Book description
New York Times bestselling author Carol Edgarian delivers "an all-encompassing and enthralling" (Oprah Daily) novel featuring an unforgettable heroine coming of age in the aftermath of catastrophe, and her quest for love and reinvention.
Meet Vera Johnson, fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, notorious proprietor of San Francisco's most legendary bordello. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds--the madam's alluring sphere, replete with tickets to the opera, surly henchmen, and scant morality, and the quiet domestic life of the family paid to raise her.
On the morning of the great quake, Vera's worlds collide. As the city burns and looters vie with the injured, orphaned, and starving, Vera and her guileless sister, Pie, are cast adrift. Disregarding societal norms and prejudices, Vera begins to imagine a new kind of life. She collaborates with Tan, her former rival, and forges an unlikely family of survivors, navigating through the disaster together.
"A character-driven novel about family, power, and loyalty, (San Francisco Chronicle), Vera brings to life legendary characters--tenor Enrico Caruso, indicted mayor Eugene Schmitz and boss Abe Ruef, tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels. This "brilliantly conceived and beautifully realized" (Booklist, starred review) tale of improbable outcomes and alliances takes hold from the first page, with remarkable scenes of devastation, renewal, and joy. Vera celebrates the audacious fortitude of its young heroine, who discovers an unexpected strength in unprecedented times.
New York Times bestselling author Carol Edgarian delivers an astonishing feat of imagination, a grand adventure set in 1906 San Francisco-a city leveled by quake and fire-featuring an indomitable heroine coming of age in the aftermath of catastrophe and her quest for love and reinvention. Meet Vera Johnson, the uncommonly resourceful fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, notorious proprietor of San Francisco's most legendary bordello and ally to the city's corrupt politicians. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds-the madam's alluring sphere, replete with tickets to the opera, surly henchmen, and scant morality, and the violent, debt ridden domestic life of the family paid to raise her. On the morning of the great quake, Vera's worlds collide. As the shattered city burns and looters vie with the injured, orphaned, and starving, Vera and her guileless sister, Pie, are cast adrift. Vera disregards societal norms and prejudices and begins to imagine a new kind of life. She collaborates with Tan, her former rival, and forges an unlikely family of survivors. Together they navigate their way beyond disaster. In Vera, Carol Edgarian creates a cinematic, deeply entertaining world, in which honor and fates are tested; notions of sex, class, and justice are turned upside down; and love is hard-won. A ravishing, heartbreaking, and profound affirmation of youth and tenacity, Vera's story brings to life legendary characters-tenor Enrico Caruso, indicted mayor Eugene Schmitz and boss Abe Ruef, tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels-as well as an unforgettable cast that includes Vera's young lover, Bobby, protector of the city's tribe of orphans, and three generations of a Chinese family competing and conspiring with Vera. This richly imagined, timely tale of improbable outcomes and alliances takes hold from the first page, gifting readers with remarkable scenes of devastation, renewal, and joy. Told with unflinching candor and wit, Vera celebrates the audacious fortitude of its young heroine and marks a stunning achievement by an inventive and generous writer.
Boo
Finally, an app that turns my daily commute into an adventure through literature. I'm impressed by how this app seamlessly syncs across my devices. The equalizer is a great addition. It really enhances the audio quality.
Frosty Squid
Audiobook enthusiasts, rejoice! This app's design focuses on seamless interaction. ListenBook’s interface is clean and intuitive. It’s a joy to use. Solid performance overall though some character voices sounded too similar. I occasionally got confused about who was speaking in dialogue-heavy scenes. I don't have strong feelings about this one either way. The narration was competent but forgettable. The story itself was more engaging than the performance.
Snake Eyes
This app's compatibility with various formats ensures that I can enjoy my audiobooks hassle-free. 🧘♂️ Finding serenity through the soothing tones of audiobooks – mindfulness and stories in perfect harmony. 🧘♂️🎧 ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature is a blessing for clear dictaphone recordings. The app never crashes. It’s reliable and stable.
Eight Patrol
This app has turned my gym sessions into immersive storytelling experiences – time flies by! 💡 Enriching my daily routines with wisdom and wonder – thank you, this app! 📱📖
Snow Hound
This app's features, from bookmarking to customizable playback speed, are fantastic. This audiobook app is an absolute lifesaver! It brings my favorite stories to life with unparalleled convenience. 🎉 Rekindling my literary flame – this app has brought back the joy of reading in a whole new format. 📖🚀 ListenBook Pro's tone adjustment feature is a playful addition that lets me tweak the audiobook experience. The ability to download audio directly within the app is a lifesaver. ListenBook is incredibly convenient.
Z-Boy
Background play feature lets me multitask while enjoying a book – brilliant! ListenBook's support for playlists in CUE format is a thoughtful touch I appreciate. Every moment is an adventure with this app by my side. Its intuitive features and diverse format support ensure that my audiobook journey is seamless and exciting. 🌌🎧 Looping playback is my secret weapon for language learning. It's revolutionized my approach. My house has never been cleaner! I kept finding chores to do just to keep listening. The narrator's energy matched the tone of the book perfectly.
Sass Burst
This app has completely transformed my commute – I look forward to it now! I love how this app's chapters, bookmarks, and controls give me full control over my audiobook journey. 📚 Who needs TV when you have this app? Every moment is a storytelling session! 📺🎧 ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature enhances my audiobook experience, ensuring I catch every detail. Automated artwork and metadata extraction add a professional touch to my audiobook collection.
Twinkle
I love how I can adjust the skip intervals. It’s perfect for my listening style. I love the ability to share my progress with friends. It’s a fun feature.
Murder Cherry
🚶♀️📖 Walking my way through exciting narratives – this app makes exercise more fun! 🏞️🎧 Sharing audiobooks with friends is a fantastic way to introduce them to new stories. Listening statistics are a great motivator. Love this feature!
Twisty Dew
Thanks to ListenBook's extensive statistics, I can track my audiobook consumption and celebrate my progress. This app's customizable features, from playback speed to filters, are fantastic. Makes audiobook listening super easy and enjoyable. Thank you!
Bad Princess
Noise reduction feature is magic. Now I can listen to recordings even in noisy settings. Download options are versatile, making it easy to get audiobooks from various sources. The interface is beautiful and functional. ListenBook is my go-to app for audiobooks. Great for multitasking! I listened while cooking, driving, and even working out, and it kept me entertained the whole time. The narrator’s voice was pleasant, and the story flowed smoothly. Very enjoyable!
Admiral Tot
ListenBook's features are a bookworm's dream come true – from chapters to bookmarks, it's got everything. 🎶📚 Replacing melodies with literary symphonies – my ears are in love! 🎵📚 Simplifying audiobook adventures – this app's ease of use is a delight. Absolutely in love with this audiobook app! The seamless functionality and easy navigation make my reading time pure bliss. 📚🎧 Auto-rewind is incredibly helpful. Excellent functionality.
Little Cobra
I can't imagine my life without this app – it's my passport to countless stories. Every moment is a chance to dive into a new adventure with this app. Its smart controls and comprehensive format support ensure that my audiobook journey is a seamless one. 🌌🎧 ListenBook's player features are incredibly helpful. Chapters and bookmarks make navigation easy. Quick access to chapters and controls makes ListenBook a breeze to use. It's an intuitive experience.
Scratch Man
The ability to adjust playback speed is a game-changer for faster or more immersive listening. ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature is a blessing for clear listening in noisy environments. I can't believe how quickly I finish books now, all thanks to this app.
Clover Rabbit
ListenBook has made my daily activities more interesting and meaningful – I'm hooked! Say hello to audiobook nirvana! This app's user-friendly design and comprehensive features have made my reading routine smoother than ever. 🌌📚
Spooky Electric
ListenBook's thoughtful inclusion of chapters, controls, and filters has enhanced my audiobook experience. 📱 Unlocking the world of literature with just a tap – this app is my digital library card! 📚📱 Audiobook enjoyment has never been this convenient. This app's sleek design and efficient organization ensure that every story is accessible and enjoyable. 📚👌 My workouts have become more enjoyable and productive with ListenBook's compatibility with Apple Watch. I love the auto-bookmark feature. It saves my place automatically.
Old Man Winter
This app has rekindled my passion for storytelling in the most convenient way. The app is perfect for road trips. It keeps me entertained for hours.
Unleashed
⭐️ This app's functionality is a symphony of efficiency – I'm savoring stories with ease, even on the busiest days. 🎶📖 The app's ability to extract artwork and metadata automatically is a huge time-saver. Noise reduction on ListenBook Pro is a revelation. It elevates the audio quality to a new level. ListenBook has all the features I need in an audiobook app. My top choice!
Biscuit Meg
Discovering new worlds through audiobooks has never been easier! This app's intuitive interface and seamless functionality make every listening session a delight. 📚🎧 Sharing audiobooks through AirDrop is a fun and convenient way to share the magic of storytelling with friends and family, sparking meaningful discussions. Beautiful design and intuitive interface. Very pleased. This audiobook transformed my household chores into enjoyable moments! The narrator's lively yet measured delivery kept me engaged throughout. I particularly appreciated how they handled exposition - making potentially dry information interesting through thoughtful inflection and pacing.
GiddeeUP
Audiobooks have turned my quiet moments into imaginative journeys – thank you, app! 🎶 Music? Nah, I prefer immersing myself in captivating stories with this app! 🎶📖
Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience