Book picks similar to
The Ascension of the Blind Princess by Robert Tomoguchi


gothic
books-won-off-goodreads
dark-fairytale
gift-shelf

Willow Hill


Phyllis A. Whitney - 1975
    

Underbelly Hoops: Adventures in the CBA - A.K.A. The Crazy Basketball Association


Carson Cunningham - 2011
    Well – sort of close. He ended up in the minor leagues of professional basketball instead, in the storied and now defunct CBA, a league that has turned out a record-setting number of NBA players and coaches, such as Phil Jackson and George Karl. It wasn’t glamorous, in fact the playing conditions in the CBA were pretty grim; near-empty arenas, interminable bus rides to nowheresville, oddball coaches, little loyalty from management, meager pay, these were a few realities of CBA life. And yet, even as it chipped away at your dignity and made little economic sense to remain, the CBA drew you in with the allure of action and the prospect of an NBA call-up. And it could inspire, like when you and your teammates caught a rhythm that made you remember why basketball is such a beautiful game, or when you saw guys continue to strive, to persevere, even if their dreams weren't fully realized.Carson writes honestly, hilariously and often touchingly of his running and gunning days as a CBA also-ran, with flash backs to his college days where the future seemed brighter than a new pair of Nikes. A top recruit with superior ballhanding and shooting skills along with a sixth basketball sense, in 1997 Carson was a Sporting News All-American freshman who broke Gary Payton's freshman scoring record and a few years later helped his team at Purdue get within a game of the Final Four.

The Mirrors at Barnard Hall


Jenny Hickman - 2012
    and visions of the past.

Living With It


Lizzie Enfield - 2014
    Her parents, Ben and Maggie, are devastated. So are their close friends Isobel and Eric.Isobel knows that her decision, taken years ago, not to have her own children vaccinated against measles is to blame for Iris’s deafness. And Ben knows this too. To make matters worse, Isobel is the woman he fell in love with in his twenties – the woman who married his best friend. As he and Maggie start legal proceedings, Isobel’s world begins to unravel.Lizzie Enfield’s compelling new novel explores the hearts and minds of ordinary people as they struggle to come to terms with the choices they’ve made. Acutely observed and utterly gripping, it explores love and loss, guilt and recovery, with humour, honesty and page-turning prose.

The Bargain


Aaron D. Gansky - 2013
    But with a dying wife and an empty bank account, the promised payment of $250,000 is hard to turn down. More so, his enigmatic employer, Mason Becker, has insinuated Connor's acceptance of the job will result in a supernatural healing of his beloved wife.The people of Hailey, California--the subjects of Connor's charged articles--are a secretive group, not willing to open up to strangers. When shots are fired and Connor is running for his life, he demands Mason answer his questions: Why are the articles so important? Is anyone going to publish them? Where is the money coming from? How can he be so confident that the completion of the articles will heal his wife?Nothing in Connor s vast journalistic adventures--not Katrina, not September 11th, not even his first-hand experience in the genocide in Darfur--could prepare him for the answers Mason gives. Now, it seems, the life of everyone in Hailey including his wife's is in his hands.

A Jersey Kiss


Georgina Troy - 2013
    The last thing Bea needs is a distraction in the form of surly builder Luke, or old flame Tom. Will Bea find a way to keep her dream home and maybe fall in love? And what exactly is, A Jersey Kiss?

The Rooms Are Filled


Jessica Null Vealitzek - 2014
    Readers will root for these two as they navigate their new lives, as they attempt to change to become who they are.

The Darkest Heart


Dan Smith - 2014
    But it seems his old life isn't quite done with him yet when he's tasked with making one last kill. It's one that could get him everything he has ever wanted; a house, some land, cash in his pocket, a future for him and his girlfriend, Daniella. But this one isn't like all the others. This one comes at a much higher price.The Darkest Heart is a journey through the shadowy heart of Brazil and the even darker mind of a killer, where fear is a death sentence and the only chance of survival might mean abandoning the only good thing you've ever known.

Dark Albion


David Brian - 2009
    Now though, Mary is on the verge of breaking a story which could change the world forever. She has uncovered evidence of something that cannot possibly exist. But Mary knows the threat is real. Should she run with the story, or just bury it and get on with her career? And can she stay alive long enough to make a decision either way? Dark Albion is a novelette length slice of Horror, supported in this highly entertaining and innovative collection by seven other tales of Paranormal Mystery, Suspense and Dread. Traci Thornberry has been persuaded into covering the late shift at the Halfway House Hotel. She has never much enjoyed working nights, and after tonight she'll never want to cover a late shift again.Vlad has hunted his prey across the major cities of the world for many years, and after arriving amid the bright lights of London, he is excited at the prospect of this new hunting ground... Sometimes though, things don't go quite as planned. A wonderfully twisted collection of horror short stories, featuring weird and disturbing tales, which make up the strange world of Dark Albion.

The Unseen Essential: A Story For Our Troubled Times


James P. Gills - 1990
    Michael Nastasis had it all - a large home, a luxury car, a successful career, and all the trappings of affluence - until he received divorce papers and a restraining order from his wife.Filled with humor and honesty, Gills motivates readers to recognize the power of God and His redeeming salvation.

Gothic Tales of the Marquis de Sade


Marquis de Sade - 1965
    Amongst the most accessible of Sade's fiction, the stories in this collection range from the dramatic novella 'Eugenie de Franval' to comic tales such as 'The Husband Who Played Priest'.

O's Guide to Life: The Best of O, The Oprah Magazine (Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews and Inspiration)


O, The Oprah Magazine - 2007
    It s about loving who you really are - and embracing the challenge to discover your best life ever. Best of all, Oprah will donate 100% of Harpo s profits from the sale of this book to Oprah s Angel Network. Every month O, The Oprah Magazine seeks out answers - not just from the most respected experts in America, but also from ordinary women who ve accomplished extraordinary things. Whether they re world-class experts or everyday people, they all have one thing in common: They ve tapped into tips, techniques, and strategies for getting the best out of life. Now, you can too. In O's Guide to Life, you ll find expert advice for:-Sculpting your best body with Oprah s step-by-step illustrations -Getting the sex life you want by turning up the heat with must-have tips from Dr. Phil-Discovering the power of financial stability with Suze Orman s 6 easy steps Plus so much more!Start living your best life today!

If You Did What I Asked in the First Place


Lori B. Duff - 2019
    Duff bares the creaky, embarrassing parts of our high school cafeteria-scarred souls for us, leaving us no choice but to laugh at our failures, no matter how spectacular, and rejoice in our successes, no matter how itty-bitty. She shows women that each one of us is a wonder in our own way, with the ability — whether we know it or not — to make the best of life’s often absurd situations. Reading If You Did What I Asked In the First Place is like sitting down with a good friend who helps you make it through the day. Pour yourself a glass of whatever makes you feel better and take off any constricting undergarments: Let loose with the knowledge that you are not alone. You have Lori at your side.

William Stoner and the Battle for the Inner Life: Bookmarked


Steve Almond - 2019
    It tells the story of William Stoner, who attends the state university to study agronomy, but instead falls in love with English literature and becomes an academic. The novel narrates the many disappointments and struggles in Stoner's academic and personal life, including his estrangement from his wife and daughter, set against the backdrop of the first half of the twentieth century.In his entry in the Bookmarked series, author Steve Almond writes about why Stoner has endured, and the manner in which it speaks to the impoverishment of the inner life in America. Almond will also use the book as a launching pad for an investigation of America’s soul, in the process, writing about his own struggles as a student of writing, as a father and husband, and as a man grappling with his own mortality.

The Legacy Letters: his Wife, his Children, his Final Gift


Carew Papritz - 2014
    His words of wisdom, interwoven between deeply personal stories and poignantly-told memories, ultimately become the practical, moral, and spiritual guidebook for his children he’d never live to see, and for his wife, his redemptive act of love.“Live Life to the Fullest” becomes the father’s passionate plea to his family—and to all of us desiring to live the same way. Woman’s World Magazine writes, “This inspirational classic is the perfect comfort book for people hungry to find meaning in their lives.” Combining the best elements of such inspirational bestsellers as Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture, and Chicken Soup for the Soul, author Carew Papritz creates a timeless work that The Huffington Post calls, "A Must-Read Book of Wisdom for Life...exquisite, intimate, passionate, humorous, and genuine..."Back Cover Description of The Legacy LettersA tragedy begins.A husband and wife separate.He’s dying. She doesn’t know.She’s pregnant. He can’t return.Now he races against time—In the solitude of a mountain cabin.In a faraway mountain range.Trying to finish . . .For his children— his captivating stories and memories, turned into practical, moral, and spiritual instructions,now their “guidebook to life.”For his wife—his intimate words of great love and deep regret,now his journey of redemption, now her passage to forgiveness.Ultimately, he gives his final giftto her, to them, and now, to us all.The Legacy Letters