Doug Lee is an overweight dork nicknamed “Meatball”—and he’ll stay that way forever because he’s just become a vampire. Narrator Kirby Heyborne highlights the abundant humor and irony in Doug’s situation. Heyborne’s ability to create teen voices helps him distinguish a large cast of youthful characters through nuances of pace and pitch, which keep them—and the plotline—straight for listeners. Whether portraying serious, well-meaning Indian exchange student Sejal (Doug’s love interest), Doug’s jaded vampire mentor, or the 15-year-old fat vampire himself, Heyborne’s narration adds dimension to the story. Doug bumbles along, neither the story’s hero nor its victim, earning both exasperation and compassion from listeners. Rex’s offbeat story encourages listeners to think in new ways about teenagers, vampires, and the problems of immortality.
Young AdultPub Date: July 27, 2010
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780061995255
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This young adult audiobook is full of secrets and lies.
When they were 4, identical twins Aria and Caliste’s mother, Grace, disappeared, and the sisters were separated. Years later, Grace’s body is discovered in a lake haunted by the Ghoul. The two young women travel to Minnesota and uncover family secrets—including each other’s existence. Narrators Rebecca Ho and Chantria Tram capture the twins’ emotions as they discover what has been kept hidden from them. Carolina Do exquisitely performs the point of view of the Ghoul. However, audible pick-ups make this production sound uneven and may distract from the listening experience.
This young adult audiobook is full of secrets and lies.Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217157983
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
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 great-great-grandson, handsome Armand, offers a reward to rid his home of the murderous ghost of his ancestor, Mallory doesn't hesitate. When a new murder takes place, she investigates whether the murderer is truly the ghost of Bastien or someone who is part of the household. Soler's precise diction and intensifying pace ramp up the suspense in this story inspired by French folklore.
(Supernatural mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250411433
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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