
Free Cyntoia
My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $19.49
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Cyntoia Brown-Long
About this listen
NAACP Image Award nominee for Outstanding Biography/Autobiography
In her own words, Cyntoia Brown-Long shares the riveting and redemptive story of how she changed her life for the better while in prison, finding hope through faith after a traumatic adolescence of drug addiction, rape, and sex trafficking led to a murder conviction.
“Those...years in prison hadn’t just turned me into woman. They transformed me. The girl who desperately wanted to belong, who felt powerless, who clawed, and scratched her way out of every corner she was backed into, was gone.”
At the age of 16, Cyntoia Brown, a survivor of human trafficking, was arrested for killing a man who had picked her up for sex. Two years later, she was sentenced to life in prison. Brown reflects on the isolation, low self-esteem, and sense of alienation that drove her straight into the hands of a predator. Once in prison, she attempts to build a positive path and honor the values her beloved adoptive mother, Ellenette, taught her, but Cyntoia succumbs to harmful influences that drive her to a cycle of progress and setbacks. Then, a fateful meeting with a prison educator turned mentor offers Cyntoia the opportunity to make the pivotal decision to strive for a better future, even if she’s never freed.
Here, Cyntoia shares the details of her transformation, including a profound encounter with God, an unlikely romance, an unprecedented outpouring of support from social media advocates and A-list celebrities, and her release from prison. A coming-of-age memoir set against the shocking backdrop of a life behind bars, Free Cyntoia takes you on a spiritual journey as Cyntoia struggles to overcome a lifetime of feeling ostracized and abandoned by society.
©2019 To Be Confirmed (P)2019 Simon & Schuster AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Woman in Me
- By: Britney Spears
- Narrated by: Michelle Williams, Britney Spears - introduction
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
-
-
Lack of transparency
- By Lori K on 10-31-23
By: Britney Spears
-
Worthy
- By: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Narrated by: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jada Pinkett Smith was living what many would view as a fairy-tale of Hollywood success. But appearances can be deceiving, and as she felt more and more separated from her sense of self, emotional turmoil took hold. Sparing no detail, Worthy chronicles her life.
-
-
Budda
- By Tamiko on 10-18-23
-
Counting the Cost
- By: Jill Duggar, Derick Dillard - contributor, Craig Borlase - contributor
- Narrated by: Jill Duggar
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jill and Derick knew a normal life wasn’t possible for them. As a star on the popular TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, Jill grew up in front of viewers who were fascinated by her family’s way of life. She was the responsible, second daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle’s nineteen kids; always with a baby on her hip and happy to wear the modest ankle-length dresses with throat-high necklines.
-
-
A Naive Account from a Reality TV Personality
- By Lora Kyle on 09-12-23
By: Jill Duggar, and others
-
A Knock at Midnight
- A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom
- By: Brittany K. Barnett
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brittany K. Barnett was only a law student when she came across the case that would change her life forever - that of Sharanda Jones, single mother, business owner, and, like Brittany, Black daughter of the rural South. A victim of America’s devastating war on drugs, Sharanda had been torn away from her young daughter and was serving a life sentence without parole - for a first-time drug offense.
-
-
Riveting Listen, Inspiring, Change Your Mind
- By elena on 11-18-20
-
In Pursuit of Love
- One Woman’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant
- By: Rebecca Bender
- Narrated by: Rebecca Bender
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born and raised in a small Oregon town, all-American girl Rebecca Bender was a varsity athlete and honor-roll student with a promising future. Then a predator pretending to be her boyfriend lured her into a web of lies that sent her down a path she never imagined possible. For nearly six years, Rebecca was sold across the underground world of sex trafficking in Las Vegas. She was branded, beaten, told when to sleep and what to wear, and traded between traffickers. During that time, God began revealing himself to her.
-
-
INSULTING to ACTUAL Human Trafficking Victims
- By Goodstone79 on 08-04-20
By: Rebecca Bender
-
Love and Justice
- By: Jonathan Irons, Maya Moore Irons, Bryan Stevenson - foreword, and others
- Narrated by: Jonathan Irons, Maya Moore Irons
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Just Mercy, an inspirational memoir by WNBA star Maya Moore Irons and her husband, Jonathan Irons, who she helped free from a wrongful conviction.
-
-
The loyalty and love they had for each other. Their unwavering faith in God
- By Sharanda Hill on 04-11-25
By: Jonathan Irons, and others
-
The Woman in Me
- By: Britney Spears
- Narrated by: Michelle Williams, Britney Spears - introduction
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
-
-
Lack of transparency
- By Lori K on 10-31-23
By: Britney Spears
-
Worthy
- By: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Narrated by: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jada Pinkett Smith was living what many would view as a fairy-tale of Hollywood success. But appearances can be deceiving, and as she felt more and more separated from her sense of self, emotional turmoil took hold. Sparing no detail, Worthy chronicles her life.
-
-
Budda
- By Tamiko on 10-18-23
-
Counting the Cost
- By: Jill Duggar, Derick Dillard - contributor, Craig Borlase - contributor
- Narrated by: Jill Duggar
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jill and Derick knew a normal life wasn’t possible for them. As a star on the popular TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, Jill grew up in front of viewers who were fascinated by her family’s way of life. She was the responsible, second daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle’s nineteen kids; always with a baby on her hip and happy to wear the modest ankle-length dresses with throat-high necklines.
-
-
A Naive Account from a Reality TV Personality
- By Lora Kyle on 09-12-23
By: Jill Duggar, and others
-
A Knock at Midnight
- A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom
- By: Brittany K. Barnett
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brittany K. Barnett was only a law student when she came across the case that would change her life forever - that of Sharanda Jones, single mother, business owner, and, like Brittany, Black daughter of the rural South. A victim of America’s devastating war on drugs, Sharanda had been torn away from her young daughter and was serving a life sentence without parole - for a first-time drug offense.
-
-
Riveting Listen, Inspiring, Change Your Mind
- By elena on 11-18-20
-
In Pursuit of Love
- One Woman’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant
- By: Rebecca Bender
- Narrated by: Rebecca Bender
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born and raised in a small Oregon town, all-American girl Rebecca Bender was a varsity athlete and honor-roll student with a promising future. Then a predator pretending to be her boyfriend lured her into a web of lies that sent her down a path she never imagined possible. For nearly six years, Rebecca was sold across the underground world of sex trafficking in Las Vegas. She was branded, beaten, told when to sleep and what to wear, and traded between traffickers. During that time, God began revealing himself to her.
-
-
INSULTING to ACTUAL Human Trafficking Victims
- By Goodstone79 on 08-04-20
By: Rebecca Bender
-
Love and Justice
- By: Jonathan Irons, Maya Moore Irons, Bryan Stevenson - foreword, and others
- Narrated by: Jonathan Irons, Maya Moore Irons
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Just Mercy, an inspirational memoir by WNBA star Maya Moore Irons and her husband, Jonathan Irons, who she helped free from a wrongful conviction.
-
-
The loyalty and love they had for each other. Their unwavering faith in God
- By Sharanda Hill on 04-11-25
By: Jonathan Irons, and others
-
After Life
- My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom
- By: Alice Marie Johnson
- Narrated by: Machelle Williams
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The true-life story of the woman whose life sentence for nonviolent drug trafficking was commuted by President Donald Trump thanks to the efforts of Kim Kardashian West - an inspiring memoir of faith, hope, mercy, and gratitude.
-
-
Uplifting
- By CB on 05-24-19
-
Finding Me
- A Memoir
- By: Viola Davis
- Narrated by: Viola Davis
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever. This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.
-
-
Absolutely beautifully Written❤️
- By Love bug23 on 05-02-22
By: Viola Davis
-
Spare
- By: Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex
- Narrated by: Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex
- Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.
-
-
Gutterball!
- By Jimmyjoejangles on 01-10-23
-
The Light We Carry
- Overcoming in Uncertain Times
- By: Michelle Obama
- Narrated by: Michelle Obama
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with listeners, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?
-
-
Very Disappointing—Too Ego-filled
- By Patricia Webb on 11-29-22
By: Michelle Obama
-
What Set Me Free
- (The Story That Inspired the Major Motion Picture Brian Banks)
- By: Brian Banks
- Narrated by: Brian Banks
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At age sixteen, Brian Banks was a nationally recruited All-American Football player, ranked eleventh in the nation as a linebacker. Before his 17th birthday, he was in jail, awaiting trial for a heinous crime he did not commit. Discover the unforgettable and inspiring true story of a young man who was wrongfully convicted as a teenager and imprisoned for more than five years, only to emerge with his spirit unbroken and determined to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL.
-
-
Amazing story telling
- By Mike L. on 08-01-19
By: Brian Banks
-
The Sun Does Shine
- By: Anthony Ray Hinton, Lara Love Hardin, Bryan Stevenson - foreword
- Narrated by: Bryan Stevenson - foreword, Kevin R. Free
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Stunned, confused, and only 29 years old, Hinton knew that it was a case of mistaken identity and believed that the truth would prove his innocence and ultimately set him free. But with an incompetent defense attorney and a different system of justice for a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution. He spent his first three years on Death Row at Holman State Prison in despairing silence.
-
-
DOWN WITH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT!!!
- By MUDDBONE on 04-29-18
By: Anthony Ray Hinton, and others
-
My Story
- By: Elizabeth Smart, Chris Stewart
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Smart
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic, Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. She was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life.
-
-
Defining Strength, Faith, and Inspiration
- By Mel on 10-08-13
By: Elizabeth Smart, and others
-
Know My Name
- A Memoir
- By: Chanel Miller
- Narrated by: Chanel Miller
- Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
She was known to the world as Emily Doe when she stunned millions with a letter. Brock Turner had been sentenced to just six months in county jail after he was found sexually assaulting her on Stanford's campus. Her victim impact statement was posted on BuzzFeed, where it instantly went viral. Now, she reclaims her identity to tell her story of trauma, transcendence, and the power of words.
-
-
Just, thank you.
- By Alysha DeShaé on 09-25-19
By: Chanel Miller
-
High Achiever
- The Incredible True Story of One Addict's Double Life
- By: Tiffany Jenkins
- Narrated by: Tiffany Jenkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With heart-racing urgency and unflinching honesty, Jenkins takes you inside the grips of addiction and the desperate decisions it breeds. She is a born storyteller who lived an incredible story, from blackmail by an ex-boyfriend to a soul-shattering deal with a drug dealer, and her telling brims with suspense and unexpected wit. But the true surprise is her path to recovery. Tiffany breaks through the stigma and silence to offer hope and inspiration to anyone battling the disease - whether it’s a loved one or themselves.
-
-
I Get it, You Were an Addict
- By Jim Thompson on 10-16-19
By: Tiffany Jenkins
-
I Cried to Dream Again
- Trafficking, Murder, and Deliverance - A Memoir
- By: Sara Kruzan, Cori Thomas
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is perhaps no crime more disturbing than the abuse of a child—and no court cases as upsetting as those in which juveniles who have faced abuse are tried for fighting back. In this gripping memoir Sara Kruzan, a survivor of childhood abuse and sex trafficking, tells the honest, disturbing, and ultimately empowering story of her journey from abuse to incarceration without parole for killing her abuser to finally gaining her liberation.
-
-
A True Warrior
- By Thixso on 02-27-24
By: Sara Kruzan, and others
-
Unbound
- My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement
- By: Tarana Burke
- Narrated by: Tarana Burke
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the founder and activist behind one of the largest movements of the 20th and 21st centuries, the "me too" movement, Tarana Burke debuts a powerful memoir about her own journey to saying those two simple yet infinitely powerful words - me too - and how she brought empathy back to an entire generation in one of the largest cultural events in American history.
-
-
Resilient
- By Sharna Che on 09-14-21
By: Tarana Burke
-
Tears of the Silenced
- An Amish True Crime Memoir of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Brutal Betrayal, and Ultimate Survival
- By: Misty Griffin
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Misty was six years old, her family started to live and dress like the Amish. Misty and her sister were kept as slaves on a mountain ranch where they were subjected to almost complete isolation, sexual abuse, and extreme physical violence. When Misty reached her teens, her parents feared she and her sister would escape and took them to an Amish community where they were adopted and became baptized members. Misty was devastated to once again find herself in a world of fear, animal cruelty, and sexual abuse.
-
-
Author is definitely dedicated
- By Felisa Kay on 09-15-20
By: Misty Griffin
What listeners say about Free Cyntoia
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Justicepirate
- 11-22-19
Excellent!!!
Cyntoia Brown-Long gives her account of her life and how she was trafficked for sex but had no idea what she had been put through truly until after she was already sentenced to life in prison after killing a man who sought out to abuse her when she was 16 years old. She had been called a "teen prostitute" instead of a trafficking victim. She tells about her time in prison, how she worked hard to get a degree, found Jesus, found love, and was given freedom! What a captivating story and amazing journey! I am glad that her book came out so quickly too after her freedom, so I could learn more about her life. It is crazy to think how many petitions were signed for this to happen, and she totally deserved it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cherie D. Lindsay
- 11-23-19
Amazing!
In my professional life I work with justice-involved individuals so Mrs. Brown-Long story is all too familiar to me. This was such a good read and story of my two favorite things that God grants us Grace and Mercy.
Although it was a serious story it still had moments of humor which I enjoyed. Again, really good story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nicole Blackwell
- 01-26-20
What a Beautiful Testimony!
This book is outstanding! From the very first chapter, I was hooked. Such a courageous and honest portrayal of the events that have shaped this young woman’s life... from tragedy to triumph, and the realization that God is always with us, no matter how bleak our circumstances may seem. And the unexpected love story was icing on the top of the cake! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Cyntoia Brown’s story, but also any woman who had made a mistake that she thought would define her. 5 stars all the way around!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- NITAdaCOCO
- 07-22-20
An Example of God's Power, His Grace & Mercy
This book has certainly blessed my soul. Although pur stories are different, they are also quit similar. Thanks be to our Father and Savior Jesus Christ for using Cyntoia as an an example to show that He's still in the business of miracles, rehabilitation, compassion, mercy and love. In this book, you'll discover how evil can plague you long before you're birthed into this world. However, through the works of God you'll also understand that nothing comes to pass without the permission of God. All of which happened to Cyntoia needed to happen, not just for her sake, but for each one of us whom have followed her story and read this book. I believe this book has given me the inspiration that I need to do what I need to do in order to bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 05-31-20
What an incredible testimony
I throughly enjoyed this book. It was refreshing to hear about miracles, forgiveness and redemption in modern time. I had a hard time containing my emotions, from anger and sadness to joy relief. Thank you for sharing your story and continued advocacy.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Craig
- 05-31-20
Free Cyntoia
Such an interesting, inspiring, beautiful work. This is the best listen I’ve heard so far in 2020. There is so much more work to be done with the American prison system.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 05-14-20
Inspiring and Interesting
I cannot believe how much this book resonated with me. I love this book so much, it is one of the best I have ever listened to. There was nothing that I did not like about the book.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants real raw fiction. It is inspiring, deep, meaningful, and heartfelt. I shared this book with my spouse so she will read this book soon on Audible.
I chose this rating because this book touched my heart. What a great ending! I am happy you are home!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tanya Thomas
- 06-01-20
What an Inspiration you are Cyntoia Brown-Long.
God Bless&Keep you Cyntoia. I pray your continued Strength in the Lord. I also pray for God to; continue to use you for His Kingdom. Your book, has truly been an inspiration to me. I've learned that Through prayer, all things are possible. I'll prayer for myself, and for God to release me from the prisoners I find my own self in. GOD BLESS YOU....
Always TANYA
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- JULIE TAYLOR
- 01-21-20
Free’d
Finally the truth is out, you were jailed to learn only what God would have you to learn and free when God would set you free. Well said. Good read. I understand and I except.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tarik Wilkins
- 04-11-20
The story I didn't think I needed to hear.
This is the story I needed to hear at this point, in this moment. I'm just now listening to it after buying it 4 months ago. I finished it in 2 days, mainly because I have ALOT of free time. But with everything woman went through yet I feel suicide or living a mediocre life is ok?? This is a reminder that your best days aren't behind me and that I can overcome my obstacles.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!