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I’ve read some brilliant audiobooks in the first three months of 2021! However, I’ve really fallen behind on reviewing them on my Instagram page. So I thought I would do a round-up here for posterity!
Memoir & Non-Fiction
Carry by Toni Jensen, narrated by the author
This was my first audiobook of the year and is still one of my favourites so far. Toni Jensen masterfully blends personal essay, memoir, history, the natural world and social justice in one powerful volume. I loved the way she wove together subjects which at first seem unrelated but are later revealed to be linked in nefarious ways. Jensen doesn’t hold back from tough topics like racism, domestic abuse and sexual violence. She addresses them sensitively and thoroughly, resulting in a complex and devastating tapestry of America’s past and present. This book truly opened my eyes to the realities of gun violence and culture in the US.
Unicorn: A Memoir of a Muslim Drag Queen by Amrou Al-Kadhi, narrated by the author
This memoir is incredibly moving, made all the more so by Amrou’s brilliant narration. Amrou’s story is both heart-breaking and empowering, as they detail their journey to their true selves. Growing up in an Iraqi Muslim household, Amrou was hyper-aware that they did not fit the role that was expected of them.
In self-defence as a teen, Amrou strove to find a place for themselves in elite (and highly problematic) British institutions like Eton and Cambridge. I loved the way Amrou talks about marine biology as a means of discovering their gender fluidity as a teen – it was such a fresh and enlightening perspective. Then from discovering drag to reconfiguring their relationship with Islam, Amrou’s story continues to be a rollercoaster of emotions. I’ll gladly read another memoir of theirs in another 20 years’ time!
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, narrated by Bahni Turpin
If you’re looking for a solid introduction and base to race in America then this book is your answer. I think it would be perfect for anyone just starting out on their anti-racism journey, but I’d imagine it’s got something valuable for everyone. There are plenty of helpful, actionable tips for when your conversations about race (usually with white people) descend into chaos.
Oluo tackles the foundations like microaggressions, the model minority myth, the school-to-prison pipeline and cultural appropriation. She lays everything out clearly and succinctly. She arms her readers with waterproof arguments. For example, the ‘race is a social construct’ argument can easily be managed using ‘so I money but if I say I’ve stopped believing in money, my rent is still due on the 1st.’ That’s just a very brief summary of it, of course!
I usually prefer it when the author narrates their own non-fiction, but Bahni Turpin is a great narrator so I’ll let it slide!
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones, narrated by the author
I’ve seen so much praise for this memoir and I know I’m late to the party but let me add my praise to it too! Although short, this memoir is moving and poetic. Saeed Jones’ work as a poet definitely shines through in his prose. I’m a sucker for anything exploring mother-child so the second half of this memoir floored me.
As well as his relationship with his mother, Jones discusses his identity as a queer Black man. I’ve read a few memoirs by queer men of colour and they all sadly face similar issues while dating. I’m glad they’re able to expose the racism and fetishization displayed by white men when dating men of colour, but devastated it’s something they face on a regular basis.
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
General & Literary Fiction
The Yield by Tara June Winch, narrated by Tony Briggs
This book is absolutely incredible. Not only is it now one of my favourite audiobooks, it’s one of my favourite 2021 books full stop! It is the kind of novel I’d probably love even more if I read it in print, since it follows three different narrative strands. However, the experience was heightened by Tony Briggs’ narration. Language plays a huge role in this book and via audio you hear the proper pronunciations of the Wiradjuri words and phrases. It’s worth reading via audio for that alone.
One strand follows August as she returns to Australia for her grandfather Poppy’s funeral, learning her family home is being razed for a mine. One focuses on Poppy’s recollections and the dictionary of Wiradjuri words he was compiling. The final one is a lengthy letter from a missionary in the early 20th century. The whole thing is heart-wrenching, insightful and beautifully written.
I know shockingly little about Indigenous Australians and, although this is fiction, it provided a great starting point to learn more about them, their history and languages. In her author’s note, Winch provides some great titles to check out which I shall be doing.
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
First Comes Like by Alisha Rai, narrated by Saira Ayers & Neil Shah
I still consider myself a rom-com newbie but I’m building up a nice little repertoire of authors who I can go back to with the genre. Alisha Rai made that list with this book! I started in the total wrong place, since First Comes Like is the third in her Modern Love series. However, the books are only loosely linked so you’re good to start with whichever one you fancy.
This one focuses on Jia, a beauty influencer, and Dev, a Bollywood star trying his luck in Hollywood. I LOVED Dev. He is such a sweetheart. He’s so thoughtful, vulnerable and caring, both with Jia and his family. At one point, he buys a skin serum based on Jia’s recommendation and for some reason I just think that’s the cutest shit ever. There’s a tonne of drama in this book, but isn’t that what makes it fun?
I will note that Neil Shah’s narration isn’t perfect. When men try to do a specific voice for women characters… That just never ends well. Please stop doing that. Thank you.
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
Black Buck by Matteo Askaripour, narrated by Zeno Robinson
Speaking of narrators, Zeno Robinson is an EXCELLENT one. Maybe too good? Reading Black Buck via audio felt like I was watching a film – blindfolded, obviously. His range is fantastic, there’s so much emotion in every line he says. However… there’s a LOT of shouting in this book. Which means there’s a tonne of shouting in your ear, which can be a little jarring when you’re just trying to chill out or fold laundry. But seriously, such a talented narrator!
Now to the book itself! When I got to 40% of this book, I was surprised because I genuinely felt like what I’d just read could have been an entire book. I had no idea where the other 60% might take me and things did get wild. I’m not used to so much plot in books and frankly I felt exhausted by the end of it. But it is a very topical satire, exposing the racism and toxic culture of some start-ups, as well as the obstacles people of colour face in the workplace in general.
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans (full cast narration)
I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks in the last year, but this is my first short story collection via audio! I’m a huge fan of short stories but I’ve never tried one in this format. It works surprisingly well, although I do think I prefer a print collection. I really liked that each story had a different narrator. That helped with distinguishing each story, since you don’t have any visual markers of which story you’re currently reading!
Bar the first forgettable story, this is a brilliant collection. My favourite short stories were Anything Could Disappear and Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want. But the titular novella blows them all out of the water! It is brilliant. In it, Evans explores what happens when white folk refuse to own up to the truth and avoid uncomfortable conversations. It’s heart-breaking, sharp and propulsive.
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
Young Adult Fiction
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam, narrated by Ethan Herisse
Books written in verse narrated on audio will never not be *chef’s kiss*. Okay, maybe some of them miss the mark but none of the ones I’ve read recently. Punching the Air was truly a force on audio, thanks to the power of the prose and the talent of the narrator Ethan Herisse.
Punching the Air is a painful portrayal of the way Black boys are viewed and treated by the US judicial system. But it’s also a beautiful tribute to art and hope. This book won’t take you long to read but it will leave a big impact. It’s cowritten by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated Five. I loved that they included some of the actual poetry Yusef wrote during his time in prison. At first the ending blind-sided me somewhat, but the more I thought about it afterwards, the more I realised how it fit perfectly.
An emotional reminder of how minds can never be caged, and how poetry and art can be used as tools to fight back against injustice, racism and prejudice.
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender, narrated by Logan Rozos
Felix Ever After is the kind of book that makes my heart happy just knowing it exists. I’m so glad queer BIPOC teens have this sort of representation in YA literature. And what makes it better is that Felix is a YA book that you can tell is actually written with young adults in mind. Sometimes YA seems like adult fiction wrapped in a YA bow, but not Felix. I might have been worried about these teens staying up until sunrise on a beach on a SCHOOL NIGHT, but Callender knows that teenagers would love that – and that’s what matters!
I particularly enjoyed the discussion around labels in this book. Felix is questioning his identity throughout, and it’s so important to remember that labels don’t have to be permanent. Identities can shift and change. What’s more, while labels are not everything, finding the right one can make you feel less alone and validate your experiences.
Also, the ending will give you the warm fuzzies!
Buy a physical copy at Blackwell’s
If you’re an audiobook fan, let me know which one has been your favourite of 2021 so far!