Showing results by narrator "Emily Woo Zeller" in All Categories

The Loch Ness Monster. The Frogman. Bigfoot. Twelve-year-old Miranda Cho used to believe in it all, used to love poring over every strange footprint, every stray hair, everything that proved that the world was full of wonders. But that was before her mother’s obsession with monsters cost Miranda her friends and her perfect school record, before Miranda found the stack of unopened bills and notices of foreclosure in the silverware drawer. Now the fact that her mom’s a cryptozoologist doesn’t seem wonderful - it’s embarrassing and irresponsible, and it could cost them everything.

When a powerful viceroy arrives with a fleet of mechanical dragons and stops an attack on Anlei's village, the villagers see him as a godsend. They agree to give him their sacred, enchanted River Pearl in exchange for permanent protection - if he'll marry one of the village girls to solidify the alliance. Anlei is appalled when the viceroy selects her as a bride, but with the fate of her people at stake, she sees no choice but to consent. Anlei's noble plans are sent into a tailspin, however, when a young thief steals the River Pearl for himself.

Crime writer Julia Gooden has just completed the most important story of her life - a book about her beloved brother's childhood abduction and how she found his killer after 30 years. But that hasn't taken her focus off her day job - especially with what looks to be a serial killer terrorizing the city. Female runners are being snatched off jogging trails, then slaughtered in abandoned churches. As Julia begins investigating, with help from Detective Raymond Navarro, she realizes just how personal this case has become.

Yes, Aza Wu now has magic back. But like all things in her life, it has come at a great cost. After the tournament, Aza is able to pay off her parents' debt to Saint Willow. Unfortunately, the cost of the gathering spell she used to strip Finch of his magic has put her permanently in the employ of the gang leader. Aza has been doing little errands using real magic - collecting debts, putting the squeeze on new businesses in the district. But that had never been the plan. Saint Willow is nothing if not ambitious, and having Aza as a fighter is much more lucrative than as a fixer.

Perfect for fans of Carmen Maria Machado and Kelly Link, Jo Paquette’s Stories I Told My Dead Lover contains eight searing tales of psychological horror that probe the darkest and most deeply buried parts of the human psyche. A child is forced to grow up too soon. A woman trusts her doctor too much. An abandoned woman isn’t as alone as she thinks. An idyllic holiday masks an unspeakable act of violence. Driven, desperate, fighting for the power to choose their own fate, Paquette’s characters dare to push back at the walls that hold them in.

Allegra Tarot has an uncanny knack for becoming anyone she wants. Depending on the job, she can transform the carriage of her body or the cadence of her speech. With the pop of a collar or the tousle of her hair, she can dupe your perceptions. As a former T.V. actress, she’s got chameleon abilities, no doubt, and they come in handy now that she straps a Diamondback 9mm and prowls the gritty backstreets of working-class Hollywood, running the grind as a skip tracer. If you want to follow along on her investigations, you better lock in.

My name is Gillian and I have three problems: A fallen tree through the roof of my family’s remote island cottage. A sister trying to sell said cottage out from under me. A dead body in the living room. Sadly, it’s not my sister’s. Actually, make that four problems: my ex, Amanda, just showed up uninvited. Apparently, she’s a spy, undercover to investigate the luxury wine auction hosted by my conniving sister.

Jarat Ellington was just an exile from Elite society, trying to lead a simple life, when a genius friend dropped an explosive mystery in his lap. The old pal, Thom Tseng, created a priceless chemical substance called the Juice that turns mildly charming people into almost god-like presences, known as Charismites. But the Juice is stolen, and Thom killed.

Fresh from their victory over the frightening chimerae monsters, Kie and N'Rah are looking forward to a quiet life on her uncle's orchard, far from the turmoil of the capital city. They miss the friends they made there, but as sky couriers, their job keeps them busy. Then Kie unexpectedly receives a message from the emperor himself! He has an urgent mission for Kie and N'Rah—they need to find the Sky King, the elusive ruler of the wild skysteeds that soar across the land.

In a remote, mountainous area of a Maui forest near Haleakala volcano, the naked body of a young woman is found hanging from a tree. The devil is in the details: the woman's nostrils, mouth, and lungs are packed with lava sand. Her hands are bound in twine. Her feet are charred and blackened, suggesting a fire-walking ceremony. Detective Kali Mahoe's suspicions are immediately aroused. It has all the signs of a ritual torture and murder. But Kali's investigation soon leads her down a winding trail of seemingly unconnected clues and diverging paths.

Born in military-ruled Taiwan to two blind parents who moved to the United States seeking freedom and opportunity for their children, Wendy knew only anger, bitterness, and fear at leaving her homeland. But the heavenly Father she’d pushed away refused to leave her alone. Wendy gradually recognized her physically blind parents had clearer spiritual sight than her own. When she let go of fear to freefall into God’s arms, she discovered that even in her doubt and short-sightedness, God had been orchestrating His perfect plan behind the scenes.

Nicole Louie-Edwards enjoys the nightlife and bringing men back to her apartment, although lately, she's gotten tired of the chase. Her quiet new neighbor, David Cho, isn't her type, but after they get trapped in an elevator together on her birthday, she develops a friendship with the kind geology professor. Then, blushing, he tells her that he can hear her having sex but tries not to listen. Except it's clear he'd like to, and she's surprisingly turned on. They embark on a friends-with-benefits arrangement hotter than any she's had before.

When a woman living under a cloud of suspicion for her husband's death comes to vintage kitchen collector Jaymie Leighton with a mysterious request, she's not sure whether, or how much, to get involved. The police believe they have new evidence of foul play in what was initially ruled an accidental death, and the woman's terrified they'll try to pin the crime on her. Before Jaymie can decide whether to help her, though, the woman's found murdered in the woods near Jaymie's cabin.

Bubbly social media star Hannah Monksman is captaining the Seiiki and carrying the last of Earth’s whales to a new paradise planet. Viewers have been following Hannah’s journey, but what they don’t know is her true identity - Kim Teng, who won her role as Caretaker with the help of underground operatives known as the Crusaders. Kim forms a close bond with the whales in her care, and their mental link allows conversation on the lonely spaceship. But when one of the whales, Adonai, begins acting strange, Kim begins to suspect that she is a pawn in a secret mission.

Although she's the fun and outgoing one, Julie Tam has always lived in the shadow of her older sister, Charlotte. Now Charlotte has a good career and a great boyfriend whom their parents love, and Julie has neither of those things.

Champion surfer Declan Bishop is living a lie. His friends hate him. His girlfriends are fake. One wrong step could send him spiraling out of control. Then Pearl walks into his life, and he has a chance to make all her dreams come true, even if he has to sacrifice his heart in the process. Destined to fulfill her mother’s legacy, Pearl is determined to become the first famous female surfer.

Echoes are the whispers of a forgotten past, slipping from Liam’s grasp like water from cupped hands. Memories bring unbelievable truths leaving Talia with more questions than answers. Conspiracies find themselves woven into the otherwise simple objectives of the Iterum Project.

There's a secret society of professional women called the Ceiling Smashers. And Smashers Synched is a brilliant tale that brings into sharp focus what it truly takes to become an extraordinary leader in today's business climate. Four women are the founders of the Ceiling Smashers society. Who are these amazing women and how will they overcome the hurdles placed in their paths?

When darkness falls, the stars ignite. Against all odds, Iris has made her voice heard. Inspired by her call for freedom, sympathizers to her cause have occupied a prestigious theater in the heart of Adrye’s capital. Their demands are simple: Abolish the cruel systems that use brainwashing to force obedience upon both Earthling performers and aberrant Adryil. Recognized as the face of the movement and caught in the thick of the demonstration, Iris finds all eyes turning to her. The authorities are determined to stamp out the nascent uprising.

A collection of 36 extraordinary stories originally told on stage, featuring work by writers, entertainers, thinkers, and community leaders. Spanning comedy and tragedy, Alien Nation brilliantly illuminates what it’s like to be an immigrant in America.