Three narrators deliver a chilling apocalyptic story. Narrator Shaan Dasani introduces Benji, whose father has just been killed. Now an evangelical cult is out to get Benji because he's transgender. Dasani's narration gradually reveals how Benji has been set up to destroy the world. Instead, he wants to destroy the cult. Short, interspersed sections feature Graham Halstead and Avi Roque as minor characters Nick and Theo. In a calm, soothing voice, Halstead portrays Nick, who identifies as being on the autism spectrum. Near the conclusion, Roque delivers a chapter from the point of view of Theo, Benji's former fiancé, who is disgusted by his own compulsion to assert power. This haunting, visceral audio is sometimes a difficult listen.
(Dystopian/horror. 15-18)Pub Date: June 7, 2022
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593558799
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Watson’s conversational style will delight listeners of all ages.
Marli Watson narrates this first installment of a YA mystery series. Ellen is a prep-school scholarship student who knows how to follow the rules. But her life takes a turn when she moves into her aunt’s Edgar Allan Poe-themed B&B and starts having nightmares about a family who died—including Gus, a new student at school. When Ellen finds a journal that she believes was written by Poe, she meets the ghost of her long-dead relative, who calls himself Eddie. Watson makes the characters believable from the start. She portrays Ellen as feisty, and Gus as a vulnerable charmer. Aunt Marie is sweet, but not too sweet.
Watson’s conversational style will delight listeners of all ages. (Paranormal mystery. 12-18)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 19 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668654774
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
Layered performances transform an academy thriller into a tense supernatural investigation.
A dual narration brings this Norse mythology-infused mystery to pulse-pounding life. Distinct vocal performances highlight the story's shifting perspectives. Daniel Henning's portrayal of Amund carries the weight of a seasoned hunter, his delivery capturing the character's underlying complexity as he tracks potential “berserkir" criminals across Skallagrim Academy's shadowy campus. Jade Wheeler gives Edith a voice that evolves throughout the listening experience—her early chapters convey the carefully controlled anger and fear of her own nature, while later scenes crackle with ferocity as Edith embraces newfound abilities. Both narrators handle the murder-mystery framework with appropriate tension. Their chemistry during confrontational exchanges heightens the cat-and-mouse dynamic between suspect and hunter, making the audiobook's dual-POV structure feel theatrical and intense.
Layered performances transform an academy thriller into a tense supernatural investigation. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 32 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668162057
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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