Heart-Pounding YA Sci-Fi and Fantasy Audiobooks
by Brian Laurito
Are you looking to be whisked away to another world? If you are hoping for a fantastic escape from the monotonous grind of everyday life, look no further! Whether you dream of visiting the far future, the outer reaches of space, or a magical kingdom, we have recommendations for adventurers of all kinds. Sail the skies with Conrad, uncover dangerous secrets with Chobahm, and more by listening to these heart-pounding YA sci-fi and fantasy audiobooks! From the veteran sci-fi fan to the newest fantasy reader, these audiobooks have something for everyone.
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Sky’s End
In his thrilling YA debut, Marc J Gregson plunges listeners into the kill-or-be-killed world of the floating island of Holmstead. Exiled by his murderous uncle, sixteen-year-old Conrad must enter the Selection of the Twelve Trades to rebuild his family’s power and rescue his sister. Chosen to be a Hunter — skyship pilots who keep Holmstead safe from the monstrous gorgantauns — Conrad must navigate vigorous training, cutthroat peers, and one final, deadly test! Perfect for fans of Attack on Titan and Pierce Brown.
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Hearts Still Beating
Brooke Archer’s Hearts Still Beating is the post-apocalyptic YA paranormal romance I didn’t know I needed. It follows seventeen-year-old Mara, a girl infected with a mysterious disease that turned her into a monstrous “Tick,” and Rory, her best friend (and maybe more) who lost her sister during the epidemic, as they try to navigate Mara’s return home after being cured. Equal parts heart-pounding and heartwarming, this audiobook is the perfect listen for any teen with questions about love, life, and undeath.
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Spin Of Fate
When I heard that Fireborne author Rosaria Munda called A. A. Vora’s debut “evocative of Sanderson, Pullman, and Fullmetal Alchemist,” I knew I had to listen to Spin of Fate — and I’m glad I did! It is set in a world controlled by Toranic Law — a system that divides people into upper and lower realms. Those in the lower realm must commit themselves to altruism to ascend to the upper planes. However, after she ascends, Aina wants to go back home. To do so, she joins a rebel group and becomes the center of a conflict that threatens Toranic Law and the entire universe.
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Her Radiant Curse
From the critically acclaimed author of Six Crimson Cranes comes Her Radiant Curse! In Elizabeth Lim’s epic fantasy, two sisters — Channi, cursed with the face of a serpent, and Vanna, beautiful beyond measure — must fight to save each other and define their destinies. Channi must enter a brutal battle royale, travel over land and sea, and make choices that will test their sisterly bond.
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The Invocations
“Even the devil does not trust men to honor a bargain, so it does not deal with them. It offers power only to women.” In Krystal Sutherland’s witchy supernatural thriller, three young women — Zara, Jude, and Emer — work together to protect themselves from someone (or something) hunting witches on the streets of London. Will magic be enough to keep the killer at bay? Or is the danger already closer than they can imagine?
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Snowglobe
Translated from the original Korean into English for the first time, Soyoung Park’s Snowglobe is a dystopian sci-fi like no other. In a world of constant winter, only the city known as Snowglobe is still warm. Those lucky enough to live within Snowglobe’s bubble must broadcast their lives to the powerplant workers outside who provide the electricity that makes their lives possible. When Chobahm is granted every powerplant worker’s dream to live inside Snowglobe as an actor, she soon learns her dream may be a nightmare.
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Murtagh
Whether you are a veteran Dragon Rider or a new fantasy fan, Christopher Paolini’s Murtagh is perfect for fans of Eragon! Following Dragon Rider Murtagh and his dragon Thorn, the latest novel in the world of Alagaësia takes place one year after the end of The Inheritance Cycle series. When a new danger arises, Murtagh and Thorn must stop a dangerous witch who holds deadly secrets. With series narrator Gerard Doyle narrating once again, Murtagh will please longtime fans and new listeners!
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The Encanto’s Daughter
A young adult romantasy inspired by Filipino mythology? Yes, please! The first installment in Melissa de la Cruz’s romantic fantasy duet, The Encanto’s Daughter, follows MJ Rodriguez: a half-human, half-encanto teenager who is called to fulfill her duty as the rightful heir to the throne of the Sirena Court. To do so, she’ll have to win over a wary court, solve her father’s murder, and form a friendship — and maybe more — with the knight of a rival court!
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The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee
From co-founder of We Need Diverse Books and award-winning author Ellen Oh comes a sci-fi story inspired by A-ha's "Take on Me" music video! When Mina Lee gets sucked into the fictional world of her webcomic, she must reckon with evil supervillains, shady corporations, and the boy of her dreams. However, she might have to say goodbye to what she loves most to return home!
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Blood at the Root
Seventeen-year-old Malik is ready to enter the world of the young, Black, and magical. In LaDarrion Williams’ debut, a teenager whose mother mysteriously vanished on the same night he discovered his fantastical powers enters the magical world of Caiman University — a hidden magical college filled with feuding covens, forbidden knowledge, and dark secrets. Will Malik’s new family, friends, and community be enough to stand against a reawakened evil that dates back to the Haitian Revolution?
