Tough Topics Audiobooks

The Million Pieces of Neena Gill

"Brought to you by Penguin. How can I hold myself together, when everything around me is falling apart? Neena's always been a good girl - great grades, parent-approved friends and absolutely no boyfriends. But ever since her brother Akash left her, she's been slowly falling apart - and uncovering a new version of herself who is altogether more dangerous. As her wild behaviour spirals more and more out of control, Neena's grip on her sanity begins to weaken too. And when her parents announce not one but two life-changing bombshells - including that they want her to have an arranged marriage - she finally reaches breaking point. But as Neena is about to discover, when your life falls apart, only love can piece you back together."

Emma Smith-Barton (Author), Anjli Mohindra (Narrator)

Audiobook

Crossfire

"Brought to you by Penguin. Crossfire is the long-awaited new novel in legendary author Malorie Blackman's ground-breaking Noughts & Crosses series - perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale and The Power. Thirty-four years have passed since Sephy Hadley - a Cross - first met Callum McGregor - a nought. Their love was forbidden, powerful - and deadly. Life is seemingly very different now for noughts and Crosses - including for Sephy and Callum's families. But old wounds from the past are hard to heal, and when you're playing a game as dangerous as they are, it won't be long before someone gets caught in the crossfire. Praise for Noughts & Crosses: 'The Noughts & Crosses series are still my favourite books of all time and showed me just how amazing story-telling could be' - Stormzy 'The most original book I've ever read' Benjamin Zephaniah 'Blackman 'gets' people . . . she 'gets' humanity as a whole, too' Guardian 'Powerful' Sunday Times Crossfire is the long-awaited new novel in legendary author Malorie Blackman's ground-breaking Noughts & Crosses series - perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale and The Power. Thirty-four years have passed since Sephy Hadley - a Cross - first met Callum McGregor - a nought. Their love was forbidden, powerful - and deadly. Life is seemingly very different now for noughts and Crosses - including for Sephy and Callum's families. But old wounds from the past are hard to heal, and when you're playing a game as dangerous as they are, it won't be long before someone gets caught in the crossfire. Praise for Noughts & Crosses: 'The Noughts & Crosses series are still my favourite books of all time and showed me just how amazing story-telling could be' - Stormzy 'The most original book I've ever read' Benjamin Zephaniah 'Blackman 'gets' people . . . she 'gets' humanity as a whole, too' Guardian 'Powerful' Sunday Times"

Malorie Blackman (Author), Josh Dylan, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Rebecca Lee, Vivienne Acheampong (Narrator)

Audiobook

Eden Conquered

"The electrifying conclusion to the Dividing Eden series by the New York Times bestselling author of the Testing trilogy, Joelle Charbonneau. The Trials of Virtuous Succession have ended. Prince Andreus is king—and Princess Carys is dead. But even as he’s haunted by what he did to win the throne, Andreus discovers that his dream of ruling only brings new problems. The people love his twin even more in death than they did when she was alive. The Elders treat him as a figurehead. And worst of all, the winds of Eden are faltering.   But despite what everyone believes, Carys is alive. Exiled to the wilderness, Carys struggles to control the powers that have broken free inside her. And as she grows stronger, so does her conviction that she must return to the Palace of Winds, face her twin, and root out the treachery that began long before the first Trials started.  The Kingdom of Eden is growing darker with each passing day. Brother and sister, former foes, must decide whether some betrayals cut too deep to be forgiven—and whether one will wear the crown or both will lose everything. "

Joelle Charbonneau (Author), Lauren Fortgang (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Miracle & Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets

"In this riveting, beyond-belief true story from the author of The Borden Murders, meet the five children who captivated the entire world. When the Dionne Quintuplets were born on May 28, 1934, weighing a grand total of just over 13 pounds, no one expected them to live so much as an hour. Overnight, Yvonne, Annette, Cécile, Émilie, and Marie Dionne mesmerized the globe, defying medical history with every breath they took. In an effort to protect them from hucksters and showmen, the Ontario government took custody of the five identical babies, sequestering them in a private, custom-built hospital across the road from their family--and then, in a stunning act of hypocrisy, proceeded to exploit them for the next nine years. The Dionne Quintuplets became a more popular attraction than Niagara Falls, ogled through one-way screens by sightseers as they splashed in their wading pool at the center of a tourist hotspot known as Quintland. Here, Sarah Miller reconstructs their unprecedented upbringing with fresh depth and subtlety, bringing to new light their resilience and the indelible bond of their unique sisterhood."

Sarah Miller (Author), Robin Miles (Narrator)

Audiobook

As Many Nows as I Can Get

"A Seventeen Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Top Ten Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Best Book of the Year For fans of All the Bright Places, Looking for Alaska, and I'll Give You the Sun comes 'a daring, inventive story about love and loss and longing, reminding us that every choice can be a new chance. A dazzling, not-to-be-missed debut.' -Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces In one impulsive moment the summer before they leave for college, overachievers Scarlett and David plunge into an irresistible swirl of romance, particle physics, and questionable decisions. Moving between the present and the past, this is the story of a grounded girl who's pulled into a lightning-strike romance with an electric-charged boy, and the enormity of the aftermath. Scarlett and David have known each other all their lives in small-town Colorado, where David is just another mountain in the background, until, one day, he is suddenly so much more than part of the scenery. David is magnetic, spontaneous, a gravitational force. And Scarlett, pragmatic, wry, eye on the future, welcomes the pull he has on her even as she resists it. Drawn to his wild energy, to the relief she feels in throwing off the weight of everyone's expectations, Scarlett still can't ignore the tug of her own hopes and ambitions, while David struggles between his feelings for her, which might be deeper than either of them will admit, and his own destructive impulses. Heartbreaking, hopeful, and unflinchingly honest, this is a deeply moving account of a girl dealing with grief and guilt, and learning to reconcile who she thinks she needs to be with the person she's been all along. It's an aching, transporting reminder that between the past that shapes us and the future ahead, we have only the present to forgive ourselves and forge ahead. 'Deeply authentic . . . Marvelously complex . . . Readers shouldn't miss [it]' -Kirkus (starred review) 'Mystery . . . Heartbreak . . . Hope . . . Readers will not be able to put this one down.' -SLJ 'Vivid' -Seventeen.com 'You'll speed read through [it]' -PopSugar 'John Green-like, intelligent and peppered with witty repartee' -Booklist 'A story you won't forget.' -Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of My Life Next Door 'Heartbreaking, exquisitely crafted' -Estelle Laure, author of This Raging Light 'A complex, compassionately written love story' -PW 'A definite purchase and must read.' -VOYA"

Shana Youngdahl (Author), Annie Q (Narrator)

Audiobook

Crown of Coral and Pearl

"Red Queen meets House of Salt and Sorrow in Mara Rutherford's debut YA fantasy Crown of Coral and Pearl, which follows a young woman from a village on the sea who must impersonate her twin on land to save everyone she loves from a tyrannical prince. For generations, the crown princes of Ilara have married the most beautiful maidens from the ocean village of Varenia. Nor once dreamed of seeing the mysterious mountain kingdom for herself, but after a childhood accident left her with a scar, she knew her twin sister, Zadie, would likely be chosen to marry the crown prince. Then Zadie is injured, and Nor is sent to Ilara in her place. She soon discovers her future husband, Prince Ceren, is as forbidding and cold as his home. And as she grows closer to Ceren’s brother, Prince Talin, Nor learns of a failing royal bloodline, a murdered queen…and a plot to destroy her village. To save her people, Nor must learn to negotiate the treacherous protocols of a court where lies reign and obsession rules…but discovering her own formidable strength may cost her everything she loves. “A fabulous interweaving of fantasy, politics, and sisterhood—this unusual, tense tale will have you on the edge of your seat!”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce"

Mara Rutherford (Author), Amanda Dolan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Light Filters In: Poems

"In the vein of poetry collections like Milk and Honey and Adultolescence, this compilation of short, powerful poems from teen Instagram sensation @poeticpoison perfectly captures the human experience.  In Light Filters In, Caroline Kaufman—known as @poeticpoison—does what she does best: reflects our own experiences back at us and makes us feel less alone, one exquisite and insightful piece at a time. She writes about giving up too much of yourself to someone else, not fitting in, endlessly Googling “how to be happy,” and ultimately figuring out who you are. This collection features completely new material plus some fan favorites from Caroline's account. Light Filters In will thrill existing fans and newcomers alike. it’s okay if some things are always out of reach. if you could carry all the stars in the palm of your hand, they wouldn’t be half as breathtaking"

Caroline Kaufman (Author), Caroline Kaufman (Narrator)

Audiobook

When the World Didn't End: Poems

"Teen Instagram sensation and author of Light Filters In @poeticpoison returns with a second collection of short, powerful poems about love, forgiveness, self-discovery, and what it’s like living after a hard-fought battle with depression, in the vein of poetry collections like Milk and Honey and the princess saves herself in this one. In her second book of poetry, Instagram sensation Caroline Kaufman—known as @poeticpoison—explores the shock, wonder, and beauty of an uncertain future. When the World Didn’t End is a vivid account of trying to find a path forward while reckoning with the pain of the past, embracing imperfection, and unlearning the language of self-criticism. It’s an ode to the awkward silence between goodbye and hanging up, to hearts that continue to beat after they’re broken, to the empty spaces that depression leaves behind. With vulnerability and insight, this powerful collection of short poems holds up a mirror to the doubt and longing inside us all. This collection features completely new material plus some fan favorites from Caroline’s account. When the World Didn’t End will thrill existing fans and newcomers alike. so, what now? how will you make the most of it? how will you live the life you never thought you’d get the chance to see?"

Caroline Kaufman (Author), Caroline Kaufman (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Silence Between Us

""The Silence Between Us is eminently un-put-down-able." (NPR) Schneider Family Book Award, Best Teen Honor Book 2020 "This is a great YA contemporary (clean) romance that follows Maya as she navigates a new school and plans for her future. The addition of representation by a Deaf character was really beautifully done. Highly recommend for people looking for a sweet, engaging, and educational romantic read." (YA and Kids Book Central) #OwnVoices YA novel features Deaf / Hard of Hearing Community "It's time we see more Deaf characters in books. It's time we see more books celebrating sign language and Deaf culture," said author Alison Gervais. Deaf teen Maya moves across the country and must attend a hearing school for the first time. As if that wasn't hard enough, she also has to adjust to the hearing culture, which she finds frustrating-and also surprising when some classmates, including Beau Watson, take time to learn ASL. As Maya looks past graduation and focuses on her future dreams, nothing, not even an unexpected romance, will not derail her pursuits. But when people in her life-Deaf and hearing alike-ask her to question parts of her Deaf identity, Maya stands proudly, never giving in to the idea that her Deafness is a disadvantage. The Silence Between Us: - Features a Deaf protagonist and an #OwnVoices perspective on Deaf and Hard of Hearing culture - Is a clean YA romance by Wattpad sensation Alison Gervais - Is perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and CeCe Bell"

Alison Gervais (Author), Chloe Dolandis (Narrator)

Audiobook

Here There Are Monsters

"The Blair Witch Project meets Imaginary Girls in this story of sisterhood turned toxic, imaginary monsters brought to life, and secrets that won't stay buried. Sixteen-year-old Skye is done playing the knight in shining armor for her insufferable younger sister, Deirdre. And moving across the country seems like the perfect chance to start over as someone different. In their isolated new neighborhood, Skye manages to fit in, but Deirdre withdraws from everyone, becoming fixated on the swampy woods behind their house and building monstrous sculptures out of sticks and bones. Then Deirdre disappears. And when something awful comes scratching at Skye's window in the middle of the night, claiming Skye's the only one who can save Deirdre, Skye knows she will stop at nothing to bring her sister home."

Amelinda Bérubé (Author), Suzy Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

I'm Not Dying with You Tonight

"'An absolute page turner, I’m Not Dying with You Tonight is a compelling and powerful novel that is sure to make an impact.'—Angie Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give   An NAACP Image Award Nominee, I’m Not Dying with You Tonight follows two teen girls—one black, one white—who have to confront their own assumptions about racial inequality as they rely on each other to get through the violent race riot that has set their city on fire with civil unrest.   Lena has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows she’s going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school.   When both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together.   They aren’t friends. They hardly understand the other’s point of view. But none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have each other to rely on if they’re going to survive the night."

Gilly Segal, Kimberly Jones (Author), Brittany Pressley, Channie Waites (Narrator)

Audiobook

Fat Girl on a Plane

"FAT Cookie Vonn’s dreams include getting out of Phoenix and becoming the next great fashion designer. But in the world of fashion, being fat is a cardinal sin. It doesn’t help that she’s constantly compared to her supermodel mother—and named after a dessert. Cookie scores a trip to New York to pitch her design portfolio, but her plans are put on standby when she’s declared too fat to fly. When she finally arrives, she finds she’s been replaced by her ultrathin rival. Cookie vows to lose weight, get out of the friend zone with her crush, and put her dreams back on track. SKINNY Cookie expected sunshine and rainbows, but nothing about her new life is turning out like she planned. When the fashion designer of the moment offers her what she’s always wanted—an opportunity to live and study in New York—she finds herself in a world full of people more interested in putting women down than dressing them up. Her designs make waves, but her real dream of creating great clothes for people of all sizes seems to grow more distant by the day. Will she realize that she’s always had the power to make her own dreams come true?"

Kelly Devos (Author), Rachel L. Jacobs (Narrator)

Audiobook