Grab your headphones, readers. If you’re looking for your next audiobook listen, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re looking to get lost in a fantasy world, a mystery, or a contemporary tale, these young adult audiobooks are sure to captivate.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Jordan Ifueko’s YA debut transports readers to a fantasy world where competitors have been called to the capital of the empire of Aritsar to battle for the chance to become one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. The council is bound together by a bond known as the Ray, and it’s that connection that moves Tarisai. Growing up ignored by her mother and in solitude makes her want nothing more than to belong somewhere, yet her mother has other ideas. She wants Tarisai to use her status as a competitor to kill the prince.
I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick, narrated by Dan Bittner, Inés del Castillo, Jonathan Davis, Gibson Frazier, Madeleine Maby, Soneela Nankani, Jackie Sanders, Candace Thaxton, Jesse Vilinsky, Jenni Barber, and Jayme Mattler
Kit Frick’s latest delivers thrills, chills, and an entire ensemble of narrators to immerse readers in the tale. Zoe Spanos went missing on New Year’s Eve, and rumors start to fly when Anna Cicconi shows up for a summer job bearing a striking resemblance to Zoe. Two months later, Zoe’s body is found and Anna is confessing to murder, but teen podcast host Martina Green knows the facts aren’t adding up and that there’s far more to this case than meets the eye. The full cast comes into play through podcast episodes, adding a sense of realism to this suspenseful novel.
Ignite the Sun by Hanna Howard, narrated by McKenzie Fetters
Hanna Howard’s debut novel transports readers to a world without sunlight. Years ago an evil witch cast a shadow over the kingdom of Umbraz, leaving them in darkness. She claims the sun is dangerous, but Siria Nightingale still dreams of what it might be like. When Siria leaves for the city to earn a place in the royal court, she discovers that the sunlight isn’t the danger her people were told it was and that she may just possess the power to banish the darkness once and for all.
Running by Natalia Sylvester, narrated by Frankie Corzo
Cuban American Mariana Ruiz is thrust into the spotlight when her father, Senator Anthony Ruiz, decides to run for president. In the past, 15-year-old Mariana has always supported her dad’s political career. But as the campaign kicks off and she learns more about his political views, she finds herself torn between being there for her father and standing up for what she believes in.
The Electric Heir by Victoria Lee, narrated by Michael Crouch
Victoria Lee’s Feverwake duology came to a close earlier this year, and if you haven’t yet dived in, now is the perfect time. Set over 100 years in the future in the former United States, the series follows Noam Álvaro on a journey to overthrow a corrupt government. This installment picks up six months after he’s succeeded, just as he realizes that the new leader, Calix Lehrer, isn’t as altruistic as he appears to be.
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam, narrated by Ethan Herrise
Author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam collaborated on this verse novel about a Black Muslim teenager convicted for a crime he didn’t commit. Sixteen-year-old Amal is an art student and poet whose life is turned upside down when he and his friends are accused of an attack that left a white boy in a coma. Zoboi and Salaam explore institutional racism through both Amal’s experiences at school and with the justice system.
Thank you for the great list. Raybearer and The Electric Heir are definitely on my list now. And I feel like I am going to start with the second audiobook. The twist sounds good.
Kind regards