Tough Topics Audiobooks

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces

"Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2014 July 24 My mother named me Gabriella, after my grandmother who, coincidentally, didn't want to meet me when I was born because my mother was unmarried, and therefore living in sin. My mom has told me the story many, many, MANY, times of how, when she confessed to my grandmother that she was pregnant with me, her mother beat her. BEAT HER! She was twenty-five. That story is the basis of my sexual education and has reiterated why it's important to wait until you're married to give it up. So now, every time I go out with a guy, my mom says, 'Ojos abiertos, piernas cerradas.' Eyes open, legs closed. That's as far as the birds and the bees talk has gone. And I don't mind it. I don't necessarily agree with that whole wait until you're married crap, though. I mean, this is America and the 21st century; not Mexico one hundred years ago. But, of course, I can't tell my mom that because she will think I'm bad. Or worse: trying to be White. Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: Cindy's pregnancy, Sebastian's coming out, the cute boys, her father's meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity. Includes a PDF of Gabi's 'Zine."

Isabel Quintero (Author), Kyla Garcia (Narrator)

Audiobook

Visitors

"From the internationally bestselling author of Ender’s Game comes the riveting finale to the story of Rigg, a teenager who possesses a secret talent that allows him to see the paths of people’s pasts.In Pathfinder, Rigg joined forces with another teen with special talents on a quest to find Rigg’s sister and discover the true depth and significance of their powers. Then Rigg’s story continued in Ruins as he was tasked to decipher the paths of the past before the arrival of a destructive force with deadly intentions. Now, in Visitors, Rigg’s journey comes to an epic and explosive conclusion as everything that has been building up finally comes to pass, and Rigg is forced to put his powers to the test in order to save his world and end the war once and for all."

Orson Scott Card (Author), Emily Rankin, Kirby Heyborne, Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator)

Audiobook

Watched

"When hackers can hijack any cellphone or computer webcam, no one is safe—including Jesse.Jesse seems like a normal sixteen-year-old, but he isn't. He is a victim of King—a ruthless hacker who has been blackmailing Jesse with incriminating screen photos and videos. So far, Jesse's given in to King's demands in order to protect his family. But now King wants something that's too horrible to contemplate—and if he doesn't get it, King will kill Jesse's little sister.Terrified and helpless, the answer to Jesse's prayers arrives in the form of a plain manila envelope. Inside there's a phone number and a note: I can help."

C.J. Lyons (Author), Luke Daniels (Narrator)

Audiobook

Betting Blind

"Some risks are worth taking... The cards are stacking up against Gabriel James: first there’s Phil, the guy paying the bills for Gabe’s mom (but not leaving his wife). Then there’s Gabe’s new school, filled with kids competing for the Ivies, Silicon Valley, and Wall Street—while Gabe’s just trying to swing enough Cs to graduate. Gabe’s luck seems ready to change when he meets Irina Petrova: a hot violinist who is home-schooled by her strict Russian parents. When Gabe gets her number, he impresses the top guys at his school. When he becomes the drug connection for parties, his reputation is solidified. How else is he going to afford hanging with his new crew and impressing Irina? Anyway, it’s not really dealing if you’re just hooking up friends...right? Gabe’s never been loyal to a girl before, but he finds himself falling for Irina hard. As the stakes are raised, Gabe will have to decide how high he’s willing to bet on school, on friends, on Irina—but most of all, on himself. Mature content, ages 14 and up."

Stephanie Guerra (Author), Nick Podehl (Narrator)

Audiobook

Stone Cove Island

"When a catastrophic hurricane devastates Stone Cove Island, a quaint New England resort community, everyone pulls together to rebuild. Seventeen-year-old Eliza Elliot volunteers to clean out the island's iconic lighthouse and stumbles upon a secret in the wreckage: a handwritten letter. On first glance, it hardly makes sense. But the longer Eliza studies it, the more convinced she becomes that it's an anonymous confession to a thirty-year-old crime: the unsolved murder of a local teen named Bess Linsky. Soon Eliza finds herself in the throes of an investigation she never wanted or asked for. As Stone Cove Island fights to recover from disaster, Eliza plunges the locals back into a nightmare they believed was long buried. Everybody is a suspect. Everywhere she turns, there might be an enemy. And everything she ever believed about her hometown is false."

Suzanne Myers (Author), Jorjeana Marie (Narrator)

Audiobook

On the Edge

"From Allison van Diepen, author of Light of Day, Snitch, and Street Pharm, comes a sexy, dangerous novel—perfect for fans of Simone Elkeles and Paul Griffin—about a teen who witnesses a murder and gets caught up in the seedy world of Miami's gangs. Maddie Diaz never should have taken that shortcut through the park. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have seen two members of the Reyes gang attacking a homeless man. Now, as the only witness, she knows there's a target on her back. But when the Reyes jump her on the street, Maddie is protected by a second gang and their secretive leader, Lobo, who is determined to take down the Reyes himself. Lobo is mysterious and passionate, and Maddie begins to fall for him. But when they live this close to the edge, can their love survive?"

Allison Van Diepen (Author), Marisol Ramirez (Narrator)

Audiobook

Famous Last Words

"Hollywood history, mystery, murder, mayhem, and delicious romance collide in this unputdownable thriller from master storyteller Katie Alender. Willa is freaking out. It seems like she's seeing things. Like a dead body in her swimming pool. Frantic messages on her walls. A reflection that is not her own. It's almost as if someone -- or something -- is trying to send her a message.Meanwhile, a killer is stalking Los Angeles -- a killer who reenacts famous movie murder scenes. Could Willa's strange visions have to do with these unsolved murders? Or is she going crazy? And who can she confide in? There's Marnie, her new friend who may not be totally trustworthy. And there's Reed, who's ridiculously handsome and seems to get Willa. There's also Wyatt, who's super smart but unhealthily obsessed with the Hollywood Killer.All Willa knows is, she has to confront the possible-ghost in her house, or she just might lose her mind . . . or her life.Acclaimed author Katie Alender puts an unforgettable twist on this spine-chilling tale of murder, mystery, mayhem -- and the movies."

Katie Alender (Author), Nora Hunter (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Invisible

"Cinder meets The Dark Knight in this riveting sequel to the darkly suspenseful, reimagined superhero story The Brokenhearted. Since Gavin’s death, Anthem has tried to forget the heartache and betrayal, to feel normal once more. She doesn’t want to be the crime-fighting vigilante that Bedlam City needs. She just wants to go to school, practice ballet, and help nurse Ford back to health. But while he is recovering from his life-saving surgery, the Ford she knew is slipping away. Then a new subversive group, whose mysterious leader calls himself “the Invisible,” starts attacking the North Side. The danger has never been closer to home, and Anthem can’t sit idly by. Using her new strength, she begins to fight back, and be the hero she was meant to be. Soon, she is the Invisible’s most sought-after enemy, and he is using everything at his disposal to have her found and captured. Will Anthem survive the biggest fight of her life?"

Amelia Kahaney (Author), Rebecca Gibel (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sublime

"True love may mean certain death in a ghostly affair of risk and passion from New York Times bestselling duo Christina Lauren, authors of The Unhoneymooners and Love and Other Words. When Lucy walks out of a frozen forest, wearing only a silk dress and sandals, she isn't sure how she got there. But when she sees Colin, she knows for sure that she's here for him. Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With each passing day their lives intertwine, and even as Lucy begins to remember more of her life—and her death—neither of them are willing to give up what they have, no matter how impossible it is. And when Colin finds a way to physically be with Lucy, taking himself to the brink of death where his reality and Lucy's overlap, the joy of being together for those brief stolen moments drowns out everything in the outside world. But some lines weren't meant to be crossed in this "beautiful, haunting read" (Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author)."

Christina Lauren (Author), Cal Wembly, Elizabeth Louise (Narrator)

Audiobook

Snow Like Ashes

"A striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self—perfect for fans of Game of Thrones, An Ember in the Ashes and A Court of Thorns and Roses. Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now the Winterians' only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter's magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since. Orphaned as an infant during Winter's defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, Winter's future king—she would do anything to help Winter rise to power again. So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter's magic, Meira decides to go after it herself—only to find herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics—and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own."

Sara Raasch (Author), Kate Rudd (Narrator)

Audiobook

My Life With The Walter Boys

"Soon to be adapted for TV by Netflix! Jackie does not like surprises. Chaos is the enemy! The best way to get her successful, busy parents to notice her is to be perfect. The perfect look, the perfect grades—the perfect daughter. And then . . . Surprise #1: Jackie's family dies in a freak car accident. Surprise #2: Jackie has to move cross-country to live with the Walters—her new guardians. Surprise #3: The Walters have twelve sons. (Well, eleven, but Parker acts like a boy anyway.) Now Jackie must trade in her Type A personality and New York City apartment for a Colorado ranch and all the wild Walter boys who come with it. Jackie is surrounded by the enemy—loud, dirty, annoying boys who have no concept of personal space. Okay, several of the oldest guys are flat-out gorgeous. But still annoying. She's not stuck-up or boring—no matter what they say—but proving it is another matter. How can she fit in and move on when she needs to keep her parents' memory alive by living up to the promise of perfect?"

Ali Novak (Author), Renée Chambliss (Narrator)

Audiobook

Althea & Oliver

"What if you live for the moment when life goes off the rails-and then one day there's no one left to help you get it back on track?   Althea Carter and Oliver McKinley have been best friends since they were six; she's the fist-fighting instigator to his peacemaker, the artist whose vision balances his scientific bent. Now, as their junior year of high school comes to a close, Althea has begun to want something more than just best-friendship. Oliver, for his part, simply wants life to go back to normal, but when he wakes up one morning with no memory of the past three weeks, he can't deny any longer that something is seriously wrong with him. And then Althea makes the worst bad decision ever, and her relationship with Oliver is shattered. He leaves town for a clinical study in New York, resolving to repair whatever is broken in his brain, while she gets into her battered Camry and drives up the coast after him, determined to make up for what she's done. Their journey will take them from the rooftops, keg parties, and all-ages shows of their North Carolina hometown to the pool halls, punk houses, and hospitals of New York City before they once more stand together and face their chances. Set in the DIY, mix tape, and zine culture of the mid-1990s, Cristina Moracho's whip-smart debut is an achingly real story about identity, illness, and love-and why bad decisions sometimes feel so good."

Cristina Moracho (Author), Jorjeana Marie (Narrator)

Audiobook