Joniece Abbott-Pratt and Zeno Robinson capture the voices of Cristina and Clement Trudeau, Black teenage twins who are growing up in a New Orleans family that practices magic. A year after their father's death, their mother is sick, and they fear she'll succumb to her mysterious illness. Then they discover she's actually cursed--and they're targets, too. As Cris and Clem set out to identify who is after their family, they discover connections to their grandmother's lynching 30 years earlier. Robinson and Abbott-Pratt alternate the first-person chapters with skill, pulling out every emotion in the story's closely held secrets, romance, and magic. Bahni Turpin and Torian Brackett narrate third-person perspectives that give insights into additional characters, including determined antagonists and a terrifying god.
(Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
Duration: 14 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250883186
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
A sweeping fantasy elevated by a balanced narration.
Joe Jameson’s versatile performance of this audiobook drives the listening experience. This fantasy follows four teenagers chosen to wield elemental powers to stop an encroaching eternal night. Jameson narrates with distinct vocal characterizations, shifting smoothly between youthful humor and heavier emotional beats. His pacing keeps listeners grounded through complex worldbuilding while sustaining momentum during action scenes. Particularly notable is his restrained, empathetic handling of one character’s psychosis. Jameson’s narration emphasizes emotional authenticity, allowing listeners to connect with characters’ struggles as much as with the adventure itself.
A sweeping fantasy elevated by a balanced narration. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668162460
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
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