Welcome to Brian’s Book Blog’s Weekly Showcase of New and Notable Audiobooks for September 21st!
Each week, I handpick audiobooks from various genres that have caught my attention. Dive in and discover your next great listen!
Spot an audiobook I missed or one you’re particularly excited about? Share in the comments below!
Authors, narrators, producers, and publishers — if your audiobook is featured here, it’s a top contender for review.
Spot your work? Submit your book for review by clicking the button below.
Book covers and bold titles may have affiliate links to Amazon (where you can buy the Audible version).
Clicking these helps support this site, so thank you if you do.
New to Audible or Audiobooks in general? Welcome!
Try Audible Premium Plus and Get Up to Two Free Audiobooks
Observer by Robert Lanza, Nancy Kress
Narrated by Stacey Glemboski
Macmillan Audio
Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles narrated by Stacey Glemboski
Observer, by Robert Lanza and Nancy Kress is a slick modern, hard sf, standalone, medical thriller combining classic Robin Cook with the hard edge of Black Mirror and Altered Carbon.
After neurosurgeon Caro Soames-Watkins’ career has gone down in flames, she receives a strange job offer from Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sam Watkins, a great uncle she barely knows, and desperation overcomes any suspicions.
Watkins’ mysterious medical facility conducts research into the nature of consciousness, reality, and life after death. Two obstacles stand in his way: an intel leak and his failing body may not last long enough for the tech to be ready.
As danger mounts, Caro finds more than she bargained for: murder, love, and a deep disturbing look into the nature of reality.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
Retrograde Flaw by Brian Shea, Raquel Byrnes
Narrated by Megan Tusing
Memory Bank Thrillers #2
Tantor Audio
Review coming soon!
Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles narrated by Megan Tusing
In a world of high-tech deceit, where memories are weapons and truth is a fragile illusion, Detective Morgan Reed must decipher his own past to survive.
Detective Morgan Reed is back on the force, but the digital landscape he once knew has evolved into a treacherous realm of shadow games and shifting allegiances. Thrust into an investigation surrounding the enigmatic High Rock Holdings and Spectre Group, he soon discovers the Kraken—a next-gen tech weapon with chilling accuracy.
Yet, the deeper Reed digs, the more personal the stakes become, with ties to his own haunted past and a murdered friend, Dontae Black. Teamed with the astute Detective Natalie “Nat” De La Cruz, the duo unravels a tapestry of betrayal, crime rings, and covert tech conspiracies.
But as the truth edges closer, Reed must confront a harrowing question: In a world where trust is just a byte away from betrayal, who can you really believe?
From Raquel Byrnes and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brian Shea comes Retrograde Flaw, where every digital footprint leads to an unexpected twist, and the line between ally and adversary is but a click away. A must-listen for fans of Michael Crichton and David Baldacci.
Ultra 85 by Logic
Narrated by Steve Blum, Logic
Simon & Schuster Audio
Featuring an exclusive conversation with Logic and Steve Blum
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Logic comes the highly anticipated second novel set in the far future as two friends uncover if the utopian planet Paradise lives up to its name.
In the year 2115, when the Earth is no longer inhabitable, the remainder of humanity lives in Babel, a giant space station. Two pilots, Quentin and Kai, must find the planet Paradise, where only the most promising citizens are allowed to live. On their journey, Quentin and Kai encounter Quentin’s estranged father, who left Babel for Paradise when Quentin was a child, and they discover just how different Paradise is from what they imagined—and how they must change it for the better.
The bestselling author of Supermarket and platinum-selling hip-hop artist, Logic, returns to fiction with this gripping and propulsive sci-fi novel.
Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton
Narrated by Shiloh Grey
Oxford Romance #2
Tantor Audio
Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Olivia Sachdeva’s life is flawless. With a first from Oxford and as the youngest partner at Bentley lawyers, she expects high standards from everyone. Her only indulgences are eating iced desserts and repeat watching rom-coms, especially those featuring Kate Laurence-pure escapism and cinematic perfection.
But, when the actor walks into Olivia’s office with a bag full of divorce and a messy personal life, that perfect bubble bursts. Kate seems nothing like the screen goddesses she plays, and Olivia must put aside her comfort viewing and handle the case like the true professional she is.
It requires secrecy, especially with indiscreet friends. Will best friend Charlotte ever read the room? And will Millie, who instantly reads the room, ever stop commenting loudly?
And Kate? She doesn’t know what to think about this frosty lawyer. But she needs a quick divorce from a mistake of a marriage, which was over before it started, and Olivia Sachdeva is the best.
But little by little, Olivia and Kate glimpse behind the mask, to find someone they weren’t looking for, who may not even be perfect, but might be the right person for them.
Always Emilie by Alyson Root
Narrated by Lillia Green
The French Connection #3
Self Published
Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Charlie Baxter has it all. A beautiful house, successful company and a set of tattoos that light women on fire at the mere sight of them. Not to mention, she’s tall and gorgeous! Life is good… Well, that is until her old music teacher calls insisting she return to her old school to take part in their annual charity ball. Charlie left Pickerton Academy behind twenty years ago. She also left behind the heartache caused by the only girl she ever loved.
Emilie Martin is an international superstar. She’s had fame and fortune for the past two decades, but what she really wants now is a break. Maybe a couple of weeks in the English countryside and a visit to her old school is just what she needs. Sounds perfect, and it would be if it weren’t for the fact it meant seeing the one person Emilie has pined over for twenty years. The girl that got away. No, the girl Emilie threw away.
With both women on a collision course with their past, can they put all the hurt behind them and start again? Can they keep their hands off each other long enough to really figure out what they want?
I’ll Get Back to You by Becca Grischow
Narrated by Allison Grischow
Penguin Audio
A charming home run of a queer holiday romance where two former classmates’ plan to fake-date their way to freedom goes immediately awry—but, perhaps, exactly the way they need it to
Murphy was supposed to be settling into her junior year at the University of Illinois with her best friend, Kat. Instead, she’s stuck in a hellish suburban holding pattern: living with her parents, failing the same class that kept her from graduating the first time around, and making minimum wage at the same coffee shop she’s worked at since she was sixteen. It doesn’t help that the dating pool for a twenty-one-year-old lesbian in the tiny town of Geneva, Illinois, is anemic at best.
When her and Kat’s long-awaited reunion is plagued by stuttering conversation and uninvited guests, Murphy’s resentment threatens to boil over. That is, until a miracle appears in the form of Ellie Meyers, a former classmate who is way cuter and not nearly as straight as Murphy remembers. Their heavy flirting holds the promise of something more… until Murphy learns that Ellie’s mom is the very professor preparing to flunk Murphy for a second semester in a row. Talk about killing the vibe.
Romance might be off the table, but Ellie could be Murphy’s key to getting into Professor Meyers’ good graces and finally getting out of Geneva. And Murphy—well-versed in defying parental expectations—might be Ellie’s chance to get her mother onboard with her own dreams. Together, they hatch a plot: fake a relationship for a holiday weekend at the Meyers’ house. If everything goes according to plan, Ellie will be living her dream halfway across the country, and Murphy will finally be able to graduate community college and start her life in earnest. So, the fact that Murphy can’t stop thinking about Ellie’s lips on hers isn’t relevant. It’s just a part played well.
Right?
A story about opening your heart to possibility, I’ll Get Back To You is a giddy love letter to anyone in need of a bit of bravery to step up to the plate—and to the unending process of finding yourself.
Being Emily by Rachel Gold
Narrated by Nicky Endres
Tantor Audio
Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
They say that whoever you are it’s okay, you were born that way. Those words don’t comfort Emily, because she was born Christopher and her insides know that her outsides are all wrong.
They say that it gets better, be who you are and it’ll be fine. For Emily, telling her parents who she really is means a therapist who insists Christopher is normal and Emily is sick. Telling her girlfriend means lectures about how God doesn’t make that kind of mistake.
Emily desperately wants high school in her small Minnesota town to get better. She wants to be the woman she knows is inside, but it’s not until a substitute therapist and a girl named Natalie come into her life that she believes she has a chance of actually Being Emily.
A story for anyone who has ever felt that the inside and outside don’t match and no one else will understand . . .
In this new, expanded version you will find updated language, expanded and additional scenes, a new note from the author, a new introduction, and an epilogue: Emily and Claire, ten years later.
The groundbreaking classic updated for our generation!
The Seemingly Impossible Love Life of Amanda Dean by Ann Rose
Narrated by Victoria Villarreal
Penguin Audio
It’s her wedding day and it’ll be the happiest day of her life…won’t it?
Amanda Dean would say she’s an okay artist and a loyal friend, but what she’s best at is falling in love. A self-proclaimed bi disaster who has had her heart broken more times than she cares to count, Amanda can’t help opening herself up. As she gets ready on the day she’s waited a lifetime for, memories of her past loves run through her mind, with one glaring red sign blinking above them—is this “the one”?
Will it be:
the fit water polo player,
the fashionista,
the dependable hedge fund manager,
or the one where the timing was never quite right.
Now, on the day of her wedding—a day where everything already seems to be going wrong—Mandy must decide if she’s willing to risk it all one last time or if she’ll escape while her whole heart is still intact.
Equal parts heartwarming and bittersweet, The Seemingly Impossible Love Life of Amanda Dean expertly weaves the wonder and terror of falling in love into a beautifully crafted story about the joy that can be found when you’re willing to dust yourself off and try again.
One by Jewel E. Ann
Narrated by Samantha Summers, Vincent Skye
Podium Audio
Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
Lake Jones has the perfect job, an addiction to binge-watching Netflix, and the world’s ugliest cat. She’s also a bit sexually frustrated. Until…
Fate bestows a breath of mercy upon her in the form of Minnesota’s NFL starting quarterback. But this gift is no stranger. Lake met Cage Monaghan three years earlier.
It was one day. One moment. One kiss that resurrected her dreams of finding love.
His dimpled smile distracts from his imperfections, which include: a love for country music, fishing, a fan club of fawning women, and public scrutiny.
It’s starting to seem like, yet again, it’s the wrong time for their story.
But when life finally gives them their chance, the chapter they write will be one wild ride.
From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jewel E. Ann comes a heart-warming, second-chance romance.
Troy Story by Carla Luna
Narrated by Suehyla El-Attar Young
Romancing the Ruins #2
Bryant Street Publishing
The friendship that launched a thousand adventures is about to embark on the greatest one of all…
Ever since Stuart Carlson and Dusty Danforth met as kids on a dig in Egypt, they’ve been best friends, supporting each other through heartaches, triumphs, and countless archaeological expeditions. So when Stuart gets hired to help run the American excavations at Troy, he asks Dusty to join him as the site illustrator.
For Dusty, the Troy project isn’t just another adventure. It’s the chance to tell Stuart how she really feels. After years of pining for him, she’s ready for more than friendship.
But soon after they arrive at the site in Turkey, they’re caught up in a feud with a group of German archaeologists. While both teams are eager to make a major find, Stuart’s boss is so determined to beat his rivals that he’s willing to break a few rules. Or laws.
As Stuart and Dusty work together to keep the dig on track, they give in to the passion that’s been simmering under the surface. But will their romance survive when their boss’s scheme puts the entire project in jeopardy?
Exodus: The Archimedes Engine by Peter F. Hamilton
Narrated by John Lee
Exodus #1
Random House Audio
Check out my reviews of other titles written by Peter F. Hamilton
Check out my reviews of other titles narrated by John Lee
Explore EXODUS, a new sci-fi action-adventure RPG coming soon from Archetype Entertainment featured in this epic novel from legendary author Peter F. Hamilton.
Forty thousand years ago, humanity fled a dying Earth. Traveling in massive arkships, these brave pioneers spread out across the galaxy to find a new home. After traveling thousands of light-years, one fleet of arkships arrived at Centauri, a dense cluster of stars with a vast array of potentially habitable planets. The survivors of Earth signaled to the remaining arkships that humanity had finally found its new home among the stars.
Thousands of years later, the Centauri Cluster has flourished. The original settlers have evolved into advanced beings known as Celestials and divided themselves into powerful Dominions. One of the most influential is that of the Crown Celestials, an alliance of five great houses that controls vast areas of Centauri. As arkships continue to arrive, the remaining humans and their descendants must fight for survival against overwhelming odds or be forced into serving the Crown Dominion.
Among those yearning for a better life is Finn, for whom Earth is not a memory but merely a footnote from humanity’s ancient history. Born on one of the Crown Dominion worlds, Finn has known nothing but the repressive rule of the Celestials, though he dreams of the possibility of boundless space beyond his home.
When another arkship from Earth, previously thought lost, unexpectedly arrives, Finn sees his chance to embrace a greater destiny and become a Traveler—one of a group of brave heroes dedicated to ensuring humanity’s future by journeying into the vast unknown of distant space.
Defiant by Amy Patrick
Narrated by Caitlin Davies
Designed #2
Podium Audio
Whispersync Deal with Kindle Purchase
Kindle Edition Currently Available with Kindle Unlimited
Check out my reviews of other titles narrated by Caitlin Davies
Mireya is back where she started, but everything is different now.
She’s at the top of her class on the military base, her doting parents are actually proud of her, and she’s surrounded by the friends and classmates she’s known all her safe, protected, predictable life.
Everything would be perfect if it weren’t for the troubling dreams and the occasional hallucinations she gets. Mireya knows the visions aren’t real, but they feel like memories of a life she never had.
All the vivid images have two things in common—a disturbing sense of foreboding and a gorgeous blue-eyed guy she’s never met.
When she comes face to face with him, she’s in shock. Even more so when he insists she needs to flee the base immediately and make a new home at a mysterious place called the Haven. He tells her he loves her and warns that her life is in danger, and so are all her friends.
Unsure of what to believe and whom to trust, Mireya must decide whether to leave her home and lead her friends into the unknown.
After all, her fractured memories include mentions of the Lost Boys… and everyone knows Neverland holds many wonders. And threats.
In this second book of the Designed series, Mireya will have to come to terms with who and what she is and use all her wits to navigate a new world—one that may be exactly where she belongs. Or not.
The Designed series is gripping and romantic, action-packed dystopian science fiction set in a near future America and is perfect for listeners who loved Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games, Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Scott Westerfield’s Uglies, K.A. Riley’s Cure Chronicles and Resistance Trilogy, and Kiera Cass’ Selection series.
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Narrated by Brianne Tju
Uglies #1
Simon & Schuster Audio
Soon to be a major motion picture streaming on Netflix!
The first installment of Scott Westerfeld’s New York Times bestselling and award-winning Uglies series—a global phenomenon that started the dystopian trend.
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait. In just a few weeks, she’ll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty. And as a pretty, she’ll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun.
But Tally’s new friend Shay isn’t sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world—and it isn’t very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally’s choice will change her world forever.
- When I Picture You by Sasha Laurens (Narrated by Lauren Fortgang, Hillary Huber) - January 4, 2026
- Bellosio by John F. Shekleton (Narrated by Ray Montecalvo) - December 2, 2025
- Wake Up, Nat & Darcy by Kate Cochrane (Narrated by Jeremy Carlisle Parker) - November 13, 2025