The Novel Life of Coral Ambrose
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Heather Jane Hogan
-
By:
-
Bonnie Ballou
About this listen
A quirky owner of a store for used books gives bookworm Coral a messenger bag that appears to actually pull her into novels. Jumping from one genre to the next, she sees, hears, and even smells the action, interacting with characters and literally getting lost in the world of books. It seems like the ultimate escape, yet each novel Coral enters brings her closer to understanding the truth behind a family tragedy and the secret she forgot she was keeping.
A pause-resisting fantasy told with wry humor, The Novel Life of Coral Ambrose is a mystery, romance, Western, horror story, science-fiction epic, thriller, and children’s book all rolled into one. But most of all, it’s the story of finding out who you are in life through books and a love letter to the joy of living between the pages.
©2015 Bonnie Ballou (P)2019 Bonnie BallouListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Innocent Dead
- A Witch Cozy Mystery
- By: Jill Nojack
- Narrated by: Brian Callanan
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Natalie Taylor, high priestess of the coven in quirky Giles, Massachusetts, just wants to stop seeing dead people. With all the elements needed for the spell now in place, she can finally complete the ritual to push the ghosts away. But when a body is found in Corey Woods, giving her the opportunity to prove that her long-lost love wasn't guilty of the identical murders years ago, some of the answers she needs to clear him lie on the far side of the veil. She's going to need help from both the living and the dead to catch the real killer.
-
-
Who Done It.
- By Troublemer(tammy hovey) on 10-04-17
By: Jill Nojack
-
Still Life
- Chief Inspector Gamache, Book 1
- By: Louise Penny
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.
-
-
A rare find
- By Alex on 01-16-15
By: Louise Penny
-
Stonefather
- By: Orson Scott Card
- Narrated by: Emily Janice Card
- Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Runnel leaves his mountain valley to head for the great city of the water mages, he has no idea of his own magical talents. But he soon finds that without meaning to, he complicates and then endangers the lives of everyone he comes to know and care about. For when it comes to magic, there are rules and laws, and the untrained mage-to-be must be careful not to tap into deep forces and ancient enmities. Otherwise, other people might end up paying the price for his mistakes.
-
-
Familiar and unique--a breath of fresh air
- By Scott on 03-10-09
By: Orson Scott Card
-
Kafka on the Shore
- By: Haruki Murakami
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Oliver Le Sueur
- Length: 19 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami gives us a novel every bit as ambitious and expansive as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, which has been acclaimed both here and around the world for its uncommon ambition and achievement, and whose still-growing popularity suggests that it will be read and admired for decades to come.
-
-
What's better than Murakami? More Murakami
- By Dr. Curmudgeon on 04-11-14
By: Haruki Murakami
-
Rogues
- By: Neil Gaiman - contributor, George R. R. Martin - editor, Gillian Flynn - contributor, and others
- Narrated by: Janis Ian, Gwendoline Christie, Roy Dotrice, and others
- Length: 31 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you’re a fan of fiction that is more than just black and white, this latest story collection from number-one New York Times best-selling author George R. R. Martin and award-winning editor Gardner Dozois is filled with subtle shades of gray. Twenty-one all-original stories, by an all-star list of contributors, will delight and astonish you in equal measure with their cunning twists and dazzling reversals. And George R. R. Martin himself offers a brand-new A Game of Thrones tale chronicling one of the biggest rogues in the entire history of Ice and Fire.
-
-
A fun way to sample Authors- More Rothfuss Please!
- By gc on 08-31-14
By: Neil Gaiman - contributor, and others
-
Tangles and Treason
- Vampire Knitting Club, Book 0.5
- By: Nancy Warren
- Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman
- Length: 1 hr and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nancy Warren presents a prequel to the Vampire Knitting Club series.
-
-
Raif is finally on audible!
- By Sandra R. Merrill on 02-27-21
By: Nancy Warren
-
The Innocent Dead
- A Witch Cozy Mystery
- By: Jill Nojack
- Narrated by: Brian Callanan
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Natalie Taylor, high priestess of the coven in quirky Giles, Massachusetts, just wants to stop seeing dead people. With all the elements needed for the spell now in place, she can finally complete the ritual to push the ghosts away. But when a body is found in Corey Woods, giving her the opportunity to prove that her long-lost love wasn't guilty of the identical murders years ago, some of the answers she needs to clear him lie on the far side of the veil. She's going to need help from both the living and the dead to catch the real killer.
-
-
Who Done It.
- By Troublemer(tammy hovey) on 10-04-17
By: Jill Nojack
-
Still Life
- Chief Inspector Gamache, Book 1
- By: Louise Penny
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.
-
-
A rare find
- By Alex on 01-16-15
By: Louise Penny
-
Stonefather
- By: Orson Scott Card
- Narrated by: Emily Janice Card
- Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Runnel leaves his mountain valley to head for the great city of the water mages, he has no idea of his own magical talents. But he soon finds that without meaning to, he complicates and then endangers the lives of everyone he comes to know and care about. For when it comes to magic, there are rules and laws, and the untrained mage-to-be must be careful not to tap into deep forces and ancient enmities. Otherwise, other people might end up paying the price for his mistakes.
-
-
Familiar and unique--a breath of fresh air
- By Scott on 03-10-09
By: Orson Scott Card
-
Kafka on the Shore
- By: Haruki Murakami
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Oliver Le Sueur
- Length: 19 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami gives us a novel every bit as ambitious and expansive as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, which has been acclaimed both here and around the world for its uncommon ambition and achievement, and whose still-growing popularity suggests that it will be read and admired for decades to come.
-
-
What's better than Murakami? More Murakami
- By Dr. Curmudgeon on 04-11-14
By: Haruki Murakami
-
Rogues
- By: Neil Gaiman - contributor, George R. R. Martin - editor, Gillian Flynn - contributor, and others
- Narrated by: Janis Ian, Gwendoline Christie, Roy Dotrice, and others
- Length: 31 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you’re a fan of fiction that is more than just black and white, this latest story collection from number-one New York Times best-selling author George R. R. Martin and award-winning editor Gardner Dozois is filled with subtle shades of gray. Twenty-one all-original stories, by an all-star list of contributors, will delight and astonish you in equal measure with their cunning twists and dazzling reversals. And George R. R. Martin himself offers a brand-new A Game of Thrones tale chronicling one of the biggest rogues in the entire history of Ice and Fire.
-
-
A fun way to sample Authors- More Rothfuss Please!
- By gc on 08-31-14
By: Neil Gaiman - contributor, and others
-
Tangles and Treason
- Vampire Knitting Club, Book 0.5
- By: Nancy Warren
- Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman
- Length: 1 hr and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nancy Warren presents a prequel to the Vampire Knitting Club series.
-
-
Raif is finally on audible!
- By Sandra R. Merrill on 02-27-21
By: Nancy Warren
-
A Willing Murder
- By: Jude Deveraux
- Narrated by: Susan Bennett
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When two skeletons are accidentally uncovered in the quiet town, an unlikely trio is suddenly thrust together by a common goal: to solve a mystery everyone else seems eager to keep under wraps. United by a sense of justice and the desire to right old wrongs, Sara, Kate, and Jack will have to dig into Lachlan's murky past to unravel the small town's dark secrets and work to bring the awful truth to light.
-
-
Beyond wonderful
- By GSKM in sc on 01-29-19
By: Jude Deveraux
-
Grave Sight
- Harper Connelly Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Charlaine Harris
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Grave Sight draws listeners into the intriguing world of Harper Connelly, a woman with a unique gift: she can "see" the deceased and how they died. A teenage girl from a small Ozarks town is missing and feared dead. Hired by local police, Harper locates the girl's body in a nearby forest. But there's more than one corpse in those woods, and the second one raises questions no one wants to ask.
-
-
Why Charlaine Harris is not my favorite author.
- By ShySusan on 02-12-13
By: Charlaine Harris
-
Witches of East End
- By: Melissa de la Cruz
- Narrated by: Katie Schorr
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The three Beauchamp women—Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid—live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret—they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries....
-
-
Actually a nice, light listen
- By Theodore on 03-15-12
-
The Christie Curse
- Book Collector Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Victoria Abbott
- Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jordan Kelly needs a new job and a new place to live. She's back in Harrison Falls, New York, living with her not so law-abiding uncles, in debt thanks to a credit card-stealing ex and pending grad school loans.
Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector. There's just one problem: her employer, Vera Van Alst - the most hated citizen of Harrison Falls.
-
-
Great new cozy series!
- By Kathi on 04-27-14
By: Victoria Abbott
-
A Dark and Stormy Murder
- Writer’s Apprentice Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Julia Buckley
- Narrated by: Rebecca Mitchell
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lena London's literary dreams are coming true - as long as she can avoid any real - life villains.... Camilla Graham's best-selling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla's new assistant, she can't believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she'll get to live rent-free in Camilla's gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.
-
-
Human or computer reading?
- By Mountain Dancer on 11-06-18
By: Julia Buckley
-
Treasure Box
- By: Orson Scott Card
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A shattering childhood tragedy left Quentin Fears devastated. But the wealthy, enigmatic recluse has experienced the extraordinarily unexpected: love at first sight, with Madeleine. Now he must meet his new wife's family. A bizarre, dysfunctional collection of extreme characters, they are guarding a secret both shocking and terrifying, as is Madeleine herself. And suddenly Quentin Fears must prevent his dream woman from unleashing an ageless malevolence intent on ruling the world.
-
-
OSC at his best!!!
- By KaHef on 01-13-07
By: Orson Scott Card
-
Wild Orchids
- A Novel
- By: Jude Deveraux
- Narrated by: Alan Nebelthau, Kate Skinner
- Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since his wife's death, world-famous author Ford Newcombe has lived a solitary life, void of creativity - or love. Then Jackie Maxwell tears down the walls of his isolated world with her sassy wit and fierce intelligence. Ford's heart is touched by his vivacious assistant - and his imagination sparked by her knowledge of a strange story that drives them to a small North Carolina town brimming with secrets.
-
-
Didn't like "Devil" being the star of this story
- By DD on 01-21-15
By: Jude Deveraux
-
Whispers of the Bayou
- By: Mindy Starns Clark
- Narrated by: Jill Smith
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Swept away from Louisiana bayou country as a child, Miranda Miller is a woman without a past. She has a husband and child of her own and a fulfilling job in a Manhattan museum, but she also has questions - about the tragedy that cut her off from family and caused her to be sent away and about those first five years of her life, which were erased from her memory entirely. Summoned to the bedside of Willy Pedreaux, the old caretaker of her grandparents' antebellum estate, Miranda goes back to Louisiana at last, hoping to learn the truths of her past and receive her rightful inheritance.
-
-
Excellent story!
- By Lynette Eppley on 12-14-19
-
Found Object
- By: Anne Frasier
- Narrated by: Eileen Stevens, Perry Daniels
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Culpable in an exposé gone tragically wrong, investigative journalist Jupiter Bellarose takes her boss’s advice: head back to her hometown for a fluff piece and get her world in balance. But in Savannah, the past is waiting. Twenty years ago Jupiter’s mother, actress and celebrated beauty Marie Nova, was murdered, leaving many in her wake: Jupiter’s father, who has erased memories of his wife’s murder with alcohol. The matriarch of the cosmetics company who helped make Marie a star—and who takes every opportunity to reopen old wounds.
-
-
Rampant with suspects!!!!
- By shelley on 10-21-22
By: Anne Frasier
-
Heirs of Grace
- By: Tim Pratt
- Narrated by: Leslie Hull
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recent art school graduate Bekah thought she’d hit the jackpot: an unknown relative died, and she inherited a small fortune and a huge house in the mountains of North Carolina. Trey Howard, the lawyer who handled the estate, is a handsome man in his 20s and they hit it off right away - and soon become more than friends. Bekah expected a pleasant year to get her head together and have a romantic fling. Problem is, the house is full of junk...and siblings she didn’t know she had are willing to kill her for it.
-
-
A Magical Masterpiece - Outstanding Audiobook
- By Striker on 08-22-16
By: Tim Pratt
-
Stories
- All-New Tales
- By: Neil Gaiman - author/editor, Al Sarrantonio - editor, Joe Hill, and others
- Narrated by: Anne Bobby, Jonathan Davis, Katherine Kellgren, and others
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best stories pull readers in and keep them turning the pages, eager to discover more—to find the answer to the question: "And then what happened?" The true hallmark of great literature is great imagination, and as Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio prove with this outstanding collection, when it comes to great fiction, all genres are equal.
-
-
Something for Everyone
- By Nicole on 05-24-17
By: Neil Gaiman - author/editor, and others
-
Case Histories
- A Novel
- By: Kate Atkinson
- Narrated by: Susan Jameson
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Case One: A little girl goes missing in the night. Case Two: A beautiful young office worker falls victim to a maniac's apparently random attack. Case Three: A new mother finds herself trapped in a hell of her own making - with a very needy baby and a very demanding husband - until a fit of rage creates a grisly, bloody escape.
-
-
Trippy book
- By mary on 01-20-09
By: Kate Atkinson
Related to this topic
-
If Walls Could Talk
- Haunted Home Renovation, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line. At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man - and not end up a construction casualty herself....
-
-
A Nice Change
- By Carole T. on 06-15-15
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
The Christie Curse
- Book Collector Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Victoria Abbott
- Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jordan Kelly needs a new job and a new place to live. She's back in Harrison Falls, New York, living with her not so law-abiding uncles, in debt thanks to a credit card-stealing ex and pending grad school loans.
Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector. There's just one problem: her employer, Vera Van Alst - the most hated citizen of Harrison Falls.
-
-
Great new cozy series!
- By Kathi on 04-27-14
By: Victoria Abbott
-
A Dark and Stormy Murder
- Writer’s Apprentice Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Julia Buckley
- Narrated by: Rebecca Mitchell
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lena London's literary dreams are coming true - as long as she can avoid any real - life villains.... Camilla Graham's best-selling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla's new assistant, she can't believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she'll get to live rent-free in Camilla's gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.
-
-
Human or computer reading?
- By Mountain Dancer on 11-06-18
By: Julia Buckley
-
Secondhand Spirits
- A Witchcraft Mystery, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lily Ivory hopes for a normal life when she opens Aunt Cora's Closet. With her magical knack for vintage fashion - she can sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry - her store becomes a big hit. But when a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area, Lily may be the only one who can unravel the crime.
-
-
Needs a different narrator
- By A on 10-15-12
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
Treasure Box
- By: Orson Scott Card
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A shattering childhood tragedy left Quentin Fears devastated. But the wealthy, enigmatic recluse has experienced the extraordinarily unexpected: love at first sight, with Madeleine. Now he must meet his new wife's family. A bizarre, dysfunctional collection of extreme characters, they are guarding a secret both shocking and terrifying, as is Madeleine herself. And suddenly Quentin Fears must prevent his dream woman from unleashing an ageless malevolence intent on ruling the world.
-
-
OSC at his best!!!
- By KaHef on 01-13-07
By: Orson Scott Card
-
Stonefather
- By: Orson Scott Card
- Narrated by: Emily Janice Card
- Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Runnel leaves his mountain valley to head for the great city of the water mages, he has no idea of his own magical talents. But he soon finds that without meaning to, he complicates and then endangers the lives of everyone he comes to know and care about. For when it comes to magic, there are rules and laws, and the untrained mage-to-be must be careful not to tap into deep forces and ancient enmities. Otherwise, other people might end up paying the price for his mistakes.
-
-
Familiar and unique--a breath of fresh air
- By Scott on 03-10-09
By: Orson Scott Card
-
If Walls Could Talk
- Haunted Home Renovation, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line. At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man - and not end up a construction casualty herself....
-
-
A Nice Change
- By Carole T. on 06-15-15
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
The Christie Curse
- Book Collector Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Victoria Abbott
- Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jordan Kelly needs a new job and a new place to live. She's back in Harrison Falls, New York, living with her not so law-abiding uncles, in debt thanks to a credit card-stealing ex and pending grad school loans.
Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector. There's just one problem: her employer, Vera Van Alst - the most hated citizen of Harrison Falls.
-
-
Great new cozy series!
- By Kathi on 04-27-14
By: Victoria Abbott
-
A Dark and Stormy Murder
- Writer’s Apprentice Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Julia Buckley
- Narrated by: Rebecca Mitchell
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lena London's literary dreams are coming true - as long as she can avoid any real - life villains.... Camilla Graham's best-selling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla's new assistant, she can't believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she'll get to live rent-free in Camilla's gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.
-
-
Human or computer reading?
- By Mountain Dancer on 11-06-18
By: Julia Buckley
-
Secondhand Spirits
- A Witchcraft Mystery, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lily Ivory hopes for a normal life when she opens Aunt Cora's Closet. With her magical knack for vintage fashion - she can sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry - her store becomes a big hit. But when a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area, Lily may be the only one who can unravel the crime.
-
-
Needs a different narrator
- By A on 10-15-12
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
Treasure Box
- By: Orson Scott Card
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A shattering childhood tragedy left Quentin Fears devastated. But the wealthy, enigmatic recluse has experienced the extraordinarily unexpected: love at first sight, with Madeleine. Now he must meet his new wife's family. A bizarre, dysfunctional collection of extreme characters, they are guarding a secret both shocking and terrifying, as is Madeleine herself. And suddenly Quentin Fears must prevent his dream woman from unleashing an ageless malevolence intent on ruling the world.
-
-
OSC at his best!!!
- By KaHef on 01-13-07
By: Orson Scott Card
-
Stonefather
- By: Orson Scott Card
- Narrated by: Emily Janice Card
- Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Runnel leaves his mountain valley to head for the great city of the water mages, he has no idea of his own magical talents. But he soon finds that without meaning to, he complicates and then endangers the lives of everyone he comes to know and care about. For when it comes to magic, there are rules and laws, and the untrained mage-to-be must be careful not to tap into deep forces and ancient enmities. Otherwise, other people might end up paying the price for his mistakes.
-
-
Familiar and unique--a breath of fresh air
- By Scott on 03-10-09
By: Orson Scott Card
-
Stories
- All-New Tales
- By: Neil Gaiman - author/editor, Al Sarrantonio - editor, Joe Hill, and others
- Narrated by: Anne Bobby, Jonathan Davis, Katherine Kellgren, and others
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best stories pull readers in and keep them turning the pages, eager to discover more—to find the answer to the question: "And then what happened?" The true hallmark of great literature is great imagination, and as Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio prove with this outstanding collection, when it comes to great fiction, all genres are equal.
-
-
Something for Everyone
- By Nicole on 05-24-17
By: Neil Gaiman - author/editor, and others
-
The Road Home
- By: Ford Michael Thomas Ford
- Narrated by: Blake Somerset
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a car accident leaves photographer Burke Crenshaw in need of temporary full-time care, he finds himself back in the one place no forty-year-old chooses to be--his childhood bedroom. There, in the Vermont home where he grew up, Burke begins the long process of recuperation, and watches as his widowed father finds happiness in a new relationship that's a constant reminder of everything Burke wants and lacks. Exploring local history, Burke discovers an intriguing series of letters from a Civil War soldier to his fianc.
-
-
No need to check your scepticism at the door!
- By Orlando on 08-23-13
-
Baltimore Blues
- Tess Monaghan, Book 1
- By: Laura Lippman
- Narrated by: Deborah Hazlett
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Unemployed at 29, Tess Monaghan is willing to take any freelance job to pay the rent—including a bit of unorthodox snooping for her rowing buddy, Darryl "Rock" Paxton. In a city where someone is murdered almost every day, attorney Michael Abramowitz's death should be just another statistic. But the slain lawyer's notoriety—and his noontime trysts with Rock's fiancée—make the case front page news...and point to Rock as the likely murderer. But trying to prove her friend's innocence could prove costly to Tess.
-
-
I'm on #8 - This series is almost unique
- By connie on 02-19-12
By: Laura Lippman
-
Still Life
- Chief Inspector Gamache, Book 1
- By: Louise Penny
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.
-
-
A rare find
- By Alex on 01-16-15
By: Louise Penny
-
Bran New Death
- Merry Muffin Mystery Series #1
- By: Victoria Hamilton
- Narrated by: Margaret Strom
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Merry is making a fresh start in small-town Autumn Vale, New York, in the mansion she's inherited from her late uncle, Melvin. The house is run-down, and someone has been digging giant holes on the grounds, but with its restaurant-quality kitchen, the place has potential for her new baking business. She even has her first client - the local retirement home. Unfortunately, Merry soon finds that quite a few townsfolk didn't like Uncle Mel, and she has inherited their enmity as well as his home.
-
-
Good story but did not like the narrator!
- By Samantha on 01-18-16
-
I'll See You in Paris
- A Novel
- By: Michelle Gable
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After losing her fiancé in the Vietnam War, nineteen-year-old Laurel Haley takes a job in England, hoping the distance will mend her shattered heart. Laurel expects the pain might lessen but does not foresee the beguiling man she meets or that they'll go to Paris, where the city's magic will take over and alter everything Laurel believes about love.
-
-
Curious and Aggravated
- By Violet Trout on 04-13-16
By: Michelle Gable
-
Open Your Eyes
- By: Paula Daly
- Narrated by: Emma Fenney
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jane Campbell avoids confrontation at all costs. Given the choice, she'll always let her husband, Leon, a best-selling thriller author, fight their battles. She'd prefer to focus on the good things in life: precious days with her two young children, a steady and loving marriage, their mischievously playful cat Bonita, and her fulfilling job as a creative-writing teacher. In Jane's eyes, life is altogether sweeter than any individual bump in the road. But when Leon suffers a brutal attack, Jane has to finally face reality.
-
-
Finally a book that held my interest
- By PollyAnna2 on 10-13-18
By: Paula Daly
-
Arsenic with Austen: A Mystery
- The Crime with the Classics, Book 1
- By: Katherine Bolger Hyde
- Narrated by: Caroline Shaffer
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Emily Cavanaugh inherits a fortune from her great-aunt, she expects her life to change. She doesn't expect to embark on a murder investigation, confront the man who broke her heart 35 years before, and nearly lose her own life. Emily travels to the sleepy coastal village of Stony Beach, Oregon, to claim her inheritance, centered on a beautiful Victorian estate called Windy Corner but also including a substantial portion of the real estate of the whole town.
-
-
Starts with great promise, but....
- By Wendie Lubic on 07-16-16
-
The Book of Air and Shadows
- A Novel
- By: Michael Gruber
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 18 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jake Mishkin's seemingly innocent job as an intellectual property lawyer has put him at the center of a deadly conspiracy and a chase to find a priceless treasure involving William Shakespeare. As he awaits a killer (or killers) unknown, Jake writes an account of the events that led to this deadly endgame, a frantic chase that began when a fire in an antiquarian bookstore revealed the hiding place of letters containing a shocking secret, concealed for 400 years.
-
-
Not your average story.
- By Nicholas Winn on 06-02-07
By: Michael Gruber
-
The Plot Is Murder
- By: V.M. Burns
- Narrated by: Kate Rudd
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Samantha Washington has dreamed of owning her own mystery bookstore for as long as she can remember. Now that she's preparing for her store's grand opening, she's also realizing another dream - penning a cozy mystery that's set in England between the wars. But as Samantha indulges her imagination, the unimaginable happens in real life. A shady realtor turns up dead in her backyard, and the police suspect her - after all, the owner of a mystery bookstore might know a thing or two about murder, right?
-
-
Not for me
- By Dulce on 11-30-17
By: V.M. Burns
-
Boy, Snow, Bird
- By: Helen Oyeyemi
- Narrated by: Susan Bennett, Carra Patterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the winter of 1953, Boy Novak arrives by chance in a small town in Massachusetts, looking, she believes, for beauty - the opposite of the life she' s left behind in New York. She marries a local widower and becomes stepmother to his winsome daughter, Snow Whitman. A wicked stepmother is a creature Boy never imagined she' d become, but elements of the familiar tale of aesthetic obsession begin to play themselves out when the birth of Boy' s daughter, Bird, who is dark-skinned, exposes the Whitmans as light-skinned African Americans passing for white.
-
-
For Literary Lovers
- By M. Shipe on 04-25-14
By: Helen Oyeyemi
-
Under the Cajun Moon
- By: Mindy Starns Clark
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What secrets can be found by the light of the Cajun moon? New Orleans may be the "Big Easy", but nothing about it was ever easy for international business etiquette expert Chloe Ledet. She moved away years ago, leaving her parents and their famous French Quarter restaurant behind. But when she hears that her father has been shot, she races home to be by his side and to handle his affairs, only to learn a longhidden secret that changes everything she knew to be true about herself and her family.
-
-
Good clean mystery
- By Deborah on 10-11-11
What listeners say about The Novel Life of Coral Ambrose
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- James Marsh
- 06-26-19
Deliciously Genre Savvy Story for Book Lovers
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Who doesn't love getting sucked into a good book?
Coral Ambrose is a book hoarder. She is literally running out of physical space to hold all of the books that she has read. She finds a mysterious book shop and the owner gives her a bag that lets her transport herself into a book of any genre of her choosing.
It sounds like a straightforward but clever premise but it is so much more. The stories Coral wanders into and out of have recurring themes and characters that should mean something to her - if she can just figure out what! Each book is written in a style and and tone appropriate for the genre and Ambrose makes good use of her genre savvy and familiarity with narrative tropes to turn stories inside out and to try to outwit the seemingly magical book bag.
The author performs literary backflips jumping into and out of so many different styles and she does so with skill and care - building characters and story arcs by the choice of genres reflected. Coral comes across as so clever and fun while still fragile from a past she cannot remember. I was surprised by how much the characters of the rest of the cast are built up - even as they are reflected in different roles and incarnations.
There were moments that made me laugh out loud, cheer for and want to hug Coral for everything she goes through.
The narrator Heather Hogan performs remarkably, tailoring her reading to many varied styles, including accents and difference cadences not to mention making character voices recognizable even when they go through dramatic shifts in the role they are playing in each story. There were also some sound effects and modulation that were used well without being distracting.
If you love stories, mysteries, genre defying subversions or clever meta narrative play then you can't go wrong here.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
- Chelsea
- 07-18-19
Fantastic Book!
I loved what a good job the author and narrator did with the different styles. I truly enjoyed this book. I fell in love with several characters the story was interesting and exciting
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chrissy. E
- 03-22-19
Really cool concept!
It took a few to get into the book but once I did I was hooked. I really enjoyed the plot line and how Coral figured out how to play this new role she found herself in. I love stories with in stories and this one had quite a few. The narration was wonderful. Heather was easy to follow and her slight changes in her voice to delineate between characters was on spot and not distracting. Overall I found this book to be well worth the time and money.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Spiritwalker51
- 06-27-19
Coral: The Real Gem
The Novel Life Of Coral Ambrose
Author: Bonnie Ballou
Narrator: Heather Jane Hogan
Disclaimer: This Audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost via Audiobook Boom, in exchange for an unbiased honest review.
I always like to preface any reviews I give with this information.
I am a 68 year old female who has been an avid reader since I was around 10 or 11 years old.
I read mainly for entertainment purposes although I do a lot of research in areas of personal interest.
I have a great interest in many things. Ancient History and Archeology are at the top of a very long list.
Review:
The Novel Life of Coral Ambrose is unlike any book I have ever read/listened to in my life and I have read thousands of books and listened to scores of audiobooks.
This is not an easy review to write as this book affected me very deeply and I want to let you know that there are places towards the end of this book that could cause emotional triggers in some people. I know because I am of them.
This book initially starts out on a very lighthearted note. Our protagonist is one Coral Ambrose, a twenty-something introvert who reads incessantly and holds on to every book she has read.
There are deep psychological reasons she does this and these reasons will become apparent as the book continues.
After speaking with her older sister, Pearl, she decides that perhaps she should try to thin out her supply of books as her sister has suggested on more than one occasion, since Coral's apartment is overrun with so many books, her bookshelves are full; and Coral needs more room for new books to read. Coral considers these books to be part of her life. She wants to remember having read them.
After much perusal, she is able to find one book she is willing to part with and takes it to a used book store that is close to her job.
Phil Reddington is the owner of Red's Reads, Used Books. In the course of several conversations with Coral; Phil realizes that Coral has issues with being able to let go of books she has read. He doesn't know why, yet feels he can help her to find clarity. Phil loans Coral the use of a messenger bag that has unusual properties.
By placing a book the reader has read into the messenger bag, and touching the bottom of the messenger bag simultaneously; the reader can enter into the story line of a book that is the same genre as the book placed into the bag, although not that specific book's story line.
At this point the book becomes quite interesting and we see Coral "living" the experiences of the main character in the books (which just happens to be herself). She has figured out how to exit the story at any point she wishes and we see that there are recurring themes and characters in each story Coral enters in to.
Coral is a thinker and a seeker in many ways. She is hyper-vigilant and is aware of her surroundings and people she is around. Coral starts keeping a journal of her experiences in the books she enters into and tries to ascertain what the stories are trying to tell her about herself.
We find a variety of genre's she experiences, horror, English murder mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy and political thrillers.
I really don't want to reveal more of the plot of this truly remarkable book since this is something the reader needs to experience on their own.
This book affected me on several levels. It was enjoyable most of the way through, and also very sad and upsetting in other parts. While parts were pure fantasy, reality is a very strong theme throughout this story.
I truly hope that this book is the first in a series of books with Coral Ambrose and the messenger bag.
Ms Ballou's writing is wonderful. I find it a gift when an author can make us feel things that perhaps we would rather not feel, but which we do need to feel as caring human beings. I will be reading more books by Bonnie Ballou.
Narrator: Heather Jane Hogan
This audiobook was the first I listened to by the voice actress Heather Jane Hogan. I was so drawn into the story by her ability. Ms Hogan's voices ranged from a young male child, Coral as a child of 5 years, and grown woman, different male and female characters and varying regional accents which I am always pleased to hear. She is a very talented voice actress.
I hope to hear more of Ms Hogan's performances.
In my opinion this book/audiobook would be enjoyed by people from the age of 18 and above.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Author in Love
- 06-24-19
A fantastic concept delivered with heart
This story completely blew me away. Many laugh out loud moments and a poignant but satisfying denouement. I couldn’t stop listening.
The narrator is beautifully expressive, though it took a while for her British accent to settle.
I thoroughly recommend this book. You will not regret it.
Nice work, Bonnie! I look forward to more from you.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Carey Sabala
- 11-29-20
wlWow, just wow
What a unique find! interesting concept and well written. A must for any book lover and/or collector. Highly recommend 👍
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sarah Kurasz
- 09-13-19
Spot on Parodies
Coral Ambrose is a woman with lots of book. Too many books. She's also haunted by a long ago tragedy that she can't quite remember. Than she's given a bookbag by a mysterious book store owner and suddenly she's living out the plots of her books.
So, first things first, I did not like Coral at first. She was kind of dumb and annoying. Also, the book starts in media res which was disorienting and confusing. But then I kept listening and it grew on me. The mystery of what Coral can't remember is slowly revealed through the stories she experiences and Coral does get less annoying.
What really saved this book for me was the author's ability to spot on parody popular series and authors. I could actually name which books she was parodying at several points an I have to admit I actually laughed out loud at some points. Especially during the romance novel.
The narrator did a great job at changing her style according to the style of the book we were in and characters were distinct and recognizable. Overall it was a good book and I look forward to seeing what else the author produces.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!