Publisher: BookRix
3 stories in this book are: THE TERRIBLE HEADTHE STORY OF PRETTY GOLDILOCKSBEAUTY AND THE BEAST with illustrations in this book
"A stunning slow burn brimming with observation, emotion, and incident.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review “A fantastic firecracker of a collection I'll return to again and again!” —Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies In her dynamic debut, Halle Hill’s Good Women delves into the lives of twelve Black women across the Appalachian South. A woman boards a Greyhound bus barreling toward Florida to meet her sugar daddy’s mother; a state fair employee considers revenge on a local preacher; a sister struggles with guilt as she helps her brother plan to run away with a man he's seeing in secret; a young woman who works for a scam for-profit college navigates the lies she sells for a living. Darkly funny and deeply human, Good Women observes how place, blood ties, generational trauma, obsession, and boundaries―or lack thereof―influence how we navigate our small worlds, and how those worlds so often collide in ways we don’t expect. Through intimate moments of personal choice, Hill carefully shines a light on how these twelve women shape and form themselves through faith and abandon, transgression and conformity, community, caution, and solitude. With precision and empathy, Hill captures the mundane in moments of absurdity, and bears witness to both joy and heartbreak, reminding us how the next moment could be life-changing. Vibrant and exacting, Hill is a must-read new voice in literary fiction.Show book
Edgar Allan Poe has the genius to manipulate language so well that he could engage my imagination and get me terrified even though little was 'done' in the sense of horrible actions described. My imagination, under the power of his creepy words, conjured the atmosphere and amplified the scariness all by itself. In this recording I've chosen some of his stories that did this so well and succeed in leaving lingering hair raising memories with me to enjoy all through my life: The Telltale Heart; The Masque of the Red Death; The Black Cat; The Raven and the Casque of Amontillado. I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I did narrating them.Show book
Experience the magical romance of a New York Christmas in this classic tale from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs...Elaine St. James has it all—a thriving career as an elite Manhattan publicist, A-list best friends and a gorgeous, high-profile boyfriend her parents adore. But when Byron breaks up with her on Christmas Eve, Elaine is faced with the prospect of spending the holidays alone...until the man she loved long ago reappears, much like a ghost from Christmas past.Tony Fiore was everything her Upper East Side parents wanted Elaine to avoid—the Italian-American boy from Brooklyn was hardly an ideal match for their perfect socialite daughter. Despite their differences, they always found themselves together on Christmas Eve, ice-skating at Rockefeller Center. Until the year Tony failed to show up, and broke Elaine’s heart. Now, seven years later, on another Christmas Eve, they might finally have a second chance at first love...Show book
Explore the story of Jane Eyre in a brand new light. With prompts for discussions, thought provoking questions, and a breakdown and analysis of each chapter,Rachel Kovaciny brings to the forefront the major and minor themes and valuable lessons to be learned from this classic novel. An excellent companion for the novel, this guide demonstrates a love and appreciation for the classics and elevates understanding through the author’s clear grasp of the historical context as well as Charlotte Brontë’s background. Kovaciny’s guide also approaches each analysis through the lens of a Christian worldview. Viewing the heartbreak, growth, introspection, and lessons of love and loss through a Biblical perspective allows for an even deeper understanding of the characters, plot, and even Brontë herself. A wonderful library addition for fans of classic literature, homeschool families, book clubs, or those looking to further their education on the classics, this thoughtful and thorough guide is a must have!Show book
Sometimes a person speaks before thinking.. She's just bought the flower shop and he's taken over the hardware store for his dad. Sounds peachy, right? Sure, until they both want an assistance grant from the city...and now Emma and Aaron are rivals and neighbors. Emma: I’ve always believed that flowers can brighten any occasion and make anyone's day, but nothing seems to cheer up my handsome-but-grumpy neighbor, Aaron Stansfield. Owning a flower shop next to his hardware store means our paths cross all the time, and it’s usually just a conversation about how hard it is to run a small business in a small Southern town. Which it is. I'm barely keeping my head above water and he has a family legacy to uphold. But it would be nice to talk about something besides work, especially after our flirt-fest at Halloween last year. People do that, right? Apparently not us, because the city of Cider Cove is holding a community project where participating small businesses have the opportunity to win a significant grant. And I need that money. Aaron wants it too, and when I see him at the information meeting, I can't control myself. I sit next to him and tell him I'm going to take the prize. After all, park rebuild + flowers = winning combo. So when he issues a dare—that we submit one application and work together to ensure the win—my stupid crush kicks in and takes him up on it. So now we're working together on the community project, and I start seeing a different side of Aaron—the side that’s kind, thoughtful, hardworking and frustratingly...sweet. He may be grumpy, but he’s also the one who’s always there when I need him. As our rivalry turns into something more, I can't help wondering: Could this very disastrous dare be the start of something wildly wonderful?Show book
The dragons on Draig Island are not your run-of-the-mill kind. They’re something else entirely… I cannot believe my bad luck when an embossed envelope arrives at my door just one week before my twenty-fifth birthday. Which just happens to be the cut-off date for being called up for the testing of the blood. I thought I was in the clear, turns out that I was wrong. I don’t know all the ins and outs of the whole dragon tribute selection process, only that it has something to do with a person’s DNA. If the scientists find what they are looking for in my sample, I might be sent as a tribute to the dragons. Yes, actual dragons. Not that I’ve ever seen one of the creatures. Apparently, they do exist; they just don’t mingle with us on account of being dangerous. I mean, they’re huge, breathe fire, and have sharp teeth and claws. Bottom line, dragons and humans do not mix. With that in mind, I’m not sure why they need human tributes. Every year for the last fifty-nine years, our government has sent them thirty people. Of those handed over, some return later with no memory of their stay on the island. As for the rest, who knows? It’s baffling and terrifying in equal measure. Quite frankly, I hope I never find out what goes on at Draig Island. I keep telling myself that only thirty end up going. Not that many, considering that tens of thousands of blood samples are taken. My odds are good. I’m not going to get called up. I'm not! Then I receive another letter telling me that I have been selected. I need to pack and get my affairs in order. I leave for Draig Island in one month with no guarantee I’ll ever return and no idea what is to become of me. This story contains mature themes/language. Also, be prepared for a ton of growls, dirty talk, and a hard-won HEA. Hulking, skulking, foul-mouthed, brooding dragons ahead. You were warned! Each book follows a different couple.Show book
