Following the revelation that Cassel Sharp is able to transform anyone into something else, living or dead, both the FBI and the mafia-like Worker Families are interested in utilizing his special talents. While secondary characters could be slightly better distinguished, Jesse Eisenberg is a perfect match for the troubled teen Cassel. Unsure where to turn, afraid that he has a black heart and cannot choose to do good, Cassel wavers from confidence in his conning abilities to fear of the lengths his family will go to use him. His good heart is revealed in his refusal to be with the girl he loves because she has been forced to love him. Eisenberg keeps listeners engaged with Cassel’s emotional journey.
Young AdultPub Date: May 10, 2011
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307711861
Publisher: Listening Library
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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