Jersey Angel

It’s the summer before her senior year and 17-year-old Angel—who lives on a New Jersey resort island—finds herself contemplating life, comparing herself to her overachieving and beautiful best friend, trying to win back her ex-boyfriend, hooking up with other boys, and learning to keep secrets. In this audio edition, Jaclyn Gaines forgoes a strong New Jersey accent—except in the dialogue of a minor character or two—and turns in fun, engaging performance. She lends Angel a youthful voice that’s perfect for the teenage girl. At times, Gaines could do more to distinguish between the book’s other characters—some of the voices she creates are indistinguishable during dialogue. Still, Gaines’s narration has momentum, and listeners will surely stick around until the end, wondering what the future holds for Angel. Ages 14–up. A Wendy Lamb hardcover. (May)