The road no longer taken

A look at a world that is no more. That’s the gift contained in Rick Steves’s 1978 travel diary, which recounts his and pal Gene’s adventures on this countercultural rite of passage. There are days spent with party-hearty Tehran twentysomethings obsessed with American TV Westerns, mere months before the Islamic Revolution. And there's a Kabul trolley ride to the last stop—a standard Stevesian travel tip—where he falls into a robust debate with an Afghan professor as whispers of a Soviet invasion loom. Credit the elder Steves for not editing out some of the ignorant musings of his younger self, be they awkward, cringeworthy or smacking of privilege. As the trip winds down, the self-awareness rises up, and we hear him grappling with the gulf and guilt of negotiating a good taxi price while surrounded by people struggling for sustenance. World events would soon put this popular bucket-list trek out of reach for most people. But the lessons are as indelible as a passport stamp: Go, lose the judgement at the border, be, and savour the time in the place you find yourself in. You may not have the chance to go that way again. —Maggie M.

Love Island

Lizzie Damilola Blackburn burst onto the romance scene in 2022 with Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?, about a young British-Nigerian woman on a journey to find a date in time for her cousin’s wedding. I’m thrilled that Lizzie is back with another fun, relatable rom-com. The Re-Write follows Temi, an aspiring writer hired to pen a memoir for her ex, who unceremoniously dumped her months before to star on a reality dating show called Love Villa. With themes of career and family pressure, peppered with nuances of British-Nigerian culture, this lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance also offers hilarious insights into what really goes on behind the scenes of reality-dating TV. Personalities, accents—both Nigerian and British—and humourous and serious situations are enhanced by narrator Faith Alabi’s confident yet thoughtful delivery. It was such a joy to witness Temi and Wade (re)write their own happily ever after in this refreshing take on second chances. —Margaret H.

Found in translation

Every once in a while, a novel comes along that so perfectly paints the world through a pair of young eyes, it makes me feel like I’m once again observing the world with the perceptiveness of a child. Life Hacks for a Little Alien takes the fundamentally tender experience of childhood and filters it through the lens of a young girl who, as a result of her neurodivergence, senses that she exists on a different planet from those around her. After learning about the indecipherable Voynich Manuscript, she grows determined to put words to what has never been translated before. Narrator Sally Phillips—with her slightly distant yet soothing voice—sounds exactly how I would want a benevolent extraterrestrial to sound, taking this touching debut to the next level. —Haley H.

Make your emotions work for you

I’m a big believer in feeling your feelings. After all, expressing yourself is a part of creating healthy coping mechanisms and helpful communication, and who among us doesn’t enjoy a good cry at the end of a devastating audiobook? But there are also times when our emotions can get in the way of us showing up as our best selves. For example, has anxiety over something in your personal life ever left you unable to complete your tasks at work? Or perhaps you’ve been so angry at your partner for leaving their shoes in the middle of the room that it led to an explosive argument? In Shift: Managing Your Emotions—So They Don’t Manage You, psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Ethan Kross asks, “What if your emotions could work for you?” Kross offers scientifically backed advice for using your emotions as a tool, whether that’s strategically avoiding a negative feeling when appropriate, or using your feelings to propel you forward. If you’re a human with a pulse, this one is for you. —Rachael X.

I dove headfirst into this listen

I will try to keep my water puns to a minimum, but let me just say that someone may need to douse you with ice water after listening to Ali Hazelwood’s latest. Deep End has all the brainy chemistry (physical and otherwise) I’ve come to love and expect from Hazelwood’s novels ... with a healthy dose of BDSM tossed in. Stanford diving star Scarlett Vandermeer has been laser-focused on coming back from a season-ending injury and getting herself into med school. Romance, relationships, even friendships don’t really factor into that equation. Swim captain and world champion Lukas Blomqvist is similarly focused, until a secret thrusts Lukas and Scarlett together, and their mutual attraction bubbles to the surface (sorry, last one). Performed by Thérèse Plummer with Ben Holtzmuller, Deep End is filled with STEMinist energy, a few Easter eggs for longtime fans and enough steam to quench your thirst[traps] this Valentine’s season. —Katie O.

The past shapes the present

Han Kang has created a novel that is immersive, soul-wrenching and eye-opening. This literary and historical tale follows Kyungha, a writer who has lost her creative voice and finds herself on an unexpected trip from Seoul to Jeju Island to care for a sick friend’s pet bird. This takes Kyungha to a place haunted by a 1948 massacre, forcing her to confront its painful legacy. Divided into three sections—Birds, Nights and Fires—each beautifully narrated by Greta Jung, the story marks three pivotal shifts in Kyungha's journey. More than a retelling of the little-known Jeju massacre, We Do Not Part brings listeners on a moving exploration of memory, identity and resilience in the face of collective suffering. —Tricia F.

A circus performer walks into a clinic...

Scythe & Sparrow, the conclusion to Brynne Weaver’s Ruinous Love Trilogy, is finally here—and I was hooked from the moment I pressed play. This story has it all: tension, chaos and steam that had me blushing one minute and literally saying, “Oh, my” out loud the next. Dr. Fionn Kane, trying to leave the darkness of his past behind, is living a quiet life in Nebraska when Rose, a circus performer with a dangerous secret, crashes into his world—literally. After an injury lands her under his care, their connection grows in ways neither of them expected, pulling them into a web of danger and desire. Eric Nolan and Samantha Brentmoor deliver a performance that brings every twist and stabby turn to life. —Patty R.

Don’t tell anyone I told you this...

But between you and me, Normal Gossip host Kelsey McKinney’s latest is bound to be a listen you tell all your friends about—without sparing a single detail. You Didn’t Hear This From Me is a collection of essays that blends elements of memoir, journalism and criticism, crafting a fascinating glimpse into the role that a bit of salacious chit-chat plays in our society. McKinney’s assessment of gossip circumvents mere shame and scolding to instead examine how eavesdropping and swapped stories are not only part of our nature, but opportunities at building community and gathering information about the world around us. It’s an account both comprehensive and heartfelt, a deeply sincere volume that tackles everything from urban legends to celebrity culture. The author’s narration makes this little gem all the more irresistible. McKinney’s voice is warm, conversational and brimming with intrigue, perfectly suited for spilling all the precious secrets of this book right into your ear. —Alanna M.

Corrupt witches and heartless witch hunters

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth reeled me in for its creative world of blood-drawing witches and the delightful game of cat and mouse between secret witch Rune Winters and witch hunter Gideon Sharpe. In Rebel Witch, the conclusion to the Crimson Moth duology, the stakes are even higher and the games have turned into war. It’s hard to know which side you want to win—they all have issues—but what I do know is that I’m going to be having a great time listening to Grace Gray’s melodic narration as the trickery amps up and we find out which side Gideon and Rune are going to fight for. —Melissa B.

Quests are better with friends

I’ve had an insatiable appetite for monster fiction since last year’s Someone You Can Build a Nest In, so Molly O’Neill’s debut rocketed to the top of my list this winter. Greenteeth’s monstrous protagonist is Jenny, a centuries-old lake monster who rescues Temperance, a witch who has been cast out of her home and tossed to her death in Jenny’s lake. What follows is a story of friendship and adventure that left me utterly smitten. Catrin Walker-Booth brings such authenticity and charm to these characters. Cosy fantasy fans, I hope your tea is already steeping for this one. —Sam D.

Our garbage, ourselves

Like anyone, I have my share of garbage stories, all disgusting. Most are from having kids, a real turning point in my relationship to trash. After digging into Waste Wars, Alexander Clapp’s mesmerising account of the global waste trade, I know why. Our trash is just our stuff, only in its near-future, infinitely more permanent form—add a family to the equation, and you’re drowning in it. Clapp is a Greece-based American journalist who got curious about the strangely mobile afterlife of garbage, where slimy spoons and crusty containers, stained shirts and rancid rubbish make their way from community waste bins and gleaming recycling receptacles onto cargo containers bound for towering dump heaps in Turkey, Guatemala, Ghana and beyond. Most people from the global north have little idea of the shadowy mechanics and sheer scale of this thriving, often criminal enterprise, and most officials are keen to keep it that way. But Clapp is a riveting storyteller, and Waste Wars overflows like a bulging Hefty bag with colourful characters, outrageous injustices and sheer ingenuity—it’s sure to be an education for many of us. —Kat J.