Book picks similar to
Darkness Then a Blown Kiss by Golda Fried


can-lit
canadian-authors
modern-fiction
short-stories

Ashes, Ashes #2: Snow and Smoke


Karyn Folan - 2016
    After a perilous escape from the nuclear wreckage of their Washington, DC suburb in Ashes, Ashes, the surviving kids reach their destination, a mountain safe house, only to find their troubles have just begun. There are no adults and the kids are still all alone. Fifteen-year-old Nester Bartlett's biggest worries had been growing up black in America... but the nuclear apocalypse has changed all of the rules. Now, instead of getting good grades and struggling against the negative stereotypes against African American men, he's fighting just to stay alive. With no skills for his new life of tending animals, maintaining fires and defending their mountain cabin against intruders, he's unprepared for the threats that bombard him and his friends from the weather, from escaped prisoners from a nearby correctional facility and from their own grief over their losses. Then, as nuclear winter sweeps over their mountain home killing crops and animals, a medical emergency threatens one of their number. Nester must make a desperate choice that shatters their little community and irrevocably alters their chances for survival.

A Thrill of Hope


Diane Greenwood Muir - 2019
    easy. Especially a busy Christmas season. Parties, kids, decorations, kids, pictures, kids, vacation, kids. It's going to take every single adult in Polly's house to pull off a successful holiday. Fortunately, they're up to the task. Doug Randall is still fretting over what to do with his future. He enlists Polly and Henry's help when he comes up with another great idea. He doesn't want Polly to find a body in the building they investigate, but a mystery emerges when he peels wallpaper away from a gigantic painting. Bellingwood's history hasn't given up all its secrets yet and the latest spooky tale stirs memories that had been long-forgotten. Henry's sister, Lonnie, remembers going to the library on her way home from school simply to avoid the old building and she didn't even know the whole story. Once she found out, the creepy factor made more sense. Everything is wrapped up in the joy and excitement of the season. There is nothing quite as wonderful as sharing the holiday with your friends.

True Ghost Stories: Frightening Accounts of Haunted Houses, Paranormal Mysteries, and Unexplained Phenomenon


Salinda Hart - 2015
    Each story is unique in its own personal experience and has been told to the author, Selinda Hart. Having worked as an investigator and as a researcher for the paranormal radio show “Tia Maria” she has brought together some of the best hauntings, accounts of paranormal mysteries, and true ghost stories in this collection. The sixteen stories in this book include diverse paranormal phenomenon and unexplained mysteries set in different locations in the United States, and one compelling frightening story from Spain. As one former skeptic reports from his scary experience, “I was never a believer in the paranormal and I thought ghosts were simply a figment of someone's overactive imagination. I no longer scoff at people who claim to see ghosts. I never found out who or what was haunting that house. But I wasn't going to stay and find out.” “The House off Greenville,” “Red Balloon,” “Ghost in the Bedroom,” and “Who’s been playing with my kids?” are real stories about events and paranormal activity that took place in the Dallas house where the author lived in as a single mom for over five years. Her children are grown now, but to this day they do not like talking about the strange activity and events that took place in that house. If you like reading scary stories, paranormal mysteries, and unexplained phenomenon, then “True Ghost Stories” will leave you with chills. So snuggle up, get under the covers and get ready for some serious goose bumps!

The Complete Opposite of Everything


Nour Abou Fayad
    He just doesn’t. He doesn’t overthink, he doesn’t second-guess himself, and he most certainly does not cry.YetThat’s all he’s been doing lately.He’s a mess and he just can’t seem to get it together.His friend, Rami, is no help.Nobody is.UntilYasmin comes along to reconnect with her homeland. She’s been away for too long. She needs to know her roots.And she’s the one person who understands what Adam’s going through, even when he doesn’t.But can two people, both with minds that can’t fully be trusted, help each other navigate the other’s journey towards self-discovery?

A Very Lassie Christmas & 3:39 a.m. "The Bachelor Party": (The Lassie Files Books 3 & 4)


Nick Pirog - 2017
    trip to the Smithsonian's National Zoo. But when Lassie and Murdock tag along, everything goes haywire....3:39 a.m. "The Bachelor Party" (The Lassie Files Book 4)Just a few weeks before his wedding, Henry is shocked when he wakes up at the MGM National Harbor for a surprise bachelor party. And if Henry's father, Lassie, and Murdock have anything to say about it, it will be an "hour" that Henry will never forget...even if he wants to...Praise for The Lassie Files:Cat + dog = Henry's crazy night! -Cire6407Man, this is hilarious! It's short and easy to read in one sitting (or laying in my case), but you will find yourself, literally LOL! Gee, I think everyone would love this book! Can hardly wait for the next one in the series! -Louise PledgeI was already a big Nick Pirog fan before reading 3:06 am the Lassie Files so I was fully prepared to like the book. Was NOT prepared to just fall head over heels in love with it, but I did! I love the cat, the dog, the main character, his dad....every single thing about the book! It's funny, heartwarming (as are all Nick's books) and unforgettable. -Amazon CustomerGreat read! Really funny! Lassie is the best! Its a short book but I could not put it down till I was finished. As always Nick Pirog's sense of humor keeps you laughing. The 2 new friends of Lassie are great. I think we have all been there with a dog...you'll see. Can't want to the next Lassie story. -Kristina Masi

Amish Neighbors: Stories From The Heart Collection


Tattie Maggard - 2019
    10 Stories of Love, Faith, and Family "Like Amish soup for the soul."From the author of the bestselling Amish romance series Forbidden Amish Love comes Amish Neighbors, a short story romance collection from the heart.Ten stories under one cover.

The Alternate Ending


M.J. Thompson - 2014
    I swear if he is cheating, I'll chop it off myself." After Nate leaves for college together with his twin and Hope’s brother, the couple struggles to uplift their relationship. They try to survive through phone calls and skype video chats, but it wasn’t enough to quench her longing for him. To remedy this, Hope plans a trip with Heather and Dean to surprise her boyfriend and their brothers. But as it turns out, they were the ones in for a surprise…

Horses Of The Rain (The Outback Riders Book 4)


Leanne Owens - 2019
    The peace is fractured by the brewing storms, and hot days end with lightning in the distance as the monsoonal band heads their way, bringing record floods. There are personal storms, as well, with Dane struggling with depression as his family and friends seek to help, and Amy desperate to discover if her father is still alive. When the record rains arrive, their part of the outback becomes an inland sea, and a neighbor's horses and cattle are doomed to drown unless the outback riders saddle up and risk their lives to save them. Horses of the Rain is the fourth in The Outback Riders series, and the teens are a bit older and facing problems that many teens need to overcome. They are falling in love, making plans for the future, and finding their way through life. Polo, the rock star, returns to ride with them, and the Min Min lights continue to watch over them. Leanne Owens lived in the outback for many years and saw the Min Min lights, she teaches high school students, and has won dozens of national titles with her horses - so The Outback Riders is the perfect 'write what you know' series as she knows the outback, teenagers, and horses. This version has U.S. spelling.

One Semester


Charlotte Byrd - 2016
    But I wasn’t going to let that stop me from attending my dream school. There’re more than 30,000 students on campus. What were the chances that I’d see him again? Or so I’d thought. And then I discovered that Tristan was going to be my roommate! It’s as if the whole universe conspired for us to fall in love again.

Peter and the Frankenstein


Darren Pillsbury - 2011
    Rowling (the HARRY POTTER series), Darren Shan (CIRQUE DU FREAK), R.L. Stine (the GOOSEBUMPS series), and Stephen King (IT)! Volume Three in the PETER AND THE MONSTERS series! Follow the adventures started in PETER AND THE VAMPIRES (Volume One) and PETER AND THE WEREWOLVES (Volume Two)!Tragedy has struck Peter’s best friend Dill. In his effort to help, Grandfather might have actually made things worse. But help is on the way in the form of a new ally, and important information surfaces that might explain the Curse now haunting Peter and his family. In this volume, Peter battles more supernatural mayhem, including:A scientist who pieces together a family of monstrous creations…A pack of small creatures that kill the local baker, and plan to make Peter their next victim…Peter’s own dark side, which rears its ugly head in a violent rampage…A mysterious ‘snow demon’ out of Native American legend that menaces Peter on a ski trip…And a couple of ‘walking dead’ who try to put Peter in the morgue during a visit to the hospital. The PETER AND THE VAMPIRES series is for teens and adults who, when they were kids, were looking for stories that kicked butt. The protagonist might be young, but the stories are dark, funny, and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful.PETER AND THE FRANKENSTEIN is the third in an ongoing series that includes PETER AND THE VAMPIRES (Volume 1) and PETER AND THE WEREWOLVES (Volume 2). This book is 150,000 words (450+ pages) and contains some mild language, violence, and scary situations.

Father of the Four Passages


Lois-Ann Yamanaka - 2001
    Alternating between the present and the past, Yamanaka depicts Sonia's difficult childhood, her addictions to drugs and alcohol, and her string of bad lovers. As she tries to gain control of her life, she is haunted by the ghosts of three children she never had. A work of raw energy and searing honesty, Father of the Four Passages is an extraordinary testament to the redemptive power of love.

The Wreck of Sybellen, Excerpt From the Diary of Aleksandra Iga Novak: An Elemental Origins Series Companion Novelette


A.L. Knorr - 2018
     Embark on a deeper dive into the mermaid lore of Born of Water, An Elemental Origins novel. New mermaid, Targa MacAuley, has just sat down to read the diary of an ancestor, join her as she uncovers secrets from the past resulting in a tragic shipwreck. More than one-hundred-fifty years later, the wreck gives up her secrets.Born of Water is the first book in The Elemental Origins, a series of captivating YA urban fantasy novels. If you like new twists on mermaid lore, simmering romance, and close-knit mother-daughter bonds, then you’ll love A.L. Knorr’s nautical adventure. Embark on a deeper dive into the story's lore with The Wreck of Sybellen, a companion novelette. Read Born of Water and The Wreck of Sybellen to submerge yourself in an enchanting coming-of-age tale today.

Five Get Gran Online


Bruno Vincent - 2017
    They're shocked to find it's been so long that they don't recognise her at all. While they're there, they try to help her with her computer. They try first to fix her iTunes account, and then her internet banking - after all it's the least they can do! However everything they touch turns to dust. They end up getting her cut off from the internet, the gas and the electricity, and reduced to a World War II-style privations - that is until the toddler from next door comes in and fixes everything. They return home somewhat with their tails between their legs, only to discover that with their help Gran has learned to make videos, and has become an internet sensation.

Another Girl


Allison Burnett - 2015
    The film of Another Girl opens on all streaming platforms on September 14, 2021. It stars Sammi Hanratty and Peter Gadiot.

Kissing Cousins


Heaven J. Fox - 2014
    When Chase Donovan, a six feet tall popular basketball player, says, "What's up?" to her in the hallway, it was love at first sight. Well, at least for Nyla anyways.Just when things were getting hot and heavy, Nyla and Chase's mothers tell them they can't see each other anymore because they're cousins.Chase refuses to fall for it and continues to pursue Nyla anyways. Nyla gets pregnant and her mother wants her to do the unthinkable but Nyla has her heart dead set against it. That is until she finds out that she's not the only one with child.