Showing results by narrator "Kendra Murray" in All Categories

When Hollywood auctioneer Emsley Wilson finds her famous grandmother's diary while cleaning out her New York brownstone, the pages are full of surprises. The first surprise is, the diary isn't her grandmother's. It belongs to Johanna Bonger, Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law.

“He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad … “So begins this historical tale of romantic adventure. Andre-Louis Moreau is an orphan and cousin of the beloved Aline. He is raised by his godfather, the Lord of Gavrillac, and matures into an educated lawyer—while Aline sets her mind on marrying the rich but dishonorable Marquis de la Tour d’Azyr. But when Moreau’s closest friend is killed by the Marquis in a duel, Moreau vows vengeance. After publicly denouncing the aristocracy and stirring up the crowds, Moreau is forced to go into hiding.

Can you get by for an hour without talking? A day even? What about a month? Or nine? Rebecca Marley sets herself a nine-month challenge with only one rule: She isn’t allowed to communicate with anyone. She is to become mute. How hard could it be? Yet, what starts as a challenge soon becomes a journey of self-discovery as Rebecca has only herself for company. Will this time be the peaceful respite she so desperately seeks? Or will she confront aspects of herself that a noisy world hides so well?

What started out as a couple of blog posts blossomed into a following of over 1,000,000 people who have all read and been touched by Mowry's stories. The most extraordinary thing he found when writing about his experiences is that the most common comment about his work is OMG that's me. You are telling my story. I don't feel so alone now.

Together with The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most magical plays. One night, two parties creep from Athens into the surrounding forest. One includes sweethearts Lysander and Hermia, fleeing from Athenian law and the disapproval of Hermia’s father to get married. In pursuit is Demetrius, the suitor of Hermia favored by her father, and the doleful Helena, formerly affianced to Demetrius.

Gertrude Stein held a unique position at the center of the modernist movement. She was a novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Born in America, she moved with her family to Paris where she ran a Paris salon frequented by many famous historical figures, such as Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henri Matisse, Ezra Pound, Sherwood Anderson, and Sinclair Lewis.

It was the perfect job for newly engaged Private Investigator Mallory Dimante and she thought so…right up until the moment the black bag was slipped over her head. The instructions for the job had been simple. Attend a will-reading. Observe the heirs. Report back their reactions. It had to be a female investigator, to blend in, the letter had said. And the expenses were all prepaid.

Freckles and A Girl of the Limberlost are two of Gene Stratton Porter's most famous novels. Set primarily in the Limberlost Swamp of Indiana, USA, Freckles follows the story of Freckles, a lame orphan whose innate character rises above his circumstances. A Girl of the Limberlost is the story of Elnora, blamed for her father's death by her mother, who nevertheless meets every challenge that comes her way with admirable resilience.

Queen Marguerite de Navarre was one of the most powerful women of her age. Her masterpiece, The Heptameron, is a collection of some 72 stories told by five gentlemen and five ladies who find themselves stranded in an abbey. Proposed as an edifying way of passing the time while a bridge is being repaired, the tale-telling - as well as the conversations that follow each story - quickly becomes a battle of wits between the sexes, with tales concerning illicit lovers, romantic conquests, lecherous monks, manly honor, and women's virtue.

Who knew death could be so eclectic? Relish this mesmerizing murder mystery mash-up of short stories. Murder and mystery have been the staple of literature and films for years. This anthology of short stories will thrill and entertain you. Some will also make you laugh out loud. Others will stop and make you think.

Murder and dark magic aren't even the worst of it. Oona Goodlight just wants to get through hockey practice, but a dead body on the ice means practice is canceled. A secret psychic and empath, she is shocked by the brutal death and shocked again when she witnesses the murder - and the killer - in a vision. When a wizard investigator asks her to use her psychic abilities to find the murderer, she’s pulled into a battle she never wanted to fight against a grudge-holding foe who’s waited a long time to see her dead.

Emily Dickinson was one of the most reclusive of all poets. She spent much of her life in seclusion in her father’s house in Amherst, and only a handful of her 1800 poems were published in her lifetime. Credit for the posthumous publication of her work must be given to her editor and friend Thomas W. Higginson, who reported that, in spite of the voluminous correspondence which passed between himself and Dickinson, he only met her twice in person.

Not all problems can be solved with a mute button. Everyone knows Rebecca Marley. She’s the crazy, brave, and introspective woman who spent nine months without talking. Everyone loves her. She’s raw, honest, and relatable. She’s also rich and famous, although I’m sure you knew that already. You’ve probably read her articles, or her book, or seen one of her many interviews. She’s also socially anxious, self-conscious, and self-degrading, but she tries to keep that to herself. Her once-silent world has changed, and the noise has engulfed her.

First, the madman Lucky Richards sneaks onto The Circle M intending to kill Trey McCall’s wife and young son. But there’s more—the Nemesis chairman confirms that his oldest son Robert—a half-crazed delusional lad—was involved and is on the loose with a fresh “reason” to take revenge on the McCall family.

Inara Caan is an embittered vestal to The Order of the Avenging Hand. Her job: traveling worldwide with her demon partner, using magic to destroy monsters and mythological creatures wherever the Order finds them. Her next hunt takes her to Boston. She expects to find villainy beyond compare. Instead, she has been tasked with killing a happy family with a young daughter.

Private Investigator Mallory Dimante has no time for a pro-bono cold case. Focused on developing the detective firm she’s building with her partner, Jake Steiner, she needs work that can keep them and their new Seattle houseboat afloat. But she can’t say no when she comes face-to-face with the victim of a devastating acid attack.

First published in 1909, A Girl of the Limberlost is a novel by American writer and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter. This classic of Indiana literature is a sequel to Stratton-Porter's earlier novel Freckles. Wholesome, sensible, and beautiful, the heroine, Elnora, is also compassionate, self-reliant, and intelligent. Neglected by her mother, Elnora reaches through this hardship toward education, friendship, and love. There are no shortcuts and her hard work brings joy to herself and all those she loves.

Involuntary Immortals is the story of a woman who finds herself outliving her lovers and the incredible peril she faces when she sets out to discover the source of her involuntary immortality. Helen Ranston discovers her own daughter Agnes thinks she is a witch or vampire. Agnes is 40, but still looks 20 and has never aged throughout her daughter's entire life.

Becky Morgan has a life most women would envy until a car accident lands her in the hospital. She insists she’s fine, but it quickly becomes clear she’s changed. She’s forgetful, paranoid, short-tempered. Her husband wants to write off her change in personality to the IVF hormones she's taking in an attempt to get pregnant. Becky's best friend Jules Dalton is a gorgeous, single woman, with a habit of sabotaging relationships.

The eleven stories in this Gaskell collection illustrate the author’s mastery in capturing the innate drama that is present even in the most mundane situations.