Showing results by narrator "Brian Holden" in All Categories

The work of Stanley Kubrick amounts to a sustained reflection on the male condition: past, present, and future. The persistent theme of his filmmaking is less violence or sex than it is the pressurized exertion of masculinity in unusual or extreme circumstances, where it may be taxed or exaggerated to various effects, tragic and comic—or metamorphosed, distorted, and even undone.

Josephine Barnes wrote every day to her beloved fiancé battling in the trenches of the Great War. Devastated when he’s killed in action, she vows never to marry and buries her grief in the construction of the town’s first library. But she’s left breathless when she receives a request from a gracious gentleman to visit and return the letters containing her declarations of desire. Philip Baker survived the war, but returned home burdened with a secret. Though he knows it’s wrong, he can’t stop reading the beautiful sentiments left among his slain comrade’s possessions.

The kingdom has warred with the Vard long enough. Having gone with the Servant of the Vard, Ashan hopes to end that violence. First, he must find himself—even if it means coming to understand the strange Vard magic. When he finds an ancient and dangerous threat unlike anything he's ever encountered that once spread throughout the Vard lands, he begins to understand his enemy. As Ashan discovers the threat might still be active, he learns the truth behind the Vard actions and their hatred of dragons. What can he do if the threat has already spread to his people?

When Jeremiah arrives in Minneapolis to spend the summer with his dad, everything feels odd. His dad's fiancé, Michael, has buried the apartment in piles of DIY wedding decorations. His best friend, Sage, now spends all her time with a new girl as quirky and bright as Sage ever was. Everywhere he goes, Jeremiah feels like the odd one out. Eager for something to get him away from all this, he starts volunteering in an English class for refugees. As the summer goes on, Jeremiah finds community in new places and with unexpected friends.

When my best friend Josie asked me to cover for her new job, I didn't hesitate. I'm nice like that. The plan: Meet the rich client. Take notes of their measurements and fashion tastes. Then hand over to Josie. Job done. But Josie didn't tell me the client is six-foot-four Hollywood hunk, Blaze Hopkins. My ultimate onscreen crush. I can't stop my face glowing red as I wrap the tape measure around his hot body. When he asks me questions, I reply with squeaks and giggles. Total fangirl move.

When a tween boy (Codename: Furious Popcorn) picks up what he thinks is a cookbook and finds a diabolical parenting manual, his world turns upside down. The Ultimate Guide to Hacking Your Kids was written by an organization called F.A.R.T. (Families Against Rotten Teens), a secret society of grizzled parents whose origins date back to antiquity.

Cymbeline Barnes has been waiting for a grand adventure. When the town competition is announced, she sees it as her chance to spread her wings, even if people think she’s wild and rebellious. But when she learns that the competition is for men only, her hopes are dashed. Should she give in to societal pressure and do what most women do now? Marry a man of fine standing and have children? After all, it’s only her pride that’s keeping her from admitting that she’s fallen in love with Victor Olofsson.

Furious Popcorn and his best friends, the Only Onlys, are about to blow the cover of the dangerous and dastardly F.A.R.T. (Families Against Rotten Teens) by exposing their bizarre Parenting Manual. But then Furious Popcorn discovers that one of the Onlys—Apricot—is under F.A.R.T.’s control and he worries they’ve used their diabolical Brain Modem on her! Can Furious Popcorn save Apricot from becoming a zombie? And can he stop F.A.R.T. from unleashing the Brain Modem on the rest of the planet?

After four years at a university, Delphia Barnes returns home to Emerson Pass as America prepares to join the war. Determined to resist a conventional life of marriage and children, she fights her attraction to her old pal Jack Depaul. However, her heart won’t listen to reason, falling in love anyway.

Ashan has saved his homeland, but the threat from the king—along with Ashan's mentor—remains. The price for saving Berestal was high. His once recovered brother is now debilitated again, while his sister struggles to connect to Affelah, leaving Ashan to wonder what path he should take. When the king threatens the Wilds, Ashan must discover the truth of a land long ignored, as it might be the key to stopping the king and the spread of the dangerous power of the murtar.

It's always been comfort over fashion for me. But when my boss dangles a carrot in the shape of my very own column, I will do whatever she wants. Even if it means I have to swap my leggings and Uggs for a tight dress and stilettos. She asks me to do a makeover photoshoot for the magazine I work for. The night before the shoot, I am saved from an awkward situation by some hot businessman who takes pity on me. Pity. Not exactly the romantic meet-cute that one might hope for.

Flynn Barnes and his wife, Shannon, have had an idyllic marriage. Until she discovers the dangerous secret he kept from her. One that threatens to ruin their marriage and the stability of a happy home for their two little girls. When his siblings suggest a way to gain back Shannon's love and trust, they embark on a seven-day journey to do so. Can Flynn win back her love before it's too late?