WHAT SHE MISSED

Narrator Shayna Small's performance captures the various emotions in this realistic teen story. Small is perfect as petulant teen Ebony, who loses her home in the city and moves to the lake cottage that used to belong to her grandmother. As she struggles with finding her identity and where she fits in with her new peers, the vulnerable tone of Small's voice is heartbreaking. Between those sections of the story, Small's cadence soars for the brief lyrical interludes when she recounts details that Ebony missed at crucial moments. It is often hard to hear about the mistakes Ebony makes and their emotional consequences, but the fresh bursts of sweet romance and the support of her friends and family balance the harsh elements. S.T.C. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]