Narrator Alyssa Bresnahan is so good that it’s possible just to enjoy her voice and forget everything else. Luckily, this geeky, spiritual love story is strong enough to keep listeners riveted, and Bresnahan’s performance is the icing on a very tasty cake. Teenagers Patricia and Laurence are outsiders. Patricia is a tender earth spirit, a budding witch who speaks to birds, while Laurence is a techno-genius, inventor of a time-machine watch that can propel him two seconds into the future. Bresnahan controls the razor-sharp wit and clever dialogue, channeling the over-the-top characters—from Patricia’s sadistic sister to a high-ranking assassin-cum-guidance counselor and an unlikely incarnation of Mother Nature. Which will save the world from political and ecological catastrophe—science or magic? Or is it too late?
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2016
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781501902451
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An immersive, emotionally precise listening experience.
Natalie Naudus narrates this gothic audiobook full of ghosts both past and present. Mercy lands on the shores of Hong Kong in 1942 with no memories. She can speak with ghosts, and she earns a living in the haunted slums of Kowloon Walled City. When a powerful new ghost appears and starts drowning residents, then claims to know Mercy, the mystery of her past slowly unfolds. Naudus’ narration will tug at listeners’ heartstrings as the main characters experience shocking, horrific betrayals and trauma. Her intensified pace reflects the fierce anger and high action, keeping listeners on edge. The whispery voice Naudus uses for ghosts easily differentiates them from the living. When the narrative shifts to a second-person point of view, Naudus adopts a compassionate tone.
An immersive, emotionally precise listening experience.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 2 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250395788
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: June 6, 2026
This highly emotional audiobook won’t leave listeners dry-eyed.
Kirt Graves tenderly narrates this audiobook about the end of the world. Don and Rodney, married for the last 40 years, have one month left to live as a black hole approaches Earth. They hit the road on a desperate trip across the country to fulfill one last promise. Graves easily distinguishes a variety of characters as they grapple with their impending deaths. He shows remarkable emotional versatility in his depictions of hope, desperation, apathy, and acceptance. Graves gives Rodney a low, gruff, and tough voice, while sentimental Don sounds gentler. Graves’ performance is leisurely paced, letting listeners linger in the stories of the people Don and Rodney meet along their journey.
This highly emotional audiobook won’t leave listeners dry-eyed.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 25 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250435606
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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