Jennifer Pickens narrates this darkly unique retelling of "Snow White." Anja is an expert on poisons who regularly drinks small doses of them in her quest to find cures. The king is desperate to prevent his daughter, Snow, from dying, and summons Anja to prevent it. Pickens adjusts her approach appropriately for several characters: Anja is depicted with straightforward pragmatism, a talking cat with a legato purr, and Snow with youthful breathiness. As Anja searches for the source of the poison that is killing the king's daughter, she stumbles into a hidden world in the castle's mirrors. Her enthusiasm and wonder are delightfully narrated, and so too is her horror as she learns the truth about the alternate realm and its creatures.
Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250395665
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Descriptive magical settings, multidimensional characters, and nuanced storytelling.
Listeners will be immediately drawn into the vivid, sweeping world of the Azalea Dynasty. Narrators Katharine Chin and Eric Yang create an immersive fantasy setting for this powerful story about legacy, hierarchy, power, and politics. Primary protagonist Wei Yin is desperate as she watches her family and her village succumb to starvation, and she is willing to do anything to survive. As allegiances are formed and war is imminent, Wei Yin's talent for poetry gives her a voice, and she learns the dangers and advantages of taking her power.
Descriptive magical settings, multidimensional characters, and nuanced storytelling.Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250435576
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
James Marsters' weary delivery perfectly captures Harry Dresden's fractured psyche as he navigates a year of mandatory mourning and political maneuvering in Chicago. Marsters doesn't just read; he inhabits Harry's exhaustion, using deliberate pacing and a somber tonal palette that underscores the protagonist's post-traumatic stress. Marsters' gift for distinct vocal characterizations remains sharp, effortlessly pivoting from the ethereal, detached elegance of the Sidhe to the grounded warmth of Harry's remaining allies. By leaning into the book's quieter, more introspective moments, Marsters elevates this urban fantasy's emotional stakes, transforming a year of Dresden's life into a poignant study of grief. It's an immersive performance that makes the wizard's vulnerability feel hauntingly real. Marsters' soulful performance makes this a compelling entry in the Harry Dresden series.
Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217176021
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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