YERBA BUENA

Julia Whelan’s quiet, graceful narration is the perfect match for Nina LaCour’s flowing prose in this stunning, layered story about two queer women who are slowly finding their way to each other—and themselves. After her girlfriend’s sudden death, 16-year-old Sara leaves her hometown on the Russian River, looking for a new start in L.A. At the same time, L.A. native Emilie is struggling to find her path in life amid family drama and messy relationships. A dramatic narration would overpower the subtlety of this quiet yet powerful novel. Whelan’s light touch highlights its emotional complexity without drawing attention from LaCour’s immersive prose. Full of sensory details, vivid characters, and moment after moment of gorgeously rendered ordinary life, this audiobook is a queer must-listen. L.S. 2023 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2022]