Strong emotional performances take center stage in this tragic YA romance with fresh takes on fluid sexuality and mental health. The age-old tale of star-crossed lovers finds a quirky new home when commercial mega-chain The Geekery, owned by Ridley's father, sets its sights on the indie shop Verona Comics, owned by Jubilee's stepmom. Narrator Taylor Meskimen voices Jubilee, a competitive teen cellist who is trying to loosen up with a light fling. Narrator Michael Crouch gives Ridley an urgency and vulnerability that captures his anxiety and depression. Jubilee rapidly finds herself in a romance steeped in Ridley's struggles. The narrators and sound effects successfully bring life to text conversations, including Rebecca Soler's kindly, frazzled turn as Ridley's supportive older sister.
(Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: 2020
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593208984
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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