Xe Sands pulls listeners into this thought-provoking story about family, grief, aging, and connection. Rachel Calloway, a divorced, childless, 50-something environmental journalist from Washington, DC, returns home to Maine following her mother's death. With vivid descriptions and well-developed characters, listeners find themselves witnesses to Rachel's journey as she revisits her complicated past with her abusive mother, deals with her tenuous home and work situations, and navigates her complicated relationship with her sister, Celeste. For an audiobook that is equal parts heartbreaking, engaging, and unexpectedly funny, Sands matches all of the emotions. Christensen's novel will resonate with anyone who is struggling to determine their place in the world and to answer the question of whether we can ever truly go home.
Pub Date: 2023
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063299733
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrated by an ensemble cast, this audiobook explores the lives, successes, failures, and frailties of a half-dozen friends from the early 2000s to 2024. The novel's narrators are all talented and capture the millennial characters' struggles well. Jill Paice performs Mia, a writer who is the only single person in the group, with fine tempo and pacing while conveying her angsty tone. Santino Fontana is equally impressive as the brilliant Marco, and Christian Barillas nails the complex alcoholic Richie. The stories unfold during a series of parties, events, and celebrations (New Year's, wedding, birthday, Halloween, funeral) that reveal the characters' issues and relationships over their two decades since graduating from Penn. A meaningful look at millennial lifestyles and a worthwhile listen.
Pub Date: 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797194356
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Deepa Samuel's narration brings steadiness and emotional clarity to this story of the longstanding friendship between Ruchi and Deepa, who are shaped by class, migration, and unspoken longing. Samuel softly portrays the girls' intimate friendship during their Indian school days. Samuel's voice gradually deepens as the narrative moves into adulthood and the pressures of marriage, motherhood, and resettlement in suburban Connecticut. Samuel's pacing allows the evolving tension between the women to surface naturally, especially as jealousy, obligation, and affection collide across decades. Subtle tonal adjustments distinguish private interior moments from scenes of family and community life. Samuel's attentive performance supports the novel's exploration of devotion, distance, consequence, and friendship.
Pub Date: 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781639737871
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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