Tough Topics Audiobooks

Looking for Grace

"My brother is gone. My mom is too stuck in her own grief to see me, and my dad thinks pain isn’t something to ever be discussed. Even my boyfriend has let me down over and over again. It feels like there is only one way forward, only one way out. Just when I’m ready to end my own life, something sucks me back in. One note. One sweet song to keep me going. Those melodic melodies sweetly singing in my ears give me hope. Each morning, I figure, what’s one day more? One more day for someone to see me. To hear me. To save me. But can they? Will they? Find out how you can be the one to help save a life at bethe1to.com."

Pamela Varnado (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Someone to Daydream About

"For fans of Rachel Lynn Solomon and Alice Oseman, this swoony, fast-paced romance stars a teen who falls in love with the lead singer of America's most popular boy band during a whirlwind summer tour. This is what dreams are made of. Every teenager in America knows eighteen-year-old Felix Song, the lead singer of the most popular boy band since One Direction. Unfortunately, Natalie Nielsen is no exception. Though she thinks of him more as an annoying rich kid from her hometown than a heartthrob. Uninterested in stardom, Natalie dreams of honoring her late dad's legacy and making a positive impact on her beloved Deaf community by revamping her family's run-down Deaf Center. The issue? She has no money. When Felix's little sister's hearing loss begins to accelerate, he gives Natalie a generous job offer that would help secure the Center's future: but she must accompany him on tour this summer to teach him ASL. What begins as a professional arrangement soon morphs into stolen kisses and late-night rendezvous. But as their connection deepens, so do the risks-and when their relationship suddenly takes center stage, it's not only their hearts, but Felix's career on the line. Amid relentless public scrutiny, contractual obligations, and meddling band members, Natalie must decide if their dreams can co-exist in the spotlight."

Sydney Langford (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Meet Me Under the Lights

"My Life with the Walter Boys meets The Notebook in this small town baseball romance perfect for fans of Kasie West and Carley Fortune. High school junior Eliza Crowley is known as the Princess of Fairfield, a farm town in North Carolina that loves two things-tradition and baseball. Although Eliza loves "the game," her life goal is to become a lighting designer on Broadway. Shaking off her reputation as the rich girl and focusing on her town's community theater production are what she's set her sights on this summer, and nothing will stand in her way. That is until Reed Fulton, the grandson of a struggling Fairfield farmer, and ace pitcher of the Fulton Hawks, returns to town. Reed dreams of putting the catastrophe of last season behind him and leading the Hawks to a championship victory against the Crowley Cardinals. When his childhood friend turned stranger, Eliza, strolls back into his life, she makes his heart accelerate quicker than his fastball, and he's not sure he can stay away from the girl he's supposed to despise. Small-town summers and baseball draw Reed and Eliza together, even though the Crowleys and the Fultons are determined to run each other out of town. When the families make a deal to settle their thirty-year-long dispute once and for all, Eliza and Reed are stuck in the middle during the most important summer of their lives."

Cassie Miller (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Oks are Not OK

"A contemporary young adult novel by Grace K. Shim that mixes the humor of Schitt's Creek with the heritage and heart of Minari. Seventeen-year-old Elena Ok (pronounced Oak) has mastered the art of being both a Los Angeles party girl and financially savvy influencer, but her family doesn't see the brilliance behind her carefully curated image. Instead, they endlessly praise her older brother Gavin, whose most impressive achievement is consistently forgetting his homework. All of Elena's hard work and social clout disintegrates when the Oks, founders of the wildly popular (and now bankrupt) fast fashion brand It's Ok! (pronounced "OKAY"), lose their fortune overnight. With their empire crumbling and an investigation underway, the Oks flee to Blaire, CA-a farming town that's as glamourous as Temu. Mr. Ok, a now disgraced retail mogul, and Mrs. Ok, a now also disgraced fashion-forward matriarch, realize they've spent decades perfecting their public personas at the expense of actually knowing their kids. Meanwhile, Elena and Gavin are stuck in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to distract them from their family's unraveling dynamics-or each other's annoying habits. But life in Blaire isn't all bad. As the family reconnects with their Korean farming heritage, Elena discovers a hidden gem: the Blaire Fair, the local market brimming with untapped potential. Applying her business savvy, she helps the small-town vendors thrive and sees how they put their profits back into the community. For the first time, Elena begins to question her own definition of success. The Oks are Not OK offers humor and drama to tell a story about family, self-discovery, and the fine line between building a brand and building a life."

Grace K. Shim (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Defying China: A Memoir

"The incredible true story of a teen who became an activist for the Tibetan independence movement, for readers of Red Scarf Girl and Farewell to Manzanar. Tsultrim Dolma, born in a tiny village in the stunning mountains of eastern Tibet, always knew there had to be more than the life expected of her: More than no education, because her family was poor. More than being married off at a young age, because she was a girl. More than barely getting by under oppressive Chinese occupation, because she was Tibetan. When she was sixteen, Tsultrim found more, joining protests for the Tibetan independence movement, the call for her beloved country's liberation from the People's Republic of China. Shortly after, she was arrested and sent to Gutsa Detention Center, notorious for its brutal torture of political prisoners like Tsultrim. This young adult memoir follows Tsultrim's courageous coming of age through her time at Gutsa, being heavily surveilled by the government after her release, and, ultimately, her escape to the U.S. It also underscores the bravery it takes to speak up, and the power to be found in sharing one's story."

Rebecca Wei Hsieh, Tsultrim Dolma (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Roach King of Raleigh

"From Schneider Family Award-winning author Shannon Stocker comes The Roach King of Raleigh, an unflinching YA novel about a high school sophomore who's determined to rise above his circumstances-even if it means starting a secret roach breeding business. Even if it means letting people in. Quill Jenkins used to have a great life: a picture-perfect family, a big house in a nice neighborhood, and a best friend he could count on. But then his friend moved away, his brother left for college, and his dad's drinking caused his parents to split. Now Quill and his mom live in a broken-down rental house owned by a neglectful landlord, who also happens to be the father of Quill's high school nemesis. More than anything, Quill wants to save enough money for a new house, but his mom refuses to let him get a job. So when he finds a hidden attic space inside his closet, then overhears the pet store owner arguing with a delinquent roach breeder, an idea is born. He strikes a deal and starts breeding roaches in the hidden room, reluctantly working with his classmate Harley and Harley's twin sister, Zuri, to keep the whole operation a secret. But as the roach business takes off, new complications arise: his dad's condition steadily worsens, his beloved neighbor Mr. Dave suddenly goes MIA, and Quill learns that the truth has a way of creeping into the light. The Roach King of Raleigh: - is a contemporary young adult novel for readers 13 and up and adult fans of YA - comes from Shannon Stocker, the winner of the 2023 Schneider Family Award for Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion - is a powerful coming-of-age story that explores poverty, addiction, neurodiversity, friendship, and resilience "

Shannon Stocker (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

King of Nothing

"A hilarious and heartwarming young YA comedy about an unlikely connection between two very different teen boys as they grapple with crushes, toxic friendships, and the true meaning of masculinity.   Anton Charles and his friends are the kings of the school, and they rule with an iron fist, intimidating classmates and maintaining a reputation built on fear.    But at home, Mum reigns supreme, and after one too many detentions, she cuts off Anton's internet and decides it's time for a serious change. She signs him up for the Happy Campers, a local activity group, and Anton's worst nightmare becomes a reality: Matthew, the school's biggest dork, is in it too. Anton can't imagine anything worse than spending weekends sewing and singing campfire songs with Matthew and his band of geeks-how will he ever keep his reputation intact if anyone finds out? But after Matthew unexpectedly saves Anton's life, everything changes.    As the boys strike up an unlikely friendship, Anton finds himself questioning everything he thought was true. Maybe there's more to life than what his friends think of him? Maybe it's time to rethink what being a "man" really means?    And maybe there are some things more important than being king."

Nathanael Lessore (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Paradise Coast

"Rival groups of local and wealthy teens in a small Everglades town confront the secrets that rise from the waters in the wake of a hurricane in this sizzling and suspenseful thriller from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young—perfect for fans of Outer Banks and The White Lotus. Some secrets won't stay buried. Not even in the Everglades. Deep in the Everglades, there was once a luxurious and legendary hotel enjoyed by the wealthy elite. Until one mysterious night when a fire tore through the building, killing a young socialite and casting blame on a local dock worker. Soon after, the hotel vanished, swallowed up by the wetlands like it never existed at all. Until now. When a powerful hurricane unearths the ruins of the long-forgotten hotel, the past is dragged back to the surface as clues to the devasting truth about the night of the fire are revealed. It's the truth that die-hard local Noa and her friends have been chasing for years in the hopes of clearing their ancestor's name and pushing back against the rich families trying to force them out. With the help of Jamie, the rebellious son of a wealthy businessman, Noa and her crew begin a desperate fight for the justice they deserve. It won't be easy. Because the wealthy control just about everything on Paradise Coast—including the truth. And they will do whatever it takes, even kill, to make sure the past stays buried."

Suzanne Young (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Sundown Girls

"In the tradition of Jordan Peele and horror phenomenon Sinners, a YA thriller about a Black teen whose fight for survival forces a small southern vacation town to face its dark history of racial violence. When sixteen-year-old Naomi Ward and her family head to a secluded cabin in the Shenandoah Valley for summer vacation they don't know the small, mountain town of Sparksburg, Virginia has a dark and twisted past. But when they arrive, Naomi can't shake the feeling that something about Sparksburg just isn't right-and it smells god awful, but for some reason Naomi is the only who can smell the town's stench. When she learns Sparksburg had once been a Sundown Town-a town where Black people weren't allowed after sunset lest they be murdered-Naomi's unease starts to make sense. As Naomi digs more into Sparsburg's violent origins, she finds herself haunted by the ghost of a girl, appearing nightly outside her window. Then she learns of two girls who've recently gone missing and suspects the past may still be present in Sparksburg and beneath the quaint façade of this tourist town is a palpable danger. When Naomi decides to track the disappearance of the two girls herself, she becomes suspicious of a local man who has kindled fear in Naomi more than once. She soon learns he has a connection to one of the missing girls, and Naomi is certain he's responsible for the disappearances. When no one believes her, Naomi takes matters into her own hands. But to save the missing girls, she'll have to finally face her own past trauma as a "missing girl" as she finds herself in a fight for survival. Gripping and triumphant, L.S. Stratton tells an important and unforgettable story of racial reckoning inspired by historical events."

L.S. Stratton (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay

"From New York Times bestselling author Ryan Douglass comes a gripping and tender reimagining of The Great Gatsby about the pursuit of happiness—and love—in a society built on cruelty and secrets.  Seventeen-year-old Nick Carrington wants nothing more than to leave Greenwood, Oklahoma, behind and make a name for himself in the papers. But when tragedy strikes, dreams turn into a twisted reality. Forced to start anew in Harlem, only a letter of acceptance from the prestigious West Egg Academy is able to pull him back into the world. But the supposedly integrated private boys’ school is more of a catchy headline than a fact, with the same prejudices Nick left behind back home. And his secret but growing feelings for the founder’s wickedly charismatic son, Jay Gatsby Jr.— who dances past society’s conventions with practiced ease—only add more complications. When Nick’s cutting pen exposes dangerous truths about West Egg and leads to perilous consequences, he and Jay must decide whether to spend a lifetime outrunning trouble or be the ones to light the match. Can they not only fight back but triumph? Or will the powers that be win yet again?"

Ryan Douglass (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Winter White: A Modern Retelling of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale

"A bold and authentic reimagining of The Winter's Tale full of tragedy, triumph, and an unforgettable voice. Pia and her brother, Max, live on an isolated farm in rural Maine, and it's the only life they remember. Their father says the only way for them to stay protected is to stay on the farm. Pia doesn't question it. Pia's entire world turns upside down when her father breaks his leg, and she must be the one to venture into town to make farm deliveries. And then she sees him. Felix, a boy who is both a stranger and somehow familiar, makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself, her past, and her family. But no matter how she feels about Felix, she must always obey her father, above all else.   But Pia's feelings are too big to ignore, and the more she engages with Felix, the more she begins to see that there's promise for her beyond the isolated world to which she's grown accustomed. And the more she dreams about a better life, the more she wonders if her father is telling the truth about their family's past. Pia knows her father and his friend Anthony are hiding something, and soon Pia must reckon with the damage her father is doing to their community and the damage he has done to their own lives.   Winter White is an astonishingly told and searingly authentic reimagining of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Kathleen Glasgow, and Sarah Dessen.  "

Annie Cardi (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

We've Hit Turbulence

"When a girl is stuck on a cross-country flight with her ex, things get bumpy-a swoony YA rom com perfect for fans of K.L. Walther! As if flying couldn't get any worse. Olive Austin just wants to get on her flight to visit her long-distance boyfriend in peace-a spring break filled with white-sand beaches, cute date nights, and soaking up the sun in Hawaii. It's exactly what the doctor ordered...especially since lately she can't shake the feeling that her relationship is on the rocks. Unfortunately, when she boards her cross-continental flight she discovers that her seatmate for her 13-hour journey is none other than Tyler Ferris, her ex…a.k.a the boy that her heart never really got over. Even though Olive's prepared to ignore him and survive the flight with her heart unscathed, Tyler has other plans, and before long, with nowhere else to go, the past begins to resurface. Now, Olive's feeling more confused than ever about her heart, what went down that tore her and Tyler apart, and-most importantly-what she's going to do once the turbulence passes and the flight finally lands."

Jessica L. Cozzi (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook