Narrator Katherine Littrell wrests all the humor, angst, and anguish from this first-person account of Australian teen Marlowe Jensen's attempts to adjust to normal life after her heart transplant. Littrell captures Marlowe's many moods with an engaging performance that moves with the text from intensely introspective to wryly humorous and fiercely poignant. She expertly depicts Marlowe's struggle to embrace life after staring death in the face for so many years. From feelings of guilt for taking the heart of a boy who died to making her own decisions against the iron will of her passionately vegan mum, along with first friendships and first love with--gasp!--a butcher's son, Littrell's well-paced, well-modulated tones meld this coming-of-age story into a satisfying listening experience.
(Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: March 12, 2019
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250209078
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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