Tag Archives: Fiction

FICTION FRIDAY: The Best Kind of Fiction

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Title: The Best Kind of People
Author: Zoe Whittall
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

On the surface, the Woodbury’s are the quintessential American family.

George, an award-winning teacher, once saved their small town elementary school from a gunman seeking revenge.  His doting wife, Joan, and overachieving daughter, Sadie, are well known and liked in their community. Their circle of friends is vast, but soon, a shocking accusation against George shakes the town and the once tightknit family to its core.

Throughout the novel, both Joan and Sadie grapple with the fact that George may be guilty of unthinkable crimes against those who trusted him, and ask a series of questions throughout the novel not reserved for fiction. Do you truly know your own family? Who can you trust? And, perhaps most timely of all, is it possible to love someone who has done terrible things?

Overflowing with shocking twists and turns intensified by narrator Cassandra Campbell, The Best Kind of People is the kind of book that left me lying to myself by saying, “Just one more chapter before bed” until the very last word. Despite being fiction, The Best Kind of People is relevant to the #MeToo era that so heavily relies on the bravery of women who share their stories.

The Best Kind Of People.

Listen to a sample and get the whole story here.

December’s Top 10 Audiobooks.com Member Downloads

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Check out this month’s roundup of the top fiction and non-fiction titles downloaded by Audiobooks.com members!

Fiction

1. READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline, narrated by Wil Wheaton
Wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, READY PLAYER ONE is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut-part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed.
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2. Origin by Dan Brown, narrated by Paul Michael

In keeping with his trademark style, Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and Inferno, interweaves codes, science, religion, history, art, and architecture into this new novel. Origin thrusts Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon into the dangerous intersection of humankind’s two most enduring questions, and the earthshaking discovery that will answer them. 
Read more and sample the audio.

 

3. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, narrated by Jennifer Lim

From the bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.
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4. End Game by David Baldacci, narrated by Kyf Brewer

#1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci returns with his most breathtaking thriller yet, mixing all the action, emotion, and social commentary we’ve come to expect in the hard-hitting Will Robie series.

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5. Tom Clancy Power and Empire by Marc Cameron, narrated by Scott Brick

A newly belligerent Chinese government leaves US President Jack Ryan with only a few desperate options in this continuation of the #1 New York Times bestselling Tom Clancy series.

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Non Fiction

1. The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish, narrated by Tiffany Haddish


From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout star of Girls Trip, Tiffany Haddish, comes The Last Black Unicorn, a sidesplitting, hysterical, edgy, and unflinching collection of (extremely) personal essays, as fearless as the author herself.

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2. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson, narrated by Roger Wayne

In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be “positive” all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. With academic research and well-timed poop jokes, Manson argues that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better.
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3. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Narrated by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So acclaimed astrophysicist and bestselling author Neil deGrasse Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day.

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4. Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio, narrated by Jeremy Bobb and Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, shares the unconventional principles that he’s developed, refined, and used over the past forty years to create unique results in both life and business-and which any person or organization can adopt to help achieve their goals.

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5. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero, narrated by Jen Sincero

Bestselling author, speaker, and world-traveling success coach Jen Sincero cuts through the din of the self-help genre with her own verbal meat cleaver in You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. In this refreshingly blunt how-to guide, Sincero serves up twenty-seven bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, life-changing insights, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word.

Read more and sample the audio. 

November’s Top 10 Audiobooks.com Member Downloads

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Check out this month’s roundup of the top titles downloaded by Audiobooks.com members! We’ve separated out fiction and non-fiction for your browsing convenience.

 

FICTION

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio, narrated by Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, Diana Steele

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school-until now. He’s about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

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2. Midnight Line by Lee Child, narrated by Dick Hill

Reacher takes a stroll through a small Wisconsin town and sees a class ring in a pawn shop window: West Point 2005. A tough year to graduate: Iraq, then Afghanistan. The ring is tiny, for a woman, and it has her initials engraved on the inside. Reacher wonders what unlucky circumstance made her give up something she earned over four hard years. He decides to find out. And find the woman. And return her ring. Why not?

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3. Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly, narrated by Titus Welliver

Harry Bosch searches for the truth in the new thriller from #1 NYT bestselling author Michael Connelly An Amazon Book of the Month Harry Bosch is back as a volunteer working cold cases for the San Fernando Police Department and is called out to a local drug store where a young pharmacist has been murdered. Bosch and the town’s 3-person detective squad sift through the clues, which lead into the dangerous, big business world of pill mills and prescription drug abuse.

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4. Oathbringer: Book Three of the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading

Dalinar Kholin’s Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that the newly kindled anger of the parshmen may be wholly justified.

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5. Murder on the Orient Express: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie, narrated by Dan Stevens

Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers must be the murderer.

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NON-FICTION

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki, narrated by Tim Wheeler

Robert Kiyosaki has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world think about money. With perspectives that often contradict conventional wisdom, Robert has earned a reputation for straight talk, irreverence and courage. He is regarded worldwide as a passionate advocate for financial education. “The main reason people struggle financially is because they have spent years in school but learned nothing about money. The result is that people learn to work for money… but never learn to have money work for them.” – Robert Kiyosaki Rich Dad Poor Dad

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2. Unshakeable: How to Thrive (Not Just Survive) in the Coming Financial Correction by Tony Robbins, narrated by Jeremy Bobb and Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins returns with a step-by-step playbook, taking you on a journey to transform your financial life and accelerate your path to financial freedom. No matter your salary, your stage of life, or when you started, this book will provide the tools to help you achieve your financial goals more rapidly than you ever thought possible.

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3. The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne narrated by the author

In this audiobook you will discover The Secret . . . and you will learn how to have, do, or be anything you want. You will learn how to use The Secret in every single area of your life. You will hear from modern-day teachers — men and women who have used The Secret to achieve health, prosperity, relationships and happiness.

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4. How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie, narrated by Andrew MacMillan

For over 60 years the rock-solid, time-tested advice in this audiobook has carried thousands of now-famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives. With this truly phenomenal audiobook, learn: the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.

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5. Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle, narrated by the author

The Power of Now is a guide to spiritual awakening from a man who is emerging as one of this generation’s clearest, most inspiring teachers on the subject. Eckhart Tolle is not aligned with any particular religion but does what all the great masters have done: shows that the way, the truth, and the light already exist within each of us. There is no need to look elsewhere.

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October’s Top 10 Audiobooks.com Member Downloads

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Check out this month’s roundup of the top titles downloaded by Audiobooks.com members! We’ve separated out fiction and non-fiction for your browsing convenience.

 

FICTION

 

1. Origin by Dan Brown, narrated by Paul Michael

In keeping with his trademark style, Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and Inferno, interweaves codes, science, religion, history, art, and architecture into this new novel. Origin thrusts Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon into the dangerous intersection of humankind’s two most enduring questions, and the earthshaking discovery that will answer them.

Read more and sample the audio. 

 

 

2. Before We Were Yours: A Novel by Lisa Wingate, narrated by Catherine Taber and Emily Rankin

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

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3. Haunted by James O. Born and James Patterson, narrated by Danny Mastrogiorgio

You can take Michael Bennett out of New York City, but you can’t take the cop out of Michael Bennett. But far from the city streets he knows so well, no one will talk to the big-city detective, and the bodies keep piling up.A young, hardscrabble, and forgotten girl is haunted… Will Bennett and his unlikely ally unmask the culprit before anyone else winds up haunted?

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4. The Rooster Bar by John Grisham, narrated by Ari Fliakos

Mark, Todd, and Zola came to law school to change the world, to make it a better place. But now, as third-year students, these close friends realize they have been duped… they learn that their school is one of a chain owned by a shady New York hedge-fund operator who also happens to own a bank specializing in student loans, the three know they have been caught up in The Great Law School Scam.

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5. The Cuban Affair by Nelson DeMille, narrated by Scott Brick

What Mac learns is that there is sixty million American dollars hidden in Cuba by Sara’s grandfather when he fled Castro’s revolution. With the “Cuban Thaw” underway between Havana and Washington, Carlos, Eduardo, and Sara know it’s only a matter of time before someone finds the stash-by accident or on purpose. And Mac knows if he accepts this job, he’ll walk away rich…or not at all.

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NON-FICTION

 

1. What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton, narrated by the author


Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. 

Read more and sample the audio. 

 

 

2. Killing England: The Brutal Struggle for American Independence by Martin Dugard and Bill O’Reilly, narrated by Robert Petkoff

Told through the eyes of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Great Britain’s King George III, Killing England chronicles the path to independence in gripping detail, taking the listener from the battlefields of America to the royal courts of Europe. What started as protest and unrest in the colonies soon escalated to a world war with devastating casualties.

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3. Unshakeable: How to Thrive (Not Just Survive) in the Coming Financial Correction, by Tony Robbins, narrated by Jeremy Bobb and Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins returns with a step-by-step playbook, taking you on a journey to transform your financial life and accelerate your path to financial freedom. No matter your salary, your stage of life, or when you started, this book will provide the tools to help you achieve your financial goals more rapidly than you ever thought possible.

Read more and sample the audio. 

 

4. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, by Jen Sincero, narrated by the author

In this refreshingly blunt how-to guide, Sincero serves up twenty-seven bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, life-changing insights, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word. Via chapters such as “Your Brain Is Your Bitch,” “Fear Is for Suckers” and “My Subconscious Made Me Do It,” Sincero takes you on a wild joy ride to your own transformation, helping you create the money, relationships, career, and general all-around awesomeness you so desire.

Read more and sample the audio. 

 

 

5. Brain Rules for Aging Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy and Sharp, by John Medina, narrated by the author

Brain Rules for Aging Well is organized into four sections… First up, the social brain, in which topics ranging from relationships to happiness and gullibility illustrate how our emotions change with age. The second section focuses on the thinking brain, explaining how working memory and executive function change with time. The third section is all about your body: how certain kinds of exercise, diets, and sleep can slow the decline of aging.

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STAFF PICK: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

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Title: The Alchemist
Author: Paulo Coelho
Narrator: Jeremy Irons

It is my shared Brazilian heritage with author, Paulo Coelho, which led me to his highly acclaimed novel, The Alchemist. This audiobook clocks in at just over four hours and despite its short listening time, I would not classify it as a light read. This novel took me longer than usual to finish, because unlike other audiobooks which I can listen to while multi-tasking, I had to devote my undivided attention to The Alchemist in order to fully appreciate it.

The protagonist in this novel is a young Spanish shepherd by the name of Santiago. Early on in the novel, he has a reoccurring dream about hidden treasure buried beneath the Egyptian pyramids.  Determined to find it, he sets out on a long voyage across the Mediterranean and Sahara. Along the way, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery; Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote “life is a journey, not a destination” holds especially true throughout the trek. On his quest, he becomes rich in more ways than one as he acquires a plethora of knowledge from those he meets along the way.

The narration of this book was an adventure in and of itself, as Jeremy Irons brought each character to life using distinctive voices.  He used a confidant voice to portray the alchemist as powerful and intelligent, whereas Santiago came across as a free spirit due to the whimsical narration of his character.  Jeremy Irons achieved a perfect harmony between enriching the story and maintaining integrity throughout the narration.

I’ve wracked my brain trying to determine the most influential lesson from The Alchemist; however, it was impossible to choose just one, so I’ve narrowed it down to the top three:

  1. We are all on a journey; some of us know where we’re going and others have yet to figure it out – and that’s okay! As Coelho said “To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation”. This discovery is not to be rushed; everyone works at their own pace. For some, this might only take a year, for others, it could take a lifetime. But one thing is for sure, once you’ve figured it out “…all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
  2. Fear is your biggest opponent. Coelho put it best when he said “tell your heart the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.” When tackling any new challenge for the first time, it is inevitable that you will face uncertainty. This element of unknown can be frightening. However, sometimes it is necessary to step outside of your comfort zone to obtain worthwhile results.
  3. Never give up on your dreams. As cliché as it may sound, if Santiago had given up on his quest to find treasure, he may never have met his wife, or the alchemist.  Instead he learned “the secret of life… is to fall seven times and to get up eight times”. I think we can all demonstrate this resilience in various facets of our lives. Whether that be applying feedback to improve a poor grade in school, never giving up when the opposing team has the lead in a sports game or not letting career setbacks hold you back from achieving your dream job.

Both moving and thought provoking, it’s easy to see why The Alchemist is regarded as one of Coelho’s best literary works.  Not only is the novel is filled with powerful life lessons, but there is also an abundance of allusions, metaphors and symbols.  Can you spot them all?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, share your favorite quote or takeaway from The Alchemist below!

September’s Top 10 Audiobooks.com Member Downloads

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Check out this month’s roundup of the top titles downloaded by Audiobooks.com members! We’ve separated out fiction and non-fiction for your browsing convenience.

 

FICTION

 

1. It by Stephen King, narrated by Steven Weber

Only in Derry the haunting is real. They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But the promise they made twenty-eight years ago calls them reunite in the same place where, as teenagers, they battled an evil creature that preyed on the city’s children.

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2. Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton, narrated by Judy Kaye

Y is for Yesterday begins in 1979, when four teenage boys from an elite private school sexually assault a fourteen-year-old classmate-and film the attack. Not long after, the tape goes missing and the suspected thief, a fellow classmate, is murdered. In the investigation that follows, one boy turns state’s evidence and two of his peers are convicted. But the ringleader escapes without a trace.

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3. Enemy of the State by Kyle Mills and Vince Flynn, narrated by Scott Brick

They’ve barely begun unraveling the connections between the Saudi government and ISIS when the brilliant new head of the intelligence directorate discovers their efforts. With Rapp getting too close, he threatens to go public with the details of the post-9/11 agreement between the two countries.

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4. Glass Houses: A Novel by Louise Penny, narrated by Robert Bathurst

When a mysterious figure appears in Three Pines one cold November day, Armand Gamache and the rest of the villagers are at first curious. Then wary. Through rain and sleet, the figure stands unmoving, staring ahead.

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5. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, narrated by Jennifer Lim

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead… When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town.

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NON-FICTION

 

1. What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton, narrated by the author


Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. 

Read more and sample the audio. 

 

 

2. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, narrated by the author

What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and bestselling author Neil deGrasse Tyson.

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3. Glass Castle, by Jeannette Wells, narrated by the author

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation… Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.

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4. Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, by Brene Brown, narrated by the author

“True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.” Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives-experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization.

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5. Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Enlightenment, by Robert Wright, narrated by Fred Sanders

In Why Buddhism is True, Wright leads readers on a journey through psychology, philosophy, and a great many silent retreats to show how and why meditation can serve as the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age.

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