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One of the things I love about listening to a lot of audiobooks is discovering new-to-me narrators. I first discovered Natalie Naudus when she performed Ace by Angela Chen. Her narration struck me as straightforward but still full of a kind of warmth.
Naudus is an Asian American former opera singer turned audiobook narrator with a great ear for dialogue and accents. Now with over 250 titles under her belt, she’s proven to be quite the talent, performing well with both nonfiction and fiction.
Naudus possesses an incredible range, and I have loved every performance I’ve heard from her. Whatever genre you love most, there’s something here for you. To help you get started, here are a few of my favorites!
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
Jordan moves through most prestigious circles of the 1920s. But as a queer, Vietnamese American adoptee, she’s viewed more as an exotic oddity than anything else. This Gatsby retelling gives the American classic a whole new perspective.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
August, a bisexual twentysomething, moves to New York City to finish her degree. Soon she finds a whole new set of roommates, neighbors, and co-workers who begin to give her a feeling of belonging about her place in the world. And of course, she meets a heartthrob of a woman on the subway, and they have an undeniable amount of chemistry.
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Anna Sun, a violinist, is devastated when her relationship with her boyfriend implodes after he asks for an open relationship. To rebound, she decides to have her own string of one-night stands. Here enters Quan Diep, a motorcycle riding tattooed man who seems determined to make her one-night stand plan go astray as he seems like he could be something more.
Win Me Something by Kyle Lucia Wu
Win Me Something follows Willa Chen, a biracial Asian American woman who’s accepted a job as a nanny for an affluent white family living in Manhattan. Willa has never really had a family that she truly felt was hers, a safe place for her to rest. As she gets to know her employer’s family she begins to hope that she’s finally found her family.
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen
In this incredible work of nonfiction, Angela Chen shares her experience as an asexual Asian American woman. She’s researched the topic and interviewed dozens of other asexual people, reporting her findings and giving readers a broad perspective on what she’s learned.
Skyhunter by Marie Lu
As a Striker, Talin is a member of the fighting force that protects her nation, Mara, from the outside world. She arrived in Mara as a refugee and knows the horrors that lie beyond her country’s borders, but she’s determined to save it. When a prisoner from another land arrives, Talin begins to wonder if there’s more to him than meets the eye.
The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu
Jasmine Tran returns to work at her parents’ donut shop after coming up with no other options. Frustrated by her life’s course of events, Jasmine never expects to find love. But then enters her childhood crush and things seem to be getting better very quickly.
The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee
Tara Park doesn’t want a serious relationship, or that’s what she tells herself. But she’s tempted to break this rule when she meets the incredibly handsome Seth Kim. He proposes that they go on just four dates, and that’s it. Surely that’s not breaking Tara’s “no serious relationships” rule, right?
