Ilyana Kadushin narrates the concluding audio in Zevin’s futuristic Birthright series. As in the first two audiobooks, her portrayal of Anya Balanchine is as complex as the heroine. Kadushin’s youthful, world-weary tone is an accurate reflection of Anya’s troubled life. She has lost her parents and her true love, been to prison, negotiated with sparring Mafia leaders, and supported her diminishing family members. Now the future appears brighter for the 18-year-old “Mafia princess” as she has turned into a nightclub darling who gives chocolate back to New York, where it’s been outlawed. But Kadushin must continue to mirror Anya’s indomitable spirit as darkness finds her one last time. This satisfying conclusion fulfills the promise of the series.
(Thriller. 12 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2013
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781427233226
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Gilli Messer narrates this YA thriller set in a dystopian future on Earth. Two hundred years after WWII, 18-year-olds around the world must report to government centers to have their past lives revealed. Sivon, who is unremarkable aside from her board-game skills, fears she'll be pronounced a bad soul. Instead, her unprecedented talent pushes her into the spotlight, and she finds herself wondering what secrets the leaders of the world have kept hidden for lifetimes. Messer's distinct character voices make it easy for listeners to distinguish dialogue from narration and women from men. She respectfully depicts a nonbinary character, as well. Overall, her sobs, excitement, anguish, and flirtatious inflections for the various characters add personality to the audiobook.
(Dystopian. 12-18)Pub Date: July 29, 2025
Duration: 15 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668138243
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Jefferson White shows remarkable skill balancing a youthful cast with the sobering reality they must face. Twenty-four years before Katniss's games, Haymitch, from District 12, must compete in the Hunger Games--with twice the tributes (competitors). White's perfect pacing adds intensity to the brutality of the games and lingering melancholy as Haymitch struggles to maintain his integrity as the people around him keep dying. White smoothly distinguishes a large cast of characters, including stuffy Capitol residents, tributes of all ages and genders, and familiar mentors that fans of the series will remember. Near the end, Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is interspersed with the narrative, and White's emotional delivery enhances Haymitch's heartbreak, which is sure to bring listeners to tears.
(Dystopian. 13-adult)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781546171492
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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