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Audie Awards
"The Audie Awards recognizes distinction in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). Finalists are announced in 26 categories." Click here to view the official website.
Audie Awards
Audiobook of the Year
Lincoln in the Bardo by Call Number: CD FIC SAUNDERSFebruary 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln’s beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returned to the crypt several times alone to hold his boy’s body. From that seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of its realistic, historical framework into a thrilling, supernatural realm both hilarious and terrifying.
Finalists
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah; Read by the author
- Columbus Day by Craig Alanson; Read by R.C. Bray
- The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition by Margaret Atwood; Read by Claire Danes & a full cast
- The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness by Paula Poundstone; Read by the author
Audio Drama
Brother Francis: The Barefoot Saint of Assisi by Discover the astonishing life of Brother Francis, the fun-loving son of wealth and privilege who gave up everything for the sake of Christ.
Finalists
- Cicero by David Llewellyn; Read by Samuel Barnett & George Naylor
- The Mean by John Arthur Long; Read by the author
- Treasure Island: An Audible Original Drama by Robert Louis Stevenson & Marty Ross; Read by Philip Glenister & others
- The Tug of War by David Rambo; Read by Matthew Arkin & othres
Audiobiography/Memoir
Born to Run by In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl’s halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it. That’s how this extraordinary autobiography began. Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to these pages the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs.
Finalists
- Al Franken, Giant of the Senate by Al Franken; Read by the author
- Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah; Read by the author
- Nevertheless by Alec Baldwin; Read by the author
- We're Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union; Read by the author
- What Happened by Hilary Clinton; Read by the author
Best Female Narrator
The Hate U Give by Call Number: CD FIC THOMASAfter witnessing her friend's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died.
Finalists
- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn; Read by Saskia Maarleveld
- Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery; Read by Rachel McAdams
- The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer (Twin Peaks) by Jennifer Lynch; Read by Sheryl Lee
- The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin; Read by Robin Miles
Best Male Narrator
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.
Finalists
- The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee; Read by Christian Coulson
- Glass Houses by Louise Penny; Read by Robert Bathurst
- Murder on the Orient Express (movie tie-in) by Agatha Christie; Read by Kenneth Branaugh
- Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle & Stephen Fry; Read by Stephen Fry
Business & Personal Development
Peak Performance by A few common principles drive performance, regardless of the field or the task at hand. Whether someone is trying to qualify for the Olympics, break ground in mathematical theory or craft an artistic masterpiece, many of the practices that lead to great success are the same. In Peak Performance, Brad Stulberg, a former McKinsey and Company consultant and journalist who covers health and the science of human performance, and Steve Magness, a performance scientist and coach of Olympic athletes, team up to demystify these practices and demonstrate how everyone can achieve their best.
Finalists
- Do More Great Work by Michael Bungay Stanier; Read by Daniel Maté
- Getting There: A Book of Mentors by Gillian Zoe Segal; Read by Jorjeana Marie and others
- How to Work For an Idiot (Revised and Expanded With More Idiots, More Insanity, and More Incompetency): Survive and Thrive Without Killing Your Boss by John Hoover; Read by Brian Sutherland
- Unf*ck Yourself, by Gary John Bishop; Read by the author
Erotica
Claim and Protect by Trevor Raines lives on the edge of legal. A good guy doing bad things to save lives, the only rules he follows are the Brotherhood's, and there's nothing in the world that will change that. Until Natalie Jordan walks into his life…Natalie’s only interest is in making a fresh start. She’s a woman with a plan, and the plan doesn’t include a man with secrets, no matter how kind—or intoxicating—he is. But this cowboy is determined to break down her walls, keep her safe and make her his.
Finalists
- His Alone by Alexa Riley; Read by Summer Morton & Jay Crow
- More Than You Want by Shayla Black; Read by Christian Fox
- One Night of Sin by Elle Kennedy; Read by Joe Arden
- Taking Turns: The Turning Series, Book 1 by JA Huss; Read by Ava Erickson & others
Fantasy
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Based on some of literature’s horror and science fiction classics, this is the story of a remarkable group of women who come together to solve the mystery of a series of gruesome murders—and the bigger mystery of their own origins.
Finalists
- Red Sister by Mark Lawrence; Read by Heather O'Neil
- The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente; Read by Karis A. Campbell
- Skullsworn by Brian Stavely; Read by Elizabeth Knowelden
- Snake Eyes by John Conroe; Read by James Patrick Cronin
- Spellmonger by Terry Mancour; Read by John Lee
Fiction
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Meet Eleanor Oliphant: she struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she's thinking. That, combined with her unusual appearance (scarred cheek, tendency to wear the same clothes year in, year out), means that Eleanor has become a creature of habit (to say the least) and a bit of a loner. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office.
Finalists
- An Almond For a Parrot by Wray Delaney; Read by Rachel Atkins
- Beartown by Frederick Backman; Read by Marin Ireland
- I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi; Read by Susan Bennett & others
- The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson by Nancy Peacock; Read by JD Jackson
- The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See; Read by Ruthie Ann Miles & others
History/Biography
Loving vs. Virginia by From acclaimed author Patricia Hruby Powell comes the story of a landmark civil rights case, told in spare and gorgeous verse. In 1955, in Caroline County, Virginia, amidst segregation and prejudice, injustice and cruelty, two teenagers fell in love. Their life together broke the law, but their determination would change it. Richard and Mildred Loving were at the heart of a Supreme Court case that legalized marriage between races, and a story of the devoted couple who faced discrimination, fought it, and won.
Finalists
- Bette & Joan: The Divine Feud by Shaun Considine; Read by January LaVoy
- Born Survivors: Three Young Mothers and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage, Defiance, and Hope by Wendy Holden; Read by Elizabeth Wiley
- Code Girls by Liza Mundy; Read by Erin Bennett
- The Home Front: Life in American During World War II; Read by Martin Sheen
- My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King; Read by Phylicia Rashad and January LaVoy
Humor
Carpet Diem: or How to Save the World by Accident by Fifteen years after losing most of his family to a devastating, pudding-related tragedy, Simon Debovar has settled into a life of self-imposed exile from the stinking, selfish morass of humanity. Content that his daily highlights will include hazelnut coffee, a long bath and the occasional jar of olives, his life is completely upturned by the discovery that his ornate living room carpet is the deciding factor in a bet between God and Satan.
Finalists
- The Book of Leon by Leon Black & Iris Bahr; Read by Leon Black
- I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart & Neil Strauss; Read by Kevin Hart
- Rhett & Link's Book of Mythicality: A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery by Rhett & Link; Read by the authors
- The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness by Paula Poundstone; Read by the author
Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction
Catching the Wind by That question has haunted Daniel Knight since he was 13, when he and 10-year-old Brigitte escaped the Gestapo agents who arrested both their parents. They survived a harrowing journey from Germany to England, only to be separated upon their arrival. Daniel vowed to find Brigitte after the war, a promise he has fought to fulfill for more than 70 years. Now a wealthy old man, Daniel's final hope in finding Brigitte rests with Quenby Vaughn, an American journalist working in London.
Finalists
- Captain Bayley's Heir by G.A. Henty; Read by Brian Blessed & others
- Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis; Read by Christina Moore and Stephanie Cozart
- Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon; Read by Therese Plummer
- The Trials of Saint Patrick by Paul McCusker; Read by John Rhys-Davies & others
Inspirational/Faith-Based Nonfiction
Fire Road: The Napalm Girl's Journey Through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace by Get out! Run! We must leave this place! They are going to destroy this whole place! Go, children, run first! Go now! These were the final shouts nine year-old Kim Phuc heard before her world dissolved into flames--before napalm bombs fell from the sky, burning away her clothing and searing deep into her skin. It's a moment forever captured, an iconic image that has come to define the horror and violence of the Vietnam War. Kim was left for dead in a morgue; no one expected her to survive the attack. Against all odds, Kim lived--but her journey toward healing was only beginning.
Finalists
- The Mission Walker by Edie Littlefield Sundby; Read by Jaimee Paul
- Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker; Read by Thomas Nelson
- The Sacrament of Happy: What a Smiling God Brings to a Wounded World by Lisa Harper; Read by the author
- Wake Up to the Joy of You: 52 Meditations and Practices for a Calmer, Happier Life by Agapi Stassinopoulos; Read by the author
- We Stood Upon Stars by Roger W. Thompson; Read by John McLain
Literary Fiction and Classics
House of Names; Read by Juliet Stevenson, et al. by From the thrilling imagination of best-selling, award-winning Colm Tóibín comes a retelling of the story of Clytemnestra - spectacularly audacious, violent, vengeful, lustful, and instantly compelling - and her children.
Finalists
- Beast by Paul Kingsnorth; Read by Simon Vance
- Daisy Miller by Henry James; Read by Kitty Hendrix
- Dracula by Bram Stoker; Read by Nick Sandys
- The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition by Margaret Atwood & Valerie Martin; Read by Claire Danes & others
- Phineas Finn by Anthony Trollope; Read by David Shaw-Parker
Middle Grade
See You in the Cosmos by A space-obsessed boy and his dog, Carl Sagan, take a journey toward family, love, hope, and awe in this funny and moving novel for fans of Counting by 7s and Walk Two Moons.
Finalists
- The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya; Read by the author
- Patina by Jason Reynolds; Read by Heather Alicia Simms
- Refugee by Alan Gratz; Read by Michael Goldstrom & others
- Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors; Read by Johnny Heller & Maxwell Glick
Multi-Voiced Performance
Restart by A boy who's been a bully and hanging out with the wrong friends gets a new start after a memory-loss-inducing accident. But can someone really change who he is, or will the old him merely come back over time?
Finalists
- Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders; Read by a full cast
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid; Read by Alma Cuervo & others
- The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See; Read by Ruthie Ann Miles & others
- The X-Files: Cold Cases by Joe Harris, Chris Carter, & Dirk Maggs; Read by David Duchovny & others
Mystery
The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by Call Number: CD FIC LAGERCRAWhen Lisbeth sees a chance to uncover the most telling facts of her traumatic childhood, she enlists the help of Mikael Blomkvist, the editor of the investigative journal Millennium.
Finalists
- Glass Houses by Louise Penny; Read by Robert Bathurst
- Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz; Read by Samantha Bond
- On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service: A Royal Spyness Mystery, Book 11 by Rhys Bowen; Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Telling Tales by Ann Cleeves; Read by Julia Franklin
Narration by the Author or Authors
Norse Mythology by Call Number: CD 293.13 GAIMANNeil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he presents his fashioning of the primeval Norse myths into a novel, which begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds, delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants, and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people.
Finalists
- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
- Nikki Giovanni: Love Poems & a Good Cry by Nikki Giovanni
- This Fight is Our Fight by Elizabeth Warren
Nonfiction
American Wolf by The enthralling story of the rise and reign of O-Six, the celebrated Yellowstone wolf, and the people who loved or feared her
Finalists
- The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson by Jon Ronson; Read by the author
- Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry; Read by Simon Vance
- Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign by Jonathan Allen & Amie Parnes; Read by Kimberly Farr
- This Fight is Our Fight by Elizabeth Warren; Read by the author
Original Work
Romeo & Juliet by It's a story you think you know: the age-old tale of "star-cross'd lovers"; two families at war; a romance, so pure and absolute, fated for a tragic end. It's a story so thoroughly embedded in our culture, and so frequently retold. Yet, nothing captures the spark, the possibility, and the surprise of Shakespeare's work quite like this....
Finalists
- The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition by Margaret Atwood & Valerie Martin; Read by Claire Danes & others
- Mother Go by James Patrick Kelly; Read by January LaVoy
- Nevertheless We Persisted, edited by Tanya Eby; Read by Amy Landon & others
- Rebuttal by Jyotsna Hariharan; Read by Phoebe Strole & others
Paranormal
Curse on the Land by Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly-formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded—even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals presents dangers of its own...After training at the PsyLED academy, Nell returns home to her woods to find the land feeling sick and restless. And that sickness is spreading.
Finalists
- Eleventh Grave in Moonlight by Darynda Jones; Read by Lorelei King
- Finding My Pack by Lane Whitt; Read by Cooper North & Aletha George
- Nights of the Living Dead: An Anthology, edited by Jonathan Maberry & George A. Romero; Read by Stefan Rudnicki & others
- Silver Silence by Nalini Singh; Read by Angela Dawe
Romance
The Duchess Deal by The Duke of Ashbury needs a wife. Emma Gladstone, a vicar's daughter turned seamstress, will do. They both have terms for the marriage, but will they be able to stop from falling in love?
Finalists
- Any Day Now by Robyn Carr; Read by Therese Plummer
- Cake: A Love Story by J. Bengtsson; Read by Andi Arndt & Joe Arden
- Come Sundown by Nora Roberts; Read by Elisabeth Rodgers
- The Ladies' Room by Carolyn Brown; Read by Donna Postel
Science Fiction
Provenance by A power-driven young woman has just one chance to secure the status she craves and regain priceless lost artifacts prized by her people. She must free their thief from a prison planet from which no one has ever returned. Ingray and her charge will return to her home world to find their planet in political turmoil, at the heart of an escalating interstellar conflict. Together, they must make a new plan to salvage Ingray's future, her family, and her world before they are lost to her for good.
Finalists
- Battlefront II: Inferno Squad (Star Wars) by Christie Golden; Read by Janina Gavankar
- New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson; Read by Suzanne Toren & others
- The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin; Read by Robin Miles
- The X-Files: Cold Cases by Joe Harris, Chris Carter, and Dirk Maggs; Read by David Duchovny & others
Short Stories
The Language of Thorns by Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, number one New York Times best-selling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.
Finalists
- Difficult Women by Roxane Gay; Read by Robin Miles
- Good Behavior by Blake Crouch; Read by Julia Whelan & the author
- Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski; Read by Will Patton
- You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie; Read by the author
The Fourth Monkey by For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive. As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unraveling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.
Finalists
- The Breakdown by B.A. Paris; Read by Georgia Maguire
- Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben; Read by Steven Weber
- The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer; Read by Ellen Archer
- A Legacy of Spies by John le Carre; Read by Tom Hollander
- Mississippi Blood by Greg Iles; Read by Scott Brick
Young Adult
- The Hate U Give by Call Number: CD FIC THOMASAfter witnessing her friend's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died.
Finalists
- Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray; Read by January LaVoy
- Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork; Read by Roxana Ortega & Christian Barillas
- Solo by Kwame Alexander; Read by the author
- You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins; Read by Sneha Mathan & others
Young Listeners (up to age 8)
Trombone Shorty by Call Number: READ-ALONG 781.6509 ANDREWSHailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Audiobook of the Year
Hamilton: The Revolution by Call Number: CD 782.14 MIRANDAFrom Tony Award-winning composer-lyricist-star Lin-Manuel Miranda comes a backstage pass to his groundbreaking, hit musical.
Finalists
- Boys in the Trees - Carly Simon; Read by the author
- The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo - Amy Schumer; Read by the author
- The Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead; Read by Bahni Turpin
- Year of Yes - Shonda Rhimes; Read by the author
Audio Drama
In the Embers by A song, a pressed flower, and the sound of two girls' voices recovered from a burned wooden beam by using a brand-new laser technique to read a charred surface like the grooves of an old 78 rpm record. These are the clues that archaeologist Digger Morgan discovers while working on a routine dig at a Maryland plantation. Who were the girls? When was the fire? The answers all lead to 1920s jazz pioneer Kit Jeffers, whose voice mysteriously appears on Digger's computer and whose existence remains haunted by a singular tragic event.
Finalists
- Alien: Out of the Shadows - Tim Lebbon; Read by Rutger Hauer & others
- Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures - James Goss; Read by David Tennant & others
- Doctor Who: The War Doctor, Vol. 1 - Nicholas Briggs; Read by John Hurt & others
- The Mountaintop - Katori Hall; Read by Larry Powell & Aja Naomi King
Autobiography/Memoir
The Greatest: My Own Story by Growing up in the South, surrounded by racial bigotry and discrimination, Ali fought not just for a living, but also for respect and rewards far more precious than money or glory. He was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the BBC. Ali redefined what it meant to be an athlete by giving hope to millions around the world and inspiring us all to fight for what is important to us.
Finalists
- Around the Way Girl - Taraji P. Henson; Read by the author
- Buffering: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded - Hannah Hart; Read by Hannah Hart & Judy Young
- The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss - Anderson Cooper & Gloria Vanderbilt; Read by the authors
- When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi; Read by Sunil Malhotra & Cassandra Campbell
Best Female Narrator
Be Frank with Me by Hired to assist a famed reclusive writer trying to recapture her lost fortunes by completing a new manuscript, Alice Whitley becomes obsessed with identifying the paternity of her employer's precocious young son.
Finalists
- Another Brooklyn - Jacqueline Woodson; Read by Robin Miles
- The Little Red Chairs - Edna O'Brien; Read by Juliet Stevenson
- The Turn of the Screw by Henry James; Read by Emma Thompson
- The Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead; Read by Bahni Turpin
Best Male Narrator
Jerusalem by In the half a square mile of decay and demolition that was England's Saxon capital, eternity is loitering between the firetrap housing projects. Embedded in the grubby amber of the district's narrative, among its saints, kings, prostitutes, and derelicts, a different kind of human time is happening, a soiled simultaneity that does not differentiate between the petrol-colored puddles and the fractured dreams of those who navigate them.
Finalists
- Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff - Pappy Pariah; Read by Sean Penn & others
- End of Watch - Stephen King; Read by Will Patton
- The Last Tribe - Brad Manuel; Read by Scott Brick
- The Purloined Poodle - Kevin Hearne; Read by Luke Daniels
- Underground Airlines - Ben H. Winters; Read by William DeMeritt
Business/Personal Development
Humans Need Not Apply: A Guide to Wealth and Work in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by After billions of dollars and 50 years of effort, researchers are finally cracking the code on artificial intelligence. As society stands on the cusp of unprecedented change, Jerry Kaplan unpacks the latest advances in robotics, machine learning, and perception powering systems that rival or exceed human capabilities.
Finalists
- Capital Offenses: Business Crime and Punishment in America's Corporate Age - Samuel Buell; Read by L.J. Ganser
- Shrill: Notes From a Loud Woman - Lindy West; Read by the author
- The Storyteller's Secret: From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch On and Others Don't - Carmine Gallo; Read by the author
- Trekonomics: The Economics of Star Trek - Manu Saadia; Read by Oliver Wyman
Erotica
Marriage Games by Thirty days. That's all Adam Steinbeck demands of his wife. Thirty days in a remote cottage, doing everything he demands. After that, he'll sign her divorce papers and give her their company. That's how long he has to rediscover the man he once was. The dominant master he hid when he fell in love with her five years before. She wants their production company badly enough to go to the cottage for a month. Cut off ties to the world and do his bidding. She can submit to him with her body, but her heart will never yield. She thinks this is his pathetic attempt to repair their marriage. She's wrong.
Finalists
- 18 - J.A. Hauss; Read by Ava Erickson
- The Baller - Vi Keeland; Read by Mackenzie Cartwright & Sean Crisden
- The Darkest Torment - Gena Showalter; Read by Max Bellmore
- January - Audrey Carlan; Read by Summer Morton
- Sweet Dreams - Sunny Leone; Read by Simone Lewis & Vikas Adam
Fantasy
The Hike by When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects.
Finalists
- The Bands of Mourning - Brandon Sanderson; Read by Michael Kramer
- The Black Prism - Brent Weeks; Read by Simon Vance
- The Everything Box - Richard Kadrey; Read by Oliver Wyman
- League of Dragons - Naomi Novik; Read by Simon Vance
Fiction
Sister of Mine by When two Union soldiers stumble onto a plantation in northern Georgia on a warm May day in 1864, the last thing they expect is to see the Union flag flying high - or to be greeted by a group of freed slaves and their Jewish mistress. Little do they know that this place has an unusual history. Twelve years prior, Adelaide Mannheim - daughter of Mordecai, the only Jewish planter in the county - was given her own maid, a young slave named Rachel. The two became friends, and soon they discovered a secret: Mordecai was Rachel's father, too. As the country moved toward war, Adelaide and Rachel struggled to navigate their newfound sisterhood.
Finalists
- America's First Daughter - Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie; Read by Cassandra Campbell
- Darktown - Thomas Mullen; Read by Andre Holland
- End of Watch - Stephen King; Read by Will Patton
- Belgravia - Julian Fellowes; Read by Juliet Stevenson
History/Biography
In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated 300 men were killed upon impact; close to 900 sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they remained undetected by the navy for nearly four days and nights. Battered by a savage sea, they struggled to stay alive, fighting off sharks, hypothermia, and dementia. By the time rescue arrived, all but 317 men had died. The captain's subsequent court-martial left many questions unanswered: How did the navy fail to realize the Indianapolis was missing? Why was the cruiser traveling unescorted in enemy waters? And, perhaps most amazing of all, how did these 317 men manage to survive?
Finalists
- Paul McCartney: The Life - Philip Norman; Read by Jonathan Keeble
- A Time to Die: The Untold Story of the Kursk Tragedy - Robert Moore; Read by Pete Cross
- Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution - Nathaniel Philbrick; Read by Scott Brick
- The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 - James Shapiro; Read by Robert Fass
Humor
I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by With over 500,000 readers a month at her enormously popular blog, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, Luvvie Ajayi is a go-to source for smart takes on pop culture. I'm Judging You is her debut book of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives--from the importance of the newest Shonda Rhimes television drama to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma's wake on Facebook.
Finalists
- The Bassoon King - Rainn Wilson; Read by the author
- Black Man, White House: An Oral History of the Obama Years - D.L. Hughley; Read by Mia Barron & others
- Life and Other Near Death Experiences - Camille Pagan; Read by Amy McFadden
- You Can't Touch My Hair (And Other Things I Still Have to Explain) - Phoebe Robinson; Read by the author & John Hodgman
- You'll Grow Out of It - Jessi Klein; Read by the author
Inspirational/Faith Based Fiction
Risen by Roman Tribune Clavius is assigned by Pilate to keep the radical followers of the recently executed Yeshua from stealing the body and inciting revolution. When the body goes missing despite his precautions, Clavius must hunt it down. His investigation leads him from the halls of Herod Antipas to the Garden of Gethsemane and brings him in touch with believer and doubter alike. But as the body still remains missing, Clavius commits to a quest for the truth - and answers that will not only shake his life but echo throughout all of history.
Finalists
- Beric the Briton: The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty - G.A. Henty & Nick Heid; Read by Brian Blessed & others
- The Christmas Town - Donna VanLiere; Read by the author
- The Dragon and the Raven: The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty - G.A. Henty & John Fornof; Read by John Rhys-Davies & others
- The Girl From the Train - Irma Joubert; Read by Sarah Zimmerman
- Journey's End - Renee Ryan; Read by Karen Peakes
Inspirational/Faith-Based Nonfiction
The Awakening of H. K. Derryberry: My Unlikely Friendship with the Boy Who Remembers Everything by HK Derryberry came into the world with the odds stacked heavily against him. He was was born 3 months prematurely after his mother died in a car wreck. After 96 days of seesawing between life and death, HK's grandmother took him home. One Saturday morning Jim Bradford, a successful businessman in his mid-fifties, happens into Mrs. Winner's Chicken and Biscuits and sees a nine-year-old's head pressed down against a black plastic boom box. He can't help but notice the long, white plastic braces on each of the child's legs. Mr. Bradford learns that HK's grandmother is forced to bring him to the fast-food restaurant where she works, leaving him to sit alone all day at a small table, with only his boom box for company. On subsequent Saturdays Jim feels drawn back to the restaurant to meet with HK and begins spending every weekend with him. Eventually it becomes apparent that buried beneath HK's severe disabilities is one spectacular ability.
Finalists
- Divine Collision: An African Boy, an American Lawyer, and Their Remarkable Battle for Freedom - Jim Gash; Read by Brandon Batchelar & Jason White
- Forgiving My Daughter's Killer: A True Story of Loss, Faith, and Unexpected Grace - Kate Grosmaire & Nancy French; Read by Kate Rudd & Nick Podehl
- The Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ - Andrew Klavan; Read by the author
- Space at the Table: Conversations Between an Evangelical Theologian and His Gay Son - Brad Harper & Drew Harper; Read by the authors
Literary Fiction/Classics
Homegoing by Call Number: CD FIC GYASITwo half sisters, Effia and Esi, unknown to each other, are born into two different tribal villages in 18th century Ghana. Effia will be married off to an English colonial, and will live in comfort in the sprawling, palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle, raising half-caste children who will be sent abroad to be educated in England before returning to the Gold Coast to serve as administrators of the Empire. Her sister, Esi, will be imprisoned beneath Effia in the Castle's women's dungeon, and then shipped off on a boat bound for America, where she will be sold into slavery. Stretching from the tribal wars of Ghana to slavery and Civil War in America, from the coal mines in the north to the Great Migration to the streets of 20th century Harlem, Yaa Gyasi's has written a modern masterpiece.
Finalists
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll; Read by Scarlett Johansson
- Another Brooklyn - Jacqueline Woodson; Read by Robin Miles
- David Copperfield - Charles Dickens; Read by Richard Armitage
- LaRose - Louise Erdrich; Read by the author
- The Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead; Read by Bahni Turpin
Middle Grade
How to Train Your Dragon: How to Fight a Dragon's Fury by The Doomsday of Yule has arrived, and the future of dragonkind lies in the hands of one boy with nothing to show but everything to fight for. Hiccup's quest is clear...but can he end the rebellion? Can he prove himself to be king? Can he save the dragons? The stakes have never been higher, as the very fate of the Viking world hangs in the balance!
Finalists
- All Rise For the Honorable Perry T. Cook - Leslie Connor; Read by Michael Crouch & Kathleen McInerney
- Demon Dentist - David Walliams; Read by the author & others
- Hatched - Bruce Coville; Read by Matthew Frow & others
- The Inquisitor's Tale - Adam Gidwitz; Read by Adam Gidwitz & others
Multi-Voiced Perfomance
Small Great Things by Call Number: CD FIC PICOULTRuth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?
Finalists
- Les Liasons Dangereuses - Pierre Choderlos de Lacios; Read by Dominic West & others
- The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto - Mitch Albom; Read by the author & others
- Pruno, Ramen, and a Side of Hope - Courtney B. Lance & Nikki D. Pope; Read by Whoopi Goldberg & Bill Kurtis
- Thomas Jefferson: From Boy to Man - Jayne D'Alessandro-Cox; Read by Alexander Brinkley & others
- A Wild Swan - Michael Cunningham; Read by Lily Taylor & Billy Hough
Mystery
The Crossing by Detective Harry Bosch has retired from the LAPD, but his half-brother, defense attorney Mickey Haller, needs his help. The murder rap against his client seems ironclad, but Mickey is sure it's a setup. Though it goes against all his instincts, Bosch takes the case. With the secret help of his former LAPD partner Lucia Soto, he turns the investigation inside the police department. But as Bosch gets closer to discovering the truth, he makes himself a target.
Finalists
- Crimson Shore - Preston & Child; Read by Rene Auberjonois
- A Great Reckoning - Louise Penny; Read by Robert Bathurst
- The Heavens May Fall - Allen Eskins; Read by R.C. Bray & others
- IQ - Joe Ide; Read by Sullivan Jones
Narration by the Author
A Life in Parts by In his riveting memoir, A Life in Parts, Cranston traces his zigzag journey from his chaotic childhood to his dramatic epiphany and beyond, to megastardom and a cultlike following, by vividly revisiting the many parts he's played on camera (astronaut, dentist, detective, candy bar spokesperson, president of the United States, etc.) and off (paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, son, brother, lover, husband, father).
Finalists
- Dear Mr. You - Mary-Louise Parker; Read by the author
- The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo - Amy Schumer; Read by the author
- In Such Good Company - Carol Burnett; Read by the author
- LaRose - Louise Erdrich; Read by the author
- The View From the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction - Neil Gaiman; Read by the author
Nonfiction
Hillbilly Elegy by ISBN: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in CrisisFrom a former Marine and Yale Law School Graduate, a poignant account of growing up in a poor Appalachian town, that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America’s white working class. Part memoir, part historical and social analysis, J. D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy is a fascinating consideration of class, culture, and the American dream.
Finalists
- Adnan's Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial - Rabia Chaudry; Read by the author
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City - Matthew Desmond; Read by Dion Graham
- The Gene: An Intimate History - Siddhartha Mukherjee; Read by Dennis Boutsikaris
- A Million Years in a Day - Greg Jenner; Read by Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Words on the Move: Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally) - John McWhorter; Read by the author
Original Work
The Dispatcher by Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher - a licensed, bonded professional whose job is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death's crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper. But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony learns that there are some things that are worse than death and that some people are ready to do almost anything to avenge a supposed wrong.
Finalists
- The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent - Larry Correia; Read by Adam Baldwin
- Alien: Out of the Shadows - Tim Lebbon; Read by Rutger Hauer & others
- Car Talk Science - Tom Magliozzi & Ray Magliozzi; Read by the authors
- In the Embers - Brian Price & Jerry Stearns; Read by Edwin Strout & others
- Pete Seeger: Storm King, Vol. 2 - Pete Seeger & Jeff Haynes (Editor); Read by the author
Paranormal
Ghost Gifts by All Aubrey Ellis wants is a normal life, one that doesn’t include desperate pleas from the dead. Her remarkable gift may help others rest in peace, but it also made for an unsettling childhood and destroyed her marriage. Finally content as the real estate writer for a local newspaper, Aubrey keeps her extraordinary ability hidden—until she is unexpectedly assigned the story of a decades-old murder.
Finalists
- Blood of the Earth - Faith Hunter; Read by Khristine Hvam
- The Elementals - Michael McDowell; Read by R.C. Bray
- The Raven King - Maggie Stiefvater; Read by Will Patton
- Staked - Kevin Hearne; Read by Luke Daniels
Romance
Dirty by The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a brokenhearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that come with her. Lydia Green doesn't know whether to scream or cry in a corner. Discovering the love of your life is having an affair on your wedding day is bad enough. Finding out it's with his best man is another thing altogether. Just when this runaway bride has nowhere left to turn, a handsome stranger offers her a broad, muscular shoulder to cry on. Vaughan is the exact opposite of the picture perfect, respected businessmen she's normally drawn to. This former musician turned bartender is rough around the edges and is facing his own crossroads. But Lydia's already tried Mr. Right and discovered he's all wrong. Maybe it's time to give Mr. Right Now a chance.
Finalists
- Duke of Sin - Elizabeth Hoyt; Read by Ashford McNab
- First Star I See Tonight - Susan Elizabeth Phillips; Read by Nicole Poole
- Glitterland - Alexis Hall; Read by Nicholas Boulton
- The Obsession - Nora Roberts; Read by Shannon McManus
Science Fiction
The Force Awakens by Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning new action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters. Darth Vader may have been redeemed and the Emperor vanquished, but peace can be fleeting, and evil does not easily relent. Yet the simple belief in good can still empower ordinary individuals to rise and meet the greatest challenges.
Finalists
- The Book of the Unnamed Midwife - Meg Elison; Read by Angela Dawe
- Crosstalk - Connie Willis; Read by Mia Barron
- The Dispatcher - John Scalzi; Read by Zachary Quinto
- Sleeping Giants - Sylvain Neuvel; Read by Andy Secombe
Short Stories/Collections
The Brink by The stories in Austin Bunn's dazzling collection explore the existential question: what happens at the end, and what lies beyond it? In the wry but affecting "How to Win an Unwinnable War", a summer class on nuclear war for gifted teenagers turns a struggling family upside down. A young couple's idyllic beach honeymoon is interrupted by terrorism in the lush, haunting "Getting There and Away". When an immersive video game begins turning off in the heartbreaking "Griefer", an obsessive player falls in love with a mysterious player in the final hours of a world.
Finalists
- Certain Dark Things - M.J. Pack; Read by Jacob York
- Coffee at Luke's - Jennifer Crusie & Leah Wilson; Read by Colby Elliott
- The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke - Arthur C. Clarke; Read by Ray Porter & others
- East, West - Salman Rushdie; Read by Sunil Malhotra & Steven Crossley
- Killer Women - Louise Miller, Alex Marwood, & Tammy Cohen; Read by Clare Corbett & others
Thriller/Suspense
Cross Justice by Call Number: CD FIC PATTERSOWhen his cousin is accused of a heinous crime, Alex Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown for the first time in over three decades. As he tries to prove his cousin's innocence in a town where everyone seems to be on the take, Cross unearths a family secret that forces him to question everything he's ever known.Chasing a ghost he believed was long dead, Cross gets pulled into a case that has local cops scratching their heads and needing his help: a grisly string of socialite murders. Now he's hot on the trail of both a brutal killer and the truth about his own past-and the answers he finds might be fatal.
Finalists
- The Fall of Moscow Station - Mark Henshaw; Read by Eric G. Dove
- Hidden Bodies - Caroline Kepnes; Read by Santino Fontana
- Home - Harlan Coben; Read by Steven Weber
- The Short Drop - Matthew Fitzsimmons; Read by James Patrick Cronin
Young Adult
Salt to the Sea by In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety. Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country nor culture nor status matters as all 10,000 people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.
Finalists
- The Game of Love and Death - Martha Brockenbrough; Read by Susan Hanfield
- Gemina - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff; Read by Carla Corvo & others
- My Lady Jane - Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows; Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Stalking Jack the Ripper - Kerri Maniscalco; Read by Nicola Barber
- Winter - Marissa Meyer; Read by Rebecca Soler
Young Listeners
28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Call Number: READ-ALONG 973.0496 SMITHThe 28 days of Black History Month are commemorated with descriptions of the men, women, and events that have been vital in defining the understanding of African-American history. The entries move chronologically from 1770 to the present, and encompass all walks of life. A final 29th day challenges listeners to make their own historical contributions.
Finalists
- Island Treasures - Alma Flor Alda; Read by Trini Alvarado
- Out of Abaton: The Wooden Prince - John Claude Bemis; Read by Ralph Lister
- The Quentin Blake and John Yeoman Collection - Quentin Blake & John Yeoman; Read by Stephen Thorne
- The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots - Beatrix Potter; Read by Helen Mirren
- Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer - Carole Boston Weatherford; Read by Janina Edwards
Audiobook of the Year
The Girl on the Train by After witnessing something shocking, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?
Finalists
- Go Set a Watchman - Harper Lee; Read by Reese Witherspoon
- The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah; Read by Polly Stone
- The Water Diviner - Andrew Anastasios & Meaghan Anastasios; Read by Jack Thompson
Autobiography/Memoir
Ghost Boy by Martin Pistorius, aged twelve, fell inexplicably sick. First he lost his voice and stopped eating. Then he slept constantly and shunned human contact. Doctors were mystified. Within eighteen months he was mute and wheelchair-bound. Martin's parents were told an unknown degenerative disease left him with the mind of a baby and less than two years to live. Martin was moved to care centers for severely disabled children. The stress and heartache shook his parents' marriage and their family to the core. Their boy was gone. Or so they thought.
Finalists
- Born With Teeth - Kate Mulgrew; Read by the author
- The Courage to Act - Ben S. Bernanke; Read by Grover Gardner
- I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend - Martin Short; Read by the author
- Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging - Dick Van Dyke & Todd Gold; Read by Dick Van Dyke
- Travels - Michael Crichton; Read by Christopher Lane
Best Female Narrator
Wild Rover No More by Just when it looks like Jacky Faber and her beloved Jaimy will finally find their romance, Jacky is accused of treason and must flee Boston while her friends attempt to clear her name. Of course that means wild adventures for our fun-loving heroine, who manages to secure a job as a governess…and run away with the circus. The highly anticipated grand finale of the Bloody Jack Adventures.
Finalists
- All the Stars in the Heavens - Adriana Trigiani; Read by Blair Brown
- The Boston Girl - Anita Diamant; Read by Linda Lavin
- Lair of Dreams - Libba Bray; Read by January LaVoy
- The Lost Landscape: A Writer's Coming of Age - Joyce Carol Oates; Read by Cassandra Campbell
- The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah; Read by Polly Stone
Best Male Narrator
The English Spy by Gabriel Allon investigates the murder of the former princess of England and enlists the help of Christopher Keller, a British commando turned professional assassin, to track down master bomb maker Eamon Quinn.
Finalists
- Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut; Read by John Malkovich
- Classic Love Poems - William Shakespeare & others; Read by Richard Armitage
- Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania - Erik Larson; Read by Scott Brick
- Finders Keepers - Stephen King; Read by Will Patton
- Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton; Read by Scott Brick
Business/Personal Development
Wake up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life by The morning talk show host and former champion football player offers a collection of stories and motivational advice to inspire others to pursue their own personal ambitions.
Finalists
- Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment - Steve Harvey; Read by Mike Hodge
- A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life - Brian Grazer & Charles Fishman; Read by Norbert Leo Butz
- Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence - Erica Dhawan & Saj-Nicole Joni; Read by Christina Moore
- Talking to Crazy: How to Deal With the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life - Mark Goulston; Read by L.J. Ganser
Erotica
Curing Doctor Vincent by Elaine Watkins, Public Relations Advisor, is surprised when she receives a summons from the very attractive and enigmatic Dr. Xavier Vincent. She worships the talented physician and company icon responsible for developing the cure that saved her sister’s life and she isn’t immune to his charm. Even though puzzled by his request, she is excited and eager to get started on his latest project. But Dr. Vincent has other ideas. Instead of discussing cures, drugs and marketing strategies, he asks Elaine to join him in Paris to indulge his unique sexual appetites. Torn between gratitude for saving her sister, her attraction for the powerful man and compromising her pre-conceived notions of sexuality, she must decide if it's easier to feed his desires or walk away. Until she devises a plan of her own.
Finalists
- Beg, Tease, Submit - C.D. Reiss; Read by Jo Raylan
- Beta - Jasinda Wilder; Read by Summer Roberts & Tyler Donne
- Control, Burn, Resist - C.D. Reiss; Read by Jo Raylan & Christian Fox
- Trust - Ella Frank; Read by Shannon Gunn
Fantasy
Nice Dragons Finish Last by As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn't fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience. Now, sealed in human form and banished to the DFZ--a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit--Julius has one month to prove that he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever.
Finalists
- Ascension - Brian K. Fuller; Read by Simon Vance
- The Cycle of Arawn - Edward W. Robertson; Read by Tim Gerard Reynolds
- The Fifth Season - N.K. Jemisin; Read by Robin Miles
- Son of the Black Sword - Larry Correia; Read by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Fiction
The Nightingale by Call Number: CD FIC HANNAHDespite their differences, sisters Vianne and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Vianne is content with life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. But when the Second World War strikes, Antoine is sent off to fight and Vianne finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her. With life changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Vianne and Isabelle will find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions.
Finalists
- Citizens Creek - Lalita Tademy; Read by Bahni Turpin & J.D. Jackson
- A God in Ruins - Kate Atkinson; Read by Alex Jennings
- Kitchens of the Great Midwest - J. Ryan Stradal; Read by Amy Ryan & Michael Stuhlbarg
- Last Bus to Wisdom - Ivan Doig; Read by David Aaron Baker
- The Sellout - Paul Beatty; Read by Prentice Onayemi
History/Biography
A Man on the Moon by On the night of July 20, 1969, our world changed forever when two Americans, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, walked on the moon. Now the greatest event of the twentieth century is magnificently retold through the eyes and ears of the people who were there.Based on in-depth interviews with twenty-three of the twenty-four moon voyagers, as well as those who struggled to get the program moving, science journalist Andrew Chaikin's A Man on the Moon conveys every aspect of the missions with breathtaking immediacy, from the rush of liftoff, to the heart-stopping lunar touchdown, to the final hurdle of reentry.
Finalists
- In Search of Sir Thomas Browne: The Life and Afterlife of the Seventeenth Century's Most Inquiring Mind - Hugh Aldersey-Williams; Read by Simon Vance
- Operation Nemesis: The Assassination Plot That Avenged the Armenian Genocide - Eric Bogosian; Read by the author
- Pacific: Silicon Chips and Surfboards, Coral Reefs and Atomic Bombs, Brutal Dictators, Fading Empires, and the Coming Collision of the World's Superpowers - Simon Winchester; Read by the author
- Texas Rising: The Epic True Story of the Lone Star Republic And the Rise of the Texas Rangers 1836-1846 - Stephen L. Moore; Read by P.J. Ochlan
Humor
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by In LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, Jenny Lawson baffled readers with stories about growing up the daughter of a taxidermist. In her new book, FURIOUSLY HAPPY, Jenny explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. And terrible ideas are what Jenny does best.
Finalists
- Almost Interesting - David Spade; Read by the author
- Car Talk Classics - Tom Magliozzi & Ray Magliozzi; Read by the authors
- Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari & Eric Klinenberg; Read by Aziz Ansari
- Texts From Jane Eyre - Mallory Ortberg; Read by Zach Villa & Amy Landon
- Why Not Me? - Mindy Kaling; Read by Mindy Kaling, Greg Daniels, & B.J. Novak
Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction
To Win Her Favor by A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who can help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing for good.
Finalists
- Come to Me Alive - Leah Atwood; Read by Pamela Almand
- Her Brother's Keeper - Beth Wiseman; Read by Clifton Harris
- The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn - Lori Benton; Read by Kate Forbes
- Secrets She Kept - Cathy Gohlke; Read by Morgan Hallett & Suzy Jackson
Inspirational/Faith-Based Nonfiction
The Boy Born Dead by Few American epics of tragedy, intrigue, friendship, and faith will entertain and challenge the soul like the narrative inspired by the events in the real life of David Ring--a boy literally born dead who survives with sobering consequences.
Finalists
- And Then There Were Nuns: Adventures in a Cloistered Life - Jane Christmas; Read by Elizabeth Wiley
- Glory Days: Living Your Promised Land Life Now - Max Lucado; Read by Ben Holland
- The Pastor's Wife - Sabrina Wurmbrand; Read by Sadie Alexandru
- Through the Eyes of a Lion: Facing Impossible Pain, Finding Incredible Power - Levi Lusko; Read by the author
Literary Fiction & Classics
Little Big Man by The story of Jack Crabbe, raised by both a white man and a Cheyenne chief. As a Cheyenne, Jack ate dog, had four wives and saw his people butchered by General Custer's soldiers. As a white man, he participated in the slaughter of the buffalo and tangled with Wyatt Earp.
Finalists
- The Fishermen - Chigozie Obioma; Read by Chukwudi Iwuji
- Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson; Read by Kieron Elliot
- Sweetland - Michael Crummey; Read by John Lee
- 'Til the Well Runs Dry - Lauren Francis-Sharma; Read by Ron Butler & Bahni Turpin
Middle Grade
Echo by Call Number: CD TEEN RYANLost in the Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and finds himself entwined in a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica--and decades later three children, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California find themselves caught up in the same thread of destiny in the darkest days of the twentieth century, struggling to keep their families intact, and tied together by the music of the same harmonica.
Finalists
- Diary of a Mad Brownie - Bruce Coville; Read by Euan Morton
- Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar - Sally Derby; Read by Bahni Turpin & Dion Graham
- Stella by Starlight - Sharon M. Draper; Read by Heather Alicia Simms
- The Unmapped Sea - Maryrose Wood; Read by Katherine Kellgren
Multi-Voiced Performance
Illuminae by The planet Kerenza is attacked, and Kady and Ezra find themselves on a space fleet fleeing the enemy, while their ship's artificial intelligence system and a deadly plague may be the end of them all.
Finalists
- Clockwork Lives - Kevin J. Anderson & Neil Peart; Read by Morgan Hallet
- Echo - Pam Munoz Ryan; Read by Mark Bramhall & others
- How it Went Down - Kekla Magoon; Read by Cherise Boothe & others
- Just Kids From the Bronx: Telling it the Way it Was, an Oral History - Arlene Alda; Read by the author & others
- With Lee in Virgina - G.A. Henty; Read by Justin Shenkarow & others
Mystery
Career of Evil by Call Number: CD FIC GALBRAITWhen a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg. Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible--and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality. With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them...
Finalists
- All the Old Knives - Olen Steinhauer; Read by Ali Fliakos & Juliana Francis Kelly
- Corrupted - Lisa Scottoline; Read by Kate Burton
- Gun Street Girl - Adrian McKinty; Read by Gerard Doyle
- Malice at the Palace - Rhys Bowen; Read by Katherine Kellgren
- The Nature of the Beast - Louise Penny; Read by Robert Bathurst
Narration by Author or Authors
Born with Teeth by In this engrossing memoir, author-narrator Kate Mulgrew recounts her life from her quirky Midwest childhood to her starring role in “Star Trek: Voyager.”
Finalists
- The Art of Asking - Amanda Palmer; Read by the author
- Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things - Jenny Lawson; Read by the author
- I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend - Martin Short; Read by the author
- Thirteen Ways of Looking - Colum McCann; Read by the author
Nonfiction
Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Discusses the hundreds of murders that occur in Los Angeles each year, and focuses on the story of the dedicated group of detectives who pursued justice at any cost in the killing of Bryant Tennelle.
Finalists
- The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor - Mark Schatzker; Read by Chris Patton
- I Wasn't Strong Like This When I Started Out: True Stories of Becoming a Nurse - Lee Gutkind; Read by Tavia Gilbert
- Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town - Jon Krakauer; Read by Mozhan Marno & Scott Brick
- The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory - John Seabrook; Read by Dion Graham
Original Work
The Starling Project by An aborted raid targeting a major arms dealer. A hostage standoff at a bank that may not be what it seems. A plot to spring a former African dictator from prison. What is the threat that connects them all? And just who is the mysterious mastermind, The Starling? From Mexico to Washington—from London to Marseille to Prague—war crimes investigator Harold Middleton and his team of Volunteers risk their lives to follow the trail of clues. But how can they stop The Starling—when he always seems one step ahead?
Finalists
- Carmilla - Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu; Read by Phoebe Fox & others
- Drunken Fireworks - Stephen King; Read by Tim Sample
- Locke & Key - Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez; Read by Haley Joel Osment & others
- NPR American Chronicles: First Ladies - NPR (Editors); Read by Cokie Roberts & others
- OutLoud: Stories From the LGBTQ Community, Gathered by StoryCorps and Heard on NPR - Dave Isay; Read by Ari Shapiro & others
Paranormal
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Angel Crawford has buried her loser past and is cruising along in undead high gear--that is, until a murder-by-decapitation sends her on a hazardous detour. As Angel hunts for the killer, she uncovers a scheme that would expose zombies to the public and destroy the life she's built, and she's determined not to rest until she finds out who's behind it.
Finalists
- The Dead House - Dawn Kurtagich; Read by Charlotte Parry & Christian Coulson
- Hounacier - Seth Skorkowsky; Read by R.C. Bray
- Lycan Fallout 2 - Mark Tufo; Read by Sean Runnette
- Seven Years - Dannika Dark; Read by Nicole Poole
Romance
The Highwayman by Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian Blackwell is one of Victorian London's wealthiest, most influential men who will stop at nothing to wreak vengeance on those who've wronged him. The lovely, still innocent widow Farah Leigh Mackenzie is no exception-and soon Dorian whisks the beautiful lass away to his sanctuary in the wild Highlands...But Farah is no one's puppet. She possesses a powerful secret-one that threatens her very life. When being held captive by Dorian proves to be the only way to keep Farah safe, Dorian makes Farah a scandalous proposition: marry him for protection in exchange for using her secret to help him exact revenge on his enemies. But what Dorian never could have imagined is that Farah has terms of her own, igniting a tempestuous desire that consumes them both.
Finalists
- The Duke's Holiday - Maggie Fenton; Read by Sue Pitkin
- Never Judge a Lady By Her Cover - Sarah MacLean; Read by Justine Eyre
- The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy - Julia Quinn; Read by Rosalyn Landor
- A Sorceress of His Own - Dianne Duvall; Read by Kirsten Potter
Science Fiction
Jurassic Park by A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the DNA that his crack team of scientists extract, he is able to grow the dinosaurs in his laboratories and lock them away on an island behind electric fences, creating a sort of theme park. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something goes terribly wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power.
Finalists
- Ancillary Mercy - Ann Leckie; Read by Adjoa Andoh
- Aurora - Kim Stanley Robinson; Read by Ali Ahn
- Golden Son - Pierce Brown; Read by Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Beware the Power of the Dark Side! - Tom Angleberger; Read by Marc Thompson
Thriller/Suspense
The Patriot Threat by The 16th Amendment to the Constitution legalized federal income tax, but what if there were problems with the 1913 ratification of that amendment? Secrets that call into question decades of tax collecting. There is a surprising truth to this possibility-a truth wholly entertained by Steve Berry, a top-ten New York Times bestselling writer.
Finalists
- Blue Labyrinth - Lincoln Child, Douglas Preston; Read by Rene Auberjonois
- The President's Shadow - Brad Meltzer; Read by Scott Brick
- Season of Fear - Brian Freeman; Read by Joe Barrett
- Signal - Patrick Lee; Read by Ari Fliakos
Young Adult
Lair of Dreams by Call Number: CD FIC BRAYAfter a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner and has become a media darling. In the meantime, a mysterious sleeping sickness has hit New York City, and the Diviners must band together to find the cause and the cure
Finalists
- All the Bright Places - Jennifer Niven; Read by Kirby Heyborne & Ariadne Meyers
- The Sleeper & the Spindle - Neil Gaiman; Read by Julian Rhind-Tutt & others
- Unbroken (YA Adaptation) - Laura Hillenbrand; Read by Edward Herrmann
- The Winter Horses - Philip Kerr; Read by James Langton
- X - Ilyasah Shabazz & Kekla Magoon; Read by Dion Graham
Young Listeners
The Little Shop of Monsters by An illustrated, interactive story with a narrator who invites the reader to meet a vast array of pet monsters, such as the Yucky Mucky twins, and choose one to take home.
Finalists
- Appleblossom the Possum - Holly Goldberg Sloan; Read by Dustin Hoffman
- Brother Hugo & the Bear - Katy Beebe; Read by Gildart Jackson
- Dory Fantasmagory - Abby Hanlon; Read by Suzy Jackson
- The Eloise Audio Collection - Kay Thompson; Read by Bernadette Peters
- Nino Wrestles the World - Yuyi Morales; Read by Adriana Sananes
Audiobook of the Year
Mandela: An Audio History by Recognized as one of the most comprehensive oral histories of apartheid ever broadcast, "Mandela: An Audio History" tells the story of the struggle against apartheid through rare sound recordings.
Finalists
- The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism - Doris Kearns Goodwin; Read by Edward Herrmann
- The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman; Read by the author & others
- What I Know For Sure - Oprah Winfrey; Read by the author
- Yes Please - Amy Poehler; Read by the author
Autobiography/Memoir
Not My Father's Son by In his unique and engaging voice, the acclaimed actor of stage and screen shares the emotional story of his complicated relationship with his father and the deeply buried family secrets that shaped his life and career.
Finalists
- Daring: My Passages - Gail Sheehy; Read by Bernadette Dunne
- Living on Air: Adventures in Broadcasting - Joe Cipriano & Ann Cipriano; Read by Joe Cipriano
- My Life in Middlemarch - Rebecca Mead; Read by Kate Reading
- Yes Please - Amy Poehler; Read by the author
Business/Educational
A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas by In this groundbreaking book, journalist and innovation expert Warren Berger shows that one of the most powerful forces for igniting change in business and in our daily lives is a simple, under-appreciated tool—one that has been available to us since childhood. Questioning—deeply, imaginatively, "beautifully"—can help us identify and solve problems, come up with game-changing ideas, and pursue fresh opportunities.
Finalists
- #Girlboss - Sophia Amoruso; Read by Sara Jes Austell
- Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration - Ed Catmull & Amy Wallace; Read by Peter Altschuler
- Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works - A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin; Read by L.J. Ganser
- Talk Like Ted: The Nine Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds - Carmine Gallo; Read by the author
Children's Titles - Ages 8-12
The Graveyard Book by Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack--who has already killed Bod's family .
Finalists
- The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw - Christopher Healy; Read by Bronson Pinchot
- How to Catch a Bogle - Catherine Jinks; Read by Mandy Williams
- A Snicker of Magic - Natalie Lloyd; Read by Cassandra Morris
- Unstoppable Octobia May - Sharon G. Flake; Read by Bahni Turpin
Children's Titles - Up to age 8
H. O. R. S. E.: A Game of Imagination and Basketball by Two friends get highly imaginative on an urban basketball court as they try to one-up the other in a popular game that turns into a humorous and inventive celebration of athletics and creativity.
Finalists
- Deep in the Swamp - Donna M. Bateman; Read by Tom Chapin
- Follow Follow - Marilyn Singer; Read by the author & Joe Morton
- Josephine - Patricia Hruby Powell; Read by Lizan Mitchell
- This is Not My Hat - Jon Klassen; Read by John Keating
- Timeless Tales of Beatrix Potter - Beatrix Potter; Read by Katherine Kellgren
Erotica
Alpha by "Super-rich gorgeous recluse recruits college coed for sex. But there's history between them that threatens a possible romance."
Finalists
- Beauty From Love - Georgia Cates; Read by Bunny Warren & Robert Black
- Beauty From Pain - Georgia Cates; Read by Bunny Warren & Robert Black
- Carter Reed - Tijan; Read by Lucy Rivers
- One Dom to Love - Shayla Black, Jenna Jacob, & Isabella LaPearl; Read by Christian Fox
Fantasy
Words of Radiance by The war with the Parshendi moves into a new, dangerous phase, as Dalinar leads the human armies deep into the heart of the Shattered Plains. Meanwhile Shallan searches for the legendary city of Urithuru, and Kaladin, leader of the restored Knights Radiant, masters the powers of a Windrunner.
Finalists
- Cress - Marissa Meyer; Read by Rebecca Soler
- The Emperor's Blades - Brian Staveley; Read by Simon Vance
- Hawk - Steven Brust; Read by Bernard Setaro Clark
- The Queen of the Tearling - Erika Johansen; Read by Katherine Kellgren
Fiction
All the Light We Cannot See by Call Number: CD FIC DOERRMarie-Laure lives with her father in Paris and is blind by age six. Her father builds her a model of their neighborhood, so she can memorize it and navigate the real streets. When the Germans occupy Paris, they flee to Saint-Malo on the coast. In Germany, Werner grows up enchanted by a crude radio he finds. He becomes a master at building and fixing radios, which wins him a place with the Hitler Youth. Werner travels throughout Europe, and finally to Saint-Malo, where his meets Marie-Laure.
Finalists
- Fives and Twenty-Fives - Michael Pitre; Read by Kevin T. Collins & others
- The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd; Read by Jenna Lamia & Adepero Oduye
- Mr. Mercedes - Stephen King; Read by Will Patton
- Us - David Nicholls; Read by David Haig
- Written In My Heart's Own Blood - Diana Gabaldon; Read by Davina Porter
History/Biography
The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by A dynamic history of the muckracking press and the first decade of the Progressive era as told through the intense friendship of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft--a close relationship that strengthens both men before it ruptures in 1912 when they engage in a brutal fight for the presidential nomination that cripples the progressive wing of the Republican Party, causing Democrat Woodrow Wilson to be elected, and changing the country's history.
Finalists
- Enduring Courage: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed - John F. Ross; Read by Edward Herrmann
- Enemy Coast Ahead - Guy Gibson; Read by Simon Vance
- In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette - Hampton Sides, Read by Arthur Morey
- Lincoln's Gamble: The Tumultuous Six Months That Gave America the Emancipation Proclamation and Changed the Course of the Civil War - Todd Brewster, Read by the author
- A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal - Ben Macintyre, Read by John Lee
Humor
Yes Please by Call Number: CD B POEHLERThe actress best known for her work on "Parks and Recreation" and "Saturday Night Live" reveals personal stories and offers her humorous take on such topics as love, friendship, parenthood, and her relationship with Tina Fey. She offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious.
Finalists
- Ben Franklin, Unplugged - Josh Kornbluth; Read by the author
- The Disaster Artist - Greg Sestero & Tom Bissell, Read by Greg Sestero
- Food: A Love Story - Jim Gaffigan; Read by the author
- God is Disappointed in You - Mark Russell, Shannon Wheeler; Read by James Urbaniak
- You Can Date Boys When You're Forty - Dave Barry; Read by the author
Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction
The Auschwitz Escape by As World War II rages and Hitler begins implementing his "final solution" to systematically and ruthlessly exterminate the Jewish people, Jacob Weisz must rely on his wits and a God he's not sure he believes in to somehow escape from Auschwitz and alert the world to the Nazi's atrocities before Fascism overtakes all of Europe.
Finalists
- Chasing the Lion - Nancy Kimball; Read by Joseph Narducci
- The Christmas Light - Donna VanLiere; Read by the author
- The First Phone Call From Heaven - Mitch Albom; Read by the author
- Grounded - Angela Correll; Read by Lyssa Browne
- A Sensible Arrangement - Tracie Peterson; Read by Barbara McCulloh
Inspirational/Faith-Based Nonfiction
Before Amen; The Power of a Simple Prayer by In Before Amen best-selling author Max Lucado joins readers on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubts and confidence even for prayer wimps. Distilling prayers in the Bible down to one pocket-sized prayer, Max reminds readers that prayer is not a privilege for the pious nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. Let the conversation begin.
Finalists
- Living a Life That Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream - Ben Lesser; Read by the author & Jonathan Silverman
- Prepared For a Purpose: The Inspiring True Story of How One Woman Saved an Atlanta School Under Siege - Antoinette Tuff & Alex Tresniowski, Read by Robin Miles
- The Singer and the Song - Miriam Therese Winter, Read by Janis Ian
- Steel Will: My Journey Through Hell to Become the Man I Was Meant to Be - Shilo Harris & Robin Overby Cox, Read by Johnny Heller
Judge's Award: Science and Technology
The Second Machine Age by A pair of technology experts describe how humans will have to keep pace with machines in order to become prosperous in the future and identify strategies and policies for business and individuals to use to combine digital processing power with human ingenuity.
Finalists
- The Copernicus Complex: Our Cosmic Significance in a Universe of Planet and Probabilities - Caleb Scharf, Read by the author
- The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self Control - Walter Mischel, Read by Alan Alda
- A Primate's Memoir - Robert M. Sapolsky; Read by Mike Chamberlain
- When Google Met WikiLeaks: The Secret Interview - Julian Assange, Read by Tom Pile
Literary Fiction
Euphoria by Inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead, Euphoria is the story of three young, gifted anthropologists of the 1930s caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives.
Finalists
- The Bone Clocks - David Mitchell; Read by Jessica Ball & others
- Nora Webster - Colm Toibin; Read by Fiona Shaw
- The Patrick Melrose Novels - Edward St. Aubyn, Read by Alex Jennings
- An Unnecessary Woman - Rabih Alameddine, Read by Suzanne Toren
- Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever? - Dave Eggers; Read by MacLeod Andrews
Multi-Voiced Performance
- The Graveyard Book by Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack--who has already killed Bod's family .
Finalists
- The Anatomy Lesson - Nina Siegal, Read by Bruce Mann & others
- Land of Love and Drowning - Tiphanie Yanique, Read by Cherise Boothe & others
- A Long Time Gone - Karen White, Read by Susan Bennett & others
- The Sixteenth of June - Maya Lang, Read by Julia Whelan & others
- Stars - Janis Ian & Mike Resnick (Eds.); Read by Gabrielle De Cuir & others
Mystery
The Silkworm by Call Number: CD FIC GALBRAITWhen novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. Quine has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives. That means that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced. When Quine is found brutally murdered, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before.
Finalists
- The Dead Will Tell - Linda Castillo; Read by Kathleen McInerney
- Hounded - David Rosenfelt, Read by Grover Gardner
- Malice -Keigo Higashino, Read by Jeff Woodman
- Missing You - Harlan Coben; Read by January LaVoy
- Providence Rag - Bruce DeSilva, Read by Jeff Woodman
Narration by Author or Authors
- Not My Father's Son by In his unique and engaging voice, the acclaimed actor of stage and screen shares the emotional story of his complicated relationship with his father and the deeply buried family secrets that shaped his life and career.
Finalists
- A Fighting Chance - Elizabeth Warren; Read by the author
- Herbie Hancock: Possibilities - Herbie Hancock & Lisa Dickey; Read by the author
- What I Know For Sure - Oprah Winfrey; Read by the author
- Yes Please - Amy Poehler; Read by the author
Nonfiction
Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and the World That Made Him by Richard Pryor was arguably the single most influential performer of the second half of the twentieth century,and certainly he was the most successful black actor/comedian ever. Now, in this groundbreaking and revelatory work, David and Joe Henry bring him to life both as a man and as an artist, providing an in-depth appreciation of his talent and his lasting influence, as well as an insightful examination of the world he lived in and the influences that shaped both his persona and his art.
Finalists
- Being Mortal - Atul Gawande; Read by Robert Petkoff
- Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle That Set Them Free - Héctor Tobar, Read by Henry Leyva
- Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt - Michael Lewis; Read by Dylan Baker
- The Innovaters: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution - Walter Isaacson, Read by Dennis Boutsikaris
- Unruly Places - Alastair Bonnett, Read by Derek Perkins
Original Work
- Mandela: An Audio History by Recognized as one of the most comprehensive oral histories of apartheid ever broadcast, "Mandela: An Audio History" tells the story of the struggle against apartheid through rare sound recordings.
Finalists
- The Child - Sebastian Fitzek, Read by Rupert Penry-Jones & others
- Gadzooks! A Comically Quirky Audiobook - Adele Park, Read by Garry Morris & others
- Hamlet: Prince of Denmark - A.J. Hartley & David Hewson, Read by Richard Armitage
- Transparent: Behind the Scenes With Jeffrey Tambor - Jeffrey Tambor; Read by the author
Paranormal
The Girl With All the Gifts by Not every gift is a blessing. Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh. Melanie is a very special girl.
Finalists
- Damoren - Seth Skorkowsky, Read by R.C. Bray
- Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Kresley Cole, Read by Robert Petkoff
- A Second Chance, Vol. 3: The Chronicles of St. Mary's - Jodi Taylor, Read by Zara Ramm
- Suffer the Children - Craig Dilouie, Read by R.C. Bray
- Yesterday's Gone - Sean Platt & David Wright, Read by Ray Chase & others
Personal Development
What I Know for Sure by After film critic Gene Siskel asked her, "What do you know for sure?" television personality Oprah Winfrey began writing the "What I Know For Sure" column in O, The Oprah Magazine. Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected.
Finalists
- Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success: Discovering Your Gift and the Way to Life's Riches - Steve Harvey; Read by Mike Hodge
- Autism Breakthrough - Raun K. Kaufman; Read by the author
- Becoming the Kind Father - Calvin Sandborn, Read by Michael Puttonen
- Learning to Speak Alzheimer's - Joanne Koenig Coste, Read by Pam Ward
- Strong Mothers, Strong Sons - Meg Meeker, Read by Marguerite Gavin
Romance
The Bridges of Madison County by The story of Robert Kincaid, the photographer and free spirit searching for the covered bridges of Madison County, and Francesca Johnson, the farm wife waiting for the fulfillment of a girlhood dream, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY gives voice to the longings of men and women everywhere-and shows us what it is to love and be loved so intensely that life is never the same again.
Finalists
- Burn For Me - Ilona Andrews; Read by Renee Raudman
- First Love - James Patterson & Emily Raymond; Read by Lauren Fortgang
- Just This Once - Rosalind James, Read by Claire Bocking
- Rumor Has It - Jill Shalvis, Read by Karen White
Science Fiction
The Martian by Call Number: CD FIC WEIRMark Watney was nearly killed by a dust storm on Mars and was abandoned by his crew who thought him dead. Now he's all alone with no way of letting Earth know he's alive, which doesn't matter because his supplies would run out before they'd get there. Either way, the environment or human error will likely kill him first. Not giving in, Mark works to survive, battling obstacle after obstacle, but will it be enough?
Finalists
- The Beam, Season 1 - Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant, Read by Johnny Heller
- Dark Eden - Chris Beckett, Read by Matthew Frow & others
- The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North , Read by Peter Kenny
- Lock In - John Scalzi, Read by Wil Wheaton
Short Stories/Collections
The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Call Number: CD FIC MANTELHer classic wicked humor in each story-which range from a ghost story to a vampire story to near-memoir to mini-sagas of family and social fracture-brilliantly unsettles the reader in that unmistakably Mantel way.
Finalists
- Dangerous Women - George R.R. Martin, Gardner Dozois (Eds.), Read by Scott Brick & others
- Faceoff - David Baldacci (Ed.), Read by Dylan Baker & others
- Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths - Bernard Evslin, Read by Todd Haberkorn
- The Legend of Drizzt - R.A. Salvatore, Read by a Full Cast
- The Wily O'Reilly - Patrick Taylor, Read by John Keating
Solo Narration: Female
Yellow Crocus by Moments after Lisbeth is born, she’s taken from her mother and handed over to an enslaved wet nurse, Mattie, a young mother separated from her own infant son in order to care for her tiny charge. Thus begins an intense relationship that will shape both of their lives for decades to come. Though Lisbeth leads a life of privilege, she finds nothing but loneliness in the company of her overwhelmed mother and her distant, slave-owning father. As she grows older, Mattie becomes more like family to Lisbeth than her own kin and the girl’s visits to the slaves’ quarters—and their lively and loving community—bring them closer together than ever. But can two women in such disparate circumstances form a bond like theirs without consequence?
Finalists
- Boston Jacky - L.A. Meyer, Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Life Drawing - Robin Black, Read by Cassandra Campbell
- Murphy's Law - Rhys Bowen, Read by Nicola Barber
- Until the End of the World - Sarah Lyons Fleming, Read by Julia Whelan
- Written In My Own Heart's Blood - Diana Gabaldon, Read by Davina Porter
Solo Narration: Male
The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Prince Liam. Prince Frederic.Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You think you know those guys pretty well by now, don't you? Well, think again. Posters plastered across the thirteen kingdoms are saying that Briar Rose has been murdered—and the four Princes Charming are the prime suspects, along with Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Lila. Now they're on the run in a desperate attempt to clear their names.
Finalists
- Hamlet: Prince of Denmark - A.J. Hartley & David Hewson, Read by Richard Armitage
- The Martian by
- Mr. Mercedes - Stephen King; Read by Will Patton
- The Other Story - Tatiana de Rosnay; Read by Simon Vance
- Radiance of Tomorrow - Ishmael Beah, Read by Dion Graham
Teens
Egg and Spoon by In 1905 czarist Russia, an impoverished country girl Elena and the aristocratic Ekatrina meet and set in motion an escapade that includes mistaken identity, a monk locked in a tower, a prince traveling incognito, and the witch Baba Yaga.
Finalists
- The Accidental Highwayman - Ben Tripp, Read by Steve West
- Boston Jacky - L.A. Meyer, Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Cress - Marissa Meyer; Read by Rebecca Soler
- Curtsies and Conspiracies - Gail Carriger, Read by Moira Quirk
- The Impossible Knife of Memory - Laurie Halse Anderson; Read by Julia Whelan & Luke Daniels
Thriller/Suspense
Those Who Wish Me Dead by When thirteen-year-old Jace Wilson witnesses a brutal murder, he's plunged into a new life, issued a false identity, and hidden in a wilderness skills program for troubled teens. The plan is to get Jace off the grid while police find the two killers. The result is the start of a nightmare.
Finalists
- The Avengers, Lost Episodes Vol. 1: Hot Snow - John Dorney [Adapt.], Read by a Full Cast
- Dead Six - Larry Correia & Mike Kupari, Read by Bronson Pinchot
- In the Morning I'll Be Gone - Adrian McKinty, Read by Gerard Doyle
- The Lost Key - Catherine Coulter & J.T. Ellison, Read by Renee Raudman & MacLeod Andrews
- Wayfaring Stranger - James Lee Burke, Read by Will Patton
Audiobook of the Year
Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? by Hilarious and heartfelt observations on aging from one of America's favorite comedians, now that he's 65, and a look back at a remarkable career.
Finalists
- The Testament of Mary - Colm Tóibín, Read by Meryl Streep
- The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien, Read by Bryan Cranston
Biography/Memoir
The Elephant Whisperer by When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom.
Finalists
- [Sic] - Joshua Cody, Read by Edoardo Ballerini
- I Am Malala - Malala Yousafzai, Read by Archie Panjabi
- My Beloved World - Sonia Sotomayor, Read by Rita Moreno
- World on a String - John Pizzarelli, Joseph Cosgriff, Read by the authors
Business/Educational
Leadership Secrets of the Salvation Army by The Salvation Army has long been revered for it's passionate adherence to it's mission and purpose of delivering humanitarian and spiritual aid to anyone, no matter who they are. In this important book, former commissioner of the Salvation Army in the U.S. Robert Watson outlines those principles that not only guide that organization, but also can apply to companies, ministries and organizations anywhere.
Finalists
- The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon - Brad Stone, Read by Pete Larkin
- The Invisible Heart - Russell D. Roberts, Read by Kirby Heyborne
- Leading Apple With Steve Jobs - Jay Elliot, Read by Richard Davidson
- Naked Statistics - Charles Wheelan, Read by Jonathan Davis
- Without Their Permission - Alexis Ohanian, Read by the author
Children's Titles - Age 8-12
Matilda by Call Number: CD J DAHLMatilda is an exceptional five-year-old who's a whiz at reading and multiplication. However, her life is far from perfect. She has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Matilda uses her intelligence to get revenge on her father, but her skills are put to the test by her horrible nightmare of a principle, Mrs. Trunchbull.
Finalists
- A Long Walk to Water - Linda Sue Park, Read by David Baker, Cynthia Bishop
- Magic Marks the Spot - Caroline Carlson, Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Sugar - Jewell Parker Rhodes, Read by Bahni Turpin
- The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp - Kathi Appelt, Read by Lyle Lovett
Children's Titles - To Age 8
Hooray for Anna Hibiscus by Call Number: READ ALONG ATINUKEWhen Anna Hibiscus, who lives in Africa and who loves singing to her two baby brothers, is chosen to sing for her school in front of the president, her throat runs dry, and her bones turn to stone.
Finalists
- Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake - Michael Kaplan, Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Creepy Carrots! - Aaron Reynolds, Read by James Naughton
- The Dark - Lemony Snicket; Read by Neil Gaiman
- Nelson Mandela - Kadir Nelson, Read by Forest Whitaker
- Stink and the Freaky Frog Freakout - Megan McDonald, Read by Barbara Rosenblat
Classic
The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes tales are rightly ranked among the seminal works of mystery and detective fiction. Included in this collection are all four full-length Holmes novels and more than forty short masterpieces - from the inaugural adventure A Study in Scarlet to timeless favorites like "The Speckled Band" and more.
Finalists
- Coming of Age in Mississippi - Anne Moody, Read by Lisa Renee Pitts
- Frankenstein - Mary Shelley, Read by Dan Stevens
- The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, Read by Jake Gyllenhaal
- Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel García Márquez, Read by Armando Durán
Erotica
Carrie's Story by "A doctoral-candidate-turned-sex slave is preparing to be sold at auction in this graphic erotic novel."
Finalists
- Fallen Too Far - Abbi Glines, Read by Jennifer Bronstein
- The Killer Wore Leather - Laura Antoniou, Read by Lauren Fortgang
- Release Me - J. Kenner, Read by Sofia Willingham
- This Man - Jodi Ellen Malpas, Read by Edita Brychta
- Wuthering Nights - Emily Bronte, I.J. Miller, Read by Joy Pratt
Fantasy
Wisp of a Thing by Touched by tragedy, musician Rob Quillen comesto Cloud County, Tennessee, in search of a song to ease his pain. He knows little of the mysterious Tufa, only that they are an enigmatic clan of mountain people whose roots are lost in myth. Rob finds mystery in the mountains: locals guard their secrets, even as Rob gets caught up in a power struggle he can't comprehend; a vacationing wife goes missing, raising suspicions of foul play; and a strange feral girl runs howling in the woods. Change is coming to Cloud County, and only the night wind knows what part Rob will play when the last leaf falls from the Widow's Tree and a timeless curse must be broken.
Finalists
- Kill City Blues - Richard Kadrey, Read by MacLeod Andrews
- The Republic of Thieves - Scott Lynch, Read by Michael Page
- The Rithmatist - Brandon Sanderson , Read by Michael Kramer
- Swords of Waar - Nathan Long, Read by Dina Pearlman
Fiction
Doctor Sleep by Call Number: CD FIC KINGStephen King returns to the characters and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance (the boy protagonist of The Shining) and the very special twelve-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.
Finalists
- The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker, Read by George Guidall
- The Good House - Ann Leary , Read by Mary Beth Hurt
- The Imposter Bride - Nancy Richler, Read by Tavia Gilbert
- Jacob's Oath - Martin Fletcher, Read by George Guidall
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman, Read by the author
History
Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Devil in the Grove, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction, is a gripping true story of racism, murder, rape, and the law. It brings to light one of the most dramatic court cases in American history, and offers a rare and revealing portrait of Thurgood Marshall that the world has never seen before.
Finalists
- C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America - Geoff Williams, Read by Robertson Dean
- Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest For Lost Heroes of World War II - Mitchell Zuckoff, Read by the author
- The Hour of Peril - The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War - Daniel Stashower, Read by Edoardo Ballerini
- Nero's Killing Machine: The True Story of Rome's Remarkable Fourteenth Legion - Stephen Dando-Collins, Read by Robert Fass
- One Summer: America, 1927 - Bill Bryson, Read by the author
Humor
- Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? by Hilarious and heartfelt observations on aging from one of America's favorite comedians, now that he's 65, and a look back at a remarkable career.
Finalists
- How I Slept My Way to the Middle - Kevin Pollak, Read by the author
- Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls - David Sedaris, Read by the author
- Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First Century Parenthood - Drew Magary, Read by the author
- The Stench of Honolulu: A Tropical Adventure - Jack Handey, Read by the author
Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction
A Story of God and All of Us by Beginning with the creation of man and ending with the revelation of a new world, readers will revel in this epic saga of warriors, rebels, poets, and kings, all called upon by God to reveal His enduring love for mankind. Ultimately, God's plan is fulfilled in the story of Jesus the Messiah, whose life, death and resurrection brings salvation to one and all.
Finalists
- The Icecutter's Daughter - Tracie Peterson, Read by Stina Nielsen
- Illuminations - Mary Sharratt, Read by Tavia Gilbert
- Truth Stained Lies - Terri Blackstock, Read by Gabrielle de Cuir
- Unveiled: Tamar - Francine Rivers, Read by Barbara Rosenblat
Inspirational/Faith-Based Nonfiction
Keeping Hope Alive: One Woman, 90,000 Lives Changed by Dr. Hawa Abdi, "the Mother Teresa of Somalia" and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is the founder of a massive camp for internally displaced people located a few miles from war-torn Mogadishu, Somalia. She turned her 1300 acres of farmland into a camp that has numbered up to 90,000 displaced people, ignoring the clan lines that have often served to divide the country. She inspired her daughters, Deqo and Amina, to become doctors. Together, they have saved tens of thousands of lives in her hospital, while providing an education to hundreds of displaced children. In 2010, Dr. Abdi was kidnapped by radical insurgents, who also destroyed much of her hospital, simply because she was a woman. She, along with media pressure, convinced the rebels to let her go, and she demanded and received a written apology.
Finalists
- Break Out: 5 Keys to Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life - Joel Osteen, Read by the author
- Called to the Fire: The Story of Dr. Charles Johnson - Cheston M. Bush, Read by David Cochran Heath
- Grace Happens Here - Max Lucado, Read by Wayne Shepherd & others
- Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn - Melanie Shankle, Read by the author
Literary Fiction
The Goldfinch by Call Number: CD FIC TARTTA young boy in New York City, Theo Decker, miraculously survives an accident that takes the life of his mother. Alone and abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by a friend's family and struggles to make sense of his new life. In the years that follow, he becomes entranced by one of the few things that reminds him of his mother; a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the art underworld.
Finalists
- Amy Falls Down - Jincy Willett, Read by Amy McFadden
- The Curiosity - Stephen P. Kiernan, Read by Kate Udall & others
- The Son - Philipp Meyer, Read by Will Patton & others
- The Testament of Mary - Colm Tóibín, Read by Meryl Streep
- White Dog Fell From the Sky - Eleanor Morse, Read by Carla Mercer-Meyer
Multi-Voiced Performance
World War Z by Call Number: CD FIC BROOKSAn account of the decade-long conflict between humankind and hordes of the predatory undead is told from the perspective of dozens of survivors who describe in their own words the epic human battle for survival.
Finalists
- Ender's Game Alive - Orson Scott Card, Read by Kirby Heyborn & others
- The Fall of the Kings - Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman, Read by the author & others
- Snowbound - Richard S. Wheeler, Read by Brian Hutchison & others
- William Shakespeare's Star Wars - Ian Doescher, Read by Daniel Davis & others
Mystery
Unleashed by Andy Carpenter's accountant, Sam Willis, is stunned to receive a phone call out of the blue from Barry Price, a high school friend he hasn't spoken to in years, pleading for help with something too frightening to discuss on the phone. Barry needs Sam's financial acumen and lawyer Andy Carpenter's legal expertise and he needs them immediately. But when Sam almost runs over an injured dog lying in the road on the way to Barry's house, he can't drive off without waiting for help to arrive. By the time Sam makes it, Barry's already taken off on a private airplane headed who-knows-where. Assuming their help is no longer needed, Sam and Andy turn their full attention to helping the dog Sam found recover from his injuries. Then they learn that Barry's plane has crashed, and they come to the terrifying realization that Sam was also supposed to have been killed on that plane.
Finalists
- Death and the Lit Chick - G.M. Malliet, Read by Davina Porter
- The Enemy of My Enemy - Richard Bard, Read by R.C. Bray
- Heirs and Graces - Rhys Bowen, Read by Katherine Kellgren
- He's Gone - Deb Caletti, Read by Cassandra Campbell
- Rage Against the Dying - Becky Masterman, Read by Judy Kaye
Narration by the Author or Authors
- Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? by Hilarious and heartfelt observations on aging from one of America's favorite comedians, now that he's 65, and a look back at a remarkable career.
Finalists
- Grace - Grace Coddington, Read by the author
- I, Rhoda - Valerie Harper, Read by the author
- Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish - David Rakoff, Read by the author
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman; Read by the author
- Shirley Jones - Shirley Jones, Read by the author
Nonfiction
David and Goliath by Call Number: CD 155.24 GLADWELLMalcolm Gladwell, with his unparalleled ability to grasp connections others miss, uncovers the hidden rules that shape the balance between the weak and the mighty, the powerful and the dispossessed.
Finalists
- Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape - Jenna Miscavige Hill, Read by Sandy Rustin
- The End of Nature - Bill McKibben, Read by Jeff Woodman
- The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese - Michael Paterniti, Read by L.J. Ganser
- Thank You For Your Service - David Finkel, Read by the author & Arthur Bishop
Paranormal
Reviver by Revivers. Able to wake the recently dead, and let them bear witness to their own demise. Twelve years after the first reviver came to light, they have become accepted by an uneasy public. The testimony of the dead is permitted in courtrooms across the world. Forensic revival is a routine part of police investigation.
In the United States, that responsibility falls to the Forensic Revival Service. Despite his troubled past, Jonah Miller is one of their best. But while reviving the victim of a brutal murder, he encounters a terrifying presence.
Finalists
- Ever After - Kim Harrison, Read by Marguerite Gavin
- Inferno - Sherrilyn Kenyon , Read by Holter Graham
- Red Moon - Benjamin Percy, Read by the author
- Warbound - Larry Correia, Read by Bronson Pinchot
Personal Development
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Bestselling author, speaker, and world-traveling success coach Jen Sincero cuts through the din of the self-help genre with her own verbal meat cleaver in You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. In this refreshingly blunt how-to guide, Sincero serves up twenty-seven bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, life-changing insights, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word.
Finalists
- Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You - Dolly Parton, Read by the author
- Fitness Confidential - Vinnie Tortorich, Read by the author
- Get the Guy - Matthew Hussey, Read by the author
- Happy This Year: The Secret to Getting Happy Once and For All - Will Bowen, Read by the author
- The Secret To Success - Eric Thomas, Read by the author & Charles Arrington
Romance
The Longest Ride by Call Number: CD FIC SPARKSIn the tradition of his beloved first novel, The Notebook, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with the remarkable story of two couples whose parallel love stories intersect in profound and surprising ways.
Finalists
- The Darkest Craving - Gena Showalter, Read by Max Bellmore
- For My Lady's Heart - Laura Kinsale, Read by Nicholas Boulton
- Kissing Under the Mistletoe - Bella Andre, Read by Eva Kaminsky
- The Wanderer - Robyn Carr, Read by Therese Plummer
Science Fiction
Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Captain Ivan Vorpatril is enjoying his life on Komarr, far from the politics of his home system.But when an old friend asks him to protect a young woman with a secret who is on the hit list of a criminal syndicate, he cannot refuse.
Finalists
- Extinction Machine - Jonathan Maberry , Read by Ray Porter
- MaddAddam - Margaret Atwood, Read by Bernadette Dunne & others
- The Martian - Andy Weir, Read by R.C. Bray
- Protector - C.J. Cherryh, Read by Daniel Thomas May
- Shaman - Kim Stanley Robinson, Read by Graeme Malcolm
Short Stories/Collections
Sherlock Holmes in America by Sherlock Holmes makes his American debut in this fascinating and extraordinary collection of never-before-published crime and mystery stories by bestselling American writers. The world's greatest detective and his famous sidekick Watson are on their first trip across the Atlantic as they fight crime all over nineteenth-century North America. From the bustling neighborhoods of New York City and Washington, D.C., to sunny yet sinister cities like San Francisco on the West Coast, the world's best-loved British sleuth will face some of the most cunning criminals America has to offer, and meet some of America's most famous figures along the way.
Finalists
- The Ballad of the Sad Cafe - Carson McCullers, Read by David Ledoux & others
- The Cage Keeper - Andre Dubus III, Read by the author
- Nine Inches - Tom Perrotta, Read by the author & others
- Nothing Gold Can Stay - Ron Rash, Read by Alexander Cendese & others
- We Live in Water - Jess Walter, Read by Edoardo Ballerini
Solo Narration - Female
The Twelve Clues of Christmas by While serving as an assistant to the hostess of a large Christmas house party in Tiddleton-under-Lovey, Georgie gets the attention of her retired detective grandfather after dead bodies begin showing up.
Finalists
- Heartburn - Nora Ephron; Read by Meryl Streep
- My Beloved World - Sonia Sotomayor, Read by Rita Moreno
- NOS4A2 - Joe Hill, Read by Kate Mulgrew
- The Testament of Mary - Colm Tóibín, Read by Meryl Streep
Solo Narration - Male
- The Goldfinch by Call Number: CD FIC TARTTA young boy in New York City, Theo Decker, miraculously survives an accident that takes the life of his mother. Alone and abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by a friend's family and struggles to make sense of his new life. In the years that follow, he becomes entranced by one of the few things that reminds him of his mother; a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the art underworld.
Finalists
- Dimension of Miracles - Robert Sheckley, Read by John Hodgman
- Doctor Sleep - Stephen King, Read by Will Patton
- Frankenstein - Mary Shelley, Read by Dan Stevens
- In a Glass Grimmly - Adam Gidwitz, Read by Johnny Heller
- Warbound - Larry Correia, Read by Bronson Pinchot
Teens
Viva Jacquelina! by Once again under the thumb of British Intelligence, Jacky is sent to Spain to spy for the Crown during the early days of the nineteenth-century Peninsular War. She finds herself in the company of guerilla freedom fighters, poses for the famous artist Goya, runs with the bulls, is kidnapped by the Spanish Inquisition, and travels with a caravan of gypsies all while hoping to one day reunite with her beloved Jaimy Fletcher.
Finalists
- Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell, Read by Rebecca Lowman, Sunil Malhotra
- Far Far Away - Tom McNeal, Read by W. Morgan Sheppard
- Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock - Matthew Quick, Read by Noah Galvin
- Rose Under Fire - Elizabeth Wein, Read by Sasha Pick
Thriller/Suspense
The Hit by No one else can match will Robie's talents as a hitman. No one, except Jessica Reel. A fellow assassin, Reel is every bit as lethal as Robie. And now, she's gone rogue, turning her gun sights on other members of their agency. To stop one of their own, the U.S. government looks once again to Robie. His mission: bring in Reel, dead or alive. Only a killer can catch another killer, they tell him. but as Robie pursues Reel, he quickly finds that there is more to her betrayal than meets the eye.
Finalists
- The Book of Obeah - Sandra Carrington-Smith, Read by Dave Fennoy
- The Fifth Assassin - Brad Meltzer, Read by Scott Brick
- Suspect - Robert Crais, Read by MacLeod Andrews
- Sycamore Row - John Grisham, Read by Michael Beck
Audiobook of the Year
The End of the Affair by The End of the Affair, set in London during and just after World War II, is the story of a flourishing love affair between Maurice Bendrix and Sarah Miles. After a violent episode at Maurice's apartment, Sarah suddenly and without explanation breaks off the affair.
Finalists
- American Grown - Michelle Obama; Read by Michelle Obama & others
- Beautiful Ruins - Jess Walters; Read by Edoardo Ballerini
- Killing Kennedy - Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard; Read by Bill O'Reilly
Audio Drama
Swordspoint by On the treacherous streets of Riverside, a man lives and dies by the sword. Even the nobles on the Hill turn to duels to settle their disputes. Within this elite, dangerous world, Richard St. Vier is the undisputed master, as skilled as he is ruthless--until a death by the sword is met with outrage instead of awe, and the city discovers that the line between hero and villain can be altered in the blink of an eye.
Finalists
- Die, Snow White! Die, Damn You! - Yuri Rasovsky; Read by Sandra Oh & others
- The Star Angel - Jerry Robbins; Read by the author & others
- Titanium Rain, Episode One - Josh Finney; Read by Lance Roger Axt & others
- Trouble On His Wings - L. Ron Hubbard; Read by Jennifer Aspen & others
Biography/Memoir
The Seamstress by Growing up, Sara (Seren) Tuvel was the smartest, most ambitious girl in her Romanian mountain village. When she won and accepted a scholarship to a Gentiles-only Gymnasium, she was forced to make a decision that would change her path forever. At thirteen, faced with a teacher's anti-Semitism, Seren walked out of her classroom and into a new existence. She became the apprentice to a seamstress, and her skill with needle and thread enabled her again and again to patch the fraying pieces of her life.
Finalists
- Cronkite - Douglas Brinkley; Read by George Guidall
- Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey - The Countess Of Carnarvon; Read by Wanda McCaddon
- My Cross To Bear - Gregg Allman; Read by Will Patton
- Two Rings: A Story Of Love and War - Millie Werber & Eve Keller; Read by Yelena Shmulenson
Business/Educational
Spy the Lie: Three Former CIA Officers Reveal Their Secrets to Uncloaking Deception by As former CIA officers, Philip Houston, Michael Floyd, and Susan Carnicero are among the world’s best at recognizing deceptive behavior. Spy the Lie chronicles the captivating story of how they used a methodology Houston developed to detect deception in the counterterrorism and criminal investigation realms, and shows how these techniques can be applied in our daily lives.
Finalists
- A Capitalism for the People: Recapturing the Lost Genius of the American Prosperity - Luigi Zingales; Read by Jonathan Davis
- Great on the Job: What to Say, How To Say It - The Secrets of Getting Ahead - Jodi Glickman; Read by Tanya Eby
- Inside Apple - Adam Lashinsky; Read by the author
- The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business - Josh Kaufman; Read by the author
Children's Titles: Age 8-12
Same Sun Here by Meena and River have a lot in common: fathers forced to work away from home to make ends meet, grandmothers who mean the world to them, and faithful dogs. But Meena is an Indian immigrant girl living in New York City’s Chinatown, while River is a Kentucky coal miner’s son. The unlikely pair become pen pals, sharing thoughts on their lives and, as their friendship deepens, on larger issues such as activism, immigration, racism, and prejudice.
Finalists
- The Cheshire Cat - Carmen Agra Deedy & Randall Wright; Read by Katherine Kellgren & Robin Sachs
- The Freedom Maze - Delia Sherman; Read by Robin Miles
- Splendors and Glooms - Laura Amy Schlitz; Read by Davina Porter
- Wonder - R. J. Palacio; Read by Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, & Kate Rudd
Children's Titles: To Age 8
The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case by Call Number: CD J MCCALLBefore becoming the first female private investigator in Botswana, eight-year-old Precious Ramotswe tracks down a thief who has been stealing her classmates' snacks.
Finalists
Classics
Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens’s story of a powerful man whose callous neglect of his family triggers his professional and personal downfall.
Finalists
- A Death in the Family - James Agee; Read by Lloyd James
- Dracula - Bram Stoker; Read by Alan Cumming & others
- The Mark of Zorro - Johnston McCulley, adapted by Yuri Rasovsky; Read by Val Kilmer & others
- The Prime Minister - Anthony Trollope; Read by Simon Vance
Fantasy
Anita by Meet Anita Thompson: she's young, she's lovely, she's clever ... and she's a witch. A real one.
Finalists
- All Men of Genius- Lev Ac Rosen; Read by Emily Gray
- Heroes Die - Matthew Stover; Read by Stefan Rudnicki
- Princess Of Wands - John Ringo; Read by Suzy Jackson
- The Restorer - Amanda Stevens; Read by Khristine Hvam
- Theft of Swords - Michael J. Sullivan; Read by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Fiction
The Handmaid's Tale by After a staged terrorist attack kills the President and most of Congress, the government is deposed and taken over by the oppressive and all controlling Republic of Gilead. Offred, now a Handmaid serving in the household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife, can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost even her own name. Despite the danger, Offred learns to navigate the intimate secrets of those who control her every move, risking her life in breaking the rules in hopes of ending this oppression.
Finalists
- The Bartender's Tale - Ivan Doig; Read by David Aaron Baker
- Beautiful Ruins - Jess Walter; Read by Edoardo Ballerini
- A Rage In Harlem - Chester Himes; Read by Samuel L. Jackson
- Speaks The Nightbird - Robert McCammon; Read by Edoardo Ballerini
History
The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best Kept Secret by On hit record after hit record by everyone from the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Monkees to the Grass Roots, the 5th Dimension, Sonny & Cher, and Simon & Garfunkel, this collection of West Coast studio musicians from diverse backgrounds established themselves as the driving sound of pop music—sometimes over the objection of actual band members forced to make way for Wrecking Crew members. Industry insider Kent Hartman tells the dramatic, definitive story of the musicians who forged a reputation throughout the business as the secret weapons behind the top recording stars.
Finalists
- Da Vinci’s Ghost: Genius, Obsession, and How Leonardo Created the World in His Own Image - Toby Lester; Read by Stephen Hoye
- L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City - John Buntin; Read by Kirby Heyborne
- Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942 - Ian W. Toll; Read by Grover Gardner
- Season Of The Witch: Enchantment, Terror and Deliverance in the City of Love - David Talbot; Read by Arthur Morey
- Twelve Desperate Miles: The Epic World War II Voyage of the SS Contessa - Tim Brady; Read by Joe Barrett
Humor
I Suck at Girls by Presents a humorous collection of stories about the author's relationships with the opposite sex told chronologically, from his first kiss to getting engaged.
Finalists
- America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't - Stephen Colbert; Read by the author
- The Cursing Mommy's Book of Days - Ian Frazier; Read by Cynthia Nixon
- Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) - Jenny Lawson; Read by the author
- Me The People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America - Kevin Bleyer; Read by the author
Inspirational-Faith-Based Fiction
The Good Dream by Denounced by her 1950 Tennessee community as an old maid, 30-something Ivorie Walker hides her loneliness and grief over her mother's death behind good-humored independence before advocating on behalf of a feral boy who has been stealing vegetables from her garden.
Finalists
- Coming Home - Karen Kingsbury; Read by Stefan Rudnicki & Gabrielle de Cuir
- His Love Endures Forever - Beth Wiseman; Read by Kirsten Potter
- The Tao of Pooh - Benjamin Hoff; Read by Simon Vance
- Touching the Sky - Tracie Peterson; Read by Renée Raudman
Inspirational/Faith-Based Nonfiction
Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown by Fearless takes you deep into SEAL Team Six, straight to the heart of one of it's most legendary operators. When Navy SEAL Adam Brown woke up on March 17, 2010, he didn't know he would die that night in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan--but he was ready. FEARLESS is the story of a man of extremes, whose determination was fueled by faith, family, and the love of a woman. It's about a man who waged a war against his own worst impulses and persevered to reach the top tier of the U.S. military. Always the first to volunteer for the most dangerous assignments, Adam's final act of bravery led to the ultimate sacrifice.
Finalists
- Anna and The King Of Siam - Margaret Langdon; Read by Anne Flosnik
- Kjv Audio Bible, Pure Voice - Zondervan Publishing; Read by Scott Brick & others
- Miracle For Jen: A Tragic Accident, A Mother's Desperate Prayer, And Heaven's Extraordinary Answer - Linda Barrick & John Perry; Read by Kirsten Potter
- Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together - Mark & Grace Driscoll; Read by Tavia Gilbert & William Dufris
Literary Fiction
Bring up the Bodies by Call Number: CD FIC MANTELThe sequel to Hilary Mantel's 2009 Man Booker Prize winner and New York Times bestseller, Wolf Hall, delves into the heart of Tudor history with the downfall of Anne Boleyn.
Finalists
- The End of the Affair - Graham Greene; Read by Colin Firth
- Heft - Liz Moore; Read by Kirby Heyborne & Keith Szarabajka
- The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro; Read by Simon Prebble
- Remember Ben Clayton - Stephen Harrigan; Read by George Guidall
Multi-Voiced Performance
Dracula by When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula with the purchase of a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries about his client and his castle. Soon afterwards, a number of disturbing incidents unfold in England: an unmanned ship is wrecked at Whitby; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman’s neck; and the inmate of a lunatic asylum raves about the imminent arrival of his ‘Master’.
Finalists
- My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan - Seth Rudetsky; Read by the author & others
- October Mourning - Lesléa Newman; Read by the author & others
- The Privilege of the Sword- Ellen Kushner; Read by the author & others
- Suddenly, A Knock On The Door - Etgar Keret; Read by the author & others
- That is All - John Hodgman; Read by the author & others
Mystery
The Beautiful Mystery by No outsiders are ever admitted to the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, hidden deep in the wilderness of Quebec, where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer, and have become world-famous for their glorious voices. But when the renowned choir director is murdered, the lock on the monastery’s massive wooden door is drawn back to admit Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir of the Sûreté du Québec. There they discover disquiet beneath the silence, discord in the apparent harmony. One of the brothers, in this life of prayer and contemplation, has been contemplating murder...
Finalists
- And When She Was Good - Laura Lippman; Read by Linda Emond
- The Good Thief's Guide to Vegas - Chris Ewan; Read by Simon Vance
- Hush Money - Chuck Greaves; Read by Dan Butler
- The Nightmare - Lars Kepler; Read by Mark Bramhall
Narration by the Author or Authors
Society's Child by Janis Ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at the age of fifteen when her soul-wrenching song "Society's Child" became a national hit. An intimate portrait of an interracial relationship, "Society's Child" climbed the charts despite the fact that many radio stations across the country refused to play it because of its controversial subject matter. But this was only the beginning of a long and illustrious career. In this fascinating memoir of her life in the music business, Ian chronicles how she did drugs with Jimi Hendrix, went shopping for Grammy clothes with Janis Joplin, and sang with Mel Tormé all the while never ceasing to create unforgettable music.
Finalists
- American Dervish - Ayad Akhtar; Read by the author
- How to Be Black - Baratunde Thurston; Read by the author
- Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture - Andy Cohen; Read by the author
- When it Happens to You - Molly Ringwald; Read by the author
- Yes, Chef - Marcus Samuelsson; Read by the author
Nonfiction
Breasts by Did you know that breast milk contains substances similar to cannabis? Or that it’s sold on the Internet for 262 times the price of oil? Feted and fetishized, the breast is an evolutionary masterpiece. But in the modern world, the breast is changing. Breasts are getting bigger, arriving earlier, and attracting newfangled chemicals. Increasingly, the odds are stacked against us in the struggle with breast cancer, even among men. What makes breasts so mercurial—and so vulnerable?
Finalists
- Cemetery John: The Undiscovered Mastermind Behind the Lindbergh Kidnapping - Robert Zorn; Read by Sean Runnette
- The Crisis of Zionism - Peter Beinart; Read by Lloyd James
- Love is the Cure: On Life, Loss, and the End of AIDS - Elton John; Read by the author
- Sex and God at Yale: Porn, Political Correctness, and a Good Education Gone Bad - Nathan Harden; Read by Scott Aiello
Paranormal
Spellbound by The Grimnoir Society’s mission is to protect people with magic, and they’ve done so—successfully and in secret—since the mysterious arrival of the Power in the 1850s, but when a magical assassin makes an attempt on the life of President Franklin Roosevelt, the crime is pinned on the Grimnoir. The knights must become fugitives while they attempt to discover who framed them.
Finalists
- The Bride Wore Black Leather - Simon R. Green; Read by Marc Vietor
- The Greybriar by Clay & Susan Griffith; Read by James Marsters
- Gunmetal Magic - Ilona Andrews; Read by Renée Raudman
- My Life as a White Trash Zombie - Diana Rowland; Read by Allison McLemore
Personal Development
The Tao of Pooh by Is there such thing as a Western Taoist? Benjamin Hoff says there is, and this Taoist's favorite food is honey. Through brilliant and witty dialogue with the beloved Pooh-bear and his companions, the author of this smash bestseller explains with ease and aplomb that rather than being a distant and mysterious concept, Taoism is as near and practical to us as our morning breakfast bowl.
Finalists
- It Worked for Me - Colin Powell; Read by the author
- Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time - Rick Hanson, Ph.D.; Read by Fred Stella
- Naked at Our Age: Talking Out Loud About Senior Sex - Joan Price; Read by Suzanne Toren
- The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind, Survive Everyday Parenting Struggles, and Help Your Family Thrive - Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson; Read by the authors
Romance
The Witness by Call Number: CD FIC ROBERTSDaughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever. Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems -- and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. But Abigail's reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something -- and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.
Finalists
- Don’t Cry for Me - Sharon Sala; Read by Kathe Mazur
- The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie - Jennifer Ashley; Read by Angela Dawe
- Never Seduce a Scot - Maya Banks; Read by Kirsten Potter
- Scandalous Desires - Elizabeth Hoyt; Read by Ashford MacNab
Science Fiction
The Age of Miracles by On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, 11-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.
Finalists
- 14 - Peter Clines; Read by Ray Porter
- Agatha H. and The Clockwork Princess - Phil & Kaja Foglio; Read by Angela Dawe
- Invincible - Jack Campbell; Read by Christian Rummel
- Pure - Julianna Baggott; Read by the author & others
Short Stories/Collections
Astray by Call Number: CD FIC DONOGHUEThe fascinating characters that roam across the pages of Emma Donoghue's stories have all gone astray: they are emigrants, runaways, drifters, lovers old and new. They are gold miners and counterfeiters, attorneys and slaves. They cross other borders too: those of race, law, sex, and sanity.
Finalists
- I Am An Executioner - Rajesh Parameswaran; Read by Neil Shah & Lina Patel
- Slouching Towards Bethlehem - Joan Didion; Read by Diane Keaton
- Welcome To Bordertown - Holly Black and Ellen Kushner (Eds); Read by Cassandra Campbell & others
- When It Happens To You - Molly Ringwald; Read by the author
Solo Narration: Female
The Boy in the Suitcase by Nina Borg, a Red Cross nurse, wife, and mother of two, is a compulsive do-gooder who can't say no when someone asks for help—even when she knows better. When her estranged friend Karin leaves her a key to a public locker in the Copenhagen train station, Nina gets suckered into her most dangerous project yet. Inside the locker is a suitcase, and inside the suitcase is a three-year-old boy: naked and drugged, but alive. Is the boy a victim of child trafficking? Can he be turned over to authorities, or will they only return him to whoever sold him? When Karin is discovered brutally murdered, Nina realizes that her life and the boy's are in jeopardy, too
Finalists
- Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times - Jennifer Worth; Read by Nicola Barber
- The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book III - Maryrose Wood; Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Juliet in August - Dianne Warren; Read by Cassandra Campbell
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum; Read by Anne Hathaway
Solo Narration: Male
Beautiful Ruins by The story begins in 1962. On the sun-drenched Italian coastline, a young innkeeper looks out over the incandescent waters of the Ligurian Sea and spies a tall, thin woman approaching him on a boat. She is an actress, an American starlet, and she is dying. And the story begins again today when an elderly Italian man shows up on a movie studio's back lot--searching for the mysterious woman he last saw at his hotel decades earlier.
Finalists
- The Absolutist - John Boyne; Read by Michael Maloney
- Being There - Jerzy Kosinski; Read by Dustin Hoffman
- The End of the Affair - Graham Greene; Read by Colin Firth
- The Tao of Pooh - Benjamin Hoff; Read by Simon Vance
Teens
The Fault in Our Stars by Call Number: CD FIC GREENSixteen-year-old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer patient, has accepted her terminal diagnosis until a chance meeting with Augustus Waters at a cancer support group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life.
Finalists
- The Diviners - Libba Bray; Read by January Lavoy
- Dodger - Terry Pratchett; Read by Stephen Briggs
- Enchanted - Alethea Kontis; Read by Katherine Kellgren
- Inheritance - Christopher Paolini; Read by Gerard Doyle
Thriller/Suspense
Red, White, and Blood by The president's "chillingly charismatic" (USA Today) vampire and his White House handler take on an immortal serial killer wreaking havoc on the 2012 campaign trail.
Finalists
- The Boy in the Suitcase - Lene Kaaberbøl & Agnete Friis; Read by Katherine Kellgren
- The Chalk Girl - Carol O’Connell; Read by Barbara Rosenblat
- Odd Apocalypse - Dean Koontz; Read by David Aaron Baker
- Rise Again - Ben Tripp; Read by Kirsten Potter