Narrator Ashley J. Hobbs brings vibrancy to this audiobook about the family you build with the people who know you best. Raised by her grandfather, Aaliyah craves a connection with her real parents, who left her as a toddler. When she secretly contacts her mother on Facebook, it sets off a string of events. Hobbs voices Aaliyah as a whip-smart but emotionally fragile young woman who struggles with anxiety and low self-esteem. Hobbs's narration captures Aaliyah's brutal inner monologues on why she feels unworthy of love, as well as her growing awareness of how much her grandfather, cousin, and friends truly care about her. Grandpa Joe is a cantankerous delight, and Hobbs attacks his every cranky turn of phrase with relish.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217157457
Publisher: Listening Library
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. (Verse fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798899744747
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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