Sanya Simmons narrates this debut audiobook set in a coal mining community in southwestern Virginia. Bennie is trying to find out what happened to her best friends and other mine workers who have disappeared inside the mountain. When Bennie rescues a half-drowned white woman named Motheater in a stream near a borehole, she soon discovers that Motheater possesses a strange form of magic that might help Bennie's efforts to hold the mining company responsible for the disappearances. Simmons adopts an Appalachian accent for the narration. The story is told in the third person through Bennie and Motheater and flashbacks of Esther, an earlier incarnation of Motheater in the Reconstruction Era. Simmons expresses the varied emotions of the characters but manages to remain upbeat overall.
Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2025
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781696617833
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This highly emotional audiobook won’t leave listeners dry-eyed.
Kirt Graves tenderly narrates this audiobook about the end of the world. Don and Rodney, married for the last 40 years, have one month left to live as a black hole approaches Earth. They hit the road on a desperate trip across the country to fulfill one last promise. Graves easily distinguishes a variety of characters as they grapple with their impending deaths. He shows remarkable emotional versatility in his depictions of hope, desperation, apathy, and acceptance. Graves gives Rodney a low, gruff, and tough voice, while sentimental Don sounds gentler. Graves’ performance is leisurely paced, letting listeners linger in the stories of the people Don and Rodney meet along their journey.
This highly emotional audiobook won’t leave listeners dry-eyed.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 25 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250435606
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
Guite’s performance makes his poetry accessible.
Author Guite recites his epic ballad, the first of four installments in his retelling of the Arthurian legends. Starting in the 12th century, the Celtic tales of Arthur were recast with explicitly Christian interpretations. Continuing this tradition, Guite’s Galahad is portrayed as the most perfect knight, the embodiment of virginal purity facing potential downfall from the temptation posed by beautiful women. Only with God’s help will he succeed in his quest. Guite narrates at a leisurely pace, his gravelly voice rising and falling with the passion and intensity of the story. An informative author’s note details Guite’s reasons for undertaking this project.
Guite’s performance makes his poetry accessible.Pub Date: April 20, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 54 mins
DD ISBN: 9798895641408
Publisher: Oasis Audio
Review Posted Online: today
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