Favorite Audiobook Narrators

June is Audiobook Month and that is exactly the kind of non-holiday I can get behind. I am a huge audiobook fan. I listened to 89 audiobooks in 2018, and that number is so large it's almost embarrassing. I almost always look up the narrator of my audiobook. I just like to know if I've listened to their voice before. As you can imagine, with so many audiobooks under my belt, I definitely have some favorite narrators. So, in celebration of Audiobook Month, here are eleven of my favorite narrators.

I've included links to Audible so that you can see what else these voice actors have narrated.You can find more audiobook recommendations here.

Fiona Hardingham:
Fiona Hardingham is a much beloved voice actor. She has narrated over 180 books. My favorite performance is her interpretation of Kiersten White's And I Darken trilogy. It's absolutely a tour de force. Other favorites narrated by Fiona Hardingham include Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series, Julie Berry's The Passion of Dolssa, and Megan Shepherd's The Secret Horse of Briar Hill.

Kate Rudd:
I love Kate Rudd's narration. She had narrated several books (and big ones too, like The Fault in Our Stars), but I didn't cross paths with her until I listened to Rysa Walker's Chronos Files. I loved that series and Kate Rudd's narration so much that I've kept my eye out for her ever since. I chose to listen to the audiobooks of Rysa Walker's next series, The Delphi Trilogy, and Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious because Kate Rudd was narrating.

Julia Whelan:
By including I'll Give You the Sun, I'm getting a two for one. Julia Whelan narrates Jude and Jesse Bernstin narrates Noah. I've loved many of the books Julia Whelan narrates, including Highly Illogical Behavior, Educated, and her own book, My Oxford Year.

Jesse Bernstein:
Jesse Bernstein is great as Jude's twin brother Noah in I'll Give You the Sun. I also really love his narration of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I have fond memories of listening to those books on a road trip with my brother and sister.

Bahni Turpin:
Bahni Turpin has narrated some huge books in the last few years, and she has more than delivered. I loved her voice acting for Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and On the Come Up. She also narrated The Sun is Also a Star and Children of Blood and Bone, but I think my favorite is her narration of Dread Nation by Justina Ireland.

Robbie Daymond:
Robbie Daymond is so great as Apollo in Rick Riordan's Trials of Apollo series. Just thinking of his narration is making me smile because he delivers Apollo's bad poetry so well. Robbie Daymond has also narrated some of my other favorites including The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton, John Corey Whaley's Highly Illogical Behavior (which I listened to in one sitting), Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum, and One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus.

Neil Gaiman:
Neil Gaiman is an author who does a fantastic job narrating his own work. I once saw Neil Gaiman in person at a book event, and it was weird to have his voice coming out of his mouth because I was so used to listening to his disembodied narration. Some of my favorite Neil Gaiman books that he narrates himself are Neverwhere, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and Norse Mythology.

Katherine McEwan:
Katherine McEwan's narration of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein made that book so much creepier. I really love her voice. It's very soothing and smooth. She also narrates Helene in The Ember and the Ashes series and reads Circling the Sun by Paula McLain. 

Rebecca Soler:
Rebecca Soler has narrated so many of my favorite books, and whenever I see that she's the narrator, it makes my decision of whether to read or listen that much easier. I found Rebecca Soler through Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. She also narrates Stephanie Garber's Caraval series, Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood, and Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore. 

Lincoln Hoppe:
I absolutely love the full cast audio of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's Illuminae Trilogy. Everything about it is so engaging, but my favorite narrator of the bunch is Lincoln Hoppe who is absolutely remarkable as AIDAN. I was so happy to learn he was back narrating for Kaufman and Kristoff's new book, Aurora Rising.

Moira Quirk:
Moira Quirk is kind of a new favorite. I knew that I loved her when I listened to Gail Carriger's Finishing School series a few years ago, but what really solidified her on my favorite's list was her voice acting on Mackenzi Lee's The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, which is just perfection. 

Have a Listen: Audiobooks We Love

Every year the number of audiobooks I listen to increases. I just love being read to. A good audiobook can make a great book even better, and audiobooks have helped me conquer many books that I was afraid might be a little dull. Here are some of my favorites from the last year or so. Are you an audiobook fan? I'd love if you'd share your favorites with me! (More of our favorite audiobooks here.)

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows:
This book turns me into a crazy fan! I downloaded the audiobook the day it came out and loved every minute. Kathrine Kellgren narrates the book. (She also narrated Austenland which is one of my very favorite audiobooks). Kellgren's narration made the book even funnier. She hits it out of the park with her over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek style. (Is that enough idioms for one sentence or what?)

Vanessa and Her Sister by Priya Parmar:
I loved this epistolary novel about Vanessa Bell, Virginia Wolf, and the rest of the Bloomsbury Group. I think the letter/ journal format works really on audio, and once I got used to who was who, I fell completely in love with this book and the narration. I'd love a sequel. (featured here)

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown:
This book made my favorites of the year last year. It's about the rowing team that won the Olympics in 1936. I loved it. I recommended it to all my real-life friends and pushed it on this blog tons. That the audiobook is read by the late Edward Herrmann is an added bonus and a real treat.

Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini:
I've listened to the first two book in the Worldwalker series, and I have found them both to be absolutely unputdownable (that is totally a word). Once I start listening to these books I'll find every excuse in the world not to stop: take the long way home, do some more housework, stay up too late. I'm so eager for the third book in the series to come out. (featured here)

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman:
I listened to this book last year when I was working on this post. I found it so interesting that I decided to pick it for my book club selection the next month. In Heiligman's book, Darwin's doubts about God and Emma's religiosity are a microcosm from the greater conflict between the theory of evolution and the Christian society. I appreciated that Heiligman treated each side with respect.

The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle:
This book is worth listening to just so you can enjoy the reader's lovely Irish accent. Cara's family calls October The Accident Season because they always have a lot of injuries during that month. I listened to this around Halloween, and it was a perfect spooky seasonal read.

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein:
This book is brilliant in audio format. Rose is a poet, and, as much of Rose's poetry was composed in Ravensbrucke without pen and paper and then recited and memorized by her friends there, the audio version had an added authenticity. And Rose's poems are stunning, raw, and heart-wrenching. Also, Rose does some singing, and I loved hearing the melody along with the words. (featured here)

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & The Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming:
I much prefer my non-fiction in audio format, and this book was obviously the right one for me because I could not stop talking about it. There is so much romanticism that surrounds the last Russian Imperial family, and I love that this book is the real deal. It tells the story straight and the results are fabulously demystifying. (featured here)

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell:
I loved Fangirl and so I couldn't pass up the chance to read Carry On, the book that grew from Cath's fanfiction in Fangirl. I highly recommend the audio version (obviously, the book made this post); I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have enjoyed this book as much as I did if I had read the paper version.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir:
This book was the big YA fantasy of last summer, and if you listen to it now you'll be all primed for the sequel which comes out in late August 2016. The audio version has two narrators--one for Laia and one for Elias. I especially had a hard time turning off the book when Elias was narrating. I'll definitely be listening to the sequel. (featured here)

Have a Listen: More Audiobooks We Love

I am a longtime lover of audiobooks. I always have a book I'm reading and a book I'm listening too.

Here are ten audiobooks that I've enjoyed recently:

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
There's just something so fabulous about hearing a British character speak with a British accent. Beware, this book is scary. I don't necessarily advise nighttime listening. As I didn't listen to my own advice, I was up terrified many a night.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor
Truly epic in scope, I started listening to this series because I was having a hard time getting the physical book from the library. Suffice it to say, I didn't regret the long queue that led me to the audio version one bit.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Clearly, I love Seraphina. So, so much. I also love the audiobook. It's narrated by Mandy Williams, and when I heard her again on another audiobook it felt like coming home. The audio version really helps all the music in the story come to life, as well.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell
I have loved everything that I've read by Rainbow Rowell, but this is the first book by her that I've listened to. It kept me awake late, late into the night because it was so griping.

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
The Finishing School Series is silly, clever, and fun. And I definitely recommend the audiobook so that you can hear all the fabulous names said aloud: Sophronia Temminnick, Dimity and Pillover Plumleigh-Teignmott, Monique de Pelouse, Lady Sigheag.

Quiet by Susan Cain
I'm not sure that I would have even gotten through the written version of this book, but the audio version kept me quite engaged. I actually really like listening to nonfiction, and this book about introversion is full of interesting research.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson 
Definitely listen to this ghost story. The reader does an excellent job with the various accents--posh British Stephen, East Londoner Bhu, and Louisiana Rory, not to mention Call Me Claudia. Rory is also really funny, and I laughed aloud more than once.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer  
Once I start listening to a series on audiobook, I tend to listen to all the sequels as well. I've listened to all of The Lunar Chronicles. I love the stories and the narration. I'll definitely be listening to Winter when it comes out.

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough 
Here's another nonfiction recommendation. The subject matter is definitely up my alley, but if you enjoy 19th-century history, France, art, and medicine, this book is one for you too.

The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan 
Here's another series that I prefer to listen to over read. I love Rick Riordan's blending of ancient mythology and the modern world. His series are smart and funny.

More Audiobook recommendations.

Have a Listen: Audiobooks We Love

I am a longtime lover of audiobooks. When we were kids, Paige and I shared a room, and we used to drift off to sleep at night listening to our favorite books on tape. This is a habit that became so ingrained that, although we no longer live in the same state, much less the same bedroom, we both still love to listen to a book at bedtime. Paige and I also liked to pick out a couple of audiobooks for our drives home from college. While working on my PhD, I listened to a lot of audiobooks during my 50 minute commute to the University of Kansas. Now I love an audiobook to help me through my less exciting chores or a session at the gym.

Here are ten fabulous audiobooks:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaimon. Nathan and I listened to this books years ago. Years. And we are still talking about it and quoting it.

At Home by Bill Bryson. This "short history of private life" is really a short history of basically everything. At Home was all I could talk about for weeks. It's also narrated by the author, which is almost always a treat.

Austenland by Shannon Hale. My impression of this book is that it has Shannon's (I've met her in person, so sure, we are on a first name basis) sense of humor all over it. I could imagine her snickering as she wrote it. I snickered while I read it.The movie is out in theaters now in select cities.

The Beka Cooper Books by Tamora Pierce. I have listened to all of Tamora Pierce's novels. Yes, all. That's 29 books, folks and these are my favorites of the lot. I love, love, love the language in the Beka Cooper books, and Susan Denaker's narration really brings it to life.

The Curse Worker Books by Holly Black. There are quite a few series that I will wait to read until I can get my hands on the audio version. Jesse Eisenberg narrates this series, and I think he really nails Cassel.

The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima. These books are exciting, as in maybe not the best for bedtime listening because you won't be able stop listening and go to sleep.

The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr. I know I am an art history nerd, but I found this book about the rediscovery of a lost Caravaggio incredible suspenseful even though almost all the big discoveries were unearthed in archives (tedious work). This is one that I passed along to my husband and sister.

The Montmaray Journals by Michelle Cooper. Here's a series I've been recommending to everyone. These books are great historical fiction and fabulous choices if you want to read about the 1930s, the Spanish Civil War, and World War II. I was so sad that the third book wasn't recorded.

The Thursday Next Books by Jasper Fforde. Clearly I love Jasper Fforde. This is another series that I always read in audio format. It's also one that Nathan and I like to listen to together. We just love Thursday.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. This audiobook got us through the drive from Maryland to Alabama and back. Nathan and I were absolutely riveted, and I had already read the book. It seems like basically everyone has already read this or thought about reading this, and, if you are in the latter category, might I suggest the audio version?