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AudioFile's Best Audiobooks of 2023

“What are you listening to?” We ask this question all the time—and when we hear something really wonderful, we want to share. That’s why, each December, we celebrate the year’s outstanding audiobooks. We hope that this list will help you find your next favorite listen. Below, you’ll find AudioFile’s picks for the Best Audiobooks of 2023 in nine categories. Thank you to all of the authors, narrators, producers, and publishers who filled our year with good listening. Download a PDF version of the list here.


  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    10 THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED

    10 THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED by Alexis Hall, read by Will Watt

    Will Watt’s delightful performance amplifies the holiday magic in Hall’s contemporary workplace romance. His comedic timing and attuned delivery of dialogue and narrative draw out the depths of humor and heart, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    ALL THE SINNERS BLEED

    ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S.A. Cosby, read by Adam Lazarre-White

    Adam Lazarre-White draws listeners into Cosby’s thought-provoking story of Titus Crowne, the first Black sheriff in the small Virginia county of Charon. Lazarre-White masterfully portrays people of multiple races, old and young, and delivers reflections on family, grief, and faith with genuine introspection.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE

    ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE by Jonny Garza Villa, read by Avi Roque

    Avi Roque gives a spirited, deeply emotional performance of this queer love story set in San Antonio. Roque’s warm and musical narration is utter perfection—a heartbreaking but joyful love letter to queer Latinx communities.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE ART THIEF

    THE ART THIEF by Michael Finkel, read by Edoardo Ballerini, Michael Finkel [Note]

    Narrator Edoardo Ballerini performs his customary magic with Finkel’s memorable portrait of Stéphane Breitwieser, the sly European thief who pilfered nearly $2 billion in art objects, enhancing the narrative’s strengths and minimizing its shortcomings.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    BIRNAM WOOD

    BIRNAM WOOD by Eleanor Catton, read by Saskia Maarleveld

    This listening experience grows more compelling chapter by chapter. Saskia Maarleveld’s delivery is matchless—fluent and sensitive to the finest nuances of a story whose every turn is unexpected yet entirely plausible. It’s an outstanding act of balance and a remarkable feat for author and narrator alike.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS

    CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, read by Shayna Small, Aaron Goodson, Michael Crouch, Lee Osorio

    This thought-provoking audiobook, primarily narrated by Shayna Small, imagines an America in which convicted murderers duel to the death in a wildly popular televised sport. A stunning ensemble performance that asks listeners to consider the American prison system and how it tolerates actions akin to slavery and torture.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    DEAD MAN'S POSE

    DEAD MAN'S POSE by Susan Rogers, John Roosen, read by Rupert Degas

    Golden Voice narrator Rupert Degas takes listeners to Sydney, Australia, in this quirky new mystery series. Degas’s spirited Elaina and ingenious Ric delightfully play off each other. Audio is ideal since conversations and evocative descriptions abound.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    DIFFER WE MUST

    DIFFER WE MUST by Steve Inskeep, read by Steve Inskeep

    Steve Inskeep, of NPR, performs this compelling listen with the practiced cadence and authoritative tone of a polished broadcaster. The politics of today are illuminated in this fine, deftly narrated work.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    ALISON BECHDEL'S DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR

    ALISON BECHDEL'S DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR by Alison Bechdel, Madeleine George, read by Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein, Roberta Colindrez, Roxane Gay, and a Full Cast

    This full-cast audio adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s classic comic strip about the messy lives of a group of queer women in the 1980s is flawless. Music and sound effects, including protest chants and speeches, add vibrancy. A hilarious, heartfelt, and utterly compelling adaptation of a lesbian classic.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    ELF DOG AND OWL HEAD

    ELF DOG AND OWL HEAD by M.T. Anderson, read by Pete Cross

    Narrator Pete Cross makes magic of his own in Anderson’s newest fantasy for middle-grade listeners. Cross imbues a teen named Clay with youthful sincerity and awe and gives every secondary character a unique voice and energy level.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    EVEN IF THE SKY IS FALLING

    EVEN IF THE SKY IS FALLING by Taj McCoy [Ed.], read by Adenrele Ojo, Soneela Nankani, Karen Murray, Marissa Hampton, Donnabella Mortel, Joy Beharie, Teddy Hamilton

    Who is the person you most want to be with at the end of the world? Six couples try to answer that question before a meteor shower ends everything. The narrations shift from humorous to thoughtful to romantic in tone, delivering warm performances across the board.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    EXODUS: THE SHANGHAI JEWS

    EXODUS: THE SHANGHAI JEWS by Kate McAll, read by Edita Brychta, Michael Canavan, Shannon Cochran, Arye Gross, Anna Mathias, Alan Shearman, André Sogliuzzo, Joanne Whalley

    This play, recorded from a live performance by L.A. Theatre Works, draws on the testimonies of German and Austrian Jews who escaped to Shanghai during World War II. Each member of the cast takes on the persona of one of the Shanghai Jews, very effectively telling their stories.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    FOR LAMB

    FOR LAMB by Lesa Cline-Ransome, read by Tyla Collier, Kevin R. Free, Rebecca Lee, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Dion Graham, Angel Pean

    A superb ensemble of narrators brings this story of familial love and racial oppression in 1930s Mississippi to life. Each narrator is paired perfectly with a specific character, and the author narrates an addendum detailing her research for the setting.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    FREE RADICALS

    FREE RADICALS by Lila Riesen, read by Gilli Messer

    Gilli Messer narrates this story of Afghan American teenager Mafi Shahin, who struggles to right injustices as a secret avenger. Messer beautifully brings Mafi to life, infusing her voice with just the right amount of angst mixed with disgust at people’s behavior.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    FULL MOON OVER FREEDOM

    FULL MOON OVER FREEDOM by Angelina M. Lopez, read by Stacy Gonzalez

    Stacy Gonzalez’s fierce narration of Lopez’s second-chance romance is a stormy yet satisfying listen. Gonzalez’s boundless sensitivity to the longings of the heart completely transforms the story through her audio performance.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    GODKILLER

    GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner, read by Kit Griffiths

    This fantasy with captivating world-building and characters requires an expert emotional performance—and Kit Griffiths delivers. Their narration is at once endearing and powerful, truly embodying characters of different ages, races, and genders. It’s a master class in inclusive narration within a highly engaging story.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE GRIMOIRE OF GRAVE FATES

    THE GRIMOIRE OF GRAVE FATES by Hanna Alkaf, Margaret Owen [Eds.], read by January LaVoy, Nicky Endres

    January LaVoy’s and Nicky Endres’s stunning versatile performances in this mystery about a magic school are as alluring as its whodunit plot. Written by 18 different authors, the chapters recount the 18 perspectives of queer, trans, and other marginalized students.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE

    THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by James McBride, read by Dominic Hoffman

    Dominic Hoffman fully inhabits the characters in McBride’s fresh, vital, beautifully written historical novel, resulting in a deeply immersive listening experience.

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    Watch a video with narrator Dominic Hoffman
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    HOLLY

    HOLLY by Stephen King, read by Justine Lupe, Stephen King [Note]

    Justine Lupe brings a beloved Stephen King character, Holly Gibney, vividly to life with her narration. Listeners will feel like they are part of a true-crime podcast as Lupe transports them into a relentless nightmare.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    HOW TO SAY BABYLON

    HOW TO SAY BABYLON by Safiya Sinclair, read by Safiya Sinclair

    Author/narrator Safiya Sinclair emphasizes the poetry of her words as she narrates her memoir about growing up in a close-knit Jamaican family with a strict Rastafarian father. Her soft accent sounds like gentle waves.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU

    I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU by Rebecca Makkai, read by Julia Whelan, JD Jackson

    Julia Whelan's performance is so consistently gripping that listeners may attempt to finish this entire audiobook in a single sitting. Whelan deftly navigates the cast of characters and JD Jackson shines in a pivotal cameo that is essential to the story and a bonus for audiobook fans.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS

    IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS by TJ Klune, read by Daniel Henning

    Narrator Daniel Henning demonstrates perfect comedic timing and impressive vocal versatility in this queer/sci-fi retelling of “Pinocchio.” This laugh-out-loud, emotional audiobook asks listeners to question what it means to be human.

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    Watch a video with narrator Daniel Henning

    Listen to an interview with narrator Daniel Henning
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    KING: A LIFE

    KING: A LIFE by Jonathan Eig, read by Dion Graham

    Dion Graham superbly narrates this riveting audiobook, emulating the majestic cadence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, speeches while capturing the Civil Rights leader’s deep, resonant tone and deliberate ministerial intonation.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Dion Graham
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE LATE AMERICANS

    THE LATE AMERICANS by Brandon Taylor, read by Kevin R. Free

    Kevin R. Free delivers a dazzling performance of a novel that centers around contemporary artists living in Iowa City. Free’s narration moves among the viewpoints of the main characters with ease, expressing every inch of their humanity and capturing their inner lives.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Kevin R. Free
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    LOVE, THEORETICALLY

    LOVE, THEORETICALLY by Ali Hazelwood, read by Thérèse Plummer

    Thérèse Plummer gives a dazzling performance of this romance set in the world of theoretical physics at MIT. Her upbeat delivery of hilarious banter and heartfelt swoony moments between the couple will leave listeners feeling every bit of their tension-filled enemies-to-lovers romance.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Thérèse Plummer
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    MAKING IT SO

    MAKING IT SO by Patrick Stewart, read by Patrick Stewart

    Yorkshireman Sir Patrick Stewart presents a revealing, clear, and beautifully written memoir, discussing of his journey from humble beginnings to the heights of international stardom. His performance is compassionate, sensitive, and powerful, with well-paced timing and notable precision exercised in every word.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    MISBELIEF

    MISBELIEF by Dan Ariely, read by Simon Jones

    Narrating this chatty and informative audiobook, Simon Jones delivers a flawless performance full of lively interpretations and emotional resonance. The acclaimed British actor is enormously entertaining but never steals the spotlight from Ariely’s fascinating insights about conspiracy believers.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    NIC BLAKE AND THE REMARKABLES: THE MANIFESTOR PROPHECY

    NIC BLAKE AND THE REMARKABLES: THE MANIFESTOR PROPHECY by Angie Thomas, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt

    Magic flows as Joniece Abbott-Pratt brings to life Nic Blake’s 12th birthday. Abbott-Pratt skillfully portrays real and supernatural characters throughout. She enhances descriptive passages, along with the folklore that grounds this outstanding start to a new series.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT

    ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT by Abdi Nazemian, read by Vikas Adam, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Iman Nazemzadeh

    Three gripping narrators give transcendent performances in this raw and stunning story of three generations of an Iranian family. Vikas Adam, Fajer Al-Kaisi, and Iman Nazemzadeh give performances that are as different as their respective characters, yet carry the same compassion.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Vikas Adam
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    POVERTY, BY AMERICA

    POVERTY, BY AMERICA by Matthew Desmond, read by Dion Graham

    Dion Graham, master of nonfiction narration, sets off quotations flawlessly, brings exquisite emotion to the text and varies his pacing to complement the flow of Matthew Desmond’s writing. As in their previous pairing (Evicted, 2016), Graham performs with energy and intensity, matching Desmond’s outrage.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    A RAKE OF HIS OWN

    A RAKE OF HIS OWN by A.J. Lancaster, read by Nicholas Boulton

    Nicholas Boulton’s narration of this audiobook—part fantasy, part mystery, part romance—is all pleasure. Across the board, Boulton’s crisp, drawling voice meets the challenges of Lancaster’s fae romp.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Nicholas Boulton
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    REMEMBER US

    REMEMBER US by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Jacqueline Woodson

    Jacqueline Woodson renders her story’s rhythms skillfully, emphasizing refrains that allow listeners to luxuriate in her words and linger in powerful details. She paints a picture of her beloved Brooklyn, creates memorable characters, and gives voice to a young person who is finding her true self.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    ROGUE JUSTICE

    ROGUE JUSTICE by Stacey Abrams, read by Adenrele Ojo

    Adenrele Ojo returns to portray smart, feisty Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene in her second adventure. Once again, Abrams has written a complex plot that sweeps Avery into a dangerous situation. Listeners will be chilled by the potential of real threats and thrilled by the intense listening experience.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Adenrele Ojo
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    ROLE PLAYING

    ROLE PLAYING by Cathy Yardley, read by Chris Brinkley, Elyse Dinh

    Chris Brinkley and Elyse Dinh pair up for a delightful performance in this fresh nerdy romance. Both narrators depict the genuine struggle faced by characters who are coping with life’s new chapters and finding joy in unexpected places.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    SANDOR KATZ AND THE TINY WILD

    SANDOR KATZ AND THE TINY WILD by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, June Jo Lee, read by Lori Prince, Sandor Katz

    Fermentation expert Sandor Katz’s hearty voice punctuates Lori Prince’s overall narration of this picture book biography of Katz, who moved to a “community of queer folk” in Tennessee in search of a healthy life after his HIV diagnosis. The whole package fizzes with briny verve.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE SCAVENGER DOOR

    THE SCAVENGER DOOR by Suzanne Palmer, read by Karen Novack, John Kielty, Rayner Gabriel, Gail Shalan, and a Full Cast

    Karen Novack provides the glue that holds together the third futuristic adventure of Fergus Ferguson, international repo man. The skilled full cast, along with music and sound effects, ratchet up the tension as Fergus and company fight to preserve the solar system.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE SECRET HOURS

    THE SECRET HOURS by Mick Herron, read by Gerard Doyle

    Gerard Doyle performs this stand-alone dispatch from Mick Herron’s cynical “spook street” world with such dry resignation that it is often laugh-out-loud funny. His vocal control is masterly, his pacing, range, and attention to detail a perfect match for Herron’s, which is highest praise.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    SILVER NITRATE

    SILVER NITRATE by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, read by Gisela Chípe

    Gisela Chípe’s skilled narration captivates in this immersive novel about childhood best friends, set in ‘90s Mexico City. Chípe’s excellent pacing and dynamic voice keep the tension high as events turn deadly.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE SKULL

    THE SKULL by Jon Klassen, read by Fairuza Balk, Jon Klassen [Afterword]

    Narrator Fairuza Balk expertly differentiates the characters in Klassen’s retelling of a mysterious Tyrolean folktale. The use of music and sound effects—heavy, regal strains, along with a whistling wind and a crackling fire—befit the setting and story.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    STUNTBOY, IN-BETWEEN TIME

    STUNTBOY, IN-BETWEEN TIME by Jason Reynolds, read by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock, Angel Pean, James Fouhey, and a Full Cast

    Guy Lockard is the energetic and enthusiastic heart of this new Stuntboy adventure, narrated by a talented cast with lively music and goofy sound effects. This audiobook is absolutely hilarious and, at the same time, is a heartfelt story about managing big changes in the family.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Guy Lockard
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    SUNSHINE

    SUNSHINE by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, read by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Jaiden Meltzer, Xavier Krosoczka, Noah Rico, and a Full Cast

    Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s second memoir recounts his experiences as a teen counselor at a camp for terminally ill children. Originally a graphic memoir, it becomes a powerful cinematic audio because of the coordination of more than 50 narrators, carefully selected music, and sound effects that enhance the action.

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    Listen to an interview with author Jarrett J. Krosoczka
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    TABULA RASA

    TABULA RASA by John McPhee, read by Grover Gardner

    This interesting and engaging audio collection of essays and sketches by John McPhee and narrated by Grover Gardner is a marriage of good storytellers. Gardner carries the work along with an even pace and pleasant voice.

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    Listen to an interview with narrator Grover Gardner
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THIRD EYE

    THIRD EYE by Felicia Day, read by Sean Astin, Felicia Day, Neil Gaiman, LilyPichu, London Hughes, Wil Wheaton, and a Full Cast

    A full cast of talented narrators offers a rollicking rendition of Felicia Day’s audio-only fantasy. Exuberant sound effects and music enhance the production and the entire cast provides perfectly timed, lively performances.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    TOM LAKE

    TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett, read by Meryl Streep

    Meryl’s Streep’s captivating performance of Patchett’s novel transforms the fine book into a must-listen. Instead of character voices, Streep shifts rhythm and tone to reveal personalities. She speaks with warmth, savoring along with us the novel’s many lessons and satisfactions.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    TRANSLATION STATE

    TRANSLATION STATE by Ann Leckie, read by Adjoa Andoh

    Adjoa Andoh narrates a complex story about identity and belonging set in the Imperial Radch universe. She expertly navigates the emotional depths of the three main characters; her performance resonates in profound ways.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS

    VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto, read by Eunice Wong

    Eunice Wong’s brisk performance perfectly suits this humorous yet poignant cozy mystery. Wong manages the large cast—young and old, Chinese, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and American—with plenty of energy and enthusiasm, subtly distinguishing among them while illuminating their individual stories.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE WAGER

    THE WAGER by David Grann, read by Dion Graham

    Dion Graham commands the listener’s attention with this true story of HMS Wager, an English warship that sailed in the 1740s. Graham delivers the nautical adventures with a mesmerizing cadence and impeccable timing.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED

    WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc

    Isabella Star LaBlanc excels at weaving a gripping plot and a lyrical blending of languages in Boulley’s second book about an Indigenous heroine from Sugar Island, Michigan.

    Read the full review
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    WASTELAND

    WASTELAND by Oliver Franklin-Wallis, read by Chris Harper

    Chris Harper captures Franklin-Wallis’s urgent call for change in this chilling audiobook about waste around the globe. The author’s combined journalistic and personal approach is aided by Harper’s British coolness.

    Read the full review
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    THE WATER OUTLAWS

    THE WATER OUTLAWS by S.L. Huang, read by Emily Woo Zeller

    Emily Woo Zeller’s fierce narration perfectly suits Huang’s sweeping fantasy retelling of the Chinese classic “Water Margin.” Zeller voices glorious action-packed fight scenes with carefully intensifying pacing, and her kaleidoscopic voice enhances a large, dynamic cast of characters.

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  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    WHILE YOU WERE OUT

    WHILE YOU WERE OUT by Meg Kissinger, read by Meg Kissinger

    Journalist Meg Kissinger gives a stellar narration of her extraordinarily affecting memoir about growing up in the 1960s in a close-knit Irish-Catholic family of eight children, many of whom were afflicted with mental illness.

    Read the full review
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT

    WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT by Kwame Alexander, read by Kwame Alexander

    Poet and narrator Kwame Alexander brings poignancy to his “snapshots of a man learning to love. Again.” His memoir is a savory-sweet mix of poems, letters, and recipes, shot through with a poet’s rhythms and unique experiences that strike a universal chord.

    Read the full review

    Listen to an interview with author & narrator Kwame Alexander
  • AudioFile
    Best Audiobook 2023
    YELLOWFACE

    YELLOWFACE by R.F. Kuang, read by Helen Laser

    Helen Laser gives a mesmerizing performance in Kuang’s poignant novel about race, censorship, and the capriciousness of social media. A riveting production of a thrilling and thought-provoking story.

    Read the full review

    Watch a video with narrator Helen Laser

    Listen to an interview with narrator Helen Laser

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