Narrator Julia Whelan gives listeners the fictionalized perspective of a high school student who is caught up in a college admissions scandal. The audiobook swings back and forth in time as Chloe Berringer tells her story. In the present, when the scandal breaks, Whelan's voice is weary, broken, and sad. When the time frame moves to the past, Whelan affects an upbeat and naïve tone. The story has many female characters, and Whelan manages to slip in and out of them with such ease that the dialogue tags become superfluous. The plot and characters are compelling, and Whelan is at the top of her game. Listeners should not make any other plans once they hit play.
(Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: 2020
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593216989
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
With meticulous diction and heartfelt passion, Ruffin Prentiss narrates a timely story that brings multiple critical social issues together in a riveting presentation. Just as he's about to get a coveted basketball scholarship for college, Ossie Brown's life is upended when he falls on the court and tears his ACL. As he tries to reinvent himself as a writer and scholar, the predominantly white affluent population of his school starts to fight against its "woke" reading list. Events escalate from there. Prentiss uses tone to build intensity as the situation heats up, and his variations in pitch and accent help listeners immerse themselves in the story. Prentiss narrates both the tender and heated moments with skill that will keep listeners engaged.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897563517
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
January LaVoy pulls listeners into a world in which motives are unclear. Jordyn, a first-year student at a historically Black college, finds her roommate's brother--just out of prison--sleeping on their couch. While he soon wows their friends with his outgoing personality, Jordyn senses that something about him is off, big-time. LaVoy's ability to shift seamlessly between cool confidence, vulnerable self-doubt, and simmering menace adds layers of complexity to the central character, keeping the listener guessing where the truth ends and manipulation begins. LaVoy's nuanced timing heightens moments of suspense, while her emotional depth grounds the narrative in authenticity. The result is an immersive audio experience that amplifies the tension and intrigue.
(Thriller. 15-adult)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063271302
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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