Three narrators deliver a tremendous performance of Kate Reed Petty’s remarkable debut novel about the long-term reverberations of a high school rumor about sexual assault. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the multiple voices and points of view. Combining multiple styles—thriller, letters, essays, and memoirs—the bulk of the story is carried by Kristen Sieh as Alice, who spends 15 years trying to figure out what happened to her at a party. Listeners hear Alexander Cendese narrating as a lacrosse player, and one of the boys involved in the incident, and Cassandra Campbell cameos as a college essay editor. Timely, timeless, and riveting, this is an astonishing listen, and an AudioFile Earphones Award winner. Published by Penguin Audio.

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Jake Abel’s skilled performance of the famous story told anew from vampire Edward’s point of view is sure to delight fans of the series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this new take on Stephenie Meyers’s teen series. This is Jake Abel’s first audiobook, and his smooth voice and subtle shifts in tone convey all the emotions of each character. Edward’s frustration over monotonous vampire life changes to vitriol when he meets the tantalizing and challenging human Bella. Listeners will feel all the excitement and awe as they explore the story with new eyes. Published by Hachette Audio

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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The hosts of the “Call Your Girlfriend” podcast are warm, open, and matter-of-fact narrators as they share personal details about the path their friendship has taken. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss an audiobook that centers around relationships that rarely get their due — friendships. Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman sound comfortable and natural behind the mic as they trade off narrating their story and pull in the voices of friends and experts they interviewed during the course of writing their book. After you listen, call up a good friend for a chat. Published by Simon & Schuster.

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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Morag Sims has a bright and lively voice that matches the mood of Olivia Waite’s historical romance perfectly. Agatha Griffin is a widowed owner of a print shop in 1820s London, and is visiting her countryside warehouse when she discovers an alarming surprise — bees have taken up residence. She is pointed in the direction of resident bee expert Penelope Flood, and the two women strike up a friendship. When their smoldering passions eventually ignite, Sims’s adept use of textural cues fan the flames. Their seaside town, Melliton, is a fictional community one wants to climb inside and inhabit, and listeners will enjoy following Agatha and Penelope’s journey as they come to understand themselves and their love for one another. Published by Harper Audio.

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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Sisi Aisha Johnson creates a realistic and relatable cast of characters in a middle-grade audiobook about friendship, family, and moving out of your comfort zone. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a story centered around 11-year-old Jenae, who wishes she were invisible and fears public speaking. When she makes a new friend with an outgoing kid at school and is pushed to debate on a school name change, she learns to make her voice heard. Lisa Moore Ramée’s audiobooks feature relatable young protagonists learning more about themselves and their role in making a difference and make for engaging listening. Published by HarperAudio.

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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Two Black teens vote for the first time in an audiobook that takes place all in one day. Host Jo Reed and AudioFIle’s Emily Connelly discuss how the dual narration adds to the fun in Brandy Colbert’s YA novel that features a satisfying blend of character development and lessons about voter suppression, grief, and activism. Robin Eller voices Marva, who is first in line at the polls. When she sees Duke, voiced by Cary Hite, turned away because he isn’t on the registration list, the two pair up to make sure his vote is counted. Listeners will fall for Marva and Duke even as they are falling for each other. Published by Dreamscape.

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s evocative narration skillfully complements Jordan Ifueko’s vibrant multilayered fantasy. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed the many reasons she couldn’t hit pause on this audiobook, a coming-of-age story with magic, mystery, and adventure. Tarisai grew up isolated but discovers friends and found family when she joins the crown prince’s council. But she carries a violent secret — her mother has cursed her to kill the beloved prince. Abbott-Pratt’s richly expressive characterizations imbue a fascinating cast with warmth and complexity, making this a listen that fans of YA fantasy won’t want to miss. Published by Blackstone Audio.

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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AudioFIle contributor Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed about his delight with Kristin Kimball’s story of going back to the land, and her expressive narration. Kimball and her husband farm in upstate New York, and the audiobook breathes with the sounds, sights, and smells of their farm. They plow with enormous horses, feed hundreds through their CSA, and act as mentors for young farmers. You’ll be drawn into the inner workings of the farm, and the intimate murmurs of Kimball’s heart. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio.

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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Bill Buford narrates his culinary journey, taking listeners with him to Lyon, France, as he seeks to learn classic French cooking methods. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss Buford’s self-effacing, witty, and experiential narrative style, and listeners are treated to an exceptional tour of French food, its history, and the particular joys of Lyon. He narrates as a friendly storyteller who is revealing the hidden world of French cooking, drawing you into the kitchen to cook alongside him. Published by Random House Audio

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Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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Victoria James narrates her inside account of her remarkable rise to prominence as a sommelier in New York’s fine dining world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss how James became the youngest sommelier in the U.S. at age 21, and her earnest and persuasive narration as she tells her story. Despite exploitation, harassment, and abuse, she perseveres and prevails, all while giving listeners an inside peek at the world of fine dining. Published by Harper Audio

Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com

Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.

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