Listeners will be drawn in and left wanting more by Eileen Stevens's engrossing narration of Sara Holland's fantasy, the first of a pair. Jules is a girl from the kingdom of Sempera, where blood is the source of both money and time and the poor people's only hope for survival is to sell their future years. Jules returns to Everless, the capital, in spite of her dying father's warning to try to save his life. There she begins to face both forgotten hopes and unimagined dangers. Stevens excels in portraying the characters' emotions, especially Jules's. The teen's longing when speaking to Roan and her worry about her father are especially well done. Listeners will eagerly await the next installment.
Ages 12+Pub Date: 2018
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062821898
Publisher: Harper 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
Ell Potter narrates this YA novel, inspired by the legend of the Zikmund bell in Prague. The Strauss family has been tasked for generations with caring for their sentient city's bell towers in order to contain a great evil that lies sleeping within. When teenager Mina's bell rings 13 times on her patrol, it's up to her to prevent the ensuing destruction. Potter's sophisticated British accent gives a sense of importance to Mina and her legacy. However, more often than not, Potter's tone leans toward the melodramatic and woeful, sometimes even taking on a warble. This over-the-top delivery lends a sense of urgency to the narrative, and, while somewhat tiresome, matches the gothic fantasy atmosphere of the story.
(Fantasy. 13-17)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250411891
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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