AudioFile is celebrating our 2024 Best Audiobooks by sharing conversations about the year’s best listening. Today’s episode features host Jo Reed’s conversation with AudioFile’s Robin Whitten about the joy of OLIVETTI, written by Allie Millington, and read by Christopher Gebauer and Simon Vance. This unusual listen is one of the Best Children’s and Family listening of 2024. It’s a charming story about Olivetti, a typewriter spilling his tapestry of tales in order to find his missing owner, and angsty 12-year-old Ernest, who must trust this typewriter to help him find his mother.

Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Recorded Books.

Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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Today’s episode revisits host Jo Reed’s conversation with AudioFile’s Robin Whitten exploring Harini Nagedra’s A NEST OF VIPERS, one of AudioFile’s 2024 Best Mystery Audiobooks. Golden Voice Soneela Nankani immerses listeners in this third installment of the Bangalore Detectives Club series, set in 1920s India. It’s a story rife with intrigue, politics, and the fight for autonomy. Nankani’s brisk, distinctly voiced performance is riveting as she expertly distinguishes among the large cast of characters.

Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Tantor Media.

Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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This week, we’re sharing some of our conversations about audiobooks on our 2024 Best Audiobooks list. Today’s episode features host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discussing JAMES by Percival Everett and read by Golden Voice narrator Dominic Hoffman. JAMES won the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction, and Hoffman’s captivating narration earned it a spot on AudioFile’s list of Best Fiction Audiobooks of 2024. Listen in to Jo and Kendra’s conversation to learn more about this fascinating audiobook. For a deeper dive into Dominic’s narration, don’t miss Jo’s interview with him here on our podcast.

Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio.

Explore the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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Host Jo Reed is joined today by AudioFile contributor Caitlin Augusta, who has shared her insights on romance audiobooks in her Tease column and audiobook reviews for years. Today she talks about gifting KISS ME AT CHRISTMAS, Jenny Bayliss’s story full of Christmas magic, narrated by Caroline Fantozzi. It’s centered around an underdog production of A Christmas Carol, with school counselor Harriet Smith fighting her Christmas blues by diligently caring for five at-risk teens. Fantozzi’s performance evokes a sense of wonder and joy, warming even the Scroogiest listener’s heart—and just might make a perfect audiobook gift.

Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio.

Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Ellen Quint discuss the fun of gifting mysterious listens during the holidays. Ellen’s been writing about mystery audiobooks for AudioFile for years, and we’re delighted to have her on to discuss Edoardo Ballerini’s narration of A DEATH IN CORNWALL. Daniel Silva’s latest starts in Venice, where Gabriel Allon and his wife get a call to investigate a death in Cornwall, England. Ellen talks about Silva’s compelling spy thrillers and her love for Ballerini’s narration on this series that takes listeners racing around Europe.

Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harper Audio.

Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed talk about the fun of giving gifts to young audiobook listeners. This holiday season, Robin recommends the Yoto Player, a portable screen-free audiobook player that her grandchildren have been carrying all around the house to hear their favorite stories. The player lets the kids choose their own stories to listen to, all without a screen or getting parents’ phones involved. Her grandkids have enjoyed classics like FROG AND TOAD and THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, and tales from favorite Disney movies. It’s a great gift for any kids (or their parents) curious about kids’ audiobooks.

Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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Narrator Hope Newhouse joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to tell AudioFile listeners about performing Lois Lowry’s newest audiobook, TREE. TABLE. BOOK., one of our picks for Best Children’s and Family listening. Hope tells Michele about what it was like to take on the narration of one of Lois Lowry’s audiobooks, given her status as a beloved children’s book author. She also explains why she enjoys narrating audiobooks for young listeners, and what’s stayed with her about this moving audiobook.

Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/251030/

Published by Harper Audio.

AudioFile’s 2024 Best Children’s & Family Listening are:

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME by Yamile Saied Méndez, read by Maria Liatis

BRIDGES INSTEAD OF WALLS by Mavis Staples, Carole Boston Weatherford, read by Mavis Staples, Adenrele Ojo

FREE PERIOD by Ali Terese, read by Josephine Huang, Cassandra Morris

IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES by Katherine Rundell, read by Samuel West

OLIVETTI by Allie Millington, read by Christopher Gebauer, Simon Vance

TREE. TABLE. BOOK. by Lois Lowry, read by Hope Newhouse

Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/best-audiobooks-2024/

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

Hope Newhouse photo by Jessica Wolpman.

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Narrator Alejandro Antonio Ruiz joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to tell listeners all about narrating CANTO CONTIGO by Jonny Garza Villa, one of AudioFile’s picks for Best YA Audiobooks of 2024. It’s a vibrant audiobook full of emotions, and Alejandro tells us about how they bring all of the tension and rich feelings to life for listeners. They also explain the joys and challenges of narrating audiobooks for a teen audience.

Read AudioFile’s review of CANTO CONTIGO. Published by Macmillan Audio.

AudioFile’s 2024 Best Young Adult Audiobooks are:

CANTO CONTIGO by Jonny Garza Villa, read by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz

A CRANE AMONG WOLVES by June Hur, read by Greg Chun, Michelle H. Lee

HOW THE BOOGEYMAN BECAME A POET by Tony Keith, Jr., read by Tony Keith, Jr.

JUPITER RISING by Gary D. Schmidt, read by Christopher Gebauer

TWENTY-FOUR SECONDS FROM NOW... by Jason Reynolds, read by Guy Lockard

WHEN THE WORLD TIPS OVER by Jandy Nelson, read by Michael Crouch, Alex McKenna, Briggon Snow, Caitlin Kinnunen, Julia Whelan

Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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Narrator Elizabeth Knowelden joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss one of this year’s Best Romance Audiobooks, THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE by India Holton. Elizabeth tells Michele about what’s most interesting and fun to her about romance audiobooks. She gives a charming performance of the audiobook, and in her interview, she explains how she created the voices for the many characters listeners will encounter in the story.

Read AudioFile’s review of THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE. Published by Penguin Audio.

AudioFile’s 2024 Best Romance Audiobooks are:

AVENGING ANGEL by Kristen Ashley, read by Stella Bloom

THE BREAK-UP PACT by Emma Lord, read by Natalie Naudus

JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez, read by Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber

LOVE AT FIRST BOOK by Jenn McKinlay, read by Brittany Pressley

THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE by India Holton, read by Elizabeth Knowelden

THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston, read by Emma Galvin, Max Meyers

Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

Elizabeth Knowelden photo by Dana Patrick.

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Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss narrating one of this year’s best in Mulit-Voice audiobooks, the oral history WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE, edited by Garrett M. Graff. Edoardo tells listeners about the challenges of narrating audiobooks that include so many voices—here, there were 26 narrators performing 700 real-life historical figures. It’s an impressive and moving listen, and deep exploration into those who participated in D-Day.

Read AudioFile’s review of WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio.

AudioFile’s 2024 Best Multi-Voice Audiobooks are:

DANGEROUS VISIONS by Harlan Ellison [Ed.], read by Mara Wilson, Jim Meskimen, Simon Vance, Steven Jay Cohen, Johnny Heller, Edoardo Ballerini, Dion Graham, et al.

GEORGE ORWELL'S 1984 by George Orwell, Joe White [Adapt.], read by Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, Tom Hardy, Chukwudi Iwuji, Romesh Ranganathan, Natasia Demetriou, Francesca Mills, Alex Lawther, Katie Leung

HOW WOMEN MADE MUSIC by Alison Fensterstock [Ed.], Ann Powers [Intro.], National Public Radio, read by Alison Fensterstock, Ann Powers, et al.

JOURNEY'S END by R.C. Sherriff, read by James Callis, Josh Cole, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Tobias Echeverria, Adam Godley, Ian Ogilvy, Darren Richardson, Simon Templeman, Matthew Wolf

MOON CALLED by Patricia Briggs, read by Khaya Fraites, Gregory Linington, Christopher McLinden, Rayner Gabriel, Chris Stinson, Renee Dorian, and a Full Cast

WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE by Garrett M. Graff [Ed.], read by Edoardo Ballerini, Garrett M. Graff [Note], and a Full Cast

Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

Edoardo Ballerini photo by Ed Brantley.

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Narrator Moira Quirk joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss a fantastical dark academia tale by M.L. Wang, BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN. Moira tells listeners about what she enjoys the most about narrating science fiction and fantasy audiobooks, and the particular challenges she encounters while narrating the genre. BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN not only explores the realm of dark academia, but also examines the ripple effects of colonization, and it makes for an engrossing listen.

Read AudioFile’s review of BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN. Published by Random House Audio.

AudioFile’s 2024 Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Audiobooks are:

BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN by M.L. Wang, read by Moira Quirk

THE CRONE OF MIDNIGHT EMBERS by Iris Beaglehole, read by Bethan Dixon Bate

THE MERCY OF GODS by James S.A. Corey, read by Jefferson Mays

THE STARS TOO FONDLY by Emily Hamilton, read by Vico Ortiz

THE WARM HANDS OF GHOSTS by Katherine Arden, read by Michael Crouch, January LaVoy, Katherine Arden

WHEN AMONG CROWS by Veronica Roth, read by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, Tim Campbell

Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/

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