Julia Whelan’s skillful narration intensifies the drama in this stirring debut novel. Using pitch and deliberate pacing to full advantage, Whelan draws listeners into a romantic fantasy world of faeries who covet the creative abilities of humans, using enchantment as currency. Isobel, a talented portrait painter, runs afoul of Rook, the Autumn Prince, and is drawn into the dangerous faerie lands where nothing is as it seems and horrors lurk at every turn. Whelan’s energetic performance creates a perfect balance between fae and natural worlds; she sounds as comfortable voicing the fearsome Alder King as she does Isobel’s sensible, loving aunt. Whelan deftly develops the growing attachment between Isobel and Rook, capturing alternating moments of humor and melancholy and producing an altogether delightful listening experience.
(Fantasy. 12-adult)Pub Date: 2017
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508243526
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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:
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:
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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