Audiobooks Narrated by Wolfgang Strauss

LoveReading Top 10

1. The Promise: WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2021

   Brought to you by Penguin. ** WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2021 ** This audiobook includes bonus content of Damon Galgut in conversation with Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre. There is nothing unusual or remarkable about the Swart family, oh no, they resemble the family from the next farm and the one beyond that, just an ordinary bunch of white South Africans, and if you don't believe it then listen to us speak ... The many voices of The Promise tell a story in four snapshots, each one centered on a family funeral, each one happening in a different decade. In the background, a different president is in power, and a different spirit hangs over the country, while in the foreground the family fights over what they call their farm, on a worthless piece of land outside Pretoria. Over large jumps in time, people get older, faces and laws and lives all change, while a brother and sister circle around a promise made long ago, and never kept ... 'Astonishing' Colm Tóibín 'Gorgeous and pleasurable' Tessa Hadley 'The most important book of the last ten years' Edmund White © Damon Galgut 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

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2. Dune

   Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Maud’dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family—and would bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream. A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction. Frank Herbert’s death in 1986 was a tragic loss, yet the astounding legacy of his visionary fiction will live forever.

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3. The Christmas Escape

   ‘A glorious and festive read’ Cathy Kelly, Sunday Times bestseller ‘Absolutely stunning, with gorgeous characters and even more gorgeous locations. You will fall head over heels! An exquisite escape – the perfect Christmas read to get you in the mood’ Veronica Henry, Sunday Times bestseller ‘This romantic, wintry read is perfect for a cosy night curled up by the fire’ Woman’s Own ‘This is Sarah's best Christmas novel yet. It's got it all: romance, escapism, heartache, redemption, secrets . . . I really enjoyed it. Sarah is as much a Christmas staple as mince pies!’ Laura Jane Williams, bestselling author of Our Stop ‘Utterly magical’ Alex Brown, bestselling author of A Postcard from Paris * * * It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas escape – a dream trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix. But facing a make-or-break marriage crisis, Christy desperately needs time alone with her husband, Seb. Her solution? Alix, along with Seb’s oldest friend, Zac, can take Christy’s daughter on the planned Lapland trip, and they will all reunite there for Christmas Day. After all, what are friends for? There’s nothing Alix won’t do for Christy, but Christy’s plan to save Christmas is testing their friendship. Especially as Alix and Zac have a difficult history of their own. As long-held secrets unravel, and unexpected romance shines under the Northern Lights, can Christy and Alix find the courage to fight for the relationships they really want? And could this Christmas escape save the precious gift of each other’s friendship? * * * Readers have fallen in love with The Christmas Escape ‘One of my favourite books this year, The Christmas Escape is the perfect festive read’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A must for any reader looking for some Christmas cheer and I can’t recommend it enough for the festive season!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is storytelling at its very best. Put aside some quiet time and curl up and read this fantastic heartwarming and enjoyable book’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Sarah Morgan writes THE BEST Christmas books, full of winter warmth, charm and festive feels’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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4. Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness

   The Sunday Times bestseller - over 100,000 copies sold. Be the best version of you that YOU can be. How can you learn to truly love yourself? How can you transform negative emotions into positive ones? Is it possible to find lasting happiness? In this book, Instagram guru Vex King answers all of these questions and more. Vex overcame adversity to become a source of hope for thousands of young people, and now draws from his personal experience and his intuitive wisdom to inspire you to: - practise self-care, overcome toxic energy and prioritize your wellbeing - cultivate positive lifestyle habits, including mindfulness and meditation - change your beliefs to invite great opportunities into your life - manifest your goals using tried-and-tested techniques - overcome fear and flow with the Universe - find your higher purpose and become a shining light for others In this book, Vex will show you that when you change the way you think, feel, speak and act, you begin to change the world.

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5. Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain

   Brought to you by Penguin. 'This remarkable book shines the brightest of lights into some of the darkest and most misunderstood corners of our shared history' James O'Brien In his brilliantly illuminating new book Sathnam Sanghera demonstrates how so much of what we consider to be modern Britain is actually rooted in our imperial past. In prose that is, at once, both clear-eyed and full of acerbic wit, Sanghera shows how our past is everywhere: from how we live to how we think, from the foundation of the NHS to the nature of our racism, from our distrust of intellectuals in public life to the exceptionalism that imbued the campaign for Brexit and the government's early response to the Covid crisis. And yet empire is a subject, weirdly hidden from view. The British Empire ran for centuries and covered vast swathes of the world. It is, as Sanghera reveals, fundamental to understanding Britain. However, even among those who celebrate the empire there seems to be a desire not to look at it too closely - not to include the subject in our school history books, not to emphasize it too much in our favourite museums. At a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Sanghera's book urges us to address this bewildering contradiction. For, it is only by stepping back and seeing where we really come from, that we can begin to understand who we are, and what unites us. 'Lucid but never simplistic; entertaining but never frivolous; intensely readable while always mindful of nuance and complexity - Empireland takes a perfectly-judged approach to its contentious but necessary subject' Jonathan Coe ***Praise for The Boy with the Topknot*** 'I absolutely loved it. Heartbreaking and wonderful. He writes beautifully' Maggie O'Farrell 'Could not be more enjoyable, engaging or moving' Observer 'Tragic, funny and disturbing. It will challenge you, and may even change you' Independent © Sathnam Sanghera 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

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6. As Good As Dead

   THE THIRD AND FINAL THRILLING BOOK IN THE BESTSELLING AND AWARD-WINNING A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER TRILOGY A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is The New York Times No.1 bestselling YA crime thriller and WINNER of The British Book Awards' Children's Book of the Year 2020 and shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020 Pip Fitz-Amobi is haunted by the way her last investigation ended. Soon she’ll be leaving for Cambridge University but then another case finds her . . . and this time it’s all about Pip.  Pip is used to online death threats, but there’s one that catches her eye, someone who keeps asking: who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears? And it’s not just online. Pip has a stalker who knows where she lives. The police refuse to act and then Pip finds connections between her stalker and a local serial killer. The killer has been in prison for six years, but Pip suspects that the wrong man is behind bars. As the deadly game plays out, Pip realises that everything in Little Kilton is finally coming full circle. If Pip doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears . . . A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is The New York Times No.1 bestselling YA crime thriller and WINNER of The British Book Awards' Children's Book of the Year 2020.  SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2020 Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying,Eva Dolan, C L Taylor, We Were Liars and Riverdale

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7. How to Kill Your Family

   THE #2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘An antiheroine able to best villainous male protagonists such as Patrick Bateman any day’ OBSERVER ‘Chilling, but also laugh out loud funny. Another corker of a debut’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ‘Deliciously addictive…brilliantly executed’ i PAPER Cosmopolitan and Grazia’s best books of 2021 · Kill my family · Make a claim on their fortune · Get away with the above · Adopt a dog Meet Grace Bernard. Daughter, sister, colleague, friend, serial killer… Grace has lost everything. And now she wants revenge. How to Kill Your Family is a fierce and addictive novel about class, family, love… and murder. –––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘I’ve struggled to recover my reading mojo since lockdown. This turned out to be the thing that sparked it back to life… Funny, sharp, dark and twisted, Grace is a character I found myself rooting for even as she committed the most vile misdeeds’ JOJO MOYES ‘Funny and furious and strangely uplifting. Grace is a bitter and beguiling anti-hero with a keen eye for social analysis – even in her most grisly deeds, you never stop rooting for her’ PANDORA SYKES ‘Addictive… Grace Bernard is one of the most intriguing and bewitching protagonists I've read in years’ EMMA GANNON ‘A funny, compulsive read about family dysfuction and the media’s obsession with murder’ SUNDAY TIMES STYLE ‘You’ll be gripped… Grace’s emotional detachment throughout will give you chills’ Rated 5 stars by COSMOPOLITAN ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Hilarious and dark’ ELLE ‘Ironic twists and caustic commentary on everything from liberal guilt to the consumerist con that is “selfcare” sharpen this debut novel’ OBSERVER ‘Brilliantly tongue-in-cheek stuff from the Vogue columnist’ IRISH INDEPENDENT ‘Witty, waspish satire of a murderer with no regrets’ GRAZIA ‘Original, funny, unique and such a refreshing read’ PRIMA ‘A deliciously dark debut novel’ RED ‘One very entertaining read’ WOMAN’S WAY How To Kill Your Family was number 2 in the Sunday Times hardback chart on 27/07/2021

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8. Never

   Expertly researched, visionary in scale and the first contemporary novel in over a decade from international number one bestseller Ken Follett, NEVER is more than a thriller. It imagines a scenario we all hope never comes true, one which will keep you transfixed until the final moments . . . A stolen US army drone. A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert. A secret stash of deadly chemicals. Each is a threat to the stability of the world but individually are problems that can be overcome. In the diplomatic arena though, everyone will have a different way of dealing with such a threat. And when those in charge disagree and refuse to back down, it will kick off an international chain reaction with potentially catastrophic consequences: a world edging closer to war… Now three people must work tirelessly and with the utmost skill to stop that from happening: A spy working undercover with jihadists. A brilliant Chinese spymaster. A US president beleaguered by a populist rival for the next election. The only question is, in a game of brinksmanship can the inevitable ever be stopped? “A compelling story, and only too realistic.” —Lawrence H. Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary

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9. Will: The Sunday Times Bestselling Autobiography

   Brought to you by Penguin. One of the most dynamic and globally recognised entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had. Will Smith's transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest pop stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it's only half the story. Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over. This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy best seller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself. 'It's the best memoir I've ever read' Oprah © Will Smith and Mark Manson 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

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10. Touch of Regret

    The day I truly started to live, I sentenced him to die. At twenty-four, I'd resigned myself to a simple life following in my mother's footsteps. I would manage the antique shop she left me and marry a kind, stable man. Most importantly, I would never tell a soul about my psychic abilities. But with a single, intentional touch and a vision of the past, I set events in motion that expose my secret. I'm part of a world I never knew existed, and my new allies are dismantling my carefully constructed walls. Except, those walls had a purpose-they kept me hidden. Now, my abilities make me a target. And my mere existence is endangering everyone I care about. My name is Adele Rose, and I know nothing but regret. Contains mature themes.

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