Cinna told me to listen to this

In 2012, my boyfriend (now husband) bought me a shirt that said Cinna told me to wear this, and I think that should tell you everything you need to know about my devotion to The Hunger Games franchise. The latest addition to the series, Sunrise on the Reaping, is something I didn’t even know I could hope for: Haymitch’s origin story. And my already high levels of anticipation for the release reached a fever-pitch when Jefferson White (Yellowstone) was announced as the narrator. We first met Haymitch as Katniss and Peeta’s mentor in Book 1, and since then all we could do was speculate about his own journey in the Hunger Games some 24 years before. In Sunrise on the Reaping we’ll get to meet a 16-year-old Haymitch (and perhaps the teenage versions of Katniss’s parents, Effie, and Cinna ... one can dream), and finally learn how the tenacious teen became the hardened man we all have a soft spot for. May the odds be ever in his favour. —Katie O.

Sub-Antarctic noir meets a love letter to the natural world

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of a remote island near Antarctica, home to the Shearwater research base and the world’s largest seed bank. Rising seas have been threatening the island, so the family must prepare to evacuate. When a woman named Rowan washes up on shore, the Salts take her in and nurse her back to health. As Rowan recovers, she gets to know the family: Raff, Dominic’s oldest son, is doing his best to channel his grief and rage from tragic heartbreak; Fen, his 17-year-old sister, is such a water creature that she lives among the seals; and Orly, the youngest boy, is consumed with love for the natural world. The storytelling moves through each character’s perspective, voiced by a stellar cast of narrators: Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld and Steve West. It’s an immersive, moody listen that left me in tears in the best way possible. —Tricia F.

The journalist and the not-very-good murderer

I knew Ronan Farrow’s first Audible Original was going to be juicy, but even I wasn’t prepared for CeCe Doane. A former Miss Arizona and Rolls Royce-driving fixture of wealthy Paradise Valley, AZ, Doane first caught Farrow’s attention when she tweeted about a story he was working on, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist soon found himself with a fascinating new subject. Had this eccentric woman really tried to kill her husband with Viagra, as a witness claimed—and if so, why was the couple still together more than two decades later? In this riveting character study-meets-true crime investigation, Farrow gradually reveals a nesting doll of family secrets, high-profile politics, scandalous gossip and one unreliable woman at the centre of it all. I loved hearing Farrow’s deep reporting and CeCe’s larger-than-life persona take shape in this voice-driven documentary, which adds needed nuance to the current obsession with female villains, con artists and shades-of-gray criminals. —Kat J.

A love letter to words

I adored This Is How You Lose the Time War, which Amal El-Mohtar co-wrote with Max Gladstone, so I had my hopes up for her solo debut. If you also loved that book for its stunning use of language, you will adore The River Has Roots. Grammar is magic in this fairy tale—but it’s not the grammar you’re thinking of: the stuffy subject of our school days. In this story, grammar is the beauty and power of the way words meld together, play off one another and construe meaning. I hesitate to reveal too much lest I ruin the journey. Let Gem Carmella’s effusive, playful performance (complete with gorgeous singing) guide you through this delightful tale. —Sam D.

Happily ever after starts here

Lucy Score kicks off a new series with a hilarious and heartwarming rom-com that swept me off my feet. Hazel Hart is a struggling romance writer who impulsively buys a house in Story Lake, Pennsylvania, in hopes that moving to a small town will spark inspiration for a new book. But what Hazel finds in Story Lake is more than she bargained for, in particular Campbell Bishop, the handsomely rugged contractor whom she hires to refurbish her dilapidated new home. Sparks fly as Hazel and Cam navigate renovations, fake dating, and their undeniable chemistry, alongside a lovable cast of side characters you won’t soon forget. Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic is bolstered by funny and flirtatious banter, delivered flawlessly by Score’s go-to narrators, Lila Winters and Sebastian York. —M.H.

Listen to the moon and back

Between conference calls and car-pool pickups, my days are more chaotic than ever—and there is absolutely nothing that allows me to escape my daily life as entertainingly as a new John Scalzi audiobook. The thoughtful blend of humour and heart had me laughing out loud and smiling from ear to ear, from start to finish. The unique combination of Scalzi’s brilliant and witty storytelling and Wil Wheaton’s incredible narration is science fiction at its finest. Whether you’ve ever wondered how you’d react if the moon turned into cheese or not, this production will entertain, delight and inspire you. —Esther B.

Short but so, so sweet

Abby Jimenez has a way of making me laugh, cry and fall in love with her characters all at once, and The Fall Risk is no exception. This short but oh so satisfying listen delivers everything I love about her writing—my favourite, of course, being the sharp banter and the romance that feels both unexpected and inevitable. Charlotte is in self-imposed isolation after a terrifying experience, while Seth is freshly divorced and in no mood for romance. But when a Valentine’s Day disaster traps them together, their walls start to come down in ways that neither of them saw coming. Julia Whelan and Connor Crais deliver perfect performances that made every moment—from hilarious to heartfelt—come alive. It’s a quick listen, but one that completely swept me away from the moment I heard its very special dedication.—Patty R.

Dylan Mulvaney’s notes on girlhood

Perhaps best known for her viral “Days of Girlhood” series on TikTok, Dylan Mulvaney’s memoir is a labour of love nearly two years in the making. Mixing journal entries with personal essays and reflections on her first year after coming out as trans, Paper Doll is a deeply personal and heartfelt behind-the-scenes look at all the highs and lows of Mulvaney’s very public journey. The book is narrated by Mulvaney herself and is set to release around her three-year anniversary of being a girl. It’s been such a joy getting to watch her grow into the woman she is online, and this audiobook is just as brave, honest and funny as the rest of her work. —Michael C.

Will he find redemption, or will his past destroy him?

This is one of my most anticipated books of the year. Fans of Fool Me Once, whether they devoured the book or binged the Netflix adaptation, are in for a treat as Harlan Coben returns with the sequel, Nobody’s Fool. Picking up a year after the shocking events of the first book, this novel plunges into the tumultuous world of former Detective Sami Kierce, a man struggling to outrun both his past and his tarnished reputation. I am eager to see how Kierce’s story unfolds. Will he find redemption, or will his past destroy him once and for all? If Coben’s track record is any indication, Nobody’s Fool will be a gripping, edge-of-your-seat ride filled with high-stakes drama and the kind of storytelling that keeps you guessing until the final page. —Dawn G.

“Never, never, never give up”

That was the reminder activist and astronaut Amanda Nguyen penned to herself shortly after being sexually assaulted at Harvard University in 2013. It’s a message threaded throughout the intensely moving Saving Five, a stunning memoir that’s at once a personal story of trauma, healing and the reclamation of dreams and a letter of support to fellow survivors. Nguyen deftly uses a fantasy-inspired narrative device to exemplify the human stakes of her story, crafting characters from versions of herself at ages 5, 15, 22 and 30 and sending them on a lyrical journey through personified stages of grief. Interspersed are chapters structured in a more traditional memoir format, an original, resonant blend that delivers all the heart and gravity Nguyen’s story demands. Narrator Sura Siu’s voice only heightens this powerful, resonant memoir. Her tender, emotionally attuned delivery makes this story of hope and resilience all the more unforgettable. —Alanna M.

The return of Krysten Ritter

Krysten Ritter’s first book since 2017? She narrates it, too—enough said—so I knew I had to listen. Retreat is the kind of thriller that pulls you in fast and doesn’t let go. Our protagonist, Liz Dawson, is charming, cunning and always five steps ahead—a con artist who knows exactly how to slip into high society unnoticed. But her latest mark, Isabelle Beresford, might be more than she bargained for. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Mexican coast, this story is as seductive as it is unsettling. And the plot twist? Let’s just say, be careful what you wish for. —Disha M.

Is this my catnip or my Kryptonite?

Whatever it is, I lost a few days of my life to this book, but in the best way possible! A super swoony reincarnation romantasy, Our Infinite Fates has that same magic and mysterious feel as some of my favourites like Addie LaRue and A Witch in Time. A curse, the underrealm, a centuries-long doomed love affair and an inspired performance by actress Sofia Oxenham all spark the imagination. But what I love most about this story is how author Laura Steven so deftly toys with the idea that there are certain intractable things that will always make us us, in this life or the next. —Emily C.

The sweetest slow burn

TJ Alexander ventures into Regency romance with The Earl Meets His Match, and I truly hope it won’t be their last. This grumpy x grumpy trans love story is as much about romance as it is about carving out a life where you truly belong. Lord Christopher Eden, a reluctant society figure, must secure a marriage before his next birthday in order to protect his family’s estate. Enter James Harding, a valet who is both distractingly handsome and frustratingly proper. What begins as a working relationship quickly simmers into something far more complicated. The Earl Meets His Match is full of longing, restraint and a tenderness that lingers long after the final chapter. With a found family that stole my heart and a performance by Harrison Knights that brings every moment to life, I couldn’t help but devour this charming listen in one sitting. —P.R.