Showing results by narrator "Kathy Handrock" in All Categories

“The Shadow of the Witch House” by Nathanial J Blackthorne is a horror novel centered on the infamous Witch House in Salem, Massachusetts. The narrative weaves through time, depicting the house’s 33-year cycle of awakening to torment past inhabitants—like a grieving widow, a cursed mason, scheming sisters, an immigrant family, and a skeptical psychologist—with supernatural omens tied to their hidden sins and guilts.

When love and faith intertwine, even the most mismatched hearts can be stitched together by grace. Feisty parish matriarch Agnes Donnelly has two great passions: quilting for the church bazaar and meddling—lovingly, of course—in the lives of those who need a nudge toward happiness. Her latest mission? Bringing together her skeptical grandson Liam, a recently returned architect questioning his faith, and Clara Morales, the quiet, faith-filled granddaughter of Agnes’s quilting partner, who has all but given up on romance.

The fate of ancient knowledge and power is in peril. For centuries, witches have held this age-old knowledge, passing it from one generation to the next, and ensuring the balance of the world. But when King Saul of Israel condemns magic as malevolent and mercilessly slaughters most of the witches, the Witch of Endor faces a grim reality; there is no one left to inherit the sacred wisdom. With her own death foretold and approaching, she has no choice but to perform a ritual to shift the knowledge to a chosen tree.

The journey of life is tough enough for a teenage girl in 1950s suburbia without having a mother who may or may not be demonic. Sure, she fits in with her pearls and floral aprons. Then there are the hushed and mystical consultations with neighborhood women in distress. The unsavory, mysterious plants in the flower beds. The divined warning is to steer clear of a boyfriend whose fate is certainly doomed. But as the daughter of this bewitching homemaker comes of age and her mother’s claims become more and more outlandish, she begins to question everything she once took for granted.

"Paul Vincenzio: Alpha Male–An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance—Chicago Mafia Vows, Book 3" is an enemies to lovers mafia romance that plunges listeners into the heart of Chicago's underworld through the eyes of Paul Vincenzio, the ruthless Boss of the Chicago Outfit. While Paul's hold on Chicago is jeopardized by a powerful and dangerous secret organization, his life, is further thrown off balance by Aisling, a college intern whose fiery temper matches her striking red hair.

He'd given up on finding his soulmate, until he finds her. Married to someone else. Born with a restless spirit that guides him out west, Samuel wanders, searching but uncertain what for. He'd given up on finding his soulmate, until he finds her. Married to someone else. Trapped in a loveless marriage. The man she calls husband only touches her with his fists. Samantha can't see a way out.

When Ezra Wilson took the job as a census worker, he never imagined it would lead to a place like his latest assignment. From the moment he turns off of the interstate and travels past the village limits, it becomes clear that Heritage isn't just some quaint New England town. A sinister encounter at an automobile graveyard is only the start.

It was 1890, the time of the gunslinger. The town was Bergen, in the American Midwest. The young man, who’d fled from the home of his father to pursue the monasticism of his hero St. Francis, had completed his exodus from worldly society by taking up refuge in the forest near Bergen. There he built a stone hut, devoting his life to the practice of prayer.

This tale begins in the year 1849, in a bedroom of a plantation house. A woman, the lady of the house, is in labor, and her unborn son, unbeknownst to all present but she, will be the first warlock gifted in the ways of the South to be born in over two hundred years. The child, Henry, along with his three older sisters—Josephine, Alma, and Marjorie—will, for reasons they will not learn of until several years after their mother’s murder, be considered by most of their kind as the four chosen to lead their people to a level of power and prosperity like the witches and warlocks have never known.

In the hushed reverence of night, beneath a muted lantern, I watch. Eyes are not windows—they are involuntary confessions. Sin stains them. Guilt fogs them. False righteousness cracks their lens. A quiet voice guides me: Collect what they squander. Free the truth trapped behind their blinks. Take the eyes, and the soul follows. Take the eyes, and the lie dies. I am no monster. I am a keeper of endings, a steward of clarity. With merciful hands, I gather final gazes—preserving the last pure light before it gutters out.

After escaping from her abusive, rich, oil-tycoon husband, Selina heads off into the Wild West—alone, disoriented, and in search of a better life. When she delightedly discovers Amos, whose devoted companionship leads them both into the journey of a lifetime, she’s drawn with him into the beatific mystery of Erland: a town of exquisite lushness, where the rich scattering of native plants and hardy wildflowers—squeezed into every crack, every inch of the city—is sustained by the vivacious gardeners who spend every waking hour attempting to recreate the garden of Eden.

All of his life Benjamin hadn't noticed Sarah as anything other than his best friend's sister. The last thing he expected was to notice her as more than a friend, but he did. No sooner does he realize his love for her, America enters the war. War changes a man. He'd heard that dozens of times over his life but with every near miss, every new scar, every bullet he feels himself chipping away. Even if he survives to go home to his soulmate, what man would he be? How much of him would she recognize?

Years ago, Storm and I were separated by his parents' misbeliefs. Worst part was Storm did not support me and lost my trust. Although I hated him, I accepted the job offer, because I was in need of money. Day by day we made progress in our projects together and rebuilt trust in each other. With our hard work, we received work awards. On the other side our old memories resurfaced. As old misunderstandings dissolved, and new friendships took hold. I found myself drawn to him like never before.

My ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) score is 6. According to numerous academic studies, that puts me at risk for over 23 negative health outcomes, including diabetes, cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory and liver disease, cancer, and mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide.

Annabelle Black had two options, indentured servitude or find a husband. It’s why she left the only home she’d ever known to marry a stranger in the New World. When she arrives, she finds a kind man with some…less than average qualities. While he's not what she pictured, he's better than the other path she could have chosen. Can she accept him for who and what he was?

When friends disappear and enemies lurk in the shadows, loyalty and love are the only weapons left to fight the darkness. In a world where vampires, witches, and humans must unite to defeat a growing darkness, Remy—a lone human—finds himself drawn into an ancient conflict. As supernatural forces clash, the Nikoli clan reunites when two of their own, Florence and Gunther, mysteriously disappear.

When the richest man in town gets abducted; the town of Celer faces an instability that will shake it to its core. Among those left in the aftermath are Sheriff Adrien Baker and the lovely Clementine, who find themselves in a fight for their lives, and for the survival of Clementine’s son; who, in his innocence, draws the attention of the hungry wolves circling, and is taken from Clementine in the darkness of night.

Spirited and sardonic Auburn Halverson has always been a survivor but has made every mistake that came her way. On the verge of having a stable life for her two young children, she finds out her boyfriend Steve is cheating on her. Pain and abuse tell her to fall back into her destructive patterns, but she soon finds they do not work for her any longer. She is slowly realizing that choosing the pain she knows is not a sign of weakness, but a symptom of staying strong too long. Her best friend Chad reveals he has strong feelings for her.

Embark on Wingate's year-long trek across North America, facing winter's bite, the sun's scorch, deserts, mountains, and urban mazes—all on foot. Explore the highs of human connection and the lows of solitude, from benevolence to bone-chilling fear.

Sometimes it's a 'struggle' to make decisions in life. I'm Jess. I carry a type of blood in my veins that keeps me from ever loving anyone. This is my tale of overcoming my own self. The 'struggle' is there, and it must be dealt with.