"Baby Please Don't Go" by Frank Freudberg

Image from Amazon

Baby Please Don’t Go by Frank Freudberg is about Lock, a recovering alcoholic who gets a job as a social worker but made a huge mistake when he got personally involved with Natalie, a mother under investigation in one of his cases. Lock is a decent guy that wants his own family and really likes kids. Natalie is a greedy liar, a slut and master manipulator who got Lock to help her frame her husband Witt so that she could keep full custody of her two little girls.

I liked Lock for the most part but Natalie really was a piece of work. I was really disappointed when Lock’s friend died because he was my favorite character. Witt, Natalie and her sleezy attorney, Jeremy Freel were unbelievable! This was just a heartbreaking story because Lock really was trying so hard to go straight and be a good family man, but Natalie didn’t want any part of that. I did not understand why Natalie didn’t love her little boy and why she treated Lock so cruelly. The ending was just slapped on with no logical build up to it at all so I felt a bit cheated. The people in this book were so different from anyone I know that I couldn’t relate to them at all.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

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"Ashley Bell" by Dean Koontz Lives up to the Hype!

In Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz, a young girl named Bibi Blair is having a good life. Then one day out of the blue, she is rushed into emergency ER. She is young and thinks that this is no big deal. She finds out that she has brain cancer and has one year to live! But her recovery is unbelievable and a woman tells her that her life was spared so she can save Ashley Bell. Save her from what, or whom? Who is Ashley Bell?

There has been a lot of book hype about this novel and the hype is the real deal! As usual, Koontz goes into stuff you would find hard to believe, but that is part of the fun! I LOVED IT!
Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"Disclaimer" by Renee Knight

In Disclaimer by Renee Knight, Catherine finds a novel, The Perfect Stranger, on her bed stand, realizing as she reads that it is about her and an event in her life that she does not want known.  Only one other person knew about it and that person is dead.  So who wrote it and why?  Her husband and son have the same book!

This book is good with action that kept me turning pages to a really good ending.  Here's a teaser from it for you:

I'm not interested in her acknowledgement of my pain.  It's too late for that now.

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

"In a Dark, Dark Wood" by Ruth Ware is a Page Turner I LOVED!

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware is about Leonora who is leading a good life.  She is a writer and doing well.  One day she receives an email to come to a "hen" party given for her best friend when she was going to school.  It has been ten years and she really does not want to go, but against her better judgment, she does.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY has this book as one of their top 10 summer reads and PEOPLE MAGAZINE had it as a top read.  They are both right!    The first part of the book sets the scene and you might think it is slow, but when the action starts, this is becomes a real page turner.  I enjoyed all the characters and could not wait to see how it all played out!  I LOVED IT!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Pretty Baby" by Mary Kubica--Different Opinions on this one! (UPDATED)

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica centers on a charitable woman named Heidi who helps stray cats.  One day she sees a teen girl holding a baby at a train station and decides to take her in for just one night, assuming she's homeless.  This novel is told by multiple points of view which I thought made the story that much better.  The real good thing is the multiple story lines.  You do not really know what to expect next!  This is a page turner that is well worth reading, enjoy!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica is a contemporary psychological thriller that is sad and heartbreaking. This novel combines the sad stories of Heidi Wood, a married woman with a 12-yr.-old daughter and Willow, a homeless teen girl with a baby. Their paths cross and Heidi opens her home to Willow and the baby in spite of objections from her husband and daughter.

The reader is gradually given bits and pieces of Heidi’s and Willow’s pasts as the current events unfold which culminate into a good ending. I liked Heidi at the beginning but as the book went along, I liked her less and less. I liked Willow though and felt sorry for her throughout the book. This book portrays the social worker as incompetent and totally repulsive behavior on the part of Willow’s foster dad. This book was very disturbing to me because of the content. I thought it was an interesting read and didn’t have any clue as to how it would end so wanted to keep reading. 
 (Karen's review, 3 stars)


See our review of The Good Girl by Mary Kubica which we both liked.

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!

"The Hand That Feeds You" by A. J. Rich

The Hand That Feeds You by A. J. Rich is about a lady named Morgan.  She is living with her fiance named Bennet and her dogs.  One day she comes home and her fiance is dead.  it looks like her dogs did it, but has a hard time accepting that.  On further investigation it turns out the name of her fiance was false and this man has a history of wrong doing.

This is a real page turner that I enjoyed.  I loved how the dogs were kept in the story for almost the whole 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Every Fifteen Minutes" by Lisa Scottoline

In Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline, the main character, Dr. Eric Parrish, works in a psychiatric unit.  He is recently divorced but that is the least of his problems.  As his problems pile up, he is treating a young boy named Max (a teen sociopath with OCD) that presents him with a whole new set of problems. 

You usually can't go wrong with Lisa's books; however, I thought this book kind of dragged in certain parts.  the two separate stories are okay but not exactly page turners.  This book is readable, but not one of her best.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Creep" by Jennifer Hillier--A Wow Book by a First-Time Author

Creep by Jennifer Hillier is about Dr. Sheila Tao, a professor of psychology.  She has an affair with a graduate student, but breaks it off when she meets an older man who she decides to marry.  The problem is that the grad student does not want their affair to end.

This was very good, a real page-turner with a twist at the end I did not see coming.  This is the author's first book too!  I highly recommend it.

I even made a video reviewing this book for my wife's channel for her Booktube group:


(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!

"Finding Jake" by Bryan Reardon is Very Good!

In Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon, Simon Connelly's wife goes to her law office every day leaving Simon to look after their two kids:  Laney, their daughter, and Jake, their son.  Things are going okay until one day Simon gets a message that shots have been fired at the school his kids attend.  Laney is okay and reunites with her mom and dad, but they can't find Jake.  Simon looks for him and so do the cops.

Wow!  Finding Jake is Great!  The suspense mounts and continues to a fantastic ending!  This book is memorable, I won't soon forget it.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon is about a stay-at-home dad whose son is missing after shots were fired at his school.  Through flashbacks, the reader learns about various incidents in Jake's life and how the dad seemed to doubt his parenting skills.

I liked this book because I was never sure if Jake was a shooter at the school too or what happened to him.  I felt for the parents when kids and other parents were re-united after the shooting, but Jake was missing.  I could have done with less flashbacks, but they served to show Jake's character and how the dad raised him.  I liked the ending and think anyone who likes books about missing kids or family stories would like this.
(Karen's review, 4 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!

"Crazy Love You" by Lisa Unger

Crazy Love You by Lisa Unger is about Ian, a writer of comic books.  He has a real good series called "Fatboy and Priss."  Ian is a bit of a loner, but then he gets his act together and finds the love of his life.  One problem with that is that Priss is not happy about it, and when Priss is not happy, bad things happen.  This a a very good psychological book.  It kept me turning pages and I really loved the ending chapter.  It even had the name of one of our cats in it--Spunky Doodle (the tuxedo cat) even though it didn't have much of a role.  How cool is that! 
(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!

"The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is about a young lady named Rachel.  She takes a train to work every day, the same way back and forth.  She sees a couple most days and watches them.  Then one day she sees something from the train that changes her whole outlook on them.

WOW!  This book is so good!  I got into all the characters really fast.  It is great writing and the twists in the story are very good with a fantastic ending!  I LOVED IT!  Once I got into this, it was hard to put down.  It will be hard to find a better book than this one.
(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!

We Have Different Opinions of "Dear Killer" by Katherine Ewell

 Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell is a quick read that kept me turning the pages to see if the killer gets caught.  In this book, the "Perfect Killer" is the main character.  Kit was taught to be a killer by her mother for money--yes, they were both killers.  The mom "retired" from killing and turned over the job to her daughter (nice, huh?).  When Kit is killing, she goes by Diana, I think so she can live with herself.  The killings are not real gory but there are many! It's hard to give a book 5 stars if you don't like the main character.
(Karen's review 4/29/14, 4 stars)

Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell is told by Kit, a young girl who is the "Perfect Killer."  Why? you ask. You will have to read the book to find out that one.  Kit was taught by her mom and taught well.  Then one thing happens that will change her way of life, or will it?

I really enjoyed this book a lot!  I thought the writing was very good and Kit is an amazing character.  Put this on your T.B.R. list.  It's that good.  I LOVED it!  This is the best book I've read this month so far.
(Gerard's review 4/16/14, 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!

"Mind of Winter" by Laura Kasischke is Fantastic!

Mind of Winter by Laura Kasischke takes place on Christmas day!  Due to a blizzard, a family Christmas does not come off.  At home is just the mom and her teenage daughter.  What makes this book so good is the writing.  Mind of Winter hooked me from page one and did not let me go with a shocking ending I did not see coming at all.  This is a fantastic read I highly recommend! 
(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!

"The Weight of Blood" by Laura McHugh

The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh is about a young girl who is determined to find out what happened to her mom and to her best friend who both went missing at different parts of her life.  I enjoyed this book from start to finish.  There were not a lot of "wow" moments but it kept me turning pages nonetheless.  I especially liked the ending!  This is a very good novel by a first-time author so give it a chance.
(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!

"The Winter People" by Jennifer McMahon

Keep the light on after reading this one!

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon is about a mother of two young girls who one day just disappears and the girls try to find her.  There is so much more to the book than that, but to tell more would give away too much.  Suffice it to say this book will have you turning pages quickly.  If you read it at night, you might want to keep your light on.  There is plenty of "wow" moments in this one; it doesn't get much better than this!  I highly recommend it!  Read and enjoy! 

teaser from pg. 57:
Snow thudded off the branches of one of the apples trees, making Ruthie jump.  Had something else moved, something deep in the shadows?  She held her breath, waiting.
(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!

"In The Blood" by Lisa Unger (Updated)

In The Blood by Lisa Unger is about a page-turning thriller about a young girl who takes a job of caring for a young troubled boy during the week for a few hours.  That is only one of the story lines though, there is a lot more to this book than that!  I finished it in two days because it was hard to put down.  The ending is fantastic but didn't see it coming.  Lisa Unger's books are always good, but she outdid herself this time!  I have not been "wowed" by a book in a while, but was with this one because the ending is so incredible.  This is a must read.  
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

In The Blood by Lisa Unger is a psychological thriller that gets you hooked right from the start.  It is about family secrets and some bizarre behaviors.  This book has some very strange characters to say the least who kept me guessing.  Luke is an 11-yr-old boy genius psycho finds pleasure in manipulating and tricking people into doing what he wants.  Lana, a college student, is hired to be his “companion” after school to keep him out of trouble.  They play chess a lot and Luke keeps winning.  They change the game to a scavenger hunt which turns out to be much more than just a game.  I loved the ending!  If you enjoy a puzzle and intrigue with some mystery, this is a must read for you!  Although I was a bit confused at the diary entries, everything is explained in the end so stick with it and just see how the puzzle pieces fall into place. 
(Karen'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!

Joining in on Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop today with the book review prompt.

"The Silent Wife" by A. S. A. Harrison

If you read Gone Girl, then you have pretty much read The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison which alternates chapters between her (Jodi) and him (Todd).  I loved Gone Girl but this book is pretty good too.  It kept my interest and the ending was sort of a surprise.  I think it is worth your time, enjoy.  My wife didn't care for it though and gave up after four chapters, but then she didn't like Gone Girl either.   

Here is a teaser for you:

And now you want to throw it all away and join the ranks of pussy-addled middle-aged men like me whose brains are in their pants. I'm disappointed in you, Todd.

From page 156 of The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison.

(Gerard's review, 4 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!

"The Never List" by Koethi Zan is a Real Page Turner! (UPDATED)

I'll Never do that!

The Never List by Koethi Zan is about three college girls who were kept chained up in a college professor's basement and one in a box!  This book grabbed a hold of me from page one!  The plot is really good and I loved the interaction throughout the book among the three girls.  The last few chapters when all the twists take place were so good I did not want to stop reading.  Put this on your to read list--you will be glad you did! 
(Gerard's review posted 8/20/13, 5+ stars) 


The Never List by Koethi Zan got my attention right away with two girls making a list of things they would NEVER do to stay safe. It is told from Sarah's view point who was held captive in a basement of a psycho college professor along with her best friend, Jennifer, and two other girls, Tracy and Christine. The professor was arrested when Sarah escaped but ten years later is up for parole. When the girls meet years later to work together to make sure he is not released, they wind up in dangerous situations and realize the professor is even a bigger monster than they thought.


This psychological thriller is very creepy but at least not gory in spite of references to torture and a very dark world of human trafficking. It explores the extent people will go for self preservation and the depravity of humanity. Although the main character, Sarah, is likeable and I couldn't help but root for her in her quest to find her friend's dead body, it didn't seem very believable that she would do that. I enjoyed some of the dialogue which lightened things up some. There are some tense moments and I had to keep reading to see how she escaped and learn what happened. The ending was shocking! To me this is a cross between a thriller and a cozy mystery novel.
(Karen's review posted 8/17/13)

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!

Great Thriller: "Poppet" by Mo Hayder

With Poppet by Mo Hayder, you get two stories in one! One story is about a missing girl who is presumed dead. The body was never found. The Detective working on the case knows what happened, but his friendship stops him from revealing it. When he tells the friend, she will stop at nothing to keep the body hidden. The second is that something is happening at a nursing home that is terrorizing the residents.

Both outcomes to these two stories will shock you--it did me! I loved the dog in the second story! This is a great quick read well worth your time!
(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!

"Never Coming Back" by Hans Koppel

Never Coming Back, International bestseller, by Hans Koppel tells the story of a couple who hold a woman hostage that they feel was responsible for their daughter's suicide 20 years ago. She was a member of "The Gang of Four" who terrorized a school. The other three are dead; will she meet the same fate? You talk about a page turner, this is it! Plenty of "wow" factors and the ending is not to be missed! I give it 5 stars plus-plus!!! A must read for anyone who likes a good story.
(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!