Tough Topics Audiobooks

Rising From the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a C

"Paula Yoo’s latest is a compelling, nuanced account of Los Angeles’s 1992 uprising and its impact on its Korean and Black American communities. On April 29, 1992, following the acquittal of four police officers charged with the beating and arrest of Rodney King and the earlier killing of teenager Latasha Harlins, the city of Los Angeles erupted in violence. Many of these events were centered on the city’s Koreatown, where tensions between the Black and Korean American communities had simmered for years, fueled by economic challenges and redlining and enflamed by sensationalized and racist media. Based on more than 100 personal interviews, Rising from the Ashes follows these events through the eyes and experiences of the families of King, Harlins, shooting victim Edward Jae Song Lee, and dozens of business owners, journalists, police officers, firefighters, activists, and other community members. Deeply researched and compulsively readable, this is a vivid, propulsive, and moving story of a pivotal moment in recent American history that continues to resonate today."

Paula Yoo (Author), Kevin R. Free (Narrator)

Audiobook

The ADHD Workbook for Teen Girls: Understand Your Neurodivergent Brain, Make the Most of Your Streng

"If you're a teen girl with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—or suspect you may be—you've probably experienced a number of challenges in your life, including struggling in school, difficulty making friends, feeling like you have to be perfect, negative self-talk, fear of rejection, and intense emotions. You aren't alone. Although some people think that ADHD is 'just for boys,' rest assured that there are many, many girls out there just like you. This empowering guide offers tons of tips and tools to help you overcome your struggles, focus on what makes you awesomely unique, and live your best life. Written by a mental health professional with first-hand experience living with ADHD, this friendly workbook offers evidence-based tools to help you gain a better understanding of your neurodivergent brain, focus on your strengths, advocate for yourself, and build the self-confidence needed to reach your fullest potential. You'll also find fun and easy activities to help you work through difficult or negative emotions; be your own ally; stop letting negative thoughts define your life; prioritize what really matters to you; stop masking your symptoms and start advocating for yourself; and discover your own social style."

Catherine J. Mutti-Driscoll PhD (Author), April Doty (Narrator)

Audiobook

At the Speed of Lies

"Quinn Calvet was supposed to be having an epic year. She had plans with her best friend, Ximena, and sister, Ava, and to grow her following as an influencer on The Whine. Instead, Quinn finds herself third wheel to Ximena and her boyfriend or getting ditched by Ava who has turned into an overachiever, obsessed with studying and joining school clubs. It brings up Quinn's old feelings that her disability has her left behind. She tries to talk to Ava about it, but she's too busy with the newest club at school, Defend Kids, which is working frantically to help find two kids who were recently kidnapped from a nearby town. Suddenly, Defend Kids is all anyone is talking about, and whenever Quinn posts about them on The Whine, she gains tons of new followers and her posts go viral. As the club works to get the message out, more kids in the surrounding area go missing, but it seems like the police and the media aren't doing much about it. When two of Quinn's classmates are kidnapped, the dangers that Defend Kids is trying to fight become all too real. As Quinn and her friends search for the missing kids, tensions escalate at school, there's an uptick in bullying, and conspiracy theories abound. Before she knows it, Quinn and The Whine are at the center of it all, trying to find out what's really happening. Only the truth might be more deadly than anyone knows . . ."

Cindy L. Otis (Author), Shannon Condon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Wilderness of Girls

"An unflinching YA debut about a troubled teen who discovers a pack of feral girls in the woods and is swept up in the ensuing mystery: Are the Wild Girls of Happy Valley lost princesses from a faraway land, as they believe, or are they brainwashed victims of a deranged kidnapper? In her ambitious debut perfect for fans of Sadie and The Hazel Wood, Madeline Claire Franklin crafts a gripping exploration of how the world teaches young girls to cage their wildness-and what happens when they claw themselves free. After being placed in foster care, Rhi is hungry for a fresh start and begins working at the Happy Valley Wildlife Preserve. While in the woods, she stumbles upon a surreal sight: a pack of wolves guarding four feral and majestic girls. After Rhi gains their trust, they reveal that they're princesses from another land, raised by a magical prophet they call Mother-and they're convinced Rhi is their lost fifth sister. Unsure what to believe, Rhi ushers the girls to civilization, where they're met with societal uproar and scrutiny, dubbed by the ravenous media and true crime junkies as 'The Wild Girls of Happy Valley.' Desperate to return to their kingdom, the girls look to Rhi for help. Rhi knows the girls are deluded, but at the same time she's drawn in by their boldness and authenticity-traits she is afraid she has lost within herself. And when Rhi witnesses strange phenomena she can't quite explain, the line between fantasy and reality grows blurry. As the hunt for answers intensifies, Rhi must make a decision that will change the course of her lives and the lives of her Wild Girls forever."

Madeline Claire Franklin (Author), Rebecca Soler (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - Mi hermano se llama Jessica

"Sam conoce a su hermana Jessica de toda la vida, pero hoy se encontrarán por primera vez. Mi hermano se llama Jessica es una conmovedora historia de John Boyne, autor del fenómeno literario El niño con el pijama de rayas, que no puede llegar en un momento más oportuno. Con esta novela intensa, emotiva, escrita con empatía, ligereza e ironía, el escritor retrata el viaje de una familia hacia la aceptación. Sam Waver es un chico solitario al que le cuesta hacer amigos, y sus padres están tan ajetreados que a veces se siente invisible. Por suerte, cuenta con su hermano mayor, Jason, quien parece tener una vida perfecta: no sólo es encantador y popular, también es la estrella del equipo de fútbol, y todas las chicas están deseando salir con él. Sam lo idolatra. Sin embargo, un día, Jason reúne a su familia para contarle un secreto que lleva guardando mucho tiempo: en realidad se llama Jessica. Sus padres no dan crédito y Sam descubre que no son las personas abiertas y tolerantes que creía. Las vidas de todos dan un vuelco y parece que las cosas nunca volverán a ser como antes. La crítica ha dicho: «Tan divertida como conmovedora... Es de lectura obligada para todas las edades.» Irish Independent «Esta historia cautivadora y emotiva no te dejará indiferente.» Attitude Magazine «Sobresaliente.» Irish Examiner «John Boyne se hizo un nombre con El niño con el pijama de rayas y en Mi hermano se llama Jessica está en plena forma. Un relato oportuno, escrito con delicadeza.» Daily Express"

John Boyne (Author), Marcel Navarro (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Dutch; Flemish] - Radiostilte

"Van Heartstopper-auteur Alice Oseman nu nog een herkenbaar coming-of-age verhaal! Frances heeft haar hele leven gewijd aan school: ze is klassenoudste en haalt uitstekende cijfers. Haar enige hobby die niet aan school gerelateerd is, is fan art tekenen voor haar favoriete podcast. Als ze op een dag door de maker van die podcast wordt benaderd, blijkt ze hem tot haar verrassing te kennen: Aled Last woont tegenover haar. Ze beginnen een hechte vriendschap, waarin Frances begint te twijfelen aan haar keuzes: waarom werkt ze eigenlijk zo hard? En is studeren wel écht wat ze wil? Radiostilte is een boek voor jongeren vanaf 15 jaar over iemand vinden die naar je wil luisteren, maar ook over hoe het is om eindelijk gehoord te worden. Belangrijk, authentiek en ook nog eens ontzettend grappig, met herkenbare personages die je nog lang zullen bijblijven."

Alice Oseman (Author), Anne Van Veen (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - La mano del diablo: (Autobiografía del 'terrorista Andreas Gabriel Klein)

"'La mano del diablo' describe la vida de Andreas Gabriel Klein, que pasa de ser el 'niño prodigio' de su lugar de nacimiento a terrorista y asesino múltiple. Insatisfecho con la injusticia de la sociedad acomodada, Andreas Gabriel Klein parte hacia la India para encontrar allí un entorno mejor y más justo, pero también allí se decepciona, regresa a Alemania, sólo para visitar de nuevo la ahora también desamparada India, con lo que en la tercera visita cree haber encontrado por fin el destino deseado..... Pero, de nuevo, la política equivocada de la India y la injusticia de los indios hacia 'sus nativos' no le permiten descansar. Andreas Gabriel Klein se involucra en la armada Andreas Gabriel Klein se implica en la lucha armada no sólo en India sino también en Alemania, acaba siendo detenido y pasa varios años en cárceles alemanas tras cometer agresiones sin motivación política. Tras salir de la cárcel, Klein regresa a la India y se da cuenta de que su pueblo natal no se diferencia en nada de los odiados indios negros. Este hombre amargado emprende una campaña privada de venganza en la que su objetivo final es 'eliminar' al mayor número posible de los odiados indios. Sólo la muerte accidental de un niño japonés, de la que Klein es responsable, le hace recapacitar y se enfrenta a las autoridades..... (Hablado por: Federico Neurales/I.A.)"

B. Mich. Grosch (Author), Federico Neurales (Narrator)

Audiobook

Queen of Heaven

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.  Smart, beautiful, and diligent, the model student is secretly obsessed with a boy she constantly stalks. Logic and good sense, but above all, willpower, have helped Rebeka to give herself her place and be as perfect as adults want her to be. Until time runs out and she comes of age. Society will no longer be able to stop her from achieving what she sets out to achieve, by any means necessary."

Ramon H. Guiardinu (Author), Digital Voice Anya G (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Man Who Lost His Faith: A story of somebody becoming nobody

"I want to clarify that this book is not based on my personal experience but rather on a close friend who went through the divorce process. I was there with him at every step, and he shared his story. I have described the whole suffering from his narrative, and every incident and feeling recounted in this book is based on his actual emotions and experiences during those events. Divorce is a challenging and emotional process that can overwhelm anyone involved. My friend’s experience highlights the difficulties faced by both parties and the impact it has on their lives. As a feminist, I believe in equal rights for all, regardless of gender, and this book aims to shed light on the issues faced by both men and women during the divorce process."

Prince Chhabra (Author), Prince Chhabra (Narrator)

Audiobook

Johanna Spiri: HEIDI

"Johanna Spyri’s classic story of a 5 year old little Swiss orphan who is heartbroken when she must leave her beloved grandfather and their happy home in the mountains to go to school and to care for an invalid girl in the city. It was written as a book 'for children and those who love children' "

Johanna Spiri (Author), Philip Chenevert (Narrator)

Audiobook

Before Now Was Now

"Rae’s life is a messy situation. Her mom is a recovering alcoholic, her best friend is a real-life Hollywood mean-girl, and her dad recently left town with his thirtysomething girlfriend. Is it any surprise she’s perpetually one crisis away from an anxiety attack?  Everything changes when Rae’s grandma reveals a shocking family secret and sends Rae to Taos, New Mexico—in the year 1984—to find an extraordinary family heirloom. With the help of Iggy and Rhody—a pair of quirky misfits with a passion for new wave music and bad behavior—the rich history of the area springs to life along with secrets so painful, Rae is tempted to do the one thing she promised her grandma she would not do . . .  Will Rae's incredible journey help her confront the dysfunction in her life? Or could her obsession with fixing the past destroy the world as we know it? Imbued with the wild magic of New Mexico, Before Now Was Now is a moving exploration of the struggle for belonging and identity, the painful bonds of family, and the consequences of choices that trickle down through generations."

Angela Marie Walters (Author), Andi Bishop (Narrator)

Audiobook

My Invisible Father: Turn on the Light to See the Unseen

"Set in one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city of St. Louis, Jayrin Foster grapples with the absence of his father, while Kamree Covington copes with her own struggles as her father serves time in prison. Aceson Denner, residing in a more affluent neighborhood, faces a different challenge – his father's emotional detachment. As these teenagers navigate the turbulent waters of adolescence, the void left by their fathers becomes an insurmountable hurdle. Jayrin's entanglement with a local drug dealer jeopardizes his academic pursuits, places his life at risk, and strains his longstanding friendship with Kamree. Kamree, in pursuit of an ideal and perfect world, confronts her own imperfections through self-reflection. Meanwhile, Aceson's explosive temper and social awkwardness lead to isolation in his school. Through the authentic voices of these compelling characters, the harsh reality of socio-economic challenges confronting today's youth unfolds. As they grapple with loneliness, poverty, drugs, and violence, and develop racial awareness, their separate journeys unexpectedly intertwine. The resulting tapestry weaves a narrative of tragedy, awakening, and the potential for redemption."

Jaer Armstead-Jones (Author), Ben Hauck, Kim Bonny, Torian Brackett (Narrator)

Audiobook