Showing results by narrator "Dominique Franceschi" in All Categories

Liv. Reese. Faith. Yes, they are plus-size, curvy, thick, whatever. Point is, they are past sick of society’s relentless body shaming defining them. Liv slays in dance classes, where she shakes off her frustrations as a struggling writer. Introverted Reese avoids “taking up too much space” by staying in the background as Liv’s sidekick. And while diva-cold professional dancer Faith aces countless auditions, she’s “too big” for starring roles. At the end of their respective ropes, all it takes is one more insult … for Liv to suddenly have an idea that will unite them all.

The neighborhood of Oleander Court is the poster child for suburban bliss. The residents compare lawns beautified by hired help. They monitor home values. They toss perfect furniture because they wanted tapioca, not beige. But when a string of murders rips through the neighborhood, suspicions abound as new secrets come to light. And as more and more bodies are taken away, it becomes clear that the killer is strategically selecting each and every victim, picking off the shallowest, most wasteful of the lot in spectacular fashion and leaving everyone in the neighborhood to wonder Who’s next?

It is 2085 and Laisve is learning to use the ancient waterways to travel through water and time. Sifting through the detritus of a fallen city known as The Brook, she discovers a talisman that will connect her with people from the past two centuries, including a squad of laborers at work on a huge national monument to liberty. As waters rise and a police state encroaches, Laisve must find her way back to the early days of her imperfect country, to forge a bond that might save all their lives—and their shared dream of freedom.

Luciana es la menor de una numerosa familia colombiano-americana en el sur de Florida, pero en medio de una crisis debe convertirse en la única voz razonable de su entorno familiar y lidiar con su excéntrica abuela, que se niega a seguir la orden de evacuación ante la llegada de un huracán. El huracán no es el único peligro. La glamorosa y despreocupada vida de la abuela se verá cimbrada por un grave diagnóstico médico que prefiere ignorar.

Though assured several times by family members that the man who had her heart for so many years would not be home, Rosie runs into him the first day she arrives. Immediately, she’s left wondering how she could ever walk away from him again. With the wedding, the holidays, their families being so close-knit, and the fact that they’re neighbors, it’s looking more and more like there’s no way for them to avoid falling back in love with one another. Can they manage to forgive each other and themselves and put the past behind them, or will it catch up and run their new relationship into the ground?

El sueño americano se ha vuelto pesadilla, y tres latinas indocumentadas han quedado atrapadas: Bolivia y sus dos hijas, María Paz y Violeta. María Paz cree tocar el cielo con las manos al casarse con un policía blanco y norteamericano. Hasta que este es asesinado y a ella la meten presa. Pero la celda no es su peor calvario. María Paz descubre que el verdadero infierno la espera al otro lado de las rejas, y una segunda muerte termina de definir el rumbo de su suerte.

Eighteen-year-old Alice Ribeiro is constantly fighting—against the status quo, female oppression in Brazil, and even her own mother. But when a family veil is passed down to her, Alice is compelled to fight for the rights of all womankind while also uncovering the hidden history of the women in her family.

The Akashic Noir series’ forensic study of Southern California sharpens its focus on one of Los Angeles’ most recognized neighborhoods.

Cellphones have become a fact of life, with children as young as eight (yes, eight!) getting their very own “devices.” Such boundless access means our kids are in nearly constant contact with technology that was designed specifically for adults. And they’re doing so without any type of road map. Enter First Phone: the essential audiobook that apprehensive parents can confidently hand to their kids to listen to as they begin their journey into the digital world.

Two Colombian expats meet as strangers on the rainy streets of New York City, both burdened with traumatic pasts. In Cuba, a woman discovers her deceased brother’s bones have been stolen, and the love of her life returns from Ecuador for a one-night visit. A cash-strapped couple hustles in Miami, to life-altering ends.

Castles may conjure up a romantic fairy tale world; however, in real life, during the Middle Ages, castles were fortresses, providing shelter and protection for the lord as well as for the peasants who lived on his land. For an army, a lord depended on young soldiers in armor called knights who spent years at the castle learning the skills of warfare.

Seventeen-year-old Zelly is a self-proclaimed computer geek growing up in present-day Seattle. She's also one of the last three reincarnated leaders of Soul Identity, an ancient organization that promises to pass people's fortunes and memories to their future selves. Along with her two closest friends, she'll ascend to power when she turns 19...if she lives that long.

Zoey is a curious five-year-old kindergartener who is full of spunk and character. She speaks her mind but sometimes a little too much. Now she needs to decide whether to hide her true self to fit in or to shine bright like the stars. Can she conquer her fears and love herself for all that she is?

Señora Sanasana offers a new lively character to the children's canon of beloved magical nannies and caregivers: a fashionable and kind Peruvian elder who is as fantastical as her llama companion, Llamita, and who is a cunning friend to the multicultural children and families of her high-rise apartment building. Señora Sanasana guides her neighbors through the ups and downs of childhood, and her magical apartment is a safe place for her community to play and learn.

Omega Morales’s family has been practicing magic for centuries in Noche Buena. But over the years, the town's reputation for the supernatural is no longer one the people carry with pride. So Omega’s family keeps to themselves, and in private, they’re Empaths—diviners who can read and manipulate the emotions of people and objects around them. But Omega’s powers don’t quite work, and it leaves her feeling like an outsider in her own family.

Imagine a world devoid of violence - a world where fists can’t hit, guns don’t kill, and bombs can’t destroy. In this tantalizing novel of possibility, this has - suddenly and inexplicably - become our new reality. The US president must find a new way to wage war. The pope ponders whether the Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” is still relevant.

Zoe knows that the only thing harder than middle school is losing a best friend. She and Laura used to do everything together from taking silly selfies, to joining all the same clubs together and even throwing surprise birthday parties for one another.

It's the first day of school and Little Tortoise is ready with a backpack filled with new school supplies. Little Tortoise can't wait to get to school and tries very hard not to be the last student there. But soon Cheetah, Llama, and even a snail on a scooter, overtake her. And then when she gets stuck in the gutter of the book, she's sure she'll be the last pupil to arrive! But the timely arrival of Mr. Sloth, her new teacher, changes everything.

Study Break, a collection of interconnected contemporary Young Adult short stories written by Gen Z authors, explores different parts of "the college experience," from questioning your major to questioning your identity.

Hannah Brooks parece una profesora de infantil y no alguien que podría matarte con una servilleta, pero en realidad es guardaespaldas y acaban de asignarle una nueva misión: proteger al actor superestrella Jack Stapleton. Antes, Jack Stapleton estaba en boca de todos y sus fotos, normalmente en playas paradisiacas, surcando las olas como un dios griego, saturaban las revistas de todo el país. Hasta que, tras una tragedia personal hace dos años, se alejó de los focos.