All We Can Do Is Wait

Gr 7 Up—In the hours following a tragic bridge collapse, a group of young adults gather in the waiting room at Boston General Hospital to await news of their loved ones. Two siblings, Jason and Alexa, are waiting to hear about their parents. The death of a close friend, coupled with an agonizing secret that is tearing Jason apart, has placed a strain on their relationship. Scott is waiting for news from his girlfriend, Aimee. They've been through a rough patch. Scott knows he's been a jerk, and he just needs to talk to her again. Skyler is waiting to hear about the fate of her sister Kate. Skyler and her sister were raised by their grandparents, who are now in Cambodia. Kate is the closest person Skyler has to a mother. She doesn't know how she would possibly carry on without her. This moving story is told in alternating chapters, offering each character's point of view. As listeners anxiously waits for news with the teens, secrets are revealed that offer insight into the lives of the youths and the ways these diverse strangers are far more similar than they are different. However, the narration by Holly Linneman is slightly flat and doesn't quite convey the anxiety and tension expected given the subject matter.