Recommendations based on "Candles Burning A Novel"

Meet Isobel, Jen and Zelda.Three women whose bodies and minds are not their own.They belong to the Church.Life and death decisions are taken by others on their behalf.Who they might marry.Whether they start a family.Isobel and Jen know nothing of the world.But when Isobel's husband leaves her and Jen challenges those in charge, the Church turns its back on them.Zelda - never one for doing what is expected - dares to find hope on the outside.Meet Isobel, Jen and Zelda.Three women desperate to find a life to call their own . . .This is a novel about what it is like to live inside a prison of the mind and how to break out of it - if you can.____________Praise for Jodie Chapman:'Beautifully written...I couldn't put it down' EMMA GANNON'An astounding debut about sibling grief, religion and sliding doors love' PANDORA SYKES'Deep, rich, thoughtful' GILLIAN MCALLISTER'This beautiful tale of love, loss and sacrifice will break your heart . . . With echoes of David Nicholls' One Day and Sally Rooney's novels, it perfectly captures the agony of falling in love and the razor-sharp reality of pain and loss' DAILY MAIL

Can a woman ever really know herself if she doesn't know her mother?From the author of the smash-hit bestseller Firefly Lane and True Colors comes a powerful, heartbreaking novel that illuminates the intricate mother-daughter bond and explores the enduring links between the present and the pastMeredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time―and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.

In her powerful debut novel, Looking for Smoke, author K. A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word. A must-pick for readers who enjoy books by Angeline Boulley and Karen McManus!When local girl Loren includes Mara in a traditional Blackfeet Giveaway to honor Loren’s missing sister, Mara thinks she’ll finally make some friends on the Blackfeet reservation.Instead, a girl from the Giveaway, Samantha White Tail, is found murdered.Because the four members of the Giveaway group were the last to see Samantha alive, each becomes a person of interest in the investigation. And all of them—Mara, Loren, Brody, and Eli—have a complicated history with Samantha.Despite deep mistrust, the four must now take matters into their own hands and clear their names. Even though one of them may be the murderer.

A New York Times Best Book of the Year So Far | Editors' ChoiceNamed a most anticipated book of summer by Vulture | The Boston Globe "One gawps . . . at its breadth and ambition. [The Sisters is] a transnational tour de force." —Alexandra Jacobs, The New York Times Book Review"One of this summer’s most buzzed-about novels." —Nilanjana Roy, Financial Times"A classic story about sibling rivalry . . . One of the best novels I've ever read about the complexities of mixed heritage." —Fredrik Backman, The New Yorker"[The Sisters] generates every kind of heat . . . If you welcome this novel into your mind, it will warm and transform you." —Tess Gunty, National Book Award–winning author of The Rabbit Hutch"Astonishing . . . Every character—every sentence—is startlingly, indubitably alive.” —Katie Kitamura, author of Audition and IntimaciesAn addictively entertaining family saga by a National Book Award finalist.Meet the Mikkola sisters: Ina, Evelyn, and Anastasia. Their mother is a Tunisian carpet seller, their father a mysterious Swede who left them when they were young. Ina is tall, serious, a compulsive organizer. Evelyn is dreamy, magnetic, a smooth talker. And Anastasia is moody, chaotic, a shape-shifting presence, quick to anger.Ina meets her future husband when she’s dragged to a New Year’s rave by her sisters, only to suffer the ultimate betrayal. Evelyn drifts through life before embarking on a wild career as an actress. And Anastasia runs off to Tunisia, where she falls in love with a woman who, years later, will transform her life.Following the sisters from afar is Jonas, the son of a Swedish mother and a Tunisian father. Over the course of three decades, his life intersects with the sisters, from a chance encounter in Tunis to the scene of a fighter jet crash in Stockholm. When Evelyn disappears on a trip to New York, Jonas manages to track her down—and helps her to break the curse that has been looming over the Mikkolas for decades. In the process, a shocking revelation changes everything about who they think they are.Narrated in six parts, each spanning a period ranging from a year to a day to a single minute, Jonas Hassen Khemiri's The Sisters is a big, vivid family saga of the highest order—an addictively entertaining tour de force.

A secret hidden in the past.A family bound by a dark legacy…‘What a fascinating story. I enjoyed every moment of it. Intriguing and with a lovely time-slippery twist’ Barbara Erskine, Sunday Times bestselling authorEver since her sister disappeared eleven years ago, Serena Warren has been running from a ghost, haunted by what she can’t remember about that night.When Caitlin’s body is discovered, Serena returns to her grandfather’s house, nestled beside the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire, determined to uncover the truth. But in returning to the place of her childhood summers, Serena stands poised at the brink of a startling discovery – one that will tie her family to a centuries-old secret…Taking readers from the present day to the Wars of the Roses in the 1400s, and with an enthralling mystery at its heart, The Last Daughter is a spellbinding novel about family secrets, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Barbara Erskine and Kate Morton.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop brings readers a can't-miss tale of friendship, hardship, redemption, and love between a San Francisco baker and a barbecue master from Texas.Jerome Sugar learned the art of baking in his grandma's bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street.When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas.Margot isn't exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She's taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome's Sugar bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals.Margot instantly takes to Jerome's mother, the lively, opinionated Ida. The older woman proves to be a good mentor, and Margot is drawn to Jerome. Despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful--even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she's found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot's past in Texas comes back to haunt her...

"Unpredictable, fantastic. . . . It takes a charged narrative, like Dickens achieves, and as Dalton does too, to reach the heart and the brain. . . . To tell you more would spoil this complicated and surprising story. You should read it."--Sydney Morning Herald Bighearted, gritty, magical and moving, an irresistible novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe and All Our Shimmering Skies. A girl and her mother have been on the run for sixteen years, from the monster they left in their kitchen with a knife in his throat and the police who want to make them pay for his death. Home is now a van with four flat tires in a junkyard by the edge of the Brisbane River. The girl has no name, because names are dangerous when you're on the run. But she has a dream. A vision of a life as an artist. A life outside the grip of the Brisbane underworld. A life of love with the boy who's waiting for her on the bridge above the deadly river. And once her mother can no longer protect her, there's only one person who can help make her dreams come true. That person is Lola. But she has to find her first. Internationally bestselling author Trent Dalton delivers a big, moving, darkly funny, violent, heartbreaking and beautiful novel of love and fate, life and death, and all the things we see when we look in the mirror: all our past, all our present, and all our possible futures. Lola in the Mirror is illustrated with black-and-white line art throughout.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop brings readers a can't-miss tale of friendship, hardship, redemption, and love between a San Francisco baker and a barbecue master from Texas. "Susan Wiggs understands the tender dramas of everyday life, of friendship and family, of wanting something that might be just beyond reach. She will make you believe in life's sweetness."--Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Box "Wiggs writes with compassion and insight...This is another winner." --Booklist Jerome Sugar learned the art of baking in his grandma's bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street. When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas. Margot isn't exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She's taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome's Sugar bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals. Margot instantly takes to Jerome's mother, the lively, opinionated Ida. The older woman proves to be a good mentor, and Margot is drawn to Jerome. Despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful--even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she's found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot's past in Texas comes back to haunt her...

THE INSTANT NO. 2 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER **Featured on Barack Obama's Summer Reading List 2022** **A Grazia Instagram 'IT' book to watch out for****Soon to be a major Hulu series by Oprah Winfrey, Aaron Kaplan and Marissa Jo Cerar** Everyone wants to discover what they're made of . . . The compelling and beautifully written story about the inheritance of the secrets, betrayal and memories that shape one family for generations 'A story as meaningful as it is delicious. At turns delightfully juicy and then stunningly wise, Black Cake is a winner' TAYLOR JENKINS REID 'A roiling soup of family secrets, big lies, great loves, bright colours and strong smells' NEW YORK TIMES 'The scenes are so well drawn I could almost taste the cake. My heart broke and was put back together. Bravo' NIKKI MAY, author of Wahala A PRIMA BOOK OF THE YEAR ________ Eleanor Bennett won't let her own death get in the way of the truth. So when her estranged children - Byron and Benny - reunite for her funeral in California, they discover a puzzling inheritance. First, a voice recording in which everything Byron and Benny ever knew about their family is upended. Their mother narrates a tumultuous story about a headstrong young woman who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder, a story which cuts right to the heart of the rift that's separated Byron and Benny. Second, a traditional Caribbean black cake made from a family recipe that Eleanor hopes will heal the wounds of the past. Can Byron and Benny fulfil their mother's final request to 'share the black cake when the time is right'? Or will Eleanor's revelations leave them feeling more lost than ever? ________ 'A testimony to how migration, memories and the life decisions of our elders can trickle down the generations and shape us . . . I couldn't get enough!' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, 'BOOKS OF THE YEAR' 'I loved the brilliant writing, the characters and the clever and beautiful way the story melded together. A stunning book' PRIMA, 'BOOK OF THE MONTH' 'A special, beautifully written novel that's as rich and intoxicating as the Jamaican rum cake of its title' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'I [. . .] was immediately drawn in' BONNIE GARMUS, bestselling author of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY 'A heartfelt story of loss, lies and reconciliation' DAILY MAIL 'A sparkling debut, which examines migration, estrangement and the stories we tell about ourselves' METRO 'An extremely assured debut which pulls in threads and echoes from across the Caribbean diaspora to deliver a rich, complex and really satisfying novel' ALISON FINCH, BBC Radio 4 'I was instantly taken in by this multi-generational tale of identity, family, and the lifelong push and pull of home. This novel has a tremendous heart at its centre, and I felt its beat on every page. What an extraordinary debut' MARY BETH KEANE, author of Ask Again, Yes

In 1933 Mississippi, as the echoes of the past reverberate through grand estates and struggling orphanages, the lives of women—from privileged sisters to forgotten girls and watchful matriarchs—intertwine, revealing the power and fragility of these connections.Mississippi, 1933. The nation grapples with the relentless grip of the Great Depression. Across the Delta and in the town of Oxford, families face dwindling fortunes and uncertain futures.In this precarious time, Birdie travels from the Delta to visit her sister Frances in the seemingly prosperous town of Oxford. However, behind the imposing facade of their family home, Birdie discovers that Frances’s marriage to the ambitious banker Rory Tartt is crumbling under the weight of unforeseen financial disaster. Faced with the potential loss of everything, Birdie must navigate complex family loyalties and make difficult choices to protect those she loves.Meanwhile, miles away at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, Meg, a resilient and observant young girl, dreams of a life beyond the institution’s walls. Under the strict rule of Miss Faye, Meg clings to hope for a family while witnessing the harsh realities faced by the sixteen girls in her care. The arrival of Birdie, seeking temporary work at the orphanage, offers an unexpected connection and a potential lifeline for Meg.Haunted by the past and driven by a fierce determination, Charlie arrives in Oxford searching for her daughter, Meg, who was placed in the asylum. Charlie’s desperate quest to reunite with her daughter will force her to confront the powerful figures who control Meg’s fate and uncover the painful truths that led to their separation.From the grand estates teetering on the brink of ruin to the stark confines of the orphanage, this novel paints a vivid portrait of Mississippi during the Great Depression. As the characters’ lives intersect, secrets will be brought to light, sacrifices will be made and the very definitions of family and home will be tested against the backdrop of a nation struggling to survive.