John Green is fast becoming a standout in the sea of young adult publishing. As he often does, he comes at this story with a bleak, edgy view of teenage life, balanced with a wry sense of humor. Happily, his novel has been paired with an inspired choice of narrator. Dan John Miller delivers a performance that rings with authenticity as he captures the sarcasm, frustration, and longing of a teenage boy in a tone perfectly suited to the material. The story revisits the ever-popular topic of a boy's fascination with a beautiful, free-spirited girl. Quentin, the first-person narrator, follows the clues left behind when the girl he's loved from afar since childhood disappears, after spending her last night in town bringing him along on her latest adventure. D.G. 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
(Mystery. 13 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2008
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Desean Terry delivers a touching performance of this reimagining of "The Great Gatsby," in which the protagonists are gay Black prep school students. Aspiring journalist Nick Carrington leaves Oklahoma to begin school at Harlem's West Egg Academy. Out of his element, Nick keeps his gay identity a closely held secret, but love interest Jay Gatsby Jr.--the academy founder's son--openly embraces his own gay identity. As they write letters to each other, each more daring and affectionate than the last, they receive threats that their budding relationship will be exposed in the school newspaper. Terry clearly presents every piece of dialogue that warrants an emotional charge and adds subtle suspense to his straightforward tone when needed. Terry's narration is always on the money.
(Historical fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063312517
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An exceptional and authentic listening experience.
Three narrators—the author and his real-life wife and brother—each tell this heartfelt and witty story with their own approach. Carter is stuck in a loop. Every year on his birthday, he turns 16 again and forgets the previous year, while everyone else, including his younger brother, Lincoln, ages normally. But loop six seems different, and Carter, supported by his family and former girlfriend, Maggie, will do anything to end the cycle. As the three narrators introduce each character’s perspective and deliver their experiences with emotional depth, the dynamic between Carter, Lincoln, and Maggie sounds natural and complex.
An exceptional and authentic listening experience.Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063330405
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2026
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