Title: Counting Backwards
Author: Jacqueline Friedland
Narrated by: Amanda Stribling, Carolyn Jania
Publisher: Harper Muse
Length: Approximately 10 hours and 45 minutes
Source: Audiobook review Copy from NetGalley and physical book review copy from @jackiefriedland @harpermusebooks @austenprose. Thank you!

What's a book that you think has a stunning cover design? I love the pomegranate on the cover of this novel, and it works so well with the theme of the novel.

Jessa Gidney is a Manhattan lawyer and has recently been passed over for partner. She miscarried a year before and has been having problems getting pregnant again which has been causing friction with her husband, Vance. When she meets Isobel Perez as part of her firm’s pro bono work, she realizes that there is much more to the case than just a deportation order. Why are the women at the deportation center being sterilized?

In 1920s Virginia, Carrie Buch has lived a hard life. She was separated from her mother and raised by a foster family who just wanted free labor. After she is raped, the system continues to let her down. What is her connection to Jessa?

My thoughts on this novel:
• This novel had a rough start with a couple arguing about fertility as they try to get pregnant, Luckily, the story picked up after that and became a compelling story that I couldn’t put down.

• The look into our countries history with eugenics was both horrifying and thought provoking. It’s important and timely now as unfortunately these types of cases persist. Who gets to decide whether a woman is allowed to bear children?

• This is a dual timeline novel which spends equal time with Jessa and Carrie. They are both interesting characters.

• The author is a lawyer which gives the novel an authentic feel.

• I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook. It was a fascinating story with great narrators.

• There is a great list of additional reading at the end of the novel.

• There is also a fascinating author’s note on how the author first read about the real-life Carrie Buck and her case while she was a high school senior. I am horrified on how Carrie Buck was treated.

Overall, Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland is a compelling dual narrative novel that examines a dark time in our country’s history that also is seeping into current events surrounding women’s rights and immigration.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced audio edition of Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland.

This is a story about two women, one from the early 1900's, and one from today, both facing the harrowing realities of our country's history with eugenics, which has left a long and ugly stain.

I appreciated the passion and pain that came from this novel. It's difficult to reconcile how recently this all took place, and the sickening possibility that it could still be happening for the sake of "cleansing" our population in any way. It's also a reminder not to let women's bodies be a catalyst for any agenda, and to allow them to freedom to govern themselves.

This book was not only a good story that was written well, but a cautionary tale of how easily we could slip into the practice of eugenics again. It would take only a light amount of rationalizing. This was well worth reading.

Jackie Friedland was inspired to write 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗦 by the 1927 Supreme Court case of Buck vs. Bell, a landmark decision that upheld a Virginia statute permitting the compulsory and involuntary sterilization of people deemed mentally defective or otherwise unfit to have children. Through dual POVs and timelines, she tells the stories of Carrie Buck, the petitioner in the case in the 1920s, and Jessa Gidney, a lawyer in New York whose client is a victim of similar medical malpractice at a women's ICE facility in the 2020s.

I had never heard of Carrie Buck or her case before but it's impossible to not be moved by her experience and those of the women Jessa meets who've suffer the same abuse nearly a century later. This excerpt from Friedland's author's note summed up my feelings about reading their stories in light of current events: "𝘐𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴, 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬."

It's more important than ever to understand our history, and this book shined a light on a dark chapter I can only hope we don't repeat.

Thanks to Harper Muse Books & Get Red PR for the copy to review.

This book is so powerful. It follows two story lines that end up merging. One, a modern woman in a traditional marriage where the husband wants her to reduce work, be a stay at home mom, let him lead and take charge. And secondly, a young woman from decades ago, and how she faced abuse, rape, having her child taken away, being forced legally to sterilization due to eugenics. Our modern woman uncovers how eugenics are still being used, and women in detention centers still having forced sterilization. Our modern woman finds her strength, as she pursues this pro-bono case, and finds the connection to her own dark family secret intersecting with this young woman from decades ago.

Our modern woman struggles through ethics, her own life purpose, how she lives her life, and the dark secrets of her past, and comes into her own. Reclaims her own life, while helping others fight for theirs.

With all the political unrest in the US, I especially appreciated the timing of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Legal drama, complicated family histories, fraught relationships, immigration detention, and reproductive justice come together in Jacqueline Friedland’s Counting Backwards.

I listened to this book on audio!

The things I liked: great narration with distinct character voices (this was important as there are two disparate timelines operating in the novel) and interesting case law surrounding reproductive rights in (carceral) immigration centers.

What I wasn’t so fond of: husband was SO annoying and SO man; there may have been too much going on with all the family history; overall pacing felt a tad slow and the read felt too long for what it was. Attention was definitely waning towards the end.

I think this was a good book. I do think it being an audio book made me more engaged because the pacing was slow at times. However I really liked the narrator and seeing the different layers of the characters.

Counting Backwards is a powerful, deeply affecting novel that skillfully bridges past and present, shedding light on the enduring struggles for justice, bodily autonomy, and human dignity. Through the intertwining stories of Jessa Gidney, a modern-day lawyer, and Carrie Buck, a young woman at the heart of a historic Supreme Court case, the novel explores how systemic oppression persists across generations.

The novel’s dual timeline structure is both seamless and compelling, creating a sense of urgency and historical resonance. The injustices faced by both women—forced sterilization, the criminalization of poverty, and the dehumanization of vulnerable populations—are harrowingly real, making Counting Backwards feel both timely and timeless.

Ultimately, Counting Backwards is a moving and thought-provoking read that highlights the resilience of women in the face of systemic oppression. It is a novel that lingers long after the final page, urging readers to reflect on history’s echoes and the ongoing fight for justice.

This is narrated in dual timelines, Jessa in present day and Carrie 1927 Virginia. Jessa is an attorney and she has taken on an immigration case. She soon discovers quite a bit of horrifying medical malpractice at the detainee center. And her grandmother leads her to a Supreme Court case about Carrie Buck. Carrie was sterilized as a young woman because she was poor and uneducated.

I loved the way the author wove these two stories together. Jessa is struggling to get pregnant. So when she discovers the medical malpractice issues at the detainee center, she takes it to heart and she tackles it head on. But when she finds out about what her grandfather did in the Carrie case (you need to read this to find out!) it becomes very personal.

This is an emotional tale everyone needs to read! It is tragic and compelling. And the issues are ever present today!

The narrators, Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania are fantastic. They handled this with great poise and ease!

Need a moving story of strong women…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.

Counting backwards is the phenomenal story of two women, tied intrinsically together, but living 100 years apart. Jessa is a high-powered attorney who takes on a pro-bono deportation case and begins to uncover cases of medical malpractice at an ICE detention center. This investigation leads her to uncover her own family history involved with Carrie Buck, the first woman involuntarily sterilized under Virginia’s eugenic laws. We are simultaneously told Carrie's story 100 years prior and how she became the first woman involuntarily sterilized. The whole story is heartbreaking and vulnerable.
This novel is incredibly timely, when access to reproduction is at the forefront of our minds. This being based on a true story calls up the horrifying feelings you'd get with a reread of the Handmaids Tale right now.
I truly felt for both of these women and wanted to root for them and help. The growth and full circle moments make the whole thing worth it.
“I had been robbed in all the ways that mattered to me. I had but one thing left, and that was my own heart.”

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that tackles a very real and urgent issue—forced sterilization in ICE detention centers. The story expertly blends a present-day investigation into medical abuse at one of these facilities, an historic eugenics case and the personal struggles of the protagonist who is desperate to become a mother. Friedland masterfully weaves these plotlines, creating an emotionally charged narrative that highlights the atrocities of systemic violence while exploring the deeply personal journey of motherhood.

The novel is a valuable learning tool, shedding light on the history and ongoing impact of forced sterilization, but at times it feels a little too on the nose. Some moments, particularly in the portrayal of characters' motivations, could have benefitted from more subtlety. And while the story is rich in emotion and social commentary, one character may just earn a spot as the "worst literary husband" of the year! Despite this, Counting Backwards remains a powerful and impactful read, making it an important contribution to literature on social justice and the rights of women.

The audiobook, with its dual narrators, enhances the experience by giving distinct voices to the different perspectives, making the characters’ emotional journeys even more engaging.

🚼 🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 🚼

|| 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 by Jacqueline Friedland ||
Pub Day: March 11, 2025

It's no coincidence that I read this book during Women's History Month, as it heightened my awareness of how patriarchy and white supremacy disenfranchise minorities, women of color, and immigrants. 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 provides a stark view of the consequences when women are ensnared by these oppressive systems. This novel is not merely about two women across dual timelines; it powerfully illustrates how both protagonists, Jessa and Carrie, are connected to similar horrors of medical malpractice, unethical sterilizations, and profound loss, whether in 1927 or 2022. If you can read either character's story and remain unmoved, then your sensitivity meter is malfunctioning. Friedland's narrative compels you to finish quickly, research the real Supreme Court plaintiff, and find ways to protect women. You cannot read these stories without feeling deep pain, rage, and sadness for the victims.

Friedland exposes the grim legacy of eugenics and demonstrates how these oppressive principles persist in modern society, where immigrant women are deprived of their rights and their paths to motherhood in ICE detention centers. These women are denied dignity and respect due to their lack of citizenship, their status as women of color, and their absence of insurance. They are subjected to the whims of a flawed government and the pervasive influence of white supremacy, leaving them vulnerable and marginalized. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for systemic change to protect and uphold the rights of all women, regardless of their background.

In the context of anesthesia, counting backwards is meant to ease patients' anxiety. However, in this novel, it symbolizes the denial of women's rights to bodily autonomy. Moving forward, we must strive for a society where all women, regardless of their circumstances, can count on medical professionals and the government to protect them fully.

𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 is a novel that will linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the last page. I rely on these stories and experiences to inspire change in our world. These narratives, no matter how triggering or traumatic, must be shared to ensure that no other woman suffers the same fate. Together, we can move forward and make a difference.

I participated in an immersive reading experience where I read along in the book while I listened to it on audio. I really enjoyed the clear distinction the narrator made in the different timelines and voices. It was so well done and made the reading experience even greater. I would highly recommend this audio to another follower or friend of mine. Thank you netgalley and harpermuseaudio for the gifted ALC.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks @getredprbooks, author @jackiefriedland, and publisher @harpermusebooks for the gifted copy.

🏷 #CountingBackwards #JacquelineFriedland #historicalfiction #LegalThriller #WomensRights #WomensHistoryMonth #bookreview #Bookish #Bookstagrammer #BookLover #wellreadblackgirl

Thank you GetRedPR and Jacqueline Friedland for my #gifted ARC and thank you Harper Muse for my #gifted Advanced Listening Copy of Counting Backwards! #CountingBackwards #GetRedPR #JacquelineFriedland #JackieFriedland #AmandaStribling #CarolynJania #harpermuse #HarperMuseAudiobooks

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 - 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐰!

𝟓★

Counting Backwards was one of the most thought provoking books I’ve read in a very long time. Inspired by true events, and told in a dual time and POV format, it focuses on topics such as immigration, eugenics, fertility, and motherhood. I felt a connection to both of the main characters, and I will never forget this book.

I really enjoyed how Jessa and Carrie’s stories connected more than a decade apart. Friedland is such a remarkable storyteller and I love how she was able to connect bring such difficult yet timely topics together into one book. I appreciated how the title was mentioned within the book and I also appreciated how the cover of the book is subtle but has a very symbolic meaning.

On a personal note, I felt a connection to many of the women in this book. I found myself outraged at times and sympathizing at other times. As someone who experienced years of infertility and then a high risk pregnancy, I felt for Jessa and her experiences in this book. I also felt my privilege when it came to the experience of Isobel and other women who experienced horrible medical treatment while incarcerated. As someone who needed the same surgical procedure they received this past year, I can say with certainty that my experience was nothing like their experience, and I was informed about the risk of the procedure in advance by multiple people. I knew going into surgery what was going to happen and why the surgery was imperative for my health. My medical team included me in the decision making process every step of the way, and while reading this book, I felt outrage for the women who were not given the same treatment.

🧡Dual POV
🧡Dual Timeline
🧡A Blend of Women’s Fiction and Historical Fiction
🧡Strong Female Characters
🧡Themes of Immigration, Fertility and Motherhood
🧡Family Secrets
🧡Timely and Important

🎧I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, which was narrated by both Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania. Both narrators were perfect for their rolls of Jessa and Carrie and I loved my time listening to them bring each character to life. Both were flawless!

Posted on Goodreads on March 12, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 12, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 12, 2025
**-will post on designated date

"Counting Backwards" is a well-researched historical fiction novel with alternating POV. One is Jessa, an attorney in modern times. One is Carrie Buck, a historical figure who had her human rights stripped. This was a captivating story, though the fictional characters were not particularly likeable or relatable. The irony of the main character's absolute entitlement throughout her life and pregnancy was a strange characteristic given that she was to be the "hero" for the women whose reproductive rights were stripped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Yesterday, Jacqueline Friedland released her new novel, Counting Backwards. Divided between the 1910s/1920s and today, it uncovers a horrific story about eugenics, forced sterilizations, and women who have little power over their reproductive health and personal lives. It’s inspired by the true cases of Carrie Buck in 1924 and what’s continued to go on even today in immigration detention centers. These very real issues are brought to the forefront in this powerful and timely novel.

Why I Chose This Book:
When I read the description of Counting Backwards, I knew I had to read this grim but vital novel. I first heard about forced sterilizations in a movie a few years ago and was curious to learn more about this awful practice. I also was drawn to the story of Jessa’s fertility and longing for a child, as well as a spotlight on immigrants.

What I Liked:
- Eye-opening account of forced sterilizations and eugenics. This book puts focus on the horrors of our past… but also of ongoing atrocities committed against woman, especially women of color and women who are immigrants. This will fuel your righteous outrage.
- Discussions around fertility and family. I went through a year-long fertility journey myself, and much of what Jessa is going through here rang true for me.
- Women’s career ambitions versus family goals. Why are women so often pushed to choose between the two, or seen as less than when they try to have both?
- Dual timeline between 1910s and 1920s Virginia versus 2022 New York.
- Inspiration from real life. I didn’t realize until after I’d finished the book that Carrie Buck was a real woman. I appreciated getting to see her story brought to life.

Audiobook:
Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania are excellent narraters for Jessa and Carrie. Both bring their respective characters to life, Jessa with her anxieties and trying to do the right thing despite it all, and Carrie with her Virginia accent and optimistic outlook on her own life even in the face of such horrors. The audiobook is thoroughly engaging and adds extra feeling to the novel.

Final Thoughts
Counting Backwards is an excellent novel that shines a revealing light on the evils committed against women for the past century. It’s horrific to see eugenics in practice, harming tens of thousands of women. I loved following Carrie and Jessa’s stories, and despite how dark this goes, it offers some hope for change if more people stand up for each other. Jacqueline Friedland is an author I’m eager to read more from soon.

An incredibly moving dual timeline story about infertility, forced sterilization and the continued fight for women's bodily autonomy that follows lawyer, Jessa Gidney as she takes on a pro bono immigration case only to find herself up against a conspiracy of forced eugenics for profit and also grapples with her crumbling marriage, attempts to get pregnant and learning about a dark family secret.

Based on real events, this book is shockingly relevant, highly emotional and a great example of women's courage to stand up against injustice. Perfect for fans of books like Only the beautiful by Susan Meissner and Take my hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez or the Erin Brockovich case. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy and Uplit Reads for a gifted physical copy. This will definitely be a favorite read of mine in 2025!

CW: miscarriage, infertility, forced sterilization

Thank you Harper Muse & NetGalley for the ALC!

I think that if you have never read about eugenics that this will be a great intro to that. The absolute disgusting practices that our society takes from women is horrendous and this book definitely explores that.

I liked that Jessa was a very flawed character and I enjoyed the dual timeline. I do think that Jenna’s marriage and her horrendous husband took center stage when it could have been better to me to focus on Carries story.

This book does cover miscarriage and fertility issues, so please read with care.

I think a scene that keeps playing in my head is when Jessa is talking to her grandmother and they are talking about when Jessa goes to visit an ICE detention center and her grandmother says “it’s not like what we see on the news with cages and chains is it? Insinuating that that could never be possible and that just didn’t sit well with me because it was giving right wing views.

I also think it’s important to point out that Jessa is very privileged so some things felt tone deaf.


Overall, reading about Carries story and the horrendous things done to mainly marginalized women was awful. I do think it’s important that we always have these stories told.

This incredible story is based on true events, and that completely blows my mind. I love it when fiction novels like these enlighten their readers with little-known but extremely important topics. If you're looking for a heartbreaking yet fascinating female rights focused book to read for Women's History Month, make it be this one. It was truly exceptional.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for access to the book in exchange for an honest review.

I won’t soon forget this novel!! Especially Carrie and knowing that she is as real as you and me. This was a brilliantly done book and left me thinking and I will continue to talk about it

Unfortunately for me, I just couldn't focus on the storyline due to personal issues with the audio actor. I found it very grating on my ears and found any excuse to end listening sprints early. I got less than 25% in so I feel that it is not fair of me to leave a proper review, but based on fellow readers' opinions, this was a very moving and heartfelt story, just not for me!

I finished the audiobook a few days ago and the story still lingers.

Counting Backwards is written in a dual POV and dual timeline. The historical part of this book is based on true events regarding the case of Carrie Buck (if you are not familiar with Buck vs. Bell do not google the case before reading if you don’t want to spoil your reading experience). Present timeline focuses on Jessa - a lawyer with relationship issues who focuses on conceiving a child, which grows into an obsession.

The book talks about really heavy topics of women rights, immigration, deportation, reproductive rights, eugenics, forced sterilisation, and motherhood. The story in the book is really captivating and well paced, in the first half of the book the chapters alternate in between Carrie and Jessa, always ending up on a tiny cliff-hanger, making the book hard to put down. The way the author (a law graduate) talks about these topics shows she really did her homework and made the story not only believable, but a learning moment for the reader.

One aspect of the plot I especially liked (other than the very well executed topics mentioned above) was Jessa’s relationship. In all of its raw beauty, it brought some much needed depth to her character and allowed the reader to see her in a different light, allowed us to see her other form of vulnerability as a woman, as a partner, as a trusting wife. By that she was made human, rather than just a character. I very much loved her choices in the last chapters.

Personally, I am a sucker for the mention of the title in the book itself. Saying that - this title was incorporated into the story with two meanings and both were moving in their own way. 10/10 on this front.

Though I will probably end up purchasing the book as a physical copy if it does arrive to our stores in Slovakia, I highly recommend the audiobook version.