Explore New Worlds, Free Audiobook Are the Golden Pearls – Details, episodes & analysis

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 556128 Title: Murderous Persuasion Author: Katie Oliver Narrator: Jennifer Jill Araya Format: Unabridged Length: 9:38:29 Language: English Release date: 01-03-23 Publisher: Penguin Audio Genres: Thriller & Horror, Detective Stories, Cozy Mystery Summary: Phaedra Brighton is on the case when an innocent murder-mystery weekend turns into the real deal, in the newest Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery. Phaedra Brighton has her life all figured out—she has a profession she enjoys, a wonderful (if exasperating) cat, and a cozy carriage house on the grounds of her aunt's inn. She needs no Captain Wentworth to sweep her off her feet (though, she would not mind a Mr. Darcy).   But when Aunt Wendy decides she is selling Laurel Springs Inn, Phaedra faces losing her beloved home. In a last-ditch attempt to drum up more business, Phaedra convinces Wendy to host an immersive Persuasion-themed murder-mystery weekend. It is a fool proof plan to draw attention to the establishment in the hopes of saving it.    Until make-believe becomes reality and one of the participants winds up dead.    With more suspects than she knows what to do with, Phaedra finds herself on the hunt for a killer once again. But with time running out, Phaedra quickly realizes that with this investigation, there will be no second chances. Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 604335 Title: Goodbye, Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land Author: Jacob Mikanowski Narrator: Jacob Mikanowski Format: Unabridged Length: 13:05:47 Language: English Release date: 07-11-23 Publisher: Random House (Audio) Genres: History, Fiction & Literature, Europe, Travel, Literary Criticism Summary: In light of Russia's aggressive 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Goodbye, Eastern Europe is a crucial, elucidative read, a sweeping epic chronicling a thousand years of strife, war, and bloodshed, from pre-Christianity to the fall of Communism—illuminating the remarkable cultural significance and richness of a place perpetually lost to the margins of history. 'Eastern Europe' has gone out of fashion since the fall of the Soviet Union. Ask someone today, and they might tell you that Estonia is in the Baltics or Scandinavia, that Slovakia is in Central Europe, and that Croatia is in the eastern Adriatic or the Balkans. In fact, Eastern Europe is a place that barely exists at all, except in cultural memory. Yet it remains a powerful marker of identity for many, with a fragmented and wide-ranging history defined by texts, myths, and memories of centuries of hardship and suffering. Goodbye, Eastern Europe is a masterful narrative about a place that has survived being forgotten. Beginning with long-lost accounts of early pagan life, Mikanowski offers a kaleidoscopic tour of the various peoples who made Eastern Europe their home over the centuries, including the Roma, Jews, and Muslims; the great kingdoms of the medieval period; the rise and fall of the Ottoman, Habsburg, and Russian empires; the dawn of the modern era; the ravages of fascism and Communism; the birth of the modern nation-state and beyond. A student of literature, history, and the ghosts of his own family’s past, Mikanowski paints a magisterial portrait of a place united by diversity and eclecticism, and of people with the shared story of being the dominated rather than the dominating. The result is a loving and ebullient celebration of the distinctive and vibrant cultures that stubbornly persisted at the margins of Western Europe and Russia, and a powerful corrective that re-centers not only our understanding of how the modern Western world took shape but also the ways in which Eastern Europe has evolved throughout history to become what it is today. Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 572974 Title: Queerly Beloved: A Novel Author: Susie Dumond Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell Format: Unabridged Length: 12:55:35 Language: English Release date: 05-03-22 Publisher: Random House (Audio) Genres: Romance, Fiction & Literature, Contemporary Women, LGBTQ+ Summary: A people-pleasing baker tries to find her place as a bridesmaid-for-hire. Will she finally find her happily ever after—and her own voice? “A delightful debut, perfect for any person who’s ever created their own place to belong.”—Casey McQuiston, bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop FINALIST FOR THE LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Book Riot Amy, a semicloseted queer baker and bartender in mid-2010s Oklahoma, has spent a lifetime putting other people’s needs before her own. Until, that is, she’s fired from her job at a Christian bakery and turns her one-off gig subbing in for a bridesmaid into a full-time business, thanks to her baking talents, crafting skills, and years watching rom-coms and Say Yes to the Dress. Between her new gig and meeting Charley, the attractive engineer who’s just moved to Tulsa, suddenly Amy’s found something—and someone—she actually wants. Her tight-knit group of chosen family is thrilled that Amy is becoming her authentic self. But when her deep desire to please kicks into overdrive, Amy’s precarious balancing act strains her relationships to the breaking point, and she must decide what it looks like to be true to herself—and if she has the courage to try. Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 554988 Title: Answers in the Pages Author: David Levithan Narrator: Christopher Gebauer, Oliver Wyman, Vikas Adam Format: Unabridged Length: 4:13:15 Language: English Release date: 05-10-22 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Genres: Kids, General, Health & Family Summary: A bold, timely novel about speaking up and coming out as parents lobby to ban a beloved book from the school curriculum by New York Times-bestselling author David Levithan. When Donovan left his copy of The Adventurers on the kitchen counter, he didn't think his mom would read it—much less have a problem with it. It's just an adventure novel about two characters trying to stop an evil genius...right?   But soon the entire town is freaking out about whether the book's main characters are gay, Donovan's mom is trying to get the book removed from the school curriculum, and Donovan is caught in the middle.   Donovan doesn't really know if the two boys fall in love at the end or not—but he does know this: even if they do, it shouldn't matter. The book should not be banned from school.    Interweaving three connected storylines, David Levithan delivers a bold, fun, and timely story about taking action (whether it's against book censors or deadly alligators...), being brave, and standing up for what's right.      Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 622654 Title: Select Author: Christie Matheson Narrator: Holly Linneman Format: Unabridged Length: 4:04:37 Language: English Release date: 05-09-23 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Genres: Kids, General, Health & Family Summary: One girl and her soccer team take a stand against the bullies who push them too far in this brave, inspiring novel that celebrates girl power and the true spirit of sports. Perfect for readers who love The Crossover and Fighting Words. 'A tale of terrific girl power and athleticism.' —Kirkus Reviews Twelve-year-old Alex loves playing soccer, and she’s good at it, too. Very good. When her skills land her a free ride to play for Select, an elite soccer club, it feels like a huge opportunity. Joining Select could be the key to a college scholarship and a bright future—one that Alex’s family can’t promise her. But as the team gets better and better, her new coach pushes the players harder and harder, until soccer starts to feel more like punishment than fun. And then there comes a point where enough is enough, and Alex and her teammates must take a stand to find a better way to make their soccer dreams come true. Powerful and inspiring, Select explores the important difference between positive and negative coaching and celebrates the true spirit of sports. Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 622656 Title: Evil Genius: The Smartest Kid in the Universe, Book 3 Author: Chris Grabenstein Narrator: Kirby Heyborne Format: Unabridged Length: 5:35:38 Language: English Release date: 05-16-23 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Genres: Kids, Action & Adventure, Humor Summary: Meet middle schooler Jake McQuade. Jake became the smartest kid in the universe when he accidentally ate a jarful of ingestible knowledge jelly beans. But what happens when those jelly beans fall into the wrong hands?! Readers who enjoy the action of the Last Kids on Earth books will love this fast-paced, spy-packed series that's a 'rollicking good time' (New York Times) by the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library! Jake McQuade's the smartest kid in the universe—or at least he was. But just as his training with the secret agency known as the Consortium is about to start, Jake's jelly beans go missing! And to make matters worse, they (and Jake's genius!) might be wearing off right when he needs his smarts most! Jake needs to solve this mystery fast. Who stole the jelly beans and why? Can Jake figure out what's going on, recover the missing jelly beans, and stop a high-tech heist before it's too late?! From top-secret hideouts to New York City penthouse apartments to the Statue of Liberty in the middle of the night, get ready to go on a whirlwind, wild-ride adventure filled with supervillains and spies, puzzles and pirates, codes and drones, and much, much more—and don't miss the first two books in the series—Smartest Kid in the Universe and Genius Camp! Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 622645 Title: Always Anjali Author: Sheetal Sheth Narrator: Sheetal Sheth Format: Unabridged Length: 0:07:57 Language: English Release date: 04-25-23 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Genres: Kids, General, Health & Family Summary: Meet Anjali! She's the spunky star of this audiobook with a timeless message about appreciating what makes us special and honoring our different identities. Anjali and her friends are excited to buy matching personalized license plates for their bikes--but Anjali can't find a plate with her name. She is often teased about her 'different' name, and this is the last straw. Anjali is so upset that she demands her parents let her pick a new name! When they refuse, Anjali decides to take a closer look at who she is--beyond her name--and why being different means being marvelous.  Actress and activist Sheetal Sheth has penned a deeply personal audiobook about the experience of feeling othered and the journey toward embracing yourself. Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 640933 Title: Field of Screams Author: Wendy Parris Narrator: Jennifer Jill Araya Format: Unabridged Length: 5:43:32 Language: English Release date: 08-01-23 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Genres: Kids, Mystery & Fantasy Summary: A new pulse-pounding supernatural mystery about twelve-year-old Rebecca, who has always wanted to hunt ghosts . . . until she meets one. “Chilling, thrilling, and full of heart!”—Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sinister Summer series Paranormal enthusiast Rebecca Graff isn’t happy about being dragged to Iowa to spend the summer with family she barely knows. But when she tracks a ghostly presence to an abandoned farmhouse, she starts to think the summer won’t be a total lost cause! The trouble is no one believes her. Then Rebecca finds a note stashed in a comic belonging to her late father—a note that proves the same spirit haunted him when he was twelve. Suddenly she feels a connection to the dad she pretends not to miss, and she is determined to uncover the story behind the haunting. But the more Rebecca discovers, the scarier the ghost becomes. Soon she is in a race to piece together the puzzle and recover a family legacy before it is lost forever and a horrible tragedy repeats itself. Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 626914 Title: Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King Author: Katie Zhao Narrator: Annie Q Format: Unabridged Length: 7:26:05 Language: English Release date: 04-25-23 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Genres: Kids, General, Fairy Tales & Folklore Summary: With chaos on the rise, one girl stands in the face of all evil . . . and we're not talking about homework! The action-packed sequel to the epic fantasy series inspired by Chinese mythology. 'A hilarious tussle between homework, family, and heroism.' —Kwame Mbalia, #1 New York Times bestselling author As shamans, Winnie Zeng and her archnemesis, David Zuo, have accepted their roles in guarding the world from evil spirits. But with Halloween around the corner, the balance between realms grows fragile—and so yet another shaman is assigned to help Winnie and David protect the town of Groton, Michigan. The catch? The new shaman is just the worst. Not only is she way too perfect—she also has an ego to match, and thinks she’s the best thing that’s happened to Groton since Winnie’s red bean brownies. Plus, she's confident she can save the world all on her own. With evil spirits growing in number, Winnie and David find themselves in quite a pickle. While the newest shaman isn’t convinced there’s a storm brewing, this town is going to need all three of them on the same team . . . or there might not be a town left to defend. *Includes a downloadable PDF of the recipes from the book Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on https://hotaudiobook.com/free ID: 627425 Title: Starlings Author: Amanda Linsmeier Narrator: Phoebe Strole Format: Unabridged Length: 10:05:39 Language: English Release date: 06-27-23 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Genres: Fiction, Teen, Paranormal, Fairy Tales & Folklore Summary: A dark YA fantasy debut perfect for fans of House of Hollow and Small Favors. In the wake of her father's death, a teen girl discovers a side of her family she didn't know existed, and is pulled into a dark—and ancient—bargain she is next in line to fulfill. Kit’s father always told her he had no family, but his sudden death revealed the truth. Now Kit has a grandmother she never knew she had—Agatha Starling—and an invitation to visit her father’s hometown, Rosemont.  And Rosemont is picture perfect: the famed eternal roses bloom all year, downtown is straight out of the 1950s . . . there’s even a cute guy to show Kit around. The longer Kit’s there, though, the stranger it all feels. The Starling family is revered, but there’s something off about how the Starling women seem to be at the center of the all the town’s important history. And as welcoming as the locals are, Kit can’t shake the feeling that they're hiding something from her. Agatha is so happy to finally meet her only granddaughter, and the town is truly charming, but Kit can’t help wondering, if everything is so great in Rosemont, why did her father leave? And why does it seem like he never wanted her to find it? Contact: info@hotaudiobook.com