Showing results by narrator "Victoria Villarreal" in All Categories

Lola de La Peña yearns to be free from the societal expectations of a young Mexican lady of her station. She spends her days pretending to be delicate and proper while watching her mamá cure the sick and injured with sal negra (black salt), a recently discovered magic that heals even the most mortal of sicknesses and wounds. But by night, she is Salvación, the free-spirit lady vigilante protecting the town of Coloma from those who threaten its peace and safety among the rising tension in Alta California after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

A playground for the rich and famous, a murdered Jane Doe, and a beloved celebrity. Journalist Bexley Squires might be out of her league when she’s asked to solve one of the nation’s most infamous unsolved mysteries. But she’s broke and desperate for the means to find her sister after her disappearance, and the world’s sexiest actor will pay generously to save his reputation. Only she didn’t expect the detective in charge of the case to be her old crush Grayson Rivers.

Ever since Precious Perez was a child, she has loved music. Her family always praised her singing, saying she could even attend Berklee College of Music one day—planting a seed that would become her dream. Precious was born two and a half months prematurely and weighed just one pound. Her eyes did not fully develop, and she is blind. With an engaging, accessible voice, Precious delivers an empowering first-person account of her determination to achieve her dreams, even with the world stacking the odds against her.

Coronary Artery Disease is the number one health threat among both American men and women. However, today’s research focuses almost entirely on men. When it comes to women, heart disease is under-researched, under-treated, and under-diagnosed. Dr. Nitza Alvarez, an accomplished cardiologist who has a particular passion for her female patients, has written this comprehensive guide, specifically for women, to help them in understanding and living with their “#1 threat,” heart disease.

Adulting should be illegal. I’m a woman who adores childish things. I prefer being called Maddie over Madison. I like frilly dresses, tickle fights, hot chocolate, coloring, and swing sets. I avoid adulting like I do broccoli, and my therapist says that’s okay. We all have our hobbies. I think my therapist is full of it, but he hasn’t steered me wrong, yet. At least, I don’t think he has. So, what am I supposed to do when tragedy hits my family once again, and I’m left with twins? Well, I adapt.

Sammy Espinoza’s life is a raging dumpster fire. Her desperate attempt to win back her singer ex-girlfriend has landed her in hot water at work, and she has one last chance before her editor cuts her column. Luckily, Sammy has a plan to redeem herself, but it won’t be easy. Rumor has it that Max Ryan, the former rock god, is secretly recording his first-ever solo album years after he dramatically quit performing. And it just so happens that he and Sammy have history: Right before Max got his big break, he and Sammy spent an unforgettable night together.

Maritza is Bolivian on her mother’s side, Mexican on her father’s side, and 100 percent American soccer player. She dreams of playing for the U.S. women’s soccer team and even coaching it one day. Her teammate Violeta has those dreams too, but she worries she may never reach them because her family immigrated to the United States from El Salvador and may be sent back there. Maritza believes that families belong together, and with her new friends Makena and Evette by her side, she makes a plan to help. Can Maritza find the courage to lead with her heart?

From first breakups and romantic vampire encounters to last band performances and the deadly end of a friendship, Firsts and Lasts is an anthology that is just as unpredictable as being a teenager. While each of these stories span different genres and styles, they all perfectly capture the big emotions—confusion, joy, uneasiness, and anticipation—that many teens experience as they grow up.

In the kingdom of Oren, Prismena longs to fly hot-air balloons, but her father insists she keep her feet on the ground. When he's arrested for a crime he didn't commit—and one that Prismena did—she must decide between following the rules and following her heart.

Callie Taylor would never be seduced by a charming, wealthy man again! An island girl, she grew up hearing stories about her mother’s idyllic childhood in her native Turks and Caicos. She wondered if she’d ever find a love like her parents. Her Australian father moved halfway around the world to be with her mother after a chance meeting. He left his old life for their love.

Everyone's in love. Whatever. Victoria wasn’t one for love. It wasn’t in her destiny. Her parents hadn’t loved her enough to provide for her. None of the foster families loved her enough to adopt her. Her coworkers didn’t even like her, and she didn’t have any friends. But, she had herself. And, she would take care of herself just like she’d always had to. So, she was going to take full advantage of her vacation at the ultra-luxurious Sand Escape Resort and snag a billionaire!

Join Uni the Unicorn on this all-new Step into Reading adventure in the Land of Unicorns! In this Step 2 book, it's Uni's very first sleepover! The other unicorns have been to sleepovers before, and have learned lots of magical games. Uni struggles with game after game, and by bedtime, Uni isn't having a very good time. Will Uni find a way to contribute to the fun?

A heartwarming tale of a girl waiting for her beloved Papá to return when the monarchs fly south to their home in Mexico. Lucía loves to watch the monarchs' migration from her home in Mexico with Papá. But this year, the monarchs' journey north holds extra weight; Papá is heading north, too, to look for work. He promises her that when "the weather turns cold and the monarcas return, our winged ancestors will guide me home." So while he spends the summer months harvesting produce on faraway farms, Lucía watches the skies for signs of the monarchs'—and her papá's—return.

It's finally time for the party! Every year, best friends Edie and Molly-Jean (who still prefers to be called MJ) throw a costume party and have the best time. They plan the perfect outfits, order pizza, and dance to silly songs...but this year they'll also magically travel to Mexico and find themselves in the middle of Día de los Muertos celebrations to discover that a secret mole recipe has been stolen!

When one of Santa's reindeer gets lost on the busiest night of the year, it's up to Uni to use a little unicorn magic and help out. Can Uni find the reindeer in time to save Christmas? Based on the New York Times best-selling Uni the Unicorn, everyone's favorite unicorn is back in time for the holidays!

Uh-oh! Uni and the little girl find a trail of candy wrappers on the forest floor. These don't belong here! Ride along as they clean up the mess and teach a valuable lesson about litter at the same time. These new Uni the Unicorn storybooks have a strong magical theme and a hopeful message. In Uni's beautiful world, we see Uni experiencing real-world feelings that kids can identify with and families want to hear about.

Learning any language can be difficult. Finding the time to do it is usually the first problem, and finding a place where you are free from distractions can be just as hard. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Now, with Spanish Language Lessons for Beginners: Level 2, you can learn to speak Spanish phrases, conversations, and more, while you commute to work or take other short car journeys.

Some days, ten-year-old Margarita Sandoval feels as if the wind might blow her away. The country has been gripped by the Great Depression, so times are hard everywhere. Then she has to leave her familia in New Mexico—especially her beloved Abuelita—to move to Fort Steele, Wyoming, where her father has taken a job on the railroad. When Margarita meets Caroline, she's excited to have a friend her own age in Wyoming. But it often seems like Caroline, like many other people in town, doesn't understand or appreciate the Sandovals' Hispanic heritage.

Najwa Zebian, EdD, has been grappling with the concept of letting go for years, both in her own journey and in her interactions with community members, students, and friends. More and more, Najwa has observed that while our problems are personal, the themes surrounding them are universal. She concluded that letting go is a topic that deserves specific attention and consideration. Wanting a tool that is practical for as many people as possible, Najwa used her considerable platform to solicit questions from longtime followers.

As a little girl and her dog embark on their daily walk through the city, they skip and spin to the familiar sounds of revving cars, clanking bikes, friendly barks, and whistling camote carts. But what they aren't expecting to hear is the terrifying sound of a rumbling earthquake...and then...silence. With captivating prose, this heartwarming story leaves listeners with the message that they can choose to be strong and brave even when they are scared, and can still find joy and hope in the midst of sadness.