The best YA audiobooks for listeners of all ages

The Hunger Games introduced the world to Katniss Everdeen, a teenager who volunteers to take the place of her younger sister in the annual Hunger Games, a competition wherein teens—one from each of the 12 districts of Panem, a nation born from the ruins of North American cities—fight to the death. Her story, which is told over the course of a trilogy (plus two prequels), is widely (and in our opinion, rightfully) considered a YA masterpiece. Though you might find it impossible to believe, narrating this edition of The Hunger Games marks Emmy Award winner Tatiana Maslany’s audiobook debut. She comes across like a veteran narrator, perfectly capturing characters known and loved by millions of fans across the globe, driving the action-packed, moving story to new heights with her emotive and layered performance.

Xiomara Batista will not be silenced, even if her mother (who wants her to be a good, demure, church-going girl) and the world (both her boisterous Harlem neighborhood and society at large) are trying to drown her out. In The Poet X, listeners encounter Xiomara’s private journal of poems, where she can record how she really feels about everything from her daily life as a young Afro-Latina woman to a boy who’s caught her eye in class. Written in verse and narrated by award-winning slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo, this is a powerful listen about expression and voice. The rhythmic, relentlessly energetic story unfolds in a hypnotic three-hour experience that is truly unique. (Fair warning—pausing is pretty much impossible.)

This is a can’t-miss selection. A #1 New York Times bestseller called essential by Audible Editors, The Hate U Give is a stunning debut from author Angie Thomas. It’s a topical, important story about a 16-year-old girl, Starr Carter, who witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend Khalil, innocent and unarmed, when they’re stopped by a police officer one night. Hall of Fame narrator Bahni Turpin gives voice to an extensive cast of characters in Starr’s community with distinctiveness, but it is her narration of Starr as she is transformed by grief and disillusionment that is most heart-wrenching. As the media vilifies Khalil and the police cover up the real story, tensions rise, and Starr feels immense pressure as the only person who knows the truth.

Lara Jean writes letters when she falls in love—but she doesn’t ever intend to send them to the objects of her affection. Unfortunately for her, the letters are mailed one day without her knowledge, and now every boy knows. Created by bestselling author Jenny Han and with expert narration by Ali Ahn, whose bright voice captures the youthful, idealistic Lara Jean perfectly, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a bit like listening to a great romantic comedy. It’s fun, laugh-out-loud funny, and has a particularly great set of supporting characters in Lara Jean’s sisters and father. To put it simply, this listen is undeniably charming, and only the start of Lara Jean's romantic adventures.

Audie Award winner Dion Graham has performed audiobooks of seemingly every genre, and in title after title, he demonstrates an ability to strike the perfect tone for a given story. In Dear Martin, he’s done it again as he nails his performance of young Black Justyce McAllister’s struggle with identity, success, and a system that’s been stacked against him. Justyce, who’s at the top of his class and headed for an Ivy League college, is driving around with his friend Manny when they draw the attention of a white off-duty cop—an encounter that quickly escalates. This listen moves at an unrelenting pace from there as Justyce reckons with race relations, unfounded accusations, and what actions he should or should not take as he writes letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for advice.

Author Brandon Sanderson is an adept world-builder. He has multiple bestselling series to his credit, in which he creates completely engrossing, totally believable worlds, gaining him an incredibly loyal fanbase. In Skyward, Sanderson turns his expertise to YA audiobooks, crafting yet another fully fleshed-out world geared toward a younger audience without pandering or losing any of the luster of his more mature works. We love the story of young heroine Spensa Nightshade, who attempts to become a pilot and redeem her father’s reputation (in space!). Every kernel of exposition fits seamlessly into the expert narration by Audie winner Suzy Jackson, so each of the tale's advanced sci-fi elements is revealed bit by tantalizing bit.

As Henry Montague (Monty) and his best friend Percy embark on their grand tour of Europe together, only a few details stand in the way of Monty's having an excellent time. First, he’s bisexual in the not-very-tolerant 18th century. Second, his father is in danger of ending all of Monty’s fun by enforcing his role as the heir to the family’s estate. And third, he has a giant, secret crush on Percy. Audie Award nominee Christian Coulson strikes the perfect tone for each wholly unique character in The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. From troubled, kind Percy, affected by chronic illness, to Monty’s sharp, searingly intelligent sister Felicity, to the especially insolent Monty, Coulson perfectly matches the gleeful, hilarious, and heartfelt tones of the story beat for beat.

Bahni Turpin’s essentially flawless narration skills are on display yet again in this listen that was honored with the coveted Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year in 2019. Tomi Adeyemi’s critically adored Children of Blood and Bone is an epic story of magic, revenge, and survival inspired by the mythology of West Africa. Protagonist Zélie Adebola must brave the wilds of her homeland, Orïsha (an enchanted land filled with spirits and creatures), outrun a prince, and work with an enemy in order to bring magic back to the world and avenge the death of her mother and countless slain magic-users like her. The environment is endlessly captivating, the magical battle sequences are riveting, and the plot moves at an exhilarating speed as Zélie chases her destiny.

For two high school boys with seemingly disparate lives, angry, closed-off Aristotle and outspoken, open-minded Dante end up having quite a bit in common. In the inexplicable way some people are drawn together, they meet once at a swimming pool and immediately begin an intense friendship that grows gradually into much more. This winding, beautifully crafted tale of growing up and growing in love is narrated by actor, artist, and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton and Gmorning, Gnight! audio fame. His iconic voice is a perfect fit for Aristotle—from whose point of view the story is told—as he portrays both his angry and contemplative moods, a gentle performance that reveals the soft heart beneath Ari’s hard exterior in a moving, gradual way. We love this pick for the way Alire Saenz’s words and Miranda’s delivery work perfectly together to express the intense feelings Ari and Dante have about themselves, their families, and each other.

When Dimple Met Rishi is a refreshing, funny take on the traditional subject of arranged marriage. Dimple, voiced in all her sarcastic, brazen awesomeness by Sneha Mathan, and Rishi, whose romanticism is highlighted by Hall of Fame narrator Vikas Adam’s soft tones, are destined for marriage ... and attending the same summer program for aspiring web developers. The trouble is that everyone knows they’re destined for marriage—except for Dimple, who believes her mother has finally accepted that she’s not looking to find a husband before she goes off to college. As they fall in love despite her reticence, Dimple and Rishi develop a sweet rapport that makes them both better and more open-hearted by the end of the story. What follows their initial contact is a charming YA romance—and the start of a captivating series.

This first book of The Raven Cycle introduces the town and residents of Henrietta, Virginia, where magic permeates the everyday—especially for Blue Sargent, her family of psychics, and four curious students at Aglionby Academy. Audie Award winner Will Patton’s performance makes the story feel even more mysterious and ghostly, infusing every sentence with wonder and anticipation. Blue’s fate intertwines with that of the four Raven Boys as their leader, Richard Gansey, searches for a long-lost Welsh King. Their journey takes them to places within Henrietta and within themselves they never thought to look, and Patton’s narration is so superb that listeners may feel the urge to replay this listen as soon as it’s finished.

Protagonist Julia may not be the perfect Mexican daughter, but her sister Olga was. Or at least, so everyone thought. When Olga dies in a tragic accident, Julia’s family is completely shattered. But even as Julia finds out that Olga may not have been all she seemed, she still struggles to live up to her idealized (and now untarnishable) image. Told in the first person by skilled narrator Kyla Garcia, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter examines what it means to grow up as a young Mexican-American girl, and what it means to find one’s identity. The story is at times serious, sad, inspiring, and absolutely hilarious as Garcia embodies each tone shift with a sharpness that matches the bold main character’s personality.

In the summer of 2022, The Summer I Turned Pretty, first published in 2009, soared in popularity, thanks to the hit Amazon Prime TV show. When Jenny Han announced plans for a new recording of the Summer trilogy, it only heightened the audiobook’s star power. Lola Tung, the actress who plays Belly Conklin in the TV show, narrates the first book, while Christopher Briney (Conrad) and Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah) lend their voices to the next two books. The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Belly, who is returning for the summer to Cousins Beach, to the beach house and her childhood friends Conrad and Jeremiah. But this summer, everything is different—and sparks begin to fly.

America Singer finds herself in a Bachelorette-like competition to be Crown Prince Maxon’s bride, swept from her poor life in one of the lowest castes of society into a realm of jewels, gowns, and fantasy. To enter the competition, she must leave behind her secret relationship with her friend Aspen—who’s a member of an even lower caste—which she does, reluctantly, as she becomes more and more enamored with the idea of palace life. At only eight hours long, this title is a delicious listen you can devour easily over the course of a few days—but there are plenty of equally lush sequels in this universe to keep listeners entertained.

In a world where all natural causes of death—hunger, disease, war, crime—have been eliminated, Scythes are trained in the art of taking a life to control the population size and maintain peace. Scythe centers on teens Citra and Rowan, who are surprised and immensely unhappy when they’re chosen to apprentice as killers. As Citra and Rowan’s eyes are opened to the price of the peace they’ve enjoyed for their whole lives, the veneer of perfection begins to crack. Greg Tremblay’s performance of this unsettling world is pitch-perfectly chilling as listeners are simultaneously treated to a carefully curated new universe from Neal Shusterman and prompted to consider philosophical questions about the cost of peace.

A cast of narrators, including Olivia Taylor Dudley of SyFy’s The Magicians and the versatile actors Lincoln Hoppe and Jonathan McClain, brings this remarkable adventure (told in conversation transcripts, emails, and top-secret documents) to life. In the year 2575, two corporations are at war, and exes Kady and Ezra find themselves smack in the middle of the firefight on an evacuation fleet ... and, almost worse, stuck with each other. Add to this a plague, an AI program that might be trying to kill them, and a web of lies and secrets that requires Kady to hack into government files, and you have the recipe for a bona fide sci-fi thriller with a romance at its heart. The entire listening experience is amplified by the unique way in which the story is told—listeners never know what will be revealed next, in what form, or by whom.

Code Name Verity is a World War II era story about two women—one a pilot from England and the other an aristocrat from Scotland—who form a close bond when they work together during the war. The audiobook begins when one of the women is captured by the Gestapo and forced to recount everything she knows of the British war effort—her confession is our listening experience, and it’s a haunting, beautiful, and heartbreaking account. Performing this remarkable story of survival and friendship are two narrators at the top of their craft: the skilled Morven Christie and Lucy Gaskell. The subjects and themes of Code Name Verity are as intense as the emotions that accompany them, and both actresses perform brilliantly, inducing laughter and tears alike.

In Cinder, award-winning narrator Rebecca Soler uses her impeccable diction and vocal control to breathe life into an entire cast of fairytale-inspired characters. In this retelling of Cinderella, listeners meet Cinder, a cyborg and gifted mechanic in the care of her step-family in futuristic Beijing after an accident killed her father. Entirely without companionship but for one friend (and no fairy godmother), Cinder struggles with discrimination for being a cyborg as she dwells on the hopelessness of her captive life. This sci-fi retelling of a classic story has just enough familiar elements to connect it to the original tale, but not so many that the story feels in any way stale or repurposed. Instead, author Marissa Meyer unveils an expansive universe and thrilling twists that propel listeners through Cinder—and, luckily for fans of the series, the multitude of sequels that follow.

With Once Upon a Broken Heart, bestselling author Stephanie Garber introduces a romantasy trilogy about love, curses, and the lengths people will go to fulfill their dream of happily ever after. Evangeline Fox has always believed in true love and wedded bliss as her destiny—until she learns that her soul mate is set to marry someone else. In her desperation to stop the wedding, she strikes a deal with the extremely charming and evil Prince of Hearts. In exchange for helping her keep her beloved from pledging himself to another, the Prince demands three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing. Before long, Evangeline learns how futile and dangerous it is to try to bargain with the devil. The always outstanding Rebecca Soler performs all three books, bringing Evangeline and a whole fairy-tale world full of unique characters to life.

Casey McQuiston captivates listeners with another queer rom-com about going after what you want, and Natalie Naudus’s narration is so smooth and flawless, you'll feel like you're right there with the characters. In I Kissed Shara Wheeler, you'll meet Chloe Green, currently in the running to win valedictorian. Her only competition? Prom queen Shara Wheeler. Their rivalry heats up and gets complicated when, a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and shortly thereafter vanishes. To solve the mystery of Shara Wheeler, Chloe will have to work alongside both Smith, Shara's longtime sweetheart, and Rory, Shara's bad boy neighbor.

With artful ease and genuine inflection, Isabella Star LaBlanc's authentic narration brings Angeline Boulley's exceptional debut novel to life. Driven by fully drawn and complex characters, The Firekeeper's Daughter is as compelling as it is rich in storytelling. 18-year-old Daunis put her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. She's eager for a fresh start, largely because she never has really fit in—be it in her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation, she feels like an outsider most of the time. When a shocking murder pushes her into an FBI investigation, secrets are exposed, and Daunis must decide just how far she'll go for her community.

If you've always found the life of a princess intriguing, Tokyo Ever After is the perfect pick. Emiko Jean's novel tells the story of Izumi "Izzy" Tanaka, an outspoken, fun-loving Japanese American teen. Raised by a single mother in a small, mostly white, northern California town, she has no idea who her father is. Following a single clue to her father's identity, she discovers that he's none other than the Crown Prince of Japan—meaning that she’s quite literally a princess. But as Izzy soon learns, being a princess is more complicated than wearing a tiara. Ali Ahn's narration feels like the cherry on top of an already amazing story.

The first book in a duology, Divine Rivals intertwines an enemies-to-lovers romance with a tribute to the power of words. Set in a world where gods once ruled in harmony but now wage war against one another for dominance, the novel follows 18-year-old Iris, an aspiring journalist whose mother suffers from addiction and brother has gone missing from the front lines. To cope, she pours her heart into writing letters to her brother, unsure if he will ever read them. In a strange twist of fate, her letters find their way to Roman, an ambitous rival journalist, who writes back, anonymously. Through this mysterious correspondence, Iris forms an unexpected bond with Roman that will sustain her as she sets out to find her brother and protect humans caught in the crossfire of gods. Rebecca Norfolk and Alex Wingfield narrate, capturing not only the rivals who find love through a magical connection but also the lyrical beauty of Rebecca Ross’s spellbinding fantasy.

Ally Carter took the world by storm when she released her iconic Gallagher Girls series. It has everything you want in a spy series—secret missions, found family, action-packed fight scenes, and a mystery that slowly unfolds throughout the books. This audiobook introduces Cammie Morgan—the chameleon. She goes to the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a school that everyone thinks is a typical all-girls school. And it is, in part, but they also happen to teach advanced martial arts, how to break CIA codes, and seven different ways to kill a man. Cammie might be a spy-in-training, but she's also a teenager. So, when she gets a crush on a guy for the first time, things get a bit more complicated.

When a story’s written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, it’s bound to offer a thrilling, intriguing mystery. Paired up with Christie Moreau's narration, The Inheritance Games is elevated into a pause-resistant tale of twists and turns. In this novel, Avery Grambs gets a massive inheritance—from a man she doesn't know. To receive it, she must move into the Hawthorne House, an enormous, secret passage-filled mansion. Unfortunately for her, the house also brings the four Hawthorne grandsons, each as enigmatic and mysterious as she imagined.

Better Than the Movies follows Liz Buxbaum, rom-com enthusiast and daydreamer, who just found out that her childhood crush, the cool, aloof Michael, has come back to her town. So what if he never noticed her before he moved away? Now is her chance to make him realize she's the one for him, but she needs the help of Wes, her childhood nemesis and next-door neighbor. But what if Wes is really the one for her? Narrator Jesse Vilinsky deftly captures the mix of romantic suspense and tension that makes this listen a delightful escape.

How far will you go to find out the truth about your past? In Legendborn, Tracy Deonn crafts a fantastical, magical story of legends, mages, and secret societies. Deonn's beautiful, refreshing prose is paired with Joniece Abbott-Pratt's top-notch narration, creating an experience that will transport you all the way to UNC-Chapel Hill alongside Bree. For Bree, her mother's death was the final straw. She doesn't want anything to do with her family memories, but when a mysterious teenage mage unlocks her magical past, maybe there's more to her mother's death than what she originally was told.