While on a European vacation, Jack kisses Princess Talia, awakening the citizens of her entire country, all of whom have been slumbering for 300 years. The princess and her countrymen are shocked to find themselves in the twenty-first century, but Talia makes a go of it, trying to become a modern teenager. For his part, Jack finds that Talia has awakened within him an ambition to make something of himself. Angela Dawe gives Talia a vague Middle European accent that befits a nonexistent country. She sounds spritely yet stately: a perfect princess. Nick Podehl's Jack is a self-assured charmer when he’s not being sweetly nervous in the presence of a real princess. Both narrators capture the humor of the book.
Young AdultPub Date: June 22, 2010
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781441849762
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An exceptional and authentic listening experience.
Three narrators—the author and his real-life wife and brother—each tell this heartfelt and witty story with their own approach. Carter is stuck in a loop. Every year on his birthday, he turns 16 again and forgets the previous year, while everyone else, including his younger brother, Lincoln, ages normally. But loop six seems different, and Carter, supported by his family and former girlfriend, Maggie, will do anything to end the cycle. As the three narrators introduce each character’s perspective and deliver their experiences with emotional depth, the dynamic between Carter, Lincoln, and Maggie sounds natural and complex.
An exceptional and authentic listening experience.Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063330405
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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