Other books that might interest you

• 

  Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A...

  Thomas Hardy

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  A tragic twist of fate. A predatory aristocrat. And one woman's desperate fight for purity in a corrupt world.
   
  When an impoverished peddler discovers he is the lineal descendant of the ancient and noble d'Urberville family, he sends his beautiful, innocent daughter, Tess, to claim kinship with their wealthy namesakes. Driven by guilt over a tragic accident that cost her family their livelihood, Tess reluctantly journeys to the sprawling Stoke-d'Urberville estate. But the people she meets there are not true family. Waiting in the shadows is the charming, manipulative, and relentless Alec d'Urberville, whose dark obsession with Tess will shatter her innocence and alter the course of her life forever.
   
  As she navigates the lush, atmospheric landscapes of rural England, Tess is torn between her profound sense of duty, the harsh judgments of Victorian society, and her own yearning for true love. Will her innate goodness and quiet resilience be enough to survive the cruel machinations of a world that refuses to forgive?
  
   
  Why you will love this: A towering achievement in Classic Literary Fiction, Thomas Hardy's magnum opus perfectly weaves pastoral beauty with a gripping, heartbreaking critique of social hypocrisy. Listeners who crave immersive historical sagas, intense emotional stakes, and complex, defiant heroines will find themselves utterly transfixed by this unforgettable tragedy. Narrator Evelia Farias captures every nuance of the rural dialects and the novel's devastating romantic tension.
  
   
  About the Author: Thomas Hardy was a legendary English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. Known for his deeply evocative portrayals of the fictional rural region of Wessex, Hardy's masterful storytelling challenged the rigid social constraints of his time.

  Show book

• 

  Redburn His First Voyage

  Herman Melville

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his bestknown works are MobyDick (1851); Typee (1846), a romanticized account of his experiences in Polynesia; and Billy Budd, Sailor, a posthumously published novella. Although his reputation was not high at the time of his death, the 1919 centennial of his birth was the starting point of a Melville revival, and MobyDick grew to be considered one of the great American novels. 
   
  Melville's growing literary ambition showed in MobyDick (1851), which took nearly a year and a half to write, but it did not find an audience, and critics scorned his psychological novel Pierre: or, The Ambiguities (1852). From 1853 to 1856, Melville published short fiction in magazines, including "Benito Cereno" and "Bartleby, the Scrivener". In 1857, he traveled to England, toured the Near East, and published his last work of prose, The ConfidenceMan (1857). He moved to New York in 1863, eventually taking a position as United States customs inspector. 
   
  From that point, Melville focused his creative powers on poetry. BattlePieces and Aspects of the War (1866) was his poetic reflection on the moral questions of the American Civil War. In 1867, his eldest child Malcolm died at home from a selfinflicted gunshot. Melville's metaphysical epic Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land was published in 1876. In 1886, his other son Stanwix died of apparent tuberculosis, and Melville retired. During his last years, he privately published two volumes of poetry, and left one volume unpublished. The novella Billy Budd was left unfinished at his death, but was published posthumously in 1924. Melville died from cardiovascular disease in 1891.

  Show book

• 

  Baby out of the Blue

  Rebecca Winters

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  "Found: One baby " Holidaying in Greece, Fran Myers is shocked to discover a tiny baby, swept away by a tornado. As she hugs the precious bundle a protective maternal instinct she thought she'd never experience kicks in. "One bachelor " Relief is what the baby's uncle, CEO Nik Angelis, feels when he sees Fran with Demi, and he asks for her help to care for the little girl." And a little ray of hope?" Dare Fran and Nik believe that their once-crushed dreams of parenthood-- and love-- might come true at last?

  Show book

• 

  My Old True Love

  Sheila Kay Adams

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  The Stantons and the Nortons were families in the truest, oldest sense: extended networks of kin stretching across the mountains, everyone within hiking distance. They'd come from the British Isles and settled in the Appalachians of North Carolina during the 1700s, bringing with them their dearly loved songs and their clannish ways, their ties to the land ultimately becoming as strong as their ties to one another." "So when Larkin Stanton is left parentless at birth in the 1840s, he is taken in by his cousin Arty Norton and, true to the family way, starts singing before he starts talking. As Larkin grows up, he hungrily learns every song he can, as well as the subtleties of ballad singing: how the songs are about the joys and the horrors of life, and how the best singers can produce a song that will summon tears. Going head-to-head with Arty's brother, Hackley, the cousins' competitions to produce the finest song soon spill over into the wooing of the finest girl in the community, Mary." When Hackley wins Mary and then leaves to fight in the Civil War, Larkin, still too young to enlist, finds himself uncontrollably drawn to the woman who's held his heart for years. What he does about that love defies all he has learned about family and loyalty - and reminds us that these mournful ballads didn't come just from the imagination, but from imperfections of the heart.

  Show book

• 

  Beware the Cat

  William Baldwin

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  "Beware the Cat" is an English novel written by William Baldwin in 1553, making it one of the earliest examples of English fiction. The novel is a satirical and fantastical work that blends elements of folklore, social commentary, and the supernatural. 
  The story is framed as a narrative within a narrative, with the protagonist, Mr. Streamer, recounting his experiences to a group of friends. Streamer, a curious and skeptical man, stumbles upon a hidden chamber where he witnesses a group of cats engaging in a secret assembly. To his surprise, the cats are not only intelligent but also capable of speech. 
  As Streamer eavesdrops on the feline conversations, he discovers that the cats possess a complex society with its own set of rules and beliefs. The novel takes a satirical approach to criticize human behavior, using the cat society as a mirror to reflect societal issues of the time. 
  One of the notable aspects of "Beware the Cat" is its exploration of the supernatural, blending folklore and superstition with a fictional narrative. The novel incorporates elements of witchcraft, shape-shifting, and other mystical occurrences, adding a layer of intrigue and fantasy to the story. 
  Overall, "Beware the Cat" is a unique and innovative work that offers a blend of social satire, fantasy, and early English fiction, making it a significant contribution to the literary landscape of its time.

  Show book

• 

  Queen’s Lady The: The bestseller...

  Joanna Hickson

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  ‘Fascinating’ Choice‘This well-researched novel draws you straight into the heart of this engaging story’ My Weekly’A stunning evocative novel… I was completely captivated’ Clare Marchant, author of The Queen’s SpyCan she tread a dangerous line between love and duty? 
  Raven-haired and fiercely independent, Joan Guildford has always remained true to herself. As lady-in-waiting and confidante to Queen Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII, Joan understands royal patronage is vital if she and her husband, Sir Richard, are to thrive in the volatile atmosphere of court life. 
  But Tudor England is in mourning following the death of the Prince of Wales, and within a year, the queen herself. With Prince Henry now heir to the throne, the court murmurs with the sound of conspiracy. Is the entire Tudor project now at stake or can young Henry secure the dynasty? 
  Drawn into the heart of the crisis, Joan’s own life is in turmoil, and her future far from secure. She faces a stark choice – be true to her heart and risk everything, or play the dutiful servant and watch her dreams wither and die. For Joan, and for Henry’s Kingdom, everything is at stake…Praise for Joanna Hickson: 
  ‘Intriguing… told with confidence’ The Times 
  ‘Rich and warm’ Sunday Express 
  ‘Bewitching’ Woman & Home 
  ‘Evocative’ Woman’s Weekly 
  ‘A great tale’ Conn Iggulden 
  ‘Thoroughly engrossing’The Lady 
  Joanna Hickson's The Queen's Lady is a top historical fiction that delves into the heart of the Elizabethan era, a time of political upheaval and personal trials. The romance that unfolds amidst the backdrop of 1485-1603 Britain is as captivating as the rich history that it is steeped in. 
  For fans of Elizabeth Chadwick (The Coming of the Wolf), Alison Weir (The Cardinal), Carol Mcgrath (The Lost Queen), Annie Garthwaite (Cecily), and Anne R. Bailey (The Lady Ursula). 
  HarperCollins 2022

  Show book