2021 Audie Awards Finalists: Libro.Fm’s Picks to Listen to Now

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

“Immerse yourself in a rich fantasy world with wishes to cheat death, struggles for power, and hopes to find love. Jordan Ifueko has given us the start of a series where peace may not be as it seems and who you are vs. who the world tells you to be can have life-threatening and history-shaping consequences. One of my favorite aspects is the chants, prayers, and songs that are essential to the story and the narrator rhythmically enriches the reading.” – Jessica, Once Upon A Time

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

“Epic, beautifully written, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a contemplation on life, death, what it means to make your mark on the world, and why we feel it’s important to do so. Addie makes a deal with a demon so she can live her life the way she wants to. But, like most deals, there are strings attached — and these strings make it so she is forgotten by everyone she meets. Dancing about time, the book shows Addie’s life over 300 years and takes a closer look at her modern life — after a boy in a bookshop remembers her. Months later, I’m still thinking about this book and how beautiful it is; my words don’t even come close to doing it justice. Read this book.” – Lindsey Pattavina, R.J. Julia Booksellers

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

“The House in the Cerulean Sea is a heart-swelling wave of sweetness and hope. Mild-mannered government caseworker Linus Baker is sent on a secret assignment to an island orphanage he’s never even heard of. The astonishing inhabitants he gets to know there will change his life and make him reassess everything he thought he knew. This book will leave you believing in the good in everyone — even those society has given up on — and contemplating how huge changes have to start somewhere.” – Haley Stocking, Phinney Books

The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin

I love N.K. Jemisin’s books, I love New York City, and I love this book about the soul and personification of New York. The City We Became might just be my favorite book to be published in 2020. This story is filled with tension, humor, and great characters, with a guest appearance near and dear to me. While this book is the beginning of a trilogy, it is completely satisfying as a stand-alone novel. Read it and be happy.” – Doug Chase, Powell’s Books

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

“Tangled secrets and dark, haunting pasts unravel at the posh wedding of celebrities Will and Jules. As the tension mounted and more was revealed, I couldn’t stop listening until I knew not only “whodunnit”, but to whom it was done. Foley tells her tale from alternating viewpoints, bringing us gradually and suspensefully into the minds and hearts of her characters. A riveting psychological thriller and murder mystery, The Guest List presents a story as dark as the stormy remote island on which it unfolds.” – Nancy, Raven Book Store

Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger

“Confessions on the 7:45 is full of drama, heat, and relentless tension. Multiple questions quickly surface and are gradually answered. Most I had figured out somewhere before their revelation, but others caught me completely by surprise. The characters’ stories interweave in complex and clever ways. And few of the characters are who they seem to be. And all invite a mixture of emotions and reactions as we learn more about them, ranging from disgust to pity, fear to understanding, tenderness to loathing. Unger has a talent for suspense, keeping me listening late into the night – not my norm!” – Nancy, Raven Book Store

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

“I loved this book. Jones has a unique narrative voice, allowing ‘the entity’ to step in and take over unexpectedly, amping up the horror. Also, each character has a distinct voice that brings them to life. Jones combines the culture and traditions of the Blackfeet and Crow people with the social truths of their contemporary life. It is refreshingly different from any other horror novel I’ve read. This book is gruesome and honestly scary. I couldn’t put it down.”- Kristine Jelstrom-Hamill, Buttonwood Books and Toys

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

“Cole’s thriller exposes the underbelly of gentrification and prosperity, taking a searing look at systemic racism. When a pharmaceutical firm plans to move its headquarters to a historically Black Brooklyn neighborhood, an influx of rich white people displace Black residents from their homes and their roots. Timely, groundbreaking, and thought-provoking, When No One Is Watching is essential reading for the #BlackLivesMatter movement.”- Alyssa Raymond, Copper Dog Books

One by One by Ruth Ware

“Even when the world gets back to normal, you’ll never trust your coworkers again. Snoop, a hot tech company that gives music fans the ability to follow along with what others are listening to in real-time, is built around the pleasures of voyeurism. But what if the person you think you know has a hidden past? When an avalanche hits and confines these coworkers to a fancy chalet, they’ll be picked off one by one as the killer fights to keep their secrets hidden from peering eyes.” –Christy, Avid Bookshop

Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen

“Warning: be very careful if Carl Hiassen’s Squeeze Me is on your car speakers. Bursts of laughter can be dangerously distracting. Scott Brick’s sonorous voice lends anchorman credibility to this mystery that’s as current as today’s news yet classic Hiassen — with an eco-centric South Florida plot and hilarious absurdity. Where else will you find a decapitated python, a petite critter-wrangler (and petite missing heiress) and an investigation complicated by the high-profile neighbors of Casa Bellicosa? (And their Secret Service detail.) We deserve to laugh, and Carl Hiassen’s here for us.” – Cheryl, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

“Lyrically written with precise clarity and beautiful turn of phrase, National Book Award-winner Elizabeth Acevedo shares a poignant story of loss, identity, and family. I highly recommend the audio version because of the poetic cadence that begs to be read aloud and the voice of two women (including the author) who narrate the two points of view in the book, adding an extra dimension to the story.” – Tina, Leaves Book and Tea Shop

Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri

“Listener, you are about to enter a world of rose water and saffron, of sheep’s blood and mad bulls, of myth and magic carpets, a world of Scheherazade’s making, a thousand and one stories that each bend and weave and buoy the next. As a child who had to flee his beloved home and family in Iran, Daniel’s warm narration invites us to sit and stay awhile, and not only see the world through his bright, vulnerable, hopeful young eyes, but to taste, smell, and hear how the past infuses the present, and why storytelling isn’t as much about telling the truth as much as it is about heroes and human fallibility. This is not simply a story about a young refugee looking to make sense of his new place in the world of Jennifers and Jareds in Edmund, Oklahoma. This is an epic tale that Nayeri seems to effortlessly draw you into like Scheherazade herself, breathing his eight-year-old self into three-dimensionality with warmth, humor and terror like an unbearably beautiful yet flawed Persian rug.” – Jane, Bear Pond Books

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Horrow

Tavia and her sister, Effie, are struggling with being themselves in a world where some people are born as mythological beings, like Sirens, Eloko and Gargoyles. Tavia is a Siren, a being that is feared because her Siren voice can be used to control others. In addition, she is Black, adding an additional layer of silencing. She lives in hiding and fear and frequently resorts to sign language when she cannot speak for fear of revealing her Siren voice. Effie is a Ren Faire performer and only feels herself when swimming or being Euphemia the Mer, her mermaid alter ego. At school she hates when attention turns to her and clams up, unable to speak. She is also troubled by secrets in her past, including her absent father. Tavia and Effie are everything to each other, even though they are sisters by circumstance rather than birth, and are able to truly talk to each other. With this support they learn to find and accept their voice and their true selves. The narrator alternates from one sister to the other throughout the book and each chapter has a unique voice and feel. Through a mix of reality and metaphor Bethany C. Morrow is able to tackle, without preaching, issues concerning Black women’s voices being silenced.” – Caroline R., Blue Willow Bookshop

This Is My America by Kim Johnson

“I can’t believe this is Kim Johnson’s debut novel! It has easily cemented a spot in the social justice YA canon, alongside The Hate U Give, Monster, and co. Written with an expert hand, This Is My America follows Tracy Beaumont as she fights to get her innocent father off of death row, while also trying to keep her community safe from police violence by teaching Know Your Rights workshops. But she’s soon forced to divert her attention to a murder case in which her brother is the main suspect. A compelling story of injustice and resistance—with a bit of a love triangle—This Is My America is required reading.” –Mary, Raven Book Store

Shuri: A Black Panther Novel #1 by Nic Stone

“Anika! Noni! Rose! Narrates! This! Audiobook! Drop everything you are doing and listen to Rose’s voice of pure gold bring so much warmth to Shuri and this story. Nic Stone writes a short but fun tale that further illuminates us on a favorite character from Black Panther, the sassy and indomitable younger sister Shuri. We get to know more about Shuri and T’Challa’s relationship and familial vibes and go into depth with Shuri’s scientific talents. As T’Challa prepares for his upcoming challenge, Shuri must step up and save the day when she notices the special herb that brings the Black Panther their powers is dying out. Enlisting the help of her super fashionista and Dora Milaje-in-training best friend Katara, the two traverse the globe with the help of another Marvel character, further bringing together the different storylines of the universe. This was a quick and delightful listen that is perfect for young and old Marvel fans alike.” – Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

Kingston (King) James and his parents are grieving the loss of Khalid– King’s older brother. When Khalid was alive and the two shared a bedroom, he would talk in his sleep, telling his younger brother stories about the universe and its magic. King continues to see Khalid in his dreams, and is convinced Khalid has transformed into a dragonfly. The Louisiana bayou provides the backdrop for both a colorful landscape and a tense, fearful place where racism festers. When King’s former friend, Sandy, who is white, and the son of the racist police chief, goes missing, King ends up helping hide Sandy from his abusive father. Woven seamlessly into this wise story is King’s slow awakening of his sexuality, brought to the fore by his renewed friendship with Sandy, who is known to be gay. Callender’s writing is so authentic and their characters are so tenderly portrayed by Ron Butler’s superb narration I mourned its conclusion. The whole package is a crowning achievement.” – Jane, Bear Pond Books

Little Weirds by Jenny Slate

“Little lovely weirds from the big, lovely, weirdness of Jenny Slate’s brain. I am recommending that you get both a physical copy to beautify your shelves and the audiobook so that Slate can croon her little weirds into your ears and that way your hands are free for snacking or petting the dog or arranging acorns on your mantle. You will laugh and sigh and wish her words could bring things to life because she is, after all, a magical person so it should be a thing she can do. And who knows? Maybe she will. ” – Kate, Fountain Bookstore

Wandering in Strange Lands by Morgan Jerkins

“Wandering in Strange Lands by Morgan Jerkins is a fascinating look at the history of the Great Migration through Jerkins’ exploration of her own family history and legacy. Jerkins provides an additional dimension to understanding Black lineage in the United States and the complexity of what it means to be Black in America.” – Tina, Leaves Book and Tea Shop

The Lincoln Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer

“For a deeper understanding of proslavery and abolitionist tensions leading up to the Civil War, Meltzer & Mensch deliver. This narrative of prewar intrigue reads smoothly. As a bonus, you’ll get to learn more about the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, meet America’s first female private eye, and read cameos of historic figures such as William Seward, Dorothea Dix, and Frederick Douglass.” – Emma, Weller Book Works

His Truth Is Marching On by Jon Meacham

“Meacham’s latest is a fascinating deep dive on John Lewis’s formative years getting into good trouble as a civil rights activist in the 1960s. Anecdotes are pulled from both historical documentation and directly from interviews with Lewis himself. Narrator JD Jackson does a fantastic job, adding cadence for different speakers without a hint of caricature. Lewis’s strong sense of justice and freedom, most often driven by faith, are on full display in this must-read.” – Amber, Quail Ridge Books

Deep Delta Justice by Matthew Van Meter

“Excellent read. Loved the historical context that was given surrounding the case. Gives a stark view at segregationist Louisiana.” – Tiffany, Leaves Book and Tea Shop

Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous

“After the collapse of her marriage and her whole life, the anonymous author of Becoming Duchess Goldblatt started a Twitter account, speaking in the voice of an imperious, slightly dotty, always caring 81-year-old writer. The Duchess became the focus of intense adoration and eventually helped her creator to reconnect with the ‘real world’ even as she kept her identity a secret. Becoming Duchess Goldblatt is a glorious memoir, a truly 21st-century tale of life both online and off. – David Enyeart, Next Chapter Booksellers

Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener

“Like Joan Didion or Renata Adler, Ben Lerner or Sally Rooney, Anna Wiener writes with dead-on specificity, scalpel-sharp analysis, deep sensitivity, and an eye for the absurd. She headed west into the modern gold rush that is the tech boom and now returns with gleaming ingots of insight, weaving tales of a strange land where boy-CEOs ride ripsticks and hoover up your data. An essential and very human look at the forces shaping who we are and how we behave.” – Sam MacLaughlin, McNally Jackson Williamsburg