Caroline Gertler

I received this voice-synthesized audiobook ARC, of Where You've Got to Be by Caroline Gertler, through Net Galley from Harper Audio, in exchange for a truthful review.

New Yorker Nolie (real name Magnolia, a name she does NOT prefer) is having a hard time with unexpected transitions starting the summer before 6th grade. Her summer plans don't go as planned, her best friend begins to change, her older sister is aloof and consumed with dance passions.

Nolie starts acting out in ways not typical for her. The novel is mostly an internal dialog on how she justifies her actions and tries to work through resolutions to her problems. I felt for Nolie, as she experiences "mean middle school girls" behavior. Nolie's family is Jewish and some insensitivities regarding her religion are experienced as well. I think middle grade students would empathize with Nolie and the problems she faces.

This was my first synthesized voice audiobook. I was both pleasantly surprised by how lifelike the synthesized voice was in its intonations while also perturbed when it did occasionally make an intonation/emotion mistake, reminding me that it was synthesized (like the drawn out exclamation "Mmmm", pronounced as an abbreviated 'Muh").… (meer)