Book picks similar to
Red Card by Kautuk Srivastava


fiction
asia-based
left-at-home
random-novels

Something Bout That Gangsta Love


Stormy - 2021
    Unfortunately, Davina isn’t one of them. With an unloving and dysfunctional mother her only choice is to take on the responsibility and fend for her little brother. Thinking that her life couldn’t get any worse she loses her job and her mother kicks her and her brother out on the grimey streets of Houston all in the same day. She runs into her longtime crush Nigel and he ends up helping her get back on her feet. Nigel is fresh out of the county jail scheming and scamming his way to the top and Davina can’t seem to resist him. Their chemistry is undeniable but to her he’s out of her league and to him; she’s just too average. They’re both on the come up but will they let their guards down and let love lead the way to the money and a relationship?

This Heart Plays No Games


Tay Mo'Nae - 2019
    Now the couple must see if they can overcome one big obstacle in their way. Savanna thinks they’re able to make it down the aisle until she finds out that Ray has been keeping some secrets from her, now she isn’t sure if marrying him is what’s best for her. Makai walks back into Savanna’s life after three years. What she thought was just a childhood crush quickly turns into more then she bargained for. Not only does Makai come back with a girlfriend but he also comes back with an eye-opener that Savanna wasn’t prepared for. Now she must battle her feelings and decide if she can forgive Ray and get married or if she should act on her feelings for Makai. Jazlynn was content in her life the only problem she had was her deadbeat baby daddy that was until Kordell, her previous boyfriend, comes back to shake up her life. Still dealing with the heartbreak he caused her, she fights her feelings not truly ready to open up to him again. Kordell knows he messed up and will do anything to have Jazlynn back. Will, she finally forgive his past mistakes, or will she fully close their chapter all together? Ma’Loni just wants to strip and stack her money, falling for the boss was never a part of the equation. Kolby sees something in Ma’Loni that he refuses to let go. What started off as just a physical relationship quickly turns into more. When Ma’Loni learns Kolby has been holding something back from her she quickly leaves their situation where it’s at. Now Kolby must show Ma’Loni he’s ready to give up the games and focus on her, the only issue is will Ma’Loni believe him? Join the crew in the crazy journey of heartbreaks, love, drama, and secrets and find out what it really means when they say, This Heart Plays No Games.

Blue-Skinned Gods


S.J. Sindu - 2021
    His father sets up an ashram, and the family makes a living off of the pilgrims who seek the child’s blessings and miracles, believing young Kalki to be the tenth human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. In Kalki’s tenth year, he is confronted with three trials that will test his power and prove his divine status and, his father tells him, spread his fame worldwide. While he seems to pass them, Kalki begins to question his divinity.Over the next decade, his family unravels, and every relationship he relied on—father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousin—starts falling apart. Traveling from India to the underground rock scene of New York City, Blue-Skinned Gods explores ethnic, gender, and sexual identities, and spans continents and faiths, in an expansive and heartfelt look at the need for belief in our globally interconnected world.

Cold Justice


Ant Middleton - 2021
     It's here: the landmark debut thriller from superstar Ant Middleton, million-selling, number one Sunday Times author of First Man In and The Fear Bubble and star of SAS: Who Dares Wins. Mallory, ex-Special Forces, is forced to leave the military after a fatal, vengeful decision. Now he walks the world, helping those in need, running away from a past he'd rather forget and the killer inside him.

Mary Dannie


Patricia Keil - 2010
    It is the story of the struggles, simple joys and wisdom surrounding a young girl growing up in the 1940's in Appalachia.

The DI Kate Burrows Trilogy: The Ladykiller / Broken / Hard Girls


Martina Cole - 2017
    Perfect for fans of Val McDermid, Karin Slaughter and Patricia Cornwell.'The Queen of Crime' - Woman & Home on Hard GirlsThe deadly DI Kate Burrows trilogy: the only time Martina's written from the Old Bill's perspective.Kate is the hard-but-fair copper whose investigations - and heart - become dangerously entwined with London's most infamous gangster, Patrick Kelly. But when there's a killer on the loose, Kate Burrows is the only woman for the job. THE LADYKILLER. BROKEN. HARD GIRLS.

Tara's Destiny


Geraldine O'Neill - 2007
    But for one woman, it seems things have changed too much already. From the bright-eyed girl growing up in a small Irish village, to the confident young woman running a fine English hotel, Tara's life seems to have changed beyond recognition. On the way, she's met love and heartache - from becoming mistress of Ballygrace house and marrying the dashing Gabriel Fitzgerald, to losing that same sweetheart and being left a desperately young widow. But some things remain, and despite her tumultuous life, Tara still carries with her the spark and determination that has brought her this far. With a spirit as fiery as her striking Titian curls, Tara knows she must face the future with a bold heart, wherever it may lead. TARA'S DESTINY is the captivating final part in Tara's story. Filled with the warmth and charm that have won her so many fans, Geraldine O'Neill delivers a stunning saga, full of passion and drama.

Chasing Nirvana


Rafaa Dalvi - 2021
    The heady mix of human depravity, humour, satire, tragedy, revenge and drama makes these stories an essential cocktail of emotions.Review:“Breezy, Flippant, Poignant... Tales of pleasurable wickedness.”-Salil Desai, author of Inspector Saralkar Mystery Series“Although not all sugar and sunshine, Dalvi's voice is an important one, because he chooses to tell stories that others would normally shy away from. There's a serene resignation in his tales, one that is completely devoid of both hope as well as regret. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories.”-Bhaskar Chattopadhyay, author of Patang, Penumbra, Here Falls the Shadow, The Disappearance of Sally Sequeira and Best Served Cold“Gripping short-stories by Rafaa Dalvi. I am both intrigued and scared by his plot-twists. Thrilled to have read this book.”-Sanhita Baruah, author of The Art of Letting Go and The Art of Healing“Some of the best stories I have read so far. Rafaa has a gift of telling complex stories in a very intuitive and straightforward and are easy to read. This book is the best thing that has come out during these current circumstances.”-S. G. Kabe, author of Everything is Normal“Rafaa Dalvi is a flash fiction expert.”-T.F. Carthick, author of Carthick’s Unfairy Tales and More Unfairy Tales“Taut, propulsive and riveting, Rafaa’s mesmerising stories pack a big punch. Chasing Nirvana has been carefully crafted for maximum impact. A highly compelling read.”-Vivek Banerjee, author of ‘The Long Road’ and ‘The Other Side’

The Savant - a novel


Cass Tell - 2018
    Then, one day he falls out of an oak tree and everything changes. He suddenly perceives the world in a different way, where spoken words appear as vibrant colors and minute details emerge from everything. Most surprising, he can foresee outcomes, for instance, knowing which horse will win a race. He considers what to do with this extraordinary ability, and that takes him on an expedition across America and eventually to Europe. Along the way, he encounters intimidating foes, and ultimately, he makes a startling discovery leading him to a confrontation with his greatest adversary. Follow the journey of this fascinating young person who lacks social skills and doesn’t experience emotions in a normal way. At the same time, he has profound insights about the world, as he attempts to find out who he is, and the basis of his identity. The book is also a captivating spiritual journey, as the boy struggles to fathom the meaning of love, and the reasons why things are good or bad. He even uses his prophetic abilities to understand where history is going and its ultimate end. Cass Tell is the author of numerous novels on various themes. The SAVANT deviates from the others. For instance, his last novel, The COOKBOOK is a delightful and fun action thriller about a young woman whose life is shockingly changed because of mysteries she finds in her grandmother's old cookbook. Equally enjoyable, The SAVANT goes in another direction, as it deals with the riches we find in those who are different from the normal. This fiction book is an exploration of the uniqueness of the individual, containing a profound questioning of how and why we perceive and react as we do. Packed with humor and emotion, this story provides insights at a rare level. The Savant is fun and enjoyable, full of adventure, relationships, mystery, and prophecy.

Rebel Queen


Michelle Moran - 2015
    India is fractured and divided into kingdoms, each independent and wary of one another, seemingly no match for the might of the English. But when they arrive in the Kingdom of Jhansi, the British army is met with a surprising challenge.Instead of surrendering, Queen Lakshmi raises two armies - one male and one female - and rides into battle, determined to protect her country and her people. Although her soldiers may not appear at first to be formidable against superior British weaponry and training, Lakshmi refuses to back down from the empire that is determined to take away the land she loves.Told from the unexpected perspective of Sita - Queen Lakshmi's most favored companion and most trusted soldier in the all-female army - Rebel Queen shines a light on a time and place rarely explored in historical fiction. In the tradition of her best-selling novel, Nefertiti ,and through her strong, independent heroines fighting to make their ways in a male-dominated world, Michelle Moran brings nineteenth-century India to rich, vibrant life.

Kintsugi: A Novel


Anukrti Upadhyay - 2020
    And about men surprised by women who are unconventional, unafraid and independent. It is the story of Meena, rebellious and unexamined, and Yuri, as complex as Meena is naive. Of Hajime, outsider to two cultures, and Prakash, unable to see beyond his limited horizons. It is also the story of Haruko who has dedicated herself to her art, and of Leela who is determined to break gender roles and learn the traditional gold-craft of her community. Set between Japan and Jaipur, Kintsugi follows the lives of these characters as they intersect and diverge, collide and break and join again in unexpected ways. The result is a brilliantly original novel as profound as it is playful, as emotionally moving as it is gripping.

White Crow (The House of Crow Book 1)


John W. Wood - 2018
    From this union a child - Jedadiah - is born. He will learn not only how to read and write, but also the art of war. Through Jedadiah, the House of Crow will become one of the most influential families in the country.Praise from readers: ★★★★★ - "The beginnings of a powerful family saga... a page-turner." ★★★★★ - "Amazingly detailed... A great read." ★★★★★ - "White Crow sets the stage for a great series."

The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing


Mira Jacob - 2014
    Now, twenty years later, in the heat of a New Mexican summer, Thomas has begun having bizarre conversations with his dead relatives and it's up to Amina-a photographer in the midst of her own career crisis-to figure out what is really going on. But getting to the truth is far harder than it seems. From Thomas's unwillingness to talk, to Kamala's Born Again convictions, to run-ins with a hospital staff that seems to know much more than they let on, Amina finds herself at the center of a mystery so thick with disasters that to make any headway at all, she has to unravel the family's painful past.

ದಂಗೆಯ ದಿನಗಳು [Dangeya Dinagalu]


Ravi Belagere - 1972
    Translated in Kannada by: Ravi BelagereOne of the best pieces of historical fiction. A very existential novel about the revolt of 1857 in British India.

Suspected Poems: Gulzar


गुलज़ार - 2017
    Powerful, poignant and impossible to ignore or gloss over, the fifty-two threads that make up Suspected Poems unfold across the entire political spectrum—from the disturbed climate in the country and the culture of intolerance to the plight of the aam aadmi, from the continued oppression of Dalits and minority communities to fluctuating Indo–Pak relations. Written with Gulzar’s characteristic incisiveness and his unique perspective and translated marvelously into English by Pavan K. Varma, Suspected Poems, made available in a special keepsake bilingual edition, will delight every reader of poetry and Gulzar’s many fans.