Julia Whelan’s portrayal of first-person narrator Sara Wharton may make listeners uncomfortable. Whelan leads them inside the psyche of a 16-year-old “mean girl” who is so entrenched in defending her bullying that she can’t accept the slightest responsibility for actions that have led to a classmate’s suicide. As Whelan voices Sara’s self-pity and indignation at being named in a lawsuit, her reading is so convincing and the details so well wrought that listeners may have to take an audio break. Don’t quit! A fuller portrait emerges near the end, providing a much needed resolution. Gradually, Whelan expresses the hurt and fear that lurk below Sara’s cruel actions, allowing listeners to feel compassion as the remorseful protagonist, surprisingly, becomes a sympathetic character.
. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: April 29, 2014
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062324931
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This thriller’s tension never lets up thanks to Amoss’ attentive performance.
Listeners unearth a small town’s sordid past. After spending 10 years trying to escape the shadow of her father, infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn, 17-year-old Ryan Shipley is forced back to Starling, Tennessee. Narrator Sophie Amoss captures Ryan’s guarded, cynical point of view with an uneasy detachment, while also populating Starling with a full range of Southern small-town folk and true-crime obsessives, all of whom are harboring secrets of their own. Amoss shifts convincingly among them and delivers a tense performance that keeps listeners on edge throughout.
This thriller’s tension never lets up thanks to Amoss’ attentive performance. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: June 30, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217295289
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2026
A stellar, immersive auditory experience.
Stunning. Brilliant. Vulnerable. Righteous. Zeno Robinson’s dynamic narration makes this clever political and environmental thriller a tour de force. Benton Young, a love-struck high school senior, posts an earnest and passionate online plea for young people to stand up and demand better for their future. His post galvanizes a youth revolution, and Benton is elected president of the United States. As the movement spreads across the world, more young people are elected to lead nations. As Benton faces roadblocks from problematic adults in government and complicated geopolitics, he realizes that building a new world order is hard—and deadly. Robinson’s nimble and dynamic performance is accompanied by newscasts, social media posts, and intelligence reports, all delivered by a full cast. Listeners will have lingering thoughts about the role we play in our own future.
A stellar, immersive auditory experience. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 44 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217171972
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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