Jason Genao, Anthony Keyvan, and Kyla Garcia narrate this prequel to the three-hankie weeper THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END. Death-Cast is a company that predicts when its subscribers have only 24 hours left to live. Valentino has left Arizona and his homophobic parents to start a new life. Orion, orphaned on 9/11 and living with a weak heart, knows that any day could be his last. Meeting in Times Square, they learn one of them will soon die, a situation that propels their romance. Garcia fluidly narrates the side plots. Genao, as a yearning Orion, and Keyvan, as a rather bland Valentino, never break character, but frequent exchanges of unattributed dialogue are difficult for listeners to follow. Ultimately, the story lacks its predecessor's novelty and magic.
(Speculative fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063240834
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Al-Kaisi’s performance reflects Asad’s gradual transformation, making his growth and his hopeful next steps...
Seventeen-year-old Asad is the eldest of seven children living and working in a Gazan refugee camp. Asad’s father is in prison, and the family lives in poverty with no possibility of relief. This audiobook’s power lies in Asad’s poignant inner monologues. Fajer Al-Kaisi’s narration immerses listeners in Asad’s desolation and overwhelming sense of responsibility. Al-Kaisi’s renderings of Asad’s conversations with Um Fawzi, a frank and wise elderly woman, depict both her caring and the vividness of her journeys beyond Gaza. Houriya is an erudite young woman who expands Asad’s worldview with well-chosen books.
Al-Kaisi’s performance reflects Asad’s gradual transformation, making his growth and his hopeful next steps believable. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 16, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9798898852153
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
Nassif gives an emotional voice to survivors of bullying.
Victoria Nassif narrates this story of magic, grief, and racism. Syrian American Jihad Dabbagh enters a private school in her senior year of high school, and she hopes to attend an art school for college. Her name and the hijab she wears make her the target of dangerous bullies. To cope, she draws in a magical sketchbook, telling the story of her deceased mother’s journey from Syria to the U.S. Nassif relates Jihad’s story beautifully, taking her from a shy, introverted teen to a strong Muslim woman willing to call out bullies for their behavior. Her Arabic pronunciations lend authenticity to this story, helping to bring Jihad’s world to life, and she’s equally adept with the pretentious accents of the privileged white students at the academy.
Nassif gives an emotional voice to survivors of bullying. (Fabulism. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 46 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668657515
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
