Welcome to Brian’s Book Blog’s weekly New and Notable Audiobooks Post for the Week of May 6th.
Comment below on any I missed or what you’re excited about!
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Where They Lie by Joe Hart
Nora McTavish #1
Narrated by Kate Rudd
Brilliance Audio
$1.99 Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase – Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles written by Joe Hart
Check out my reviews of other titles Narrated by Kate Rudd
The murder of an influencer’s family exposes the disturbing secrets behind the facade in a haunting novel of suspense by Joe Hart, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Or Else.
Family is content for Kaylee Volk. Her vlogs celebrate a happy home with her husband and their three foster children, Bethany, Mason, and Andrea. Everything is perfect until the day the family’s private plane plummets into the ocean. Only Kaylee manages to survive—with a shocking revelation: Andrea did it.
This is particularly devastating for Nora McTavish, a child protective services agent who is already familiar with Andrea’s troubled history. Given Nora’s own traumatic childhood, how could she not have sensed the profound darkness festering within the girl? What did she miss? Could she have stopped Andrea?
As Kaylee struggles to cope with the crushing loss, Nora’s investigation begins. But her guilt soon turns to unease. Secret by secret, Nora pieces together a Volk family puzzle that’s more twisted than anyone saw—one far from the picture-perfect life Kaylee sold to the public. And the closer Nora looks, the more disturbing it gets.
Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey
Narrated by Quinn Riley
Brilliance Audio
$1.99 Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase – Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles written by Rachel Lacey
Check out my reviews of other titles Narrated by Quinn Riley
From Rachel Lacey, award-winning author of Read Between the Lines, comes a sexy slow-burn romance about two dynamic divas who collide on the world’s biggest stage.
Eden Sands has been a star for twenty years, but it’s lonely at the top. Her mediocre marriage just ended, and her inner circle is smaller than ever. The stage is the only place she’s ever felt like she truly belonged, and yet, her last album flopped, and her upcoming tour hasn’t sold out. Eden’s desperate for her star to shine bright again, but when her team suggests a collaboration with an up-and-coming young star to give her a boost, she balks.
Anna Moss is pop music’s rising star. She’s idolized Eden Sands for most of her life—so it’s a dream come true when she’s invited to perform with her at the Grammys. Anna’s tired of being defined by her bubbly persona. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, and a duet with Eden could be just what she needs.
As Anna and Eden rehearse, they soon realize they have more in common than their musical talents. Now they just have to decide if what is between them is a one-hit wonder or the making of a romance worthy of one of the greatest love songs of all time.
Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
Narrated by Caitlin Kinnunen
HarperAudio
With humor and insight, #1 New York Times bestseller Becky Albertalli explores the nuances of sexuality, identity, and friendship in this timely new novel.
Imogen Scott may be hopelessly heterosexual, but she’s got the World’s Greatest Ally title locked down.
She’s never missed a Pride Alliance meeting. She knows more about queer media discourse than her very queer little sister. She even has two queer best friends. There’s Gretchen, a fellow high school senior, who helps keep Imogen’s biases in check. And then there’s Lili—newly out and newly thriving with a cool new squad of queer college friends.
Imogen’s thrilled for Lili. Any ally would be. And now that she’s finally visiting Lili on campus, she’s bringing her ally A game. Any support Lili needs, Imogen’s all in.
Even if that means bending the truth, just a little.
Like when Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she’s told all her college friends that Imogen and Lili used to date. And none of them know that Imogen is a raging hetero—not even Lili’s best friend, Tessa.
Of course, the more time Imogen spends with chaotic, freckle-faced Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. . .
Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl by Brianna R. Shrum, Sara Waxelbaum
Narrated by Marli Watson, Kristen DiMercurio
Harlequin Audio
$12.99 Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
Margo Zimmerman is gay, but she didn’t know until now. An overachiever at heart, Margo is determined to ace her newly discovered gayness. All she needs is the right tutor.
Abbie Sokoloff has her own gayness down to a science. But a flunking grade in US History is threatening her acceptance to her dream school. All she needs is the right tutor.
Margo agrees to help Abbie get her history grade up in exchange for “Queer 101” lessons. But as they spend more and more time together, Margo realizes she doesn’t want just any girl—she wants the girl.
Max Thrust by James Walker
Narrated by Colin Martin
Self Published
Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Maxwell Ardis is a rocket mechanic. As far as he knows, he is the only one of his kind. He is the man you call when your spaceship breaks down in mid-flight. Need a lift from low Earth orbit? Call Max. Communications satellite craps out? Give Max a ring. There is no job too far-out, given adequate fuel and appropriate thrust.
Max Thrust is a novel about rockets, science, and rocket scientists. A new space age dawns in the 21st century, and to understand the possibilities of space travel, one must appreciate the challenges as well. A rocket rides fire at the extreme edge of what is possible by leveraging materials science, chemistry, physics, and computing. This story will take you on a journey of real rockets, where understanding the mathematics means the difference between life and death.
The Dark Crusader by Alistair MacLean
Narrated by Ciaran Saward
HarperAudio
$10.49 Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
A classic tale of espionage, secret missions and exotic locations which out-Bonds Bond, from the acclaimed master of action and suspense.
Eight job advertisements.
Eight jobs. Eight specialists in modern technology required.
Eight scientists to fill them.
Applicants to be married, with no children, and prepared to travel. Highly persuasive salaries.
One criminal mastermind.
Eight positions filled. Eight scientists – and their wives – disappear. Completely.
One secret agent to stop him.
Advertisement no.9. Sydney, Australia. Fuel specialist required. Looks like a job for John Bentall…
The Hidden Space by Nathan Hystad
The Glass #2
Narrated by R.C. Bray
Podium Audio
Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles Narrated by R.C. Bray
The Visitors have departed, but why did the Glass appear in the first place?
There’s a sense of normalcy for the community in Monterey, California, but their peace doesn’t last long. When they’re pushed to leave, they encounter something they never expected to find.
The Glass remain, but they’ve shifted positions.
Peggy reveals she used to have dreams, but prescription medication kept them at bay. Now she’s off the pills and is determined to visit Spokane with Will.
Alternate Earths, alien ships, and time travel revelations.
Ransom doesn’t know why he ever listened to Cedric. His journey with Joel to the Other Place offers a new perspective on their situation.
Maybe there can be peace in the aftermath…
Drake finds a group in Tucson, and all paths collide as they uncover the truth.
The Hidden Space is the continuation of the epic series, The Glass from Nathan Hystad, the author of Lost Contact, The Event, and Final Days.
Spare Me by Tara Sivec
Summersweet Island #6
Narrated by Kelsey Navarro, Tim Paige
Tantor Audio
$7.49 Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase – Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles written by Tara Sivec
Check out my reviews of other titles Narrated by Kelsey Navarro, Tim Paige
Ryan Hutton has spent his entire life being the shy, nerdy, rule-following nice guy on Summersweet Island. He’s the high school bowling coach and algebra teacher, who’s always predictable, and he’s always been fine with that. At least until a sexy nutjob gives him the best kiss of his life in his favorite pizza place. Suddenly, he doesn’t like being the quiet, obedient nice guy anymore.
When Danica Brewster first set foot on this beautiful island a few days ago, she just wanted a place to call home-far, far away from her family. A place where she could be wild and free without their judgment. When she finds out her new roommate is the stranger she kissed for free pizza, Danica knows this is a complication she definitely doesn’t need in her life right now.
However, the memory of that kiss is making them both act out of character. Ryan and Danica soon realize you can’t ignore your problems and hope they’ll go away. Those problems will just come back with a vengeance, tossing everything into the gutter.
It doesn’t make sense for a nerd to fall in love with a nutjob, but with the magic of Summersweet Island, anything is possible . . . if you have enough balls.
Contains mature themes.
Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
When in Rome #2
Narrated by Will Peters, Jorjeana Marie
Random House Audio
Check out my reviews of other titles written by Sarah Adams
Check out my reviews of other titles Narrated by Will Peters, Jorjeana Marie
A small-town sweetheart and an emotionally unavailable bad boy try to find some common ground in this chemistry-filled romance from the author of The Cheat Sheet and When in Rome.
Annie Walker is on a quest to find her perfect match—someone who complements her happy, quiet life running the local flower shop in Rome, Kentucky. But finding her dream man may be harder than Annie imagined. Everyone knows everyone in her hometown, and the dating prospects are getting fewer by the day. After she overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,” Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Is it too late to become flirtatious and fun like the leading ladies in her favorite romance movies? Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will Griffin.
Will—the sexy, tattooed, and absolutely gorgeous bodyguard—is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie Walker and any other possible attachments to this sleepy town. But no sooner than he gets settled, Will finds himself tasked with helping Annie find the love of her life by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. Will wants no part in changing the sweet and lovely Annie. He knows for a fact that some stuffy, straitlaced guy won’t make her happy, but he doesn’t have the heart to say no.
Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. As the lines of their friendship become dangerously blurred, Annie reconsiders her dream guy. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be real.
Better than Expected by Haley Cass
Narrated by Lori Prince
Tantor Audio
$7.47 Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase – Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles written by Haley Cass
Check out my reviews of other titles Narrated by Lori Prince
Hannah Dalton had a lot of expectations in her life. Growing up watching her mother struggle for everything they had, she resolved to make sure she did everything she could to make those hardships worthwhile. She would pursue the career she dreamed of, she would marry someone trustworthy and kind, and she would try to give her own daughter everything her mother gave her, only without the struggle.
She just never anticipated the order in which it could all happen or the hardships that would inevitably come to pass. But, somehow, maybe it can all work out better than expected.
A companion to the bestselling novel When You Least Expect It.
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
Narrated by Scott Brick, Suzanne Elise Freeman
Random House Audio
Check out my reviews of other titles written by Justin Cronin
Check out my reviews of other titles Narrated by Scott Brick, Suzanne Elise Freeman
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia—where the truth isn’t what it seems.
Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera’s lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh.
Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process—and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he’s been dreaming—which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.
Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group—known as “Arrivalists”—who may be fomenting revolution.
Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized—and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.
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