by Scott Lasser ; read by Mel Foster & Tanya Eby ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 9, 2009
When Kyle is killed on 9/11, his sister and ailing father are left reeling. In the year that follows, single mother Cat (the sister) searches for Kyle's orphaned child, and Sam (the father) struggles to reach out to his daughter, as she will soon lose him as well. The chapters in this book are alternately narrated by Mel Foster and Tanya Eby, and the tag-team approach adds interest to this slow-paced story. While Foster's diction is good, it’s occasionally difficult to distinguish his narrative from his characters' dialogue. Eby is more expressive in her delivery, and she provides Cat with a quiet intensity that is fully believable. The result is a pleasant, if not always gripping, audio experience.
Pub Date: June 9, 2009
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Jaclyn Moriarty ; read by Kellie Jones & Mitchell Bourke ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 4, 2026
Jones and Bourke provide fizz and joy, plus charming Australian accents, to bump up this fun world a notch.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
The past cannot be changed, but what if you could travel to the past to view an event in your own history, or to attend a historical event? This is the premise Moriarty creates with a Time Travel Agency in Sydney, Australia. Kellie Jones ably performs chapters featuring Anna and Jade—both single mothers of teenage daughters. Jones expresses the joy Anna takes in literature and her uncertainty in her parenting abilities as well as Jade’s grief at the loss of her sister and disbelief that her daughter might be a bully. Mitchell Bourke’s excellent performance conveys Teddy’s confusion regarding the breakup of his marriage and his visits to the past for an explanation. A particular highlight is Bourke’s narration of the hilarious and heartwarming texts between Teddy and his friends.
Jones and Bourke provide fizz and joy, plus charming Australian accents, to bump up this fun world a notch.Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 37 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217297948
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
by Thao Thai ; read by Quyen Ngo ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 4, 2026
An atmospheric, slow-burning story elevated by stunning prose and exceptional narration.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
Narrator Quyen Ngo immerses listeners in this moving, literary family saga. Using distinct voices, Ngo emotively portrays Calla and Vivi, two estranged Vietnamese American sisters leading very different lives. Calla is a free-spirited artist, while Vivi, the story’s narrator, is an art conservator preparing an exhibit in Chicago about a surrealist Vietnamese French artist. When Calla discovers a sketch resembling one of the surrealist’s famous paintings, the sisters embark on a search that spans Chicago, France, and Vietnam, seeking to uncover the artist’s connection to their late father. As the mystery unfolds, Ngo excels in her fluid pronunciations and compelling characterizations of the sisters and their fraught family dynamics.
An atmospheric, slow-burning story elevated by stunning prose and exceptional narration.Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 54 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063381629
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.