The first audiobook of the year was Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. The author of American Wife wrote Eligible a few years ago now, so it can be a little dated, but is basically a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in modern-day Cincinnati. Quirky and fun, with a few clunky moments, this was a great start to my year.

With The Lantern of Lost Memories, I am keeping going my habit of reading Japanese literature. Told in very sweet and gentle vignettes, this is the story of what happens after you die. I mostly listen to audiobooks while getting ready in the morning, so this was a really soft start to my day. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko is the first in a fantasy series about gifted children. Can we take a moment to appreciate the cover!? Like most fantasy audiobooks, it takes a while to get the rhythm of the storytelling; people, places, and world-building aspects all take their time to become clear (there’s no handy map in the endpapers or glossary at the back). However, I really enjoyed this and will be going back for more. Tarisai is a compelling protagonist, and the narrator Weruche Opia is perfect at the task of bringing the characters to life.