With six BOT titles (including the #1 pick!), listeners will love July’s LibraryReads selections. They are a diverse array of genres and will appeal to any type of listener. Take a look at why these audiobooks should be a part of your collection:
View the full list of July LibraryReads picks and check out our LibraryReads Make Great Listens collection to see all of our BOT LibraryReads picks since the program began. Now, see why our July BOT LibraryReads picks are must-listens.
SPINNING SILVER
By Naomi Novik
Read by Lisa Flanagan
LISTEN TO A CLIP: SPINNING SILVER
LibraryReads review: “A wonderful reimagining of the Rumpelstiltskin story. A tale of love, family, magic, and destiny, told from the perspective of three strong female characters.” —Melanie Liechty, Logan Library, Logan, UT
Why try the audio? From feisty Miryem to peasant girl, Wanda, and everyone in between, the multi-layered retelling of the classic Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale is deftly narrated by award-winning voice actor Lisa Flanagan.
Praise for SPINNING SILVER:
“This gorgeous, complex, and magical novel, grounded in Germanic, Russian, and Jewish folklore but richly overlaid with a cohesive, creative story of its own, rises well above a mere modern re- imagining of classic tales.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“A medieval fable of obscure moral import blossoms into a thoughtful, emotionally complex, absorbing drama.” —Kirkus
“A book as cool and mysterious as a winter’s night, with two marvelous heroines at its heart. Spinning Silver pits the cold of endless winter against the fires of duty, love, and sacrifice. I couldn’t put it down.”—Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale
By Anne Tyler
Read by Kimberly Farr
LISTEN TO A CLIP:CLOCK DANCE
LibraryReads review: “Willa Drake gets a second act when she steps in to care for a nine-year-old in a complicated situation. Character driven fiction and a sweeping storyline.” —Mary Anne Quinn, Warwick Public Library, Warwick, RI
Why try the audio? Award-winning audiobook narrator Kimberly Farr is incredibly experienced in narrating warm, character-rich driven stories like this one.
Praise for CLOCK DANCE:
“Tyler’s bedazzling yet fathoms-deep feel-good novel is wrought with nimble humor, intricate understanding of emotions and family, place and community—and bounteous pleasure in quirkiness, discovery, and renewal.” —Booklist, starred review
“The cast of sharply drawn characters dominates in ways both reflective and raucous…It’s a stellar addition to Tyler’s prodigious catalogue.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
By JP Delaney
Read by Sally Scott, with Matt Reeves, Lorelei King, John Chancer, and Eric Meyers
LISTEN TO A CLIP:BELIEVE ME
LibraryReads review: “An unemployed actress works for a divorce lawyer entrapping unsuspecting husbands until she finds herself ensnared in a murder investigation. This roller-coaster ride of a book will keep you guessing with an unreliable narrator and and a twisty plot.” —Linda Quinn, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT
Why try the audio? In this, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation. The tale is twisty and having multiple narrators lend their voices to it makes the story more engrossing. It will keep you guessing until the very end.
Praise for BELIEVE ME:
“This rich, nuanced, highly literary take on the Gone Girl theme adds dimension and complexity to a trend that was in danger of wearing out its welcome.” —Booklist, starred review
By David Bell
Read by Jon Lindstrom
LISTEN TO A CLIP:SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER
LibraryReads review: “Michael Frazier is searching for the missing daughter he never knew he had. A multi-layered plot with so many compelling, complex characters, this book grabbed me from the first sentences.” —Evelyn Cunningham, Norwalk Public Library, Norwalk, CT
Why try the audio? Emmy-nominated actor Jon Lindstrom narrates this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense; his narration will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Praise for SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER:
“Bell turns an ordinary life into a tense roller-coaster ride filled with unexpected twists and turns.” —Publishers Weekly
“This is another solid page-turner from the reliable Bell.” —Booklist
By C. W. Gortner
Read by Katharine McEwan
LISTEN TO A CLIP:THE ROMANOV EMPRESS
LibraryReads review: “A look at Maria, Empress of Russia, and her trials before and after becoming the Russian Empress. Well written historical fiction.” —Janette McMahon, Fremont County Library System, WY
Why try the audio? The Romanovs have long been a source of fascination for people, but there hasn’t been an engrossing story about the mother of the last Russian tsar until now. British actress Katharine McEwan is excellent in drawing listeners in and giving a voice to an often-overlooked royal.
Praise for THE ROMANOV EMPRESS:
“Will deftly sweep historical-fiction fans into this glamorous, turbulent, and ultimately tragic chapter in history.” —Booklist, starred review
“This insightful first-person account of the downfall of the Romanov rule will appeal to history buffs; at its core, it’s the powerful story of a mother trying to save her family and an aristocrat fighting to maintain rule in a country of rebellion, giving it an even broader appeal.” —Publishers Weekly
By Ingrid Rojas Contreras
Read by Marisol Ramirez, Ingrid Rojas Contreras & Almarie Guerra
LISTEN TO A CLIP:>FRUIT OF THE DRUNKEN TREE
LibraryReads review: “Set against the violence of 1990s Columbia, a young girl and a maid form an unlikely and dangerous relationship. Equal parts heartwrenching and beautiful.” —Alejandra Rodriguez, Osceola County Library, FL
Why try the audio? This debut novel is told in alternating perspectives so having two distinct narrators gives the story more authenticity and enhances the listening experience.
Praise for FRUIT OF THE DRUNKEN TREE:
“A riveting, powerful, and fascinating first novel.” —Booklist, starred review
“This striking novel offers an atmospheric journey.” —Publishers Weekly
“When women of color write history, we see the world as we have never seen it before. In Fruit of the Drunken Tree, Ingrid Rojas Contreras honors the lives of girls who witness war. Brava! I was swept up by this story.” —Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street
See all ten of July’s LibraryReads 2018 picks on the LibraryReads site.
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