Book picks similar to
The Drops by Janis Mahnure


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Children of Immigration


Carola Suárez-Orozco - 2001
    At the center of this prospect are the children of immigrants, who make up one fifth of America's youth. This book, written by the codirectors of the largest ongoing longitudinal study of immigrant children and their families, offers a clear, broad, interdisciplinary view of who these children are and what their future might hold.For immigrant children, the authors write, it is the best of times and the worst. These children are more likely than any previous generation of immigrants to end up in Ivy League universities--or unschooled, on parole, or in prison. Most arrive as motivated students, respectful of authority and quick to learn English. Yet, at the same time, many face huge obstacles to success, such as poverty, prejudice, the trauma of immigration itself, and exposure to the materialistic, hedonistic world of their native-born peers.The authors vividly describe how forces within and outside the family shape these children's developing sense of identity and their ambivalent relationship with their adopted country. Their book demonstrates how Americanization, long an immigrant ideal, has, in a nation so diverse and full of contradictions, become ever harder to define, let alone achieve.

The Blackheath Séance Parlour


Alan Williams - 2013
    For fans of the classics—Holmes, Dickens, and Abfab.In 1842, two drunken sisters debate their future. Business at the family chocolate shop has ground to a halt, and change is needed. For once, domineering elder sister Maggie doesn't get her way, and a month later Judy, Maggie, and Netta Walters—a medium with big hair and a bigger secret—open their séance parlor. The locals are shocked, but soon the shop is crammed with people wanting to contact the dead. Despite their change in fortune, a rift grows between the sisters, as Judy gets her gothic novel published, finds a man, and proves to be more capable of contacting spirits than Maggie, who can only read tea leaves. Spurred on by jealousy, Maggie tries harder, and soon her talents surpass those of her smug sister. She fills halls with folk wishing to witness her powers, and is even consulted by the Queen. As word spreads, the Church decides that Maggie must be stopped, and Maggie is tricked into a carriage—destination Bedlam Hospital. She then has to choose between publicly declaring herself a fake and returning to obscurity, or being incarcerated forever with the insane.

Straight Edge: Hardcore Punk, Clean Living Youth, and Social Change


Ross Haenfler - 2006
    Its basic tenets promote a drug-free, tobacco-free, and sexually responsible lifestyle—tenets that, on the surface, seem counter to those typical of teenage rebellion. For many straight-edge kids, however, being clean and sober was (and still is) the ultimate expression of resistance—resistance to the consumerist and self-indulgent ethos that defines mainstream U.S. culture.In this first in-depth sociological analysis of the movement, Ross Haenfler follows the lives of dozens of straight-edge youths, showing how for these young men and women, and thousands of others worldwide, the adoption of the straight-edge doctrine as a way to better themselves evolved into a broader mission to improve the world in which they live. Straight edge used to signify a rejection of mind-altering substances and promiscuous sex, yet modern interpretations include a vegetarian (or vegan) diet and an increasing involvement in environmental and political issues.The narrative moves seamlessly between the author’s personal experiences and theoretical concerns, including how members of subcultures define “resistance,” the role of collective identity in social movements, how young men experience multiple masculinities in their quest to redefine manhood, and how young women establish their roles in subcultures. This book provides fresh perspectives on the meaning of resistance and identity in any subculture.

One Woman's Junk


J.B. Lynn - 2019
    While there, they must scatter her ashes as instructed and decide what to do with her consignment shop, One Woman’s Junk. Navigating her relationships with her older sisters is hard enough for Beatrice, but after they’re all struck by lightning, things get more complicated in the land of sun and sand. With the power of a newly inherited crystal ring, Bea is suddenly assailed by psychic visions when she touches certain objects. When her godmother is posthumously accused of having stolen a designer purse (which Bea knows darn well is a knock-off – thank you very much), Bea becomes obsessed with proving her innocence. Contending with a physical injury, challenging family dynamics, and business headaches, Bea struggles to harness and understand her visions. With the help of an unusual new “friend” and the sexy carpenter next door, she’s determined to clear Letty’s good name. But doing so may be a bad decision. One that could cost her not only her relationship with her sisters…but her life.

Original Sin


Shannon West - 2022
    He’s trying to get answers about a person he’s desperately searching for—an old love who had been attacked and turned while Jonah was imprisoned. But instead, he finds himself alone with her in a dark alley with her. fangs in his neck. Seconds later, she’s dying on the ground at his feet, poisoned by his toxic blood, and her followers are chasing him all over the city. The vampire's venom burns much of his memory away, though they're tantalizingly close. His mind is a blank as far as most of his personal history is concerned, so questions like, what are you, have to remain unanswered. Jonah's stripped naked and brought before a handsome, powerful vampire lord whose blood instantly calls to him, while deliciously erotic images of the two of them flash through his mind. This is the man he’s been seeking, which is unfortunate on many levels, since he only wants Jonah dead.What do you do when the love of your life demands answers—and you don’t have any? Do you meekly accept your fate, or do you fight like hell to cleanse the bitter taste of life without him from your soul? A complicated web of lies threatens both Jonah’s and his vampire lover’s lives, and they must fight their way to happiness through a confusing maze of intrigue and deception. Can Jonah’s vampire lord put aside his bitterness so they can save themselves? Or do they both go down fighting?

The Life-Giving Leader: Learning to Lead from Your Truest Self


Tyler Reagin - 2018
    From his experiences in high-impact leadership roles at some of our nation's largest churches and ministries, Reagin has learned firsthand the importance of identity-based leadership. His desire is to help each reader become an empowered, confident leader that brings life and vibrancy to every room they enter. Whether you've got the corner office or you're just getting started, Reagin gives you the tools you need to become an impactful and unique influencer right where you are!

A Parcel for Anna Browne


Miranda Dickinson - 2015
    Her day job as a receptionist in bustling London isn't exactly her dream, yet she has everything she wants. But someone thinks Anna Browne deserves more . . .When a parcel addressed to Anna Browne arrives, she has no idea who has sent it. Inside she finds a beautiful gift - one that is designed to be seen. And so begins a series of incredible deliveries, each one bringing Anna further out of the shadows and encouraging her to become the woman she was destined to be. As Anna grows in confidence, others begin to notice her - and her life starts to change.But who is sending the mysterious gifts, and why?

Violet


S.J.I. Holliday - 2019
    She is also desperate for a ticket on the Trans-Siberian Express, but there is nothing available.When the two women meet in a Beijing Hotel, Carrie makes the impulsive decision to invite Violet to take her best friend's place.Thrown together in a strange country, and the cramped cabin of the train, the women soon form a bond. But as the journey continues, through Mongolia and into Russia, things start to unravel – because one of these women is not who she claims to be…A tense and twisted psychological thriller about obsession, manipulation and toxic friendships, Violet also reminds us that there's a reason why mother told us not to talk to strangers...

Her Sister's Secret


S.E. Lynes - 2021
    I thought what we all thought: that Annie and Dom led perfect lives in a lovely cottage in a quiet village by the sea, with flowers at the front gate and an apple tree in the garden. Everyone knew them: generous, loving Dom, creative, joyful Annie.But I never saw Annie as she sat waiting for Dom well into the night. I didn’t see her smiling through her tears. I didn’t know what the perfect couple were hiding.So when sirens break the silence of the night and flames rise against the dark sky, and I get the call I never expected, I’m left with a simple burning question: who was to blame?A brilliantly twisty tale of family secrets and the darkness that can lie behind closed doors, Her Sister’s Secret will keep you turning the pages till the final devastating revelation. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Louise Candlish will love it.(Previously titled: The One To Blame)

Death in Dulwich


Alice Castle - 2017
    But can she pull it off? She already has a bouncy young son, haughty cat, a fringe with a mind of its own and lots of bills to pay, as she struggles to keep up with the yummy mummies of SE21.Join Beth in #1 of the London Murder Mystery series, as she discovers the nastiest secrets can lurk in the nicest places.

She Speaks: The Power of Women's Voices


Yvette Cooper - 2019
    But the truth is very different - countless brave and bold women have used their voices to inspire change, transform lives and radically alter history.In this timely and personal anthology, Yvette Cooper MP tells the story of 30 inspirational speeches given by women. From Boudica to Margaret Thatcher and from Malala to gun-control activist Emma Gonzalez, each speech will be reproduced in full and introduced by Yvette. This is not only a much-needed celebration of women's speeches throughout history, but also proof that powerful and persuasive oratory can be decidedly female.

Taking On the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era


Markos Moulitsas Zúñiga - 2008
    In order to change the world one needs to know how to manipulate the media, not just march in the streets. Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, otherwise known as “Kos,” is today’s symbol of digital activism, giving a voice to everyday people. In Taking on the System, Kos has taken a cue from his revolutionary predecessor’s doctrine, Saul Alinksy’s Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals, and places this epic hand-book in today’s digital era, empowering every American to make a difference in the 21st century. As founder of the largest political blog in the nation, Kos knows how it’s done, because he’s done it with tremendous success. In Taking on the System, he shares practical guidelines on how grassroots movements can thrive in the age of global information, while referencing historical and present examples of the tragedy caused without those actions. The walls between the people and the power—the so-called rabble and the so-called elite—are being torn down by technology, and a new army of amateurs are storming the barriers to effect political, cultural, and environmental transformation. Readers will come to understand how they too can change the world.

Cut Too Deep


Marissa Farrar - 2015
    Constantly on the move, Jenna doesn't want to settle down anywhere. As long as her latest motel room has a television, wi-fi, and a vending machine, she will make do. It isn't just Jenna's curves that make her self conscious. Beneath her clothes she hides a secret, one she is running from. But when her car breaks down, leaving her without a mode of transport to get to the next town, mechanic Ryker seems to show an interest in her. With his muscles, tattoos, and piercings, Ryker has trouble literally written all over him. Jenna can't understand why he would want to be seen with a fat girl like her, and besides, she needs to keep moving. Time is running out and she's terrified if she stays in one place, her past will catch up to her.

Reign of Nightmares


Quinn Arthurs - 2020
    Witches. Blood Sacrifices. What else could a princess ask for? Humans are no longer the ruling class on the planet. Instead they are relegated to blood slaves to the vampires who reign in humanity's stead. Vampires like me. Under our rule, the world drips with blood and echoes with screams. I'm discontent, however, without answers regarding the past despite the fact that I, Elsie Crauford, am the uncontested heir to the vampiric throne. With the help of the blood witches, Draven and Crowe, as well as my human pet, Sebastian, I will discover the truth of my species' origin and the history of the world -- no matter what the cost. But those who created this dark world are not willing to see their own power ebb, and dangers lurk that even a vampire should fear under this Reign of Nightmares.**18+ Reverse Harem Dark Vampire Story***This book may contain scenes that some readers may find triggering.

Brown Boy Nowhere


Sheeryl Lim - 2021
    Life starts here.What’s the problem? Sixteen-year-old Filipino American Angelo Rivera will tell you flat out. Life sucks. He’s been uprooted from his San Diego home to a boring landlocked town in the middle of nowhere. Behind him, ocean waves, his girlfriend, and the biggest skateboarding competition on the California coast. Ahead, flipping burgers at his parents’ new diner and, as the only Asian in his all-white school, being trolled as “brown boy” by small-minded, thick-necked jocks.Resigned to being an outcast, Angelo isn’t alone. Kirsten, a crushable ex-cheerleader and graffiti artist, and Larry, a self-proclaimed invisible band geek, recognize a fellow outsider. Soon enough, Angelo finds himself the leader of their group of misfits. They may be low on the high school food chain, but they’re determined to hold their own.Between shifts at the diner, dodging bullies, and wishing for home, Angelo discovers this might not be nowhere after all. Sharing it can turn it into somewhere in a heartbeat.