Author Seanan McGuire narrates the fifth installment in her Wayward Children series, transporting listeners to a terrible world filled with monsters, vampires, and dark temptations. Jack's murderous sister, Jill, has hatched a chilling plan that may destroy their home world. Enlisting the support of her school friends, Jack embarks on a dangerous journey home, desperate to stop her sister before it is too late. McGuire's narration is serviceable, but she reads at such an accelerated pace that listeners may not be able to truly savor the lush beauty of her prose. She is most successful with dialogue, as she allows the characters' tenderness and tenacity to come through. Still, listeners may regret losing the opportunity to settle into this intoxicating and thought-provoking story.
Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250264008
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A heartwarming listening experience touched by magic.
Genevieve Cocke narrates this fantasy audiobook set in 1920s Montreal. Agnes is desperate to find a new home for her cat shelter and herself after a magical duel in front of her building left only three walls standing. For this and other reasons, Agnes is not a fan of magic, but the only person willing to rent to her and her feline rescues is Havelock, a notorious magician. Cocke endows Havelock with a Quebecois accent, although most other characters have no identifiable accent. Agnes prepares a checklist for most everything, and Cocke makes her organized but not officious. Cocke instills personality in the many secondary characters, including the cats.
A heartwarming listening experience touched by magic.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217279272
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
In an audiobook with an atmosphere reminiscent of Twin Peaks, Myers renders the incredible as curiously commonplace.
Narrator Jay Myers makes quirky characters and the wonders of a word filled with fantastical beings sound pretty normal. It begins when Green has a near-death experience, discovers a giant crow looking down at him, and finds a mysterious acorn in his pocket. Not long thereafter, he heads for the hills to try to figure out what really happened to him. He meets Valentina, who dubs him a cryptonaturalist for his ability to see incredible creatures. She agrees to mentor him. Myers adopts a persona for Green that emphasizes his ordinariness, except for his ability to see the creatures. Myers’ voice for Valentina is appropriate for someone who is more than five centuries old.
In an audiobook with an atmosphere reminiscent of Twin Peaks, Myers renders the incredible as curiously commonplace.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217176182
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2026
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