Book picks similar to
The Tangled Skein by Alta Halverson Seymour
historical-fiction
young-adult
purple-house-press
standalone
The Granville Sisters
Una-Mary Parker - 2005
When war is declared, the love lives of the Granville girls suffer. Rosie's husband is killed during the Blitz. Then Lousie falls in love with Jack, a sixteen-year-old evacuee from the slums of London. When she falls pregnant, she is sent to Wales in disgrace. The girls? mother, Liza, can only pin her hopes on Charlotte now . . .
Love and Decay: Revolution, Volume Two
Rachel Higginson - 2016
But somebody’s got to do it. Page Parker finally convinced her family to return to the former United States and fight the battle she’s been dying to finish. She finally gets to hunt down the man she blames for so much evil and make him pay for his sins. They just have to travel across jungles and barren wastelands and survive Mexico first. When she finally reaches the Colony, she hopes to have all her family with her. She hopes Luke is who she remembers him to be. She hopes this war is everything she expects it to be. But the thing about the end of the world? Nothing ever goes like it should. Love and Decay: Revolution is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with. Every L&D Volume is a compilation of four episodes and approximately 80,000 words long. Look for Love and Decay: Revolution, Volume Three coming June 3rd, 2016.
Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn
April Lurie - 2002
But in July 1944, Judy’s carefree days and her innocence are shaken by a discovery: The man she’s always called Pa isn’t her real father. Even more shocking, Judy learns that the father she doesn’t remember was an alcoholic who abandoned his family. That’s why Judy’s mother emigrated to America from Norway. Now Judy feels jumbled inside: She’s angry at her mother for keeping the truth from her–and she’s suddenly awkward around Pa. Nothing her parents say soothes the hurt.At first, even the attentions of Jacob Jacobsen don’t make her feel any better. Judy likes Jacob; it’s just that his dad’s drinking binges hit too close to home. Ashamed, Judy doesn’t want anyone to find out her secret. But as misfortune befalls Jacob, Judy’s close friends, and her own family, Judy rallies to their side, and in the process recognizes that growing up encompasses forgiveness–of others and of herself.
A Mother's Trust
Dilly Court - 2011
Phoebe's father was killed in gang warfare and she and her family share a deep hatred for the Paxman brothers - whose lawless ways strike terror into the whole community.Despite her English mother's feckless ways, Phoebe is fiercely protective of Annie. Then just as the family are about to go to Italy for the winter, Phoebe discovers Annie is in trouble - and the Paxmans are involved. Phoebe is determined not to betray her mother's trust and, giving up her own chance of happiness, she stays behind to care for her. But when Phoebe and Annie are forced to leave London and Annie falls dangerously ill, Phoebe has little choice but to turn to the man she holds responsible for all her family's troubles...
On the Sickle's Edge
Neville Frankel - 2016
What we cannot lose.A sweeping masterwork of love and loss, secrets and survival, On the Sickle's Edge is told through the voices of three characters who lay bare their family's saga: the endearing, scrappy South-African born Lena, transported to Latvia and later trapped in the USSR; her granddaughter Darya, a true Communist whose growing disillusionment with Soviet ideology places her family at mortal risk; and Steven, a painter from Boston who inadvertently stumbles into the tangled web of his family's past. Against the roiling backdrop of twentieth-century Russia and Eastern Europe, the novel delivers equal parts historical drama, political thriller and poignant love story.On the Sickle's Edge takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride through some of the most tumultuous events of the 20th century. Instantly immersed in seven generations of the Shtein family, we witness their exhilarating celebrations and provocative controversies, and gain an intimate understanding of the pivotal events in South Africa, Latvia and the Soviet Union. Neville Frankel's ability to combine historical insight and human passion is spellbinding. I couldn't put it down. --Pamela Katz, The Partnership: Brecht, Weill, Three Women, and Germany on the BrinkIn the hands of a masterful storyteller, On the Sickle's Edge pits the weight of an oppressive regime against individual tenacity and profound personal courage. Inspired by Frankel's own family history, this multi-generational epic holds up a mirror to a universal truth: all immigrants face the powerful tension between assimilation and cultural identity. We have--all of us--lived life on the edge of the sickle. --Rabbi Andrew Baker, Director of International Jewish Affairs, American Jewish Committee
Reflection (Twisted Tales)
Elizabeth Lim - 2018
But King Yama, the ruler of Diyu, is not willing to give Shang up easily. With the help of Shang's great lion guardian ShiShi, Mulan must traverse Diyu to find Shang's spirit, face harrowing obstacles, and leave by sunrise—or become King Yama's prisoner forever. Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him—and be lost in the Underworld—forever?
Frontier Hearts
Lynnette Bonner - 2015
Each of these stories, whether novella length or full length, will transport you back to a time when outlaws ran free, the land was wild, and guns blazed at the drop of a hat. Rocky Mountain Oasis, by Lynnette Bonner When Sky Jordan hears that his nefarious cousin has sent for a mail-order bride, he knows he has to prevent the marriage. No woman deserves to be left to that fate. Still, he's as surprised as anyone to find himself standing next to her before the minister. Brooke's new husband turns out to be kinder than any man has ever been. But then the unthinkable happens and she holds the key that might save innocent lives but destroy Sky all in one fell swoop. It's a choice too unbearable to contemplate...but a choice that must be made. The Debutante Queen, by Angela Breidenbach 1889 (Helena, MT): Calista Blythe enters the first Miss Snowflake Pageant celebrating Montana statehood to expose the plight of street urchins. But hiding an indentured orphan could unravel Calista’s reputation, and her budding romance with pageant organizer, Albert Shanahan, if her secret is revealed. Will love or law prevail? Almost Home, by Susan Page Davis Patricia Logan leaves her friend’s party in Denver and heads for home at her uncle’s ranch. Her ride is sidelined by the storm. A chance meeting with Jared Booker, an old friend, prompts Patricia to beg for a lift. They set out on horseback and become snowbound for two days in a shack with a crotchety midwife and their past. Can they rekindle their old camaraderie and see it transform into lasting love? A Breed Apart, by Vickie McDonough The only thing Sarah Ames is good at is training horses. Her family wants to see her married. When her pa hires a stranger to take her job at their ranch, Sarah is hurt and angry. She suspects the handsome half-breed is a rustler and keeps her eye on him, but the man seems surprisingly above reproach. When cattle go missing, Sarah no longer wants to believe Carson is the thief. Could Carson have stolen her heart as well as the cattle? When all my Dreams Come True, by Janelle Mowery Bobbie McIntyre dreams of running a ranch of her own. Raised without a mother and having spent most of her time around men, she knows more about wrangling than acting like a lady. Still, the friendship of her new employer awakens a desire to learn more about presenting her feminine side…but ranch life keeps getting in the way. Ranch owner Jace Kincaid figures the Lord is testing his faith when a female wrangler shows up looking for work. Bobbie has an uncanny way of getting under his skin, though, and he’s surprised when she finds a home next to his heart. But when his cattle begin to go missing and his wranglers are in danger from some low-down cattle thief, will Jace trust God, even if it means giving up his dreams? Mismatched in Texas, by Janice Thompson In the quaint community of Poetry, Texas, Belinda Bauer spies an opportunity. The tiny town is filled with loggers and railroad men in need of wives, so she sets herself up as a marriage broker. At her invitation, potential brides begin to arrive in Poetry. There’s only one problem: Belinda doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing and all the brides marry the wrong men! One client is particularly unhappy. George Kaufman, the local barber, has lost more than one prospective wife to Belinda’s fumbled attempts. For some reason, she just can’t seem to find George’s "perfect match," though it’s not for lack of trying. Is there a poetic ending in store for George— and for Belinda, herself?
Luck Be A Lady
Anna King - 2017
Her peaceful childhood in Kent is devastated when her parents and younger brothers are taken by smallpox. When her cousin Richard offers to take her in, it seems an offer too tempting to refuse. But Richard’s bedridden sister is in need of constant attention, and when Rebecca moves into Richard’s house in London’s East End, Richard moves out. Luck, it seems, has been anything but a lady. And when Rebecca is attacked while out shopping, it seems that fate is far from finished with her. Then Rebecca is rescued by Jimmy Jackson, an East End bookie with deep brown eyes and rugged good looks. And as she gets to know him, she realises she has found that rarest of men: one who is as kind as he is attractive…
For readers of Katie Flynn, Annie Groves, and Rosie Goodwin, Luck Be A Lady is a heartwarming East End saga.
Seven Endless Forests
April Genevieve Tucholke - 2020
Torvi leaves the only home she’s ever known, and joins a shaven-skulled druid and a band of roaming Elsh artists known as the Butcher Bards. They set out on a quest to rescue Torvi’s sister, and find a mythical sword.On their travels, Torvi and her companions will encounter magical night wilds and mystical Drakes who trade in young men. They will sing rowdy Elshland ballads in a tree-town tavern, and find a mysterious black tower in an Endless Forest. They will fight alongside famous Vorseland archers and barter with Fremish wizards. They will feast with rogue Jade Fell children in a Skal Mountain cave, and seek the help of a Pig Witch. They will face wild, dangerous magic that leads to love, joy, tragedy, and death.Torvi set out to rescue a sister, but she may find it’s merely the first step toward a life that is grander and more glorious than anything she could have imagined.
The Gang Leader's Angel
Chibz_Love
Becoming a gang leader at the age of 19 he was forced into a position he never wanted in the first place but a year later, he's embraced it completely by becoming the ruthless, menacing leader of the 'Scorp' gang. His life is all guns and no play. At least it was until he bumps into a girl who gives him first aid after he got shot.Juliet Harper is an angel to say the least.Some would call her naive as well and they wouldn't be wrong. She's just a living breathing ball of happiness, sarcasm and kindness. So imagine what would happen if she were to stumble across a guy slightly older than her walking down the street with a bleeding arm from where he was shot. I'll give you a hint; she offers him help. And from them on starts the journey between the two. A relationship with two polar opposites. It doesn't take long till he becomes her hero and she becomes the devils little angel or you could call her the gang leaders angel...
Vengeance Road
Erin Bowman - 2015
What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.
All started with a dare
infinetely finite
"I dare you, Jade Elsie Brooke, to break into Trystan Woods's house and steal a pair of his boxers without him finding out." Jade Brooke was the daredevil who had never turned down a dare, no matter how bad it was. So when a simple game of truth or dare ends up flipping her life upside down in the form of a dare, she has no one to blame but herself. Trystan Woods was the boy out of reach for most, who stood at the top of the high school food chain. Everyone loves him, and he was the football team captain. Jade had never interacted with him, until the day she was dared to break into his house and steal his underwear. The only flaw in the plan? When he catches her in his room holding his boxers.
The Princess Bride
William Goldman - 1973
Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.In short, it's about everything.
Man of the House
Joan Jonker - 1995
Eileen Gillmoss, a colourful character with a smile forever lighting up her face was the life and soul of the party. Today was the day she'd prayed for and dreamed about. After five long, lonely years, her prisoner-of-war husband Bill would be coming home, back to the open, loving arms of his wife and children. But the man who comes back from the war is a complete stranger to her. It isn't only that Bill's appearance has changed. It's his remoteness, his flinching from her touch that Eileen can't cope with. Now, Eileen, who is always there to lend a shoulder to cry on, is the one in need. But who can she turn to? No one can give her what she craves most... her old husband back. She wants him back where he belongs, as the man of the house.