The Me I Used to Be by Kristan Higgins @kristan.higgins @kristanhiggins.bsky.social @xesands @ljaudiobooks @natalienaudus @evakaminskyaudiobooks @brilliancepublishing #BookSky #TheMeIUsedToBe

the setup…
Back in high school, the Core Four were inseparable…Audrey, the lucky one; Micah, the beautiful one; Jasmine, the smart one; and Beck, the sporty one. That is until the night of their graduation, a tragic event splintered their lives and set them apart for decades. Now twenty-five years later, one of them has asked that they come together again for their school reunion. She has early onset dementia and wants one last chance to return to the person she used to be.

the heart of the story…
There’s no more crueler disease than the one that slowly destroys the mind. None of these women’s lives has gone the way of the dreams they shared when they were the Core Four. I loved that despite the many years they were separated, all still held that connection to each other, and rallied around the one of them whose life and mind was on a short timeline. It’s richly layered and these four women trusted each other to share secrets, hurts and shattered dreams over this precious weekend.

the narration…
Xe Sands (Audrey), Natalie Naudus (Micah), Eva Kaminsky (Jasmine) and Laura Jennings (Beck) were perfectly suited to their characters, telling their stories powerfully and authentically. All were beyond outstanding..

the bottom line…
I had high expectations that were far, far surpassed. Higgins stated in the afterword that she hoped we would laugh, cry and have a bit of a book hangover by the end. Well, I experienced that and much more as my tears flowed shamelessly. I’ll forever be haunted by this story, one that allowed me to experience what dementia feels like from inside the mind of one who is afflicted. Just simply extraordinary, heartbreaking and beautifully crafted.

Book Info

• Release Date: September 15, 2026
• Narrators: Xe Sands, Laura Jennings, Natalie Naudus & Eva Kaminsky
• Audio Length: 11 hours, 35 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

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(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)