Showing results by narrator "Marisa Blake" in All Categories

Believing he’s tracked down his missing informant in a gem-smuggling investigation, FBI agent Ryan McCloud unwittingly leads deadly assassins to Catherine Reed’s mountain hideout. As the informant’s identical twin, and already hiding from her abusive ex-husband, Catherine now has two threats to her life. With danger at every turn, can Ryan protect Catherine and find her missing sister…before it’s too late?

In her new book, The Inner Mountain, DHgate Group founder and chairperson Diane Wang recounts pivotal career experiences at Microsoft, Cisco, starting and selling her first startup—Joyo.com—to Amazon in the early 2000s, which was later renamed Amazon China after its acquisition in 2004, and founding DHGATE Group, to illustrate how she learned to stop fighting external barriers, and focused inwards, connecting with her heart's inner wisdom to find clarity and take bold action aligned with her true passions.

Ana Maria Ybarra dreams of becoming a world-famous pastry chef, but dreams have a cost. Her family can barely keep the family business running, let alone pay for culinary school. Ana Maria helps out at the family bakery, Café Y Mas, whenever she can, but they are struggling while the rival Cuban bakery across the street, Morales Bakery, is doing better than ever.

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.

Cut off from their Cuban roots, yet still feeling the island’s ineluctable pull, Ivanito and his extended family try to reimagine where—and with whom—they belong. Over the course of a momentous year, each will grapple with their histories as they are pulled to Berlin for a final, explosive reunion.

Yolanda Rodríguez-O’Connell has a secret. All the members of her family have a magical gift - all, that is, except for Yolanda. Still, it’s something she can never talk about...because, if she does, the townsfolk will call her family brujas - witches. When her grandmother, Wela, falls into an unexplained sleep, Yolanda is scared. Her father is off fighting in a faraway war, her mother died long ago, and Yolanda has isolated herself from her best friend and twin sister. If she loses her grandmother, who will she have left?

Undercover on a cruise ship with her K-9 dog, Alaska State Trooper Maya Rodriguez uses herself as bait to catch a murderer. And security officer David Garrison is the only person she can trust with the truth. But with a possible serial killer dead-set on taking out anyone who stands in the way, will Maya and David make it off the ship alive?

After a series of scary social media threats, cyber tech expert Robbie Whitaker decided to lend his services to Selene Reilly. Soon, however, the intimidation toward the lovely musician turned physical, and reality set in. Though he wasn’t trained to be anyone’s bodyguard, in the short time he’d known Selene, Robbie was certain he’d do anything in his power to protect her. And while Selene seemed determined to keep some secrets, the unexpected guardian within Robbie was taking no chances. He’d be defending her day and night.

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.

Journalist Rebecca Grant provides us with a never-before-seen look at the changing landscape of pregnancy and childbirth in America—and the rise of midwifery—told through the eyes of three women who all pass through the doors of the same birth center in Portland, Oregon. In remarkable detail and with great compassion, Grant recounts the ups downs, fears, joys, and everyday moments of each woman’s pregnancy and postpartum journey, offering a rare look into their inner lives, perspectives, and choices in real time.

Bestselling authors Sharon Dunn and Heather Woodhaven present two thrilling stories featuring Alaska State Troopers and their K-9 partners. Undercover Mission: Undercover on a cruise ship with her K-9 dog, Alaska State Trooper Maya Rodriguez uses herself as bait to catch a murderer. Arctic Witness: When his ex-wife goes missing in the wilderness, Alaska State Trooper Sean West and his K-9 partner rescue her from a kidnapper.

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.

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.

The (Other) F Word combines the voices of Renée Watson, Jes Baker, 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.

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.

Claudia Garcia crossed the border because her toddler, Natalia, could not hear. Leaving behind everything she knew in Mexico, Claudia recounts the terror of migrating alone with her toddler and the incredible challenges she faced advocating for her daughter’s health in the United States. When she arrived in Texas, Claudia discovered that being undocumented would mean more than just an immigration status—it would be a way of living, of mothering, and of being discarded by even those institutions we count on to care.

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.

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.

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?

Previously published as Just Work and now substantially revised and updated, Radical Respect shows how organizations that respect individuality and optimize for collaboration are more successful, joyful places to work. We can create cultures where everyone does the best work of their lives and enjoys working together. Scott offers a simple framework that helps us identify what gets in the way - and practical, tangible tips for how to get back on track. No matter what your role is, this is the essential guide for creating the kind of workplace where you and those around you can thrive.