When the prophet of a polygamist sect decrees that 13-year-old Kyra must marry her 60-year-old uncle and become his seventh wife, she becomes an immovable force. In Williams's outstanding young adult novel, Kyra begins sneaking books from the local bookmobile and falling for a teenaged boy in her isolated community. Threats, beatings, and even murder can't deter her from a world whose door she's already opened. Narrator Jenna Lamia brings passion and dignity to Kyra, her sisters, and even the strict elders who want all the girls for themselves. At times, Kyra's life seems not so bad; at other times, unendurable. Lamia's voice sounds believably young and brings surprising gravity to this ripped-from-the-headlines story. M.M.C. 2010 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
Young AdultPub Date: May 12, 2009
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Shayna Small is excellent as she portrays Leena, a 16-year-old girl who is being raised by her single mother, Asiyah. Leena has always dreamed of being part of a big family, but so far her family is just two people. When an unexpected phone call reveals that she has a Muslim grandfather and great-aunt, Leena is forced to rethink everything about her identity and consider the differences between her secular African American mother and her newly discovered relatives. Small's narration perfectly reflects Leena's emotional journey as she is confronted by questions of identity, family, culture, and faith. Listeners will be invested in Leena's exploration of where she came from, who she is, and what her future holds.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897567874
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Sophie Amoss narrates this story set in nineteenth-century Russia's Jewish communities. After fleeing from an arranged marriage, 17-year-old Sorel navigates gender identity. Sorel assumes the masculine identity Isser Jacobs, only to learn that Isser Jacobs is a real person who sold illegal political pamphlets translated into Yiddish. Magical elements including dybbuks (angels) and demons, some of whom have Russian accents, are interspersed in the story. Characters speak in hushed tones when discussing censorship, growing determined as they seek answers. Sorel often stutters when flustered, and when Sorel becomes Isser, Amoss uses a deeper voice. Amoss masterfully handles the pronunciation of Yiddish and Hebrew words in this solid, well-paced performance.
(Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2024
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798894862484
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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