June’s Bookseller-Recommended Audiobooks

“Jean Kyoung Frazier’s Pizza Girl breathes honesty into narratives surrounding pregnancy and motherhood, and faces the desperate ambivalence that often accompanies these experiences but is left unspoken….Pizza Girl presents us with an important sentiment: You cannot outrun the fact that the people who created you will always be a part of you to some degree or another. But you can work to grasp the ways in which you manifest that into who you are as an individual.”

Jack, Raven Book Store

“Broken People tells one man’s deeply personal story of confronting insecurities, obsessions, and frustrations while challenging many current cultural constructs. The pain and self-doubt will be recognized by many a reader, who will in equal measure cheer and thank Lansky for sharing a hopeful journey to forgiveness.”

Linda, {pages} a bookstore

“I am staggered by the immersive, fluid, irresistible prose Emezi has perfected in their third book, The Death of Vivek Oji….Through addictive, multifaceted characters and a simply beautiful story, Emezi inspects masculinity, otherness, and love. This is one of the most magical, compelling, exciting, thought-provoking, and important books of our time.”

Margy, Loganberry Books

“The twelve Black British women who are the central characters in Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other are so vastly different that when their connections are slowly revealed, like a spider web you didn’t see until the light hits it just so, you’ll settle in and become entranced. I loved this deep dive into a part of British culture that isn’t often depicted….I particularly loved the last part of the book which reminded me of enjoying a long leisurely meal and still leaving room for the perfect dessert. The ending was terribly satisfying. Highly recommend.”

Rachel, Avid Bookshop

“Mostly Dead Things is a fun, eccentric book with a steamy lesbian romance, ongoing sibling rivalry, and dark confessions of a family that is willing to go the mile in order to make ends meet. Stuffed with humor, heartfelt moments, and some gritty bits, Arnett’s writing will make you laugh, cry, and wonder how an author’s first novel can be so engaging and well-written!”

Sage, UC San Diego Bookstore

“I wish I’d had this book in high school. I wish I’d had these kind of friends in high school—what an incredible found family (once Sasha Masha found it). Agnes has written an incredibly wholesome, hopeful, and real coming-of-age story that grapples with gender identity and social anxiety in particular. The style of writing is perfectly suited to the story, and Borinsky’s own narration made for an incredibly enjoyable listening experience. More please.”

Britt, Second Star to the Right

“Gritty, yet always tender, The House of Impossible Beauties explores the 1980’s Harlem drag ball scene made famous in Jennie Livingston’s documentary Paris is Burning in a way that is humanizing, deeply interesting, and impossible to put down. I was so entranced with this book that I went through it twice: once on the page and once on audio, which might have been an even more interesting experience, simply because narrator Christian Barillas presents a singular performance, uniquely emulating each character in a way that tattoos them indelibly on the mind. A 10/10 listening experience.”

Rachel, The King’s English Bookshop

“Drawing on her experiences of growing up in the Cayman Islands, attending university in London, and practicing law, outstanding debut author Sara Collins has drawn a character one will not soon forget. Told with evocative language, Frannie Langton’s confession is a life story not to be missed….Thank you, Sara Collins!”

Mary, Booked

“Something to Talk About is an incredible debut about a Hollywood showrunner, Jo, and her assistant, Emma, who realize the tabloids may be correct in thinking there is something romantic between the two of them. The slowest of slow-burn romances in the best possible way, Something to Talk About touches on the #MeToo movement, the meaning of consent, and what it means to be a powerful woman in Hollywood.”

Isabella, Buffalo Street Books

“After a night of not even that much debauchery, Luc finds himself in the tabloids again….To repair his image in the press, he needs a respectable boyfriend. Oliver is Luc’s last option, but luckily Oliver needs a boyfriend for a family event. They agree to a fake relationship, but can any relationship stay fake for long? This is an adorable love story perfect for turning your brain off for a bit.”

Izzy, Off the Beaten Path

“One of the great pleasures of getting to work in a bookstore is having co-workers coax you to new genres and experiences. So many folk were raving about Talia Hibbert that I decided to give her a read. Delightful! Funny and moving. Damn charming. Serious in intent and yet light as a feather. And very, very sexy. If you are looking for a book filled with joy during this tough time, I can’t think of a better choice. And the narrator, Ione Butler is just as delightful and talented as the prose that she is reading. Talia Hibbert and Ione Butler make for a fantastic, perfect pairing.”

Tom, Rediscovered Books

“McQuiston delivers a delightful sophomore novel that surprised me. Though similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue, One Last Stop adds a science fiction time loop element that makes it fun and different. I had major missing-Brooklyn-feels while listening to this! McQuiston perfectly captures the magic of Brooklyn and the MTA (both good and bad). They have a super strong cast of characters that celebrates found family and kindness. McQuiston redefines what a modern romance can be by combining genres and featuring a strong queer relationship.”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

“Excuse my French here, but The Bright Lands is one scary-ass book. Think Friday Night Lights rewritten by Stephen King. Set in where else but high-school-football-obsessed Texas, the story revolves around the brutal murder of the Bison’s quarterback. When his brother comes back for the funeral, the homophobic culture of his hometown seems to have frightened and irreparably harmed more than just him. It’s filled with sexy, homoerotic tension and builds to a nail-biting finish. Leave the lights on while you listen.”

Kelly, Raven Book Store

“This book hurt. It still hurts. But it was so good. It took me on a whole journey, and brought me to my destination just like it intended the whole time. The author’s note at the end made me cry! The sheer NEED from this book, the way the main relationship develops and shifts, and how you PERCEIVE the main relationship develops and shifts. I’m in awe of Ancrum’s writing. If you like to read dynamics that are feral and needy and desperate and wanting and D/S vibes and lowkey super unhealthy but with the potential, with work, to become healthy and beautiful and right, read this book.”

Miriasha, The Phoenix Bookstore

“People will often refer to a book as one that’s ‘unlike anything they’ve ever read before,’ but for maybe the first time in my reading life, I can honestly say that about K.M. Szpara’s Docile. This erotic speculative science fiction novel takes place in a frighteningly plausible future where people become ‘dociles’ — essentially indentured slaves working off debt — and explores themes of consent, capitalism, and the abuse cycle. A visceral reading experience that will challenge, confront, titillate, and disgust, Docile feels like a book we will be talking about for decades.”

Caleb, Bookmarks

“Vern is a captivating protagonist from page one: gritty, determined, flawed, clever, and resourceful. The story slowly fills in all the details of a life that wasn’t what it seemed, and offers an ending you can’t predict. Sorrowland is beautiful, ugly, engaging, and awe-inspiring.”

Sydne, A Room Of One’s Own Bookstore

“A beautiful tale of two sisters who despite their differences have to rely on each other to survive….When their mom gets her second DUI and has to go to court ordered rehab, Eli and Anna are left on their own to figure out how to pay rent, get food, and avoid pesky social workers who arrive unannounced at their door. This story shows the complex and difficult life of being the child of an alcoholic and the importance of finding out it’s okay to ask for help.”

Kalli, Rediscovered Books

“’All we owe to each other is the best we have to give.’ This is now underlined along with several other lines like ‘God, this boy’s laugh could eclipse the sun.’ I flew through this book, but did pause a couple of times to look up a few unfamiliar-to-me words. This is the first book I’ve read about a transgender teen, and it won’t be the last….Such a delightful book with sweet characters, kind gestures, physical touch, and more. Simply one of the best YA books I’ve read in a long time. Bravo to Jasper Sanchez!”

Sara, Roundabout Books

“The facts are that in the summer of 1980, two young women were hitchhiking in Pocahontas County, West Virginia en route to the annual Rainbow Festival. Their murdered bodies were found in a remote clearing on a remote road….Eisenberg dives deeply into the case after spending time there years later as a Vista volunteer. This engaging book tells the story of the people of this rural county, the history of the area, and the officials who would not let the case die. It is also Emma’s story: her time with these people, her loves, and her discontent. It is a stirring addition to the Appalachian story.”

Valerie, Blue Willow Bookshop

“Saeed doesn’t hold back any details, and his chapters often read like biographical poetry. This book is a window into a different life, and a different soul. It also makes a great listen.”

Amy, Bright Side Bookshop

“For Brandi Carlile fans, her memoir Broken Horses is an intimate look into her life and her music. I always pull up songs mentioned in books I am reading, but in this case, the Libro.fm audiobook makes it even better. Brandi not only reads, but sings throughout the book.”

Nona, CoffeeTree Books