New Reviews: Young Adult

This outstanding audiobook opens with an impassioned introduction narrated by its author, LaDarrion Williams. Listeners will be invested from the very first line. Narrator Jalyn Hall introduces Malik, whose mother disappeared the same night he discovered he has magical powers he can't control. Since then, he has lived in foster care and kept his abilities a secret. Now 17,... Read More

Alejandro Antonio Ruiz embodies all of the roiling emotions in this compelling queer teen love story. Rafie's intensity comes through clearly in Ruiz's passionate narration. Rafie learned his love of mariachi from his abuelo. He's devastated when his abuelo dies yet is determined to bring home another first-place trophy from the Mariachi Extravaganza. When his family moves to... Read More

Tony Award-winning actor Cynthia Erivo brings her considerable talent to the long-anticipated final installment of Tomi Adeyemi's groundbreaking fantasy, Legacy of Orisha. With a rich tonal range and depth of feeling, Erivo conveys Zélie's anguish beautifully, projecting the complex emotions of her capture by King Baldyr. Erivo's narration is powerful and nuanced as she voices... Read More

Golden Voice Kevin R. Free portrays Calvin Greene's mix of paranoia and anger when his African American family demands that he pass as white in a segregated Pennsylvania community in 1955. Free expresses the longing Kevin feels for his sister, who was killed by racial violence. While pretending to be a white person, he also misses his best friend, his estranged brother, and... Read More

Greg Chun and Michelle Lee portray the alliance and the attraction between the two main characters whose alternating chapters tell this 1506 Korean mystery. Lee's narration is suffused with 17-year-old Isuel's desire to free her older sister from cruel King Yeonsan. Lee projects Isuel's willingness to learn sleuthing from Prince Daehyun to achieve her ends. Isuel's hatred of... Read More

Narrator Michael Crouch's accent plunges the listener into the Ozarks setting of this YA novel. Willie is most comfortable in his older brother's shadow. He's also at a loss over his parents' separation. Crouch gives listeners a soft-spoken and thoughtful young man whose tone is full of his yearning to better understand his place in the world. At first, the phone game Manifest... Read More

Mapuana Makia lends her rich voice to this young adult fantasy. Hanalei, of the island Tamarind, has been living in exile since her father stole a seadragon egg. There she meets Sam, a lost prince, also from Tamarind. Together, they discover they can go home if they find the dragonfruit, a coveted treasure with great power. Makia delivers a balanced cadence and an intrigued... Read More

Narrator Kelli Tager creates a strong sense of place through the Dust Bowl denizens she gives voice to in this fairytale-esque historical drama. Driven by Hollywood dreams and the threat of Depression-era destitution, Stella Fischer operates a small moonshine still in Kansas with her friend Jane and works alongside her aunt and sisters at their boardinghouse. Tager creates... Read More

Four narrators depict intergenerational Filipino sons and fathers over the course of a century. Ramón de Ocampo portrays young Francisco, who works tirelessly on California farms in the 1930s, occasionally regretting having left his Philippines home. JB Tadena captures angry Emil, who lives and works in poverty after Francisco, now an adult, deserts his family to pursue... Read More

Golden Voice Narrator Soneela Nankani performs the story of Sónia, a teenage poet who is living in Portugal during the 1960s. The dictatorial government there at that time upends Sónia's life. The rebel of her family, she and her now imprisoned boyfriend are blamed for her family's downfall. To survive, Sónia clashes with both the dictatorship and the demands of her family.... Read More

Malcolm Quinn Silver-Van Meter's measured narration of 16-year-old Ian Gray's first-person story makes for easy listening. The engagement it provides comes from Ian's self-aware candidness and the captivating story he has to tell. While the details include Ian's mother's drug addiction and his family's poverty, listeners will be buoyed by Gather, the dog who adopts him, his... Read More

Earphones Award-winning narrator Natalie Naudus performs her debut young adult novel. Valerie Danners realizes two things almost at the same time: She's probably bisexual, and she's most definitely in a cult. Naudus's performance captures Valerie's teen voice, portraying the depth of emotion she feels as she meets a new crush and falls in love for the first time. As Valerie... Read More

A talented trio of narrators explore what it means to be young and misunderstood in this magical YA audio. Rosie, Caro and Zeke have little in common except their frustration at not being seen for who they are. When each discovers a talisman that seemingly allows them to right the wrongs they've experienced, they band together to take control of their futures. Amanda Alcántara... Read More

Winter Fox creates a supernatural mystery for teens and has great fun portraying the main character, Cormac Boisverde, who has returned from the dead to settle unfinished business. At the same time, he helps Grace and her mom solve their problems. Fox gives listeners gruesome details about how Cormac came to be and adds a hungry vampire. Narrator Annie Leonardi captures Grace,... Read More

This lively audio adaptation of Huda Fahmy's hilarious graphic novel will delight listeners. Huda's having a crisis. Her family's just moved from a small town to Dearborn, Michigan, and suddenly her identity can no longer be "the hijabi girl" because she's not the only one anymore. Fahmy's wry narration captures the humor and the many ups and downs of her freshman year in a new... Read More

Kirt Graves gently narrates this emotional audiobook, which reimagines the Greek myth about Icarus. After the death of his mother, Icarus is tasked with stealing one-of-a-kind paintings and sculptures from the wealthy Mr. Black, replacing them with his father's forgeries. One night, he is caught by Helios, Mr. Black's son, who is under house arrest. The two begin a reluctant... Read More

Three young alchemists comprise the heart--and polyamorous trio--of this YA fantasy: hot-tempered Ash, serious academic Ramsay, and disciplined soldier Callum. In a multifaceted and captivating performance, Wes Haas creates unique vocal personas for each. After Ramsay catches Ash doing unlicensed magic, the two agree to join forces to find the legendary Book of Source that... Read More

Listeners can expect a thrilling story of survival in this young adult audiobook. A riveting depiction of a dystopian world is voiced by Brittany Pressley, who gives a smooth, grounded account of what happens when the criminal justice system meets the entertainment world. When Emerson is accused of a crime she hasn't committed, her only way out is through a new televised game... Read More

Dual narrators Jennie Kwan and Eunice Wong deliver the first-person narrations of the two Chow sisters, who live in L.A.'s Chinatown in 1932. The pair are determined to solve the murder of their friend, film star Lulu Wong. Kwan's narration is more quickly paced, perfectly representing the bold, quick-acting 18-year-old Gemma. Wong's narration, deeper in tone, is equally apt... Read More

An outstanding ensemble delivers this dark fantasy audiobook. When a student goes missing from Archwell Academy, four other students become trapped in a time loop, reliving their darkest memories and gathering clues to find out what happened to their missing classmate. Vico Ortiz voices Drew in a sarcastic yet upbeat voice. They are the only nonbinary student at an all-girls... Read More

An ensemble of narrators delves into this audiobook in which a Blackfeet girl's murder is tied to four teens. Loren, whose sister went missing months ago, is voiced by Katie Anvil Rich. Mara, voiced by Julie Lumsden, is new to the reservation. Brody, voiced by Shaun Taylor-Corbett, is a jokester with a crush. And Eli, voiced by Jordan Waunch, is full of secrets and spends a lot... Read More

Two Native Americans narrate this short story collection in the Indigenous horror vein. The titular monsters are both supernatural --vampires, werewolves, ghosts--and all too human--a brutish boyfriend, a predatory medical system. The stories span two centuries and include members of a sprawling Cherokee family. Narrators DeLanna Studi--Cherokee Nation--and Lane Factor... Read More

Ellen Quay narrates a new series, The Fae Dynasty, which begins with Thea's story. Each year a new queen is chosen from the mortals and is whisked off to the fae realm. Thea learns quickly that mortal queens never go back home; in fact, they seem to vanish. She is determined not to let that happen to her. At first, Quay portrays Thea as naïve; even though her life hasn't been... Read More

This enchanting audiobook about a spirit on the run and the skeptical human that rescues him features a stellar ensemble cast. Em Grosland portrays Ellery, whose belief in the supernatural waned after a brutal five-years-and-counting winter struck their family farm. Knox, portrayed by Kevin R. Free, is a magical assistant who hasn't heard from his queen in the same amount of... Read More

Narrator Lynnette R. Freeman's creative voice work pulls listeners deep into a world in which witchers, people with magical abilities, are systematically oppressed. Eighteen-year-old Venus, a witcher and potion brewer, joins a dangerous plot to stop a witcher registration law. Freeman deploys a plethora of voices as Venus infiltrates political circles with help from her family.... Read More

This audio drama details racial strife in Wichita, Kansas, in 1968. A seventh-grade boy's life becomes upended when a Black family moves in next door. The narrators of this fraught coming-of-age story are excellent. To pick just three: Dani Martineck, as TJ, has just the right tone and delivery; Dion Graham excels as the Black Dr. Robert Washington, the new next-door neighbor,... Read More

Sophie Amoss narrates this young adult novel about the Price family, whose matriarch, Rachel, mysteriously disappeared 16 years ago. During the making of a documentary about the disappearance, Rachel just as mysteriously reappears, looking haggard and telling an unbelievable story. Her 18-year-old daughter, Bel, bitter and detached, with no memory of her mother, has questions... Read More

Darcie Little Badger and narrator Kinsale Drake revisit the fantastic world of Elatsoe in this prequel. This time, listeners meet Elatsoe's grandmother, Sheine Lende, known as Shane, as a teenager when she is learning to be a supernaturally skilled tracker from her mother. Drake's steady cadence creates a storytelling mood reflecting a narrative that details family history and... Read More

Kirby Heyborne's portrayal of 16-year-old Jesse begins with his comfort in the pleasurable Pennsylvania summers he's experienced with his two childhood friends, Ava and Chloe. Heyborne expresses Jesse's slight tone of concern as he wonders which of the two girls he loves more and how a declaration of that might change all their relationships. Change is a theme in this audio as... Read More

In a dual narration, Sophie Amoss and Robb Moreira perform this engrossing thriller. A teenage girl is found by police on the side of the road. Then a man arrives, claiming that she is his daughter, and he has ample evidence to prove it. Due to the girl's amnesia, she has no choice but to believe him and hope for the best. Elsewhere, teenaged Drew's girlfriend, Lola, is... Read More

Kristin Cashore, known for creating fantastical worlds, takes listeners into a very real 2020. Jorjeana Marie makes it even more authentic by depicting the many emotions of young Wilhelmina Hart, as well those of minor characters. Marie's portrayals anchor listeners as the story moves back and forth in time between Wilhelmina's childhood with three vividly described aunts and... Read More

Alaska Jackson tenderly narrates the author's initial message-- "Please read this story with care"--after she recites a number of content warnings. She powers up her narration as she describes high school graduate Blake's strong feelings for her love, Ella. Jackson's volume and pitch go up when Blake, aided by alcohol, becomes "Big Bad Bee." Her portraits of Blake continue to... Read More

Kausar Mohammed passionately narrates this timely story of book banning, homophobia, and racism. Recently abandoned by her father, 18-year-old Indian American Noor Khan has been uprooted from her Chicago home and gone to live in a small town far away with her mom and younger sister. Noor is one of only a few Muslim students at her new high school, where she learns that the... Read More

Meredith Zietlin narrates this WWII story. Seventeen-year-old Eleanor strives to hide her advanced math skills, but she's discovered and recruited to join other women who contribute to the war effort by solving equations. When her ability is determined to be unique, she is sent to a California air base and then to Pearl Harbor to calibrate a new weapon that could help the U.S.... Read More

Lindsey Dorcus depicts a teen romance between a newspaper nerd and a volleyball jock. When Jordan Elliott is given the volleyball beat for her school newspaper, she's devastated--not least because her nemesis, Mackenzie West, is captain of the volleyball team. Dorcus captures all the conflicting feelings that Jordan has about her unwanted assignment and about working closely... Read More

Ami Park's facility with Korean weaves through this story of Jackie Oh, a Korean American teen whose primary languages are sarcasm and the culinary arts. Park's tonal changes capture joy and warmth as Jackie views cooking shows on TV with her grandparents and works in their deli. In contrast, Park evokes Jackie's parents' continual pressure for high academic achievement, which... Read More

Anton Treuer does double duty as narrator of his debut novel, set largely in the wilderness surrounding the Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, north of the Ontario-Minnesota border. Working with Grandpa Liam on his trapline, 15-year-old Ezra Cloud grapples with grief at the recent loss of his mother. It's an affecting story, but, sadly, Treuer is less gifted as a narrator of... Read More

Max Meyers radiates the tension that begins on Election Day 2024 in this charged and disquieting book. Duncan is a queer, Jewish teen, who, along with his first boyfriend, has helped elect the first gay, Jewish president. Duncan travels with a coalition of diverse campaign workers to take a stand in Kansas--a state that the opposition refuses to concede. Meyers conveys a... Read More

A talented trio of narrators, Zac Aleman, Andre Bellido, and Alejandra Reynoso, bring this story of transformative change to life. Unhoused 17-year-old Ana and her mother live in a car in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. One night, she meets 17-year-old Leandro and his service dog, Cielo. The story is told from the alternating points of view of Ana, Leandro, and Cielo.... Read More