This dystopian story never lets up, and narrator Soneela Nankani hooks the listener from the start. The tension in Aya's voice is palpable after her family is slaughtered and she's hunted down, captured, and taken to the Garden to be groomed and sold at auction for her breeding potential. Nankani meets this gripping story head-on. Aya's determination and constant struggle are evident in her defiant tone as she repeatedly makes herself unsuitable to appear at auction. Nankani's portrayals of the other girls run the gamut from terrified submission to haughty superiority. During a stint in solitary, Aya meets Kirin, a mute outcast, who helps her escape. The truly ghastly male characters from the capital city are given voices that would give anyone nightmares.
(Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781490651156
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A swashbuckling adventure with lots of heart.
Barnaby Edwards will have listeners hanging onto every word of this action-packed audiobook. This worthy sequel to Thunder City finds the crew of the Fire’s Astonishment helping the university city of Museion. Its inhabitants are willingly joining the city of London in order to preserve their knowledge and artifacts. But in order to do that, they’ll have to travel safely to the rendezvous point without being eaten by another traction city. With his panoply of accents, Edwards is just as skillful narrating close calls and violent skirmishes as he is with quieter moments between characters. Vespertine, the mechanical Revenant, and her relationships with Small Cat and Professor Stanislaus are particular standouts.
A swashbuckling adventure with lots of heart. (Science fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798225035891
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 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
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