A stellar trio of narrators delivers the alternating viewpoints in this superb contemporary debut by YA fantasy author Sabaa Tahir. Abuse, alcohol consumption, and drug use are major parts of this story, along with grief and loss. Narrator Kamran R. Khan portrays 18-year-old Salahudin, whose vulnerability and poet’s soul shine as he tries to handle his father’s drinking and debts and his own tangled relationship with his best friend, Noor. Kausar Mohammed portrays 18-year-old Noor. At 6, Noor lost her family and almost lost her life in an earthquake. She was rescued by an uncle who is exacting a terrible price. Narrator Deepti Gupta’s deep voice expresses the mature personality of Misbah, Salahudin’s mother. As the story shifts in time, listeners hear her perspectives as a young adult and as a mature woman who is caring for her son and adoptive daughter.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593502228
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Elements of art, neurodivergence, historical fiction, fantasy, love, loss, and grief blend into a compelling audiobook.
Narrator Kira Fixx contemplatively presents the thoughtful inner monologues of autistic, art-loving 18-year-old Nora. As she arrives in France with her mother’s ashes and a plan to carry them to a beloved location, Nora reflects on years of her mother’s counsel about how to respond to the world by masking her natural behaviors. When she escapes an attack and ends up going through a portal that transports her to 1946, she finally learns to express her authentic self. At Saint-Alban, an asylum, Nora finds acceptance and enlightening perspectives about how her mother’s fears have limited her life.
Elements of art, neurodivergence, historical fiction, fantasy, love, loss, and grief blend into a compelling audiobook. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063471689
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
Mirai’s bright, youthful voice perfectly suits this coming-of-age story.
Narrator Mirai’s performance shows impressive nuance and range. After graduation, Finley feels secure with boyfriend Colin but resents spending a week apart while visiting her mother’s estranged family. Her distant, awkward relationship with Cat, her mom, emerges in halting arguments and uneasy pauses. At Aunt Liz’s diner, Finley meets new friends as her bond with Colin falters. She also meets cute and thoughtful Ben, a charmingly awkward guitarist. Learning why Cat left town—and why she’s back—pushes Finley toward resilience, self-discovery, and a deeper understanding of both found and biological family. Mirai shifts from soft, dreamy confidence in Finley’s happiest moments to raucous sobs when bad news lands, vividly tracing the teen’s emotional arc.
Mirai’s bright, youthful voice perfectly suits this coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668174463
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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