When Smiles Fade


Paige Dearth - 2013
    As she matures into a resourceful teenager, she is unwilling and unable to stifle her desire for revenge. Reaching her breaking point she can no longer control the impulse to fight back and finally takes matters into her own hands.Having learned the art of hatred from her father and the mastery of manipulation from her mother, young Emma now sets out to make a better life for herself, leaving the memory of the abused child she had once been behind her. Hardened by the heartless brutality she encounters and the dangerous situations she must overcome in the course of her journey, she faces every challenge that comes her way in her quest for a normal life for herself and for those she loves.Finally a person emerges from within that guides her toward a better life until she learns of a secret that sets her on the path of ultimate redemption.**WARNING**18+ Readers Only. Graphic content and subject matter.

Angle of Attack


Leo J. Maloney - 2021
    Maloney launches an electrifying new series featuring Alex Morgan, daughter of legendary operative Dan Morgan and a formidable force in her own right.ANGLE OF ATTACKAlex Morgan’s new mission for Zeta plunges her into a web of danger threatening Europe’s glamorous Formula One racing circuit. It quickly escalates into a race against time to track down a missing supply of weapons-grade plutonium headed for North America. From a secret prison in Iran to the glittering casinos of Monaco, to the jungles of Malaysia, and to the dark side of Montreal, Alex is up against a deadly and far-reaching conspiracy. Each step of the way, she’s dogged by a shadowy figure determined to destroy her. Alex has the grit to deal with any external threat, but this is a new kind of peril from a source shockingly close to home—one that will make Alex question everything she once believed...

A Very Nice Girl


Imogen Crimp - 2022
    Not with her wealthy classmates at the selective London Conservatory where she unexpectedly wins a place after university, not with the family she left behind, and definitely not with Max, a man she meets in the bar where she sings for cash. He’s everything she’s not—rich, tailored to precision, impossible to read—and before long Anna is hooked, desperate to hold his attention, and determined to ignore the warning signs that this might be a toxic relationship.As Anna shuttles from grueling rehearsals to brutal auditions, she finds herself torn between two conflicting desires: the drive to nurture her fledgling singing career, which requires her undivided attention, and the longing for human connection. When the stakes increase, and the roles she’s playing—both on stage and off—begin to feel all-consuming, Anna must reckon with the fact that, in carefully performing what’s expected of her as a woman, she risks losing sight of herself completely.Both exceedingly contemporary and classic, A Very Nice Girl reminds us that even once we have taken possession of our destinies we still have the power to set all we hold dear on fire.

The Mermaid Girl: A Story


Erika Swyler - 2016
    She traveled everywhere with two boxes: the first with red sequins for the dress she wore as a magician’s assistant, the second with green sequins for her mermaid tail. She'd grown up on wild stories told by wild circus people. Books, she hadn’t had books until she’d found Daniel Watson and stopped moving.The first time Daniel saw her, Paulina was floating in a glass tank, suspended in water that sparkled like it was made from night sky. She has settled down now, living in a house on a cliff on Long Island Sound with Daniel and their young family: six-year-old Simon and his baby sister, Enola. But if you steal the magician’s assistant from a carnival, how can you know if she’ll disappear?

Go Clown - #AccheDin for Comedy


Shatrugna Vadwlas - 2016
    A baby who is born and thrust into the huge sea of humanity called India, rides and steers his destiny ship, as he constantly grapples with the Clown inside him, who meanwhile brings out his own set of funny oars in these troubled waters. The Clown's journey continues on from a Karma-Guru to a trader of special water from Europe (thanks to his Made-in-China friend!), and from a music director (the Bad-Boy theme!) to the founder of a school, and a dirty sock to a sex-crazed, horny bunch of young fellas. The colors of the Clown's comedy are different but he always plays to the circus of life. As Kiriti encounters a wide array of characters from the length and breadth of India, a land as rich as its flavours, the carefree years full of joy and young hopes come to an end, with the sweet smell of Ganja still lingering under the starry nights. The philosophy of Meaning is preached, after a session of holy smokes, on the sides of a dusty highway which sees blood and grime daily. And finally with the Mystical Game which casts a shadow on Kiriti's life having been won, everything is laid to rest under a blanket of white, only to be stumbled upon by a Sherpa on the peaks of the mighty Himalayas that wakes up something inside of his adorable son! Is it a Thief, his Dream or the Clown? And there is a 2000 year old Surprise Gift with the Novel! (Any Guesses?)The Following are Reviews from Amazon India & Amazon (International):http://www.amazon.in/dp/9384439835One Five Star Review"This Novel 'Go Clown'- #AccheDin for Comedy, was sent to one of my colleagues for a possible review and I picked it up as I remember reading the author's words somewhere online (who apparently contributes to Times of India, Faking News & Huffington Post) - 'Life is like a meandering stream, and I am like a free butterfly hovering around it.'Anyway coming to the book 'Go Clown'. It was a blast! Fasten your seat belts and get ready for this hilarious ride! I would especially recommend the train scene (Nirvana in Indian Railways!), the weed/Ganja scene, the College part, the NRI Stuff, the ad and on and on which I could so well relate to. It was reliving my collage days and the fond and the occasional bitter memories. You are going to Laugh and then cry (again with Laughter!)The story and the way the magical realism turns out is plain amazing. And nothing which has ever been written has described the colours of an Indian Life so closely and in such a comedic way. And the free gift in the novel was a pleasant surprise (the Go game)! As someone interested in geopolitics and strategies I took an instant liking for the game.After Amish and Chetan everyone has been trying to directly or indirectly copy a fantasy theme or a love story. They have mass produced thousands of such books killing the Indian Readers taste. I think 'Go Clown", a comedy, has added some new tinge to Indian fiction.Disclaimer: In this generation of authors getting reviews from friends and family I would suggest you better read their free excerpt/Sample chapter on their website so you figure it out on your own!No wonder they proclaim on their website that they got 5000 hits for their sample on the first day it was put up, and 2,50,000 views for their official trailer on Facebook & YouTube."One Four Star Review:"A copy of the novel "GoClown - AccheDin for Comedy" was sent to our college literary club which a friend suggested I read. So I took it on flight to spend time when travelling from Darjeeling to Delhi. On the flight I started laughing hysterically. An elderly woman seated beside me initially gave a stern look as if I was being deliberately loud. I explained to her that it was the book.This book is like the sweet smell of earth after the first rains (a line from GoClown - #AccheDin for Comedy). My #AccheDin did start! The college part left me in tears (with laughter), and not to forget the passion scene (GoClown also explains the body's reaction in a very comedic way!).Above all it is like an ocean of Comedy with islands in it, all of which are in shapes of different letters, that sum up to form a brilliant story! The Game and the strategy was mind-blowing!"One Five Star Review"Go Clown is an hilarious Odyssey spanning across two continents Asia and America.Kiriti the protagonist and The Clown his true "side kick" speak to every human soul , for such is its universality.This blissful tale can be juxtaposed in any setting. Be it Boston, Berlin, Beijing , Bangalore or Bogota.Go Clown is set in the theater of Life where Charles Dickens works with Mark Twain, to present a mirthful narrative to the reader.A must read."

The Ballad of Banjo Crossing


Tess Evans - 2011
    Jack McPhail is a man on the run from his past, a drifter who lands by accident in a sleepy outback Australian town called Banjo Crossing. Jack - almost despite himself - becomes slowly drawn into the town, its community, its characters and its concerns.He's on the brink of falling in love with Mardi, a young widow and owner of the local coffee shop, when the community is confronted and divided by an unexpected development. A coal mining company has come to town, intent on buying up the local properties to build an open cut mine. The town of Banjo Crossing rallies together to fight off the threat. Jack wants to help out his new friends, but if he does, he's at risk of his past being exposed. Having his secret out there could change everything for him. Will he help them out, even if it costs him his second chance at happiness?'Highly topical and engaging ... incubating a mystery which must not be revealed until the exact psychological moment ... entertaining and charismatic' Adelaide Advertiser

Forsaken by Desire (Destiny Book 1)


S. Shekar - 2017
    But fate has other plans. In an ironic twist, five years after his callous abandonment of her, Nikhil Tandon reappears in Megha’s life. He has an offer she is compelled to accept – a marriage of convenience, for a period of six months, at the end of which they will go their separate ways. The stakes are high, and it is imperative for Megha to see the charade through to the end. She is determined to do just that and still walk away from the marriage, unscathed. Yet, close proximity to Nikhil means she will never escape the constant reminders of why she fell in love with him in the first place. Megha’s journey of self-discovery takes her from a virtually sterile existence in Delhi to Toronto, where she’d once loved and lost. And where her life changes, once again, irrevocably and forever...

The Point After: How One Resilient Kicker Learned There Was More to Life Than the NFL


Sean Conley - 2020
    Embodying the spirit of the underdog, this is a moving tale of strength, determination, and spiritual grit."An amazing story! I devoured this book! This was so much MORE than a football story." - BOOKISHLY OVERDUE“The Point After is a page-turner. You don't have to be a real fan of football to fall in LOVE with this book. 5 stars!” - PICK A GOOD BOOKA vivid account of life in the NFL—and an inspiring story of everything that comes after.Against seemingly impossible odds, Sean Conley became the starting kicker for the University of Pittsburgh in his senior year. A year later, he suited up for the Detroit Lions. But when he joined the New York Jets soon after, Conley’s injuries caught up to him, and his lifelong dream came crashing down in a crisis of denial and fear.The Point After is an all-access look at the NFL, one of the most intense workplaces in sports. Conley describes pushing through pain at NFL training camps, surrounded by rookies, All-Pro veterans, and long-shot undrafted free agents, all hell-bent on staying in the game. He recounts the insecurities he dealt with on and off the field, and the despair that overtook him when his career ended.But while Conley thought life was over, it was just beginning.

Behind the Glass


Kristen Morgen - 2014
    Then she meets a handsome stranger/secret admirer named Michael Vale one fateful late night at a bookstore café. As a focused but struggling photographer with a passion for art, her outwardly happy world is turned upside down during this life-changing encounter when she quickly realizes she has met her soul mate. The undeniable attraction between them and their intense, immediate connection seem picture perfect as they discuss the shop’s local artwork, until Rebecca abruptly ends the chance meeting with no explanation.Betraying Brett, her loyal, loving boyfriend, is something Rebecca can never bring herself to do. Driven by a strong moral code and molded by divorced parents and a tumultuous childhood, she struggles to stay away from Michael, but fate and circumstance intervene, bringing them back together time and time again. As much as she resists, there is no denying her true feelings for him and the simple fact that Michael understands her in a way Brett never has. Michael proves to be everything she’s ever wanted, but remains just out of her reach.Behind the Glass tells the story of Michael and Rebecca’s extraordinary love and the many unconventional stages their relationship must go through. Their morals and their faith in true love and in each other will be put to the test as they learn that meeting one’s soul mate does not come without obstacles.

If She Dies


Erik Therme - 2020
    The driver, Brady Becker, was sentenced to two years in prison. It didn't make Tess’s pain go away.Brady also has a daughter: A twelve-year-old named Eve who walks to Chandler Middle School every day. Tess knows this because she's been watching Eve for the last few weeks. It isn’t fair that Brady’s daughter gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.When Eve goes missing, all eyes turn to Tess, who doesn’t have an alibi. But Tess isn’t guilty.Or so she believes.

A Perfect Home


Kate Glanville - 2012
    But when an interiors magazine sends a good-looking photographer to take pictures of Claire's perfect home, he makes her wonder if the house means more to William than she does. This is the beautifully observed and poignant love story of a woman who has to find out if home really is where the heart is.

The Witch of Belladonna Bay


Suzanne Palmieri - 2014
    And it's all around you, Bronwyn, it's all around you like the air.…Bronwyn "BitsyWyn" Whalen hasn't set eyes on the red dirt of Magnolia Creek, Alabama, for fourteen years - not since her mama died. But with her brother, Patrick, imprisoned for the murder of her childhood best friend, and her eccentric father, Jackson, at his wits' end while her eleven-year-old niece, Byrd, runs wild, Bronwyn finds herself once again surrounded by ancient magnolia trees and the troubled family she left behind. She becomes immersed in a whirlwind of mystery and magic as she tries to figure out what really happened that fateful night her friend died. And as her bond with Byrd deepens, Bronwyn must face the demons of her past in order to unravel her family's uncertain future.In Suzanne Palmieri's thrilling new novel, The Witch of Belladonna Bay, readers will learn if love and magic are enough to bring a broken family back together.

Snowed In at the Ranch


Holly Stevenson - 2020
    As an Arizona native, Rachel is enchanted by the snow that never seems to stop falling … until that snow causes the airport to close, cancelling her flight home for the holidays. Rachel doesn’t mind experiencing her first white Christmas. What she does mind is her growing attraction to the cowboy assigned as her guide at the ranch. She’s just come out of a relationship and isn’t looking for another one—especially with someone who lives several states away.Levi Davis is busy enough caring for the livestock and guiding Canyon Creek’s outdoor excursions. The last thing he needs is to be saddled with a city girl to look after. But when Levi meets Rachel, he has a change of heart. The lively photographer captures his attention and has him wishing her stay in Montana would last longer than a few days. When a snowstorm forces the guests to extend their vacations, it looks like Levi will get his wish. But as an employee of the ranch, his hands are tied as far as making his feelings known to the woman he’s falling for.As Rachel and Levi spend time together the attraction between them is as clear as a starry Montana sky, but can they overcome the obstacles in their path? In a place like Canyon Creek, anything is possible.

Amora


Grant J. Hallstrom - 2020
    Blood on the stone wall. Rust on the cell’s bars. The glance of a gladiator sitting in his cell. The soldier’s sandals stepping in front of her. Amora grasped every detail as her world moved in slow motion, drawing her closer to her fate. The stench of death permeated the suffocating darkness, making a mockery of the heightened vitality within her. Her chains rattled, gears ground, animals roared, and people cheered. She gave them no heed. Amora, in an elegant white gown, moved with natural grace in front of a cell of prisoners. Her sixteen-year-old chained slave, Maria, followed behind wearing a simple tunic; a second soldier brought up the rear…”With that introduction, author Grant Hallstrom draws you into the world of ancient Rome with its intrigue and contrasts, where he explores the timeless struggles between revenge and forgiveness, hope and despair, and loss and redemption.This award-winning bestseller follows Amora on her path of self-discovery from her opulent teenage wedding with Leo through her life full of personal disappointment, tragedy, and betrayal, ultimately leading to peace in the face of death. We watch Leo withdraw into his dark private world of despair as he struggles to maintain his standing in society while trying to escape from the ever-present pain of loss. We delight in the romance between two slaves and champion the young man’s quest to avenge his lover’s untimely death. The sweeping panorama of this immersive story includes the suspense of battles and the action of gladiators fighting to survive in the arena as well.The author weaves a well-crafted and deeply researched historical fiction based on a true story that will captivate the reader’s attention from the start. The book is filled with non-stop action and suspense, so you are never sure what’s about to happen on the next page. This superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings will have you turning pages from beginning to end. Skillfully constructed, cinematic in presentation and deeply inspiring, this thought-provoking book makes a solid impact.Even though the book shows how new Christian ideas influenced some characters, it does not try to convert the reader. It simply tells the story including the role that religion played in their lives. Amora is ultimately a story about love, family, friendships, faith, trials and forgiveness. It is well worth the read!

Hundred Percent Chance


Robert K. Brown - 2020
    Perfect for fans of When Breath Becomes Air.In 1990, Robert K. Brown was an ordinary college student studying abroad in England when a series of unexpected and extraordinary events would change the trajectory of his life forever. Choosing to ignore ominous early symptoms, he was still troubled enough to write in his journal "just for the record ... I am frightened because things are happening to me that I can’t explain away."What follows is a race against time to return home to Seattle for months of chemotherapy, countless complications, and a search for as much normalcy as possible when you're forced to face your mortality at twenty."While memoirs of surviving disease are plenty, Hundred Percent Chance stands apart through its genuine humor and unflinching portrayal of both the physical and psychological struggles that accompany a diagnosis of disease. Brown avoids inspirational platitudes, instead demonstrating the need for perspective and perseverance in the face of illness."Every person Brown introduces, whether their role is significant or small, will leave a memorable impression on readers. This memoir's focus on the tiny moments that ultimately shape and define a life, are particularly poignant and engrossing" (The BookLife Prize).10% of all proceeds will benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.