Moira Quirk is a virtuoso in narrating all manner of fantasies. Here she delights in turning to the dark side. When a lonely, bookish adolescent is offered a magical deal to hop from a cancer ward to the realms of her favorite fantasy novels, she jumps at the opportunity--with one caveat. She wants to be one of the villains. As this wonderfully campy send-up of bodice-ripping, backstabbing palace intrigue blasts along, Quirk has a fine time giving voice to a murderous lady-in-waiting, a moody knight, and a backstreet rogue, among others. But where Quirk is exceptional is in adding just the right tone of anger and wonder to the voice of a girl who is coming of age at the same time that she's facing death. Enchantingly light and dark.
Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668642276
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An immersive, emotionally precise listening experience.
Natalie Naudus narrates this gothic audiobook full of ghosts both past and present. Mercy lands on the shores of Hong Kong in 1942 with no memories. She can speak with ghosts, and she earns a living in the haunted slums of Kowloon Walled City. When a powerful new ghost appears and starts drowning residents, then claims to know Mercy, the mystery of her past slowly unfolds. Naudus’ narration will tug at listeners’ heartstrings as the main characters experience shocking, horrific betrayals and trauma. Her intensified pace reflects the fierce anger and high action, keeping listeners on edge. The whispery voice Naudus uses for ghosts easily differentiates them from the living. When the narrative shifts to a second-person point of view, Naudus adopts a compassionate tone.
An immersive, emotionally precise listening experience.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 2 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250395788
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: June 6, 2026
Kealoha personifies Kea with grit, generosity, and kindness as she works for her family and to preserve the ‘aina...
This fantasy about language-based magic cries out to be enjoyed as an audiobook. And native Hawaiian narrator Barrie Kealoha is a brilliant casting choice. Two centuries after the Hawaiian Islands are no longer habitable due to the rising ocean levels, Southern California is the new homestead of the Hawaiian people. The story is told by 25-year-old Kea, a Hawaiian-language spellsmith and the head of her clan. Kealoha’s recitation of the spells is melodic but forceful when the context requires. When a local activist is killed by a spell, Kea becomes a suspect and has to clear her name.
Kealoha personifies Kea with grit, generosity, and kindness as she works for her family and to preserve the ‘aina (land).Pub Date: April 14, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 49 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668162859
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: June 6, 2026
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