River Bend Staff Favorites

James

A Novel

By: Percival Everett
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
Length: 7 hours 48 minutes

“Percival Everett, deep into his brilliant career, adds another indelible novel into his vast canon. James reimagines an emblematic — and yes, problematic — American classic and asks about life, history, and our cultural psyche. Read more

The Husbands

A Novel

By: Holly Gramazio
Narrated by: Miranda Raison
Length: 10 hours 30 minutes

“The Husbands is everything I expected and then some. At times I could not stop laughing, at others my gut was in knots. Who knew that a mystical attic that dispenses new husbands is the perfect vehicle for a journey of self discovery? Plenty of surprises and plenty of levity. Read more

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea

A Novel

By: Rita Chang-Eppig
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Length: 10 hours 40 minutes

“Who doesn't like pirates and who doesn't love a Pirate Queen?! Read more

Murder Your Employer

The McMasters Guide to Homicide

By: Rupert Holmes
Narrated by: Neil Patrick Harris & Simon Vance
Length: 14 hours 13 minutes

“Wickedly funny is the perfect description for this comedic thriller from Edgar Award-winning author Rupert Holmes. Wicked, because, the premise of this novel is the existence of a secret school dedicated to learning how to commit the perfect murder. Funny, because this novel is filled with word play, dry humor, witty twists, and characters you... Read more

Tom Lake

A Novel

By: Ann Patchett
Narrated by: Meryl Streep
Length: 11 hours 22 minutes

“Tom Lake was such a beautiful journey of a book! We're in the Summer of 2020 in a family farm in Michigan, where Lara tells stories of her youth to her three daughters, who desperately want to know about their mom's love affair with a famous actor. So we're also in the late 80s, travelling with Lara around New Hampshire, Los Angeles, New York,... Read more

Lessons in Chemistry

A Novel

By: Bonnie Garmus
Narrated by: Miranda Raison, Bonnie Garmus & Pandora Sykes
Length: 11 hours 55 minutes

“I was furious at the abject injustices that rained down on Elizabeth Zott, an unconventional and brilliant chemist who bucks traditional behaviors expected of women in the 1960s. But after she was forced into a socially acceptable position, I cheered her irrepressible resilience as she turned that conventional role into a wildly successful... Read more

Thicker Than Water

A Novel

By: Megan Collins
Narrated by: Gail Shalan & Emily Tremaine
Length: 10 hours 22 minutes

In this “twisty, propulsive thriller” (Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author) from Megan Collins, two sisters-in-law are at painful odds when the man who connects them—the brother of one, the husband of the other—is accused of a brutal crime.

Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia’s husband and Sienna’s... Read more

The Skull

A Tyrolean Folktale

By: Jon Klassen
Narrated by: Fairuza Balk & Jon Klassen
Length: 22 minutes

Winner of the 2024 Audie Award for Young Listeners

In a big abandoned house on a barren hill lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can... Read more

The Possibility of Life

Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos

By: Jaime Green
Narrated by: Jaime Green
Length: 8 hours 24 minutes

“Every page of this book makes our shared universe feel larger and more interesting than ever before, a true gift of fascinating science and engrossing storytelling.” —Matt Bell, author of Appleseed

A spellbinding exploration of alien life and the cosmos, examining how the possibility of life on other planets shapes our understanding of... Read more

The Golden Spoon

A Novel

By: Jessa Maxwell
Narrated by: Andrea Emmes, Andy Garcia-Ruse, Graham Halstead, Kitty Hendrix, Kamran Khan, Jackie Sanders, André Santana & Emily Tremaine
Length: 8 hours 36 minutes

“A murder mystery set during the filming of an American Bake-Off type show. There is a different narrator for each contestant's point of view. This allowed me to easily follow along with the thickening plot. The filming of the show takes place in an old mansion with a sinister past. You will also learn about the contestants' backstories and... Read more

One Last Stop

By: Casey McQuiston
Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
Length: 12 hours 10 minutes

“Dreamy otherworldy time loop trouble. Check. Swoony, sexy, queer love story. Check. Charming, Mysterious impossible characters. Check. Awesome displays of found family. Check. What more could you want? Honest, dazzling and downright amusing, from the author of the breakout hit Red, White & Royal Blue. Read more

Remarkably Bright Creatures

A Novel

By: Shelby Van Pelt
Narrated by: Marin Ireland & Michael Urie
Length: 11 hours 16 minutes

“Beautiful , funny, heartwarming story that intertwines interesting characters that you relate to, fall in love with and root for. Read more

We Hunt the Flame

Sands of Arawiya: Book #1

By: Hafsah Faizal
Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham & Steve West
Length: 14 hours 44 minutes

"Narrators Fiona Hardingham and Steve West lend their exceptional vocal skills to this fantasy novel...Both narrators deliver commanding performances steeped in drama and suspense, drawing out every ounce of emotion and intrigue: — AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner

Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, Hafsah... Read more

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

By: V. E. Schwab
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Length: 17 hours 9 minutes

“Unlike anything I have ever read. Stunning, masterful, epic, dark and rich! Even my friends who usually scoff at sci-fi/fantasy books, loved this one. No short synopsis will properly prepare you, just dive in. Read more

This Time Tomorrow

A Novel

By: Emma Straub
Narrated by: Marin Ireland & Emma Straub
Length: 8 hours 37 minutes

“Time travel and 1990s teen angst and awkwardness with Emma Straub at the helm? Sign me up! This is the perfect blend of heartbreak and heartfelt laughter that we could all use a dose of right now. Read more

The Way I Say It

By: Nancy Tandon
Narrated by: Matthew Bridges
Length: 6 hours 1 minute

Sixth-grader Rory’s story of his impossible-to-hide speech challenge and middle-school drama is perfect for fans of Sharon Draper’s Out of My Mind.
Rory still can’t say his r’s, but that’s just the beginning of his troubles. First Rory’s ex-best-friend Brent started hanging out with the mean lacrosse kids. But then, a terrible accident takes... Read more

The Gilded Wolves

A Novel

The Gilded Wolves: Book #1

By: Roshani Chokshi
Narrated by: Laurie Catherine Winkel & P. J. Ochlan
Length: 11 hours 55 minutes

“This is one of the coolest YA fantasy books I have ever read. The characters are imperfectly perfect, the magic system is incredible and the story is one that will keep you on your toes until the very end. I had so much fun reading this and I cannot wait for book two! Read more

Crying in H Mart

A Memoir

By: Michelle Zauner
Narrated by: Michelle Zauner
Length: 7 hours 22 minutes

“A bunch of us at GGP loved this daughter's brutally honest examination of her complicated at times strained relationship with her mother, who is dying of cancer. Bonus fascinating factor: the daughter just happens to be the lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast! Be prepared to cry, feel hungry or have an urge to call the motherly figures in... Read more

Counterfeit

A Novel

By: Kirstin Chen
Narrated by: Catherine Ho
Length: 7 hours 20 minutes

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK“A con artist story, a pop-feminist caper, a fashionable romp . . . Counterfeit is an entertaining, luxurious read—but beneath its glitz and flash, it is also a shrewd deconstruction of the American dream and the myth of the model minority. . . . Chen is up to something innovative and... Read more

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

A novel

By: Gabrielle Zevin
Narrated by: Jennifer Kim & Julian Cihi
Length: 13 hours 51 minutes

“I was seized and thoroughly absorbed by this amazing book, beautifully narrated in audiobook form. Sam and Sadie are two brilliant video gamers and creative designers whose lives revolve around games. The book follows their friendship and professional collaboration from early teen to young adult - through love and grief and disappointment and... Read more