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Audiobooks Narrated by Jayne Entwistle
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"Disgraced medical researcher Mirs and his skeptical new supervisor Jo arrive on the remote island of St. Ulphia to investigate an outbreak of mass psychosis. The villagers claim they're being possessed—one by one—by a cannibalistic demon known as the Wendigo. While unraveling the villagers' strange tales, Mirs and Jo are drawn into a tangle of local politics, mysterious disappearances, and impossible contradictions. When the missing begin to reappear, the boundaries between fact and folklore become dangerously thin. As tensions rise and trust fractures, Mirs and Jo must confront the possibility that the madness around them may not be entirely imagined— or may not be the villagers' alone. A psychological mystery laced with absurd humor, St. Ulphia's Dead explores how trauma warps truth, how isolation breeds belief, and how the most terrifying demons are the ones we conjure for ourselves."
"A New Yorker and an Economist Best Book of the Year
In 1818, a curious root arrived in a small English village, tucked―seemingly by accident―in a packing case mailed from Brazil. The amateur botanist who cultivated it soon realized that he had something remarkable on his hands: an exceptionally rare orchid never before seen on British shores. It arrived just as 'orchid mania' was sweeping across Europe and North America, driving a vast plant trade that catered to wealthy private patrons as well as the fast-growing middle classes eager to display exotic flowers at home. Dubbed Cattleya labiata, the striking purple-and-crimson bloom quickly became one of the most coveted flowers on both continents.
As tales of the flower's beauty spread through scientific journals and the popular press, orchid dealers and enthusiasts initiated a massive search to recover it in its natural habitat. Sarah Bilston illuminates the story of this international quest, introducing the collectors and nurserymen who funded expeditions, the working-class plant hunters who set out to find the flower, the South American laborers and specialists with whom they contracted, the botanists who used the latest science to study orchids in all their varieties, and the writers and artists who established the near-mythic status of the 'lost orchid.' The dark side of this global frenzy was the social and environmental harm it wrought, damaging fragile ecologies on which both humans and plants depended.
Following the human ambitions and dramas that drove an international obsession, The Lost Orchid is a story of consumer desire, scientific curiosity, and the devastating power of colonial overreach."
"A leisurely weekend among the British gentry reveals the cracks in their upper-class society in this 'beautifully crafted' historical fiction novel set in pre-WWI England (Washington Post).
It is the autumn of 1913. Sir Randolph Nettleby has assembled a brilliant array of guests at his Oxfordshire estate for the biggest hunt of the season. An army of gamekeepers, beaters, and servants has rehearsed the intricate age–old ritual, the gentlemen are falling into the prescribed mode of fellowship and sporting rivalry, the ladies intrigued by the latest gossip and fashion. Everything about this splendid weekend would seem a perfect consummation of the pleasures afforded the privileged in Edwardian England.
And yet it is not: the moral and social code of this group is not so secure as it appears. Competition beyond the bounds of sportsmanship, revulsion at the slaughter of the animals, anger at the inequities of class—these forces are about to rise up and engulf the assured social peace, a peace that can last only a brief while longer. In imagining Sir Randolph's shooting party, wrote The Spectator, Miss Colegate has found a perfect metaphor for the passing of a way of life."
"Battles, blockades, convoys, raids: how the indefatigable British Royal Navy ensured Napoleon's ultimate defeat
Horatio Nelson's celebrated victory over the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 presented Britain with an unprecedented command of the seas. Yet the Royal Navy's role in the struggle against Napoleonic France was far from over. This groundbreaking book asserts that, contrary to the accepted notion that the Battle of Trafalgar essentially completed the Navy's task, the war at sea actually intensified over the next decade, ceasing only with Napoleon's final surrender.
In this dramatic account of naval contributions between 1803 and 1815, James Davey offers original and exciting insights into the Napoleonic wars and Britain's maritime history. Encompassing Trafalgar, the Peninsular War, the War of 1812, the final campaign against Napoleon, and many lesser known but likewise crucial moments, the book sheds light on the experiences of individuals high and low, from admiral and captain to sailor and cabin boy. The cast of characters also includes others from across Britain—dockyard workers, politicians, civilians—who made fundamental contributions to the war effort, and in so doing, both saved the nation and shaped Britain's history."
"Libby thought her worst nightmare was discovering her husband’s a killer. She was wrong.
After Joel is arrested for the brutal murder of a local woman, Libby believes she’s safe. But two of London’s most feared gang bosses demand payback—and they both want her silenced.
Hunted by Franz’s ruthless hitman and Voyzey’s cold–blooded thugs, Libby is a target with nowhere to run. Roy, the one man offering protection, becomes her only ally. But she quickly learns that protection comes at a cost—and trusting the wrong person could prove
fatal.
With the gangs at war and the body count rising, Libby isn’t about to go quietly. Because in this world, survival isn’t guaranteed—it’s fought for."
"Welcome to Lullbury Bay, where new beginnings come wrapped in tinsel, snowflakes, and second chances. . .
When Livvy's boyfriend bails on her just days before they're due to take over a run-down cliffside pub, she's left with a choice: give up or do it all alone. So, with a battered heart and a head full of dreams, she rolls up her sleeves and throws herself into transforming The George into the sophisticated gastropub she always imagined. But Lullbury Bay has other plans. From Silent Ernie and his cherry picker to the local quiz nights, festive frolics and a springer spaniel called Angel, Livvy soon finds herself swept into the warm and slightly bonkers embrace of village life. And then there's Mark—the kind, thoughtful, frustratingly handsome local who might just be exactly what Livvy needs. . . if she can open her heart again.
But when a string of unsettling events threatens everything she's built, Livvy must decide what really matters: style or substance, success or belonging, ambition or love?
A gorgeously festive, feel-good story full of quirky characters, cozy pub nights and Christmas magic—perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Heidi Swain and Cathy Bramley."
"Lady Bridgerton meets The Thursday Murder Club in the first of a charming, Victorian-set mystery series from bestselling author Colleen Gleason.
Lady Darling is a woman 'of a certain age.' Fifty, to be specific, which, in the eyes of London society, makes her uninteresting, eccentric, and a little intimidating.
She's a widow.
An empty-nester (all of her children are very successfully married off).
She's titled, influential… and very, very rich.
Now she just wants to be left alone to enjoy her pets, her gardens, and her books.
Until someone turns up dead at a dinner party, and Lady Darling is on the scene.
What's a smart, responsible, capable woman to do?
Find the killer, of course!
A thrilling, witty romp of a mystery series, the Lady Darling books will find fans with readers of historical cozies, Bridgerton, and The Thursday Murder Club."
"Two starred reviews!
An instant New York Times bestseller!
From Printz Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author Julie Berry, a true-crime-nail-biter-turned-mythic-odyssey pitting Jack the Ripper against Medusa. "A powerful exploration of human connection during nightmarish times" (Kirkus Reviews).
It's autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one thing: Jack.
And other dangers lurk in Manhattan's Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha's an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa's and Jack's."
"• Explores the primordial foundations of the Elder Futhark in Mother Goddess lore, offering an alternative to the male-oriented ideologies that have historically shaped runic interpretation
• Examines each rune from an eco-feminist viewpoint, offering readers a more comprehensive understanding of their significance
• Shows how to interpret runes from an Earth-based spiritual perspective, exploring divination methods, casting techniques, and ethical considerations for rune readings
Examining each rune from a feminist and Goddess-oriented viewpoint, Anu Dudleyshows that the roots of the runes lie in Mother Goddess lore rather than the Odin-centric mythology that has long dominated interpretations.
Offering a more comprehensive understanding of their significance in relation to feminine energy and the Triple Goddess—the triad of Maiden, Mother, and Crone—Dudley delves into the primordial foundations of the Elder Futhark, intertwining themes of ecofeminism and Earth-based spirituality to provide a compelling alternative to the male-oriented ideologies that shape runic interpretation. She also addresses Odin’s appropriation of the runes and their treatment in the Hávamál poem, highlighting how their meanings were rebranded within a patriarchal culture. Dudley then shows how to read and interpret runes from an Earth-based spiritual perspective, offering methods of divination aligned with the feminine. She also discusses casting techniques and considerations for rune interpretation.
Reframing the runes as symbols of our connection with the living world and setting aside male-oriented hero myths, this book rediscovers an ancient, intuitive, Earth-based spirituality that reveals the runes as representations of the Earth Mother ideals of compassion, wisdom, and justice."
"From USA Today bestselling author Scarlett Scott comes a new holiday romance about a brooding, scarred duke hiding from the pain of the past and the unexpected woman who heals his heart...
Quint, the Duke of Sedgewick, is a recluse by choice. Ever since the fire that claimed his wife’s life and left much of his body brutally scarred, he has retreated from polite society. He’s content to keep to his country estate with no one for company, save a handful of servants, everyone else be damned. But when a new housekeeper arrives at Blackwell Abbey before Christmas, his self-imposed solitude is disrupted by a raven-haired menace who turns his world upside down with holly boughs, fir trees, and sinful temptation.
Joceline Yorke has spent the last few years of her life in service, sending her earnings home to her mother and siblings. When she accepts an unusually high-paying position as a housekeeper, she finds herself journeying north to a duke who dismisses her upon sight. But Sedgewick is no match for her sunny determination to earn the veritable fortune she stands to collect if she can convince him to keep her on as his housekeeper. She begins a campaign to melt his ice with Yuletide decorations, bright smiles, and Christmas cheer.
To his dismay, Quint finds himself increasingly drawn to the spirited Joceline, despite the guilt and bitterness that are never far. And the more time she spends in the surly duke’s maddening presence, the more Joceline realizes there’s tenderness hiding beneath his stern facade. But a duke doesn’t marry his housekeeper, and when Sedgewick’s mother arrives with a prospective bride in tow, the impossibility of their situation has never been clearer… unless they follow their hearts on Christmas Eve.
Heat level: Scorching hot! Don't say you weren't warned."
"A guide to restoring men’s sexual health and function to maintain a flourishing sex life well into old age
• Includes fully illustrated instructions for exercises to clear energetic blockages of the male reproduction organs, restore function, reduce prostate enlargement, and prevent prostate gland cancer
• Presents a routine of exercises to be practiced daily as well as guidance on supporting your practice with nutritional and herbal supplements
• Explains how these techniques can forestall the need for surgery in early stages of prostate disease
Age need not be a death sentence for men’s sexual health and vitality. Taoist Master Mantak Chia and William U. Wei explain how to use the energetic and physical practice of Chi Kung to not only maintain a flourishing sex life well into old age but also reduce prostate enlargement and prevent prostate gland cancer.
With fully illustrated step-by-step instructions, the authors provide exercises and techniques to open the energetic pathways connected to the male reproductive organs and clear the energy blockages that lead to sexual dysfunction and illness. They explain how to perform sexual energy and prostate gland massages and detail stretching exercises and the practice of chi weight lifting--attaching weights to the penis and scrotum to enhance sexual vigor. They explain that while these techniques are primarily preventive, they can also act to regenerate and restore function, forestalling the need for surgery in early stages of prostate disease. The authors present a routine of exercises to be practiced daily as well as guidance on supporting your practice with nutritional and herbal supplements."
"Taoist techniques for replenishing our internal energy with universal cosmic energy
• Shows how to transform excess sexual energy (Ching Chi) into self-healing energy
• Presents advanced Cosmic Healing Chi Kung practices, which gather the limitless resources of Cosmic Chi for healing
• Explains how opening of the three tan tiens to the six directions allows personal consciousness to connect directly to higher sources of energy
Taoists consider our sexual energy to be the creative force that we can use to regenerate the body’s internal energy, but we must learn how to harness excess sexual energy and transform it into chi, or life-force energy. When we circulate the sexual energy in the Microcosmic Orbit--a continuous energy loop that runs up the spine and down the front of the body--we transform it into self-healing energy that can be stored in the organs and the three tan tiens: energy centers in the brain, the heart center, and the lower abdomen. The Alchemy of Sexual Energy builds upon Microcosmic Orbit practices discussed in Healing Light of the Tao.
The more we open the flow of our internal energy the more capable we are of connecting to the cosmic energy that exists outside ourselves in the universe. By learning to open the three tan tiens to the six directions, the Taoist practitioner combines mind power with extension of chi to draw cosmic energy into the body. This energy, too, can be stored in the three tan tiens and used as needed for healing. When we learn to flow in this way with the energy of the Tao, life ceases to be a struggle."
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