Audiobook reviews
A round-up of recent Audiobook listens
I love audiobooks and mostly listen to them for free using the Borrowbox app from my local library. Here’s a round-up of my recent listens.
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
With a magical twist that feels grounded in the real world, The Lost Bookshop is a refreshing listen. It’s perfect for those who enjoy fantasy and nostalgia in their audiobooks, and the multi-narrator setup just adds to the experience.
Martha arrives in Dublin, looking for a fresh start and somewhere she can feel safe. She lands a job as a housekeeper for an elderly woman, which includes accommodation. The setup is perfect—she can stay under the radar and finally feel a bit of peace. Over time, she settles into her routine, handling her demanding boss’s needs and enjoying the small refuge her basement room offers.
Henry has arrived in Dublin in search of something. One day, by chance, he meets Martha. Right away, he can sense she’s been through a lot; she has a gentleness to her that draws him in, though he can’t quite explain why.
Meanwhile, Opaline is facing an arranged marriage set up by her controlling brother. Craving freedom and adventure, she decides to take a leap and escape to the streets of Paris —a city buzzing with art, culture, and possibility.
Martha, Henry, and Opaline have no idea how connected they really are. Their stories weave together as we jump between Paris and Dublin in the 1920s, where a certain bookshop holds secrets of its own. Evie Woods creates these magical worlds where anything feels possible, blending life’s hard realities with a touch of wonder. Her storytelling brings a perfect mix of warmth, mystery, and magic that leaves you wanting to believe anything can happen.
If you’re a book lover who enjoys a bit of magic, mystery, and heartwarming character stories, The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods is bound to pull you in from the first chapter. Narrated by Olivia Mace, Nick Biadon, and Avena Mansergh-Wallace, the audiobook brings an added layer of life to the story that’s hard to replicate in print.
A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville
Kate Grenville’s A Room Made of Leaves is a brilliant, thought-provoking novel. It gives voice to a woman who lived in the shadow of her husband John Macarthur’s ambitions while exploring the impact of brutal colonisation on Australia’s Indigenous people.
What if Elizabeth Macarthur had written an unfiltered, candid memoir? And what if Kate Grenville had discovered and published it? This intriguing premise forms the foundation for A Room Made of Leaves, which blurs the lines between reality and fiction. Grenville crafts a compelling Elizabeth—spirited, cunning, and witty—navigating her complex marriage to a ruthless bully, her innermost desires, and the quest for recognition in a world that afforded women none. Through Elizabeth’s imagined memoir, Grenville allows us to hear what women of the past may have truly thought, beneath their polished surfaces.
The novel addresses one of today’s most pressing issues: the power of false narratives. Though set in the past, A Room Made of Leaves speaks directly to our present, where secrets and lies shape our reality. This is historical fiction turned inside out, delivered with Kate Grenville's signature originality and deftness.
From the first page to the last, A Room Made of Leaves is a deeply moving and thought-provoking read. It intertwines the personal story of Elizabeth Macarthur—a woman forced to self-censor in a society that demanded she “put up and shut up”—with the broader story of colonisation in Australia. Grenville skilfully explores how these two narratives intersect, shedding light on both the public and private struggles of Elizabeth's life.
Grenville's writing is beautifully crafted, with intricate attention to detail that draws the reader into Elizabeth's world. The author’s ability to weave her own family history into the narrative adds further depth. A Room Made of Leaves challenges our understanding of early colonial Australia—the roles of women, the fragility of the official narrative, the dynamics of power, and the possibility of love amidst hardship. This novel is sure to resonate long after the final page is turned, and I highly recommend it. It is a profound work that speaks to both the past and present, illuminating the stories that shape us.
Other Women by Emma Flint
Emma Flint’s Other Women is an exquisite and haunting dive into the lives of women in the 1920s, and the audiobook adds to the experience with a stunning narration by Chloe Massey and Sara Poyzer. The story is set in post-World War I London, and Flint paints a poignant, gritty portrait of a society deeply shaped by the aftermath of war, especially in the lives of women who were often overlooked. This novel is both a character study and a glimpse into a challenging historical era, with themes of longing, betrayal, and survival woven into every chapter.
The story centres on Beatrice Cade, a fascinatingly complex character whose internal struggle feels raw and real. Beatrice finds herself navigating the loneliness and restrictive social expectations placed on unmarried women in this time period, and Flint’s portrayal of her is both empathetic and unflinchingly honest. Beatrice’s longing for love and acceptance, set against the backdrop of a judgmental society, is both heart-wrenching and relatable. Flint's writing dives deep into her psyche, exposing the intense pressures women faced and making Beatrice’s journey feel intensely personal.
Listening to Other Women brings an added layer of immersion to the experience. The narrators do an exceptional job, capturing Beatrice’s vulnerability, resilience, and the quiet desperation that marks so much of her life.
Flint also creates an atmospheric sense of place—London in the 1920s is almost a character in itself. The city is painted with a sense of melancholy and lingering shadows, mirroring the protagonist’s own isolation and the tension between the past and present.
In Other Women, Flint has crafted a thoughtful, poignant novel that doesn't shy away from the darker sides of history and human experience. The audiobook enhances this by adding a layer of intimacy that draws listeners in, making it feel almost confessional. This is not just a story of romance or drama but a commentary on the ways society has constrained and defined women’s lives. If you're a fan of historical fiction that delves deep into emotional and psychological layers with rich, atmospheric storytelling, Other Women is an book you’ll want to sink into. Highly recommend for those who appreciate beautifully crafted, immersive fiction that stay with you long after they’re done.
The Butterfly Room by Lucinda Riley
I only discovered Lucinda Riley in the past year, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve read of hers so far. Her stories have a way of pulling at your heartstrings, sometimes leaving me quite emotional. Out of all her books, I think this one is my favourite so far. The story was captivating, and I genuinely felt sad when it ended. When a book leaves you longing to spend more time with the characters, you know it’s something truly special.
Much of the story is set in Southwold in Suffolk where I used to live. The description is very accurate and there’s a great sense of place. I also really enjoyed Nicolette McKenzie’s narration which I felt, really brought the characters and story to life.
I had worked out the ending, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, which I can highly recommend.
I loved The Lost Bookshop. It was a fabulous tale and I think the narration was spot on.
Have you read Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series? I didn’t care for the audio narration for the first book, but the rest were pretty good