*received for free from netgalley for honest review* this was an interesting read for sure i liked it tho, would recommend

Detailed review here: https://www.netgalley.com/book/593230/review/679839

🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 3 hrs 40 min, is narrated by Casey Montgomery. She is a great narrator, infusing a childlike innocence into Gilly’s voice. However, despite her enthusiastic performance, it is easy to wander off from the audio as the story is not at all sequential. The abrupt changes in topics and the lack of linearity to the barely-there plot affected my concentration. After making three attempts to hear this (the third attempt saw me reach the 60% mark – the furthest on audio), I ditched the audiobook and stuck to reading the digital version on my Kindle.

I liked that the book was like listening to a child’s thoughts, it was reminiscent that way. The characters were cute and overall enjoyable listen. My one major critique would be the use of the word Indians referring to I believe, Native Americans… from my understanding that’s almost a slur these days? I think there’s better words that could be used.

**Review: *Tangerines* by Tsvi Jolles**
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.75 stars)

Listening to *Tangerines* in audiobook format was like quiet therapy. It’s one of those gentle stories that you can play in the background while going about your day, yet it seeps into your heart with unexpected softness. There’s something so comforting about the way the little girl and her friend see the world—it made me feel safe, seen, and weirdly nostalgic.

The book captures childhood innocence beautifully, especially in how the kids question the world without even realizing those questions come from deep, unspoken struggles. It broke my heart and healed it in the same breath. Their interactions made me reflect on my own childhood and the silent battles we often overlook.

But don’t be fooled by the soft storytelling—*Tangerines* hits hard when it comes to societal issues. It quietly, but powerfully, challenges the broken parts of our systems, the ones that let kids carry burdens they shouldn’t. It forces you to see the cracks and ask the tough questions.

It’s a book you feel more than you read. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to understand, heal, and eventually help create a gentler world for the next generation.

Audiobook
Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I haven't read/listened to a middle school or juvenile fiction story in a long while. However, when I ran across Tangerines on NetGalley, I was intrigued.

The story includes Gilly, a young girl who questions things in her life that don't settle well within her thoughts and emotions. Gilly constantly writes in her diary. It seems to serve as a place where she can contemplate and explore in her own way. Other times, she turns to her best friend Oggy for his thoughts on things. Oggy believes in magic and things of that sort. He also seems to have an answer for everything. Gilly is more spiritual in nature, composing prayers in her diary alomg with her thoughts. The author uses the differences in ways of thinking between the two friends to explore both sides of a subject. It was wonderfully done and made the read even more thought-provoking. The two friends are traveling across a forrest in order for Gilly to see her father. She has questions and feelings about her father that she wants to find the answers to. Her journey across the forrest and the conclusion at its end is both heartwarming and enlightening. I really enjoyed the pacing of the story and the back and forth between Gilly and Oggy. A definite journey that any aged reader can certainly enjoy. As well as take away something to ponder upon for themselves as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

At first I didn't understand the journey but then I kept listening and I realised it's not about the destination but the journey itself. It's a sweet story and it's filled with the imagination you'd expect from a child telling you their story and while it is interesting, I'm not sure I understood it entirely either. But maybe that's also the point? ☺️

ALC REVIEW

A nice short read. It was interesting and whimsical to be in the mind of the FMC who is 10 years old. I will say, the real "tea" is when she mentions the adults in her life and how she relays them in her diary....I love gossip so when something happens me eyes just go 👀👀👀👀👀

I received the ALC through Netgallery by the publisher

Listening to Tangerines felt like walking through a forest where each tree whispers old secrets, woven with memories, imagination, and silences. There are books that quietly move something within us, and this was, for me, one of those rare encounters.

Narrated with a gentle sensitivity by Casey Montgomery, the audiobook draws us into the world of Gilly, a young girl carrying the absence of someone she loves. Her relationship with Oggy, her best friend who invents words and worlds, is the thread that holds the story together – fragile, yet steady, like the bonds we form when trying to make sense of loss and the beauty that can still be found within it.

What struck me most about Tangerines was the balance between the subtlety of the writing and the emotional depth of the narrative. Tsvi Jolles writes with restraint, yet each sentence is quietly evocative – crafted with the care of someone who knows that emotion doesn’t need to be loud to be felt.

It is a story about grief, yes, but also about faith, imagination, and the possibility of finding comfort in small gestures and in the sharing of imagined worlds. As someone who works with images and creative processes, I felt a strong connection to how the story unfolds so delicately, as if it were being whispered to us.

The listening experience adds a lot to that effect – Montgomery doesn’t just perform the text, she listens to the story as she tells it. For me, that makes all the difference.

Tangerines is, above all, a story about the power of listening – to others and to ourselves. I recommend it to anyone drawn to quiet, intimate stories that stay with us long after the audio has stopped.

I received an advance audiobook copy of Tangerines by Tsvi Jolles from netgalley.

The narration for this audiobook was wonderfully done.

Tangerines is a sweet story told by a child. Seeing the world through her eyes. Her questioning how the world works and her reasoning for why things are.

Tangerines is emotional and sweet. And easy quick read (or listen).

The age of the main character seemed off. She’s 10 years old, but she doesn’t question many things about her life that the fifth graders I know in my life would ask about. There’s many mysteries in her life that are presented at the beginning of the book, and the way she talks in generalities reminds me more of a third grader. The beginning felt very slow. Part of it might be because I think the story would’ve been better as a normal narrative book instead of journal entries. The main character would quickly mention interesting reactions that other characters had but then just skip past it. I think that in a normal narrative we would’ve at least gotten a little more description. The audiobook reader’s voice was too matter of fact for me. There were a lot of moments that bothered me because I thought, how could she say this in such a blasé way? Then I realize if I was reading the physical book, I would probably have put more emotion for her voice in my head. I might keep this book in mind for third or fourth graders who are having difficult relationships with their parents.

Tangerines
by Tsvi Jolles
Format: Audiobook
Narrated by Casey Montgomery
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction, Literary
Pages: 180, Time: 3 hrs 46 min
Pub. Date: March 05, 2025
Rating: 5/5

A book I enjoyed so much that two days after reading it, I have turned on the audiobook again. Is it the magic of the author's words or the charm of the narrator's voice that is making me re-read, or rather re-hear a book I have just completed, again? A strange thing for me to do because usually I am always in a state of rush to read a new book; we all know there are many, many books to read and not as much time.

My guess is that the author's words and the narrator's style complement each other so well, that what we have in Tangerines by Tsvi Jolles, narrated by Casey Montgomery is an audiobook that just fills up the heart with a sense of being adult while making us nostalgic for the innocent time we have left behind, and it's always tempting to revisit such a book, especially given its depth in exploring the life and mind of a 10-year-old girl who crosses a forest to meet her father.

The book is rich in imagination, as well as character exploration, and the view of the adult world through the eyes of a 10-year-old is done not just with brilliance, but with so much warmth and empathy.

My guess is that children, especially the imaginative ones, will find this book relatable, and more than that, very enjoyable. I plan to hear this with a couple of kids.

Gilly lives with her mother. Her best friend is Auggie. They sit on a branch in her favourite tangerine tree, talk, imagine (even flying yenekas) and watch the world below. Mother plays cards with Mississippi, Audelia and Eternity. Gilly's father lives across the forest with Mississippi. When Gilly decides to meet her father, Auggie offers to accompany her and do spells to make the journey across the forest a success, because he doesn't have so much faith in Gilly's prayers. Gilly is always writing new prayers.

Given her age, Gilly doesn't understand everything and because the book is in her pov, readers are also left guessing a bit now and then. This enhances the reading experience, because it brings Gilly and Auggie closer to our hearts.

Tangerines is a Middle-Grade fiction, but middle-grade children too don't get to live in a perfect world. Nor is the real world a children's adventure fiction, so Gilly and Auggie cannot win everywhere in life, they have to toe the line and live within the circumstances of their lives. In Tangerines we see the beauty of how the young and imaginative minds bloom and flourish even within the periphery of unwanted circumstances in life. As the book closes, I see a tangerine tree, it's canopy sparkling with tangerines glowing in orange warmth. We know there is a tartness in the tangerines, but we still want to taste it because it will bring sweetness along with its tartness. This is life, and this is also the cover of this amazing book.

Tangerines also happens to be the first audiobook I have read/heard till completion. Usually I don't fare well with audiobooks (been attempting since last 4-5 years), I enjoy hearing the story, but after a point my mind plays truant. This didn't happen in Tangerines. I don't know why, but I want to credit both the author and the narrator for the same. The rich, imaginative and poignant story, told in a soothing yet animated voice did some magic. May be Auggie had cast a spell or Gilly had whispered a prayer when I picked up Tangerines, who knows!

I fell asleep twice when hearing Tangerines—the soothing voice lulled me to sound, peaceful sleep, once for so long that when I woke up, I was in the penultimate chapter. 😀😀

I hope Tsvi Jolles soon writes another book, I am waiting. And I will reach out for more audiobooks narrated by Casey Montgomery.

My thanks to Netgalley and Brave Fawn Books for the audiobook of Tangerines in exchange for a honest review.


Q: Do I recommend Tangerines by Tsvi Jolles to my fellow readers?

A: Absolutely to the power of infinity ❤️❤️❤️

This was an enjoyable book. I found it was a bit repetitive, and it took me a little bit to get used to the stream of consciousness of style writing. The narrator for the audiobook version did a fantastic job with narrating the book. I loved getting to know the characters and seeing the exploration of loss through the mind of a child, who doesn't fully understand what had happened with her father. It was a whimsical story that feels well written. The cover is eye catching.

A girl lives with her mother surrounded by the forest and a few people. She's not sure why her dad went to live on the other side of the forest, but she and her friend set out on a quest to find him. Maybe he'll come back then.

If this book is trying to convince me that it was originally a diary written by a ten year old girl who doesn't get out much but has a vivid imagination that might touch on some real magic, it does a fantastic job. If it's trying to do anything else, it could have done a little better. The style is very strong and convincing with a believable voice and an excellent sense of mood. The plot is very basic, and the character arc feels a little like an afterthought. This book also brings up some topics that the point of view character doesn't really understand but includes anyway, and I'm not sure how to interpret this, as most kids also won't understand, and this book doesn't feel marketed to adults. It has some interesting themes and concepts, and I certainly have plenty to think about, but I have so far liked this author's other books better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have more questions than answers. This was a sweet and whimsical story but because it was told through the eyes of a 10 year old, I don’t feel like I truly understand what was actually going on in the book. I need someone to explain it to me please, because I feel like this book could’ve been 4+ stars if I wasn’t so confused.

This is a story with the middle grade audience in mind and I appreciated the ease that I felt while listening. I know my students will be able to relate to the contents in this book. We follow a girl named Gilly who has her best friend Oggy by her side and her mom. Unfortunately, her Dad isn't living with them and Gilly isn't aware as to why. The characters felt like upper elementary / lower middle grade characters, with Gilly having ramblings that aren't always consistent but make sense when your mind is able to think a thousand and one things with ease.
I do wish Gilly's mom's side of the family communicated with Gilly about what was going on because the adult in me felt bad for her when she kept mentioning seeing pictures of her Dad but not really knowing much besides what was told / shown to her.
This could have been just a smidge longer than the 160/165 pages? it turned out to be but I firmly believe this will hold a middle grader's attention long enough to get them to start and finish this in a single day.

3.75/5 rounded up
This book hit me right in the chest in the quietest way possible.

Tangerines is written like the actual diary of a 10-year-old girl, Gilly—and not the overly polished kind. It’s messy, funny, heartbreaking, and full of those weirdly specific thoughts only kids seem to have (like comparing love to moldy tangerines—yes, really). And it works so well.

I loved how real Gilly felt. She’s going through some heavy stuff, but she filters everything through this lens of childhood logic and imagination, which somehow makes it even more emotional. Oggy, her best friend, is chaotic in the best way and their dynamic reminded me of the kind of friendship you only have once in your life—the kind that's part game, part survival.

The pacing is dreamy, like wandering through a forest and not quite knowing where you're going—but trusting you'll find something important at the end. And you do.

Definitely recommend this to anyone who likes character-driven stories, found family, or that bittersweet combo of childlike wonder and real emotional weight. It's short, but it stays with you.

I’d like to thank NetGalley for the ARC. This review is entirely honest and unbiased.

I found this book to be whimsical, light hearted, and full of adventure. I found myself not able to tell if this was true fantasy or just the wild imagination of a year old child - and honestly I am happy to keep it that way.

The ending did leave me feeling confused but it was clear the story was more about he journey rather than the destination. The characters were unique and loveable and the writing style was fast paced and flowed naturally.

A delightful and charming read of a ten-year old named Gilly. It was heartwarming and just that pure innocence makes it so cute.

The narrator was excellent and made the imagination of the characters more appealing.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.

Title: Tangerines
Author: Tsvi Jolles
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Casey Montgomery
Publisher: Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op/Brave Fawn Books
Audiobook Pub Date was: March 5, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars

“Tangerines” is told through the POV of Gilly who is a ten year-old girl.
We follow the adventures of Gilly and her best friend, Oggy. They are the search for her father who is living on the other side of the woods with his sister Mississippi.
They leave tangerines peelings instead of bread crumbs so they don’t lose their way.

I love Gilly and narrator Casey Montgomery’s performance of her.is wonderful.
Gilly is clever and fun.
I listened to this with a smile on my face.😍

Want to thank NetGalley and Brave Fawn Books for this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Date was March 5, 2025.

This was well written, and had a great voice. The author and narrator both did an excellent job making this sound and feel like it was from the brain of a 10 year old. A bit too much witchcraft for my taste, especially for a book marketed to children. I probably wouldn't recommend this to middle grade readers because of it.