Narrator Stacy Gonzalez brings Emelia to life as the Latinx teen balances her straight As and star athletics with her secret passion for gaming. Speaking in the first-person, Gonzalez is funny, emotional, and confident as Emelia claims her place in the male-dominated gaming world. Gonzalez uses an appropriate Puerto Rican accent for Emelia's helicopter mom, who manages every aspect of her daughter's academic life to ensure the best college placement. Narrator Aaron Landon has a tougher challenge bringing Jake's voice to life--his story is told through his texts to his gaming team. There is little opportunity to inject life, humor, or emotion into these conversations. Excessive use of Gen Z slang dates the story, and some listeners may find the abundance of four-letter words off-putting.
(Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2021
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A powerful journey toward authenticity.
Shannon Tyo’s narration fully embodies the prideful spirit of Elena Ok, a 17-year-old Korean American influencer who lives in luxury thanks to her brand and her family’s clothing business. But when the Oks lose everything, the family moves to a remote farm town and into a rundown house with no Wi-Fi or furniture. Tyo perfectly captures Elena’s misery; she’s undone not just by the lack of reception but also the feeling that she’s being left out of her family’s efforts to unite and move forward. Listeners understand Elena’s pain and feelings of loss through dialogue that sparks with sarcasm. Tyo marks Elena’s gradual understanding that true connection is with family and community, not the empty superficiality that dominated her past.
A powerful journey toward authenticity. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280834
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2026
A voice that turns verse into lived experience, lingering long after the final line.
Author Sawyerr delivers a raw, intimate performance that captures a teenager’s guarded bravado and quiet vulnerability. She inhabits Truth with striking authenticity, balancing sharp, rhythmic slam poetry with softer, uncertain inner reflections. Sawyerr’s vocal shifts—sounding sometimes defiant, sometimes aching—give dimension to a young woman navigating family tension, fractured friendships, and an unplanned pregnancy. The format, free verse mixed with journal entries, poetry prompts, and text messages, feels especially suited to audio, allowing Sawyerr’s cadence and timing to heighten emotional impact. Refreshingly, the story moves quickly beyond Truth’s decision to have an abortion, captivating listeners with an honest, immediate portrait of her evolving sense of self.
A voice that turns verse into lived experience, lingering long after the final line.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Duration: N/A
DD ISBN: 9798899744747
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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