Showing results by narrator "Stacy Gonzalez" in All Categories

It's the first week of middle school, and Ash (don't call her "Ashley") already has a class assignment: Make a family tree. But how can Ash make a family tree if she doesn't have a family? Ever since she was four years old, Ash has been in foster care, living with one so-called family after another. Now she's stuck with Gladys. And the only place Ash feels safe is in the branches of her favorite tree, drawing in her sketchbook, hidden from the view of Gladys's son Jordan.

Elisa Levi's That's All I Know explores the toll of caring for those who cannot care for themselves, the fear of the unknown that anchors people to unfulfilling lives, and the bravery it takes to stop deceiving oneself, to give in to longing.

In Victorian-era Louisville, the Home for Friendless Women is run by benevolent benefactors with one mission: to reform the fallen women who live there into pious mothers and wives through religious lessons and hard work. For Ruth, a college student who’s expelled after a campus sexual assault, the Home is a purgatory to endure before she can get her life back. For Belle, a queer sex worker who exchanged her bed at a brothel for one in the Home, it’s a safe place to rest her feet until she can track down her missing lover.

Atop a hill in the rainforest of Belize, next to the ruins of a fallen civilization, a butterfly farm raises the brilliant blue morpho. What starts out as the worst vacation ever turns into a quest to learn more about the first-of-its-kind farm when journalist Diana Marcum inadvertently discovers this wildlife sanctuary, which is supported by an international live-butterfly trade.

Growing up in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, Maggie Gonzalez has always been a little messy, but she’s okay with that. After all, she has a great family, a goofy group of friends, a rocky romantic history, and dreams of being a music photographer. Tasked with picking an escort for her little sister’s quinceañera, Maggie has to face the truth: that her feelings about her friends—and her —aren’t as simple as she’d once believed.

In Parson, Texas, a small town ravaged by a devastating hurricane and the Vietnam War, twenty-nine-year-old Lou is diligently renovating a decaying old mansion for Miss Kate, the elderly neighbor who has always been like a mother to her. Mourning her brother’s death in Vietnam, Lou dreams of enjoying a more peaceful future in Parson. But those hopes are crushed when Miss Kate is murdered, and no one but Lou seems to care about finding the killer.

Apollo’s bright love is consuming, and the dark god Hades fills my dreams with lust and desire. Even though I’m torn between them, the sea god, Poseidon, surfaces to calm the chaos, except I’m falling for him. I’m living my new life on a sword’s edge, losing part of myself with each passing day. Trying to walk the fine line between my humanity and godhood is proving difficult. Heracles attempts to help me control my new power, and Ares insists I leap into the fight. All while the darkness is consuming souls with greater frequency. And I worry not even the gods can stop Death.

Journalist Jazmine Prado has always believed that timing is everything. So when her magazine reveals plans to lay off writers as they pivot to video content, she'll do whatever it takes to stay on the pay roll. Like agree to take part in the magazine's first web series, Our Big Day, chronicling her Cancún wedding to her gorgeous, internet-famous fiance, Hudson Taylor. It's not the way fiercely private Jaz envisioned getting married. But at least she'll keep her job . . . right?

Twenty-four tales of madmen, monsters, and misery. A tantalizing blend of horror, suspense, and crime stories; each unique but all dark, disturbing, and violent. In the audiobook lurk: A tarot card reader who makes house calls; a disabled man in a miserable marriage who is regaining the use of his arms; an ex-con who can’t resist carrying out one last home invasion, and much more!

Professor Colin Ayres has spent years researching the strange story of Galina, Arizona, a sleepy border town ripped apart by violence and paranoia after the outbreak of a mysterious illness in 1960. Colin is certain the Galina Incident was simply a case of mass hysteria. But when his partner, Alonzo, starts exhibiting strange symptoms, Colin is shocked to realize they are the same as those that emerged in Galina decades ago.

Take the Brand Boss personality test to reveal your specific archetype and how this acumen applies to your life, your relationships, your career and your company. Are you a catalyst, coach, or crusader? Optimist or a woo-er? Maven or mastermind? Poet or a prodigy? Just like there are 12 astrological signs, we’ll share the 12 personality archetypes and then help you drill down to unlock yours.

Margot Ortega always struggled to be the princess in her own fairytale: a successful career, a huge salary, a gorgeous apartment, and a perfect fiancé. But on her wedding day, she suffers a major panic attack and has to call it off. Devastated and ashamed, Margot decides to drown her sufferings in a mad night of alcohol and dancing. The next day, she goes back to the sleazy club to retrieve her sister's cell phone and has a crazy encounter with David Sánchez, the handsome, fun-loving bartender who persuades her to pretend to be his new girlfriend in order to make his ex jealous.

When Maggie Carpenter left the seductive glitz of London for summer break in her small South Carolina hometown, she walked away from the most intense encounter of her life. But now that she's returned to the International School—and sexy, privileged Samir Khouri is once again close enough to touch—she can't help but remember the attraction, the drama…the heartbreak.

A dance to the death. A monstrous girl who lures people into dark water. A hallway that’s constantly changing—and hungry. All these stories exist within a house unbound from the laws of time and space.

Everything has been one elaborate lie. My name. My identity. My entire existence. Brody Harcourt exposed me as a fraud, turning me from a queen into a pariah. Now there will be hell to pay.

Tegan Everly is quiet. Known around school simply as the girl with the hand, she's usually only her most outspoken self with her friend Neel, and right now, they're not exactly talking. When Tegan is ambushed by her mom with a truth she can't face, she flees home in a snowstorm, finding refuge at a forgotten local attraction - the tiny Thomas Edison museum.

Emilia Romero is living a double life. By day, she’s a field hockey star with a flawless report card. But by night, she’s kicking virtual ass as the only female member of a highly competitive eSports team. Emilia has mastered the art of keeping her two worlds thriving, which hinges on them staying completely separate. That's in part to keep her real-life persona, but also for her own safety, since girl gamers are often threatened and harassed.

Projects fail. Some say 40 percent of all IT projects fail, some say 70 percent. And it has been that way for years. Each project fails for its own reasons but they all share one thing in common: the project model. Could it be the project model itself which creates failure? In this tour de force Allan Kelly explains why the project model is a poor fit for managing software development.

Camilla Morales has always been known for her sunny demeanor and never letting anyone get to her. She works hard, smiles harder, and does what she can to succeed. Moving to a small town in Tennessee, Camilla is forced to learn the hard way that success only means so much if you have the roots to go with it.

Madi Ramírez has it all—a thriving career she loves, a successful boyfriend, and a wedding to plan—when he finally proposes. So why does she feel like there is something missing? Jayden even has the right initials—the JR that appeared to Madi years ago, in a dream visitation from her beloved, wise abuela. Madi’s friends think her expectations are too high—but she can’t help wishing for that dreamy feeling in real-life. Wishing that Jayden would show her a little more affection. That she could really believe they were meant to be.