Sarah Coomes’s narration keeps listeners squarely in the point of view of shy 16-year-old Jude, who wants to respond to the urgings of her rebellious friend, Stella—yet doesn’t quite dare to. Coomes’s reading carries nuances that will alert discerning listeners to the many facets of Jude’s character. They’ll observe Jude’s alternating envy and fear of her saucy friend. And they’ll wonder who exactly Stella is—a real cigarette-toting, vodka-swilling role model or the personification of Jude’s desire to break out of her life in a stifling English town and become an actress, as her mother once was? Coomes dramatizes the torment of being caught between the drive to discover oneself and the desire to protect oneself from taking risks.
Young AdultPub Date: Feb. 22, 2011
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781455800568
Publisher: Brilliance Audio/ Candlewick
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: March 25, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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