
How to Build a Heart
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Almarie Guerra
-
By:
-
Maria Padian
About this listen
One young woman's journey to find her place in the world as the carefully separated strands of her life - family, money, school, and love - begin to overlap and tangle.
All 16-year-old Izzy Crawford wants is to feel like she really belongs somewhere. Her father, a marine, died in Iraq six years ago, and Izzy's moved to a new town nearly every year since, far from the help of her extended family in North Carolina and Puerto Rico. When Izzy's hardworking mom moves their small family to Virginia, all her dreams start clicking into place. She likes her new school - even if Izzy is careful to keep her scholarship-student status hidden from her well-to-do classmates and her new athletic and popular boyfriend. And best of all: Izzy's family has been selected by Habitat for Humanity to build and move into a brand-new house. Izzy is this close to the community and permanence she's been searching for, until all the secret pieces of her life begin to collide.
How to Build a Heart is the story of Izzy's journey to find her place in the world and her discovery that the choices we make and the people we love ultimately define us and bring us home.
©2020 Maria Padian (P)2020 Recorded BooksListeners also enjoyed...
-
A Constellation of Roses
- By: Miranda Asebedo
- Narrated by: Katherine Littrell
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever since her troubled mother abandoned her, Trix McCabe has preferred to stay on the move. But when she lands with her long-lost relatives, she finds out that the McCabe women have talents like her own that defy explanation: pies that cure all ills, palm-reading that never misses the mark, knowledge of secrets that have never been told. Before long, Trix feels like she might finally have found somewhere she belongs. But when her past comes back to haunt her, she’ll have to decide whether to take a chance on this new life...or keep running from the one she’s always known.
-
-
A Constellation of Scars
- By Dana Al-Basha on 04-22-20
By: Miranda Asebedo
-
Firekeeper's Daughter
- By: Angeline Boulley
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LaBlanc
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.
-
-
Che Meegwetch
- By Nix on 03-18-21
By: Angeline Boulley
-
What They Always Tell Us
- By: Martin Wilson
- Narrated by: Jesse Einstein
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
James and Alex have barely anything in common anymore - least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James’s friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways.
By: Martin Wilson
-
Girl on the Brink
- By: Christina Hoag
- Narrated by: Angela Masi
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He was perfect. At first. The summer before senior year, 17-year-old Chloe starts an internship at a local newspaper. While on assignment, she meets Kieran, a quirky aspiring actor. Chloe is smitten with Kieran's charisma and his ability to soothe her soul, torn over her parents' impending divorce. As their bond deepens, Kieran becomes smothering and flies into terrifying rages.
-
-
Girl on the Brink
- By whatcha.listening.to on 05-26-20
By: Christina Hoag
-
Life On Hold
- By: Karen McQuestion
- Narrated by: Emily Beresford
- Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox’s mom, Gina, is a big fan of fresh starts. Gina thinks of them as an adventure, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. After arriving in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with fellow newbie Allison Daly, Rae’s tentative happiness is jeopardized.
-
-
Great story with a wonderful narrator.
- By Tera B. on 07-26-23
By: Karen McQuestion
-
There Goes Sunday School
- By: Alexander C. Eberhart
- Narrated by: Joel Leslie
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 16-year-old Mike Hernandez's life, only one thing is clear: Gay is not okay. His family's life revolves around the church, a church run by the vocally intolerant Pastor Myers, so Mike has resolved to spend his life in the closet. His only escape - besides the occasional, anonymous gay make-out session - is his art. He pours his complicated emotions into risque drawings he keeps in a secret sketchbook. A sketchbook he carries everywhere. When his sketchbook goes missing in the middle of Sunday school, Mike is sure his life is over.
-
-
beautiful book!
- By Judith L. Butler on 09-16-20
-
A Constellation of Roses
- By: Miranda Asebedo
- Narrated by: Katherine Littrell
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever since her troubled mother abandoned her, Trix McCabe has preferred to stay on the move. But when she lands with her long-lost relatives, she finds out that the McCabe women have talents like her own that defy explanation: pies that cure all ills, palm-reading that never misses the mark, knowledge of secrets that have never been told. Before long, Trix feels like she might finally have found somewhere she belongs. But when her past comes back to haunt her, she’ll have to decide whether to take a chance on this new life...or keep running from the one she’s always known.
-
-
A Constellation of Scars
- By Dana Al-Basha on 04-22-20
By: Miranda Asebedo
-
Firekeeper's Daughter
- By: Angeline Boulley
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LaBlanc
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.
-
-
Che Meegwetch
- By Nix on 03-18-21
By: Angeline Boulley
-
What They Always Tell Us
- By: Martin Wilson
- Narrated by: Jesse Einstein
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
James and Alex have barely anything in common anymore - least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James’s friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways.
By: Martin Wilson
-
Girl on the Brink
- By: Christina Hoag
- Narrated by: Angela Masi
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He was perfect. At first. The summer before senior year, 17-year-old Chloe starts an internship at a local newspaper. While on assignment, she meets Kieran, a quirky aspiring actor. Chloe is smitten with Kieran's charisma and his ability to soothe her soul, torn over her parents' impending divorce. As their bond deepens, Kieran becomes smothering and flies into terrifying rages.
-
-
Girl on the Brink
- By whatcha.listening.to on 05-26-20
By: Christina Hoag
-
Life On Hold
- By: Karen McQuestion
- Narrated by: Emily Beresford
- Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox’s mom, Gina, is a big fan of fresh starts. Gina thinks of them as an adventure, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. After arriving in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with fellow newbie Allison Daly, Rae’s tentative happiness is jeopardized.
-
-
Great story with a wonderful narrator.
- By Tera B. on 07-26-23
By: Karen McQuestion
-
There Goes Sunday School
- By: Alexander C. Eberhart
- Narrated by: Joel Leslie
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 16-year-old Mike Hernandez's life, only one thing is clear: Gay is not okay. His family's life revolves around the church, a church run by the vocally intolerant Pastor Myers, so Mike has resolved to spend his life in the closet. His only escape - besides the occasional, anonymous gay make-out session - is his art. He pours his complicated emotions into risque drawings he keeps in a secret sketchbook. A sketchbook he carries everywhere. When his sketchbook goes missing in the middle of Sunday school, Mike is sure his life is over.
-
-
beautiful book!
- By Judith L. Butler on 09-16-20
-
Pride High, Book 1
- Red
- By: Jay Bell
- Narrated by: Talia Carver
- Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Perfect for mature teens and nostalgic adults, this LGBTQ+ series celebrates authentic intimacy, realistic relationships, and the beautiful chaos of growing up queer. Rewind to the nineties and join a group of teenagers as they try to figure out who they are, and who they want to love. Meet your new friends:
-
-
He did it again!
- By Stanley Craver on 11-28-22
By: Jay Bell
-
Every Single Lie
- By: Rachel Vincent
- Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nobody in 16-year-old Beckett’s life seems to be telling the whole story. Her boyfriend Jake keeps hiding texts, which could mean he’s cheating on her. Her father lied about losing his job and so much more before his shocking death. And everyone in school seems to be whispering about her and her family behind her back. But none of that compares to the day Beckett finds the body of a newborn baby in a gym bag - Jake’s gym bag - on the floor of her high school locker room.
-
-
I could not let myself go to sleep
- By Zach J. Payne on 10-10-21
By: Rachel Vincent
-
Where You Are
- By: J.H. Trumble
- Narrated by: Brad King, Noah Michael Levine
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Westfall's life is falling apart - everywhere but in math class. That's the one place where problems always have a solution. But in the world beyond high school, his father is terminally ill, his mother is squabbling with his interfering aunts, his boyfriend is unsupportive, and the career path that's been planned for him feels less appealing by the day. Robert's math teacher, Andrew McNelin, watches his best student floundering, concerned but wary of crossing the line between professional and personal. Gradually, Andrew becomes Robert's friend, then his confidante.
-
-
Not an easy story
- By Rebecca on 10-25-24
By: J.H. Trumble
-
The Cousins
- By: Karen M. McManus
- Narrated by: Sarah Skaer, Kate Reinders, David Garelik, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised...and curious.
-
-
Not worth the time
- By JC Carey on 12-15-20
By: Karen M. McManus
-
Dumplin'
- By: Julie Murphy
- Narrated by: Eileen Stevens
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dubbed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mom, Willowdean has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked...until Will takes a job at Harpy's, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn't surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.
-
-
Enjoyable heartwarming story
- By Jenjer on 08-26-16
By: Julie Murphy
-
10 Blind Dates
- By: Ashley Elston
- Narrated by: Sophie Amoss
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophie wants a little freedom from her overprotective parents for Christmas. When they decide to spend Christmas with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie looks forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship. Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents' house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That's when her nonna devises a plan: Over 10 days, Sophie will be set up on 10 different blind dates by different family members.
-
-
Incredible 👌
- By Anonymous User on 05-06-20
By: Ashley Elston
-
Saint Anything
- By: Sarah Dessen
- Narrated by: Taylor Meskimen
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and - lately - concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. ?
-
-
Not my favorite.
- By Cricket on 05-25-15
By: Sarah Dessen
-
Faith: Taking Flight
- By: Julie Murphy
- Narrated by: Joy Nash
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Faith Herbert is a pretty regular teen. When she’s not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, she’s volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove. So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. Of course, there’s also that small matter of recently discovering she can fly....
-
-
Amazing
- By nayherr on 09-10-20
By: Julie Murphy
-
The Wayward Sons: Complete Series Books 1-4
- By: Angel Lawson
- Narrated by: Liz Krane
- Length: 21 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When my mother decided to pull me out of school, I didn’t say anything. When she homeschooled me, isolated me, kept me fearful of my peers, I followed along. When she packed me up and sent me across the country to live with my grandmother in the one-stoplight town of Lee Vines, I did as she said. But now that she’s left me here I’m on my own. I can make my own decisions. Make my own mistakes. And that includes if I let in the four boys that live next door.
-
-
Slow-moving
- By AJS on 07-23-21
By: Angel Lawson
-
Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee
- By: Jeff Zentner
- Narrated by: Sophie Amoss, Phoebe Strole
- Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature-feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six. But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, is making her tough decision even harder.
-
-
Loved it! Great narration too
- By Vern on 03-01-19
By: Jeff Zentner
-
The Dangerous Art of Blending In
- By: Angelo Surmelis
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seventeen-year-old Evan Panos doesn't know where he fits in. His strict immigrant Greek mother refuses to see him as anything but a disappointment. His quiet, workaholic father is a staunch believer in avoiding any kind of conflict. And his best friend, Henry, has somehow become distractingly attractive over the summer.
-
-
A touching story
- By Anna on 04-08-18
By: Angelo Surmelis
-
Easily Amused
- By: Karen McQuestion
- Narrated by: Kate Rudd
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For twenty-nine-year-old Lola Watson, life is finally looking up: she has fabulous friends, is working her dream job at a popular magazine, and has just inherited a beautiful house from her late aunt. Sure, her love life isn’t in great shape, but she’s got time, right? And so what if her new neighbors are a little too friendly (i.e., incredibly nosy)?
-
-
Im reading it but....
- By Ruth on 08-25-12
By: Karen McQuestion