If you get confused about who the good guys are in this story, don't worry. It's all explained in the end. The feeling of uncertainty is part of the plan to make listeners experience the horror of living in a world in which aliens have killed 93 percent of humanity--and are still hunting the remaining survivors. It's an effective tool, and listeners won't guess the ending or major developments, which adds to the pleasure. Brandon Espinoza and Phoebe Strole deliver the novel, with Espinoza taking the chapters narrated by a mystery man and Strole taking those narrated by a young female. As Cassie, a girl searching for her missing brother, Strole is particularly convincing. The emotion in her voice is a stark contrast to the lack of emotion in the voice of her savior.
(Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: May 7, 2013
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781101618066
Publisher: Penguin 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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