Seven months after 9/11 and two months after the Trinity Falls water supply was poisoned in a bioterrorism attack, four motherless teen victims, isolated under the government’s protection, are fighting for their lives. Doctors and scientists rush to find a cure as two teen hackers try to locate Shadowstrike, the group responsible, before they can strike again. Sounds like an exciting thriller, doesn’t it? But, at almost 15 hours, “tedious” is the word that best describes this listening experience. The characters cover the same days and events from their own perspectives, making the story monotonous and repetitious. The best efforts of an outstanding cast do not breathe life into the story or arouse empathy in the listener.
Young AdultPub Date: 2011
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN:
Publisher: Blackstone 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:
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:
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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