THIS WINTER

Jenny Walser, Joe Jameson, and Aaron Barashi convincingly portray the perspectives of siblings Tori, Charlie, and Oliver in this sweet novella set in the HEARTSTOPPER universe. What begins as a cozy Christmas morning turns fraught. Tori wants to support Charlie, who was recently hospitalized for an eating disorder, but finds it hard to connect. When extended family arrives for Christmas dinner, Charlie argues with his mom and escapes to his boyfriend's house. Walser expresses Tori's empathy and worry, and while Jameson has the unenviable task of narrating text message exchanges between Charlie and boyfriend Nick, he nails Charlie's personality and complicated feelings. As Oliver, Barashi sounds exactly like a 7-year-old who just wants to spend the holiday with his brother and sister and play with his new toys. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]