Each year, YALSA's Amazing Audiobooks Blogging Team selects and annotates an annual list of notable audio recordings significant to young adults from those released in the past two years. These are their selections for 2025. YALSA is the Young Adult Library Services Association, a branch of the American Library Association (ALA). https://www.ala.org/yalsa/amazing-audiobooks
Nora's ex-best friend Becca vanishes after leaving a farewell text. When Nora starts receiving coded messages that Becca left behind, she enters a world of dark folklore and slumber-party games that hint at the occult. Emma Galvin injects a good…
In this gender-swapped retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," Beau stumbles upon a mysterious castle. Cruel courtesans serve the princess Arabella, a monster roams the halls, and the servants are excited to have a visitor. Beau and Arabella must work…
In this captivating tale by Ernest Cline, Opal discovers an unlikely kinship with music-loving bats amidst the backdrop of loss and change. Felicia Day's Texas twang in the audiobook infuses it with authentic charm, while added sounds enhance the…
Dami, a demon seeking humanity, must cancel all their deals, but the final deal with Silas complicates things. Ending it would mean Silas’s death. Together, they race to break Silas’s curse before time runs out. The narrator’s natural accent and…
The Enigma Girls tells the power story of young women who played a crucial role in decoding Nazi messages at Bletchley Park during World War II. Their secretive work helped shift the tide for the Allies. The narrator, Moira Quirk, imbues the events…
Johnson uses personal narrative essays to explore the lives of several key Harlem Renaissance figures. The audiobook intersperses musical snippets of the time, adding to the setting by developing the atmosphere. Johnson brings to light queer history…
Notorious pranksters Helen and Gracie are using their skills to help bring period products to all bathrooms in their middle school. The two quickly learn that it will take more than pranks to achieve their goal. Helen and Gracie’s wildly different…
Heir is a follow-up to the popular fantasy series An Ember in the Ashes, introducing readers to a new generation of characters facing a mysterious murderer and an invading army. Rich in oral storytelling traditions, this gripping tale is ideal for…
In a world submerged in water, a girl must face her fears to care for her sister, embarking on a perilous treasure hunt through the underwater ruins of Las Vegas. The audiobook’s narration vividly brings the story to life, immersing listeners in a…
It Came From the Trees is an exciting tale of a girl searching for her missing friend while being hunted by a creature in the woods. The narrator’s enunciation, use of onomatopoeia, and chilling tone enhance the suspense. A perfect listen for fans…
Hazel Woods, an aspiring vlogger, joins her brother in a late-night cemetery game of hide-and-seek, but when a boy vanishes, guilt drives them to secretly help search. Something sinister lingers in the cemetery and haunts them beyond its gates. This…
When Jake's disordered eating lands him in a residential treatment facility, he is forced to confront the feelings and traumatic experiences that created the voice in his head commanding him not to eat. Ebner's dramatic and compassionate narration…
In My Salty Mary, a mermaid-turned-pirate fights to captain a ship and become Pirate Queen after Blackbeard’s death. Mary’s fierce determination fuels her pirate ambitions, defying all who doubt her. The narrator skillfully varies tone and pitch,…
This story follows Jane Vandermaker-Cook as she tries to reconnect with her absent mother. Living in a Victorian mansion with her odd family, Jane discovers a lifetime of security footage that changes everything. This innovative audiobook blends…
Ivy is a pregnant teen who ventures on a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend to get an abortion which is illegal in her state. Along the way she learns about herself and the stories of other women and their choices. The narrator includes a…
Bel’s mother disappeared 16 years ago,with Bel the only witness. A documentary forces Bel to confront the mystery she’d rather forget, when her mother reappears, alive. Sophie Amoss’s narration convincingly portrays Bel’s confusion as she strives to…
Shut Up, This is Serious explores the complexities teens face daily, from personal struggles to generational cycles. Seventeen-year-old Belén Dolores Itzel del Toro from East Oakland sums it up: “Things are hella complicated.” Frankie Corzo’s…
The only joy in Chobahm's frozen world is 24/7 reality television from the domed paradise of Snowglobe. When Snowglobe’s darling commits suicide, Chobahm takes her place, finding the truth is far from what she imagined. The narrators deftly craft…
We return to Marsyas Island and Arthur Parnassus' extraordinary children. Arthur’s testimony before the Department in Charge of Magical Youth about his tragic past should have set him free. Instead, it threatens their very future. Daniel Henning…
Jude and Florence only hang out one night each year, but the bond they build is stronger than anyone could imagine. Each Sunrise Night, the two spend all night exploring the surrounding town and deepening their relationship. The audio cements the…
