for the funeral, the homophobic culture of his hometown seems to have frightened and irreparably harmed more than just him. It's filled with sexy, homoerotic tension and builds to a nail-biting finish. Leave the lights on while you listen.”

“Broken People tells one man’s deeply personal story of confronting insecurities, obsessions, and frustrations while challenging many current cultural constructs. The pain and self-doubt will be recognized by many a reader, who will in equal measure cheer and thank Lansky for sharing a hopeful journey to forgiveness.”

“This memoir by black and gay poet Saeed Jones is a visceral coming of age and coming out story. Growing up as an only child to his single mother in Texas and spending summers with his evangelical grandmother in Memphis, Jones struggles to come to terms with his sexuality, to come out of the closet, and to love himself. He wrestles with his fractured identity, learning what it means to be gay in the black community, to be black in the gay community, and to realize that either one on its own is enough to get you killed in a straight, white world. There are passages that will bruise and choke you, but ultimately both Jones and the reader come out of the book all the better for it.”

“In this thoughtful and immersive chronicle of the 1980 murders that thrust West Virginia’s Pocahontas County into the national spotlight, Eisenberg seeks to better understand not only the crimes and their aftermath, but also the lasting impact the region (which she came to know independent of her inquiry) had on her. A complex and captivating read, The Third Rainbow Girl weaves true crime with memoir to stunning effect.”

“Sasha Masha is an #OwnVoices queer coming-of-age story featuring Alex, who might be trans. By the end of the story, he’s not sure of his pronouns, but he knows his name—it’s Sasha Masha. Sasha Masha, who wears dresses and lipstick and dances and feels beautiful. This book—warm and sweet, with a few cringe-worthy high school stumbles that turn out okay—is a glimpse into how Alex lets Sasha Masha come through. It illustrates especially how unconditionally loving and accepting queer people can be of each other. I loved Agnes Borinsky’s natural writing style, which was made even better when read in her voice.”

“This book hurt. It still hurts. But it was so good. It took me on a whole journey, and brought me to my destination just like it intended the whole time. The author’s note at the end made me cry! The sheer NEED from this book, the way the main relationship develops and shifts, and how you PERCEIVE the main relationship develops and shifts. I’m in awe of Ancrum’s writing. If you like to read dynamics that are feral and needy and desperate and wanting and D/S vibes and lowkey super unhealthy but with the potential, with work, to become healthy and beautiful and right, read this book.”

“After her father commits suicide, Jessa is tasked with saving her family’s taxidermy business from going bankrupt. She also has to take care of her family’s strange problems — including her mother’s affinity for turning their taxidermy into risqué works of art. Mostly Dead Things is a fun, eccentric book with a steamy lesbian romance, ongoing sibling rivalry, and dark confessions of a family that is willing to go the mile in order to make ends meet. Stuffed with humor, heartfelt moments, and some gritty bits, Arnett’s writing will make you laugh, cry, and wonder how an author’s first novel can be so engaging and well-written!”