The author's granddaughter narrates her introduction, in which she shares the special meaning that the semiautobiographical series The Austin Family Chronicles has for her and her family. Jorjeana Marie then takes over to narrate this fourth book in the series, featuring Vicky Austin's coming of age as she spends one last summer with her grandfather before he dies. Marie gives graceful poise to the contemplative and mature Vicky, who grapples with the reality of death while also dealing with the attention of three boys. The arrogant, flip tone of the troubled rich boy, Zachary, contrasts with the guileless tone of Vicky's old friend, Leo, and the intensity of the college boy, Adam. Marie's slow, relaxed narration perfectly matches the pace of life on the quiet New England island and emphasizes the comfortable stability of the Austin family.
Young AdultPub Date: Feb. 19, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593103142
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Muñoz’s narration allows glints of humor and family love to balance the horrors of trauma.
Narrator Javier Muñoz’s voice is light, almost giddy, as he describes the loving, joyful, book-filled family life of 17-year-old Mexican American twins Emma and CheChe. The story is told from the perspective of CheChe, who relishes his good life. After CheChe’s El Paso high school is attacked and he is shot and loses a leg, Muñoz’s narration changes dramatically. Sounding slower, subdued, and saddened, CheChe tries to comprehend the shattering of his idyllic life. Listeners will be struck by the sweetness of CheChe’s developing relationship with Placido, his first boyfriend, and the evolution of his path to healing.
Muñoz’s narration allows glints of humor and family love to balance the horrors of trauma. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 56 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668185834
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2026
Eloquent and hauntingly spare.
Freeman performs her novel in verse with a sensitivity to lines and rhythms, carefully conveying the immense spectrum of feelings in this poignant audiobook. The unnamed narrator, in her junior year of high school, is counting the days until she can escape a fragmented family where she feels invisible. The concise writing accentuates the rapid-fire drama as her parents take her allocated tuition funds to support her brother in rehab. Freeman expresses the desperation and despair that drive the heroine to apply for and receive a scholarship to study in Norway, even though she knows none of the country’s culture or language. Freeman describes a caring Norwegian family, a first love, and the places and people that help the protagonist discover true belonging.
Eloquent and hauntingly spare. (Verse fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 33 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668184332
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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