To Heaven by Water


Justin Cartwright - 2009
    When Nancy was alive, he had secrets that he kept from her. Now he has a secret that he must keep from his children, Ed and Lucy, namely that he is in some ways happier now than he was when their mother was alive. To Heaven by Water is a touching and hilarious portrait of the Cross family, trying in their own fashion to come to terms with their loss. David knows that his children are perplexed by his increasingly compulsive behaviour while Ed's marriage to the lovely Rosalie, a former ballet dancer, is suffering strain, and Lucy is being stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Both children worry that their father will soon find a new partner. Over all three of them hangs the memory of Nancy. The book opens as David is taking time out with his brother in the Kalahari Desert, re-living his tumultuous and uplifting memories of Rome where he worked on a film with Richard Burton. Back home in London, Ed is trying to balance his affair with a young woman in his office with his real love for his wife, who is unable to conceive the child she longs for. And Lucy, who has just been voted No. 6 in the Evening News section devoted to beautiful and brainy women, is a young woman in pursuit of her real self. To Heaven by Water is a wonderful story of friendship, forgiveness and of love that comes from unexpected directions; it is an exploration of what we might hope for from this life and. in particular. the possibility of transcendence. Into the beautifully observed and subtly composed texture of this tale of middle-class London life, Justin Cartwright weaves sudden shocks that tear it apart, moments of sex and revenge that appear from a cloudless sky to take the reader's breath away.

Brother: A Story of Hope and Survival from Africa's Rebel Heart


George Obama - 2009
    Born into a completely different world from his brother, he was caught up in a life of crime, where lives were cheap and short, and violence was the only way a man could fight his way out of the ghetto.But through strength and character, George Obama turned everything around - escaping the gangs and building a future for himself.From survival to hope, ‘Brother’ tells his amazing story.It is a book that will appeal to anyone who wants to know more about the extraordinary family of the world's most powerful political leader - as well as day-to-day life on Africa's meanest streets.

Speak Swahili, Dammit !


James Penhaligon - 2010
    He gained a unique gaze on life, death, sadness and humour. With a family tragically affected by World War Two, and a father who died early because of his injuries, James, his sister and mother were left to the mercy of a gold mine with little use for them. His upbringing was mainly by a tribal ayah and an elderly Swahili man with pretensions beyond his station, but the soul and heart of a lion, who feared nobody, except his wife in Nubian-gin-inspired fury. James learnt to fish with home-made line and hooks, to eat insects, and, to the amusement of the watu, to abuse the European hierarchy on the mine in Swahili they did not understand. At boarding school in Arusha James befriended boys of different nations who were, in their separate ways, also outcasts or non conformers. He presented a dilemma to the teachers - a white boy with a "black spirit." His gang got up to nefarious enterprises, bringing them into a state of permanent conflict with the system. James became imbued with the history of Tanganyika, back to its time as the German Colony of Deutsch Ost Africa, which ended in 1918. The unparalleled courage and brilliance of the massively outnumbered German leader Obestleutnant Paul von Lettow Vorbeck and his schutztruppe in the bush war against the British became a beacon to James of what can be accomplished, even in the most adverse of circumstances.

Barry Loser and the Curse of Terry Claus


Jim Smith - 2014
    Perfect for young fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Mr Gum and Tom Gates!When Barry discovers that his mum and dad have failed to get him a superhero Future Ratboy costume (the keelest superhero in the WORLD) he is com-per-lee-ter-ly unimpressed to say the least. In fact, Barry has had enough of Christmas - and he's not the only one. Terry Claus, Father Christmas's smelly and disgusting younger brother is out to ruin Christmas for everyone - and he's taking Barry with him!Don't miss the other books in the series: I am not a Loser, I am still not a Loser, I am so over being a Loser, I am sort of a Loser, Barry Loser and the Holiday of Doom and Barry Loser and the case of the crumpled carton

The Hot Mess


Lauren Wood - 2021
    

The Missing Half


Brooke Powley - 2013
    It never happened to anyone I knew ... It happened over breakfast, or lunch. It happened to parents who were careless”Alice Winters is not a careless mother. Yet one awful day her two-year-old daughter is taken from her pushchair outside a village shop. Alice’s life becomes every parent’s worst nightmare as she begins questioning everything and everyone she knows, vowing to leave no stone unturned until Grace is found.Now, ten years later, Alice believes that the publication of her book recollecting the events surrounding Grace’s disappearance will be the final needle in the haystack needed to bring her home.Who had taken Grace and why? Will Alice ever be ready to accept the truth, no matter how difficult it is to hear? For fans of Diane Chamberlain, this is a must read.

What's Best For Me 2: Unapologetically Me Series


Danesha Little - 2020
    

Sweet Summer Days


Sheryl Lister - 2018
    Then she meets Thaddeus Whitcomb, a man as caring as he is handsome. The chemistry between them is instant and irresistible. Celeste thought no man could move her as deeply as her late husband, but Thad rekindles a passion she never believed she’d feel again. Since his divorce years ago, Thad has lived a full and successful life. The moment Celeste crosses his path, he realizes she’s the piece he never knew had been missing. As friendship blossoms into more, Thad discovers a second chance at romance. But Celeste begins to retreat. Once he uncovers her reasons for becoming distant, he’ll do whatever it takes to convince the sensual beauty that nothing matters more than their love.

Mazie


Regina Felty - 2021
    Her overwhelming grief often leaves her aching to escape her lonely existence and join her husband and son in the grave. When Brian, a reserved bachelor in his early thirties, moves next door, Mazie takes a special interest in him--even attempting to set him up with her young friend, Claire. Then, there’s the odd little girl across the street who is determined to be his friend. Brian doesn’t know what to make of the spunky old woman or the persistent young girl who both nudge their way into his life when he just wants to be left alone.When a sudden tragedy leaves Mazie battling for her life, Brian steps in to help the old widow, and both discover that life’s purpose is often revealed in the unexpected.

Two Sisters In Ireland


Jeanne Selmer - 2014
    But a chance meeting at Logan Airport introduces them to Aoife, an elderly Irish widow who is returning home to the joys and stresses of her tight-knit family. Encouraged by their conversation with Aoife, the sisters are determined to see more than the usual tourist attractions. By veering off the beaten paths, they find holy wells and unexpectedly encounter ghosts and fairies. They sing in pubs and have fun meeting interesting people. Their new experiences ignite passions both spiritually and physically. Through rich descriptions of Ireland’s beautiful scenery and the stories told by its people, this tale brings readers along on a colorful and engaging journey.