After 40 years of peace between the kingdoms of Goredd and Dragonkind, there’s a threat from pro-war factions on each side. Sixteen-year-old musical prodigy Seraphina hides a dark, potentially deadly secret. She’s plagued by her mother’s visions, by strange creatures inhabiting her mental “garden,” and by her growing affection for a betrothed prince. Mandy Williams narrates Rachel Hartman’s original coming-of-age story with a girl’s ingenuous enthusiasm while Justine Eyre provides the maternal memories with the rueful tone of one who has ignored a taboo. Hartman’s tale is chock-full of unique landscapes, ancient saints, dragon lore, music, and politics. Williams creates a charming new heroine, and Hartman’s clever symbolism and artful allusions assure fantasy fans of something fresh and unusual.
(Fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: July 10, 2012
Duration: 13 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307968937
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A dog's metamorphosis changes his family and his town for the better.
High schooler Emma creates a formula meant to prolong the lives of fruit flies. When her beloved golden retriever, Hudson, becomes critically ill, Emma uses the untested (on dogs) formula, and Hudson turns into a human teenager. His speed and agility impress Emma's football-coach father, who then recruits this unknown boy for his team. Narrator Cassidy Brown makes listeners laugh out loud as she expresses Hudson’s simplicity and joy as he runs free, eats human food, and gets into misadventures. Brown also instills her performance with Emma’s palpable fear of discovery.
A dog's metamorphosis changes his family and his town for the better. (Speculative fiction. 12-15)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668183762
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 13, 2026
Saddle up with narrators Rachel Jacobs and Tristan Wright as they take listeners to the Texas panhandle for a heartfelt cowboy romance. Nineteen-year-old bull rider Case Michaels is trying to keep it together after the death of his best friend, Walker. Walker left Case a list of things to accomplish. One of those tasks is befriending Winnie Sutton, a sassy ranch hand who works for Case's family. Jacobs's expressive tone and fluid cadence capture Winnie's hardworking spirit, while Wright's warm Southern drawl conveys Case's vulnerability and charisma. Both Jacobs and Wright create the perfect amount of tension, longing, and love to keep listeners smiling.
(Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2024
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Spotify Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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