Audiobook Café

Kenan Orhan’s “The Renovation” was longlisted the 2026 Booker Prize.  The book follows a woman who discovers that her bathroom has been remodeled into a prison cell where she is an unlikely inmate.  Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Kenan to explore the book’s themes of exile, grief, memory, migration and the meaning of home.  This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.&nb...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll ask the question: why do readers enjoy heartbreaking stories? They share their thoughts on how sad fiction helps build empathy and why the most powerful tragedies reflect the complexity of real life.  Books mentioned in this episode include:  Erich Maria Remarque’s “All Quiet on the Western Front”  Amor Towles’ “A Gentleman in Moscow”  É...

Makenna Goodman’s novel “Helen of Nowhere” was longlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize. The book follows a disgraced professor as he visits a country house with a realtor who tells him about its mysterious former owner, Helen. As he becomes increasingly fascinated by Helen's alternative way of life, the ordinary house viewing turns into something much stranger and more psychologically charged. Host J...

Disclaimer: This episode contains discussions surrounding suicide, self-harm and sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised. Bestselling Canadian author Vivek Shraya is back with a new book fresh off the press!  “The Hystericals” is a chilling novel for the post-Me Too era. The story is set in an isolationist state where one woman’s death sparks a movement that could liberate women or de...

Bestselling author Veronica Roth’s upcoming book “The Sixth Faction” is a reimagining of her dystopian hit trilogy “Divergent.”  The book provides an alternate universe that revisits a pivotal moment in the original story and asks what would happen if the character Tris made a different choice.  Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Veronica to discuss the new book and to learn why wanted...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll discuss what readers want most from books to make them more engaging, memorable and satisfying. Together they explore the importance of hyper-specificity, good dialogue, character relationship building and embracing the cliff hanger.  Books mentioned in this episode include:  “The Martian” by Andy Weir “The Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch “Te...

“Getting Away with Murder” was an instant New York Times bestseller!  The thriller novel follows a New York couple who kill a wealthy relative after making a bad investment that caused them to lose their inheritance.  Host Jacob Shymanski chats with author Shari Lapena about her fascination over the “perfect murder” and why she decided to drift away from a traditional murder mystery conc...

How do you distinguish “highbrow” from “lowbrow” books?  Does a highbrow book imply it’s better than other books?  Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Szell explore the division between the two concepts and deconstruct its relevancy in modern day.  Books mentioned in this episode include:  •    “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown •    “Dungeo...

Earlier this month, Australian author Stefanie Koens released her debut novel in North America.  “Daughters of the Wreckage,” is a gripping dual-timeline historical novel inspired by the true story of the Batavia shipwreck and the women who survived it.  Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Stefanie to discuss the historical significance of the Batavia shipwreck and to learn about her ow...

“Tempted” is a bombshell memoir by Canadian media personality Rick Campanelli. From his humble beginnings in Hamilton, Ontario, to his time as a MuchMusic VJ, Tempted is a story of Rick’s achievements and the secret gambling addiction that he battled along the way. Audiobook Café’s Jacob Shymanski catches up with Rick to learn about the double life he led and why now is the time he chose to reveal...

Souvankham Thammavongsa is the 2025 Giller Prize winner for her book “Pick a Colour,” an intimate novel following a nail salon owner as she works for privileged clients who don't even know her true name.  Audiobook Café host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Souvankham to learn why she chose a nail salon as the primary setting for her book and to discuss why she deliberately chose to make a plo...

New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay is back with a new thriller! “Not a Word” follows a man whose world is upended after he stumbles upon a grisly crime scene in the family home. As authorities unravel a web of secrets, they uncover a connection between his father and a pharmaceutical company. Audiobook Café’s Jacob Shymanski catches up with Linwood to learn about his evolution...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Ramya Amuthan reflect on five books that they each personally enjoyed this past year, covering a wide range of genres including psychology, literary fiction, romance, dystopian fiction, mystery, non-fiction and social commentary.   Books mentioned in this episode include:   “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Bessel...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll share continue their beginner’s guide to audiobooks.   In part two of this discussion, they explore:   Chapter 4: learning to listen to audiobooks as a skill   Chapter 5: how to choose the right introductory audiobook   Books mentioned in this episode include:   “The White Spider” by Heinrich Harrer “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy “Project Hail Mary” by Andy...

“The Blood of Things, a Love Letter to Afghanistan” is an upcoming collection of essays by Jamaluddin Aram. The book explores Afghanistan's history, culture, people and beauty through his personal experiences of growing up in the country.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Jamaluddin about Afghanistan's complicated history and why people should look beyond the current narratives focused solely on w...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll share a beginner’s guide to audiobooks.   In part one of this discussion, they explore:   Chapter 1: why you should start listening to audiobooks   Chapter 2: the different formats and styles of audiobooks   Chapter 3: where to buy or borrow audiobooks without breaking the bank   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.   Audiobook Café broadcasts...

Author Jinwoo Park’s debut novel “Oxford Soju Club” is a spy thriller that follows the lives of three Koreans caught up in an espionage.   The story weaves a tale of how immigrants are forced to create identities to survive, and how in the end, they must shed those masks and seek their true selves.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Jinwoo to learn about his inspiration for the book, his exper...

Stephen Fishbach’s debut fiction novel “Escape!” was featured on Spotify's list for best audiobooks of 2026 so far.   His book follows a reality TV star and a disgraced producer who gets one last shot at redemption on a show set on a remote island, only to discover that the plot twists are beyond what they ever imagined.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Stephen to learn about his inspiration...

Host Jacob Shymanski and Red Széll share some fun reads to enjoy on a warm summer night. They also explore the guilt of listening to books that are formulaic and easy to digest.   Books mentioned in this episode include:   “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown   “One Golden Summer” by Carly Fortune   “Dream Harbor” and “The Daisy Chain Café” by Laurie Gilmore   “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre...

Randy Boyagoda’s upcoming novel “The Lords of Serendipity” cuts deep into the world of higher education. The book explores a fictional story of a Sri Lankan village girl who dreams of going to Harvard and a middle-class American girl whose life has been designed to get her into an elite liberal arts college. Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Randy to contrast the importance of higher education...

In celebration of Disability Pride Month, we open the vault to look back on some of our favourite author discussions on disability, accessibility and inclusion.   The episode includes by the following authors:   • David Lepofsky, author of “Swimming Up Niagara Falls”   • Kristen Joiner, co-author of “Being Heumann” • Victoria Nolan, author of “Beyond Vision”   • Jennifer Chevalier, author of “The...

In recognition of Disability Pride Month, we look back on “There Plant Eyes” by M. Leona Godin.   The book captures the cultural history of blindness while blending together Leona’s personal story of sight loss.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Leona to discuss society’s perceptions of blindness and the importance of challenging the ideas about what it means to be “blind.”   This episode is...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll talk about "high-concept" novels. Stories whose premises are distinctly creative and take big risks. Together they examine the practical limits of creativity. Titles mentioned in this episode include:   “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir “Jaws” by Peter Benchley “Jurassic Park” by Michael Crichton “Nineteen Eighty-Four” by George Orwell “Animal Farm” by Georg...

Author Loghan Paylor’s debut novel is winner of the 2026 edition of Canada Reads! “The Cure for Drowning” is a World War II historical fiction about a messy and emotionally rich love triangle.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Loghan to learn about the research that went into developing the book and its themes of gender nonconformity and queerness in the 1940s.   Loghan also describes who the...

Natalie Sue’s debut novel “I Hope This Finds You Well” was an international bestseller. Now she’s back with another novel set to release in August! “You'll Love It Here” is a contemporary and thoughtful comedy about a career-oriented woman who gets forcefully put on leave. She becomes the building manager for her strange apartment building and ends up forming a connection with her tenants that she...