

AMI Audiobook Review
Accessible Media Inc.
Hosted by Jacob Shymanski and Ramya Amuthan, AMI Audiobook Review is THE go-to show for all things Audiobooks. With a focus on curation and audiobook reviews, you're guaranteed to find your next favourite listen.
Our steady rotation of regular contributors and special guests will keep you on your toes, ensuring that no perspective is left unexplored and that you leave with plenty of witty banter for your next book club meeting.
Our steady rotation of regular contributors and special guests will keep you on your toes, ensuring that no perspective is left unexplored and that you leave with plenty of witty banter for your next book club meeting.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 12, 2025 • 29min
Highlights from the 2025 Audies + Sara Hillis’s Case for Stephen King
The Audies’ 30th anniversary was a mix of celebration and chaos. Sara Hillis recaps the major winners, highlights moments from the nostalgia-filled ceremony, and questions why accessibility considerations were missing from the world’s biggest audiobook award event.Plus, Stephen King writes about nightmares, but in Insomnia, he also writes about love, grief, and sacrifice. In her Solo Review, Sara explores why King’s stories are as much about the light as they are about the dark.
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Mar 10, 2025 • 29min
Monsters or Creatures: How Fiction Explores The Other
In every great story, there’s an outsider. The Other has been a defining theme in literature for centuries, shaping everything from Gothic horror to modern fantasy. Red Széll of My Life in Books explores the role of The Other in fiction, why it captivates us, and how it continues to evolve in storytelling today.
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Mar 7, 2025 • 29min
33 Years of Audiobook Engagement with Robin Whitten of AudioFile Magazine
We meet Robin Whitten, founder and editor of AudioFile Magazine. She traces the magazine's inception in 1992, its dedication to reviewing and celebrating audiobooks, and the introduction of awards like the Golden Voices and Earphones Awards. Robin discusses the magazine's podcast, "Behind The Mic," and shares her perspective on the evolving audiobook industry, including the rise of AI narration.
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Mar 5, 2025 • 29min
Romance Tropes and Short-form Book Talk: Breaking Down BookTok’s Influence
Jacob is joined by UK-based YouTuber Alina (of According to Alina) to delve into the phenomenon of the BookTok community on TikTok. What is typical content found on BookTok, and how does it contribute to the cyclical nature of creator engagement? We hear Alina’s concerns regarding anti-intellectualism within the community, and her opinions on the potential negative implications of endless romance trope discussions.
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Mar 3, 2025 • 30min
Talking Pigs & Thought Police: Political Literature with Danielle McLaughlin
Dictatorships, book bans, and doublespeak—just dystopian fiction, or a reflection of the world today? Danielle McLaughlin dives into Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. These classic novels explore power, control, and free thought—ideas that still resonate in 2025. Are we living out the futures they imagined?
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Feb 28, 2025 • 28min
Reviews of The Wager by David Grann and All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney
Review 1: The Wager by David Grann is a meticulously researched narrative immersing readers in the harsh realities of 18th-century sailing, offering a vivid portrayal of maritime life. Aamer and Jacob sift through why it’s difficult connecting to characters in this book, and explain the emotional toll of its intense, male-dominated atmosphere.Review 2: Set in the deep south, All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney follows Allie Abraham, a teenager grappling with her Muslim identity in a polarized American society. Aamer Khan recaps the opening scene of this book, which encapsulates anxiety, stereotypes, and fears in an incredibly poignant way.Books discussed in this episode are:The Wager by David GrannOut on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-YoungAll American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Feb 26, 2025 • 27min
Full Cast Horror: Inside The Creepy School Bus Audiobook with Author Paul Hough
Paul Hough is the writer of The Creepy School Bus viral YouTube series, and newly released Audiobook of the same name. He explains the thought process behind including non-stereotypical disabled characters in the creation of this eerie world, what it’s like to write the psyche of child characters, and shares excitement about the full cast approach of bringing this drama to life.
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Feb 24, 2025 • 28min
John Steinbeck’s Influence: Hard Truths of the Human Condition
Red Széll reminds us exactly how books hold the power to provoke, challenge, and inspire. He tributes John Steinbeck’s remarkable literary influence in The Grapes of Wrath, explains how Of Mice and Men still resonates today, and credits the role of fiction in shaping our understanding of humanity.Plus, Jacob Shymanski sifts through the noise and gives us the goods on this week’s AMI Audiobook Review Best Sellers Breakdown.
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Feb 21, 2025 • 28min
Canada Reads 2025 & How Stories Shape our Sense of Home
Karoline Bourdeau has never missed a year of the Canada Reads debates. She breaks down this year’s shortlisted top five books, focusing on the one that left her with the biggest impression, Dandelion by Jamie Chai Yun Liew. She shares how immigrant stories reflect her own journey, feeling like a lost teen soul navigating a new country, balancing the perspectives of other immigrants and their challenges with her own troubles. Plus, we get Theresa Power’s review of Colours in Her Hands by Alice Zorn, a novel painting a vivid portrait of a young artist finding her way in the world.Books discussed in this episode are:Watch Out for Her by Samantha M. BaileyA Two-Spirit Journey by Ma-Nee Chacaby Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper Jennie's Boy by Wayne Johnston Dandelion by Jamie Chai Yun LiewHomes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah,Reuniting with Strangers by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc

Feb 19, 2025 • 29min
The Mob Mentality of Reading: Is it Good Because It’s Popular?
Fifty Shades of Grey and the Twilight saga—are they loved because they’re great, or just because they’re everywhere? Jacob Shymanski and Theresa Power break down the psychology of popular books, featuring responses from our book club community on what makes a book worth (or not worth) the mass buy-in.
AMI Audiobook Review is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes three new podcast episodes a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Follow AMI Audiobook Review on YouTube & Instagram!We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: audiobookreview@ami.caAbout AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc