"Winter Sisters" by Robin Oliveira

Winter Sisters by Robin Oliveira is a historical fiction novel.   A blizzard hits the town of Albany and when it finally stops, two little sisters are missing.  The search is on!  After awhile, the police give up and declare them dead.  When they reappear, the questions start:  Where were they?  Was someone holding them?  Are they okay? 

I thought this book was really good.  The pacing of the book is very well done.  There are also some other stories that are brought out as well.  The last part of the book, when a trial takes place, was very, very, good!
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 17:  "Then a friend might have taken them in when no one came for them.  A thousand things could have happened."

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"Defiant" by Lesley Livingston (Book 2 in the Valiant Series)

Defiant by Lesley Livingston is the second book in the Valiant series and just as good as the first!  I liked Fallon again in this one and was hoping the people she put her trust in would not let her down.  It was heartbreaking when Ludus Achillea, home for gladiators, was overtaken by Pontius Aquila and Nyx.  This book has lots of action and strategy.

I liked Cai and Fallon and Quint and Elka.  I also liked how Fallon and Sorcha got to fight together to take back their home and stay free.  There are many interesting supporting characters in this book which I liked.  The plot was well developed but easy enough to follow.  I loved it and recommend this series if you like adventure and fantasy!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 17:  I might have felt a twinge of sympathy for them but, to be honest, in that moment, I couldn't have cared less.  My friends and I were victorious, and that was all that mattered.

Gerard's review (5++ stars):
Defiant by Lesley Livingston is the action-packed follow-up book to The Valiant.  Things start out well for Fallon, but that quickly changes when the place she calls home is overrun and she is put into a cell!  Will she have to fight for an enemy or can she somehow turn the tables on her enemies?

This book is just as good as the first.  Fallon is a fantastic character and she carries the story very well.  The other characters are developed nicely and really add to the story, especially her sister!  This book is filled with lots of good action and the ending is great!  I LOVED IT!  If there is a book 3, I will read it.

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"Making Bombs for Hitler" by Marsha Forchuk

Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk is based on a true story.  Lida and Larissa are sisters who are separated by the Nazis when they are taken to a concentration camp.  Lida vows to find her sister.  Does she?  Do the two sisters even survive?  It addresses the question of "What would you do to survive?"  This book is a quick read and I found it very east to get into.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Caraval" by Stephanie Garber

Caraval by Stephanie Garber is about Scarlett who has always wanted to go and experience Caraval, a faraway, one-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show.  Her father would not allow it though and she didn't have a ticket.  When she manages to get a ticket, she has her sister defy their father and go.  But when Scarlett gets there, her sister, Tella, goes missing.  Is that part of the Caraval game or is it something more?

I thought this book was very good.  Scarlett was a great character and I never knew what was real and what was not!  Sign me up for Book 2 in this series.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)  

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"The Valiant" by Lesley Livingston (We Both Liked This!) UPDATED

The Valiant by Lesley Livingston is set during the time of the gladiators in Rome.  I would classify it more like historical fiction than fantasy, because it doesn't really have any magic in it and it is based on a real place and time period.  Fallon, the main character, starts out as a princess in love with Mael, a warrior she grew up with.  Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond her control, she finds no future with Mael.  Instead, she runs away and is taken captive and sold as a slave to become a gladiatrix for Ceasar!  She is shocked at what she learns and focuses on trying to earn her freedom by becoming a Gladiatrix. 

I liked this book because it moved along quickly, was not complicated and yet had some interesting twists.  I thought Fallen was a bit naive but then, she was young after all.  I really liked her older sister, Sorcha, Thalestris, Elka, and Cai.  It has lots of action and adventure too!  I always looked forward to getting back to it to see what would happen next.  The sister relationship was very interesting. 
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

In The Valiant by Lesley Livingston, Fallon is the proud daughter of a Celtic king. She is about to be 17 and wants to join the war band like her older sister did and fight for her country. At the huge birthday bash, her father announces a different plan for his daughter. Fallon runs off and will have to use all her training to survive.

Wow! What a non-stop thrill ride this book is! Fallon is a great character who reminded me of Celeana in the Sarah J. Mass Throne of Glass series. I loved the action in this and the story line moved along nicely. I want more of Fallon! This is my “book of the month.”
(Gerard's review3/15/17, 5++ stars)



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"The Fixer" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a YA contemporary fiction mystery about Tess Kendrick, a 16-yr-old who is taken by her older sister, Ivy, the "fixer."  Ivy left the ranch years before and works closely with the President of the United States in D.C. to fix problems.  Tess resents Ivy for not taking her along when their parents died so lives with her grandfather whose Alzheimer's gets worse,  When Ivy visits, she moves the grandfather to a care facility in Boston and has Tess live with her.  Ivy tries to protect Tess from getting involved in her job but Tess becomes involved in spite of Ivy's efforts.  Tess is shocked as secrets come to light and bravely seeks the truth.

This was very good with a combination of politics, murder and family relationships.  I enjoyed the plot and the characters and especially the surprise twist near the end.  I finished this in two days and looked forward to getting back to it.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"Remember Yesterday" by Pintip Dunn

Remember Yesterday by Pintip Dunn is the follow-up to Forget Tomorrow.  This is ten years later and Jessa is now 16.  She mourns the death of her sister and is working with the underground to overthrow the government.  One day a boy who never had any time for her, gives her some new information.  Will Jessa join up with the enemy if it means the world will look better to her?

This book is so much better than the first one!  It has more action and less romance with a good ending to set up book 3.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Behind Closed Doors" by B. A. Paris (The Perfect Marriage or the Perfect Lie?)

Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris was a psychological thriller that was better than I expected.  I certainly felt sorry for Grace because of the monster she married.  He completely had her fooled to get at her sister, Millie who has Down Syndrome. 

I enjoyed this book and was eager to see how Grace was going to manage to get away from her husband, Jack and save her sister.   There are a lot of mind games going on in this book and liked that there was no graphic violence or sex scenes.  The only thing I didn't care for was the organization of the book because it jumped back and forth between the present and the past all the way through which I found annoying. 
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review 8/20/16, 5 stars:
In Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris, Grace is in the park with her sister, Millie.  Millie is a special needs person and Grace takes to caring for her after their parents reject her.  In the park one day, Jack befriends Millie and begins to romance Grace.  When Jack asks Grace to marry him, she knows better days are coming for her and Millie.

I found this thriller to be a real page turner.  The story goes back and forth in time but that only builds up the suspense.  As the author's first book, I say it is very well done!


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"Those Girls" by Chevy Stevens is a Thriller About 3 Sisters We Both Liked!

Those Girls by Chevy Stevens is a gripping novel that is about three sisters (Dani, 17, Courtney-16 and Jess-14) who are abused by an alcoholic father and later raped and how each is affected by their experience and deals with it differently.  These sisters are very close and support each other and start a new life with help from an unlikely source, an ex-con who got a break and is plays it forward.

The girls do pretty good at putting their past behind them until Jess discovers she is pregnant by the guy who raped her and brings everything back. 

I LOVED this book in spite of some very graphic and horrifying parts which worked to get the reader to really root for those girls to succeed.  The bond between the sisters was very interesting to me and how Jess's daughter became the "best part of them."  I liked the people who helped the girls along their way with the "playing if forward" theme worked in and the way they chose their new names for the new identities. The ending had a lot of suspense and action which made me to keep reading and not put this down!
(Karen's review, 5 stars) 

Gerard's review (5++ stars):
Those Girls by Chevy Stevens is about three sisters.  One of the sisters shoots their dad to save the other one from him and they all go on the run!  They soon find more trouble.  This books is told in three parts from various points of view.  I really enjoyed the first part of the book as the girls were in big trouble with non-stop action.  The second part was pretty much rehashing what happened in the first part but part 3 when everything came together more than made up for part 2 and I got caught up in it!

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"This Raging Light" by Estelle Laure

This Raging Light by Estelle Laure is about a young teen girl named Lucille. Her dad is in a home trying to get his act together. Her mom left for a while and told her and her sister (Wren) that she would be back. That was a long time ago though. So Lucille had to do it all and hope that her secret does not get out. Will her parents come back? Does her secret get out?

I loved this book! Lucille and Wren are really good characters and the book flows along with action here and there with a real good ending! I look forward to reading book 2.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)


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"The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah is Amazing! We Both Loved it!

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a heartbreaking story of two sisters, Vianna and Isabelle, living in France during World War II. It is action packed with well-developed characters who the reader comes to care about. Both sisters are very brave in different ways. The sisters both find themselves in difficult situations and have to make some hard choices. What both sisters endured was horrible, but love prevailed.

I didn’t realize the Nazis actually occupied France until I read this book. This novel gives insight into what it was like for civilians during World War II in France and also what great lengths parents would go to in order to protect their children. I was eager to get back to this book to see what was going to happen next. There is a lot of adventure, some romance, sadness and touching moments along the way. This is a fascinating historical fiction novel I highly recommend.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review, 5++ stars:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is set in France during World War II.  Two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, now live in a country that is run by the Nazis.  Isabelle wants to fight for her country while Vianne does what she has to do to keep her family alive.  

This is a fantastic read!  It is fiction, but the events in the book really happened.  The pages went by quickly as I became totally engrossed in this story.  Books to do get much better than this!  I LOVED it and am naming it my "book of the month."  This is a must read!  You won't be sorry!


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"Deeply Devoted" (Blue Willow Brides Series) by Maggie Brendan

Deeply Devoted (Blue Willow Brides) by Maggie Brendan is a light romance about a mail-order bride from Holland to a farmer in Wyoming in the 1800s. Catherine answers Peter’s ad for a bride and they correspond for six months but neither make mention of certain things. When Catherine arrives with her two teenage sisters, Greta and Anna, Peter is very surprised but accommodates them all nonetheless. Peter’s mother is shocked when she finds out he is marrying Catherine because he never mentioned anything about it to her. His mother is suspicious of Catherine so hires a private investigator to check out her background and uncovers a secret she neglected to tell Peter.

I enjoyed reading this light historical fiction romance. It’s about trust in a marriage and how important it is to be honest with your spouse. I liked the younger sister, Anna, best though and her puppies. It’s a quick read.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

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"Ruby (Dakota Treasures-Book 1)" by Lauraine Snelling if a Fun Read

Don't know why libraries can't put their stickers on the back!

Ruby by Lauraine Snelling is a good read about Ruby and her younger sister Opal (9 yrs. Old) who move to the Dakota territory from the east when their father sends for them just before he dies to give them their inheritance. It’s hardly a town at all with just a saloon/brothel, the Dove House that they inherit and another saloon, small store and a few other buildings. No sheriff, no children, no school, no church. The father’s dying wish was that Ruby would take care of the girls. She promised him she would before she finds out that they are prostitutes. Ruby is very uptight about everything and Opal is fun loving, friendly and adventurous. Ruby decides to stay only because she promised her father so decides to discontinue serving liquor, and the brothel, changing it into a respectable hotel that serves food and coffee. She agreed to permit the card room to stay open for gambling certain hours and let Belle run it.

I enjoyed this book very much because it was interesting to see how Ruby persuaded the others in the business to stay on and help change things. I liked Opal better than Ruby. I didn’t understand why Ruby did not pray more in this Christian fiction book than she did when she kept running into so many problems and challenges. It seemed she just complained a lot, yelled a lot and bossed people around, expecting Charlie to take care of everything. If you like historical fiction, I would recommend this book. Although it is classed as Christian fiction, I didn’t really find all that much Christianity in it.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)


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"What the Dog Said" by Randi Reisfeld

What the Dog Said by Randi Reisfeld is a fun little YA read about a 13-yr-old girl, Grace, who is grieving the death of her father who was a cop and was shot on his way to her softball game. When they go to pick out a shelter dog to train as a service dog, she pics a mutt named Rex who actually talks to her! The plan was for her sister to be able to write about training a service dog for her college entrance essay. When Grace hears the dog talk, she wonders if she’s going crazy, but Rex helps her resolve the mystery of who shot her dad and helps her through a difficult time.

This is a good story about doing the right thing even if it’s hard. It’s a quick, enjoyable read that also shows what service dogs get trained to do and the different people service dogs can help—they are not only for the blind!
(Karen's review, 4 stars)


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"Dark Rooms" by Lili Anolik Could Use More Action

Dark Rooms by Lili Anolik is about two sisters, Nica and Grace.  Nica turns up dead and the killer is found, case closed.  But Grace is not buying it and dedicates her life to finding and hurting her sister's killer. 

I found this book to be pretty good but lacking in action.  The story kept my interest and liked the surprise ending.  It's well worth reading!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"Vanishing Girls" by Lauren Oliver is Good But . . .

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver tells the story of sisters, Dara and Nick.  They hang around with each other and are close until a car accident has consequences for both of them.  This novel is told by both sisters and I liked them both.  It is good and kept my interest throughout; however, would have preferred a different ending.  That being said, Vanishing Girls is very readable and I think you would enjoy it.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Think Twice" by Lisa Scottoline is a Doozy We Both Likded! (Updated)

Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline is about identical twin girls, but other than looks, they are very different!  When the one twin does unspeakable acts to the other, this novel takes off!  Think Twice is really good with plenty of action and a great ending.  
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline is full of unbelievable cruelty from Bennie Rosato’s identical twin, Alice, who was raised in foster care and made a mess of her life.  Bennie is a successful attorney who owns her own firm but when she accepts a dinner invitation from Alice, she wakes up in a box buried alive!  Alice goes on to impersonate her twin and take over her life in the hopes of getting a new start.  It’s hard to believe anyone could really be this cruel, and I even wonder how authors can think up this stuff.  The book has plenty of action including gun play, chase scenes and even some sweetness tossed in for good measure.  I found myself thinking, “Oh, wow!” over and over as Alice continued to be a real piece of work in making her sister’s life miserable.

Although Think Twice isn’t realistic at all, I enjoyed reading it because I wanted to see Alice get caught—she was so bad!  I really liked Bennie’s boyfriend, Grady, and her co-worker, Judy, but thought the psychic cousin made this seem more like fantasy than real life.  The ending was pretty good with a bit of a surprise thrown in which I liked!    This book showed me how important it is to keep any written passwords away from my computer—I’m going to move mine!
(Karen's review, 5 stars) 

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"Heartsong" by Nicola Furlong

Heartsong by Nicola Furlong is about three daughters helping their widowed father to fulfill a promise he made to a war buddy years ago.  Charly, the daughter with a couple of children, lives with her father and they run a family nursery.  When the father has a heart attack, it gets him thinking about his life and he wants to make things right if he can so shares the broken promise with his family who help him.

I did not care for this book because it moved along so slowly.  The only thing I found sort of interesting were the quotes that referred to gardening at the beginning of each chapter.  Most of the book is the family eating and lame conversations with clichés around the kitchen table.  The only action was when the father had a heart attack and the few incidents Charly’s son did.  If I hadn’t received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, I probably would have quit on it before things picked up a bit around page 148. If you like slow, relaxing family stories, then you would probably love this one!

 

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