Narrator Soneela Nankani blends sass, longing, grit, and tenderness to make Amani and her fantastical world believable. In a story that meshes the Wild West and the Arabian Nights, Nankani’s voice conveys the strength of a young woman who is bold enough to disguise herself as a boy and best her countrymen with sharpshooting skills. Nankani expresses Amani’s wit as she plots to escape her desert town, a lecherous uncle, and memories of her executed mother who raised her on stories of djinn and mythical beasts. Nankani also describes the charms of the dangerous stranger and the magnetic connection that leads Amani to a hidden place where she discovers her true power. Nankani shifts easily as she presents adventure, rebel confrontations, humor, romance, and a huge cast of realistic and magical characters.
(Fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: April 22, 2016
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781490691183
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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