Book picks similar to
The Avoidable Orphan by T.M. Clark


africa-fiction
animal-tales
aussie-authors
favorites

Naked Pueblo


Mark Jude Poirier - 1999
    Naked Pueblo, his absolutely maximalist, throw-everything-in-and-shake-it-up short story collection, buzzes like some kind of whacked-out fever dream." (Esquire)

Blood


Janice Galloway - 1991
    the integrity of vision coruscating; the whole driven by the author's restless experimentation with form. And at least two stories, "Blood" itself and "Fearless", will certainly end up in anthologies: not Best Scottish Writers, or Best Women Writers, but quite simply, Best." - New Statesman and Society"I remember reading a story by Janice Galloway for the first time; its urgency of voice, that certainty of expression, I wondered why I hadn't heard of her before; then discovered that she was altogether new to writing. It was some debut. She really is a fine writer." - James Kelman"A salutary collection... a marvelous revelation. A writer of passion and virtuosity shines through." - Scotland on Sunday"Genuinely unnerving... she is a fierce, troubling new writer." - Observer"Galloway flecks her hard-edged realism with impressionist grace-notes, a potent mixture that confirms her... as one of Scotland's best young writers." - Sunday Telegraph"There is ample proof in Blood of Galloway's unassailable talent. Marvellously funny and beautifully paced." - Glasgow Herald

Room at the Top (Pacific Avenue #1)


Kristin Billerbeck - 2020
    She’s always told herself her father can keep his wealth and his acknowledgement of her and her twin sister. She’s surrounded by her noisy but lovable Italian family, and that’s all she needs.When she and Gia receive the news their fraternal grandfather has left them something in his will, they meet their three half-sisters for the first time—and receive the astounding news of a massive inheritance. But Sophia can’t celebrate yet, not when she and her sisters hear the conditions attached to the money. The “real” daughters loathe Sophia and Gia on sight—and the feeling is mutual. But they have to work together if any of them hope to inherit the obscene amount of money left to them. They must live together and restore the large mansion in Pacific Heights for an entire year. Otherwise the entire estate will go to charity.Gia tries to convince Sophia they have to walk away, but Sophia isn’t so sure. For once, their mother might get a chance to rest instead of working every minute. She could help a lot of families in her job as a social worker too. It’s tempting. And once she catches sight of Joel Edgerton, she can’t resist the temptation to get involved in her unwanted family.The path to happily-ever-after is fraught with missteps and the treacherous waters of sisterly undercurrents. Can Sophia persevere when everyone seems to be against her, even her own twin?

The Last Maasai Warrior


Frank Coates - 2008
    Seven years later, that promise is broken, and the Maasai must choose between war with a powerful enemy and a perilous trek to the land allocated them by the government. Ole Sadera has risen from village scapegoat to leadership of his people. Now, they look to him for answers, while he struggles with betrayal and rapid change - and his desire for another man's wife. British administrator George Coll arrives in East Africa to face impossible choices of his own. How can he do the job he has been given and stay silent? And how can he ask the woman he loves to share an uncertain future? The Maasai gather to make their historic decision...and an Empire holds its breath.

One Thousand Dollars


O. Henry - 1997
    A story about a very spoiled young man who must decide what to do with the $1000 his deceased uncle has given to him.

The Glass Case


Kristin Hannah - 2011
    Although she loves her children and husband, April is plagued by the growing doubt that she has not lived up to her mother's expectations for her--until one day when something terrible and unexpected happens, and April must face the truth about her own life and discover what really matters.

The Wonderful World of Books (Rupa Quick Reads)


A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - 2016
    See the books that made APJ Abdul Kalam

Pretty Lips That Thugs Love 3: An Urban Romance


Twyla T. - 2017
    progresses with the pandemonium of ever changing twists, secrets, lies, and love in Pretty Lips That Thugs Love 3, the final book of the series. Ashanti McNeal finally walked away from the only relationship that she had ever known with Kentay Mills. However, Kentay vowed to never let his wife Ashanti go, especially to his brother Ahmad. But, is he fighting a losing battle? Despite Kentay’s protests, Ashanti has moved on with her life to delve in new beginnings with the only man who has shown her what true love is about, Ahmad Jones. Just when Ashanti and Ahmad thought their footings were on solid ground, life came blazing in a flash to interrupt their fresh start. Will the new couple’s life together end before it really had a chance to begin? Fate had a way of testing the new couple’s commitment and love to each other. Will the tests proved to be too much? Or, will Ahmad and Ashanti stand strong in their love for one another? Karma finally came crashing into Kentay Mills’ life and sent him to the place that he didn’t want to go, prison. However, his circumstances didn’t prevent him from hoping to see the outside world again. Kentay still behaved and acted like the boss that he was, even behind those prison walls. Due to negligence on behalf of the police department, Kentay received word that his sentence would be cut short. Unfortunately, an unexpected brawl sent him to the infirmary that led him to come face to face with his past. Kentay had no choice but to succumb to the shocking secret from his past. How will this new eye-opener affect him? Will Kentay become a changed man after his stint in prison? Or, will he continue down the same old path that led to heartache and destruction? Ashanti’s world is rocked upside down when lies and secrets are discovered. These revelations will undoubtedly have a crucial impact on her life. Can she still trust the people who were always supposed to be straightforward and honest with her? Kentay and Ashanti. Ashanti and Ahmad. Brother versus Brother. Revelation after revelation. Will the turmoil ever cease? Will love win in the end? Find out in this final installment of the Pretty Lips That Thugs Love.

CHECK-IN CHECKOUT... and the horrors within


Keran Pantth Joshi - 2020
    But the scenic Villagio Hotel hides a dark and bizarre secret. Check-in Checkout is the story of those secrets. Behind the renovated majestic façade, laminated polished exteriors, fresh-smelling and brightly painted rooms lie old, rotting innards, musty corners and creepy crevices. The place houses some chilling horrors, seething in unknown corners, which stir to life in the darkness of night. Between check-in and check-out, the guests of the Villagio Hotel experience blood-curdling horrors.This book will take you on a thrilling ride, with ten gripping stories depicting different genres of horror – urban legends, revenge spirits, gore, modern-day haunting, psychological horror & satanicpractices. Come uncover the grisly and ghastly tales of the travellers who visited the Villagio Hotel from different parts of the world.But remember! In this hotel, you are not alone…someone somewhere is always watching you!WOULD YOU DARE TO STAY A NIGHT?

The Zulus of New York


Zakes Mda - 2019
    For EmPee, it is love at first sight, but the caged woman is not free to love anyone back: she is the property of Monsieur Duval, proprietor of Duval Ethnological Expositions. And so begins one of Zakes Mda’s most striking stories, one that depicts terrible historical injustices and indignities, while at the same time celebrating the vigour and ingenuity of the creative spirit, and the transformative power of love.In an already-great pantheon of Mda love stories and classic gems, this may be his most powerful work yet.Fourie Botha, publisher of local fiction for Penguin Random House, says: ‘A new novel by Zakes Mda is always a glorious event. We are honoured that Prof. Mda will publish this wonderful and important book with Umuzi.’A recipient of the Order of Ikhamanga, Zakes Mda was born in the Eastern Cape in 1948. He is the author of the famous novels Ways of Dying and The Heart of Redness, among many others, and his work has been translated into 20 languages. He spent his early childhood in Soweto, and finished his school education in Lesotho, where he joined his father in exile. Mda has studied and worked in South Africa, Lesotho, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and is a prolific writer, not only of novels, but also of plays, poems, and articles for academic journals and newspapers. His creative work includes paintings, and theatre and film productions. He is based in Athens, Ohio, in the United States, where he spends his time writing and teaching. His memoir, Sometimes There Is a Void, was published in 2011 and his most recent novel, Little Suns, won the Barry Ronge Fiction Prize.

Gathering Christmas


Larry R. Laycock - 1995
    

When it Happens to You


Molly Ringwald - 2012
    A Hollywood icon, Ringwald defined the teenage experience in the eighties in such classic films as Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles. Ringwald brings that same compelling candour she displayed in her film roles to the unforgettable characters she has created in this series of intertwined and linked stories about the particular challenges, joys and disappointments of adult relationships. Her characters grapple with infertility and infidelity, fame and familial discord, in a magnificent debut that will resonate broadly with readers - from fans of Melissa Banks to Meg Wolitzer to Lorrie Moore.

Little Lies


Heather Gudenkauf - 2014
    Positioned beneath a statue of Leto, the goddess of motherhood, the crime is weighted with meaning and, Ellen discovers, remarkably similar to one from a decade past.Ellen's professional duty is to protect the child, but she's not equipped to contend with a killer. As she races to connect the dots, she knows her time is running out. And the stakes are high: if she fails, another mother is sure to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Mrs. Entwhistle: Once you're over the hill, you pick up speed.


Doris Reidy - 2017
    Entwhistle may look like your sweet, old granny...but things happen to her: she's caught up in the witness protection program, stuck in an elevator with an assortment of strangers, her house is burglarized and her dog is kidnapped. But Mrs. Entwhistle is dauntless; she didn't get to be a fesity seventy-eight by wimping out. Come join her on her porch swing, meet her best friend, Maxine, and her dog, Roger. Maxine will probably offer you a bowl of her homemade soup. Sit a while. Come back when you can.

Joined


Mel Todd - 2021
    But a wedding for your best friend has it's own certain brand of joy. Jo and Sable are getting married and I'm going to be their Person of Honor.Easy, right?Between defending my dissertation, dealing with wedding plans gone wild, freaking out brides, and my own miss givings, it's going to take a miracle to get us all to the altar.But sometimes just loving someone is enough. If I have to use magic to make it perfect, I will.This is a novelette set in the Twisted Luck series. It is best read between Inherited Luck and Drafted Luck. Get ready for some tears and remembering that love doesn't have a defined form.