New Reviews: Young Adult

Laura Knight Keating performs this young adult novel about the importance of ensuring that Indigenous identity is passed from one generation to the next. It's summer break in Sweden, and Vilda has big plans. She's going to ask ddjá, her grandfather, to teach her the Sámi language. But when ddjá dies unexpectedly, Vilda feels more disconnected from her Sámi roots than ever.... Read More

Listeners will be drawn into this audiobook through the dual narration of Carla Corvo and Nick Trengove, who bring Jade Aguilar and Lukas Keller to life in their magical Queendom of Mérecal. Corvo delivers a reserved yet emotive performance that mirrors Jade's uncertainty and quiet strength as she navigates a treacherous royal court and a dangerous underworld in an effort to... Read More

In this YA fantasy audiobook, 15-year-old twins Delia and Velia must rescue their father from a vengeful spirit driven by his desire for power. They must also decide if their destiny is to battle monsters in service to the Aztec gods. Narrator Kyla Garcia expertly handles both quests, as well as the many Mexican beings from folklore. Garcia's pace is breakneck, but listeners... Read More

Robb Moreira and Sofia Palmero deliver a heartwarming exploration of trauma, loss, and connection in this queer YA romance. Sebas is a new arrival to TECH, an anti-bullying high school where students have a monthly word limit. They must watch what they say at all times or face consequences. Here, Sebas meets Lu, a TECH ambassador with a long history of being bullied. While... Read More

Mirai's narration brings emotional clarity and cultural resonance to a captivating fantasy based on "Beauty and the Beast." Her voice captures Tru Saigas' vulnerability as the young artist agrees to marry a half-dragon in payment for her mother's debts. Mirai's deliberate pace allows the lyrical prose and folklore-inspired imagery to breathe, while her vocal control adds weight... Read More

Desean Terry delivers a touching performance of this reimagining of "The Great Gatsby," in which the protagonists are gay Black prep school students. Aspiring journalist Nick Carrington leaves Oklahoma to begin school at Harlem's West Egg Academy. Out of his element, Nick keeps his gay identity a closely held secret, but love interest Jay Gatsby Jr.--the academy founder's... Read More

Poet Gill narrates her reimagining of the Hekate myths. Hekate is the goddess of magic and necromancy. A refugee of the war between the Titans and the Olympian gods, she is taken by her mother to be raised by her Aunt Styx and Hades. After Hekate comes into her powers as a goddess, another conflict breaks out among the immortals, and she seems to be the only one with the power... Read More

Rebecca Soler makes action scenes impossible to pause as she narrates this romantic Bluebeard retelling. Mallory descends from witches, but her only magic is the ability to see ghosts. To earn a living she and her sister sell fake spells and artifacts and give tours of the mansion that once belonged to Count Bastien Saphir, who many believe murdered three wives. When Bastien's... Read More

Mirai narrates this YA time-travel romance set in Seoul. High school student Yang Mina is a Japanese dragon descendent with time-travel powers. While Mina's parents feverishly complete time missions, Mina is finishing her training to travel solo while also trying to pass calculus. After finding a note from her sister who was lost to time, Mina vows to find her. Mirai's clear... Read More

Tune your ear to a rap beat and prepare for a great listen. It's 1999, and Pernell, a failing high school student, uses a pen recorder to capture his thoughts for posterity in case the Y2K hysteria is true and civilization collapses. Author and narrator Idris Goodwin showcases the personalities of Pernell's caring parents and friends, as well as an antagonistic teacher, through... Read More

Lipica Shah's stirring narration of this YA biography showcases Emma Goldman's unshakable commitment to improving the lives of the oppressed. In 1885, Goldman immigrated to the U.S. from czarist Russia and became an ardent anarchist. A prolific writer and inspirational speaker, she gave hundreds of well-attended speeches each year. When quoting Goldman, Shah exudes the... Read More

Listeners who loved the author's Lightlark series will be delighted with this audiobook, which peeks into Oro's past, along with his romance with Isla. As the story is told in scenes that take place over hundreds of years, listeners will experience Oro's painful history, his desire to be accepted by his family, and even his early friendship with Grim. Chase Brown's narration... Read More

Narrator Phoebe Strole's expert approach to this contemporary fantasy shines. Winnie is one of the four Farthing sisters who've been told they're descendants of Persephone, the Greek goddess of the dead. While talking to the dead had always been the norm for the sisters, it wasn't until Winnie accidentally banished a resident ghost that she came to believe that she and her... Read More

Narrator Michael Sheen's return to the Book of Dust series gives it the spectacular ending it deserves. His versatile skills bring to life daemons, griffins, witches, and humans alike. Twenty-year-old Lyra is searching for her daemon, Pan, who is the physical manifestation of her soul. In chapters that shift viewpoint, Sheen's emotional range and mastery of accents keep... Read More

Dutch author Ludwig Volbeda's 2024 Rainbow Book of the Year is translated by Lucy Scott. Avi Roque's neutral narration fits the unsent letters of Jip, who is struggling during a school break to draw a self-portrait and to determine their place in the world. Roque creates a verbal portrait of the solitary, artistic, bug-curious teen whose observations are sometimes painful in... Read More

Narrator Dominique Salvacion's emotionally vulnerable performance suits this young adult horror audiobook. Kyra, the adopted child of a drug addict, is haunted by disturbing nightmares connected to her childhood. Now a viral video challenge revolving around a new recreational drug is circulating at her high school, changing the students around her. Salvacion depicts Kyra's... Read More

A young adult holiday story is told through the perspectives of Dominique, portrayed by Eric Lockley, and Andy, portrayed by Khaya Fraites. On New Year's Day, Andy wakes up in a bathtub and then discovers her car is missing. The only person who can help her find it is Iris, whose family is responsible for the closing of Andy's family's store. While Andy and Iris search for the... Read More

This audiobook will be equally enjoyable for middle-grade and gentle young adult listeners. Jennifer Hale narrates the story of a teen witch-in-training who is determined to help the isolated town of Foxfire. Twenty years earlier, a magician traveled to the Appalachian town, seeking more power. Slowly, he became more and more malicious until he cast a curse over the town. But... Read More

Mirai's narration gives emotional depth to 16-year-old Char Tang, who is provided an escape from her lack of prospects and her threatening stepfather by a last-minute invitation to a summer camp at MIT. Even though Char feels intellectually out of her depth compared to the other campers, she believes winning the camp's coding competition could mean a new start for her. She... Read More