Narrator Zakiya Young convincingly voices the ups and downs of a Black teenager who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance through a "year of saying yes." Frustrated at her lack of confidence, Liv decides to emerge from the shadow of her two best friends (both guys) to make new friends, pursue romance, and try out for the school play. Young's lively performance makes it easy to cheer for Liv's successes and to feel her pain when she inevitably stumbles. Young also succeeds in distinguishing between Liv's sassy persona and her internal worries. While Liv recovers a little too easily and is too quickly forgiven for some of her poor choices, the story's messages are solid, and the diverse characters are believable.
(Fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2020
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488209215
Publisher: Harlequin 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
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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