"Another Good Dog" by Cara Sue Achterberg

Another Good Dog--One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs by Cara Sue Achterberg is heartwarming non-fiction. Cara really misses her companion of 17 years--her wonderful dog, Lucy!  Her husband got her a "back-up" dog, but it is not the same!  Cara needs something to ease the pain.  She decides to tackle a new adventure of fostering dogs.

If you are a dog lover, you will love this book!  She has her ups and downs in this new adventure, some funny, some sad.  She writes about her experiences very well.  I think maybe even a non-dog lover would enjoy this.  Keep up the good work, Cara!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 7:  I'd thought I would wait to adopt another dog, wait until I didn't miss Lucy so much and wouldn't compare every potential dog to her.  But months had passed, and I only missed Lucy more.

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The Maid, The Eighth Day (The 12 Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides Book 8) by Rachel Wesson

The Maid, The Eighth Day (The 12 Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides Book 8) by Rachel Wesson is about a mail-order bride who finds out the man she came to marry is no stranger after all. He was engaged to her older sister before the war and is now a doctor. This book is all about her finding out the truth of Colin’s past. It is a heartwarming story about two kind, compassionate people that I enjoyed and that is a quick read. Although this is part of a series, it can also be read as a stand-alone.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser at Kindle Loc. 65 She couldn’t stop herself from looking out the window. He couldn’t have followed her, changing her name had made sure of that.

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QB 1 by Mike Lupica is a Heartwarming Sports Story

QB1 by Mike Lupica is about Jake Cullen, a high school freshman quarterback who is struggling with trying to be as good as his dad and older brother and win his father’s love and attention. Jake feels like he’s always playing second fiddle to Wyatt who is now starting QB at University of Texas. Jake is smart, but doesn’t have quite as strong an arm as Wyatt. Fortunately, his high school coach got him to change his throwing mechanics to create his own throwing style which works better Troy Cullen, Jake’s dad, is a former player whose pro career ended in just his second year after four concussions (brain wounds) and seems to be living vicariously through his older son, Wyatt. When Jake finds himself in a QB controversy, everyone is pretty surprised when he gets to be the starting QB while only a freshman. His father is caught off-guard at how good Jake got so quickly.

I enjoyed this book very much because there was a lot of football in it as well as the team dynamics and the feelings of insecurity Jake was dealing with concerning his father and older brother. This takes a good look from the perspective of a younger brother feeling the pressure of following in his star brother’s footsteps and yearning for some of his father’s attention. This book got my interest and kept it from page 1. I would recommend it to anyone who likes high school football and team dynamics.
 (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 13: He knew already that he just wasn’t going to be the player his dad had been before him, certainly wasn’t going to be the player his big brother had been.
He had talent, just not Cullen talent, at least not that he’d noticed so far in his young life.


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"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is simply all about a 59-yr-old man called Ove who is brokenhearted because his wife died and he feels useless since he retired.  He is quite a character and is actually a lovable, crotchety old man who lives in a little community that he sort of takes responsibility for.  He desperately wants to join his wife so tries committing suicide, but it seems something always comes up that spoils his plans--life happens in spite of himself.  The more I read, the better I liked Ove.

This book is really good!  I liked Ove so much, partly because he reminded me of my dad and husband in some ways.  The chapters are short and give pictures of different moments in Ove's life jumping back and forth from the present to the past.   There are many tender moments and some funny things as well which makes this book very real to life.  I loved how gradually Ove formed relationships with those around him, even the stray cat who was practically starving and almost died.  This was a tear jerker for me because the ending was so sweet.  I'm sure this is one that I will not soon forget!  I highly recommend it!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"Holding Up the Universe" by Jennifer Niven

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven is told by Libby Strout and Jack Masselin.  They both go to the same high school, but they are very different on the status scale.  The one thing they do have in common is that they each have a health problem to deal with.

This book is much better than I expected it would be.  I really rooted for Libby and Jack.  The story flowed along well and I was always anxious to get back into it!  The ending was perfect!  If you want a feel good story, this is it!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen read this one too--here's her review:
Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Nivan is a teen romance novel. Libby, an overweight girl with panic attacks, gets bullied but stands up for herself and has a big heart. Jack has Prosopagnosia, a condition that keeps him from being able to recognize faces. Libby loves to dance and Jack likes building things. Jack keeps his disability a secret and copes the best he can until one day he confides in Libby. Libby and Jack start off on rocky ground but as they get to know each other, their relationship changes.

Although this book is very predictable, it is a good story that has a good message for teens and clearly shows how bullied people feel. I never heard of “face-blindness” before reading this so it was interesting to learn about it through Jack’s experiences. Lilly was an interesting character too with the ability to forgive. The story was told by both Lilly and Jack in alternating chapters. (4 stars)


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"Susie's Senior Dogs" by Erin Stanton

Susie's Senior Dogs by Erin Stanton tells the true story of senior dogs that have been given forever homes by people.  I loved reading all the joy the dogs brought the people and the people gave their dogs.  The pictures in the book are really good too!  You can follow Erin and the Senior Dogs on Facebook and Instagram at "Susie's Senior Dogs."
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Saving Red" by Sonya Sones is a "Feel-Good" Book (UPDATED)

Saving Red, by Sonya Sones is about Molly, a teen girl with a service dog, Pixel, who helps her cope with her panic attacks.  She becomes friends with a homeless girl, Red, who  has some mental issues of her own.  Molly decides to help reunite her with her family before Christmas. 

I enjoyed this unique teen fiction book written in verse.  It goes very quick and I liked the story line.  It touches on PTSD, suicide in addition to homelessness, mental illness and guilt.  It was interesting to see her make friends with Red and also Cristo and his cat!  Although this book deals with some heavy subjects, it is not dark at all but pretty uplifting.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

In Saving Red, by Sonya Sones, Molly is a young teen girl who has a dog named Pixel.  You will love Pixel!  One night, Red is out doing community service and she sees a young red-headed girl who she becomes friends with.  She wants to get Red back to her family in time for the holidays but can she?

This book is told in verse with ongoing action so it goes very fast.  I enjoyed all the characters.  If you are looking for a feel-good book, this is it!  I LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"The Underdogs" by Melissa Fay Greene is Wonderful!

The Underdogs by Melissa Fay Greene tells the story of Karen Shirk, who was so disabled that she was not even allowed a dog.  Some nurses encouraged her to raise her own service dog though and she did!  Now, 1,000 dogs later, she runs 4 Paws for Ability, placing dogs with children and their families.

This is a WONDERFUL book that tells the stories of kids and their dogs.  The stories are so good and heartwarming!  Look up 4 Paws for Ability  and you will see the great work they do.  God bless you, Karen, for the work you do and thanks so much for sharing the stories!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

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"The Problem With Forever" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Problem With Forever by Jennifer Armentrout is a beautiful, inspirational story about Mallory a/k/a "Mouse" and Rider, two kids who were in an abusive foster home together accepting their past but looking to the future.  After being split up for four years, Mallory getting adopted while Rider was in a group home and foster home, they wind up in the same high school for senior year and reconnect.

I liked both the main characters who were well developed and grew throughout the book.  There are many references to The Velveteen Rabbit book that is closely related to the main theme of this book so I would recommend reading that as well.  It is the book Rider used to read to Mallory when they were kids and that was her favorite.  There is a lot of relationships that make this a very realistic, contemporary fiction novel.  I really liked Carl and Rosa too, doctors who adopted Mallory.  I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it, especially to teens.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

In The Problem With Forever by Jennifer Armentrout, Mallory is a young teen girl who spent time in a foster home that was not a good situation, but could always count on a young boy named Rider.  After years of being home schooled when she was taken in by a nice couple, she is ready to go to a regular high school for her senior year.  She thinks she can do this.  On the first day of school, she sees someone she recognizes--Rider!

I really enjoyed this book a lot!  Mallory was a fantastic character as was Rider.  The writing was very good too.  It had me from page 1.  I think you should read this one.  I can't imagine anyone not liking this!
(Gerard's review 6-1-16, 5++ stars)

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"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J. K. Rowling is a Great Ending to a Fantastic Series!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J, K. Rowling is the last book of the series and is phenomenal! It is very exciting, suspenseful, emotional, touching and is full of unexpected twists and turns. It’s hard to review it without giving away major things, so I’m just going to say that if you started this series, you really need to finish it! In this book, Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione are out of Hogwarts and on the mission that Dumbledore gave to Harry. The plot is complex and full of adventure. Loved the Epilogue! Great ending to a fantastic series!  WOW!

This series is a must read with lots of twists and turns! I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sorry to see it end, even though there were seven books in the series! I fell in love with the main characters and the action scenes were so well written that I felt I was right there.  This one even made me cry, parts were so sad. J.K. Rowling is the best story teller I ever read and certainly entertained me with this amusing and interesting series.   Harry is such a cool character who shows that love is the strongest power and that we can learn much about leadership from Harry Potter.  This series is amazing! 

No wonder these books were such a hit and well-loved worldwide. I had to give every book in this series 5 stars but here is the way I would rank them:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner from Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"The Battle of our Age-Fighting for the Hearts and Minds of the Next Generation" by Bob Hoskins

The Battle of our Age-Fighting for the Hearts and Minds of the Next Generation by Bob Hoskins is a short booklet about a charity organization called OneHope that seeks to reach every child in the world with the Word of God. Bob Hoskins is the founder of OneHope and his passion is to see children’s lives transformed by God’s word. This booklet contains short stories of various children who have believed in Jesus through this ministry and have had their lives changed. Some were in poverty, in prison, had alcoholic parents, were in abusive situations but turned to Jesus when they read the Book of Hope about Jesus or saw other materials produced by OneHope.

I was very encouraged when I read this booklet and was pleased to learn about OneHope, an organization I wasn’t aware of. I enjoyed reading the stories and found the statistics mentioned staggering! I got this in the mail but you can learn more from their website at www.OneHope.net.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

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"Ana of California" by Andi Teran is Heartwarming and Enjoyable! (Updated)

Ana of California by Andi Teran is the heartwarming story of Ana Cortez, an orphan who is approaching 16 and has been bounced around from foster home to foster home. She lives in L.A. where her father, mother and grandmother were shot by rival gang members. She finds herself in a new situation to avoid living in a group home, being a summer intern on Abbie and Emmett’s farm in northern California. When she is attracted to Cole, a boy everyone warns her to stay away from, she ignores their advice and they become friends.

I loved this story because Ana is such a likable character who tries to do the right thing but still ends up in bad situations. She always worries that Abbie and Emmett will send her back so tries very hard to work hard and please them. It shows how one person can make a difference and overcome one's past by moving forward. I loved how Ana found ways to use her artistic abilities too. I recommend this as a good beach read—very enjoyable!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's thoughts:
Ana of California by Andi Teran is about a young teen girl named Ana. Ana is an orphan and has made the rounds of foster homes. Now she is down to her last chance. Make it work at this place—a farm or else she goes back to a group home. Can Ana do it? Can she make a go of it at the farm or not. I really liked this and cheered for Ana the whole way. I thought this book had enough action to keep my interest and is well worth reading. (5 stars)

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"Ellie's Story" by W. Bruce Cameron

Ellie’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron is told very well by a dog named Ellie.  She talks about the people she comes in contact with and the work that she has to do.  What is her work?  You will have to read the book to find out!  This is a very short, enjoyable read under 200 pages.  The pictures are nice and the ending is the best and most exciting part of the book.  If you love dogs, you will enjoy this book for both kids and adults.  

(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

  
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"The Black Stallion" by Walter Farley an Exciting Fun Read

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley is a fantastic book about a boy, his fight for survival after a shipwreck, his wild black stallion and racing.  There is a lot of action in this children’s book that made me want to keep reading.  It is refreshingly uncomplicated and full of adventure.  I enjoyed this book very much and plan to read more by this author! 

(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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Reading!

"The 13th Gift--a True Story of a Christmas Miracle" by Joanne Huist Smith

The 13th Gift--A True Story of a Christmas Miracle by Joanne Huist Smith is a heartwarming and uplifting non-fiction book.  When Joanne's husband passes away, she is not exactly in the Christmas spirit but has three children she does not want to let down.  One day she finds a gift at her door but doesn't know who put it there.  The gifts keep on coming.  Does Joanne get into Christmas?  Does she find out who is leaving the gifts?

I loved this book because it is a true story.  Joanne tells it so well and her kids are great!  It's a wonderful book to read around Christmas, but any time you need a pick-me-up, this will do the trick.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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