This first-person account of Jonny Valentine, a young pop star reminiscent of Justin Bieber, is warm, smart, charming, and, best of all, believable. Narrator Kirby Heyborne handles the story’s many characters with distinction. His portrayal of Jonny makes listeners feel like they're at his side throughout the concert tour. Jonny is wise beyond his 11 years and honest when he messes up or observes his mom looking "old and tired." Heyborne's voice softens when Jonny reads from his mother's computer as she sleeps and expresses exuberance when he plays a childhood tickle game. He also strikes the right tone when Jonny shares industry information or reads concert reviews. Audio is the perfect vehicle for this story. Listeners of all ages will enjoy this glimpse into a life most of us can only imagine.
Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2013
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781470885274
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This audiobook is initially daunting. Sixteen hours long and constructed of subtle—at times, even confusing—shifts in point of view, it may feel overwhelming in the first hour. But sticking with George Newbern’s narration and Gilbert’s prose yields great rewards. Newbern’s performance is funny, thoughtful, heartrending, and utterly engrossing. When the famous, now aging, author A.N. Dyer calls his distant sons to his side, Newbern is provided ample characters to animate, and he does so with perfect pacing and what seems like an innate understanding of the novel. He creates a rhythm that makes the changing perspectives easy to follow and Gilbert’s details accessible. & SONS is a perfect example of how a skilled narrator can make a good book even better.
Pub Date: July 23, 2013
Duration: 16 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780385359566
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Following multiple lives over six decades, this is a story of cultural shifts, the effects of racial prejudice, and family secrets. Joy Osmanski's narration is engaged and easy to listen to. There are times when her narration is uneven and character accents are inconsistent, but she moves the story along at an excellent pace. Will Damron capably narrates a few descriptive paragraphs at the beginning to set the scene. During the '50s, as bombs are explode in Nevada's deserts to entertain Las Vegas tourists, four sets of characters experience the destruction caused by prejudice and social upheaval in their lives. The author skillfully integrates the lives of vivid and realistic characters, bringing them to a satisfying and surprising denouement in the final chapters.
Pub Date: May 2, 2017
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508234715
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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