Ruben's sister is brutally raped and murdered in desolate Dartmoor, and Ruben senses it from home in London. Gypsy blood enables him to witness events through his sibling's eyes. This connection helps Ruben follow his brother to Dartmoor to find her killers. Paul Thornley uses a steady pace to heighten suspense as the two teens unearth all sorts of nastiness. With a straightforward and sometimes rough voice, Thornley exposes the dark hearts of the living and the dead. This is a prime example of how narration can elevate printed text: Thornley helps the listener imagine what Ruben "sees." He also imbues Ruben's voice with the strength and humanity needed to mourn his sister and rise above the violence surrounding him.
Young AdultPub Date: 2007
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Golden Voice Ramón de Ocampo, who narrated each of the author's memoirs, delivers this hard-hitting YA novel in verse. De Ocampo guides listeners on its emotional journey, using the genre's rhythms to illuminate the relationship between high school seniors Diego and his best friend, Lawson. De Ocampo's poignant delivery highlights the contrast between anxious, rule-following, academically driven Diego and Lawson, who is close to failing in school and turns to selling hard drugs to support his mother. De Ocampo captures the story's highs and lows--from the teenage bliss of riding in a car with a friend to the reality of confronting a violent drug dealer. De Ocampo's narration balances lyrical writing and a gritty story.
(Verse fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798896790570
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Brittany Pressley portrays a character who, at first, seems like an over-the-top heroine. Eleanor, a senior in high school, was abandoned by her father, Hugo, when she was born. Emotionally abused by her mother, she dreams of living with her father and his family. In response to a job ad, she does just that, hiding her identity and becoming a nanny for her toddler half-brother and a friend to her warm stepmother. She even experiences her first love. But Hugo, a rich tech bro whose most recent invention is a questionable AI product, is far different from what Eleanor imagined. Pressley's portrayals invite listeners into Eleanor's conflicted life. In particular, Pressley captures all of Hugo's ruthlessness in business and pleasure in his privileged lifestyle.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217015061
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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