Godmothered

Steven Barnett’s narration of *Godmothered* is a masterclass in how to sell a chaotic premise without losing the audience. He nails Jonny’s mix of cynicism and reluctant heroism, but where he truly shines is in the side characters—the snarky godmothers, the gravel-voiced Grimm patriarchs, and the absurdly named villains who sound like they stepped out of a Las Vegas magic show gone wrong. Barnett’s pacing is relentless, matching the book’s breakneck energy while giving emotional beats their due. That said, the production occasionally stumbles with abrupt volume shifts during action scenes, which threw me out of a couple of key fights. More importantly, the world-building occasionally suffers from info-dumps about the academy’s hierarchy, which feels like Yanez trying to retrofit a larger lore he hasn’t fully committed to. But these are minor quibbles in an audiobook that otherwise crackles with wit and invention. If you crave fantasy that’s equal parts clever and campy, with a protagonist who’s as likely to crack a joke as he is to get cursed, *Godmothered* is your grimoire. Just don’t listen while driving—you’ll be too busy laughing to focus on the road.