Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi, Read by Bahni Turpin

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens.

Bahni Turpin is the perfect narrator for Bitter, this YA coming-of-age story about love and revolution from Nigerian author Akwaeke Emezi. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this prequel to PET. Seventeen-year-old Bitter finally feels safe at her boarding school for artistic teenagers. She’s initially wary of joining her friends’ protests, but when she calls a terrifying angel out of her drawing, she’s finally drawn into the fight. Every character in this short audiobook has depth, and Turpin skillfully brings each one to life, their voices becoming familiar as listeners are drawn fully into Bitter’s world.

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This episode of Behind the Mic is sponsored by the audiobook editions of Sherryl Woods’s Sweet Magnolias series. With the new season available to watch now on Netflix, now is the time to listen to the entire Sweet Magnolias audiobook series, all brought to you by Dreamscape Media. For more information about Sweet Magnolias, please visit www.Dreamscapepublishing.com.