Preview
  • On the Come Up

  • By: Angie Thomas
  • Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
  • Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (3,731 ratings)

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On the Come Up

By: Angie Thomas
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
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Publisher's summary

2020 Audie Awards® finalist - Young adult number one New York Times best seller · Seven starred reviews · Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book

Don't miss this audiobook, Audible's Young Adult Audiobook of the Year and an Audie Award finalist!

"For all the struggle in this book, Thomas rarely misses a step as a writer. Thomas continues to hold up that mirror with grace and confidence. We are lucky to have her, and lucky to know a girl like Bri." (The New York Times Book Review)

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill.

But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral...for all the wrong reasons.

Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it - she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.

Hear about more of life in Garden Heights from Angie Thomas in The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose.

©2018 Angela Thomas (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Interview: Listen in as Angie Thomas tells us why she absolutely trusted narrator Bahni Turpin again, this time with all the rapping in On The Come Up, and how Thomas made her follow-up to The Hate U Give another gem that grapples with important social issues without being an issues book.

[Bahni Turpin] really brought it and she gave her style and her soul and heart to it. I'm so thankful for it. She's a phenomenal narrator.
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  • On the Come Up
  • [Bahni Turpin] really brought it and she gave her style and her soul and heart to it. I'm so thankful for it. She's a phenomenal narrator.
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Featured Article: The top 100 series of all time


The feeling of discovering that your favorite new listen is actually the start of a series is euphoric. That you can immediately hit play and re-enter a beloved new world, or love story, or era from history is a gift to the devoted listener. But how to pick just 100 of these unique and immersive listening journeys? We defined a series as having a minimum of three books, and—after some debate—we decided the titles had to be anchored in fiction. From YA to horror to historical fiction, from fresh voices to seminal tales, hours of discovery await.

Editor's Pick

Thomas and Turpin are my perfect pairing
"Whenever an author has a brilliant debut (as Angie Thomas did with The Hate U Give—our 2017 Audiobook of the Year), I always have a bit of apprehension when approaching their sophomore effort. Thankfully, yet unsurprisingly, On the Come Up is every bit as searing and stunning as its predecessor. The combination of Angie Thomas and Bahni Turpin is, quite frankly, genius. Hearing Turpin rap Thomas’s lyrics may be my favorite listening moment of all time. Thomas doesn’t shy away from hard topics, while also masterfully maintaining the careless and sometimes selfish POV of a teenager. The friendships are authentic, the fears and dreams relatable, and the desire (to be the person to make your family feel secure) universal. The novel is a cultural snapshot for 2019, and we’re only 36 days in. Brace yourselves listeners, this is a book I’m going to be recommending over and over again." —Katie O., Audible Editor

What listeners say about On the Come Up

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Another Hit!

This book had me from beginning to end. I found myself getting teary eyed during various parts of the book. Connecting with the character in the anxiety that comes from living in an unstable home environment intensified by drug addiction and poverty.

if you read The Hate U Give, you will absolutely love this book. if you are new to the author, you will not be disappointed!

Bri and her family reminds us that living your dreams will not always be easy but it is necessary to continue to fight for them!

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Amazing

This was an amazing story and the voice fit perfectly I proudly gave this book a huge five star rating and I recommend to everybody

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No disappointed...

A great follow up book to THUG. I could relate in so many ways to the characters. This book will be a great discussion for any book club, especially our young people. Ready for her next book!!

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Good book, great writing, Teen friendly

I like Angie's writing and love the story telling. I felt this is great book for a teenager but as an adult I dont think the storyline resonated as much with me as The Hate U Give did. Will still continue to support her work because it is great for the culture as a whole.

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I Really Enjoyed 🌟 😊

I really loved how related this book is to many people who can relate. Good Job👍

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Great Listen!

This narrator truly made the story come to life! A really great story with great characters.

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Not just for young people!

I loved listening to this book! The narrator did a great job with the voices. I understood Bri’s hunger, triumphs and missteps and was cheering her on every step of the way. Also learned a lot about the current state of racial injustice in the US. Important lessons woven into the fabric of a brilliantly crafted story!

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Outstanding!

Angie Thomas paints a vivid picture of teenagers living in poverty in the inner city. Bahni Turpin's narration, as always, is perfect.

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Great performance

The person reading kept me into the book! The change in voice for different characters. Also Loved the book. I hope it becomes a movie like The Hate U Give. Even thou it is like I already watched it while listening. Can't wait for my daughter to listen.

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You can’t stop this book no no

This book is so dang awesome so many events and plot twist keeps you reading love it .

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