Vanessa Johansson adds a youthful, energetic tone to this backstage melodrama. Dance moms and close friends Ever, Josie, and Lindsay-- who are the mothers of Bea, Savvy, and Olive--deal with critical personal issues, but each is always ready to do whatever's necessary to advance her ballet-dancing daughter. Johansson believably handles the heated competition to win choice roles among the girls, the duplicitous manipulations of the mothers, and the desperation associated with a coveted scholarship to the Ballet de Paris Académie. As friendships disintegrate, well-hidden and devastating secrets emerge. While Johansson's French pronunciation is uneven, she is spot-on at capturing the nuanced motives and double-dealings that resonate throughout the story. While these aren't likable characters, an able narration offers keen insights into the ballet world.
Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2024
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798765077429
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Three strong women fight for every voice to be heard.
Fein’s novel, inspired by the encrypted Voynich Manuscript, introduces three women and a 400-year struggle to free women’s voices and fight censorship. Emma Feeney narrates as Lysbette, a young orphan in the 1520s. Feeney’s voice grows in power as Lysbette slowly gains confidence in her value, writes her story as myth, and struggles to ensure it outlives her. Ell Potter is the confident, feisty Charlotte, owner of a printshop dedicated to fighting censorship in 1550s Paris. When Lysbette enters her shop, Charlotte faces her biggest challenge. Fast-forward to 1952. Fiona Hardingham gives Milly a frustrated yet insistent voice as Lysbette’s manuscript gives her a new mission, using skills sharpened as a codebreaker in wartime England.
Three strong women fight for every voice to be heard.
Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063411449
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: today
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
A resonant listening experience rich with biting social commentary.
Narrator Katharine Chin elevates this contemporary coming-of-age story featuring four Asian American friends. Diana, Justin, Errol, and Vivian all attended great schools and earned good grades, but in the aftermath of graduating into the Great Recession of 2008, they find themselves unemployed and living at home. Grace, a former classmate, makes a YouTube video about the group and their failure to meet expectations called “Bad Asians.” The video goes viral, upending their lives in the early days of the internet. Chin brings each character distinctly to life through subtle tonal shifts. Her reflective tone conveys the story’s thought-provoking exploration of identity, cultural expectations, and the meaning of success.
A resonant listening experience rich with biting social commentary.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250433244
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
