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The 2017 Audie Award Winners have been announced! I've been anxiously awaiting the results of this years Audiofiles awards and they're finally here! If you love listening to audiobooks these are books that should be on your radar. These books blend terrific stories with amazing narrators which creates a fantastic listening experience. For your reading pleasure a few of the 2017 Audie Award winners. If you'd like a complete listing of the Audie Award winners they can be found here.
Audiobook of the Year
Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter. Narrated by Mariska Hargitay, with the authors, published by Hachette Audio
The audiobook does more than tell the surprising story of how a Broadway musical became a national phenomenon: It demonstrates that America has always been renewed by the brash upstarts and brilliant outsiders, the men and women who don't throw away their shots.
Best Male Narrator
Jesrusalem by Alan Moore Narrated by Simon Vance
Jerusalem's dizzyingly rich cast of characters includes the living, the dead, the celestial, and the infernal in an intricately woven tapestry that presents a vision of an absolute and timeless human reality in all of its exquisite, comical, and heartbreaking splendor.
Best Female Narrator
Be Frank With Me by Julia Clairborne Johnson
Reclusive literary legend M. M. "Mimi" Banning has been holed up in her Bel Air mansion for years. But after falling prey to a Bernie Madoff-style Ponzi scheme, she's flat broke. Now Mimi must write a new book for the first time in decades, and to ensure the timely delivery of her manuscript, her New York publisher sends an assistant to monitor her progress. The prickly Mimi reluctantly complies - with a few stipulations: no Ivy Leaguers or English majors. Must drive, cook, tidy. Computer whiz. Good with kids. Quiet, discreet, sane.
Fantasy
The Hike by Drew Magary Narrated by
On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the "Producer," the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path.
Humor
I'm Judging You written and narrated by Luvvie Ajayi
Luvvie Ajayi's debut book of humorous essays dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives - from the importance of the newest Shonda Rhimes television drama to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma's wake on Facebook.
Inspirational/Faith Based Fiction
Risen: The Novelization of the Major Motion Picture by Angela Hunt Narrated by P.J. Ochlan and Alana Kerr Collins.
Roman Tribune Clavius is assigned by Pilate to keep the radical followers of the recently executed Yeshua from stealing the body and inciting revolution. When the body goes missing despite his precautions, Clavius must hunt it down. His investigation leads him from the halls of Herod Antipas to the Garden of Gethsemane and brings him in touch with believer and doubter alike. But as the body still remains missing, Clavius commits to a quest for the truth - and answers that will not only shake his life but echo throughout all of history.
Literary Fiction and Classics
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Narrated by Dominic Hoffman
Two half sisters, Effia and Esi, unknown to each other, are born into different villages in 18th-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and will live in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle, raising children who will be sent abroad to be educated before returning to the Gold Coast to serve as administrators of the empire. Esi, imprisoned beneath Effia in the castle's women's dungeon and then shipped off on a boat bound for America, will be sold into slavery.
Multi-Voiced Performance
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult Narrated by Audra McDonald, Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than 20 years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders, or does she intervene?
Mystery
The Crossing by Michael Connelly Narrated by Titus Welliver
Detective Harry Bosch has retired from the LAPD, but his half brother, defense attorney Mickey Haller, needs his help. The murder rap against his client seems ironclad, but Mickey is sure it's a setup. Though it goes against all his instincts, Bosch takes the case. With the secret help of his former LAPD partner, Lucia Soto, he turns the investigation inside the police department. But as Bosch gets closer to discovering the truth, he makes himself a target.
Nonfiction
Hillbilly Elegy Written and narrated by J.D. Vance
The Vance family story begins hopefully in postwar America. J. D.'s grandparents were "dirt poor and in love" and moved north from Kentucky's Appalachia region to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually their grandchild (the author) would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving generational upward mobility.
Narration by the Author or Authors
A Life in Parts Written and Narrated by Bryan Cranston
In his riveting memoir, A Life in Parts, Cranston traces his zigzag journey from his chaotic childhood to his dramatic epiphany and beyond, to megastardom and a cultlike following, by vividly revisiting the many parts he's played on camera (astronaut, dentist, detective, candy bar spokesperson, president of the United States, etc.) and off (paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, son, brother, lover, husband, father).
Paranormal
Ghost Gifts by Laura Spinella Narrated by Nicol Zanzarella
All Aubrey Ellis wants is a normal life, one that doesn't include desperate pleas from the dead. Her remarkable gift may help others rest in peace, but it also made for an unsettling childhood and destroyed her marriage. Finally content as the real estate writer for a local newspaper, Aubrey keeps her extraordinary ability hidden - until she is unexpectedly assigned the story of a decades-old murder.
Romance
Dirty by Kylie Scott Narrated by Andi Arndt
The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a brokenhearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that come with her.
Science Fiction
Star Wars the Force Awakens By Alan Dean Foster Narrated by Marc Thompson
Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning new action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters.
Thriller/Suspense
Cross Justice by James Patterson Narrated by Ruben Santiago Hudson and Jefferson Mays
When his cousin is accused of a heinous crime, Alex Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown for the first time in over three decades. As he tries to prove his cousin's innocence in a town where everyone seems to be on the take, Cross unearths a family secret that forces him to question everything he's ever known.
Young Adult
Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys Narrated by Jorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris and Michael Crouch.
In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created beloved super sleuth, Sherlock Holmes in 1890. If you have not read this mystery series, now is a GREAT time to listen. Brilliance audio created a Complete Sherlock Homes CD Book. Complete means it includes more than 60 Sherlock Holmes stories. There are 3 CD books and the first CD book has 18 discs. Sherlock, an iconic hero, uses his immense powers of observation to solve complex crimes. He can see a simple clue; a smudged print on a window sill, a stray hair, or detect that dust was moved and determine who committed the crime, how they did it and why. Sherlock's deductive skills are simply amazing! He can solve a complex crime in no time at all. If you love super sleuths this is a not to be missed collection.
Still not sure this is the book for you? Then consider the narrator, Simon Vance. Simon is one of the best narrators in the business. He has narrated 100's of books including winning the best voice award for Stieg Larsson's Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. He is a multi-award winner for his narrations. When his narrative skills are combined with the fantastic stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle there's no way to lose. Sherlock always gets the villain.
If you enjoy mysteries with great sleuths... you may enjoy these stories.
From Doon With Death by Ruth Rendell
This legendary crime fiction debut novel written by Rendell introduces readers to Inspector Wexford the clever detective who investigates the demise of the timid house wife, whose body ends up brutally mangled in the woods. His intriguing character, great deductive skills make for a dazzling suspenseful read.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
This mesmerizing classic detective novel is the debut of brilliant Detective Hercule Poirot. He is faced with a locked door murder of Emily Inglethorpe, a wealthy woman who was poisoned in her locked bedroom. How someone is able to enter her room, poison her and escape without anyone seeing them is quite a mystery.
I have been converted. I admit I am now an audiobook lover. It was not always like that and usually, I still prefer a 'good old fashioned book' in my hands to an e-book or an audiobook, but lately I have found fantastic narrators who make listening an auditory pleasure. I especially enjoy listening to multi-voiced audiobooks.
So if you love listening to a great narrator...you are sure to enjoy these books. If you have never listened to an audiobook give it a try. For added incentive here are a few activities you can do while listening to a book: exercise, cook, bake, garden, write thank-you cards or even housework. Just think you can get work done while hearing a fantastic book! Life doesn't get much better than that, well if you were listening to a book, while sitting on the beach...that would be heaven. I can see it now. The sun, the waves and a beautiful story.. pure unadulterated bliss.
Audie Award Winners That I LOVE!
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (multi-voiced edition)
2015 Audie Award Winner: Multi-Voiced Performance and
2015 Winner Distinguished Achievement in Production
I've listened to both the multi-voiced edition and the one read by Neil Gaiman himself. I enjoyed them both, but the multi-voiced version is fantastic!
Nobody "Bod" Owens is an orphan and is adopted and raised by ghosts in the graveyard where he crawled to safety after his parents were murdered. This is an enchanting tale that you won't want to stop listening too.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
2016 Audie Award Winner: Multi-Voiced Performance
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents, including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews and more...Illuminae is the first book in a heart stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth and the courage of everyday heroes. Beautifully voiced.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle Read by Simon Vance
2014 Audie Award Winner: Classics
Classic Sherlock Holmes made exceptional by an amazing narrator.
Mandela: An Audio History available on Hoopla (translation this book is always available, there's no waiting to listen)
2015 Audie Award Winner: Audiobook of the Year
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
2015 Audie Award Winner: Fiction
Nonfiction
The Boys In the Boat by Daniel James Brown
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Fiction
Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
The Postmistress by Sara Blake
The Roundhouse by Louise Erdich
If you have an audiobook that you love.....PLEASE do not keep us in suspense. Please tell us (or at least me) what it is... I promise I'll give it a try.
Here are the best audio books of 2015 according to Audio Publishers Associations Audies Awards. I am going to highlight a few of my favorite winners of this distinguished award.
Audio Book of the Year goes to Mandela: An Audio History it was written by Nelson Mandela and is narrated by Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tuto and Joe Richman. This truly amazing documentary tells the story of Apartheid in addition to Nelson Mandela's life story. You will hear Nelson answer tough questions and learn why he decided to stand against apartheid even though this meant he would be imprisoned for treason. It includes the radio broadcast of his 1964 trial which led to his conviction. This book is a well written and well-read documentary that will make you feel like you are a part of historic moments in South Africa's history.
One of my favorite authors, especially when I choose to listen to an audiobook is Neil Gaiman. Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book has earned three Audie Awards. One award for The Best Children's Titles for Ages 8-12, the second award is for Distinguished Achievement in Production and the third is for Multi-Voiced Performance. This is the first book that Neil allowed others to narrate. I personally love listening to Neil Gaiman read his stories but it was fantastic to listen as a full cast of narrators brought this story to life. If you have listened to The Graveyard Book before, you will not want to miss this new version.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr won the Audies Award for Fiction. The narrator, Zach Appelman, brings this wonderful story to life. This novel goes beyond ordinary as it describes what it may have been like during Hitler's reign for those who chose to join Hitler's ranks. Ordinary children who were selected to be German soldiers life was fraught with fear. The German hierarchy led by being bullies and making regular citizens afraid to stand up for their friends and neighbors. Werner was an ordinary boy who had an extraordinary gift. Marie-Laurie was a child who at the age of 6 lost her vision. As the stories of Werner and Marie-Laurie merge one hopes that everyone will have the courage these two showed. This is a beautifully written, wonderfully narrated, heart wrenching story that will make you want to stay where ever you are until the story reaches its final conclusion.
Brandon Sanderson took the Fantasy Audies Award with his book, The Words of Radiance. This is the second book in the Storm Light Archive, which is a fantastic series. If you have not read The Way of Kings carve out some time and read it before you begin this one. It is worth every minute. Narrators Michael Kramer and Kate Reading share the work in this character driven novel. Kramer's and Reading's portrayals help readers follow the intertwined plot lines of this epic fantasy novel. They transport readers into the world of Roshar bringing the world's past and present together.
The Audie Award for Humor goes to Yes Please! by Amy Poehler. Poehler's memoir is full of charm and life lessons but what's really fun is how out of the box this audiobook production is. Listeners will enjoy Poehler's 'audio booth' at the base of Mt. Rushmore where many of her friends come to visit. Poehler is warm, funny and you'll hear her as she converses with her friends Seth Meyers, and Mike Schur. It's like overhearing their private conversation. Add in cameos from Carol Burnett, Kathleen Turner and Patrick Stewart and the cast of narrators make this comedic memoir an audiobook that should not be missed.
