Joshua Swanson recounts the story of a troubled vet, Boaz, recently returned from the Middle East, and his conflicted younger brother, Levi. “Boaz went in the military as a man and came back a ghost,” claims Levi, who is so determined to bust through his brother’s monosyllabic shell that he stalks him on a long trek from Baltimore to Washington, DC. The plans works eventually; conversation evolves, and so does Levi’s understanding of war and kin. Swanson has the tempo and temperament of the brothers down pat. The boys’ Israeli father and grandfather give Swanson a chance to demonstrate his Hebrew accent as they try to reach Boaz. Swanson’s narration of Levi’s colorful friendships and first romance is delivered as a counterpoint to the traumas of war.
Young AdultPub Date: Sept. 14, 2010
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307738356
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Vikas Adam and Soneela Nankani animate alternate chapters of the dynamic love story between Pinky and Samir in this companion to WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI. Coincidence unites the two teens when Samir's promised internship falls through and Pinky invites him to become her pretend summer boyfriend because he meets her mother's expectations. This fast-paced rom-com pairs two unlikely heroes, and the narrators capture the reversals and tensions of their growing relationship. Nankani shows Pinky's prickly side while also revealing her hidden vulnerabilities. Adam communicates Samir's loosening up in response to Pinky's passionate approach to living, his willingness to let go of anger, and, finally, his flourishing love for Pinky. Head and heart, tension and humor are reflected in this engaging listen.
(Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: July 21, 2020
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797108759
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Finn, the epileptic son of a famous sci-fi writer, lives on the site of the catastrophic Mulholland Dam failure. Narrator Kirby Heyborne’s measured, carefully enunciated narration reflects the contemplative nature of this 17-year-old, who measures time in the distance the Earth travels: 20 miles per second. Finn is reserved, but his loyal friend for billions of miles has been the foul-mouthed, funny Cade Hernandez. Heyborne captures their mirror-like personalities as they banter. Finn’s life is remarkably similar to that of his alien, epileptic namesake in his father’s famous book, and he feels trapped by the book’s story. When he falls in love with Julia, whom Heyborne imbues with a sweet mysteriousness, Finn tests the boundaries of his sheltered life in the shadow of many sorrows.
(Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: June 23, 2015
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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