Literary Fiction Audiobooks | Literature

"Wellness, motherhood, and technology converge in a near future California, as three women's seemingly innocuous decisions have further-reaching consequences than any of them could imagine in this timely, clever, and white-knuckled thriller that "is dystopia at its best" (Booklist). In 2060, the WellPod is the latest launch from the largest tech company the world has ever seen—a fleet of floating personal paradises scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean, focused entirely on health, solitude, and relaxation. Created by an enigmatic founder who will stop at nothing to ensure her company's success, it is the long-awaited pinnacle of wellness technology. For newly pregnant Maggie, the six-week program is the perfect chance to get away…especially since the baby isn't her partner's. Noa Behar isn't a perfect fiancée. She's too distracted, too focused on her work in helping program the WellPod to give Maggie the attention she deserves. But when she discovers something rotten beneath WellPod's shiny exterior—a history of faulty tech and dangerous cover-ups—she knows one thing: she'll do whatever it takes to keep Maggie safe. The problem? The malfunctioning WellPods are already at sea. And there's a storm coming… A fast-paced and compelling thriller, You're Safe Here "serves up twists on twists on twists, building to an ending that no amount of AI-powered computing could ever hope to predict" (Nick Fuller Googins, author of The Great Transition)."

Leslie Stephens (Author), Carlotta Brentan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pearly Everlasting: A Novel

"FINALIST Barnes and Nobel Discover Prize 2024 WINNER of the HarperCollins Canada-UBC Prize for Best New Fiction Steeped in rural folklore and superstition, and full of remarkable characters, Pearly Everlasting is an enchanting woodland Gothic about the triumph of good over evil, the beauty of the natural world, and a bond of love that cannot be broken. New Brunswick, 1934: A cook in a logging camp rescues an orphaned baby bear and brings it home to his wife. She names the cub Bruno and raises him alongside their newborn daughter, Pearly Everlasting. Living in the forest amid severe poverty during the Great Depression, Pearly’s family and the lumberjacks form a close-knit community that accepts and embraces the tame young bear in their camp. But when a new camp supervisor—a profiteer who endangers the lives of the loggers—arrives, he is less accepting of Bruno. When the supervisor is later found dead, Bruno is blamed, and then kidnapped and sold to an animal trader. Determined to rescue the only brother she has ever known, Pearly, now a teenager, sets off on a hazardous solo journey—her first trip to the Outside—to find him. To make her way home again, Pearly will tramp through miles of ice and snow, elude malevolent spirits, and confront the cruelty of local villagers. But over the course of her harrowing journey, she will also discover new worlds, the kindness of strangers, and a strength she never knew she possessed."

Tammy Armstrong (Author), Jean Ann Douglass (Narrator)

Audiobook

Nice Work, Nora November: A Novel about Second Chances

"'A delightful novel about fate, second chances, and how our worst moments are only the gateways to the best moments to come. When you're finished, you'll be writing your own reverse bucket list to check off.' --Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author New York Times bestselling author Julia London returns with a 'perfect blend of women's fiction and romantic comedy' (Kristan Higgins) for fans Matt Haig, Linda Holmes, and Abi Waxman. Now that Nora is not dead, only one question remains: What does she want to do with her life? Nora November is alive--but she wasn't always. She was once clinically dead, having spent several minutes under water after a terrible surfing accident she doesn't remember. What she does remember from her time in a coma is her grandfather, who passed away over a year ago. And a beautiful garden. And the most delicious tomato she ever tasted. Now that she's awake again her life has been cleaved in two. In the Before, Nora lived like a ghost, drowning under the weight of her parents' expectations. In the After, she's determined to accomplish the things she left undone before she died. Her reverse bucket list is simple: She wants to learn to cook and to be a better older sister to Lacey. She wants to quit her terrible job as a personal injury lawyer at her dad's firm. She wants to bring Grandpa's now-neglected garden back to life. And she wants to find the guy she met in a corner store months ago--the one she never called but never stopped thinking about. As Nora's attempts at a new life prove disastrous at best, her mission to fulfill her reverse bucket list leads her to a reckoning with the truth she almost hid from herself. Nice Work, Nora November blends humor, hope, and romance with a relatable heroine and her reverse bucket list. With the included discussion questions, it's the perfect book club book, and will have you asking yourself: what would you do if given a second chance at life?"

Julia London (Author), Karissa Vacker (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Forgotten Names: A Tale of Heroism and Reclaiming Identity in Nazi-Occupied France

"For fans of The Book of Lost Names and The Way We Hide! In August 1942, French parents were faced with a horrible choice: watch their children die, or abandon them forever. Fifty years later, it becomes one woman's mission to match the abandoned names with the people they belong to. Five years after the highly publicized trial of Klaus Barbie, the 'Butcher of Lyon,' law student Valérie Portheret began her doctoral research into the 108 children who disappeared from Vénissieux fifty years earlier, children who somehow managed to escape deportation and certain death in the German concentration camps. She soon discovers that their rescue was no unexplainable miracle. It was the result of a coordinated effort by clergy, civilians, the French Resistance, and members of other humanitarian organizations who risked their lives as part of a committee dedicated to saving those most vulnerable innocents. Theirs was a heroic act without precedent in Nazi-occupied Europe, made possible due to a loophole in the Nazi agenda to deport all Jewish immigrants from the country: a legally recognized exemption for unaccompanied minors. Therefore, to save their children, the Jewish mothers of Vénissieux were asked to make the ultimate sacrifice of abandoning them forever. Told in dual timelines, The Forgotten Names is a reimagined account of the true stories of the French men and women who have since been named Righteous Among the Nations, the children they rescued, the stifled cries of shattered mothers, and a law student, whose twenty-five-year journey allowed those children to reclaim their heritage and remember their forgotten names. With its gripping narrative and thought-provoking themes, The Forgotten Names is a must-read for history enthusiasts and book clubs alike. Dive deeper into the novel with included discussion questions, a historical timeline, and insightful author notes. Also by author: Auschwitz Lullaby, Children of the Stars, Remember Me, The Librarian of Saint-Malo, The Teacher of Warsaw, and The Swiss Nurse"

Mario Escobar (Author), Saskia Maarleveld (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Modern Fairies

"Brought to you by Penguin. Why don't they tell you it is the beautiful princess who becomes the evil queen; that they are just the same person at different points in their story? Versailles, 1682: a city of the rich, a living fairy-tale, Louis XIV's fever dream. It's a place of opulence, beauty, and power. But strip back the lavish exterior of polite society, and you'll find a dark undercurrent of sexual intrigue and vicious gossip. Nobody is safe here - no matter how highly born they are. No one knows this better than Madame Marie d'Aulnoy. Each week, a rogue group of intellectuals gather at her Parisian home to debate, flirt and perform Contes de Fées - fairy tales - that challenge the status quo, at a salon that will change the course of literature forever. But while they weave tales of glass slippers, enchanted beasts and long-haired princesses, a wolf is lurking, who threatens to destroy the members of the salon one by one. Brilliant and bawdy, romantic and provocative, The Modern Fairies is a dazzling novel inspired by real events, about the delights and dangers of storytelling in dark times. 'Elegant and decadent, vulgar and clever, enchanting and dark. The love child of Angela Carter and Anaïs Nin - the book I really really needed' SARAH PERRY, author of The Essex Serpent 'Pollard's future, as a novelist, is very bright indeed' THE I, praise for Delphi ©2024 Clare Pollard (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

Clare Pollard (Author), Kathryn Drysdale (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Art of Vanishing: A novel

"'A fascinating glimpse into the intersection of art, class, and the complexity of adult friendship. . . . I couldn't put this book down." -Waubgeshig Rice, author of Moon of the Turning Leaves An intimate, explosive story of creativity and friendship between two young Japanese women in 1970s Tokyo. Akemi's desire for independence and aversion to marriage are unusual in her small village. A gift for drawing allows her to move to a rooming house in Tokyo where she studies medical illustration, finding satisfaction in the precision and purpose of her work. Sayako is the first roommate to pay Akemi attention, and they quickly become inseparable-Sayako drawn to Akemi's humble origins, so distinct from her own insufferable, wealthy family; Akemi attracted to Sayako's rebelliousness and her aspiration to be a painter. As Akemi begins to model for Sayako, their connection deepens. Together, they attend 'happenings,' encounters arranged by two enigmatic artists, Nezu and Kaori, in random locations, intended to free them from their worldly attachments. Following a devastating betrayal, Sayako disappears, and Akemi becomes determined to find her-and in the process, must newly face herself. Tender, enthralling, and evocative of the energy of Japan in the 1970s, The Art of Vanishing is the story of a young woman struggling to see and be seen; of authenticity and art; of the thin line between loyalty and obsession."

Lynne Kutsukake (Author), Emily Shelton (Narrator)

Audiobook

Knife River: A captivating and atmospheric slow-burn debut thriller, perfect for fans of Chris Whita

"'A delicious smoke curl of a novel' JODI PICOULT 'A twisting, engrossing and beautiful mystery . . . Deeply moving and powerful' CHRIS WHITAKER SLOW-BURN, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND SOAKED WITH ATMOSPHERE, KNIFE RIVER IS THE DEBUT NOVEL OF AN EXCITING NEW VOICE IN LITERARY CRIME First, there were my mother's bones . . . A young woman returns home to the small, claustrophobic town of Knife River. When Jess was thirteen, her mother went for a walk and did not return - now, fifteen years later, bones have been discovered in the woods nearby. Jess's sister has remained in their childhood home - her life, their home and the town itself seemingly frozen in time. As days turn into weeks, Jess's understanding of the past, her sister, and herself becomes more and more complicated - and the list of suspects responsible for her mother's terrible fate more and more ominous . . . 'An intelligent literary mystery with a rich sense of place and a clever plot; but it is Champine's keenly-observed depiction of the aftermath of tragedy and the corrosive impact of loss that sets this novel apart' PAULA HAWKINS 'I couldn't put Knife River down. An incredibly compelling literary mystery. Beautifully written' OLIVIA KIERNAN 'Both a beguiling mystery and a tender exploration of sisterhood and first love, this beautiful, deep, winding road of a novel pulled me hard into its pages and wouldn't let me go. I was captivated by this debut' EMMA STYLES 'Atmospheric, sharp, and skilled at twisting the reader's guesses in unimaginable ways' JODI PICOULT A haunting, slow burning novel full of atmosphere and heart. Clever and beautifully written, it is a satisfying and moving read' ARAMINTA HALL 'An engrossing, powerful debut with a fantastic sense of place' T.M. LOGAN"

Justine Champine (Author), Jennifer Pickens (Narrator)

Audiobook

Cecilia

"Brought to you by Penguin. A surreal novella about the intensity and eroticism of girlhood friendships, the ecstasy of desire and disgust, matriarchal mythmaking and the haunting presence of crows. Seven, who works as a cleaner at a chiropractor’s office, reencounters Cecilia, a woman who has obsessed her since their school days. As the two of them board the same bus — each dubiously claiming not to be following the other — their chance meeting spurs a series of intensely vivid and corporeal memories. Smart, subversive and gripping, Cecilia is a winding, misty road trip through bodily transformation, inextricable histories of desire and violence, diaspora and obsessive love. ©2024 K-Ming Chang (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

K-Ming Chang (Author), Sabrina Wu (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances

"New and Noteworthy from USA Today A Best New Book of the Week from People "This book will grab your heart and not let go." -John Grogan, author of Marley & Me "A wise, engaging meditation on dogs, love, and recovery from pain. Come. Sit. Read!" -Lily King, author of Euphoriaand The Pleasing Hour "If you've ever loved a dog, this book is a must-read." -Missourian The Sanctuary is a refuge for strays and rescued dogs. Evie has joined a training program there, though she knows almost nothing about animals. Like the greyhound who won't move, the Rottweiler with attitude problems, or the hound who might be a candidate for search-and-rescue, Evie has a troubled past. But as they all learn, no one should stay prisoner to a life she didn't choose. Heartfelt and hilarious in turn, this is a deeply moving story of the countless ways in which humans and canines help each other find new lives, new selves, and new hope. "This is a miracle of a book . . . Cooney is such a wise genius of a writer, and her sentences keep surprising you, but are never the point in themselves. I read with a kind of mental breathlessness. If Cooney needs someone to convince her to write a sequel, I volunteer." -Gail Godwin, author of Evensong and Publishing "A moving and joyous romp . . . All the dogs are wonderfully, fully drawn characters . . . A brilliantly crafted, uplifting book." -The Bark"

Ellen Cooney (Author), Carrington MacDuffie, Jensen Olaya (Narrator)

Audiobook

Trilogy

"Winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature This is Jon Fosse’s critically acclaimed, luminous love story about Asle and Alida, two lovers trying to find their place in this world. Homeless and sleepless, they wander around Bergen in the rain, trying to make a life for themselves and the child they expect. Through a rich web of historical, cultural, and theological allusions, Fosse constructs a modern parable of injustice, resistance, crime, and redemption. Consisting of three novellas (Wakefulness, Olav’s Dreams, and Weariness), Trilogy is a haunting, mysterious, and poignant evocation of love, for which Fosse received The Nordic Council’s Prize for Literature in 2015."

Jon Fosse (Author), Kåre Conradi (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dracula Park

"In post-Communist Romania, on the border with Transylvania, the sleepy little town of B. is losing its young people to the West. A young painter returned from Paris and her eccentric great-aunt seem unconcerned with the decline of the town, until a mutilated corpse is found in the family crypt of Prince Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula. As the world’s attention turns to B., the mayor and his son take advantage and turn the town into a vampire-inspired theme park. Tourists flock, but beneath the surface ancient horrors live on. This is a breathtaking, atmospheric tale of revenge, extremism and the longing for a strong leader, for a strict, cruel judge - like Dracula."

Dana Grigorcea (Author), Sophie Roberts (Narrator)

Audiobook

Carnality

"In this latest novel from the award-winning author of The Polyglot Lovers, a writer searching for inspiration in Spain goes on a darkly comic, delightfully absurd journey through an underground society. Awarded a three-month stipend to travel and work, a Swedish writer flies to Madrid, where in a bar she meets a man with an extraordinary story to tell. In exchange for somewhere to sleep and to hide out for a few days, he is willing to tell her the whole astonishing tale. What follows is an account of fantastic proportions and ingredients: the existence of a shadowy Internet TV show with a certain morality clause, a threat to the storyteller's life, a diabolical nun, and the story of a girl with a missing left thumb. The tale is also the precursor to a meeting between the writer and the infernal miracle worker, Lucia—a meeting that ultimately forces the writer to make a fateful decision about her own inner essence. Carnality is a novel about the universal need for spirituality and truth—not to mention a good story—set in the seemingly unspiritual grimy underbelly of society."

Lina Wolff (Author), Krys Janae (Narrator)

Audiobook

Literary Fiction Audiobooks in Literature