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The Winners and Finalists of the 2020 Audie Awards

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Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Audie Awards!

The Audie Awards recognize outstanding achievements by the authors, narrators, and producers of the most talked-about audiobooks in the industry. See below for this year’s winners and finalists.



Audiobook of the Year

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of September 11, 2001 by Garrett M. Graff, narrated by a full 45-person cast

At once a powerful tribute to the courage of everyday Americans and an essential addition to the literature of 9/11, The Only Plane in the Sky weaves together the unforgettable personal experiences of the men and women who found themselves caught at the center of an unprecedented human drama. The result is a unique, profound, and searing exploration of humanity on a day that changed the course of history, and all of our lives.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by Tony Kushner, narrated by Bobby Cannavale, Nathan Lane, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Susan Brown, James Mcardle, Andrew Garfield, Denise Gough, Beth Malone, Lee Pace, and Edie Falco

★ Becoming by Michelle Obama, narrated by Michelle Obama

★ Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, narrated by Meryl Streep, Robin Miles, Kirby Heyborne, Cassandra Campbell, Kimberly Farr, Lincoln Hoppe, Mark Deakins, Tavia Gilbert, Danny Campbell, Emily Rankin, January Lavoy, and Macleod Andrews

★ The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, narrated by Tom Hanks

★ The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, narrated by Margaret Atwood, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Mae Whitman, Ann Dowd, and Bryce Dallas Howard



Autobiography / Memoir

Becoming by Michelle Obama, narrated by Michelle Obama

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke, narrated by Tembi Locke

★ Me: Elton John Official Autobiography by Elton John, narrated by Taron Egerton and Elton John

★ MotherStruck! by Staceyann Chin, narrated by Staceyann Chin

★ Too Much Is Not Enough: A Memoir of Fumbling Toward Adulthood by Andrew Rannells, narrated by Andrew Rannells



Best Female Narrator

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, narrated by Marin Ireland

Lillian and Madison were inseparable friends at their elite boarding school—until Lillian had to leave unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal. Years later, Lillian gets a letter from Madison asking her to be the caretaker of her stepkids, who are moving in with her family. The catch? The twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated. Thinking of her dead-end life at home, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian begins to learn that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ All the Lost Things by Michelle Sacks, narrated by Cassandra Morris

★ The Boy by Tami Hoag, narrated by Hillary Huber

★ Prime Suspect by Lynda La Plante, narrated by Rachel Atkins

★ The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, narrated by January Lavoy



Best Male Narrator

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny, narrated by Robert Bathurst

When a peculiar letter arrives inviting Armand Gamache to an abandoned farmhouse, the former head of the Sûreté du Québec discovers that a complete stranger has named him one of the executors of her will. Still on suspension, and frankly curious, Gamache accepts and soon learns that the other two executors are Myrna Landers, the bookseller from Three Pines, and a young builder, neither of whom had met the elderly woman.

When a body is found, the terms of the bizarre suddenly seem less peculiar and far more menacing.

Meanwhile, Gamache is attempting to rectify the events that led to his suspension. As his measures become increasingly audacious and desperate, Armand Gamache begins to see his own blind spots. And the terrible things hiding there.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, narrated by Tom Hanks

★ Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, narrated by Robert Petkoff

★ The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, narrated by JD Jackson and Colson Whitehead

★ Watership Down by Richard Adams, narrated by Peter Capaldi



Multi-Voiced Narration

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of September 11, 2001 by Garrett M. Graff, narrated by a full 45-person cast

At once a powerful tribute to the courage of everyday Americans and an essential addition to the literature of 9/11, The Only Plane in the Sky weaves together the unforgettable personal experiences of the men and women who found themselves caught at the center of an unprecedented human drama. The result is a unique, profound, and searing exploration of humanity on a day that changed the course of history, and all of our lives.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ 200 Women: Who Will Change The Way You See The World by Geoff Blackwell, Ruth Hobday, Kieran Scott, narrated by a full cast

★ Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, narrated by Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, Pablo Schreiber, and a full cast

★ Dooku: Jedi Lost (Star Wars) by Cavan Scott, narrated by Orlagh Cassidy, Euan Morton, Marc Thompson, Pete Bradbury, Jonathan Davis, Neil Hellegers, Sean Kenin, January LaVoy, Saskia Maarleveld, Carol Monda, Robert Petkoff, and Rebecca Soler

★ Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, narrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Jeanne Birdsall, Richard Ferrone, Jenna Lamia, and a full cast



Narration by the Author or Authors

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo, narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo

Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Becoming by Michelle Obama, narrated by Michelle Obama

★ Inside Out by Demi Moore, narrated by Demi Moore

★ Madame Badobedah by Sophie Dahl, narrated by Sophie Dahl

★ Shortest Way Home: One Mayor’s Challenge and a Model for America’s Future by Pete Buttigieg, narrated by Pete Buttigieg

★ Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For by Susan Rice, narrated by Susan Rice



Fiction

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert, narrated by Blair Brown

In 1940, nineteen-year-old Vivian Morris has just been kicked out of Vassar College, owing to her lackluster freshman-year performance. Her affluent parents send her to Manhattan to live with her Aunt Peg, who owns a flamboyant, crumbling midtown theater called the Lily Playhouse. There Vivian is introduced to an entire cosmos of unconventional and charismatic characters, from the fun-chasing showgirls to a sexy male actor, a grand-dame actress, a lady-killer writer, and no-nonsense stage manager. But when Vivian makes a personal mistake that results in professional scandal, it turns her new world upside down in ways that it will take her years to fully understand.

Now eighty-nine years old and telling her story at last, Vivian recalls how the events of those years altered the course of her life—and the gusto and autonomy with which she approached it.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer, narrated by Therese Plummer

★ Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris, narrated by Louise Brealey

★ Colombiano by Rusty Young, narrated by Rusty Young and Brian J. Ramos

★ The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell, narrated by Karina Fernandez



Non-Fiction

Grace Will Lead Us Home: The Charleston Church Massacre and the Hard, Inspiring Journey to Forgiveness by Jennifer Berry Hawes, narrated by Karen Chilton, Jennifer Berry Hawes

On June 17, 2015, twelve members of the historically black Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina welcomed a young white man to their evening Bible study. He arrived with a pistol, 88 bullets, and hopes of starting a race war. Dylann Roof’s massacre of nine innocents during their closing prayer horrified the nation. Two days later, some relatives of the dead stood at Roof’s hearing and said, “I forgive you.” That grace offered the country a hopeful ending to an awful story. But for the survivors and victims’ families, the journey had just begun.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves by Frans de Waal, narrated by L.J. Ganser

★ The Perfect Predator: A Scientist’s Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: A Memoir by Steffanie Strathdee and Thomas Patterson, narrated by Christine Lakin and Dan Woren

★ Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell, narrated by Malcolm Gladwell

★ We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast by Jonathan Safran Foer, narrated by Jonathan Safran Foer



Thriller / Suspense

The Institute by Stephen King, narrated by Santino Fontana

In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Blood in the Water by Jack Flynn, narrated by Dion Graham

★ Freefall by Jessica Barry, narrated by Hillary Huber, Karissa Vacker, and MacLeod Andrews

★ Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman, narrated by Susan Bennett

★ Winter Dark by Alex Callister, narrated by Ell Potter



Mystery

The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup, narrated by Peter Noble

A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen. His calling card is a “chestnut man”—a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts—which he leaves at each bloody crime scene. To save innocent lives, a pair of detectives must put aside their differences to piece together the Chestnut Man’s gruesome clues. Because it’s clear that the madman is on a mission that is far from over. And no one is safe.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Along Came a Spider (25 anniversary edition) by James Patterson, narrated by Taye Diggs

★ The Boy by Tami Hoag, narrated by Hillary Huber

★ The Lost Man by Jane Harper, narrated by Stephen Shanahan

★ The New Iberia Blues by James Lee Burke, narrated by Will Patton



Fantasy

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, narrated by January Lavoy

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.

Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure, and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Beasts of the Frozen Sun by Jill Criswell, narrated by Tim Campbell and Alana Kerr Collins

★ Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James, narrated by Dion Graham

★ Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, narrated by Michael David Axtell and Lauren Fortgang

★ Time’s Children by D.B. Jackson, narrated by Helen Keeley



Business / Personal Development

So You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community that Will Listen by Kristen Meinzer, narrated by Kristen Meinzer

A comprehensive step-by-step guide to creating a hit show, So You Want to Start a Podcast covers everything from hosting and guest booking to editing and marketing—while offering plenty of encouragement and insider stories along the way. With this motivational how-to guide—the only one on the subject available—you’ll find the direction you need to produce an entertaining and informative podcast and promote it to the right audience. So You Want to Start a Podcast gives you the tools you need to start a podcast—and the insight to keep it thriving.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ The Barefoot Spirit by Michael Houlihan, Bonnie Harvey, Rick Kushman, narrated by Ed Asner, Alamada Karatihy, Gigi Perreau

★ Calm the F*ck Down by Sarah Knight, narrated by Sarah Knight

★ Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World by Ashley Goodall and Marcus Buckingham, narrated by Ashley Goodall and Marcus Buckingham

★ Wolfpack by Abby Wambach, narrated by Abby Wambach



History / Biography

American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race by Douglas Brinkley, narrated by Stephen Graybill

On May 25, 1961, JFK made an astonishing announcement: his goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In this engrossing, fast-paced epic, Douglas Brinkley returns to the 1960s to recreate one of the most exciting and ambitious achievements in the history of humankind. American Moonshot brings together the extraordinary political, cultural, and scientific factors that fueled the birth and development of NASA and the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects, which shot the United States to victory in the space race against the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, narrated by Scott Brick

★ Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep, narrated by Hillary Huber

★ The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth by Josh Levin, narrated by January Lavoy

★ Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense: The Courtroom Battles to Save His Legacy by Dan Abrams and David Fisher, narrated by Roger Wayne and Dan Abrams



Romance

Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas, narrated by Mary Jane Wells

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he’s a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband’s life a misery, and she’ll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself…as none other than West Ravenel.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ The Bride Test by Helen Hoang, narrated by Emily Woo Zeller

★ The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez, narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Erin Mallon

★ Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper, narrated by Amanda Ronconi

★ Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, narrated by Ramon de Ocampo



Literary Fiction & Classics

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates, narrated by Joe Morton

Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he’s ever known.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Milkman by Anna Burns, narrated by Brid Brennan

★ Mythos by Stephen Fry, narrated by Stephen Fry

★ The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo, narrated by Yangsze Choo

★ Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson, narrated by Jacqueline Woodson, with Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Peter Francis James, Shayna Small, and Bahni Turpin



Faith-Based Fiction & Non-Fiction

How the Light Gets In by Jolina Petersheim, narrated by Tavia Gilbert

When Ruth Neufeld’s husband and father-in-law are killed working for a relief organization overseas, she travels to Wisconsin with her young daughters and mother-in-law Mabel to bury her husband. She hopes the Mennonite community will be a quiet place to grieve and piece together next steps. Ruth finds solace in the beauty of the land and healing through hard work and a budding new love with her husband’s cousin, Elam.

But an unexpected twist threatens to unseat the happy ending Ruth is about to write for herself. On the precipice of a fresh start and a new marriage, Ruth must make an impossible decision: which path to choose if her husband isn’t dead after all.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Breathe Again by Niki Hardy, narrated by Niki Hardy

★ Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind by Annaka Harris, narrated by Annaka Harris

★ Dare to See: Discovering God in the Everyday by Katie Brown, narrated by Katie Brown

★ Jezebel: The Prequel by Jacquelin Thomas, narrated by Janina Edwards



Middle Grade

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, narrated by Meryl Streep, Robin Miles, Kirby Heyborne, Cassandra Campbell, Kimberly Farr, Lincoln Hoppe, Mark Deakins, Tavia Gilbert, Danny Campbell, Emily Rankin, January Lavoy, and Macleod Andrews

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high up in Zuckerman’s barn. Charlotte’s spider web tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur’s life when he was born the runt of his litter.

E. B. White’s Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ New Kid by Jerry Craft, narrated by Jesus Del Orden, Nile Bullock, Robin Miles, Guy Lockard, Peyton Lusk, Rebecca Soler, Dan Bittner, Phoebe Strole, Marc Thompson, Miles Harvey, and Ron Butler

★ Our Castle by the Sea by Lucy Strange, narrated by Lucy Strange

★ Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, narrated by Almarie Guerra and a full cast

★ The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart, narrated by Khristine Hvam



Short Stories / Collections

Full Throttle by Joe Hill, narrated by Stephen Lang, George Guidall, Neil Gaiman, Kate Mulgrew, Joe Hill, Zachary Quinto, Wil Wheaton, Nate Corddry, Ashleigh Cummings, Laysla De Oliveira, Connor Jessup

In this masterful collection of short fiction, Joe Hill dissects timeless human struggles in 13 relentless tales of supernatural suspense, including “In The Tall Grass”, one of two stories cowritten with Stephen King. Featuring two previously unpublished stories and a brace of shocking chillers, Full Throttle is a darkly imagined odyssey through the complexities of the human psyche. Hypnotic and disquieting, it mines our tormented secrets, hidden vulnerabilities, and basest fears and demonstrates this exceptional talent at his very best.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid, narrated by Julia Whelan, George Newbern, James Daniels, and Dara Rosenberg

★ Forward by Veronica Roth, Blake Crouch, N.K. Jemisin, Amor Towles, Paul Tremblay, and Andy Weir, narrated by Evan Rachel Wood, Rosa Salazar, Jason Isaacs, David Harbour, Steven Strait, and Janina Gavankar

★ I’m Telling the Truth But I’m Lying by Bassey Ikpi, narrated by Bassey Ikpi

★ Kabu Kabu by Nnedi Okorafor and Whoopi Goldberg (foreword), narrated by Yetide Badaki



Audio Drama

Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by Tony Kushner, narrated by Bobby Cannavale, Nathan Lane, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Susan Brown, James Mcardle, Andrew Garfield, Denise Gough, Beth Malone, Lee Pace, and Edie Falco

In this production, adapted especially for the listening experience, Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane, and the entire cast recreate their acclaimed performances from the 2018 Tony Award-winning National Theatre revival of Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. With narration by Bobby Cannavale and Edie Falco, and a musical score by Adrian Sutton, this audiobook is a compelling and immersive theatrical listening experience.

Read more and sample the audio →


Finalists

★ The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by James Lecesne, narrated by James Lecesne

★ Birthday Suit by Lauren Blakely, narrated by Andi Arndt, Sebastian York, January LaVoy, Julia Whelan, R.C. Bray, Shane East, Joe Arden, Erin Mallon, Dion Graham, Savannah Peachwood, Jason Clarke, and Robin Miles

★ Have a Nice Day by Billy Crystal and Quinton Peeples, narrated by by Justin Bartha, Annette Bening, Dick Cavett, Auli’l Cravalho, Billy Crystal, Rachel Dratch, Darrell Hammond, Christopher Jackson, Kevin Kline, Robin Thede

★ Puss in Boots by Neil Fishman, Harvey Edelman, and Khristine Hvam, performed by Jim Dale, Mark Aldrich, Barret Leddy, Nick Sullivan, Brian Holden, Al Fallick, Lisa Livesay, Meredith Inglesby, Lynn Norris, John E. Brady, and Johnny Heller



New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

Book Clubbin’: 10 Discussion Questions for The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

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Welcome to our monthly blog feature, Book Clubbin’!

Sometimes life can get so hectic that you’re lucky if you find time to shower let alone read your book club book in time. If your New Years’ resolution is to read more but you can’t find the time, audiobooks are the answer! You can press play on this month’s pick during your commute or while you’re cooking dinner and before you know it, you’ll have knocked out those pages in no time!

February’s pick is The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates, narrated by Joe Morton. The novel is Coates’ first foray into fiction, whose bibliography also includes the acclaimed memoir Between the World and Me. Not only was The Water Dancer chosen for Oprah’s Book Club revival, but it also debuted at the top of the New York Times Fiction Best Seller list. Coates began writing the novel around 2008 and 2009 when he was doing extensive research on slavery and the Civil War. Set on a struggling tobacco plantation in Virginia, The Water Dancer follows Hiram Walker, a young mixed-race boy born into slavery who discovers he possesses a superhuman ability when he falls into a river.

You definitely don’t want to miss this striking debut novel. Check out our discussion questions below, but beware — SPOILERS ahead.

—————MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!————

1) Is the story buoyed by only having Hiram’s point-of-view, or did you feel it was lacking in opportunity and diversity by excluding other characters’ voices?

2) Why do you think Coates decided to write The Water Dancer through the lens of magic realism? What did the addition of his characters’ extraordinary abilities allow Coates to explore and interrogate that he couldn’t have done if the novel wasn’t embellished with magic?

3) Memory is a key theme in the novel. What is Coates suggesting by making the power of Conduction directly tied to memories and the act of remembering? What is the significance of Hiram being unable to recall certain memories?

4) Consider this quote:

“At every gathering there was this dispute about my mother’s mother, Santi Bess, and her fate. The myth held that she had executed the largest escape of tasking folk—forty-eight souls—ever recorded in the annals of Elm County. And it was not simply that they had escaped but where they’d been said to escape to—Africa. It was said that Santi had simply led them down to the river Goose, walked in, and reemerged on the other side of the sea.”

Discuss the significance of River Goose which for some, such as Maynard, is a symbol of danger and death, while for others, like Hiram and Santi Bess, is a symbol of resistance and freedom.

5) How did you feel about the inclusion of a real historical figure such as Harriet Tubman in the story? What impact did it have?

6) Why do you think Coates chose to set The Water Dancer predominantly on a declining tobacco plant? How does Coates juxtapose the trajectory of Lockless to the plights of Hiram and the Underground?

7) Coates often wrestles with how the war against injustice should be waged. When Corrine Quinn and Hawkins plan to take down Georgie Parks, Hiram reminds us that even Georgie was forced into his exploits by circumstance. To what extent is revenge or punishment just when each character is trapped in one way or another?

8) Discuss the complexities of motherhood and fatherhood in the novel and the many forms of “family” we encounter. How does slavery corrupt families? How does Hiram come to define family by the end?

9) Consider the experiences of enslaved women versus enslaved men. How does Coates convey tensions between black characters along gender lines? How does it impact Hiram and Sophia’s relationship over time?

10) Is there any part of the book that you wish had been written differently?

New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

9 Audiobooks to Get Cozy with in January

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January can be a stressful time. The pajamas you lived in over the holidays have been swapped for real-life clothes. You’re thrown back into the normal work routine, but with the added pressure of trying to eat healthier or spend less money or go to the gym more. Never mind the annoyance of writing the wrong date on everything for the first few weeks. Welcome to 2019 2020!

A great way to balance out the stress: stay home and cozy up with a warm cup of tea and a good audiobook. Here are nine suggestions to get you started:

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, narrated by Nicole Lewis

Kiley Reid’s debut novel is so hilarious and full of heart that you’ll forget it’s talking about some serious topics.

When Emira Tucker, a young babysitter for the powerful Chamberlain family, is asked to take their toddler out to the grocery store, she is just excited to earn some extra cash. The evening takes a devastating turn when the grocery store security guard accuses Emira of kidnapping, simply because she is a black woman with a white child. After a video of the altercation is released, Mrs. Chamberlain promises to make it right for Emira. Instead, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.

Read more and sample the audio →

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick, narrated by James Langton

You won’t be able to resist falling for Arthur Pepper, an adorably quirky sixty-nine-year-old man. His story of loss, healing, and self-discovery is just about as uplifting as you can get. And his story is in line with the plot that we all fell in love with through the movie Up.

When he lost his wife Miriam, Arthur did everything he could to hold onto the life they shared. But the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death brings an opportunity to learn more about her. The surprising and unforgettable adventure that unfolds takes Arthur all over the world in search of hope and healing.

Read more and sample the audio →

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary, narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher and Kwaku Fortune

The Flatshare is as cheery and lighthearted as they come! Beth O’Leary‘s rom-com lets you be a fly on the wall in the apartment of two strangers, who might also be soulmates. Tiffy and Leon live together without ever having met. Leon works through the night, Tiffy during the day. Their paths never cross. Instead, they communicate solely through short notes left around the apartment. Adorable… But it is a good idea to fall in love with someone you don’t know? 

You’ll love this feel-good audiobook about finding love in the most unexpected of ways.

Read more and sample the audio →

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanna Fluke, narrated by Suzanne Toren

Craving a quirky mystery? Look no further than this start to the Hannah Swensen mystery series.

The owner of a small bakeshop called The Cookie Jar is thrust into an investigation when she finds her delivery man has been murdered. When a second person connected to the shop is killed, things get serious. Does Hannah have the right ingredients to solve the case?

Read more and sample the audio →

Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe, narrated by Gemma Whelan

This painfully funny account of life as a hapless teenager in the 1970s follows Lizzie Vogel, a 19-year old who lives a rather uneventful life (for now).

When Lizzie takes on a new job working for an eccentric dental surgeon, she quickly takes a liking to Andy, a patient who she calls her boyfriend despite never actually speaking to him. But Andy doesn’t turn out to be quite who he seems…

Read more and sample the audio →

Layoverland by Gabby Noone, narrated by Sophie Amoss

Perfect for those who love the show The Good Place, Layoverland is a darkly hilarious look at the afterlife.

When Beatrice Fox dies suddenly, she finds herself in purgatory – stuck between two possible fates. Tasked with a challenge that, if fulfilled, will bring her to the pearly gates, Bea works towards her second chance. But what she didn’t expect was to find love and friendship along the way.

Read more and sample the audio →

How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell, narrated by Rebecca Gibel

In an age where we’re constantly digesting information through technology, Jenny Odell argues for the importance of taking time to purposely do nothing at all. And we’re here for it! How to do Nothing is a reminder to take a break from the modern world and evaluate your relationship with your devices. That is not to say that the book pushes the luddite lifestyle. Instead, it praises balancing tech time with the simple things in life, too.

Provocative, timely, and utterly persuasive, this is the perfect next listen to frame the rest of your year!

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The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, narrated by Therese Plummer.

When young, childless couple Jack and Mabel arrive at their new home in the Alaskan wilderness, they struggle with the level of work needed to keep their home running. Taking a break one afternoon, they decide to build a child out of snow. To their surprise, the snow child has disappeared by the next morning, though they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

Equally magical and twisted, The Snow Child is a must-listen.

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My Not So Perfect Life: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella, narrated by Fiona Hardingham

Have you ever felt like everyone around you has a picture-perfect life, except you? As a symptom of the social media age, being privy to everyone else’s lives can sometimes make you feel like you just don’t measure up. At least that’s how Katie Brenner feels after she is fired from her job and forced to move home to live with her parents. When her problems seem to follow her everywhere she goes, Katie finds solace in at least making her life seem exciting online.

My Not So Perfect Life shares the timely story of a girl who learns to find her worth outside of the unrealistic world that is social media.

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New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

Audiobooks.com Interview with Sophie Kinsella, Author of The Shopaholic Series

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Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic debuted in 2003 and since then has snowballed into an extremely popular and successful series that not only boasts 10 books in its line-up, but also has a movie adaptation of the first book starring Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusak, and John Lithgow – to name a few.

Now, Kinsella has released the 10th book in the series, Christmas Shopaholic, where Becky is faced with the daunting task of hosting the big family holiday celebration at her place. With every step she takes to make everything perfect she worries if she can really pull this off.

We were able to catch up with Kinsella recently to ask her a few questions about her latest release and what she sees on the horizon for both Becky and the Shopaholic series.

Audiobooks.com: What do you look for in an ideal audiobook narrator?

Sophie Kinsella: I love to hear characterful voices. When I write, my books are all first person and so the voice is very clearly in my head. I love it when an audiobook narrator taps into the narrative voice I have had in my head when writing.

Audiobooks.com: What do readers gain from listening to the audiobook that they miss out on if they just read the print version?

Sophie Kinsella: When I read books that I like, I often whip through them very quickly, and think afterwards that I’ve missed some of the subtlety and wit of the writing. With audiobooks you have the opportunity to luxuriate in the writing.

Audiobooks.com: In Christmas Shopaholic, Becky’s family has long-standing holiday traditions. Does your family have any similar, fun traditions that you’ve kept up over the years?

Sophie Kinsella: We play a brilliant game where you have to put on hats and gloves and scarves and eat a chocolate bar with a knife and fork. We also read ‘Twas the night before Christmas every Christmas Eve before we put out mince pies and sherry by the fire for Father Christmas to find.

Audiobooks.com: Becky is tasked with hosting the holiday festivities and chaos ensues. Did you draw on your own personal experiences with hosting family over the holidays? And if chaos ensues, how do you deal with it?

Sophie Kinsella: I don’t know what you mean – there is never any chaos when I host Christmas… Seriously, I think it’s easy to panic over Christmas arrangements but I’m lucky that we as a family are all quite forgiving of each other – and a box of candy and a small glass of sherry will always smooth things over!

Audiobooks.com: In this installment of the Shopaholic series, in typical Becky-fashion, she strives to host the perfect holiday get-together and get everyone the perfect gifts. What do you think it is about Becky that causes your readers to have such a soft spot for her?

Sophie Kinsella: It absolutely thrills me that Becky has such an enduring appeal. I think she feels real to a lot of my readers – she certainly feels real to me! She has grown and matured over the years, even though she is the same Becky and still gets into trouble. And although she has flaws, she also has many qualities which are inspiring – her optimism, her good-heartedness, her ingenious solutions to problems, and her relationships with her family and friends. She always tries her best, even if her best usually backfires.

Audiobooks.com: And more personally from your own perspective, what is it about Becky and her story that makes you want to keep returning to it again and again?

Sophie Kinsella: I love Becky like no other character! She’s the only heroine I’ve created that I keep returning to. I just love writing in her voice and seeing the world through her eyes. She’s so optimistic and can-do and has her own special logic.

Audiobooks.com: Where do you see Becky and her family in 10 years?

Sophie Kinsella: I’m sure Becky will have given up shopping and she and Luke will be a sensible ordinary couple… or not!∎


New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

Book Clubbin’ – 10 Discussion Questions for The Farm by Joanne Ramos

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Welcome to our new blog feature — Book Clubbin’!
A lot of us are busy parents, have challenging jobs, or just have generally hectic lives, so listening to audiobook versions of the novel can be really useful. You can squeeze your book club choices into your commute, listen while you work, or even when your baby is napping (HAH!).

Every month we’ll pick a popular book club pick and set up some discussion questions to get you and your book club going. This month, we’ve got questions for The Farm by Joanne Ramos.

We’ve reviewed this book before (and we LOVED it!), and we know it’s a big book club book this year, so take a peek at our questions, and feel free to use them for your next book club meeting! 

—————MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!————

1. What genre would you put this book in? Sci-fi? Feminist or women’s fiction? Something else? Why?

2. There are some heavy themes in this book: Women’s rights, racism, immigration, class inequality etc. Can you see any parallels with issues in the news right now?

3. Jane, Lisa, and Reagan are three very different women put in the same situation. What do you think makes them friends? What makes them so different from each other?

4. Do you think Ate and Mae are “bad” people? Or do they have good and/or altruistic reasons for some of the “bad” decisions they make? 

5. What is your opinion on the morality of Golden Oaks? Do you think it’s a good thing? A bad thing? Or somewhere inbetween?

6. Do you think that Golden Oaks could exist in real life? 

7. How does The Farm present the idea of the American Dream?

8. There have been comparisons of The Farm to The Handmaid’s Tale. Do you feel these books share similar things? How do they differ?

9. Did the ending surprise you? How did it change your perception of Mae and Jane?

10. “Because in America you only have to know how to make money. Money buys everything else.” Money is a huge theme in the book. The women at The Farm need it, and the potential parents have lots of it. What role do you think money plays in the book? 

New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!