Ghosts, goblins, witches and zombies are coming out to play tomorrow. We’ll be hiding out, eating chocolate bars and listening to some awesome Halloween audio…BOO! Scare ya?  We didn’t think so. How about we just stick to recommending some scary, creepy, all out frightening audio books that might just—fair warning—keep you up at night?

If you’re up for a scare, listen to these great stories starring monsters, spirits, murderers and more—these audio books are sure to send shivers and spine-chilling terror through you, long after the last trick-or-treater rings your doorbell.

Title: We Need to Talk About Kevin
Author: Lionel Shiver
Narrator: Coleen Marlo
Length: 16 hours, 10 minutes

With so many options for entertainment these days, I wanted to see if there really was a difference between different media formats; Paperback, Film or Audio book.  To do this I turned to a compelling, and at the same time repelling, book called We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (Here comes the adult content disclaimer.  We Need to Talk About Kevin deals with some pretty heavy subject matter and creates strong images that are not intended for the kidlets).

It’s hard to know where to start when reviewing this story but what it boils down to is this:  I have no idea how I feel about this story!  I’ve read it, watched it, and listened to it and I’m still torn.  It’s sad, terrifying, intriguing, brilliant and unbelievably real.  The story is told through the eyes of Eva, a mother whose son at the tender age of 15 went on a killing spree at his high school.   A chilling topic and one that is outside my normal reading choice but once I started reading/watching/listening, I couldn’t extract myself from the story.  Eva draws you in with her honesty and brings to the surface the age old question of nature vs. nurture.  Was her son born to be a killer or was it her lack of connection with him that turned him into one?  This is a story that takes an exceedingly difficult topic and turns it on its head by looking at it from a different angle.

With the paperback version, I felt compelled to keep reading.  I just couldn’t get enough of this creepy young man and his mother who is numbing herself with questions, regrets and guilt.  The film version of this story was brilliantly done.  With less dialogue and a focus on creating stunningly haunting images, Eva and Kevin’s story is brought to life.  Eva and Kevin become all too real in film and the images of the fateful night that tore this family to shreds are still playing in my mind.  With the film version, I was left simply disturbed and did not feel much towards Eva.   With the audio book version, thanks to Coleen Marlo’s excellent narration, I felt more tenderness towards Eva.   I found that with listening to the story a whole other aspect of the book was brought to the surface.  Coleen’s reading was able to bring out a more human side of Eva that I didn’t get when reading the paperback version or watching the film.  That’s not to say the audio book was not as upsetting (trust me it still leaves you feeling uncomfortable and in shock at the events leading up to the fateful night).  I think perhaps it is slightly more compelling as it felt that Eva was talking to me and not to her husband.  Eva confesses, “It’s far less important to me to be liked these days than to be understood” and it feels like she’s looking to the listener for insight as to what went wrong and how to move on with her everyday life.

So which format did I like most?  Hands down, the audio book takes this round.  Listening to the book, I was not only drawn in by the horror of the story, I was able to feel something for Eva.  So after having taken in the story in 3 different formats, I’m still torn with how I feel about it.  But what I am certain of, We Need to Talk About Kevin is a story you will not forget.

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Narrator: Carolyn McCormick
Length: 11 hours, 39 minutes

If you read our Hunger Games audio book review then you already know that we’re mega fans of Suzanne Collins’ debut book in the YA trilogy—and surprise, surprise, now we’re mega fans of the second audio book, Catching Fire, too. Some listeners found that Catching Fire didn’t meet the level of the first or third books in the series, but for us, it definitely didn’t disappoint. It’s full of plot twists and new characters (and a closer look at some of our faves from Book #1). And it’s all topped off with one of the worst (or best?!) cliffhangers we’ve ever encountered.

(Spoiler alert – if you are one of the few people left in the world who hasn’t listened to The Hunger Games audio book, turn back now!)

The eternal optimists of the world may have thought Katniss would return home and nicely settle into her new mansion in District 12 with only a few boy troubles to worry about–but us realists knew that President Snow wouldn’t let Katniss off the hook that easy.

Whipping out those poisonous berries at the end of the last Games saved both her own and Peeta’s life, but she defied the system and the Capitol, which in turn inspired others to follow suit and rebel—and let’s just say President Snow is not too happy about all of this. So instead of enjoying fame and fortune (and a lot of free food), the President changes the rules and Katniss, along with all of the remaining Victors, are forced back into the arena for the 75^th anniversary of the Games called the Quarter Quell (Hunger Games: All Stars!).

Carolyn McCormick went back into the studio to narrate the Catching Fire audio book and she does a spectacular job telling us the story. She delivers the first-person narrative of Katniss perfectly and you can sense the tension as her pace picks up throughout the intense sections of the book (which pretty much feels like the entire book).

Catching Fire is a portrait of a desperate government doing everything in their power to hold off a revolution. The Capitol’s biggest fears are realized and they can see their once-total control over the Districts begin to unravel. Katniss has become the face of a Panem rebellion—she is The Mockingjay—a symbol of freedom that inspires the Districts to finally stand up and make a change.

We’ve already hit play on the third and final book in this completely addictive series, Mockingjay, so check back for our review soon! Or if you can’t wait, find out what others are saying about the audio book by checking out reviews for Mockingjay (or any other book on your must-listen list) on other audio book web sites, like The Audiobook Store.

Candidates have hit the campaign trail, debates are heating up the airwaves and Michelle and Barack have visited The View, which means the U.S. Presidential campaign is in full swing. With the election just around the corner, we thought about dedicating this blog to the rigorous analysis of politics, polling and public opinion…but then we remembered we’re an audio book company. So we thought it was probably best to just recommend some great political books instead.

We’ve got books that offer an in-depth and fascinating look into the lives of Kennedy, Johnson and Obama as well as some other great books including Time to Start Thinking by Edward Luce, which covers a bunch of hot topics including the economy—a must-listen that The New York Times praises for “raising the right questions at the right moment.”

Whether you live in a red state, a blue state or heck, even Canada, these books will inform you, entertain you and get you into the election spirit!

Title: Juliet in August
Author: Dianne Warren
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Length: 11 hours, 20 minutes

Tons of highly anticipated books finally hit the shelves over the summer including The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner, I, Michael Bennett by James Patterson  and The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling. But, for our audio book lovers who are unaffected by a little book buzz, we have a less-hyped, hidden gem (and not to mention award-winner) for you to check out. People may not have lined up for this one…but they should have.

Juliet in August by Dianne Warren uncovers the incredible drama that can be found at the root of a seemingly quiet town. The story is set in the picturesque town of Juliet, Saskatchewan. Over the course of a single night and day, we are introduced to the overlapping lives of several of the town’s residents, each struggling with life in different ways, from a rancher afraid to take on the responsibilities his adopted parents left behind to a shy couple uncertain of their true feelings for one another. The story melds together perfectly as each of the characters’ paths intersect, but each character’s story is so beautifully written and carefully developed that they could almost stand alone.

Cassandra Campbell perfectly captures Dianne Warren’s lyrical writing style through her pensive narration, allowing the beauty and harshness of the story to shine through.

This audio book is warm and witty but it does take a while to build momentum, so patience is required. The longer you listen, the more you will become completely immersed in each character’s struggles. You will laugh with them, cry with them and come away feeling like you have a new set of friends and neighbors that you care deeply for. If you don’t believe us, take it from some pretty esteemed book critics who had this to say about the book:

“This is powerful writing—gut-wrenching and inspiring. Its drama is quiet, but in the end you hardly know what hit you.”

P.S. For all of our Facebook users out there, now you can share with your friends when you start listening to a book, brag when you’ve finished it, and tell everyone how awesome it was by recommending, sharing or posting your review to your Facebook Timeline. Log in to Audiobooks.com and get started by liking Juliet in August now.

Title: Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Narrator: Ralph Cosham
Length: 3 hours 13 minutes

“All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others.”

With all of the back-to-school excitement (ok, and probably a little dread) in the air, we decided to dig up an oldie but a goody from our high school days—a book which we didn’t fully appreciate way back in Mr. Moore’s English class. However, after listening to Animal Farm again as an older (and of course, wiser) adult, it’s clearly a story of great symbolic value and an important read for students everywhere.

Animal Farm is of course not some cutesy barnyard tale, but an allegory about George Orwell’s favorite themes. Known for taking on politics, social injustice and conformity, Orwell tells a political fable, creating simple scenarios to convey complex situations, showing how authorities use excuses to keep their power and how that power can easily be manipulated.

Sometimes there’s more to literature than meets the eye (or ear in our case) and with Animal Farm, many people discuss it in the context of communism. Even if you don’t have a handle on the Russian Revolution, if you pay more attention than we did in the tenth grade, you’ll probably pick up on the underlying reasons for why communism can be thought of as ideal, but also how an equal society is pretty much impossible due to a little thing called human nature and our inability to control greed and temptation.

The story is read by a very talented narrator, Ralph Cosham. His interpretation was fantastic and we were mostly impressed with his ability to adjust his speech to give each animal its own distinct trademark, without going over the top and sounding ridiculous.

We’re huge fans of this book for its satire and comedy, but mostly for its ability to generate questions about human nature and the evils we can easily commit. It’s compelling and entertaining…and who knew a seemingly simple story about pigs could turn into a classic?