Book picks similar to
People of Heaven by Beverley Harper


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Reversed Forecast


Nicola Barker - 1994
    Chance meetings between its cast of inimitably odd individuals—Ruby, the betting-shop cashier; violently disturbed (and disturbing) Vincent; Samantha, the would-be cabaret singer; and Little Buttercup, the never-quite-made-it greyhound—result in the unlikeliest of couples. There’s always the risk that it could all be disastrous as characters try—or don’t try—to make winning combinations. But as Ruby, the story’s soft-centered heroine, observes: “Losing, that’s the whole point of the gamble.”Dazzling, gritty, and surprising, Reversed Forecast is the uniquely entertaining first novel by Nicola Barker, previously shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and winner of the Hawthornden Prize and IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. “Beautifully rendered—well written, clear and revelatory.” —The Times (London) “A capital fairy tale.” —The Guardian “A strange and wonderful novel.” —The Sunday Times (London) “An imaginative lowlife tale, told with acuteness and verve.” —The Literary Review Nicola Barker’s eight previous novels include Darkmans (short-listed for the 2007 Man Booker and Ondaatje prizes, and winner of the Hawthornden Prize), Wide Open (winner of the 2000 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award), and Clear (long-listed for the Man Booker Prize in 2004). She has also written two prize-winning collections of short stories, and her work has been translated into more than twenty languages. She lives in East London.

Late and Posthumous Poems, 1968-1974


Pablo Neruda - 1994
    Ben Belitt, a distinguished poet in his own right, is widely regarded as the leading translator of Neruda into English. Here he has given us a Neruda as fecund and engaged as ever, ceaselessly spinning the strands of his great, seamless life's work.

Maalika: My Life among the Afar Nomads in Africa


Valerie Browning - 2008
    She had little conception of Africa or Africans, and yet the continent and its people would become the guiding force of her life.Galvanised by the suffering she witnessed in Ethiopia, on her return to Australia she became a human rights and aid activist for the people of the Horn of Africa. Valerie's work led her back to Africa again and again, involving her – at considerable risk to herself – in the armed liberation conflicts of the region. Even as she discovered brutality and corruption at the heart of these political movements, she also found love, marrying Ismael Ali Gardo, whose people, the Afar, roamed Ethiopia, Eritrea and the Sudan as nomadic herdsmen. Ismael's life mission was to help the Afar – desperately poor, uneducated, landless, and the victims of oppression in every country they once roved freely. Soon it became Valerie's too, as she embraced their culture and threw herself into their cause. In one of the most inhospitable landscapes on earth, Valerie and Ismael have waged an incredible struggle, bringing health and education to a people who would otherwise have nothing. Valerie's story is both an astonishing adventure and a testament to how determination and passion can achieve extraordinary things.

An Imperfect Blessing


Nadia Davids - 2014
    South Africa is on the brink of total transformation and in Walmer Estate, a busy suburb on the slopes of Devil’s Peak, fourteen-year-old Alia Dawood is about to undergo a transformation of her own. She watches with fascination and fear as the national drama unfolds, longing to be a part of what she knows to be history in the making. As her revolutionary aspirations strengthen in the months before the elections, her intense, radical Uncle Waleed reappears, forcing her parents and sister Nasreen to confront his subversive and dangerous past.Nadia David’s first novel moves across generations and communities, through the suburbs to the city centre, from the lush gardens of private schools to the dingy bars of Observatory, from landmark mosques and churches to the manic procession of the Cape Carnival, through evictions, rebellions, political assassinations and first loves. The book places one family’s story at the heart of a country’s rebirth and interrogates issues of faith, race, belonging and freedom.An Imperfect Blessing is a vibrant, funny and moving debut.

Always Another Country


Sisonke Msimang - 2017
    Her parents, talented and highly educated, travel from Zambia to Kenya and Canada and beyond with their young family. Always the outsider, and against a backdrop of racism and xenophobia, Sisonke develops her keenly perceptive view of the world. In this sparkling account of a young girl’s path to womanhood, Sisonke interweaves her personal story with her political awakening in America and Africa, her euphoria at returning to the new South Africa, and her disillusionment with the new elites. Confidential and reflective, Always Another Country is a search for belonging and identity: a warm and intimate story that will move many readers.Sisonke Msimang is one of the most exciting contemporary female black voices in literature. Now based in Perth, Australia, she regularly contributes to publications like The Guardian, the Huffington Post, and the New York Times. She has over 20,000 followers on Twitter @Sisonkemsimang. Her TED Talk,“If a story moves you, act on it,” has been viewed over 1.3 million times.

The Starseed Universe, omnibus


Ashley McLeo - 2018
    Celtic mythology like you've never seen before. And a battle to save us all. Magically bound and separated from birth, sisters Lily, Evelyn, and Sara are reunited in the rolling hills of Ireland to save Earth as we know it. Their opponents? The fata—otherworldly magical beings whose abilities far surpass any supernatural on earth.  That is until the sisters can master their magic. With their magic restored, the sisters must fulfill an ancient prophecy lost during the fire of the Library of Alexandria. If they don’t all of humanity will be enslaved. The sisters’ varied pasts create friction but they work to find common ground, master their magic, trust their estranged birth family, and fight together.  Even after Lily’s adoptive family survives a tragedy, and heiress Evelyn undergoes a trial of her own, it seems as though they are strong. That nothing worse can happen.  But when one rises the other falls, and occult academic Sara is forced to face her demons. With help from their family, new love interests, and unexpected links from souls long lost, the sisters push the limits of magic and bring together a culture of supernaturals—a supernatural army—like the world has never seen. The Starseed Universe Novellas Accompanying novellas Rogue Fae and Siren Falling follow the adventures of fan-favorite secondary characters Gwenn, Rena, Emily, and Selma as they discover their powers, find each other, and learn who they really are. The Starseed Universe Boxset  Full of action, romance, mythology, engaging characters you want to know, and sisterhood, The Starseed Universe is sure to keep you up all night!

A Gift to Remember


Melissa Hill - 2013
    A daydream believer, she refuses to settle for anything less than being swept off her feet by the perfect man... literally.One day, when cycling to work, Darcy accidentally crashes into a sharply dressed gentleman walking his dog. He is knocked out cold, rushed to hospital and the poor pup gets left behind. Wracked with guilt, Darcy takes the dog and makes plans to reunite him with his owner, Aidan. As she discovers the mysterious stranger's world of books, travel, adventure and all the wonderful things she's ever dreamed about, Darcy builds a picture of this man and wonders if he could be THE ONE...But does fantasy match reality? What happens when Prince Charming wakes up? Will Aidan be the happy ever after she's always imagined?

The Peacemakers


Richard Herman - 2012
     BermaNur watches the UN aid relief workers with disgust. Luckily for them, this time his hunger outweighs his hatred for the Westerners... In South Sudan starvation and genocide plague the lives of the Dinka and Nuer tribes-people. Beneath their land lies extensive oil reserves - a valuable prize for those willing to battle to claim the mineral rights and and pay for their winnings in blood. A tyrannical regime in Khartoum unleashes the Janjaweed, horseback-mounted Baggara tribesmen. In response, the UN attempts a rescue mission. An Air Force C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft with 165 personnel is flown in. But the mission is riddled with corruption. When the Janjaweed bring down a C-130 killing the commander and crew, the situation in Sudan reaches a crisis point. Lieutenant Colonel David Orde Allston is brought in as the new commander. But facing a web of corruption and a history of conflict, can Allston save the people caught in the crossfire? As the situation spirals out of control, it will become a personal battle for survival... 'The Peacemakers' is a fast-paced aviation thriller from a New York Times bestselling author. Praise for the author: ‘An imaginative action story told to perfection’ Clive Cussler ‘This is the sharp end, with vivid descriptions of air combat, the smell of hot oil and fear’ The Times ‘A really fast-moving air force adventure story, with some superb action scenes which glue you to your seat’ Bookseller ‘Gripping story...service politics, aerial combat and sharply drawn characterisation combine to make a first rate action novel’ Yorkshire Evening Post Richard Herman is a retired Air Force officer who flew C-130s and F-4s. While on active duty, he logged over 240 combat missions. He also taught at the Air Force Academy and served as an operations plans officer. After retiring, he turned to writing about the aircraft he loves, and is the author of fourteen novels – including critically acclaimed ‘The Warbirds’ and ‘Force of Eagles’.

The Accidental Time Traveller


Sharon Griffiths - 2008
    Or one hell of a hangover…Having had a blazing row with her boyfriend - fellow journalist Will - she reluctantly sets off for her latest assignment: an interview with one of the residents of The Meadows, a grotty local estate about to become the set for a major reality TV show, The 1950s House.But stepping through the front door, Rosie finds herself in a different house - and transported back in time. Everything is grey and drab - the food, the clothes, the TV. It's like the world is in permanent black and white.It's not long before Rosie realises what's going on. She's obviously a contestant on the 1950s show! She's pretty miffed she's not been given warning, but she might as well give it a go - after all, the cameras are always watching and the first rule of reality TV is always keep smiling…But what really sends Rosie into a spin is the fact that Will is there too - but here he is known as Billy and has been married since he was 16 to Rosie's best friend. In the 1950s, Will/Billy is a family man and devoted father, a side to him that Rosie finds hard to imagine. He grows vegetables, repairs shoes and even has a shed. He is, in fact, a grown up.The truth slowly dawns on Rosie that this is reality, not reality TV. After she gets over the shock, she begins to embrace daily life 1950s-style. Gone are the excessive consumerism, drifting relationships and cheap thrills of the Noughties. In its place is make do and mend, commitment, duty and honour.Together Rosie and Billy make a great team, covering dramatic local stories, and inevitably growing closer until Rosie falls in love with Will/Billy all over again. But now he has a wife and kids and is out of bounds…Unless she can get back to 2008…

Now You See Her


Paul J. Teague - 2019
    While the authorities draw a blank, Cory picks up the cold trail and finds there's something sinister going on in Shallow Falls--something he'll regret ever getting involved in. Now You See Her is an exciting new thriller about pain, loss and regret. The conspiracies deepen with each turn of the page, leading readers on a relentless pursuit for answers until the very end.

Stinger


John Nichol - 1999
    But when a passenger plane is shot down by a stinger missile, the ghosts of a past conflict return to haunt him, and Sean is again forced into the cauldron of war.

The Tribe That Lost Its Head


Nicholas Monsarrat - 1958
    In the south of the island lies Port Victoria, dominated by the Governor’s palatial mansion; in the north, a settlement of mud huts shelter a hundred thousand natives; and in dense jungle live the notorious Maula tribe, kept under surveillance by a solitary District Officer and his young wife. When Chief-designate, Dinamaula, returns from his studies in England with a spirited desire to speed the development of his people, political crisis erupts into a ferment of intrigue and violence.

The Honey Queen


Cathy Kelly - 2013
    And amidst all this activity, two women believe they are getting on just fine.Francesca’s boundless energy help her to take everything in her stride, including a husband who has lost his job and the unwelcome arrival of the menopause, which has kicked in – full throttle.Peggy, on the other hand, has always been a restless spirit. But now, focused and approaching thirty, she has opened her own knitting shop on the town’s high street. It’s a dream come true, but she still feels adrift.When Australian-raised Lillie finally makes it back home to Ireland, she is drawn right into the heart of Redstone’s busy, close-knit community. But what she thought would be an ending is actually just a beginning – all is not quite as it seems in the picturesque town.Soon, Lillie’s hard-earned wisdom will be called into play as she helps new friends navigate unchartered territory…

Things We Surrender


Heidi Hostetter - 2018
     At least that’s what Joanna Rutledge Reed thought. At eighteen, she left her family’s ancestral home in Charleston, South Carolina, despite promising to stay. For years, she did whatever she wanted, barely giving her family back home a second thought. But a string of bad decisions results in heartbreak, forcing her to return, her life in tatters. While her wayward sister traveled the world, Marcy remained in Charleston, caring for her aging grandmother and managing the family business. She's got problems of her own that no one seems to notice or care about. When Joanna arrives unexpectedly, Marcy bristles at the intrusion, suspicious of her sister’s motives. As Joanna picks up the threads of her old life, she discovers things are not what they appear to be. Painful memories and hidden secrets resurface, leading Joanna to question everything she thought she knew about her family. When her life begins to crash around her again, she needs her sister more than ever. Set against the rich tapestry of Charleston, South Carolina, three generations of strong Southern women share a history and not-quite-forgotten secrets. Will the bonds they forged years ago be strong enough to give them a second chance at being a family?

The Ark


Boyd Morrison - 2009
    Before he dies in her arms, he gasps a few cryptic words about a vast conspiracy to hide an awesome historical artifact and tells Dilara that the only person who can help her is a decorated former Army combat engineer named Tyler Locke.Two days later, Locke is consulting on a North Atlantic oil platform when a ferry helicopter carrying Dilara suffers a mechanical failure and goes down next to the rig. With only minutes before the survivors freeze to death in the frigid waters, the quick-thinking Locke manages to rescue everyone on board, including Dilara. She tells him that the helicopter crash was no accident. Someone wants to stop her from finding Noah’s Ark.A second attempt on Dilara’s life convinces a skeptical Locke that there is truth to her story. When a movie star’s private jet crashes into the Mojave desert, it proves to be another link to the conspiracy. Locke and Dilara head to Arizona, and their investigation reveals a chilling discovery. A group of religious fanatics has recovered a weapon from the Ark that will let them recreate the effects of the biblical flood and mold the remnants of humanity according to their leader’s twisted vision.Now Locke and Dilara have just seven days to find the Ark and the secret hidden inside before it is used to wipe out civilization again…