Month in Review – May 2026 – The Audiobook Review

Read Time: 4 Minutes

If there was a theme this month, I completely missed it. My listening jumped from memoirs and romance to apocalyptic competitions, gangsters fighting the undead, and another trip into the wonderfully unhinged world of Dungeon Crawler Carl.

These Quick Takes slice each listen down to the essentials and whether I’d press play again, all in under 100 words. Read fast, judge faster, and pick the one that promises the exact level of chaos or calm you need right now.

Here are the quick takes.

Everwoven

Everwoven is a deeply personal memoir that looks at what comes after trauma rather than the events themselves. Through fragmented memories and conversations between past and present selves, it explores childhood neglect, abusive relationships, and the long process of trying to rebuild. It avoids neat conclusions or easy labels, instead sitting in the complexity of healing. Narrated by the author, it feels close and authentic. A confronting but thoughtful listen that will not be for everyone. Read the Review

Descending Thirds

Descending Thirds blends classical music, ambition, and a central love triangle into a drama that leans fully into emotion. Set against the pressure of elite piano competitions, it explores what gets sacrificed in the pursuit of greatness. The audiobook adds small musical touches that help ground the world, while Mary Jane Wells delivers a polished narration that suits the tone. At times it drifts into melodrama, but it kept me listening. A big, romantic story driven by ambition and complicated relationships. Read the Review

The Sound of Violet

A gentle, character-driven romance with a slightly different angle. Shawn, who is on the spectrum, struggles with dating until a misunderstanding leads him to Violet, a sex worker trying to leave her past behind. It leans into sincerity over drama, with a strong focus on connection and trust. The representation of Shawn works well, and the story stays mostly grounded, though the Christian themes become more prominent toward the end. Easy to listen to, even if the narration does not particularly stand out. Read the Review

The God Complex

A strange but engaging premise, seven billion people trapped in a 300-year last-person-standing competition. The mix of surreal events, dark humour, and slow-burn mystery keeps things interesting, especially as the story digs into what that kind of time does to people. Not quite as brutal as it sounds, but still plenty at stake. Luke Daniels is solid throughout. The ending took a moment to settle but ultimately felt like the right way to wrap it up. Read the Review

Jealous of the Clouds

A solid mix of suspense, mystery, and relationship drama. A ten-year-old murder resurfaces through a true crime podcast, slowly unravelling Ted’s relationship with his boyfriend Josh. The tension builds nicely as doubt and paranoia creep in, helped along by a steady drip of background through the podcast segments. David Allen Vargo is easy to listen to, and the light use of sound effects adds a bit of atmosphere. The ending didn’t fully land for me, but it kept me engaged throughout. Read the Review

Shoot the Dead

British gangsters, undead monsters, blood magic, and enough sharp banter to fill a Guy Ritchie film. Shoot the Dead is gloriously over-the-top horror-comedy with chainsaws, zombies, and crime capers colliding in all the best ways. Luke Thompson’s narration fits the hard-man London tone perfectly, carrying both the humour and violence with ease. Short, bloody, and very entertaining. Read the Review

A Parade of Horribles

Dungeon Crawler Carl remains one of the best audiobook experiences around, even if book eight feels more like a setup for the finale than a standalone peak. The race-focused middle drags a little compared to earlier entries, but the expanding lore, unhinged AI chaos, and emotional payoff in the back half absolutely deliver. Jeff Hays once again performs miracles on narration, sounding like an entire cast by himself. Read the Review

Freebies This Month

Tales of an Unserious Truthteller
Thirty awkward, funny, and painfully human stories about everyday disasters, strange encounters, and the chaos of ordinary life. – Audiobooks.com
https://theaudiobookreview.com/tales-of-an-unserious-truthteller/

The Son of Lubrerum
Revolutionary War history collides with dark fantasy and brutal family conflict in this violent, high-stakes sequel set in colonial Vermont. – Spotify
https://theaudiobookreview.com/the-son-of-lubrerum/

Rise: Birth of a Revolution
A gripping historical fantasy of revolution, betrayal, and survival as unlikely allies rise against a corrupt colonial power. – Audible US, Audible UK
https://theaudiobookreview.com/rise-birth-of-a-revolution/

The Brightonians
The Brightonians blends queer comedy, old secrets, chaotic friendships, and sharp humour across modern day and 1960s Brighton. – Audible US, Audible UK
https://theaudiobookreview.com/the-brightonians/

Lumen Cosmic
An imaginative mix of science and myth, this audiobook explores the solar system through philosophy, history, and ancient storytelling. – Audible US
https://theaudiobookreview.com/lumen-cosmic/

The Self-Driving You
A self-help audiobook exploring mindfulness, habits, and how attention can influence behaviour and daily patterns. – Audible US, Audible UK
https://theaudiobookreview.com/the-self-driving-you/

Bianca’s Cure
A historical drama set in Renaissance Florence, blending medicine, politics, and a forbidden romance within the Medici court. – Audible US, Audible UK
https://theaudiobookreview.com/biancas-cure/