Pass Me the Lip Gloss


Book Description

At an early age, and for as long as she can remember, author Rosina Ramón has had an obsession with fashion and beauty. In Pass Me the Lip Gloss, she shares her story, narrating how her love of fashion and not looking lousy even on ther darkest days helped her get through the Challenge, (her name for cancer). For more than thirty years, fashion has been Ramón’s sole profession, representing models, coordinating fashion shows, styling photo shoots, and consulting on trends and image. She firmly believes playing with fashion is an important tool one can use as the foundation for a beautiful and attractive inner and outer self. In this memoir, Ramón chronicles the journey of her Challenge sprinkling in stories of her childhood, telling how she faces life with a positive attittude and spicing it with a touch of lip gloss.




Freedom From Isolation


Book Description

TRIGGER WARNING... TRIGGER WARNING... "I CANNOT SEE BECAUSE THE DARKNESS IS BLINDING ME!" Mental health has become a global pandemic, with millions of people in different parts of the world suffering from one form or another. Despite the tons of resources available, more needs to be done, as the number of mental illnesses rises. Consequently, Madison Carter is taking a seemingly different, yet effective approach to addressing the plague by documenting real-life experiences and sharing them with the world. The poisons facilitating stress, depression, anxiety, and other forms of darkness have brutally brought the fire! Yet, since they wanted the smoke, it was what it was, and the fire was extinguished through the joy! Freedom From Isolation is Madison Carter's gripping journal entries of real-life events, violence, adult content, comedy, lust, and loss. In this powerful and unorthodox ‘Christian’ journal, the reader will be swept into a profound expedition through the dangerous streets of Chicago better known as Chiraq. Freedom From Isolation serves as a unique blend of raw and unfiltered emotions that supply a transparent account of the diverse challenges, struggles, and obstacles hell-bent on trying to destroy the soul. In a cold, dark, and turbulent world, readers will witness an unyielding determination to break free from the mental shackles. Freedom From Isolation unravels the harsh reality of life surrounded by curses that play a big part in this compelling narration of encounters. Madison’s journal shares her captivating experiences with fearlessness, fierceness, and forgiveness, which have helped her to understand the importance of self-reflection, living on purpose, learning through error, and mastering love. She has gained clarity about the struggles faced through the redeeming power of grace. This journal reminds us of how trapped mental struggles make us feel, and how resilient we need to be to find happiness and hope. Mistakes are unintentional, and decisions are intentional! As adults, we tend to lean more toward making wrong decisions that end up as mistakes after a situation occurs. Our decisions are swayed by feelings that often cause us to self-sabotage. In an irrational mind, trickery forms delusions, and decisions are made that are later regretted. The world is full of ups and downs; it takes our minds on a Marry Go Round! Our smiles are now frowns, and our spirits have drowned. It is hard to see, and minds cannot conceive; that we must believe in all things! But do you fear, nor have an ear? Behold... The "FINAL DESTINATION" is near! ... ExTra ExTra... The world is under attack, black people have been under attack, women are under attack, muscularity is under attack, our democracy is under attack, and now, our children are under attack! The writer of Freedom From Isolation is looking to inspire readers across the globe with thought-provoking questions: Can you lose everything but your joy? Will you break, bend, or fold under tribulation, test, trial, or trouble? What does resilience mean? What are we going to do? What are we hoping for? When is it coming, or who is coming? Why is it taking so long? These are all valid concerns, but no one can answer these questions. AT A TIME SUCH AS THIS! There has been a wave of coaches, prophets, and other so-called inspirational leaders who have graced the world with their presence but most of them are hypocrites and cannot be trusted either. Let's say we have two choices, and they are permanent, so we cannot have a redo. Remember, this journal pertains to real life and is not hypothetical, nor should it be taken lightly. It is not tricky; it needs careful consideration. The choices are 1) Being in a Sauna, or 2) Being in a Jacuzzi.




Step on it, Cupid


Book Description

Laugh out loud, speed-date and be totally charmed by Step on it, Cupid, a delightful romantic comedy by Lorelei Mathias, perfect for fans of Lindsey Kelk, Sophie Kinsella, Nicola Doherty and Mhairi McFarlane. Amelie's life is arranged just how she likes it. Well, most of the time. She has a brilliant job she adores, a great social life and a love life she can take or leave. So it's a shock when she realises that everyone she knows seem to be happily coupled up. Is it time she thought about settling down? Assigned a nightmarish project in work - writing the ad campaign for Britain's biggest speed-dating company - Amelie is forced into doing market research, against her will. But with her best mate Duncan, her annoying boss Joshua and her ex-boyfriend Jack all causing havoc in her life, maybe a speed-dating romance could be her salvation? Charming, engrossing and romantic, Step on it, Cupid is a modern spin on the oldest story of them all - how to fall in love... And don't miss Lorelei's other fabulous romance, Lost for Words.




Sweet Destiny


Book Description

Discover the irresistible charm of "Sweet Destiny," a heartwarming tale of love, ambition, and culinary delights. Emma Sanford, a masterful pastry chef, embodies sweetness and resilience. Despite life's harsh setbacks, including being abandoned while pregnant, Emma has risen to become a beacon of strength and success. But behind her achievements lies a heart shielded from love, focused solely on her son and her culinary creations. Enter Oliver Ferrell, the charismatic and powerful CEO of a renowned automotive empire. With the world at his fingertips, Oliver's heart harbors a void only true companionship can fill. Known for his strategic prowess, life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters Emma. Despite his past marred by betrayal and fleeting encounters, Oliver finds himself drawn to Emma's genuine spirit. Set against the backdrop of bustling city life and the intricate dance of the corporate and culinary worlds, "Sweet Destiny" weaves a narrative where passion meets perseverance. As fate draws Emma and Oliver closer, they discover in each other the missing ingredients to their happiness. Will Emma open her heart to the possibility of love? Can Oliver embrace the warmth and simplicity love offers beyond his complex world? "Sweet Destiny" is not just a love story; it is a journey of healing, acceptance, and the sweet surprises life offers when least expected. Dive into this exquisite blend of romance and personal growth, perfect for fans of heartfelt narratives and enchanting culinary adventures.




Almost Identical


Book Description

Once inseparable best friends, thirteen-year-old identical twins Sammie and Charlie begin to grow apart when they make new friends and join different clubs as seventh graders at a brand new school.




The Making of Yolanda la Bruha


Book Description

COMMON SENSE MEDIA SELECTION FOR TEENS BOOKLIST BEST OF THE YEAR NYPL TOP 10 OF THE YEAR HIPLATINA BEST OF THE YEAR Elizabeth Acevedo has said that reading Lorraine Avila feels like an “UPPERCUT to the senses.” You've never encountered an author with prose of this sensitivity and fire. Yolanda Alvarez is having a good year. She’s starting to feel at home at Julia De Burgos High, her school in the Bronx. She has her best friend Victory, and maybe something with José, a senior boy she’s getting to know. She’s confident her initiation into her family’s bruja tradition will happen soon. But then a white boy, the son of a politician, appears at Julia De Burgos High, and his vibes are off. And Yolanda’s initiation begins with a series of troubling visions of the violence this boy threatens. How can Yolanda protect her community, in a world that doesn’t listen? Only with the wisdom and love of her family, friends, and community – and the Bruja Diosas, her ancestors and guides. The Making of Yolanda la Bruja is the book this country, struggling with the plague of gun violence, so desperately needs, but which few could write. Here Lorraine Avila brings a story born from the intersection of race, justice, education, and spirituality that will capture readers everywhere. P R A I S E ★ “Inspiring… full of heart and spirituality.” —Shelf-Awareness (starred) ★ "A sharply rendered portrait...Avila's striking debut is not to be missed." —Booklist (starred) ★ “Unabashedly political…A remarkable, beautifully rendered debut.” —Kirkus (starred) ★ “Suspenseful…A boldly characterized protagonist whose intersectional identities as a queer and Deaf person of color informs her sharp-witted narrative voice and conviction around combatting racism within her community.” —Publishers Weekly (starred) ★ Heartbreaking… thoughtful and gripping… Avila has created a complex heroine whose identities as a Deaf and queer person of color give a layer of authenticity and intersectionality that will resonate with readers.” —School Library Journal (starred) “Impressive and urgent. [Avila] takes on racism, violence and injustice with a mix of magic, spirituality and care that few have attempted—and she’s captivatingly successful.” —Ms. Magazine “Explores gun violence, race, justice, education, and spirituality, which holds this book like a canopy, enclosing and exposing layers of Blackness and the growth and sense of belonging community can provide.” —Al Dia “A necessary story about gun violence, race, and education.” —Refinery29 “Gripping…skillfully depicts the reality of growing up as a Black Latinx teen in the midst of racial violence and social upheaval… Avila carefully demonstrates the tremendous strength in Yolanda’s community and the deep roots of her spiritual life, which keep her grounded as she steps into her full power.” —Horn Book "Written in stunning prose, this sharp examination of education, race, violence, and spirituality is a must-read." —The Mary Sue




Deflection of Pig-Ponies


Book Description

Marlene D. Morl is an emotionally troubled Chinese-American teenage girl growing up in Utopia-Zurich, Switzerland. To avoid her drunk, abusive father, who is the Swiss version of Oscar Wilde and her American mother, a has-been soap opera star, who has no interest in her chubby, slant-eyed daughter, Marlene spends most of her time hiding inside the warehouse, which houses the family business, Morl Theatrical Costumier. Preferring life among mannequins, props and costumes, Marlene has created over the years, a life of make-believe, where her imagination runs rampant. Trouble is, unbeknownst to her, she's also created an alter-ego named Bad Egg who happens to be a 'toon' and who wants to eliminate Marlene's personality all together. And to make things worse, Bad Egg has also created an alter-ego ego in the form of Kali, the Hindu Goddess of Sex and Destruction who plans on murdering Marlene's abusive father. Between these three out of control personalities, not to mention, Marlene's difficult circumstances with both parents, the poor girl ends up in a mental institution. With the help of a Jungian psychologist named Dr. Karin Sommerfeldt, Marlene D. Morl's multiple act of misfits finally become solo again. Deflection of Pig-Ponies is a cross between the films, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and American Beauty.




Lights, Love and Lip Gloss


Book Description

Finally, London Phillips is defying her domineering mother and taking control of her life. But she's striking back with a weapon that could destroy her future - and her chance at real love. Two too many cuties have left Rich Montgomery desperate for the perfect cover-up - but when her house of lies comes tumbling down, things get pretty twisted..Heather Cummings is more successful than ever thanks to an amazing comeback - and the ultimate Hollywood betrayal, but old habits die hard. Prepare for a Hollywood High comeback.




Blood Zero Sky


Book Description

Unprofitables are banished to work camps to pay off their credit. Other tie-men and women look on apathetically. Fair is fair. Everyone knows you shouldn't use more credit than you are worth to the Company. They turn their attention to the next repackaged but highly coveted N-Corp product on the market, creatively advertised on the imager screens that adorn virtually every available flat surface. All the while, their mandatory cross-implants and wrist-worn "ICs" keep them focused on the endless cycle of work and consumption to which they are enslaved. May Fields—the CEO's daughter—would like to believe she is above all that. Head of N-Corp's marketing team, the young woman who has almost everything anyone could want spends her days dreaming up ingenious ways to make workers buy more of what they already have and don't need. Even before May discovers that the Company is headed for its first loss in thirty years, she is feeling the stirrings of dissatisfaction with the system that has given her everything she's ever wanted . . . except the freedom to be herself. When she is kidnapped by a member of the Protectorate—a secret order dating back to the American Revolution—May is suddenly faced with the frightening truth of what the Company's greed has done to our most basic human rights. Will she embrace who she is and join the battle to restore America's democratic freedom, or put her blinders back on and return to her safe and passionless life? More prediction than fiction, Blood Zero Sky is a riveting, nonstop, and suspenseful gaze into the looking glass, destined to rise with the zeitgeist of our times to become the anthem of a generation.




If Kisses Were Harmless . . .


Book Description

Right before summer, Natalies parents announce their divorce and her two best friends arent around to help her cope. Finding herself in an uncomfortable state of loneliness, Natalie develops the need to break free. The quick desire to rebel leads her into falling head-over-heels for a handsome man that lives uptown. Where everything has seemed like awkward timing, she hopes to overcome her young girl disposition and win his heart. However, all her plans turn when he suddenly tells her hes packing up his New Jersey attitude and moving to California.