Patience and Sarah by Isabel Miller

Readers: Janis Ian and Jean Smart

Short Review: Touching lesbian love story, set in early 1800s and read beautifully. The two readers each read the portion of the story told from a single point of view. It really works.

Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell

Reader: Emma Galvin
Short Review: A stark, beautifully written and expertly read novel about an overburdened girl in dire straits.

Wild Decembers by Edna O’Brien

Reader: Suzanne Bertish

Short Review: A beautiful book, poorly served by bad audio quality and frequent mispronunciations.

Nice to Come Home To by Rebecca Flowers

Reader: Carrington MacDuffie

Short Review: A sweet first novel brought to life by an excellent reader. We meet Prudence Whistler as her life starts to fall apart – but it is easy to find joy in her self-discovery. Romantic and charming, a lovely ‘comfort’ book for a rainy day.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Readers: Jill Tanner and Bianca Amato

Short Review: A gothic novel of intrigue about family history, fame, women, writing, truth, and secrets. It is read gorgeously by two readers who both have velvety, rich voices and lovely diction.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

Readers: Cassandra Morris and Barbara Rosenblat
Short Review: A good but flawed book with two narrators of differing skill.

Possession by A.S. Byatt

Reader: Virginia Leishman
Short Review: An intricate, beautiful, arguably overlong book beautifully read by a very talented narrator. This isn’t a book for everyone, but it was definitely a book for me.

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares

Reader: Kimberly Farr

Short Review: The summer before high school, three old friends grow, change, and find their way back to themselves.

A Mercy by Toni Morrison

Reader: Toni Morrison

Short Review: A beautiful book, but difficult to listen to at times. Dr. Morrison is a wonderful reader in small doses, but perhaps should have handed this book over to a pro to read in its entirety.

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

Readers: Bernadette Dunne, Katie MacNichol, and Mark Bramhall

Short Review: This is a great book, but the audio version has a flaw that really annoyed me. I want a re-cut, just for me, sans music. I doubt I’ll get it.

The Joys of Love by Madeleine L’Engle

Reader: Maggi-Meg Reed

Short Review: This sweet story of romance and self-discovery is lovely. We join twenty-year-old Elizabeth’s for week of working in a summer theater in 1946. Beautifully read – a nice story for a dreamy afternoon.

Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison

Reader: Orlagh Cassidy

Short Review: Shallow beach-read sort of book. Estranged best friends reunited by twenty-year high school reunion. You probably already know if you would hate it based on this description.