Audiobooks narrated by Xe Sands

Emergence: Eclipsed Evolution: Phase 3 Audiobook

For better or worse, a solar eclipse brought humans and paranormal beings together, sparking one woman's battle to master magic or lose our world, in this riveting serialized adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hollows. As time has passed, Dr. Renee Caisson has begun to see the demonic, alien August as more than a research subject or an unlikely colleague-they've become friends. And together, she and August have helped the two societies of Nextdoor and Earth through the confusion of first contact, the danger of misunderstandings, and the anger of mistreatment. But when a popular blogger and conspiracy theorist twists August's words, an uproar ensues, turning a powerful section of human society against the Neighbors-and resulting in Renee's house arrest. "To protect you," her could-be boyfriend, Major Jackson says, though that's not how Renee sees it. Torn between duty and friendship, August jumps Renee to freedom using the labyrinth, fully aware the journey might reveal more to her than she should know. The wily Neighbor has pieced together that Renee has been unconsciously using their magic, a fact that, if revealed, will cause more, not less conflict between their worlds. For if the people of Earth can master their magic and exile his people again, the Neighbors will not survive.…

Kim Harrison (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

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Invisible Labor: The Untold Story of the Cesarean Section

An incisive yet personal look at the science and history of the most common surgery performed in America—the cesarean section—and an exposé on the disturbing state of maternal medical care When Rachel Somerstein had an unplanned C-section with her first child, the experience was anything but “routine.” A series of errors by her clinicians led to a real-life nightmare: surgery without anesthesia. The ensuing mental and physical complications left her traumatized and searching for answers about how things could have gone so wrong. In the United States, one in three babies is born via C-section, a rate that has grown exponentially over the past fifty years. And while in most cases the procedure is safe, it is not without significant, sometimes life-changing consequences, many of which affect people of color disproportionately. With C-sections all but invisible in popular culture and pregnancy guides, new mothers are often left to navigate these obstacles on their own. Somerstein weaves personal narrative and investigative journalism with medical, social, and cultural history to reveal the operation’s surprising evolution, from its early practice on enslaved women to its excessive promotion by modern medical practitioners. She uncovers the current-day failures of the medical system, showing how pregnant women's agency is regularly disregarded by providers who, motivated by fear of litigation or a hospital’s commitment to efficiency, make far-reaching and deeply personal decisions on behalf of their patients. She also examines what prevailing maternal and medical attitudes toward C-sections tell us about American culture. Invisible Labor lifts the veil on C-sections so that people can make choices about pregnancy and surgical birth with greater knowledge of the risks, benefits, and alternatives, with information on topics including: VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and repeat c-section Pain and pain management during childbirth How C-sections can affect family planning The valuable role of midwives and doulas in the birth experience The myths behind “natural” childbirth How limitations put on reproductive rights impact pregnant people With deep feeling and authority, Somerstein offers support to others who have had difficult or traumatic birth experiences, as well as hope for new forms of reproductive justice.

Rachel Somerstein (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

Totality: Eclipsed Evolution: Phase 2

After a solar eclipse opens a way between our world and a paranormal realm, and the dark side of first contact emerges, one woman's loyalties will be tested in this gripping serialized adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Hollows series. Dr. Renee Caisson never expected that her scientific expertise would lead to a role playing interpreter between humans and the demonic-looking Neighbors. When the door between their worlds opened, she was drafted by the government to study the otherworldly beings and was able to prove her theory: the Neighbors had been to Earth before-and now they simply wanted to save their dying planet. At least, that's the story, and everyone-both human and Neighbor-is sticking to it. The Neighbor in charge of the new portal's operation, Noel, isn't that sure anymore. Having succeeded in finding a new planet to inhabit, the leaders of her world have made the dark truth of their existence clear to her: the Neighbors forcibly tried to make a foothold on Earth in the past-and they can't afford to fail again. But the Neighbors' ability to magically teleport from place to place has convinced Major Jackson that the only way to keep control of the situation is to embrace it and tell the world of the Neighbors' existence. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees.

Kim Harrison (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

We Loved It All: A Memory of Life

Acclaimed novelist Lydia Millet’s first work of nonfiction is a genre-defying tour de force that makes an impassioned argument for people to see their emotional and spiritual lives as infinitely dependent on the lives of nonhuman beings. Drawing on a quarter-century of experience as an advocate for endangered species at the Center for Biological Diversity, Millet offers intimate portraits of what she calls “the others”—the extraordinary animals with whom we still share the world, along with those already lost. Humans, too, fill this book, as Millet touches on the lives of her world-traveling parents, fascinating partners and friends, and colorful relatives, from diplomats to nut farmers—all figures in the complex tapestry each of us weaves with the surrounding world. Written in the tradition of Annie Dillard or Robert Macfarlane, We Loved It All is an incantatory work that will appeal to anyone concerned about the future of life on earth—including our own.

Lydia Millet (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

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First Contact: Eclipsed Evolution: Phase 1

In the wake of the solar eclipse, a portal between our world and a paranormal realm opens-and a scientist's life will never be the same, in this thrilling serialized adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hollows. Dr. Renee Caisson knows there are worse things than an attractive man in uniform drafting her into a secret government project-especially when Major Jackson makes it clear that he isn't bothered by her questionable past. But when her labs come back with decidedly odd results, the Major is forced to come clean over who the government is actually studying. Renee is shocked to learn her subjects are demonic-looking beings who call themselves "Neighbors"-refugees from a dying world, who arrived during the nation-wide solar eclipse. The Neighbors' technology is unlike anything Renee's ever encountered. At first, she dismisses an injury that inexplicably heals as "just one of those things". And surely August, the most gregarious Neighbor, begins to speak English overnight because of the team linguist's skills? Not until August begins evolving in real time to withstand Earth's brighter, dryer atmosphere does she admit that the Neighbors' "tech" feels less like science and more like magic-the same magic that brought them here in the first place, and the same they're trying to rekindle with a mysterious labyrinth in order to return home and save their world. At least, that's what August claims they came for…

Kim Harrison (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

Last to Leave the Room: A Novel

Last to Leave the Room is a new novel of genre-busting speculative horror from Caitlin Starling, the acclaimed author of The Death of Jane Lawrence. The city of San Siroco is sinking. The basement of Dr. Tamsin Rivers, the arrogant, selfish head of the research team assigned to find the source of the subsidence, is sinking faster. As Tamsin grows obsessed with the distorting dimensions of the room at the bottom of the stairs, she finds a door that didn’t exist before - and one night, it opens to reveal an exact physical copy of her. This doppelgänger is sweet and biddable where Tamsin is calculating and cruel. It appears fully, terribly human, passing every test Tamsin can devise. But the longer the double exists, the more Tamsin begins to forget pieces of her life, to lose track of time, to grow terrified of the outside world. As her employer grows increasingly suspicious, Tamsin must try to hold herself together long enough to figure out what her double wants from her, and just where the mysterious door leads… A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

Caitlin Starling (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

Fever House: A Novel

A small-time criminal. A has-been rock star. A shadowy government agency. And a severed hand whose dark powers threaten to destroy them all. "A modern-meets-classic horror story that keeps the stakes high until the very last sentence."-San Francisco Chronicle "The unsettling darkness of Joe Hill meets the cryptic mystery of The X-Files."-Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author of The Violence When leg-breaker Hutch Holtz rolls up to a rundown apartment complex in Portland, Oregon, to collect overdue drug money, a severed hand is the last thing he expects to find stashed in the client's refrigerator. Hutch quickly realizes that the hand induces uncontrollable madness: Anyone in its proximity is overcome with a boundless compulsion for violence. Within hours, catastrophic forces are set into motion: Dark-op government agents who have been desperately hunting for the hand are on Hutch's tail, more of the city's residents fall under its brutal influence, and suddenly all of Portland stands at the precipice of disaster. . . . But it's all the same for Katherine Moriarty, a singer whose sudden fame and precipitous downfall were followed by the mysterious death of her estranged husband-suicide, allegedly. Her trauma has made her agoraphobic, shackled within the confines of her apartment. Her son, Nick, has moved home to care for her, quietly making his living working for Hutch's boss. When Hutch calls Nick in distress, looking for someone else to take the hand, Katherine and Nick are plunged into a global struggle that will decimate the walls of the carefully arranged life they've built. Mother and son must evade both crazed, bloodthirsty masses and deceitful government agents while exorcising family secrets that have risen from the dead-secrets, they soon discover, that might hold the very key to humanity's survival. Can you resist the hand? Find an excerpt from the next Fever House novel at the end of the book.

Keith Rosson (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

Embodied Activism: Engaging the Body to Cultivate Liberation, Justice, and Authentic Connection--A P

A radically different approach to social and environmental justice work for fans of adrienne maree brown and Bessel van der Kolk Instead of thinking about social justice as a process that starts with changing people's minds, Embodied Activism understands our bodies--how we feel in them and relate to others through them--as the sites of transformation How do ordinary people with busy lives leverage our actions in support of liberation, justice, and authentic connection? How can activists and social change-makers avoid burning out? How does the body factor into what our social movements miss? Drawing on the somatic arts, trauma-informed psychology, and anti-oppressive movements, Embodied Activism helps us explore and transform the political realities of our everyday lives in a new way: by harnessing the felt experience of our bodies as the sites of our activism. Rae Johnson teaches us to listen to our body language--and to question body image norms. They show us how to reconnect to our sensual capacities, which we can lose sight of in a non-stop, nervous-system-hijacking world. They give us tools and exercises to nourish ourselves and protect our bodies, minds, and spirits from the toll that activism can take. And they teach us about nonverbal communication styles and how to connect with each other in joyful, authentic community. Embodied Activism is written for embodiment professionals, community organizers, and all readers looking for new tools and perspectives for changing the world, one body at a time.

Rae Johnson (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

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Walt Disney: An American Original: Commemorative Edition

The Walt Disney Company honors its 100th anniversary in 2023. As part of the festivities, this must-have biography tells the story of Walt Disney's life— told as no other book can! Walt Disney is an American hero. From Mickey Mouse to Disneyland, he changed the face of American culture. His is a success story like no other: a man who developed animated film into an art form and made a massive contribution to the folklore of the world. After years of research, respected Hollywood biographer Bob Thomas produced a definitive biography of the man behind the legend of Disney: the unschooled cartoonist from Kansas City who when bankrupt on his first movie venture and developed into the genius who produced unmatched works of animation, and ultimately was the creative spirit of an international entertainment empire that has enchanted generations. Walt Disney: An American Original is a fascinating and inspirational work that captures the spirit of Walt Disney. This Commemorative Edition includes new introductions from Jeff Kurtti and Marcy Carriker Smothers. Searching for more ways to connect with the Disney Parks and films? Explore these books from Disney Editions: Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World: Recipes & Stories from The Most Magical Place on Earth A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth Birnbaum's 2023 Walt Disney World: The Official Vacation Guide Birnbaum's 2023 Walt Disney World for Kids: The Official Guide Art of Coloring: Walt Disney World Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai Poster Art of the Disney Parks Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks: Celebrations Around the World from Fall to Winter The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney Classic The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky

Bob Thomas, Christopher Miller, Jeff Kurtti, Marcy Carriker Smothers, Rebecca Cline (Author), Christopher Miller, Jason Culp, Jeff Kurtti, Marcy Carriker Smothers, Rebecca Cline, Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

I’d Really Prefer Not to Be Here with You, and Other Stories

Bestselling author Julianna Baggott delivers her mind-bending debut short-story collection, featuring an array of genres populated by deeply human characters, and with film rights to the stories already having been sold to Netflix, Paramount, Amblin, Lionsgate, and others! In the title story, set five minutes in the future where you not only have a credit score but also a dating score, a woman who’s been banished from all dating apps attends a weekly help group with others who have been “banned for life,” and finds herself falling in love. In “Backwards,” a twist on Benjamin Button, a woman reconnects with her estranged father as he de-ages ten years each day they spend together. In “Welcome to Oxhead,” all the parents in a gated community “shut off” when the power goes out. In “Portals,” a small town deals with hope and loss when dozens of portals suddenly open. In “How They Got In,” a grieving family starts to see a murdered girl in all of their old home videos. This fantastical collection from a unique voice contains a myriad of stories of the weird and wonderful. Julianna Baggott is a talented and clever guide, and I’d Really Prefer Not to Be Here with You will take the reader on a journey unlike anything they’ve experienced.

Julianna Baggott (Author), Andi Arndt, Cassandra Campbell, Em Grosland, Emily Lawrence, Emily Woo Zeller, Erin Bennett, January Lavoy, Kelli Tager, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Lisa Flanagan, Natasha Soudek, Rachel Jacobs, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, Tavia Gilbert, Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

Wayward

Brought to you by Penguin. The thrilling sequel to the bestselling Wanderers, a 'career-defining epic [that] deserves its inevitable comparisons to Stephen King's The Stand'. (Publishers Weekly) They sleepwalked through an apocalypse; now they have to rebuild. Five years ago, they walked across America to a destination only they knew. The sleepwalkers, as the rest of the country named them, were followed by their shepherds: friends and family who gave up everything to protect them. They finally stopped in Ouray, a small town of Colorado that would become one of the last outposts of human civilisation. Because the sleepwalking epidemic was just the first in a chain of events that led to the end of the world - and the birth of a new one. The shepherds and the sleepwalkers, now awake, strive to rebuild the world that was taken from them. Among them are Benji, the scientist struggling through grief to lead; Marcy, the former police officer who just wants to protect those she loves; and Shana, the first to become a shepherd and whose bravery is sorely needed. But the people of Ouray are not the only survivors, and the world they're building is fragile. Cruelty builds under the leadership of self-proclaimed president Ed Creel, and in the very heart of Ouray itself is Black Swan, the A.I. who dreamt up the apocalypse. Against these threats, Benji, Marcy, Shana and the others have to find hope in each other. Because the only way to survive is together. 'Move over King, Chuck Wendig is the new voice of modern American horror' Adam Christopher © Chuck Wendig 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Chuck Wendig (Author), Dominic Hoffman, Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

Heretic: A Memoir

A memoir of leaving the evangelical church and the search for radical new ways to build community. Jeanna Kadlec knew what it meant to be faithful--in her marriage to a pastor’s son, in the comfortable life ahead of her, in her God--but there was no denying the truth that lived under that conviction: she was queer and, if she wanted to survive, she would need to leave behind the church and every foundational building block she knew. Heretic is a memoir of rebirth. Within, Kadlec reckons with religious trauma and Midwestern values, as a means of unveiling how evangelicalism directly impacts every American--religious or not--and has been a major force in driving our democracy towards fascism. From the story of Lilith to celebrity purity rings, Kadlec interrogates how her indoctrination and years of piety intersects with her Midwest working-class upbringing. As she navigated graduate school, a new home on the East Coast, and a new marriage, another insidious truth began to reveal itself --that conservative Christianity has both built and undermined our political power structures, poisoned our pop culture, and infected how we interact with one another in ways that the secular population couldn’t see. Weaving the personal with powerful critique, Heretic explores how we can radically abandon these painful systems by taking a sledgehammer to the comfortable. Whether searching for community in the face of millennial loneliness or wanting to reclaim a secular form of fellowship in everyday life, Kadlec envisions the brilliant possibilities that come with not only daring to want a different way but actually striking out and claiming it for ourselves.

Jeanna Kadlec (Author), Xe Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Xe Sands