Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

This was an audiobook review that I wrote for Library Journal magazine 

Hopkins, Ellen. Tilt. 7 CDs. Unabridged. 8 hours. Audioworks. 2014. ISBN 9781442368118 $29.99.

Teens Mikayla, Shane, and Harley’s, the teen characters who were introduced in Hopkin’s adult novel “Triangles”, world is changing. Mikayla thought she found her true love with Dylan, but that changes quickly when one night of carelessness turns into a lifetime commitment. Harley, has always been the good girl, but after changing her looks and behavior she finds herself unknowingly in way over her head. Shane, who has come out, finds his first love Alex, who is HIV positive, online. However amidst the joys of first love, Shane experiences the loss of his four year old sister, which then causes him to spiral out of control.

Hopkins is the author of several bestselling books such as Crank, Triangles, Glass, and much more. This novel is written as a narrative, and not in her signature poetry as the Crank series was. Hopkins has never held any punches back when it comes to the reality and grittiness of life of her characters in her books, and Tilt is no different.

The audiobook is narrated by three different narrators, Kirby Heyborne, who has received an Odyssey Award, Madeleine Maby, who has worked with several theater companies, and Rebekkah Ross who stars on a web series. Having multiple narrators is always nice because it is easier to keep track of who is talking on the audiobook. These three did a fantastic job of making Mikayla, Shane, and Harley come alive.

Hopkins fans will pick up this book without a second thought, but others readers/listeners who enjoy gritty realistic teen books will want to give this a try as well.