Sunday, December 29, 2013

"League of Denial" by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru--Must Read for NFL Fans

League of Denial by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru tells the story about the lasting effects that constantly getting hit in the head have on NFL players and how the NFL continues to ignore this problem.  The best parts of this book are the ones that center on specific players.

Being a diehard NFL fan, I knew this stuff but this book gives great background on why these players took their own lives in some cases.  I waited a long time to read this book, but it was worth the wait!  If you love football, you should read this book.  You might get a new outlook next time you see a player get knocked out!  

(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Friday, December 27, 2013

"Never Fade" by Alexandra Bracken

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken is the sequel to The Darkest Minds which we both liked a lot.  First off, this book has way too much dirty language which I did not appreciate and took away my enjoyment of the book.  As for the plot, I was totally confused at the start and stayed that way until about page 150.  After that, this book was more like The Darkest Minds with plenty of action and surprises.  I never knew what was coming next!  The ending is very good and left me looking forward to the third book to see how it all plays out.

I give it 4 stars.  I would have given it 5 stars except the dirty language really bothered me.
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Thursday, December 26, 2013

"Sleepwalker" by Wendy Corsi Staub

Sleepwalker by Wendy Corsi Staub is all about a father who seeks revenge on people he feels are responsible for his son's imprisonment and subsequent death.  This book is gruesome and the killer is a real creepy mean person who goes to extreme lengths to make others lives miserable.  Allison McKenna's testimony at his son's trial is what convinced the jury to convict him so the father lives to make her pay.  Allison, Mack and their three little kids kept me reading.  Once Mack starts sleepwalking as a side effect from his medication, things start picking up and get very interesting.

This book started out slow for me and I almost gave up on it because of how mean and creepy the killer is.  It is not you basic who done it because right from the start you know who the killer is.  The "mystery" of it is if Allison and Mack will be able to stay safe and keep their happy family together.  I'm glad I finished it and didn't quit on it.  If you like creepy books, I recommend it.
(Karen's review)
 
Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

"The Second Chance Dog-A Love Story by Jon Katz

Another good book by Jon Katz
The Second Chance Dog--A Love Story by Jon Katz is a true story and what a story it is!  Jon Katz tells about his life at a certain point and you will be shocked at what he went through.  Then he falls in love with a woman but first has to get her dog on his side which was not easy!  There are lots of good stories in this one book:  Jon's story, the romance, and the dog's story which will touch your heart.

My dog, Abby, gives this book four paws up way high  I LOVED it too!  (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Other books we liked by this author:  Rose in a Storm, Dancing Dogs, Dogs of Bedlam Farm

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Tuesday Teasers: Four Today



Gerard's:
I had no idea that Frieda would enter my life and alter it in the most profound way, but that's one of the beautiful things about animals.  They change you, and you almost never see it coming.

From page 44 of The Second Chance Dog--A Love Story by Jon Katz. (My review will post tomorrow.)

But I could feel him hovering behind me, like his fingers were trying to smooth down the goose bumps on my skin.  There was no stopping the sudden upswing of my heartbeat.
From page 92 of Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken (sequel to The Darkest Minds)

Karen's:
Reaching the front hall, Allison spots a human shadow looming just inside the door.  A tide of panic sweeps her back to a Manhattan bedroom ten years ago, and a hooded figure is lunging at ther with a knife . . .

From page 91 of Sleepwalker by Wendy Corsi Staub.

As you can see, including a daily whey protein shake as part of your bone-building regimine is a great idea.  However, a note of caution:  make sure that the whey protein you get is free of bovine growth hormone (rBGH).

From page 139 of Save Our Bones Program by Vivian Goldschmidt, MA.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Happy Reading!

Friday, December 20, 2013

"ORR--My Story by Bobby Orr is a Must Read for Bruins Fans

If you are a die-hard Bruins fan like me, then Orr--My Story by Bobby Orr is a must read book for you!  I was fortunate to see Bobby Orr in his playing days in the 70s and he was the best--he could do it all!

I loved this book because it brought back a lot of memories of the big bad Bruins of the 70s.  Furthermore, he pulls no punches by even telling about his agent who just about took all his money.  You are the best, Bobby!  Thanks for your book!
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

"Dark Justice" by Brandilyn Collins Kept Both of Us Turning Pages

Dark Justice by Brandilyn Collins got my interest right away when Hannah and her mother with Dementia stop to help a man who was in an accident at the side of the road.  In that instant, their lives changed and they found themselves in danger.  Hannah soon became a "person of interest" in two murders but she didn't do it!  Where do you go when bad people are trying to kill you because you inadvertently came across some very important information that could prevent a terrorist attack and you don't trust the police? 

I liked the main characters in this book, Hannah and her mother and daughter.  Although the plot was pretty unbelievable, the way the three women stuck together and tried to protect each other was very realistic.  I liked that this book had suspense on just about every page without any swearing.  I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys suspense.  Brandilyn Collins is one of my favorite Christian fiction authors and this one is as good as her others I have read.
(Karen's review)

You can never go wrong with a Brandilyn Collins book, but I think Dark Justice is one of her better ones.  When a woman gets mixed up in a terrorist plot against the USA, the chase in on!  Not only is she at risk, but her 80-yr.-old mother suffering from Dementia and her daughter are also.  There is lots of action to be sure!  I enjoyed this book a lot!
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Tuesday Teasers: Two Mysteries



Gerard's:
"A simple robbery suddenly gets all complicated, and the bad guy's in way over his head."
"So he murders the five witnesses, one by one."
From page 95 of Unthinkable by Clyde Phillips. (My review was posted yesterday.)



My heart pounded so hard I could not breathe.  I dropped my mouth open, struggling to pull in air.  The gun in my hand shook.

From page 91 of Dark Justice by Brandilyn Collins.(I just finished this one, very good.  Will post a review soon.)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Happy Reading!

Monday, December 16, 2013

"Unthinkable" by Clyde Phillips

A diner is shot up and six people are dead in Unthinkable by Clyde Phillips.  It is up to Jane Candiotti to find out who and why.  When she does find out, she will stop at nothing to get answers.  There is good action that kept me turning pages.  That's about all you can ask of a book.  
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Friday, December 13, 2013

"Brilliance" by Marcus Sakey

In Brilliance by Marcus Sakey, people who have superior intelligence want to take over the country and it is up to Agent Cooper to put a stop to it.  There are good "wow" factors with good action and the book moves along quick.  Great novel!  I look forward to the next book of this series. 
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

"Good Tidings and Great Joy--Protecting the Heart of Christmas" by Sarah Palin

GOOD TIDINGS and GREAT JOY--Protecting the Heart of Christmas by Sarah Palin is about how Christmas has changed over the years in America and where it is headed.  She shares some of her family's Christmas traditions and recipes along with some advice to Christians to stand up to preserve the true meaning of Christmas in America.  Words do matter. 

This is a thought provoking book with some shocking things that are currently happening in America that I wasn't aware of.  I agree that people should be able to acknowledge publicly that Christmas is a religious holiday and that the reason we celebrate Christmas is to celebrate the birth of a Savior, Jesus Christ.  If you are interested in civil rights and religious freedom, I recommend you read this book.
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Tuesday Teasers: Four for You



Gerard's:
"That's why I need a lawyer, and I'm not your typical thirteen-year-old, anyway.  I'm a genius."
From page 11 of Accused by Lisa Scottoline.

"They're going to test her.  She's only four, and the test isn't mandatory until she's eight--"
From page 88 of Brilliance by Marcus Sakey.

Karen's:

No one forced him to do anything.  However, because of this strange quirk of the law--a quirk intentionally designed to enable people to complain and remove expressions of our religious heritage from public life--Mr. McScrooge is a legal force to be reckoned with.
From page 26 of Good Tidings and Great Joy by Sarah Palin.
Bearing in mind that a true osteoporosis diagnosis is rarely accurate, its treatment with dangerous drugs is unnecessary and often times causes more medical problems that require more drugs to treat.  It's a lose-lose situation for the patient, particularly when there are safe and healthy methods to prevent bone loss.
From page 68 of saveourbones PROGRAM--The Revolutionary Treatment That Prevents and Reverses Bone Loss Naturally by Vivian Goldschmidt, MA
(check out www.saveourbones.com for more information.)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Happy Reading!

Monday, December 9, 2013

"The Good Sister" by Wendy Corsi Staub (UPDATED)

The Good Sister by Wendy Corsi Staub certainly kept my interest.  This is a good story about revenge which incorporates the dangers of social media.  The murderer is so clever and so mean!  Although I figured out who it was, the twist at the end was shocking!  Carly is the older sister who tries so hard to do what is right and be nice but finds herself being bullied at her Catholic school.  Her mother is worried about her when Carly’s ex-best friend commits suicide and then another girl from her school also commits suicide.  This is a creepy mystery I won’t soon forget.  I look forward to reading more books by this author!  We highly recommend this one if you like a good murder mystery. 

(Karen's review posted 12/6/13)

Good Sister by Wendy Corsi Staub is about a young girl who goes to a private girls school and is bullied.  She finds a friend on the Internet and that is when this book really takes off.  I liked the plot but you will have to read it all the way to the end to figure out what's what!  I enjoyed it very much--kept me turning pages.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Friday, December 6, 2013

"The October List" by Jeffery Deaver

The October List by Jeffery Deaver, a crime thriller, is told in reverse order.  By that, I mean it goes back in time.  I usually do not like those kinds of books, but this one I did.  There is lots of action and I did not see the twist coming at all.  The writing is very good!  I really enjoyed the lead character.  (5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Thursday, December 5, 2013

"The Returned" by Jason Mott Fell Flat

The Returned by Jason Mott has a very interesting concept:  dead people come back to life with loved ones being reunited, but how does the government handle this?  The book really fell flat for me.  It had some good parts, but I never really was into it.  I hear it is going to be a TV series so hoping it works better on TV. 
(Gerard's review, 3 stars) 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

"The Wicked Girls" by Alex Marwood

The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood tells the story of two young girls who meet by chance.  An incident happens that they keep to themselves but years later, events happen in this small town that brings up that incident from the past.  A real page turner that I got engrossed in and kept me turning the pages.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Three Tuesday Teasers



Gerard's:
She'd chew her own arm off if it helped her get away, thinks Jade.  It's worse for her than it is for me.
From page 2 of The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood. (See my review tomorrow)

"You're all walking up to the big question," Jim said in a low voice, "the one you asked earlier on tonight and left hanging out there.  The question about what's to be done with us."
From page 81 of The Returned by Jason Mott.

Karen's:
Motherhood is starting to feel like Whac-A-Mole.  No sooner does she manage to stamp out one problem than another pops up.
From page 214 of The Good Sister by Wendy Corsi Staub.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   


Happy Reading!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Favorite Reads for November: One Fiction, One Non-Fiction

We both chose Champion by Marie Lu as our favorite read in November!  This Legend series is a must read if you like Dystopian novels with strong female characters and a good romance with lots of action.  See both our reviews of it here.  This is a very good series (even the last book) with chapters alternating between June and Day's narration.   The first book in the series is Legend and the second is Prodigy.  We recommend you read them in order and enjoy!

Karen's other favorite (Non-fiction):


I also finished the Beth Moore Bible study, David--Seeking a Heart Like His which was fantastic!  I loved this study because I learned so much from it and got a better understanding of David.  I've done a few other Beth Moore studies as well (Daniel, When Godly People do Ungodly Things, Fruit of the Spirit, James) but this is my favorite!  I highly recommend it!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!
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