Audiobook Reviews & Recommendations | |
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June Audiobook Picks
Visit fifteenth-century China, dive into the world of a famous art thief, and get swept up in a joyful queer romance with our audiobook recommendations this week. And don’t miss our new conversation with 2023 Golden Voice Nicholas Boulton. Happy listening!
Browse our newest reviews.
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Photo by David Noles
Narrator Jennifer Lim
“Narrating this book was a pure delight. Immersed in a vivid world of female empowerment and resilience, I found myself captivated by the experiences of the women of that era. It’s a powerful testament to their indomitable spirit, strength, camaraderie, and resourcefulness. A true tribute to the enduring power of women.”
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LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN
Jennifer Lim’s immersive narration takes listeners to fifteenth-century China for a fictional account of the life of a woman doctor, Tan Yunxian. In an era when well-born women existed solely to produce heirs, Yunxian was trained by her grandparents, both doctors, to treat the illnesses of women. Lim’s performance captures all the fascinating, if disturbing, details and the courtly intrigue surrounding aristocratic life during the Ming dynasty.
AudioFile Earphones Award
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Photo by Jeff Vespa
Narrator Edoardo Ballerini
“As the son of an art historian, I read Michael Finkel's THE ART THIEF with particular fascination. This true-crime story of the world's most prolific art thief is sure to delight not just art lovers, but anyone who loves a good story well told.”
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THE ART THIEF
Edoardo Ballerini performs his customary magic, enhancing this memorable portrait of Stéphane Breitwieser, the sly European thief who pilfered nearly $2 billion in art objects—treasures he and his girlfriend hoarded in his mother’s attic.
AudioFile Earphones Award
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Photo by Violeta Meyners
Narrator Nicky Endres
“I totally fell in love with CHEF'S CHOICE, and it was an absolute pleasure to narrate it. This is the Trans-for-Trans rom-com we deserve, featuring multiple authentic perspectives about what it is to be Trans in the modern world in such a way that makes Trans and Queer folks feel represented while also inviting cis/het folks into our world in an easy, caring way. I got to brush off my French, flex my comedy muscles, and wholeheartedly inhabit both sides of a romance with such chemistry, it had me swooning, laughing, and weeping in my booth.”
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CHEF’S CHOICE
To secure his inheritance, the son of a famous French chef needs a woman to pretend to be his girlfriend and help him in a cooking competition. Absurd, maybe, but it doesn’t matter because everything about this queer romance is delightful, including Nicky Endres’s narration. They create wonderfully unique voices for the two trans protagonists. An exuberant romp is full of trans joy (and lots of cheese).
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Narrator Nicholas Boulton joined host Jo Reed on a bonus episode of our Behind the Mic podcast to talk about being named a 2023 Golden Voice. Nicholas is an accomplished actor on stage and screen and in audio, with more than 100 audiobooks to his name. He's celebrated for the pure quality of his voice, his facility for character, and an unerring instinct for storytelling. While he’s well known for his narration in classics and historical romance audiobooks, he has a great range that includes fantasy, history, biography, and contemporary fiction. Listen to the episode. | |
MORE NEW RELEASES TO EXPLORE | |
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THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND
Elin Hilderbrand, read by Erin Bennett
| Erin Bennett shines in this story of loss, friendship, forgiveness, and love. Hollis Shaw grew up on Nantucket but built a life away from the island after college. From the outside, her life appears perfect. But after the untimely death of her husband, Hollis must rebuild, so she hosts a “Five Star Weekend” with four friends from different parts of her life. As each woman brings secrets to the weekend, Bennett’s tone, pacing, and inflections perfectly match the characters and storylines. | Find more NEW Fiction reviews. | | | |
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BANYAN MOON
Thao Thai, read by Cindy Kay, Catherine Ho, Elyse Dinh
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Narrators Catherine Ho, Cindy Kay, and Elyse Dinh work together beautifully to portray three memorable Vietnamese American women in this immersive multigenerational saga. The story shifts from 1960s Vietnam to present-day Florida and Michigan as the point of view alternates among Huong; her daughter, Ann; and Huong's mother, Minh. Each narrator superbly creates a fully realized woman who is grappling with life's complexities and with each other.
AudioFile Earphones Award
| Find more NEW Fiction reviews. | | | |
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PSYCHE AND EROS
Luna McNamara, read by Rachel Petladwala, Joshua Riley
| This creative retelling of the classic Greek myth is an engaging listen. Narrators Rachel Petladwala, voicing Psyche, and Joshua Riley, voicing Eros, alternate chapters as the reimagined story unfolds. Eros, who is tired of the world’s chaos, is sent to deliver a curse to Psyche. She is a rebel who is determined to push back against societal expectations of women. Presenting the myth from both points of view adds to the vivid descriptions and development of the well-rounded characters. | Find more NEW Fiction reviews. | | | |
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