Every Exquisite Thing

In this coming-of-age story, teenager Nanette O’Hare is transformed from conformist to rebel when she reads an out-of-print novel that stresses personal authenticity. With some of her subsequent choices—falling in love with a troubled fellow fan of the book, quitting sports, and refusing to feign interest in her peers’ shallow preoccupations—she discovers the joy of genuine freedom but also the difficult lesson that “you must sometimes pay a high price for individuality.” Johansson is an experienced narrator and voice actress who has performed dozens of audio books, including murder mysteries, middle-grade fiction, and romance. Many of the characters speak with a New Jersey accent, which Johansson nails, adding flavor to the story without sounding caricaturist. Her performance doesn’t shy away from the raw emotions of first love and loss, but it stays in keeping with Nanette’s generally circumspect and level emotional keel: this is a girl who holds things tightly to the chest. Johansson’s narration makes this an engaging and thoughtful listen. Ages 15–up. A Little, Brown hardcover. (May)