Audiobooks narrated by Em Grosland

A sceptic and a supernatural creature get more than they bargain for when they make crossroads deal to save themselves. A perfect LGBT+ romantic fantasy for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Margaret Rogerson and Adam Silvera! Ellery doesn't believe in magic. Sure, they've been stuck in a five-year winter, but there's got to be a scientific explanation for that. They're more concerned with working hard to send money back to the family farm than with whether there's a goddess out there who could put a stop to it. Knox has been trapped in the human realm for years. In service to a powerful witch for a decade, Knox is finally freed when her crossroads deal meets its terms. But Knox isn't sure he wants to return to the Other World, especially since his queen seems to have abandoned him. When a chance encounter finds Ellery coming to Knox's rescue, they're suddenly face to face with a (annoyingly attractive) guy who claims to be a supernatural familiar - something they definitely don't believe. But Ellery needs a way to stop the endless winter and save his family farm, and Knox needs a human who can tether him to their realm. A crossroads deal can't go wrong, can it? Funny, subversive, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author F. T. Lukens. Look out for So This is Ever After, In Deeper Waters and Spell Bound.

F.T. Lukens (Author), Em Grosland, Kevin R. Free, Natalie Naudus (Narrator)

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Sad Happens

A beautifully-illustrated, celebratory anthology exploring sadness—and the transformative power of tears. When was the last time you cried? Was it because you were sad? Or happy? Overwhelmed, or frustrated? Maybe from relief or from pride? Was it in public or in private? Did you feel better afterwards, or worse? The reasons that we cry—and the circumstances in which we shed a tear—are often surprising and beautiful. Sad Happens is a collective, multi-faceted archive of tears that captures the complexity and variety of these circumstances. We hear from Mike Birbiglia on the role that grief and pain have in comedy; Jia Tolentino on how motherhood made her cry in both hormonal joy and fervent rage; and Hanif Abdurraqib on the intimacy of crying on planes. We hear from Phoebe Bridgers on poignant moments of departure and JP Brammer on the strange disappointments of success; Matt Berninger on becoming a crybaby in his adulthood and Hua Hsu on crying during a moment of public uncertainty. We also hear from everyday people in a range of professions: an actor on the tips she learned from drag queens about preserving a full face of makeup while crying; a zookeeper on mourning the animals who have died during her tenure; a bartender on crying in the walk-in; and a TV critic on the shows that have moved her. Brimming with humanity, this anthology is confirmation that sad happens—but so does joy, love, a sense of community, and a host of other emotions. By turns moving and affirming, Sad Happens is an emotional balm and visual delight.

Brandon Stosuy (Author), André Santana, Cynthia Farrell, Deanna Anthony, Em Grosland, Eric Yang, George Newbern, Nikki Massoud, Reena Dutt (Narrator)

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The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023

Award-winning writer, columnist, and journalists Carl Zimmer selects twenty science and nature essays that represent the best examples of the form published in 2022. “What's most compelling about a scientific story is the way it challenges us to think about the concepts we take for granted,” writes guest editor Carl Zimmer in his introduction. The essays in this year’s Best American Science and Nature Writing probe at the ordinary and urge us to think more deeply about our place in the world around us. From a hopeful portrait of a future for people with Alzheimer’s disease, to a fascinating exploration of the rise of nearsightedness in children, to the heroic story of a herd of cows that evaded a hurricane, these selections reveal how science and nature shape our everyday lives. With tremendous intelligence, clarity, and insight, this anthology offers an expansive look at where we are and where we are headed. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023 includes JESSICA CAMILLE AGUIRRE • VANESSA GREGORY • SABRINA IMBLER FERRIS JABR • MARION RENAULT • ELIZABETH SVOBODA NATALIE WOLCHOVER • SARAH ZHANG and others

Carl Zimmer, Jaime Green (Author), Em Grosland, Jeena Yi, Johnny Rey Diaz, Katharine Chin, Nikki Massoud, Shahjehan Khan (Narrator)

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The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2023

“Short stories have to accomplish a nearly impossible magic trick: to introduce a world often much stranger than our own and make you care about it in a matter of pages,” writes R. F. Kuang in her introduction. “The most important part of this magic trick is just a willingness to get weird.” The stories in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2023 are brimming with bizarre and otherworldly premises. Women can’t lie or fall in love. Fathers feed their children ghost preserves. Souls chase one another through animal incarnations. Yet these stories are grounded deeply in our reality. Out of these stories’ weirdness emerges the cruelty of border enforcement, the horror of legislation restricting reproductive freedom, the frightening pace of AI. The result is a stunning, immersive, intensely felt experience, showing us less of what the world is, and more of what it could be. The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2023 includes Nathan Ballingrud • KT Bryski • Isabel Cañas • Maria Dong • Kim Fu • Theodora Goss • Alix E. Harrow • S. L. Huang • Stephen Graham Jones • Shingai Njeri Kagunda • Isabel J. Kim • Samantha Mills • MKRNYILGLD • Malka Older • Susan Palwick • Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez • Sofia Samatar • Kristina Ten • Catherynne M. Valente • Chris Willrich

John Joseph Adams, R. F. Kuang (Author), André Santana, Chanté Mccormick, Em Grosland, Isabella Star Lablanc, Jacob Patalive, Jeena Yi, Katharine Chin, Mirai, Will Tulin, Yelena Shmulenson (Narrator)

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I’d Really Prefer Not to Be Here with You, and Other Stories

Bestselling author Julianna Baggott delivers her mind-bending debut short-story collection, featuring an array of genres populated by deeply human characters, and with film rights to the stories already having been sold to Netflix, Paramount, Amblin, Lionsgate, and others! In the title story, set five minutes in the future where you not only have a credit score but also a dating score, a woman who’s been banished from all dating apps attends a weekly help group with others who have been “banned for life,” and finds herself falling in love. In “Backwards,” a twist on Benjamin Button, a woman reconnects with her estranged father as he de-ages ten years each day they spend together. In “Welcome to Oxhead,” all the parents in a gated community “shut off” when the power goes out. In “Portals,” a small town deals with hope and loss when dozens of portals suddenly open. In “How They Got In,” a grieving family starts to see a murdered girl in all of their old home videos. This fantastical collection from a unique voice contains a myriad of stories of the weird and wonderful. Julianna Baggott is a talented and clever guide, and I’d Really Prefer Not to Be Here with You will take the reader on a journey unlike anything they’ve experienced.

Julianna Baggott (Author), Andi Arndt, Cassandra Campbell, Em Grosland, Emily Lawrence, Emily Woo Zeller, Erin Bennett, January Lavoy, Kelli Tager, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Lisa Flanagan, Natasha Soudek, Rachel Jacobs, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, Tavia Gilbert, Xe Sands (Narrator)

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The Story of the Hundred Promises: A Novel

A loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast that centers queer and trans characters Trans sailor Darragh Thorn has made a comfortable life for himself among people who love and accept him. Ten years after his exile from home, though, his sister asks him to reconcile with their ailing father. Determined to resolve his feelings rather than just survive them, Darragh sets off on a quest to find the one person who can heal a half-dead man: the mysterious enchanter who once gave him the magic he needed to become his true self. But so far as anyone knows, no one but Darragh has seen the enchanter for a century, and the fairy tales that survive about em give more cause for fear than hope. In lush and evocative prose, and populated with magical trees and a wise fox, The Story of the Hundred Promises is a big-hearted fantasy suffused with queer optimism.

Neil Cochrane (Author), Em Grosland (Narrator)

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A Prayer for the Crown-Shy: A Monk and Robot Book

“Tender and healing... I’m prescribing a preorder to anyone who has ever felt lost. Stunning, kind, necessary.” —Sarah Gailey on book 1: A Psalm for the Wild-Built 'This hopeful listen, full of humor, illuminates a world listeners will yearn to return to.' -AudioFile on A Prayer for the Crown-Shy A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is a story of kindness and love from one of the foremost practitioners of hopeful SF. After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home. They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe. Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter? A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com

Becky Chambers (Author), Em Grosland (Narrator)

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Apple Crush

After finally adjusting to life on a family farm with two brand new step-sisters, a young girl faces an even bigger challenge - figuring out where she fits in at her first year in middle school. This middle grade graphic novel explores family, friendship, and change! Jen is just getting used to her life on Peapod Farm with her new stepsisters, Andy and Reese. But when the school year starts, there are even more changes in store for her. Jen has to navigate new friends and new challenges--but at least she'll have Andy with her, right? As she starts the sixth grade, she finds that her stepsister seems way more interested in crushes and boys than hanging out with her, while Jen wants to know when the world decided boys and girls couldn't be 'just friends' anymore. Jen's story continues in the standout sequel to Stepping Stones that captures everything awesome (and scary) about growing up.

Lucy Knisley (Author), Em Grosland, Eric Jason Martin, George Newbern, James Fouhey, Joshua Kane, Keylor Leigh, Lauren Fortgang, Minka Wiltz, Patricia Santomasso, Sarah Mollo-Christensen, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Tara Sands, Valerie Rose Lohman (Narrator)

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Chef's Kiss: A Novel

A high-strung pastry chef's professional goals are interrupted by an unexpected career transition and the introduction of her wildly attractive nonbinary kitchen manager in this deliciously fresh and witty queer rom-com. Simone Larkspur is a perfectionist pastry expert with a dream job at The Discerning Chef, a venerable cookbook publisher in New York City. All she wants to do is create the perfect loaf of sourdough and develop recipes, but when The Discerning Chef decides to bring their brand into the 21st century by pivoting to video, Simone is thrust into the spotlight and finds herself failing at something for the first time in her life. To make matters worse, Simone has to deal with Ray Lyton, the new test kitchen manager, whose obnoxious cheer and outgoing personality are like oil to Simone's water. When Ray accidentally becomes a viral YouTube sensation with a series of homebrewing videos, their eccentric editor in chief forces Simone to work alongside the chipper upstart or else risk her beloved job. But the more they work together, the more Simone realizes her heart may be softening like butter for Ray. Things get even more complicated when Ray comes out at work as nonbinary to mixed reactions—and Simone must choose between the career she fought so hard for and the person who just might take the cake (and her heart).

Tj Alexander (Author), Em Grosland (Narrator)

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Hilo Book 8: Gina and the Big Secret

'An action-packed page turner with heart!' --Dav Pilkey, author of DOG MAN Your favorite characters are BACK and on an EPIC quest to save the world in the newest book in the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series that kids and critics love! There's a NEW Earth! The world's timeline has been turned upside down, and now magical creatures are EVERYWHERE. Gina has to fix things--FAST! With DJ and HILO's help, can Gina find the key to turn the world back to what it was? Find out in Hilo 8--a laugh-out-loud, action-packed adventure filled with epic battles! True friendship! Good jokes! Bad jokes! Giant (hilarious) monsters! Spoiled royals! Prophecies! Good! Evil! And much, much more!

Judd Winick (Author), Bahni Turpin, Em Grosland, Hillary Huber, Jessica Almasy, Jessie Cannizzaro, Joshua Kane, Kathleen Mcinerney, Maggie-Meg Reed, Michael Crouch, Minka Wiltz, Phil Lamarr, Quincy Surasmith, Yuuki Luna (Narrator)

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Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor

"Kelly unearths the stories of the people-farm laborers, domestic workers, factory employees—behind some of the labor movement's biggest successes." —The New York Times A revelatory and inclusive history of the American labor movement, from independent journalist and Teen Vogue labor columnist Kim Kelly. Freed Black women organizing for protection in the Reconstruction-era South. Jewish immigrant garment workers braving deadly conditions for a sliver of independence. Asian American fieldworkers rejecting government-sanctioned indentured servitude across the Pacific. Incarcerated workers advocating for basic human rights and fair wages. The queer Black labor leader who helped orchestrate America's civil rights movement. These are only some of the working-class heroes who propelled American labor's relentless push for fairness and equal protection under the law. The names and faces of countless silenced, misrepresented, or forgotten leaders have been erased by time as a privileged few decide which stories get cut from the final copy: those of women, people of color, LGBTQIA people, disabled people, sex workers, prisoners, and the poor. In this assiduously researched work of journalism, Teen Vogue columnist and independent labor reporter Kim Kelly excavates that history and shows how the rights the American worker has today—the forty-hour workweek, workplace-safety standards, restrictions on child labor, protection from harassment and discrimination on the job—were earned with literal blood, sweat, and tears. Fight Like Hell comes at a time of economic reckoning in America. From Amazon's warehouses to Starbucks cafes, Appalachian coal mines to the sex workers of Portland's Stripper Strike, interest in organized labor is at a fever pitch not seen since the early 1960s. Inspirational, intersectional, and full of crucial lessons from the past, Fight Like Hell shows what is possible when the working class demands the dignity it has always deserved.

Kim Kelly (Author), Em Grosland (Narrator)

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This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us

The first LGBTQA+ anthology for middle-graders featuring stories for every letter of the acronym, including realistic, fantasy, and sci-fi stories by authors like Justina Ireland, Marieke Nijkamp, Alex Gino, and more! A boyband fandom becomes a conduit to coming out. A former bully becomes a first-kiss prospect. One nonbinary kid searches for an inclusive athletic community after quitting gymnastics. Another nonbinary kid, who happens to be a pirate, makes a wish that comes true--but not how they thought it would. A tween girl navigates a crush on her friend's mom. A young witch turns herself into a puppy to win over a new neighbor. A trans girl empowers her online bestie to come out. From wind-breathing dragons to first crushes, This Is Our Rainbow features story after story of joyful, proud LGBTQA+ representation. You will fall in love with this insightful, poignant anthology of queer fantasy, historical, and contemporary stories from authors including: Eric Bell, Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Ashley Herring Blake, Lisa Bunker, Alex Gino, Justina Ireland, Shing Yin Khor, Katherine Locke, Mariama J. Lockington, Nicole Melleby, Marieke Nijkamp, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Molly Knox Ostertag, Aisa Salazar, and AJ Sass.

Katherine Locke, Tba (Author), Angel Pean, Elsa Lepecki Bean, Em Grosland, Imani Russell, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, Meli Grant, Michael Crouch, Socks Whitmore (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Em Grosland