Marisa Blake has narrated 20 audiobooks on Listento.it by 28 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.8★ across 7 ratings. The most-rated is What Would Frida Do?.
AOC
Summary
From the moment Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat a 10-term incumbent in the primary election for New York’s 14th on June 26, 2018, her journey to the national, if not world, stage was fast-tracked. Six months later, as the youngest congresswoman ever elected, AOC became one of a handful of Latina politicians in Washington, DC. Not yet 30, she inspires adulation; she represents her generation, the millennials, in many groundbreaking ways: proudly working-class, democratic socialist, of Puerto Rican descent, not to mention of the Bronx, feminist - and a great dancer. At the same time, the outpouring of vitriol against her has been formidable. But with her social-media savvy and sharp wit, she fights back, creating memes and quotable lines like "Don't hate me cause you ain't me". She goes viral whenever she takes the floor, inspiring young progressives and frustrating conservatives. Lynda Lopez's AOC investigates the many meanings of this remarkable young woman. Contributors span a wide range of voices and ages, from media to the arts and politics. Published on the one-year anniversary of her leap to power, this audiobook will be a must-have item for her many fans.
©2020 Lynda Lopez (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
What Would Frida Do?
Summary
Revered as much for her fierce spirit as she is for her art, Frida Kahlo stands today as a brazen symbol of daring creativity. She was a woman ahead of her time whose paintings have earned her generations of admirers around the globe. But perhaps her greatest work of art was her own life. What Would Frida Do? explores the feminist icon's signature style, outspoken politics, and boldness in love and art, even in the face of pain and heartbreak. The book celebrates her larger than life persona as a woman who loved passionately and lived ambitiously, refusing to remain in her husband's shadow. Each chapter shares intimate stories from her life, revealing how she overcame obstacles by embracing her own ideals. In this charming audiobook, author Arianna Davis conjures Frida's brave spirit, encouraging women to persevere, to create fearlessly, and to stand by their own truths.
©2020 Arianna Davis (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Hasta La Vista, Lola
Summary
When Lola comes home to her parents' house to find a horde of relatives mourning her death, no one is more surprised than she is. The news had reported that one Lola Cruz, private investigator, was found murdered in an alley, causing great alarm in the Cruz family. Before Lola can say, "boo", a cop comes to the house. It turns out the dead woman had a driver's license with Lola's information. Between avoiding an unsavory ex-boyfriend, sorting out mixed signals from the very interested but not yet committed Jack Callaghan, and filling in as a waitress at her parents' Mexican restaurant, Lola tries to find out who the woman was and why she stole her identity. Was the woman hiding from someone who meant her harm, or is there someone out there who wants Lola dead?
©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Living the Vida Lola
Summary
Meet Lola Cruz. After paying her dues as an intern, she's now a full-fledged detective at Camacho and Associates. Her boss is Manny Camacho, a muy caliente former cop with a mysterious ex-wife, a Lara Croft look-alike girlfriend, and a sudden personal interest in Lola. Her first big case? A missing mother who may not want to be found. And to make her already busy life even more complicated, Lola's helping her cousin plan her quinceañera and battling her family and their old-fashioned views on women and careers. She's also reunited with the gorgeous Jack Callaghan, her high-school crush whom she shamelessly tailed years ago and photographed doing the horizontal salsa with some other lucky girl. Lola takes it all in stride, but when the subject of her search ends up dead, she realizes she has a lot more to worry about. Soon she finds herself wrapped up in the possibly shady practices of a tattoo parlor, local politics, and someone with serious - maybe deadly - road rage. To top it all off, her treasured post-coital pictures of Jack are missing! Still, Lola is well-equipped to handle these challenges. She's a black belt in kung fu, and her body isn't her only weapon. She's got smarts, sass, and more tenacity than her Mexican mafioso-wannabe grandfather. A few of her famous margaritas don't hurt, either.
©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Bare-Naked Lola
Summary
Going undercover is second nature for Private Investigator Lola Cruz, but she’s out of her league when the case of a murdered Royals Courtside Dancer leads her to a local nudist resort. Parading around the sidelines of Sacramento’s professional basketball scene in a barely there cheerleading outfit is one thing - but parading around in nothing but a smile? If she’s going to have any chance of hiding this from her traditional family and on-again, off-again boyfriend, Jack, she’s going to have to keep a lot more than her duct tape bra and killer dance moves under wraps.
©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC
They're Gone
Summary
Two men from vastly different backgrounds are murdered one after another on the same night, in the same fashion with two bullet wounds: one in the head, another in the heart. The two slayings send their wives on a desperate search for answers - and a desperate attempt to save their families' lives. Grief takes a heavy toll on northern Virginia freelance editor Deb Linh Thomas when she learns of her husband's murder. And utter dismay sets in when, just a week after the funeral, she discovers that he had been the subject of an FBI investigation after withdrawing a large sum of money from their shared accounts. Elsewhere, Baltimore bartender Cessy Castillo is less bereft when her abusive husband, ex-cop Hector Ramirez, is killed. But it turns out that he was deep in hock - and now Cessy's expected to pay up. Deb and the FBI agent assigned to her case start digging into her husband's murder and learn that he had been the target of criminals. As Deb and Cessy join forces to learn the truth, their investigation reveals an ever-darker web of clues, but if they're not careful, they may just end up like their husbands.
©2020 E. A. Barres (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Santa Claus vs. the Easter Bunny
Summary
Santa has it so easy: a workforce of elves to make the presents, a team of reindeer to deliver them, even a hi-tech factory! The Easter Bunny has to make and wrap all the chocolate eggs and deliver them all by himself. Now Bunny has had enough. But will his plan for a Christmas disaster turn into a Christmas delight?
©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Christmas in Winter Hill
Summary
Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager...well, manages. As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn't always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders Where's the snow? Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista's Christmas spirit before the big day?
©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Gustavo, the Shy Ghost
Summary
Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. And he loves almost nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy "eye scream" or making friends with other monsters. Whenever he tries getting close to them, he realizes they just can’t see him. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and to share with them something he loves?
Debut author Flavia Z. Drago tells a sweet and gently offbeat story of loneliness, bravery, and friendship that is sure to be a treat for little ghouls and goblins everywhere.
©2020 Flavia Z. Drago (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
A Wright Christmas
Summary
A new second chance single dad stand-alone romance set in the world of the Wrights from USA Today best-selling author K.A. Linde At 17, I left Isaac Donoghue behind to become a professional ballerina. When I return home to dance in the Nutcracker, I never expect to run into him. Let alone on my first day in town. I can’t help but admire him in a crisp suit with his toned soccer body, chiseled jaw line, and all too familiar piercing green eyes. I thought nothing could surprise me more. Until his five year old daughter runs out of the ballet studio. I’m only in town for a month. I shouldn’t get involved with anyone, especially the ex I’ve been pining after for years. Especially when he has a daughter to consider. But where Isaac is concerned, I’ve never been able to stay away. With the help of some Christmas magic, maybe we finally have a shot at our second chance.
©2020 K. A. Linde (P)2020 K. A. Linde
The (Other) F Word
Summary
Chubby. Curvy. Fluffy. Plus-size. Thick. Fat. The time has come for fat people to tell their own stories. The (Other) F Word combines the voices of Renée Watson, Julie Murphy, Jes Baker, Samantha Irby, Bruce Sturgell, and more in a relatable and gift-worthy guide about body image and fat acceptance. This dazzling collection of poetry, essays, and fashion tips is meant for people of all sizes who desire to be seen and heard in a culture consumed by a narrow definition of beauty. By combining the talents of renowned fat YA and middle-grade authors, as well as fat influencers and creators, The (Other) F Word offers teen listeners and activists of all ages a tool for navigating our world with confidence and courage. Full list of author includes: Angie Manfredi, Alex Gino ,Jana Schmieding, Lily Anderson, Renée Watson Mason Deaver, S. Qiouyi Lu, Sarah Hollowell, David Bowles, Jonathan P. Higgins, Virgie Tovar, P. S. Kaguya, Hillary Monahan, Miguel M. Morales Julie Murphy, Isabel Quintero, Bruce Sturgell, Saucyé West, Corissa Enneking, Jess Walton, Ady Del Valle, Evette Dionne, Jes Baker, Laina Spencer, Adrianne Russell, Amy Spalding
©2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Time of Our Lives
Summary
Fitz Holton waits in fear for the day his single mother’s early-onset Alzheimer’s starts stealing her memory. He’s vowed to stay close to home to care for her in the years to come - never mind the ridiculous college tour she’s forcing him on to visit schools he knows he’ll never go to.
Juniper Ramirez is counting down the days until she can leave home, a home crowded with five younger siblings and zero privacy. Against the wishes of her tight-knit family, Juniper plans her own college tour of the East Coast with one goal: to get out.
When Fitz and Juniper cross paths on their first college tour in Boston, they’re at odds from the moment they meet - while Juniper’s dying to start a new life apart from her family, Fitz faces the sacrifices he must make for his. Their relationship sparks a deep connection - in each other’s eyes, they glimpse alternate possibilities regarding the first big decision of their adult lives.
©2020 Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
We Are Not from Here
Summary
Pulga has his dreams.
Chico has his grief.
Pequeña has her pride.
And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they've grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home.
Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life - if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them and the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go.
©2020 Jenny Tores Sanchez (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez
Summary
Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school...until the day that Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea - the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall - only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid! Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.
©2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Queer Brown Voices
Summary
In the last three decades of the 20th century, LGBT Latinas/os faced several forms of discrimination. The greater Latino community did not often accept sexual minorities, and the mainstream LGBT movement expected everyone, regardless of their ethnic and racial background, to adhere to a specific set of priorities so as to accommodate a “unified” agenda. To disrupt the cycle of sexism, racism, and homophobia that they experienced, LGBT Latinas/os organized themselves on local, state, and national levels, forming communities in which they could fight for equal rights while simultaneously staying true to both their ethnic and sexual identities. Yet histories of LGBT activism in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s often reduce the role that Latinas/os played, resulting in misinformation, or ignore their work entirely, erasing them from history. Queer Brown Voices is the first book published to counter this trend, documenting the efforts of some of these LGBT Latina/o activists. Comprising essays and oral history interviews that present the experiences of 14 activists across the United States and in Puerto Rico, the book offers a new perspective on the history of LGBT mobilization and activism. The activists discuss subjects that shed light not only on the organizations they helped to create and operate but also on their broad-ranging experiences of being racialized and discriminated against, fighting for access to health care during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and struggling for awareness.
©2015 The University of Texas Press (P)2019 Audible, Inc.
Celebrate Your Body (And Its Changes, Too)
Summary
Your body rules - the know-how a girl needs to navigate the changes of puberty. Puberty can be a difficult time for a young girl - and it’s natural not to know who (or what) to ask. Celebrate Your Body encourages girls to face this whole puberty thing with excitement and empowerment. From period care to mysterious hair in new places, this standout among puberty books for girls has the answers you’re looking for - in a way you can relate to. Covering everything from bras to braces, Celebrate Your Body goes beyond other puberty books for girls, offering friendly guidance and support when you need it most. In addition to tips on managing intense feelings, making friends, and more, Celebrate Your Body has even more than other puberty books for girls, showing you what to eat and how to exercise, so your body is healthy, happy, and ready for the changes ahead. This guide goes beyond other puberty books for girls with advice on: Growing pains - Discover what happens, when it happens, and why your body (and mind) is amazing in every way. Girl power - Learn how to stand up to peer pressure, stay safe on social media, and keep the right kind of friends. Shape of you - Choose the right foods, exercises, and sleep schedule to keep your changing body at its best with advice you won’t find in other puberty books for girls. If you’re looking for puberty books for girls, Celebrate Your Body is a growing girl’s guide to facing puberty with confidence. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2018 Sonya Renee Taylor (P)2019 Audible, Inc.
The Diamond House
Summary
From the winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award, an engaging new novel about the unconventional Estella Diamond and her struggle with the expectations that bind her family Estella Diamond is the youngest child and only daughter of a successful brick-factory owner, a self-described family man who is not averse to being called a kingpin. Estella’s precocious nature leads her to discover something none of her brothers know: that their father was once married to an aspiring ceramics artist named Salina, who dreamed big and turned her back on society’s conventions. Estella grows up planning her future in the image of her father’s daring first wife, rather than that of her traditional mother. When her plans are derailed again and again by the family patriarchy, she longs to rebel and be like Salina. Unable to openly challenge her father, and with a chorus of sisters-in-law passing judgment, she does the right thing instead, and plays the role of the good daughter. Until she doesn’t. The effects of Estella’s rebellion will stay with her and the family for years, until she is left alone in the house her father built with only her housekeeper, Emyflor, for company. When an uncompromising young woman named Hannah Diamond enters her world, Estella is forced to wrestle with the legacy she helped create and to confront the woman she has become, just in time for one last reinvention.
©2020 Dianne Warren (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers
Grieving
Summary
This hybrid collection of short crónicas, journalism, and personal essays on systemic violence in contemporary Mexico and along the US-Mexico border draws together literary theory and historical analysis to outline how neoliberalism, corruption, and drug trafficking - culminating in the misnamed “war on drugs” - has shaped Mexico. Working from and against this political context, Cristina Rivera Garza posits that collective grief is an act of resistance against state violence and that writing is a powerful mode of seeking social justice and embodying resilience. As she states, “As we write, as we work with language - the humblest and most powerful force available to us - we activate the potential of words, phrases, sentences. Writing as we grieve, grieving as we write: a practice able to create refuge from the open. Writing with others. Grieving like someone who takes refuge from the open. Grieving, which is always a radically different mode of writing.”
©2011 Cristina Rivera Garza (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Dreaming in Cuban
Summary
“Impressive...[Cristina García’s] story is about three generations of Cuban women and their separate responses to the revolution. Her special feat is to tell it in a style as warm and gentle as the ‘sustaining aromas of vanilla and almond,’ as rhythmic as the music of Beny Moré.” (Time) Cristina García’s acclaimed book is the haunting, bittersweet story of a family experiencing a country’s revolution and the revelations that follow. The lives of Celia del Pino and her husband, daughters, and grandchildren mirror the magical realism of Cuba itself, a landscape of beauty and poverty, idealism and corruption. Dreaming in Cuban is “a work that possesses both the intimacy of a Chekov story and the hallucinatory magic of a novel by Gabriel García Márquez” (The New York Times). In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the novel’s original publication, this edition features a new introduction by the author. Praise for Dreaming in Cuban: “Remarkable...an intricate weaving of dramatic events with the supernatural and the cosmic...evocative and lush.” (San Francisco Chronicle) “Captures the pain, the distance, the frustrations and the dreams of these family dramas with a vivid, poetic prose.” (The Washington Post) “Brilliant.... With tremendous skill, passion and humor, García just may have written the definitive story of Cuban exiles and some of those they left behind.” (The Denver Post)
©2021 Cristina García (P)2021 Random House Audio
Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote
Summary
Miss Lila Greer announces it’s time for Grade Two to get a class pet, and she wants the kids to participate in choosing which one. After all, they will all have to share the responsibility of caring for it. The class narrows it down to two options: Team Turtle and Team Bird. Sofia is named Election Commissioner, in charge of overseeing a fair and honest election between the two teams. There’s a class-wide campaign, complete with posters, articles, and speeches. Then it’s time for the election! But when the votes are counted, there’s a tie, and one vote is missing. How will the class break the tie? And what happened to the vanishing vote? It’s up to Sofia Valdez and the Questioneers to restore democracy!
©2020 Andrea Beaty (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC