Every month, AudioFile Magazine reviewers and editors select the best new audiobooks just for BookTrib’s readers. This month, listeners visit a small island in the Gulf of Finland, banter with book lovers, meet the man Jane Goodall dubbed the “chimp whisperer” and much, much more. So, grab your earbuds and queue ’em up!
by Farah Heron | Read by Soneela Nankani
Hachette Audio | 10.75 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
The remarkably talented narrator Soneela Nankani performs this feel-good romance flawlessly. Kamila Hussain is living the perfect life — though, her love life has been a little dry lately. She also has her longtime friend Rohan Nasser — but why are his forearms suddenly making her belly flop? And why is Rohan spending so much time with her nemesis? Nankani is a wizard at producing emotive, authentic and distinct voices for each character. There are delicious discussions of food, loveable puppies, Bollywood movie nights and subtle hints of Jane Austen’s Emma. This is the perfect pairing of author and narrator — and a must-listen.
Written and read by Viola Davis
Harper Audio | 9.25 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
Actor Viola Davis doesn’t mince words. Her audiobook captures the voice of a woman with a fascinating, heartbreaking lived experience. Davis’ performance here is essentially a one-woman show, bringing listeners in close from the first moments. While she was growing up in a condemned property, her family struggled with poverty. But her hard work and talent brought her to the Juilliard School. Davis describes how her true artistic connection came when she traveled to Africa. She is the consummate actor and storyteller, perfect for the audiobook medium. Her voice is vulnerable yet strong. The result is electric.
by Tove Jansson, Thomas Teal [Trans.] | Read by Natasha Soudek
Tantor Media | 4.5 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
This gem conjures the timeless feeling of languid summer days. Natasha Soudek narrates vignettes of a grandmother and her young granddaughter, Sophia, who are spending their summer together on a small island in the Gulf of Finland. They go on adventures, explore their environs and converse about life. Soudek is expressive as she portrays the gravelly voiced, sometimes prickly grandmother and the emotive, excitable, curious child. Overall, the pacing is slow in a good way as a contemplative, dreamy feeling evokes the sense of being on a small island, surrounded by the treasures of nature, with nothing particularly urgent to do.
by David R. Gillham | Read by Suzanne Toren
Recorded Books | 16 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
Suzanne Toren’s performance is a tour de force. In 1955, in New York City, Rachel, a Jewish refugee, is plagued by guilt for her actions during WWII. She has “episodes” that land her in a straitjacket at Bellevue. Her supportive American husband believes that having a child is their duty to the future. Rachel’s reasons for denying them this joy are always clear, thanks to Toren’s lush voice and understated delivery. Every word rings true, every powerful emotion tugs at the heart, and her Yiddish is faultless. As this novel questions whether the past can be redeemed by the future, Toren is simply outstanding.
by Sarai Walker | Read by January LaVoy
Harper Audio | 15.5 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
January LaVoy narrates a chilling audiobook, complete with ghosts, madness and secrets. LaVoy channels Sylvia Wren, a world-famous, reclusive Arizona artist being hounded by a journalist who’s threatening to reveal Sylvia’s real identity: heiress to the Chapel Firearms fortune, Iris Chapel. One-upping the reporter, Sylvia writes her own memoir, offering a disturbing look at her childhood. LaVoy navigates the backstory smoothly, becoming each of the six doomed Chapel sisters and their Cassandra-like mother, who foresees “something terrible” for her daughters if they marry. LaVoy’s intimate breathy tones create the perfect gothic ambiance.
Written and read by Elizabeth Acevedo
Harper Audio | 5 mins.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
Poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s narration of her groundbreaking spoken-word poem resonates with love, understanding and heartbreak. With a thrumming rhythm and exquisitely placed pauses, Acevedo celebrates the beauty and import of Black hair and pride in Dominican heritage. Her voice dips in sorrow as she notes too many Black women and girls are forced to feel that their hair needs to be “fixed,” for only white hair can be beautiful. Acevedo’s response is delivered with passionate fury: “You can’t fix what was never broken.” This audio, while brief, is packed with insights and clarity.
by Emily Henry | Read by Julia Whelan
Penguin Audio | 11.5 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
Julia Whelan’s dynamic performance will have listeners savoring every literary reference in Henry’s romance novel. Nora is unlucky in romantic love, but she loves her work as a literary agent, her home in New York City and her sister, Libby. When Libby persuades Nora to vacation with her in rural North Carolina, plans go awry when Nora runs into publishing nemesis Charlie. As rapid-fire insults evolve into flirty banter, Nora questions how regular life can resume once vacation ends. Whelan excels at character portrayals, and her care makes every one vividly real. (BookTrib’s review.)
Zabar’s: A Family Story, with Recipes
by Lori Zabar, Julia Moskin [Fore.] | Read by Erin Bennett
Random House Audio | 7 hrs.
Erin Bennett narrates this insider history of a New York institution — the famed Jewish deli Zabar’s — with the right blend of appreciation and conviction. She takes on the tone of a loving family member. The late Lori Zabar, granddaughter of immigrant founders Lou and Lilly, shares the past, warts and all. They started the business in 1934 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan; it has thrived and remains under the management of the same family, now in its fourth generation. Zabar’s continues to serve its celebrated smoked fish, offer more than a thousand cheeses and sell a floor of upscale housewares. This engaging audiobook leaves the listener hungry for a toasted bagel with Nova (lox) and a schmear.
by Kim Hooper | Read by Stephanie Willing, Pete Cross
Dreamscape | 11.75 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
Narrators Stephanie Willing and Pete Cross transform themselves into a father-daughter duo who are searching for healing in a time of loss. Dave, who has Asperger’s, and his 15-year-old daughter, Chloe, are meandering through their lives without their late wife and mother, Jana. As Dave reminisces about his life, Chloe explores a new relationship with classmate Edie. Both Cross and Willing are convincing as they portray Dave and Chloe’s uncertainty about how to become the best father or daughter to each other, and their bond sounds real. A beautiful performance on grief and love.
The Chimpanzee Whisperer: A Life Of Love and Loss, Compassion and Conservation
by Stany Nyandwi, David Blissett, Dr. Jane Goodall [Fore.] | Read by Dion Graham, Callie Beaulieu [Fore.]
OrangeSky Audio | 6.75 hrs.
AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
This audiobook explores the life of Stany Nyandwi, a gifted African primatologist whose talents and ability to communicate with chimpanzees led famed researcher Jane Goodall to describe him as a “chimp whisperer.” Narrator Dion Graham so inhabits the memoir that listeners easily could swear he’s the author. He adopts an accent that to Western ears sounds authentic without affectation or loss of understanding. Graham captures the heartache that comes from the author’s experiences in Burundi’s ethnic civil war, his long separation from his family and his joy at his family’s reunification after months of uncertainty. The author’s stories about interactions with individual chimps are among the best passages.
Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron
The remarkably talented narrator Soneela Nankani performs this feel-good romance flawlessly. Kamila Hussain is living the perfect life — though, her love life has been a little dry lately. She also has her longtime friend Rohan Nasser — but why are his forearms suddenly making her belly flop? And why is Rohan spending so much time with her nemesis? Nankani is a wizard at producing emotive, authentic and distinct voices for each character. There are delicious discussions of food, loveable puppies, Bollywood movie nights and subtle hints of Jane Austen’s Emma. This is the perfect pairing of author and narrator — and a must-listen.
Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis
Actor Viola Davis doesn’t mince words. Her audiobook captures the voice of a woman with a fascinating, heartbreaking lived experience. Davis’ performance here is essentially a one-woman show, bringing listeners in close from the first moments. While she was growing up in a condemned property, her family struggled with poverty. But her hard work and talent brought her to the Juilliard School. Davis describes how her true artistic connection came when she traveled to Africa. She is the consummate actor and storyteller, perfect for the audiobook medium. Her voice is vulnerable yet strong. The result is electric.
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
This gem conjures the timeless feeling of languid summer days. Natasha Soudek narrates vignettes of a grandmother and her young granddaughter, Sophia, who are spending their summer together on a small island in the Gulf of Finland. They go on adventures, explore their environs and converse about life. Soudek is expressive as she portrays the gravelly voiced, sometimes prickly grandmother and the emotive, excitable, curious child. Overall, the pacing is slow in a good way as a contemplative, dreamy feeling evokes the sense of being on a small island, surrounded by the treasures of nature, with nothing particularly urgent to do.
Shadows of Berlin by David R. Gillham
Suzanne Toren’s performance is a tour de force. In 1955, in New York City, Rachel, a Jewish refugee, is plagued by guilt for her actions during WWII. She has “episodes” that land her in a straitjacket at Bellevue. Her supportive American husband believes that having a child is their duty to the future. Rachel’s reasons for denying them this joy are always clear, thanks to Toren’s lush voice and understated delivery. Every word rings true, every powerful emotion tugs at the heart, and her Yiddish is faultless. As this novel questions whether the past can be redeemed by the future, Toren is simply outstanding.
The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker
January LaVoy narrates a chilling audiobook, complete with ghosts, madness and secrets. LaVoy channels Sylvia Wren, a world-famous, reclusive Arizona artist being hounded by a journalist who’s threatening to reveal Sylvia’s real identity: heiress to the Chapel Firearms fortune, Iris Chapel. One-upping the reporter, Sylvia writes her own memoir, offering a disturbing look at her childhood. LaVoy navigates the backstory smoothly, becoming each of the six doomed Chapel sisters and their Cassandra-like mother, who foresees “something terrible” for her daughters if they marry. LaVoy’s intimate breathy tones create the perfect gothic ambiance.
Inheritance: A Visual Poem by Elizabeth Acevedo
Poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s narration of her groundbreaking spoken-word poem resonates with love, understanding and heartbreak. With a thrumming rhythm and exquisitely placed pauses, Acevedo celebrates the beauty and import of Black hair and pride in Dominican heritage. Her voice dips in sorrow as she notes too many Black women and girls are forced to feel that their hair needs to be “fixed,” for only white hair can be beautiful. Acevedo’s response is delivered with passionate fury: “You can’t fix what was never broken.” This audio, while brief, is packed with insights and clarity.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Julia Whelan’s dynamic performance will have listeners savoring every literary reference in Henry’s romance novel. Nora is unlucky in romantic love, but she loves her work as a literary agent, her home in New York City and her sister, Libby. When Libby persuades Nora to vacation with her in rural North Carolina, plans go awry when Nora runs into publishing nemesis Charlie. As rapid-fire insults evolve into flirty banter, Nora questions how regular life can resume once vacation ends. Whelan excels at character portrayals, and her care makes every one vividly real. (BookTrib’s review.)
Zabar's: A Family Story, with Recipes by Lori Zabar, Julia Moskin
Erin Bennett narrates this insider history of a New York institution — the famed Jewish deli Zabar’s — with the right blend of appreciation and conviction. She takes on the tone of a loving family member. The late Lori Zabar, granddaughter of immigrant founders Lou and Lilly, shares the past, warts and all. They started the business in 1934 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan; it has thrived and remains under the management of the same family, now in its fourth generation. Zabar’s continues to serve its celebrated smoked fish, offer more than a thousand cheeses and sell a floor of upscale housewares. This engaging audiobook leaves the listener hungry for a toasted bagel with Nova (lox) and a schmear.
Ways the World Could End by Kim Hooper
Narrators Stephanie Willing and Pete Cross transform themselves into a father-daughter duo who are searching for healing in a time of loss. Dave, who has Asperger’s, and his 15-year-old daughter, Chloe, are meandering through their lives without their late wife and mother, Jana. As Dave reminisces about his life, Chloe explores a new relationship with classmate Edie. Both Cross and Willing are convincing as they portray Dave and Chloe’s uncertainty about how to become the best father or daughter to each other, and their bond sounds real. A beautiful performance on grief and love.
The Chimpanzee Whisperer: A Life Of Love and Loss, Compassion and Conservation by Stany Nyandwi, David Blissett, Dr. Jane Goodall
This audiobook explores the life of Stany Nyandwi, a gifted African primatologist whose talents and ability to communicate with chimpanzees led famed researcher Jane Goodall to describe him as a “chimp whisperer.” Narrator Dion Graham so inhabits the memoir that listeners easily could swear he’s the author. He adopts an accent that to Western ears sounds authentic without affectation or loss of understanding. Graham captures the heartache that comes from the author’s experiences in Burundi’s ethnic civil war, his long separation from his family and his joy at his family’s reunification after months of uncertainty. The author’s stories about interactions with individual chimps are among the best passages.
