Bright and bubbly Caitlin Kelly is perfection as she narrates snappy prose sprinkled with "likes" in this retro novel. It's 1991, the summer before Cassie leaves for college. A brutal breakup leads Cassie to change jobs, connecting her with an old friend and the opportunity to find treasure rumored to have been hidden at the mall years ago. Over the course of events, Cassie learns to loosen up and try new things. Kelly perfectly portrays squeaky kids' voices in a radio jingle and sing-reads Barbara Streisand's lyrics on an often-played cassette tape. Cassie's parents alternate repeating her name in an ultra calm tone when she is stunned by a piece of news, a comedic moment nearly as good as Kelly's delivery of a New Jersey teen's honking laugh.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Macmillan 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: 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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