River Bend Staff Favorites

James

A Novel

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

“I LOVED listening to this book! I found myself laughing and crying. Beautiful writing...Percival Everett has fast become one of my favorites! Read more

The Husbands: A Read with Jenna Pick

A Novel

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

“Lauren is faced with a troubling situation — not only is she married to a complete stranger, she can also trade her husband in for a new one. The story leans into the wacky possibilities and bittersweet potentials that could tempt many of us. 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

“An epic, sometimes brutal portrait of Shek Yeung, a legendary Chinese pirate queen who makes impossible choices to maintain both power and safety. Fusing fantastical and historical elements, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea bends genres and took me on a high seas adventure. For fans of Outlawed and She Who Became the Sun/em>, this story is... 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

“Journey to the McMasters Conservatory, where you will meet the diabolical students, staff, and faculty of an institution whose only purpose is to prepare you to murder your employer. While this may seem immoral, McMasters has rules to ensure the 'elimination' of your 'target' is based on moral reasoning. If your 'thesis' is accepted and... Read more

Tom Lake

A Novel

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

“Does anyone *need* to be encouraged to listen to Meryl Streep read Ann Patchett? Probably not. But Streep, you’ll be unsurprised to hear, does a magnificent job with the nostalgia, the nuance and the Our Town of it all, bringing Patchett’s vivid past-and-present story to unforgettable life. Read more

Lessons in Chemistry

A Novel

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

“Thoroughly enjoyed reading about Elizabeth Zott and her passion for science 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

“Folk tale retelling at its finest. Perfect 20 minutes with my morning coffee. Brought back memories of reading Grimm's Fairy Tales at my Grandma's house. 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

“Imagine The Great British Baking Show with a splash of Agatha Christie murder mystique. Interesting characters, intriguing subplots, and a fun setting kept me turning the pages. This is a book I can put into the hands of any reader. Read more

One Last Stop

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

“Red, White, and Royal Blue fans rejoice: Casey McQuiston is back and better than ever! This book has everything I wanted and more. We've got time warps, we've got a found family dynamic, we've got a diner to save, and, of course, we've got Casey's delightfully funny writing style. What more is there to ask for? If you're looking for a fun... Read more

Remarkably Bright Creatures

A Novel

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

“This delightfully offbeat novel strikes just the right balance between weird and funny on the one hand and tender and big hearted on the other. Marcellus is a clever giant Pacific Octopus with a slightly misanthropic bent who lives in a public aquarium. Tova is the aquarium’s recently widowed janitor who’s stuck in a rut and still mourns the... 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

“Schwab has a masterpiece on her hands with this title. I loved it from the beginning, and that love grew until the very end. Addie needed to find a way to escape the life she is supposed to live as a woman in France, 1714. “No matter how desperate or dire, never pray to the gods that answer after dark.” As the sun sets, she is praying to any god... 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

“Please listen to this book! Hearing from Michelle is truly an emotional journey. Grab your tissues, and snacks because you will definitely be hungry while listening to her story. 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

“Growing up in a gaming world can give infinite possibilities and restarts, but can there always be such possibilities in the real world? Can love and friendship last beyond a virtual screen? Find out in this wonderfully written and spoken audiobook! As a person who does not play video games, I found this book very approachable and addictive. I... Read more