Book picks similar to
Devil Jazz by Craig Forgrave


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In Search of Nice Americans


Geoff Steward - 2017
    From New York to Alaska, he tries to fend for himself without his trusty PA and life support, the unflappable Charmaine, for whom contentment lies in Jesus Christ and custard creams.With his blend of waspish wit and mischievous charm, Steward seeks out normal Americans, such as Joe le Taxi, the former NYPD officer who was one of the first on the scene at the Twin Towers and now runs an extortionate executive taxi service; Pam and Bob, a paranoid psychiatrist and a failed actor who once saw the back of Meryl Streep s head; Taylor the Alaskan bushwhacker who was raised by wolves and revels in their scat; Jeb the Yosemite inn-sitter who lives his life at the pace of a Ford Model T; Kacey Musgraves, the controversial country music star staying at the farm in Tennessee; and Sheriff Duke of Calhoun County, South Carolina, who reintroduces Steward to the long (and armed) arm of the law.For anyone at a crossroads, contemplating a temporary or permanent career break, this affectionate travel romp is essential reading. Journeying coast-to-coast across the US with Steward might just remind you that, despite the post-Trump hysteria, there are many normal and decent Americans out there

27 (Twenty-Seven): Six Friends, One Year


R.J. Heald - 2012
    Kurt Cobain. Amy Winehouse. Janis Joplin. They died at 27. Six friends reunite in London. From the outside their lives are enviable; from the new father, to the rich entrepreneur to the carefree traveller. But underneath their facades, they are starting to unravel. Dave is made redundant, Renee's marriage is crumbling and Katie is forced to return home to her parents after six years abroad. In a world fuelled by social media and ravaged by recession, the friends must face up to the choices they must make to lead the lives they truly want to live.“The characters are sharply observed and as I read, I quickly came to feel they were my friends too… All along we feel we are in the hands of an accomplished storyteller, and of course there is a satisfying climax.” "Well written and interesting...this was great and I wanted to read more." - Amazon Breakthrough Novel Expert Reviewer“This is a fantastic read for the summer holidays. A genuinely lovely warm surprising story. I loved the characters and felt part of their journey. Can highly recommend.” “An enjoyable read for a generation who are obsessed with how others perceive them and who measure success in terms of job titles and relationship statuses.”“27 is one of those books that you really want to finish so that you can find out what's happened but on the other hand, you want it to carry on so that you can stay with the characters that little bit longer!” “The characters are realistic, their dramas riveting and the writing profoundly charming as Ruth Heald expertly takes you through a tumultuous year-long journey through the lives of the modern daytwenty-something.

Take a Piece of My Heart


Diane Rose Duffy - 2014
    Some are good, and others not so much. Though her bad choices bring her face-to-face with the dark side of human nature, Kara's heartfelt desire to find a pure and everlasting love give her the courage to take chances. She's a strong spirited female with a snarky attitude and an often-colorful viewpoint on life. Kara's no Barbie doll (either in build or temperament) and thus, her tale will relate to many female readers.Kara shares her journey of friendships, romance, lust and loss in Take a Piece of My Heart. She learns slowly that mistrust, love, and hatred for some people may require a second chance. This sexy and heartwarming story is Book One of The Wavering Heart Series, a trio of stand-alone contemporary romance novels with a twist of small town charm."Take a Piece of My Heart by author Diane Rose Duffy is a wonderful book that will have you hooked from the start. Diane Rose Duffy's writing style is engaging and articulate. At times, you will find yourself giggling out loud at Kara's thoughts and actions, and in the very next minute, your heart will ache for her." - READERS' FAVORITE BOOK REVIEWS

The Sign for Drowning


Rachel Stolzman - 2008
    In the life she constructs as a barrier against the emotional wreckage of her family tragedy, Anna settles comfortably into a career as a teacher of deaf children. But a challenge arrives—in the form of a young girl. Adrea’s disarming vulnerability and obvious need for love offer Anna the possibility of reconnecting with the world around her—if she has the courage to open her heart. In this debut novel, Rachel Stolzman has crafted a moving and poetic witness to love’s power to transcend grief, pain, and the constraints of human language. The Sign for Drowning is a poignant story of loss and the unexpected occasions of grace that enable us to heal from it and grow beyond it.

One Night in the ER


G. Scott McCreadie - 2021
    Jim McCray through a single twelve-hour night shift working in the emergency room of a small Midwestern hospital. The fast-paced writing chronicles Dr. McCray’s experience with wit and candor as he manages a series of typical but poignant patient interactions. The book dives deeply into the practice of modern emergency medicine with detailed descriptions of medical care and procedures. It is based on the author’s real-life experiences as a young resident physician.

Love Slave


Jennifer Spiegel - 2012
    A literary novel set in 1995 New York, Love Slave follows Weatherfield and her strange friends as they frustrate chick-lit expectations (though they’re unaware that they’re doing so) in this uproarious, genre-breaking spree. By day Sybil is an office temp, and by night she’s a columnist for New York Shock, a chatty rag in which she writes a column called "Abscess" — a wound that never heals. Her friends include a paper-pusher for a human rights organization, and the lead singer of a local rock band called Glass Half Empty. Full of cultural detail, mid-'90s observations, and early adulthood anxieties, Weatherfield’s story of finding love ultimately casts an ironic eye on what it means to be a love slave.

Riding


Cassia Cassitas - 2015
    From each one, destiny took a part to make them perfect. When he is born, André propels his mother’s life in a new direction, shifting her focus away from her professional aspirations. His father, an executive who organizes Olympic competitions around the world and doesn’t know when to come back home, strives to make him a worldly citizen. Cycling, his life acquires purpose: becoming an Olympic para-athlete. Together with his friends, he experiences disappointments and new beginnings. A doctor that builds robots, the daughter of a lonely teenager, and a retired athlete teach André how to overcome his limits and live his dream. Set in Curitiba with breaks in Los Angeles, Seoul, Johannesburg and Soweto, Barcelona, ​​Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London, the narrative ends in 2012, in Rio de Janeiro. As a tribute to all those who choose to sign the next episodes of their lives, this book is about overcoming one’s self amid achievements, obstacles, love and heroism, written behind the scenes of life.

Ten Days In Paradise


Linda Abbott - 2014
    This wasn’t the way things were supposed to turn out. The 45-year-old successful career woman, wife and mother traveled to the island paradise for solitude and a much-needed break from her family. But a chance encounter with a fellow traveler sparks a powerful attraction, forcing Ellen to make a decision that could change her life forever. Against an idyllic backdrop of white sand beaches, azure waters and lush palms, Ellen struggles to subdue a firestorm of emotions. David, the father of three young children, confronts the fault lines in his own marriage that lead to a stunning revelation. Their relationship unfolds as David’s family gathers on Sanibel to celebrate their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Tensions are running high. David’s mother is worried about her husband’s strange behavior and inexplicable memory lapses. His sisters, Julia, an over-achieving corporate exec, and Maggie, a hard-partying renegade who just announced she’s gay and leaving her husband, haven’t spoken for months. On the island, a small congregation battles to save a beloved seaside chapel to make room for a lavish oceanfront mansion. Ellen takes up the cause when she meets 76-year-old Liz Taylor, a vivacious widow with a sparkling wit and a secret passion of her own. A compelling and heartfelt novel, Ten Days in Paradise masterfully explores the inner landscapes of marriage and family relationships.

The Prototype


Matt McCormick - 2018
    His employer, Advanced Research Technologies, is racing to beat foreign competitors to market with their solar power storage prototype. They have potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to gain—and, as it turns out, everything to lose. As the day for testing the prototype rapidly approaches, the danger to those involved in the project increases. Robert is forced to leave his lighthearted life behind and focus on protecting the prototype—and keeping himself alive.

Conquistador


Griff Hosker - 2021
    Set in the early days of the Spanish conquest of the Americas and with a young King Henry on the throne of England, this is a novel of discovery and riches, slavery and death. It is a time of innovation when guns changed from being firing tubes to cannons that could bring death and destruction. Above all, it is the story of a youth who, against the odds, becomes a man, and more becomes a master gunner in his own right.

Secret of Silver Springs


Louis L'Amour - 2014
    PERIL PRESS presents: Range Riders Western, November 1949 SECRET OF SILVER SPRINGS by Louis L’Amour as Jim Mayo Dud Shaffer and his pards know how to take the right turn at the right time! “Dud” and his pards know how to take the right turn at the right time 6300 Words PLUS BONUS!!! Texas Rangers, April 1951 TROUBLE SHOOTER by Sam Brant Hardcase McHugh earns two hundred dollars—with one shot! Hardcase McHugh, salty hombre, earns two hundred dollars with one shot 2900 Words Western Story, January 3 1931 BUYS OUTLAWS' GUNS Feature 80 Words Western Story, November 2 1929 THE BRANDING IRON PASSES Feature 150 Words This edition includes 12+ images between story/feature illustrations, ads, mastheads and pulp covers.

Spoken


Melanie Weiss - 2019
    A relationship with his father. When Roman’s life gets turned upside down, (thanks, Mom!?), he is forced to leave his pampered Hollywood lifestyle and move into his grandparents’ Midwestern home. Sleeping on a lumpy pullout sofa and starting at a new high school is the worst, but Roman’s life starts to look up when his pink-haired friend, Zuzu, and his crush, a classmate named Claire, introduce him to performance poetry through the high school's Spoken Word Club. While his mom is flying back and forth to L.A., trying to return them to the life they had, Roman becomes part of a diverse group of characters who challenge his rather privileged view of the world. Through Spoken Word, Roman recognizes the hole in his own life he needs to fill and discovers his voice. Spoken Word leads Roman on a journey of new friendships, first love, and finding the dad he never knew. “Spoken” is an uplifting, funny, and heartfelt coming-of-age story that captures how the honesty of performance poetry binds together students from all different walks of life and forever changes Roman’s life.

The Late Parade: Poems


Adam Fitzgerald - 2013
    Channeling "the primal vision of Hart Crane" (Harold Bloom), Adam Fitzgerald helped welcome the modernist aethetic into the twenty-first century. Part Technicolor, part nitrous oxide, Fitzgerald's chimerical poems confront "a surging ocean of sound and language" (Maureen McLane). In these forty-eight poems, he conducts a madcap symphony of language, memory, and fantasy with the "exhilarating assurance of nonstop invention" (Timothy Donnelly).

Foolish Beliefs; April May Snow Psychic Mystery Novel #2: A Paranormal Single Young Woman Adventure Novel


M. Scott Swanson - 2020
    He offers me an absurd amount of cash to travel with them as a consultant for my psychic abilities. Why not? I like Birmingham, and everyone knows those old legends about the Furnaces are a bunch of bull malarkey. Besides, things have taken a turn for the crazy bordering on stupid in Guntersville. Jared Raley, my clueless cuckold new client, is determined to sue his neighbor for an invasion of privacy. I don't think we stand a chance in court since I saw Jared's wife Crystal with their neighbor at the local deli. Together. His hand in her back jean pocket. Yeah, I don't want to be the one to break the truth to Jared.I bumped into my former high school best friend turned nemesis. She's doing great and just bought the veterinarian clinic in town since she graduated from Auburn. Her career is going just as she planned. My face still hurts from fake smiling.Chase brought his friend Patrick to the house for dinner. They're restoring a '76 Vette, working into the wee hours of the night every day this week.It's been impossible for me to sleep. If you met Patrick, you'd understand.The cherry on top of the hot mess that is my life? Granny Snow had a secret gift for me. Oh, boy, did she ever!Why do people assume it's alright to give me a life-altering gift without asking if I want one?You can understand why it's the perfect time to skip town for a weekend and leave my Guntersville problems behind. Even if it means running the risk of further waking my paranormal 'Gifts.' I've never been more wrong in my life. Foolish Beliefs is the 2nd installment in the April May Snow "Foolish" mystery novels and a continuation from the "Throw the" series. The stories are stand-alone.Do you enjoy Janet Evanovich, Tricia O'Malley, Erin Huss, JB Lynn, Jana DeLeon, Angie Fox, Elizabeth Hunter, or Regina Welling? Foolish Beliefs will keep you turning pages until the end!Foolish Aspirations (Mystery Novel #1) Want more April May Snow? Try the complete prequel series listed below.#1 Throw the Bouquet (Short intro story)#2 Throw the Cap (Novella)#3 Throw the Dice (Novella)#4 Throw the Elbow (Short Novel)#5 Throw the Fastball (Short Novel)#6 Throw the Gauntlet (Short Novel)#7 Throw the Hissy (Short Novel)

A Hero's Homecoming


Carlene Havel - 2012
    His wife Rita has disappeared. His credit cards are invalid. A stranger is living in his house and he keeps running into people who are convinced he was killed in action months ago. Worst of all, his wealthy father has suffered a stroke.Psychologist Charlotte Phillips claims to be his comatose father’s legal guardian. Rich is determined to learn what has happened, gain control of his father’s money, and unmask Charlotte as the gold-digging schemer he’s certain she is. He is shocked to find his father’s crusty old attorney has been taken in by her along with everyone else.Can Rich straighten out the mess his life has become?