Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts

Sunday, April 2, 2023

"Fairy Tale" by Stephen King


In Fairy Tale by Stephen King, Charlie, a young teen boy, becomes the caretaker to an old man when he falls from a ladder.  Charlie and the man's dog, Radar, get along great.  Before the old man dies, he tells Charlie to listen to a tape under his bed.  What is on the tape is what this book is about.  I thought this book was really good--vintage King.  It has great characters and a good storyline.  I also loved Radar and the ending!  The dog was in it a lot!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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Saturday, March 4, 2023

"Notes on an Execution" by Danya Kukafka


Notes on an Execution
by Danya Kukafka was not an easy read but was interesting.  This book covers the last 12 hours before a serial killer is to be put to death.  The author takes us through some of the women in the killer's life.  The author does a good job of telling the story.  This unique storyline makes the book go fast.  I never read a book like this one before!  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)  

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Saturday, February 11, 2023

"Five Survive" by Holly Jackson is so Good It's a Must Read!

Five Survive by Holly Jackson is a teen thriller than kept my interest.  Six friends head to spring break in an RV and end up in a deserted area with a shooter shooting out their tires and gas tank!  He says one of them has a secret and he'll only let them go if they tell him what he wants to know.  What does he want to know?  He doesn't say!  He just says they know who they are.  They can't call for help because there is no cell service.  How will they get out?    

This has lots of suspense in it as the friends try to figure out ways to escape and send for help.  This is a really good book because all through it, I was trying to figure out who was the one going to die (based on the title), how they would get out of this predicament and what the secret was and who had it.  I agree with my husband about this one--it's a page-turner and a must read if you enjoy mysteries and thrillers.  Even the ending is a shocker!    (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 1/23/23:
In Five Survive by Holly Jackson, six friends pile into an RV for a fun weekend at a camp.  They get lost in the dark and go into the woods where their RV breaks down!  Just when they are about to go, someone makes sure that they are not going anywhere until they give him what he wants.

This was SO GOOD from the writing, to lots of action, the storyline, the believable characters, and a great ending!  This went really fast because I couldn't stop turning the pages!  Do not miss this one!  (5++ stars)

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Saturday, December 24, 2022

Beware of "The Perfect Child" by Lucinda Berry which is WILD and Extremely Sad!

The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry is a very sad and depressing read.  If I had known that before, I would not have read this one, but once I started it I got invested in the Hannah, the mother.  This is the story of the family who adopted an abused 6-yr.-old child and the struggles that they encountered.  This book got me riled up and even angry at times.  It's an emotional read with a child far from perfect.  I really don't understand the title.  I would not recommend this one.  (Karen's review, 2 stars)

Gerard's review 11/30/22:
In The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry, a young girl is found who has been mistreated and needs help in the worst way.  Christopher, a surgeon, fixes her up.  He wants to adopt her since the girl has no relatives.  His wife, Hannah, agrees and they take her in.  Is it happy ever after? or the worst decision they ever made?  This book is wild!  The storyline kept my interest.  (4 stars)

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Thursday, October 20, 2022

"What Comes After" by Joanne Tompkins


In What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins, two young teen boys are found dead in the woods of a small town.  They were friend.  A few weeks later, a young teen girl comes out of the woods but who is she and why is she here now?  She gets involved in the lives of both of the dead boys' families.  What are her secrets?  This book is really good.  I enjoyed all the characters and the good story line.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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Friday, August 12, 2022

Loved "Nine Lives" by Peter Swanson


Nine Lives
by Peter Swanson is about nine people who receive a note in their mailbox.  It had nine names on it including their own!  They all do not think much about it.  Some call it junk mail, are they right or are they dead wrong???

I thought this was really good!  The author did a great job with the storyline with a very interesting ending.  I LOVED IT!  (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

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Wednesday, April 27, 2022

"The Cage" by Bonnie Kistler is a Page Turner!


In The Cage by Bonnie Kistler, two women enter an elevator lost in their own thoughts.  When it reaches the ground floor, one woman is dead from a gun shot!  Was it murder or suicide?  I thought this novel was really good.  Just the Prologue will get you hooked and the writing will keep you engaged right to the great ending!  The main character, Shay Lambert, was very enjoyable.  I highly recommend this one!  (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)  

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Saturday, June 5, 2021

"Stolen Child" by Jane M. Choate

In Stolen Child by Jane M. Choate, Grey's little girl has been taken and he will do anything to get her back!  He understands that he needs help to do this so asks a former FBI agent for help.  The FBI agent is Rachel, but she has issues with this type of case and is not sure she wants to go down this road again.  This is a short book that was okay.  The story moved along well with some action and a good ending.  (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Karen's review 6/20/21:
Stolen Child by Jane M. Choate is more about the romance that developed between the father of the child and Rachel, the ex-FBI agent, who helps him find her.  I did not care much for this book.  First off, I felt no connection to the child.  The child was never in it until the end.  It also seemed odd to me that the police weren't even trying to solve the case.  There were a lot of failed attempts to kill the father and Rachel.  It just didn't feel believable and even became a bit boring.  I had this one figured out pretty early on.  (3 stars)   

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Tuesday, July 21, 2020

"The Playground" by Jane Shemilt Lives up to the Hype




The Playground by Jane Shemilt takes place in London and is about three families, one with three children, one with two kids and one with an only child.  They all meet and socialize through having one of their kids being tutored by Eve.  The parents have no clue what their kids are up to.  Each family has some sort of problem, some worse than others!  

Several different issues are packaged in this book:  marital abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, friendship and rape.  The interaction among the characters is what moves this book along.  I would have enjoyed it more if I actually liked more of the characters.  As it is, I only really liked three, Eric, Grace and Charley.
(Karen's review3 stars) 

Gerard's review7/6/20:
The Playground by Jane Shemilt centers on three women, Eve, Melissa and Grace.  They all have children and over time, they become close and socialize along with their husbands.  The children go off to play on their own.  What could possibly go wrong with that?  I flew through this book because I enjoyed the interactions between the adults and the children so much.  The ending was the best!  This is a great read!  (5++ stars)
Teaser from page 30:  She wishes she had some of those earphones that cancel out noise.  She'd cancel out her whole family if she could.

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Sunday, April 12, 2020

"The Turn of the Key" by Ruth Ware Is One We Both Liked!

In The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, Rowan does not like the job she has.  When she comes upon an ad she thinks this could be the answer to her prayers.  But she has to get this job and she does!  She thinks all her problems are solved, but really they've just begun!  I thought this book was very good!  I liked the character of Rowan a lot.  I never knew what would happen next.  There are some parts where there is nothing going on; however, those are few.  The story makes up for them and the ending part was very good!
(Gerard's review of 3/9/20, 5+ stars)

Karen's review:
I read The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware because my husband recommended it and I was intrigued by the book summary.  It was very good about a nanny who takes a live-in position at a house in Scotland with a history of murder and a reputation for being haunted.  It is told in a very unusual way with twists I did not see coming.  This is a murder mystery that I had no clue who the murder was.  There is much deception in this book and it certainly kept my interest all the way through!
(5 stars)

Teaser from page 17:  All this time I have been telling myself that if only someone would let me clear my head and get my side of the story straight, without interrupting, maybe this whole awful mess would get sorted out.

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Friday, March 13, 2020

"Dear Edward" by Ann Napolitano

In Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, a young boy named Edward is the only person to survive a plane crash.  The reader gets two stories:  (1) Edward's life after the crash, and (2) the story of some other people on the plane, including Edward's family.  I liked this book because I enjoyed both of the story lines and the writing.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 27:  "Well, just so you know, several Facebook pages have sprung up, devoted to either the flight or to Edward.  There was also a Twitter account called @miracleboy, with Edward's face as the avatar, but that's been taken down."

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Friday, November 29, 2019

"The Chestnut Man" by Soren Sveistrup - A Mystery

The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup is about a psychopath that is on the loose and must be stopped!  When he strikes, he leaves a Chestnut man at the scene as his calling card.  You will have to read the book to understand what that is.  When the detectives check for fingerprints, they find that the belong to a girl thought to be dead long ago.  Say what?

I read the large print version (over 700 pages) and was engaged for the most part.  There were a lot of detectives which was a bit confusing.  The writing was good though and I really never knew what was coming next!  I was surprised by the ending.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 14: 
She's known it for a while, yet somehow not--and only now, as the voice whispers it to her, does she understand that it's true.  She wants to scream as loudly as she can, but her gust are already halfway up her throat, and when she feels the bludgeon stroke her cheek she flings herself headlong with all her strength and staggers deeper into the gloom.  

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Saturday, November 16, 2019

"Safe with me " by Amy Hatvany

Safe with me by Amy Hatvany is about a grieving single mother, Hannah, whose only 12-yr.-old daughter, Emily) got killed in a car accident right in front of her house! She decides to allow the hospital to take Emily’s organs to save the lives of others. The other part of this story is Olivia, the mother of her teenage daughter, Maddie, the recipient of Emily’s liver. Hannah is a hair stylist and Olivia is the wife of a wealthy man who is sporadically abusive to her. Olivia and Maddie go to Hannah’s salon one day and hit it off.

I thought this was a okay story, but nothing really grabbed me. It was fairly predictable and pretty sad. I plodded through it but didn’t much care for it. I suppose it would be interesting to a person who has lost a child or was in an abusive situation, but for me, I couldn’t identify with any of the characters.
(Karen'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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

"Just After Midnight" by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Just After Midnight by Catherine Ryan Hyde centers on two women--Faith and Sarah.  Faith escapes her abusive husband, for now.  While at her friend's beach house, she befriends a young girl, Sarah.  Sarah is going through a rough time.  Her mom just died unexpectedly but the death is suspicious.  Also, her dad sold her house without saying anything to Sarah.

This book was pretty good.  I enjoyed Faith and especially Sarah.  I would have liked a little more action though.  (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 17:  "Faith.  What if it works this time?  What if I ride her and make her look really good, and it works, and somebody buys her?  Then what?"

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Friday, September 27, 2019

"Outlaw" by Ted Dekker

Outlaw by Ted Dekker is a novel that takes place in the jungle of Irian Jaya. It is about how Julian Carter and her 2-yr.-old son Stephen left America because she felt called to go to New Guinea to be a missionary through a reoccurring dream. She found herself shipwrecked on the way and captured by an unknown tribe of cannibals, the Tulim people who lived in the jungle in 1963 and obviously had a very different culture than she was used to and did not know their language.

I was looking for a change of pace and this book gave it to me. I enjoyed learning about the culture of cannibals and jungle tribes. This book is packed with adventure and is written by a man who was born and raised by missionaries in the jungles of Irian Jaya. This is a pretty amazing story and although some parts didn’t quite make sense to me, I still enjoyed it. This is a wild book! (Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 5: I cried out and frantically searched the foaming water but there was no sign of the captain. The ocean had swallowed him whole and shoved the boat far from where he’d gone overboard.


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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Saturday, September 7, 2019

"Life and Other Inconveniences" by Kristan Higgins is Heartwarming and Touching


Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins is a heartwarming, touching novel about family, love, grief, marriage and personal relationships. This is not a book with action but about life issues such as brother rivalry, unwed mother, marriage, suicide, single parenting, death, wealth, self-esteem, illness and family relationships.

 It started out slow for me and I was a bit confused at first because of so many characters to keep straight. I even set it aside and almost gave up on it but am glad I finished it.  I liked the dogs though and Luigi, Miller's cat.  The ending was very touching and made me tear up. I chose to read this one because I saw a book club recommended it and I saw it also recommended other books I enjoyed. Discussions questions are included in the back for book clubs. (4 stars)

Teaser from page 5: A few years ago, I’d told Riley the facts: Genevieve London of the adorable purses was my grandmother, and I’d lived with her for ten years after my mother died because my father couldn’t take care of me. I explained that Genevieve wasn’t the nicest person, so we didn’t talk anymore.


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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Monday, August 5, 2019

"The Rising" by Heather Graham and Jon Land - Science Fiction

The rising by Heather Graham and Jon Land has two main characters:  Alex, a star high school quarterback who looks forward to being a QB in college and the pros; and Samantha who has big future plans, but for now is a tutor to Alex.  She would love to have a future with Alex.  Alex gets hurt in a game and is rushed to the hospital.  The test results are like nothing the doctors have ever seen and a secret that has been hidden for many years will come out!

This thriller is pretty good.  I loved Alex and Samantha and the story line was good too!  This is well worth reading.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

Karen's review:
Well, I disagree with my husband's review on this and his rating.   The Rising by Heather Graham and Jon Land is the first in a science fiction series about Alex who is human, but al from some other planet far, far away which he remembers nothing about since he came to earth when just a baby. He was the star of his high school football team, but when he got clobbered in the head breaking up a tackle, his life changed! He and is tutor, Samantha, find themselves on the run.

 I did not care of this book and was very happy when I finally reached the end. No way will I continue with this series. Absolutely nothing made any sense to me. I just thought the story line was very dumb and the characters were just okay, not very well developed. The only reason I continued reading to the end was because I thought things might make sense if I read it all, but I was wrong. I didn’t enjoy this at all and certainly would not recommend it to anyone! (2 stars)

Teaser from page 37:  Then Alex realized it wasn't just that he couldn't get up, he couldn't even move.  Started to suck in a deep breath when he realized he couldn't breathe, either.

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Friday, May 24, 2019

"Nyxia Uprising" by Scott Reintgen (Last in the Series)

Nyxia Uprising by Scott Reintgen is the amazing final book in the science fiction Nyxia series. I loved it and what a page turner it is once you get into it. It took me a little while to reconnect with the characters because it’s been such a long time since I finished the previous book. It is chock full of adventure, suspense, heartbreak, and tender moments. Some characters die in it that was sad; however, that just made it more believable. There is some humor in this one but not as much as in the others. It is truly an awesome book about working together to accomplish great things. I loved this series—it is my favorite science fiction series! (Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 74: “Fear does nothing. Don’t spend time on it. Fight instead. Lead. When all of this ends, we’ll kiss our men and go home and live like queens.”


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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Thursday, April 18, 2019

"That Good Night" by Sunita Puri (Two Different Opinions)

That Good Night--Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour by Sunita Puri is a true story.   Sunita works in Palliative care.  This is where people are who are in bad shape health wise.  She tells the stories of some of her patients.  She also details the lessons that she learned from her mom, who was a doctor and life lessons from her dad.

WOW!  This book is very good!  I hated to see it end!  I got lost in this book many times.  The stories she tells of her patients are really good!  These touched my heart.  The part that deals with her parents was good too!  This is my book of the month so far--a must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review (we differ on this one):
That Good Night by Sunita Puri is about Sunita’s journey to becoming a doctor on a Palliative care team. As I understand it, Palliative care deals with getting families to realize what their dying loved ones want concerning end of life care. Sunita shares different patient scenarios and conversations with their families concerning their care as well as snippets of her personal life. This book is thought provoking and sad. I read it because my husband said how good it was, but I would not recommend it. I found it tedious to get through and although I enjoyed hearing about the different patients, it just moved very slowly for me. I look forward to getting back to fiction! (3 stars)

Teaser from page4 33:  I pursed my lips tightly.  I was a fledgling intern, a neophyte doctor.  How could I possibly tell him how long he had to live? 

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

"Queen of Sorrow" by Sarah Beth Durst (Book 3 in Queens of Renthia Series) Great Series!

Gerard's review:
The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst is the final book in the Queens of Renthia trilogy.  Queen Aleina wants peace for her land and now with Queen Naelin at her side, things look bright for the future!  But, when Naelin's children are taken by other spirits, she has reason to believe that Queen Merecot is behind it and Naelin wants her children back!  If it means war, then so be it.  This book is really, really good just like the previous two.  The writing is very good as well!  This is one you get into right away and hate to put down!  I loved the interaction among all the characters and was glad to see the wolf, Bayn, back in this one.  Love that wolf!  (5++ stars)


The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst is a wonderful finish to the Queens of Renthia trilogy, my favorite fantasy trilogy of all time! I loved this story so much, I was disappointed to see it end—even though I liked the ending. Queen Merecot had Naelin’s children kidnapped and brought to her castle in Semo and also got rid of the wolf Bayn, having her spirits chase him into the untamed lands! Merecot enters into a power struggle with the Queens of Aratay in the hopes of getting enough “spirit” power to change the spirits for good. We also meet Ven’s family, Queen Daleina’s sister, and Cajara, a new heir candidate. There is much death and some sadness in this but it is well balanced with joyful occasions, humor and happiness.

I liked all of the queens in this book and enjoyed their negotiations and scheming as well. I was pleased with Naelin’s decision in the end and enjoyed her journey! What a trip! I am normally not one for politics, but really was drawn into the political aspects of this book. I really hope the author comes up with some more books about Renthia! I want to know what happens with Merecot, Arid, Ven and Naelin, Hannah and of course, Queen Daleina. The characters are so well developed and the writing is amazing! I liked that it has so many characters without being confusing. Sarah Beth Durst has officially become my favorite fantasy author!
(Karen's review 3/22/19, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 32: As she flew, she flung her mind out like a net, catching every spirit within fifty miles and driving them toward Semo. SAVE MY CHILDREN! ATTACK!

See our other reviews for this series:  The Queen of Blood and The Reluctant Queen

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!
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