Teenagers Lyra and Gemma give separate accounts of their dystopian world. Narrator Sarah Drew tells Lyra's story with a slightly breathy and uneven delivery. Her voice is packed with emotion that reflects the extreme stressors she faces while being imprisoned in the Haven Institute, a center for human cloning, and then escaping into a world unknown to her. At first, narrator Erin Spencer's steady voice for Gemma reflects her quiet life but then intensifies as she begins to question her world and her own connection to the Haven Institute. The chapters alternate Lyra's and Gemma's accounts, but listeners might skip chapters to follow one complete narrative. Either approach will deliver captivating fast-paced adventure.
. (Science fiction. 15 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062570475
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Original songs paired with a kaleidoscopic narrator make this satirical audiobook a winner.
This timely dystopian audiobook, narrated in an English accent by Hannah Berchtold, features original songs performed by four vocalists who lift the lyrics off the page. Starmaker, a popular reality TV competition, seeks talented singers and dancers to form their next all-girl idol group. But there’s a catch—each week, the contestant with the lowest rank faces public execution. Taryn sees the competition as the only opportunity to help her sick brother. Berchtold cycles through several world accents to portray the large and diverse cast of characters, as well as delivering show promos, social media posts, and gossipy articles about the contestants.
Original songs paired with a kaleidoscopic narrator make this satirical audiobook a winner. (Dystopian. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 48 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668186794
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2026
Boyle's emotional performance immerses listeners in this world of war and ever flowing water.
Rafe and Jule were destined to kill each other in battle, as their warring factions—the Rogues and the Crowns—have fought over a flooded London for centuries. However, fate has other plans for them. Zoe Boyle brings these characters—and the London of 2425—to life. Her enthusiastic narration perfectly depicts the circumstances that befall them. Boyle imitates the sound of whizzing arrows, the crack of a discharging rifle, the heaving breaths of a desperate swimmer, and more. Her voice cracks after heartbreaking deaths, and it soars when the characters experience love.
Boyle's emotional performance immerses listeners in this world of war and ever flowing water. (Dystopian. 13-18)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 41 mins
DD ISBN: 9798225035815
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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