Book picks similar to
Speedy Reads by Chris-Jean Clarke


short-stories
written-by-chris-jean-clarke
need
not-interested

Never to Sleep


Rachel Vincent - 2012
    Not after all the work she's put into cultivating the right look, and friends, and reputation. But then, Sophie sees something so frightening she lets out a blood-curdling scream--and finds herself stuck in a bizarre parallel world where nothing is safe and deadly creatures lurk just out of sight, waiting for her to close her eyes and sleep...forever.Could this world be real? Or does insanity run in the family...?

An Actor's Life - A Short Story


Duncan Whitehead - 2013
    Alternate Cover Edition can be found hereIt is Oscar night and Hollywood holds its breath to see if Sir Michael Brookes not only wins the best actor but also the best supporting actor award, which would take his tally of Academy Award wins to an unprecedented six....meanwhile his biggest fan and fellow actor Terry Sparkes watches the ceremony alone in his dingy London flat unaware that this evening will change his life forever......but have Terry's and Sir Michael's paths crossed before?A short story of approximately 7,500 words.

My Everything


Heidi McLaughlin - 2013
    Alone and in a foreign country, Nick is working on rebuilding his life one patient at a time, that is, until a striking volunteer makes her presence known.Can Nick finish his year in Africa without risking his heart being broken again, or is he willing to start a new chapter in his life before his return to Beaumont?

Catching Suki


Sarah Alderson - 2012
    Enter Suki.Fashion obsessed, boy-crazy and more than a little kooky, Suki is a mind reader with a special talent for buying shoes and for listening in on private conversations. Tasked with infiltrating the enemy (namely Jack and Alex) Suki rises to the challenge, leaving a trail of chaos, destruction (and a large room service bill) in her wake.A prequel to the events of Hunting Lila and including many of the characters from the book, this short story told through Suki’s eyes, will have you laughing out loud and gripping the edge of your seat.

The Do-Over - An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (Men of the Mountains Book 4)


Layla Valentine - 2021
    

Badge Without Honor


Emily Kendricks - 2017
    Making matters worse, his new love interest, Dianne Lawson, becomes the next target, forcing Bocello to go head-to-head with the most diabolical killer of his career, who has been hiding in plain sight. Unable to trust anyone around him, he tracks the killer who seems to always stay one step ahead of the investigation…until everything comes to a heart-pounding climax as Bocello races against time to reach his love before it’s too late.

Litany of woes


Deepti Sharma - 2020
    Nida is no different.Coming from a broken marriage, she dreams to spend her life in the arms of her lover. Reality, however, has other plans for her. As she goes through different phases in her life, she encounters various heart-wrenching experiences along the way; all in her journey to be a rebellious author. Turning to comfort in everyone she meets, trying to cope up with the betrayals of her most trusted friends, Nida understands what it means to be independent when it’s her against the world.From the late-night escapades with her boyfriend in the chills of Simla, to attending her mother’s marriage, to write about all the outrageous books, to adopting an orphan child; join Nida in Litany of Woes as she searches for love in all forms and to the realization that it is indeed just a word after all.

Flash of Silver: ...the Leap That Changed My World


Graham Kerr - 2015
    It contains a powerful remedy for indifference in just one word...resilience!Resilience has begun to outstrip 'sustainability' as the action to be taken to preserve many species, including our own.Graham Kerr, as the 'Galloping Gourmet' was referred to, during his international TV series, as the 'High Priest of Hedonism'. He had learned how to eat, cook and profit from some of the finest and richest foods in the world and he used those gifts with enormous enthusiasm and good humor.Suddenly everything changed as an accident severed his success with one blow.Searching for a return to resilience for himself and his family he began an ocean sailing adventure that took them 24,000 miles in 2 years.Then follows one of the most observed U turns ever made by one man. The Kerr's went from a conspicuous gourmet lifestyle to that of a small family living their lives beyond immediate self-interest and they did this in plain sight!Graham uses the literary practice of the 'extended metaphor' to enquire how habits are both formed and relinquished. He does this by comparing his life with that of a wild pacific Chinook salmon. Using poetic license, imagination and good science he asks his readers to hear from the salmon...direct and to see how both man and fish have somewhat similar rites of passage.They are swept 'downstream' where they face continuous discovery, some of which are difficult, some joyful...even hilarious.Upon reaching the salt waters they encounter the challenge of an almost limitless 'ocean of opportunity' where they must eat or be eaten, always driven by immediate self-interest and the need to survive.Finally they turn away from conspicuous consumption and begin to go 'upstream on purpose', this time motivated not just to survive as individuals, but also as a species...It's a wild ride as the scent of their natal river begins to provide direction for their way back home, where it all began.Kerr is not an angry activist, as he puts it."I have a story to tell and it's personal. I have made a series of very obvious leaps over some major obstacles, not unlike the salmon. Their flashes of silver are, for me, a splendid example of the resilience that is ours for the asking."Flash of Silver is supported by an extensive web site that includes an interactive 'REFLECTIVE READERS CLUB' at www.grahamkerr.com/RRC

Ride Your Heart 'Til It Breaks


Deborah Hawkins - 2014
    But now Stan knew he didn’t want to be the shallow bad boy Marilyn had described. He wanted to be the man Carrie Moon had loved. Loving him was all that had kept her alive. The emptiness of her marriage had made the ache of lost love burrow deeper into her heart and soul. Carrie stood transfixed between worlds: life, but emotional death if she left alone as he wanted, or death in all forms if she stayed, and the fires reached them. On a cool October evening in 1994, attorney Karen Moon enters an enchanting little jazz club, in San Diego and unexpectedly falls hopelessly in love with the star attraction, trumpeter Stan Benedict. Although Stan is a world class flirt, who has every woman in the audience longing to go home with him, Karen hears a deeper truth in his music. Behind the performer’s confident, shallow mask is a vulnerable, lonely man longing to be loved. Karen risks her chance of partnership at Warrick, Thompson by secretly crossing ethical boundaries to save the club from destruction by her client, Waterfront Development. She and Stan begin a tumultuous affair that culminates in an unplanned pregnancy and a hasty marriage. But their relationship is increasingly threatened by the demands of Karen’s job as a highly paid securities lawyer and by the rising crescendo of Stan’s frequent infidelities. Through mounting heartbreak, Karen struggles to hold on to Stan until they are swept apart by a tide of personal and professional loss. Thirteen years later, longing for forgiveness, Stan reappears in Karen’s life. Now a superior court judge and married to Warrick, Thompson partner Howard Morgan, Karen is faced with Howard’s threats to destroy her if she leaves their marriage. Ride Your Heart ‘Til It Breaks is an unforgettable, intricately woven tale of passion, loss, self-discovery, and redemption.

Hot Billionaire King Brothers: A Dark Billionaire Romance Series


Tiffany Foss - 2020
    All have an HEA and have never been released before.

Last Bird Singing


Jane Holland - 2015
    But her days are running out. Perhaps some lives are not worth saving ... A dark and disturbing psychological thriller set in Newcastle of the nineties, from the author of GIRL NUMBER ONE and MIRANDA. A gritty urban read, this contains graphic language and scenes of violence.

Unforgettable Christmas Joy: Hope and Promises (The Unforgettables Book 20)


Mimi BarbourSuzanne Jenkins - 2020
    

From Such Small Things


Brian Harmon - 2011
    But his enthusiasm quickly turns to dread when it becomes apparent that his phantom guest has also begun to notice Allan. This tale is from the short story collection, BURIED IN THE BASEMENT, by the author of The Temple of the Blind series. 9200 words

The Before


Emily McKay - 2013
    . . What looks at first like nothing more than a bad science fiction movie soon becomes a terrifying reality for Lily Price: swarms of vampires devouring humans across America. Now, locked in her house while the world falls apart around her, Lily must find the strength to support her collapsing mother and protect her autistic twin sister, Mel—and somehow find a way to flee the advancing horde of undead before it’s too late. But with martial law declared and a rogue cop watching every move Lily makes, escape seems hopeless. And then comes a phone call that threatens to change Lily’s life forever, a call that’s certain to break up her family and send Lily and Mel to a place they may never return from. From the author of the award-winning The Farm and The Lair comes The Before, a terrifying look at what life was like when the vampiric undead first took over our lives.

Get Lucky: A YA Anthology


Ali Dean - 2016
    She doesn’t want to be anything like her mother, who hops from one husband to the next. It’s one of many reasons why she’s never dated. The other reason? She’s in love with her best friend’s older brother, Jesse Kendrick.She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not by Kristen Kehoe - Kennedy Russo has had it rough. She's become a pro at being invisible. But when she's paired up for a 5 week assignment with golden boy, Gage, she starts to realize that anonymity may not always be the best option. Gage is on a mission to make her his friend, but will their tentative friendship bloom into something more?Stroke of Luck by Cassie Mae - Jensen is well on his way to the PGA, if only he could focus. Getting stuck with his best friend as co-counselor at the golf camp will help—Penny’s always been one to push him. But when their alone time turns romantic, Jensen wonders if she’ll just be another distraction.Someone I Used to Know by Tessa Marie - Charlotte was not looking forward to Spring Break. No technology and a boy she can’t stand. But when she realizes the boy is actually a hot guy now, and wants to hang out with her (!) she cant help but think this break may turn into something pretty awesome. But, is he harboring a secret that will challenge their budding relationship?16 Kisses by Kelly Oram- All Cassie Caldwell wants for her sixteenth birthday is to finally be kissed. When Cassie’s older brother and his best friend—the lovable, sexy cowboy, Jared—discover her secret, Jared takes it upon himself to make sure her birthday wish comes true.Four Letter Words by Ginger Scott - Dakota Wright has been making Jace Padgett look good for years…and she’s tired of it. What started as a favor has turned into a habit—one that she’s justified in her mind because Jace also happens to be six feet of gorgeous hunky quarterback, green eyes and a smile that can swing a girl to the moon. But the last favor she did for him may have finally tipped the scales, and Dakota’s ready to call it quits. One small hiccup—her heart can’t seem to let her. And when Jace starts to share pieces of the real him, Dakota begins to think her heart might just be smarter than her head after all.