Book picks similar to
Freshers by Kevin Sampson


fiction
novels
contemporary
fuck-ups

Stay Mad, Sweetheart


Heleen Kist - 2019
    AN EVEN FINER LINE BETWEEN JUSTICE AND REVENGE.Data scientist Laura prefers the company of her books to the real world – let alone that cesspit online. But when her best friend Emily becomes the victim of horrific cyberbullying, she makes it her all-engulfing mission to track down the worst culprits.Petite corporate financier Suki is about to outshine the stupid boys at her firm: she’s leading the acquisition of Edinburgh’s most exciting start-up. If only she could get its brilliant, but distracted, co-founder Laura to engage.Event planner Claire is left to salvage the start-up's annual conference after her colleague Emily fails to return to work. She’s determined to get a promotion out of it, but her boss isn’t playing ball.As the women's paths intertwine, the insidious discrimination they each face comes to light. Emboldened by Emily’s tragic experience, they join forces to plot the downfall of all those who've wronged them.But with emotions running high, will the punishments fit the crimes?A pacy and suspenseful novel with its feet firmly in the #MeToo era. 9 to 5 meets Suits with a dash of Black Mirror.

The Breadmakers Saga


Margaret Thomson Davis - 1993
    This volume contains the novels 'The Breadmakers', 'A Baby Might Be Crying' and 'A Sort of Peace'.The breadmakers. Originally published: London : Allison & Busby, 1972 --A baby might be crying. Originally published: London : Allison & Busby, 1973 --A sort of peace. Originally published: London : Allison & Busby, 1973.

Bloody Iced Bullet


Andrew McGregor - 2014
     Leutnant Hausser, a young experienced infantry officer with the 76th Infantry Division is assigned with a handful of men to the south of Stalingrad. As the fighting heightens in the city, the officer and his men are sent to bolster the defences of their allies, the Romanians. The front is relatively quiet, most believe the Russian Army is finished. The end of the bitter war in the east may only be days away. Thinking of loved ones and home, they await the conclusion of the battle, comforted by promises that the victorious outcome will decide the war…that it will soon be all over. It may only be a matter of time before they see their families again. Daily life has become more relaxed, in warm bunkers and well dug defences, they write letters and socialise with their allies. It may soon be time to go home. As the German Sixth Army discovers just how vicious the fighting in Stalingrad can become, they take troops from their flanks in final attempts to take the city before the onset of 'another bitter Russian winter.' One last push will finish the Russians once and for all. The German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, has virtually driven the Red Air Force from the skies. The Russian high command, STAVKA, are secretly planning to turn the tide of the war in the southern sector of the front as they see the weaker German allies occupy defensive positions either side of the city that holds Stalin's name. As the Russian offensive engulfs the flanks around Stalingrad, the young officer and his men desperately begin a battle for survival against bitter temperatures and time, oblivious to what the overall picture may be…and what their future holds. Not everything is as it seems in the deepest cold of winter as a small group of men combat nature and a vicious and cunning enemy motivated by revenge to survive and escape. With temperatures dropping to minus 25 to 35 degrees Celsius and a vicious struggle for survival against both nature and the cruelties of war, the portrayal of individual human reaction to fate and historical events is a gripping insight into the soldier on the frontline, thousands of miles from the decisions that will forge their individual destinies. Having spent thirty years studying World War 2 and in particular, the Russian Front, these offerings are based on historical fact. The characters are fictitious, attempting to portray a realistic account of what the battle would have been like for individual soldiers. All units and actions are in accordance with actual events, including propaganda, deployment and individual division engagements. Bloody Iced Bullet is available as an E-Book on Kindle, paperback in US book stores and via mail order across the world. The author aims to provide a thoroughly enjoyable and imaginative reading experience at an affordable price for the reader. All three works from the author's World War 2 Series concentrating on Stalingrad have achieved Best Seller status on Amazon in the UK and many more stories are outlined. Imagination is personal, free and to be cherished.

Danger Sector


Jenifer LeClair - 2011
    When Brie discovers that an artist and prominent member of the community has gone missing, she feels compelled to investigate. Drawn into the dangerous web of an island cabal and the pages of a secret journal, Brie is soon caught up in an undercurrent of broken dreams and hidden secrets. Using her keen investigative skills, she uncovers a mystery whose roots stretch back three decades, encompassing shadowy connections to the black market art world, an illegal adoption, and a tragic love story. As a nor'easter bears down on the island, the action accelerates to a bone-chilling climax in which Brie will pit herself against the fury of a ruthless killer.

Fateful Destiny: An Epic Struggle to Change the Course of American History


Marshall Anders - 2021
    His success and good fortune at such a young age was a remarkable accomplishment for someone from a small Central California farm town. Everything was coming together for Axel until a devastating tragedy beset his hometown. Axel’s perfect life was thrown into turmoil, exposing the moral compromises that he had made to achieve success. In his struggle to put the pieces of his life back together, he discovered his true purpose. From the depths of tragedy, Axel embarked on a quest to revitalize his people and restore the American Nation.

Chaos In The Blink Of An Eye: Part Six: The Sealing


Patrick Higgins - 2019
     In retaliation for their actions, Salvador Romanero orderedthree Muslims killed for every life they took, and a thousand Muslims for everypregnant woman killed. Islamic mosques, universities, and religious trainingcenters were set ablaze by fire. Anyone found inside those buildings wereordered outside then killed by firing squad. This was only the beginning... Soon after the attack, Air Force One was blown out of the sky,as part of a coordinated attempt to strip President Jefferson Danforth of hispower. Only the President wasn't on board the plane with the First Lady, whenan on board explosion brought the aircraft down in a field somewhere inKansas--it was one of the President's body doubles. Now living in hiding, as Vice President Everett Ashford wasabout to be sworn in as the next Commander-in-Chief, Jefferson Danforth wasdoing all he could to fulfill the promise he made to supply the End TimesSalvation Movement with all the resources they would need. Without them, survival would be impossible... But before Ashford could even take the oath to become America'snext President, a new wave of chaos rocked the nation, plunging much of thecountry into darkness. Soon after that, the situation took another tragic turnfor the worse, leaving the new President immobilized, and rendering the UnitedStates, and Jefferson Danforth, completely powerless. With America now ripe for the taking, Salvador Romanero's goalof achieving a one world economical and religious system was one huge stepcloser to being realized. But for his ultimate goal to come to fruition, whichwas nothing short of global worship, those who would never submit to him neededto be wiped off the face of the earth. With nearly a billion Muslims gone, it was time for Romanero toshift his focus onto born-again Christians. After them, the Jews would end upin his cross hairs... But knowing the Most High God would soon place His seal on theforeheads of His 144,000 chosen servants, and send them out to evangelize theworld for the One they were forbidden, as practicing Jews, from reading aboutall their lives--Yeshua HaMashiach--meant Romanero's desire for globaladoration would not come easy...  WARNING: Please be advised that this installment is quitegraphic at times, due to the fact that Christians are being imprisoned andtortured. But this should come as no surprise to all who profess faith inChrist Jesus. The persecuted Church has faced similar types of torture (andeven worse) from the days of Jesus until this present age, and will onlycontinue until Christ returns for His people...

Amsterdam Rampant


Neil Cocker - 2014
    The city had promised an escape from all of his problems back in Scotland. It was the perfect fresh start – well-paid job, luxury apartment in the canal district, sobriety and celibacy.But everything changed when he went on a blind date with an unhinged sexologist, and now the city’s dark side is closing in on him.To make matters more complicated, his old life is hurtling back towards him in the shape of a stag party – four nutters from his hometown in Scotland, including his future brother-in-law and the former school bully – will arrive in the city within hours.Over the course of one chaotic weekend, Fin McPhail will come face-to-face with all of his demons.Vividly cinematic, Amsterdam Rampant draws on a potent blend of modern culture (Pulp Fiction, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and the work of Donna Tartt and Iain Banks). A riotously entertaining novel exploring the neon shadows of Europe’s sin city, this 21st Century tale of sex, friendship, and coming to terms with the past will leave readers wanting more from Scotland’s newest literary star.

The Fear of Ravens (Esme Quentin Mystery Book 4)


Wendy Percival - 2020
    Can a 19th century curse still wield its formidable power? What connects Anna with the 24 year-old mystery concerning the whereabouts of the charismatic Ellen Tucker?​Esme must uncover the truth to save Anna from becoming a 21st century victim, in a cruel repetition of her ancestor’s merciless fate.

The Glassblower's Apprentice


Peter Pezzelli - 2013
    Fabio Terranova is a brilliant dancer. Young, handsome, and enormously talented he is desperate to leave his little hometown in the mountains of central Italy. With dreams of one day making his mark on Broadway and Hollywood, he has made plans to travel to Milan to enter a dance competition he hopes will be his springboard to fame and fortune in America. All is set until the eve of his departure when a night of wild celebration with his friends ends in tragedy. Left broken in body and spirit, his dreams of dancing shattered by the events of that night, Fabio descends into bitter darkness. Fearing for her son, his mother, Liliana, makes a fateful decision. She sends Fabio across the ocean to live with her uncle, Rick Vitale, who runs a small glassmaking operation in a quaint New England village. Rick lives in solitude, his own reasons for abandoning Italy years earlier long shrouded in mystery. He takes Fabio in and sets about teaching him the art of glassblowing. Relentlessly driven, ever laboring by the searing heat of the furnace, Fabio learns to create dazzling works of glass. The endless hours of toil, however, provide him no solace and he remains tormented by the past, a past he can't bear to face. Now, with the days growing short and the darkness of winter closing in, it is up to Rick to show his nephew the way back to the light. But it is a long journey through the deepest chambers of the heart, one that Fabio must ultimately make on his own if he is to learn that the best days of his life may yet lie ahead...

sex.lies.murder.fame.


Lolita Files - 2006
    And when boy meets b*#%$, nothing can keep the two of them apart. Penn Hamilton is young, brilliant, beautiful, and ready to take on the world and claim his rightful place in the midst of celebrity. As a Writer. Rapper. Model. God. Unfortunately, the world is not quite ready for him. When Penn writes what he believes to be the "Great American Literary Blockbuster," he's rebuffed at every turn. Faced with ridicule, rejection, and mounting resentment, he decides to fight back using his assets -- rock-star looks, genius IQ, and killer charm.Beryl Unger is a rising star in the publishing world, editor to literati and glitterati alike. Single, plain, obsessive, a bit on the dreamy side, she's a train wreck waiting to happen, and easy prey for a beautiful man with a seductive plan. When Penn meets Beryl, sparks fly. And sparks fly even higher when he meets the breathtaking superstar romance author Sharlyn Tate.Two women, one man. A man with no boundaries, who will stop short at nothing -- even brutal, vicious murder -- to fulfill his desperate ambition. Lolita Files is the author of the bestselling Child of God, which has been optioned as a feature film by Kanye West. Files has a degree in broadcast journalism and lives outside of Los Angeles, where she is currently developing projects for television and film.

North Korean Memoirs


Mark D. Treston - 2004
    An American idealist defects to North Korea in the 1970's only to discover the true horrors of this Stalinist state. What happens next would shock even those familiar with authoritarian regimes. The author, an American Foreign Service worker in china, meets a man by the name of "David". David entrusts the author with his diary and makes the author promise him that the diary will be shown to the world as "evidence of what North Korea is really like". Following this encounter, the author never sees David again.The author discovers that within the pages of this diary lies an incredible story of defection, survival, and an eventual escape by the man he knows only as "David". After staying up and reading the entire diary, the author is convinced that David's story must be told to the world.The diary details David's life from his fairly comfortable upbringings, through his rebellious youth, and into his extraordinary decision to defect to North Korea. At first, David enjoys an elevated status in North Korea as a "hero" and a "patriot" of the socialist cause.During two decades as an English professor at the most prestigious North Korean University, David experiences love, seduction, betrayal, and violence.

Fireworks


Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop - 2006
    Still haunted by the death of his young son, stalled in his writing career and overfond of the bottle, he finds himself abandoned by his wife for the summer - or, if he doesn't shape up, for good.

Be Not Content: A Subterranean Journal


William J. Craddock - 1970
    This 50th Anniversary edition contains a new foreword by his publisher and friend, Jay Shore, and an introduction by his sister, Diane Craddock, as well as a selection of photos, drawings and other writings by Craddock."Superb in the tradition of Kerouac’s On The Road, with overtones of Ken Kesey and Hunter Thompson’s Hell’s Angels, but Craddock’s style is all his own." — Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times"The definitive book of the acid-freak movement. A psychedelic pilgrim’s progress of beauty, intelligence, sensitivity." — Joseph Haas, Chicago Daily News"An astounding book, so good it defies praise. The writing is superb. Craddock is a born writer with an iceberg of talent." — Shane Stevens, Chicago Sun Times"Willam J. Craddock’s masterpiece, legendary to those in the know, is as exhilarating now as ever." — Elizabeth McKenzie, author of The Portable Veblen, long listed for the 2016 National Book AwardMostly autobiographical, Be Not Content begins with the 16-year-old Craddock riding his beloved Harley Davidson with the Hells Angels, the outlaw motorcycle club, and getting into brawls and being chased by the cops. It’s an unexpected anomaly for this bright, middle-class kid from Los Gatos, California. Craddock then takes us through his college days publishing an underground newspaper, attending poetry readings with Alan Ginsberg, tripping at one of the first acid tests, and taking for days on end the strongest, most pure doses LSD. All of it done for the purpose of Craddock discovering the meaning of life.Barely 21 when he finished writing it, Doubleday bought the book in 1968 but held up publication until 1970. The first edition sold out with collectors prizing the few copies available, and copies going for as much as $950 on the Internet. Be Not Content is a powerful literary coming of age narrative that millions of Americans can personally identify with – an unforgettable time in the cultural and sociological history of America.

Stones (One True Child #5)


L.C. Conn - 2019
    Hidden just beneath the surface are the STONES - green and still polished smooth - placed long ago by the Guardians. Still pulsating with power, they are about to bear witness to a great battle between light and darkness. Claire Drummond is in danger, her very life depends on the actions and help of her husband and family, as well as the man she thought had left her life for good, Tony Benning. Caught up once more in the heavy turmoil of good vs evil, Claire has much more to fight for than just a cluster of stones in the highlands of Scotland. This time it’s personal. This time Marcus Ryder has her daughter.

Scorpion Trail


Geoffrey Archer - 1995
    Though he is an aid worker, the secret service minders who have protected him for twenty years have reactivated him: they want information about the man who perpetrated a massacre in a Muslim village in Bosnia. His target is the most ruthless killer in the whole war zone: Milan Pravic, codename the Scorpion. And the only eyewitness to the massacre is a twelve-year-old girl whom Pravic will do anything to silence-