Gilli Messer delivers a tender, emotional performance of a family in grief in this contemporary novel. When vibrant and funny Annie Brown suddenly dies, her young family struggles to adapt to life without her. Messer's pleasant, expressive voice lends itself well to the Brown family, as well as their friends, and neighbors; she portrays children, adults, and the elderly with equal success. In the Brown household, teenage Ali attempts to keep everything running while her brothers are angry and confused and widower Bill is shattered by grief. Annie's best friend, Annemarie, finds herself at a loss as to how to interact with the Browns and relapses into pill addiction. Quindlen's story of the complexities of grief is beautifully rendered by Messer's sympathetic narration.
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593824030
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Berg narrates her tale of friendship with candor and wit, creating a touching portrait of one woman’s memorable view...
Author/narrator Berg delves into the life of 92-year-old Florence "Flo" Greene. Flo has been given weeks to live and writes a letter to her dearest friend and heir, Ruthie, explaining what Ruthie will find in the house when she inherits it. In this epistolary novel, Berg allows Flo to ponder the meaning of life, love, friendship, and belief. Berg’s slight accent for Flo gives the novel a folksy touch, distinguishing Flo from her new friend Theresa, who happens to be a death doula. As the two women become fast friends, Flo’s reflections grow more intimate and personal.
Berg narrates her tale of friendship with candor and wit, creating a touching portrait of one woman’s memorable view of life.Pub Date: yesterday
Duration: 5 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593677643
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
Whelan is a genius when it comes to tone, pitch, and delivery.
Julia Whelan’s deliberate and alluring voice places the listener smack in the middle of Serle's magical novel of the Novak women and the "do-over" gift each receives just once in their lifetime. Third-generation Lauren revisits her childhood home of Malibu Beach after her husband, Leo, decides to take a new job and rent out their New York apartment for months. As Lauren spends more time with her family and is reacquainted with her first love, Stone, she takes the summer to contemplate the serious question: "What if I chose this life event to reverse instead of that one?"
Whelan is a genius when it comes to tone, pitch, and delivery.Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 50 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668103005
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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