This engaging fantasy-romance audiobook features the deadly, fast-paced sport of phoenix racing. Seventeen-year-old Kel Varra is the leader of the underdogs, the Crimson Howlers. Forced to team up with her rival, Warren Coupers, Kel becomes caught in a high-stakes conspiracy involving a powerful tech mogul and her phoenix, Savita. The story mixes action, political intrigue, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. Narrator Safiyya Ingar's remarkable performance captures Kel's resilience and emotional depth. Their unique character voices and smooth transitions improve the clarity and immersiveness of the story. Ingar expertly balances tension, sarcasm, and vulnerability, enhancing both the romantic and action-packed moments. Their emotional tones are consistent as they bring this story to life.
(Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250395702
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The satisfying, cozy resolution affirms the magic of romance, the power of loving a place, and the rewards of taking risks.
Soneela Nankani’s quiet narration carries a wish and a promise, setting the tone for high school junior Calisa’s escape from Brooklyn to her estranged great-aunt’s B&B in Vermont. Calisa, hurt from a breakup, receives a caustic welcome from her Auntie Zee and discovers an inn in disrepair. Nankani gives voice to the inn’s strange guests, who have puzzling manners, and gradually the odd occurrences Calisa notices begin to point in a distinctly enchanted direction. As Calisa travels through the inn’s portals to magical lands, Nankani’s narration helps listeners experience the richness Calisa finds. Tension builds as Auntie Zee goes missing, the inn’s future is threatened, and Calisa must decipher family secrets.
The satisfying, cozy resolution affirms the magic of romance, the power of loving a place, and the rewards of taking risks. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 2 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217171934
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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