Gemma Dawson's narration reflects the contrast between the author's lyrical writing and the ugly inner world of this novel's protagonist. Deftly, she portrays the intense feelings of 16-year-old Iris, a pyromaniac. Setting fires provides Iris release from the fury that arises from living with her self-absorbed, greedy mother and her stepfather, whom she calls "an aging pinup boy and current no-hoper." When she's dragged from America to England to visit her dying father, who abandoned her, Iris doesn't expect her life to improve. But she shares her father's passion for art, and his stories of his life supplant her mother's hateful tales of him. As a loving bond develops between them, Dawson depicts the glimmerings of a more positive outlook in Iris. Listeners may be surprised by the startling twist at the end of this quiet story.
(Fiction. 13-17)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
Duration: 5 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
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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