"The Silence of Six" by E. C. Myers

In The Silence of Six by E. C. Myers, you will meet Max, a young teen boy who knows how to hack into computers, phones and anything else.  He is very good at it!  When a close friend of his contacts him and then kills himself during a Presidential debate, Max wants to get to the bottom of it.

I enjoyed this book because there is lots of action and Max is a great character.  The ending was really good too!  If you liked Ready Player One, you will most likely enjoy this book too!
(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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Does it matter?  Dying's what you came for; here's your grand chance.

From page 104 of In Wilderness by Diane Thomas.

Max closed his eyes, wishing he could shut out the sounds too.  He saw blood and brains explode from the back of
Evan's skull in slow motion, like some over-the-top horror flick.

From page 17 of The Silence of Six by E. C. Myers.

Karen's:

"It's just that I'm so afraid of making a mess of being married to the wrong man--the wrong kind for me, I mean.  I'm no different from any other woman, and the wrong man would turn me into a screamin' shrew in record time."

From page 48 of Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.

"You're always up for some fun--right, girl?"  There was an edge to his voice, testing, like he knew something.  Courtney looked terrified.

From page 21 of Those Girls by Chevy Stevens.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"In Wilderness" by Diane Thomas

In Wilderness by Diane Thomas, Katherine receives word from her doctor that her time is short, so decides to move to an isolated cabin to spend the time she has left. However, she is not alone. A Vietnam vet suffering from PTSD, Danny who is 20 years old, lives up there too. These two people that are pretty much lost to the rest of the world.

This book is told by both Katherine and Danny. Even though there is not a lot of action, I just had to see how this would all play out so kept me reading. I was riveted by both of them. It is 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"HOPE--a School, a Team, a Dream" by Bill Reynolds

HOPE--A School, a Team, a Dream by Bill Reynolds tells the true story of Hope, a high school in Providence, Rhode Island, and one season of basketball. The coach of the team is Dave Nyblom. What I enjoyed in this book was the interaction between the coach and the players. That was the main focus of the story. The part that dealt with the actual games was okay too. With March Madness set to begin in a few weeks, this book is perfect to get you in the mood for it!
(Gerard's review, 4.5 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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Roy had some trouble screwing the silencer onto the end of the gun.  It wouldn't thread right.  Martin Shine watched him with those magnified eyes.

From page 16 of Shaker by Scott Frank.

One night, he said, the kids were going from his house to his mother's house a couple of hundred yards away in a field.  It was dark and some of them had said they were afraid, and Nyblom had said, "How about I fire a few gunshots into the air so it will feel like home?"

From page 17 of Hope--a School, a Team, a Dream by Bill Reynolds.

What did she want from him?  A wave of panic overcame him suddenly.

From page 23 of The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin.

Karen's:

"I want to go home."  It was something he said in times of distress since he was a toddler.  It had been his first full sentence.  She always answered in the same way:  "You are home."
"I want my mama."
"I'm here, baby."
He looked away from her.  "Not you.  I want my other mother."
"I'm your mommy, honey."
He turned.  His doleful eyes locked onto hers.  "No, you're not."

From page 34 of The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin. (Sorry for the length, but had to get the gist across--the kid is 4 years old)

Bile rose in my throat and panic seized me.  I couldn't go back there--I couldn't lead other girls to that fate at sword point.

From page 16 of Defy by Sara B. Larson.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"The Forgetting Time" by Sharon Guskin is Unforgettable!

I liked The Forgetting Time a debut novel by Sharon Guskin.  Janie knows that nothing comes easy for her with her 4-yr.-old son, Noah, but when his preschool calls her again, she knows it's time to get him some professional help.  Enter Dr. Jerome Anderson, who just received some bad news and knows his time of normal functioning is fading.  When Noah's mom comes to him for help with her son, he sees a last chance to finish his life's work.

I thought this book was very well done.  It kept my interest throughout and had some twists I did not see coming.  Congrats to the author on a great first novel!
 Gerard's review (5 stars)
 
(Karen's review, 4 stars): 
The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin will probably prove to be unforgettable for me! When 4-yr.-old Noah screams his head off if his mother tries to bathe him, has nightmares, says he wants to go home and wants his other mama, and talks about things such as shooting a rifle, going to their beach house, Lord Voldemort and all kinds of lizards he has no way of knowing about, she is at her wits end. She and the psychologists she has taken him to don’t have a clue what is wrong with him or how he knows these things.

Finally, she discovers a psychiatrist who is looking for one more American case to complete his book about the possibility of living more than one life.  Noah becomes his last case before he loses speech altogether as he has just been diagnosed with Aphasia--a rare type of Dementia that affects the language center.  The story is told from different points of view.

This book was interesting but kind of like a contemporary science fiction story about boys and two mothers. It starts off pretty slow but builds along the way to a great ending. I initially thought Noah was just a bratty kid, but liked him as the story opened my understanding as to maybe why he acted as he did.


SPOILER ALERT--STOP IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS YET! 
I got a bit bored when the author inserted the “cases” for reincarnation from other countries that were not directly related to the main story line; however, when I did an online search for "life before life" I found it to be an actual book that several of the cases were quoted from by Jim B. Tucker.  I was just curious about that.  The Doctor's story runs along with the main story in this book.  I did not like the ending to his story line though.  Although I personally do not believe in reincarnation, I still enjoyed this book.



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!

"Shaker" by Scott Frank

In Shaker by Scott Frank, Roy Cooper is a paid hitman.  He arrives in L.A. to put out a hit on Martin Shine.  He does not know the man, but he does his job.  Later on, he tries to play hero and help a man who is being beat up by some street thugs.  All of a sudden, he goes from being the hunter to being the hunted--a LOT of people want Roy Cooper gone!

I enjoyed this book because it kept my interest, liked all the different characters and a good ending.  It's well worth reading.
(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!

"Ghost Boy" by Martin Pistorius is a True Story!

Ghost Boy--the miraculous escape of a misdiagnosed boy trapped inside his own body by Martin Pistorius is a true story!   It tells the story of Martin's life so far and what a story it is!  One day he went to school but never went back.  He spent his 14th birthday as a mute quadriplegic but then his mind came alive.  Thought to be brain dead, he was really aware of what was happening all around him but couldn't communicate it.  He knew it, but no one else did.  He refused to give up!  I also found it very interesting how people acted around him.  Give this book a try--I loved the ending!
(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!

"And Then There Were None" by Agatha Chrisie--A Creepy and Baffling Mystery!

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie is a baffling murder mystery. Ten people voluntarily go to a mansion on Soldiers Island where they soon figure out that the end of their life is coming soon. They suspiciously die one by one and no one can figure out who is behind the killing, including the reader. It is a genius murder mystery! I am so glad the author included the epilogue which explains who was behind everything and how it was done because otherwise I still wouldn't know who the murder was. It is a fascinating psychological thriller that plays on the power of suggestion and manipulation.

This book had me turning the pages right from the start, not only trying to figure out who the murderer was, but also who would be the next victim and how they would die. I didn’t do very well at that either. This is the first book I’ve read by Agatha Christie but plan to read more! I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries or thrillers!
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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

I couldn't make a sign or a sound to let anyone know I'd become aware again.  I was invisible--the ghost boy.

From page x of Ghost Boy--the miraculous escape of a misdiagnosed boy trapped inside his own body by Martin Pistorius.

Suddenly, the Honda's back end skidded, kicking the car onto the slightest angle.  The skid lasted no more than a second or two, but it was enough time for Billy to watch his entire life pass before the rain-smudged windshield.

From page 11 of The Changing Season by Steven Manchester.

Karen's:

Into that silence came The Voice.  Without warning, inhuman, penetrating. . . ."Ladies and gentlemen!  Silence please!"

Everyone was startled.  They looked round--at each other, at the walls.  Who was speaking?

From page 46 of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.  (Review up tomorrow)

If you're in a period of calm tiredness, the easiest way to return to the peak efficiency of calm energy may be to take a brisk walk.  According to Thayer, walking for about ten minutes boosts energy levels and keeps them at a heightened state for at least an hour.

From page 175 of BRAIN--The Complete Mind:  How id develops, How it works, and How to keep it sharp by Michael S. Sweeney.

"Well, as a general rule, most women, before they've got 'em, present to their men smiling, agreeing faces.  They hide their thoughts.  You now, when you're feeling hateful, honey, you are hateful."

From page 15 of Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"Glass Sword" by Victoria Aveyard (We Both Liked This)

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard is the second book in the Red Queen series that I was anxiously looking forward to reading.  In this book, Mare and Cal join with the Red Guard to round up more Reds like Mare (red bloods with extra powers) to try to overthrow the silvers who are in power.  There is a lot of fighting in this book and many different super powers come into play.

I was somewhat disappointed with this book because I didn't get wowed by it like I did the first.  There were not as many surprises in this one for me and although it kept my interest, it didn't really grip me.  There is a lot of action but I would have liked a map to have a better idea of where all the places were that they were going to recruit Newbloods.   The ending left me feeling sad.  It was good but I was expecting better.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Glass Sword is the follow up to Red Queen.  In Glass Sword, Mare is trying to get an army together to take down the king and Elara.  As she does, she begins to question the cost and other people begin to question her actions.  I thought this book was really good.  I loved all the action and the super powers of some of the people called Newbloods that Mare finds.  This book may not be quite as good as the first, but it's close!  I look forward to book 3 of the series.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

See our review of RED QUEEN, the first in this series.

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 Changing Season" by Steven Manchester

The Changing Season by Steven Manchester is about a teen boy named Billy who just graduated from High School and plans a fun, relaxing summer spending a lot of time with his dog, Jimmy, before he heads off to college.   He is not sure what he plans to study, but will think about it.  Little did he know his summer will include some life-changing episodes.

I thought this book was very good.  All the characters were believable and well drawn out.  I especially enjoyed his unbreakable bond with Jimmy.  I received this book for an honest review and liked it a whole lot!  I recommend 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!

"PAX" by Sara Pennypacker - A Book for Children that We Enjoyed

PAX by Sara Pennypacker is told from two points of view:  Pax, a fox and a young boy named Peter.  Peter's father is going off to war and decides that it is time to send Pax into the woods.  After a while, Peter and Pax know that this is not right and set out to do something about it!

Wow!  This book was so good!  I LOVED Pax.  His story was so good I hung on every word.  Give this book a chance and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

I too enjoyed PAX by Sara Pennypacker about the bond between Peter, a 12-yr.-old boy, and a fox and the cost of war.  Peter's mother had died and so when his father went to war, the boy had to go live with his grandpa 300 hundred miles away.  The father made the boy release the fox into the woods on the way to the grandfather's house.   The chapters alternate between the boy's journey and the fox's journey which I found very interesting.  When Peter decides to go back for his fox, he breaks a bone in his foot and is befriended by Vola, a lady who lives on a farm alone who is a very interesting character.  Peter and her help each other.  This is a touching story with adventure and suspense.  I also liked the artwork by Jon Klassen.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

But Dobby's eyes were wide and seemed to be trying to give Harry a hint.  Harry, however, was completely lost.

From page 17 of Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling.

There was no scent of blood.  He squirmed out of the boy's arms to inspect his human more carefully, alarmed that he could have failed to notice an injury, although his sense of smell was never wrong.

From page 2 of PAX by Sara Pennypacker.

Karen's:

Any sensible person would call them my enemies.  Strange, my enemies know me best, and my family doesn't know me at all.

From page 60 of Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard.  (Sequel to RED QUEEN--fantasy)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling--Both of Us Loved it!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling is the second book of this series which is about Harry’s second year at Hogwarts. I loved the action in this book and the relationships with Harry, Ron and Hermione. The ending had me on the edge. This was a page turner to the very end.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling.  It's about Harry's second year at Hogwarts and is quite the mystery with adventures of an elf named Dobby, a flying car, changing into other people, attacking trees and huge spiders, and an attack on Harry's life!  Harry proves to be very brave and very nice once again in this book.

I don't understand though why he just didn't keep that invisible cloak on when he went into the forbidden forest.  It would save him a lot of trouble.  Anyhow, I really like Hermione and felt sorry for her when her magic potion didn't work so well for her and when she got petrified.  This is a very fun read and I plan to continue on with more of this series.
(Karen's review 6-1-15, 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!

"Stuck Together-Trouble in Texas Book 3" by Mary Connealy

For Valentine's Day, I am reviewing the historical romance novel I just finished.

Stuck Together—Trouble in Texas, book 3 by Mary Connealy Is about the romance between Vince and Tina, Jonas’ sister. When Vince’s parents and half-sister arrive in town, he gets all shook up and fears that he will become like his tyrannical father or his mother who has dementia. He gets stuck at being sheriff of the town (with no pay) and has to deal with tracking down some drunk who shot at Luke, an escaped prisoner, taking care of his mother and falling in love with Tina, the most beautiful woman he ever saw.

I enjoyed this quick western romance because the women were pretty feisty and it was cute how the Jonas and Vince both liked each other’s sister. Vince’s mother, Mrs. Yates, was a sweet old lady who kept trying to go out when no one was paying attention to her and was quite successful. I thought it was really nice how the townspeople all joined together to take turns keeping watch over Mrs. Yates. This book had more romance than the first two which I liked better, but still had a little action and excitement at the end.
(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!

"Fallen Land" by Taylor Brown

Fallen Land by Taylor Brown takes place during the last year of the Civil War.  Due to the war, a young boy, Callum, and a young girl, Ava, band together with a horse named Reiver.  Bounty hunters are after Callum and will stop at nothing to find him. 

I enjoyed the relationship between Callum and Ava, two great characters.  The horse was awesome!  This book has action and a great ending!   My wife thought it started off too slow and gave up on it early on, but I liked 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!

"A Cold War" by Alan Russell is about Survival in Alaska

In A Cold War by Alan Russell, Nina Granville goes on a business trip to Alaska. She is soon to be married and needs some place to sort out things. She gets anything but that! Soon she is in a situation where her life is at stake! What a fantastic book this is! Right from the start I was into it and lost myself in this amazing story. It had my attention all the way. Some people had a problem with the ending, but I did not. I thought it was really, really good! This is a must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review, 4 stars:
A Cold War by Alan Russell is about Nina Granville, a recently engaged woman to Terrance Donnelly, a politician, but she is not sure she wants to marry him. She goes on a trip to Alaska to get away for a while and winds up being abducted and treated like an animal by a really mean man called Baer in the Alaskan wilderness. He is crazy! He thinks the world is ending soon and being a survivalist in the Alaskan wilderness is the best place to be. Nina is very brave and very strong. She is determined to escape and get back to civilization. She discovers she is not the first woman Baer has had, but the third. The second one left some notes that encouraged Nina to kill Baer and escape, but can she make it? Nina decides to do whatever it takes to survive and finds herself learning all about survival tactics from Baer.

This is a thriller that kept my attention and confirmed that I never want to go to Alaska!  It is a good winter read. Not everything is as it appears. I liked Nina and couldn’t help but pull for her to get back with Terrance. While reading this book, I felt sorry for Greg Martin, whose wife disappeared on his honeymoon, for Nina and Terrance.  Baer really made me made because of his cruelty.  I gave it 4 stars because it kept my interest and had a twist I did not see coming and although it made me hate Baer, the writing did not make me feel as though I were right there with Nina nor did it touch me the way other books did.  I was surprised by the ending and would recommend this to anyone who likes suspense, adventure, and dark minds.

Here's a short video I made outside in the snow when the temperature was 8 degrees reviewing 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Gun" by Fumi Nori Naka Mura

The Gun by Fumi Nori Naka Mura is about a man who comes into possession of a gun. His whole life changes as the gun consumes his every thought. This book is short and reminded me of the show “Twilight Zone” so I enjoyed it.
 (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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"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)

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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Anna knew that.  She knew she was going mad, but she didn't know how to stop it any more than she knew how to stop crying or breathing.

From page 16 of The Shut Eye by Belinda Bauer.

We are proof that you can go out and have a good time without doing drugs and getting into trouble.  We are proof that you can play hard to the whistle and then stop before drawing a penalty.

From page 24 of It's Good to Be Gronk by Rob Gronkowski with Jason Rosenhaus.

My heart started beating fiercely again, ringing in my ears.  It felt like my heart was pounding even more wildly now than when I first saw him.

From page 7 of The Gun by Fumi Nori Naka Mura.

Karen's:

That explained why she'd fallen.  Somehow her leg had gotten snared.  She reached for the wire just as a figure loomed over her.

From page 24 of A Cold War by Alan Russell.

He simply and finally realized there was no difference between cocaine, alcohol, and the green felt of a craps table.  In AA, he remembered, someone once said switching vices was like being on the titanic and demanding a different deck chair.

From loc. 1118-20 on Kindle from Baby Please Don't Go by Frank Freudberg.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"It's Good to Be Gronk" by Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski with Jason Rosenhaus

It's Good to Be Gronk is a non-fiction book that tells the story of how Rob Gronkowski turned into "Gronk."  (For those who do not know who he is, he is a professional football player for the New England Patriots.)  I enjoyed how he told about growing up and rough housing with his brothers as well as the big influence his parents played in his life.  I also liked how he gave us insight into how hard he works and his thought on parts of his football games to this time.  If you are a Pats fan like me, you will love it!  I know I did.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 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!

"The Shut Eye" by Belinda Bauer is Pretty Good

The Shut Eye by Belinda Bauer tells the story of a little 4-yr.-old boy named Pantel Buck.  One day he wander off and is gone.  Only his footprints are left.  Anna, his mom, is devastated and is desperate for hope to find her son.  One day she comes across something she believes to be the answer.  So, was her son found?  What was that hope she latched on to?  Read it to find the answers!

I thought this book was pretty good.  Anna was a great character and John Maguel, a detective trusted in the case was very good.  
(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!

"God's Vitamin "C" for the Spirit--Tug-at-Your Heart Stories" compiled by Kathy Collard Miller and D. Larry Miller

God's Vitamin "C" for the Spirit  is a compilation of 133 short inspirational stories on these various topics:  Christian Living, Faith & Trust, Family Life, God's Guidance, Grief, Love, Marriage, Perseverance, Prayer, Relationships and Spiritual Life.  I enjoyed reading a few stories at a time.  There is very little scripture in it though so I wouldn't call it a devotional book, but it is a good supplement to your devotion time.  Most of the stories show God's love and faithfulness through personal testimonies.  I would recommend this to adults.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Some Kind of Courage" by Dan Gemeinhart is a Gripping Read!

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart is about an 12-yr.-old orphan boy, Joseph Johnson. He has lost just about everything he loved, but the one thing he can get back is his horse, Sarah, that was sold without his knowledge. Joseph is a great character and his adventures had me holding my breath! I so wanted him to get his horse back. I loved this book! It goes fast because it’s hard to put down. We also loved this author’s first book, The Honest Truth.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart is a gripping story about a boy who goes on his own to track down his horse that was sold without his knowledge to a crooked horse trader.  He has a strong sense to do his dead parents proud and do the right thing.  Even though his parents and sister died, he still keeps their memory alive.  The story is about how important family is.  Joseph is very likable and I couldn't help but pull for him.  He met a Chinese boy along the way so had a friend on part of his journey who was also on a mission.  Both boys were very brave!

I loved this book and was surprised it was just as good as the first book by this author.  It has lots of action and kept me turning pages.  The recurring theme in the book was what Joseph's papa always said and what drove Joseph:

But Papa had said that when there's something that's got to be done, the thing to do is just to buckle down and do it the best you can.

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

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

"For Now," Iseult said quietly, "let's worry about getting into the city unseen--and let's pray, too, that the Bloodwitch didn't actually smell your blood."  Or your magic.

From page 25 of Truthwitch by Susan Dennard.

That explained why she'd fallen.  Somehow her leg had gotten snared.  She reached for the wire just as a figure loomed over her.

From page 24 of A Cold War by Alan Russell.

Both:

My heart burned with a fierce kind of anger.  I kicked at the rocks in the ruts, spitting mad just thinking about it.

From pg. 10 of Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart.

Karen's:

He simply and finally realized there was no difference between cocaine, alcohol, and the green felt of a craps table.  In AA, he remembered, someone once said switching vices was like being on the titanic and demanding a different deck chair.

From loc. 1118-20 on Kindle from Baby Please Don't Go by Frank Freudberg.

Wobbly, for sure, but it stood.  Then we were struck silent when she kicked it off its fee again.

From page 267 of God's Vitamin "C" For The Spirit compiled by Kathy Collard Miller and D. Larry Miller

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"Truthwitch" by Susan Dennard

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard is about two young witches:  Safiya and Isevlt.  Safiya is a truthwitch who has very strong magic that many people would kill to have on their side.  Isevlt is a threadwitch who is a very close friend to Safiya.  War is coming to their land and Safiya is in great danger and needs all the friends she can get!

There is great action in this book from page one.  As the book goes on, more characters are brought in and the action picks up.  The last part of the book I rushed through to see how it played out.  The good news is that there will be a book two that I will be reading as well!  Sarah J. Mass said "Do not miss this one" and she is right!
(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!

"This is Where it Ends" by Marieke Nijkamp

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp kept my attention throughout with the suspense and various points of view explaining what was happening during a school shooting in a little town.  It focused on a few best friends and some brothers and sisters.  Practically the entire book covers one hour, the time in which the whole school is in the auditorium at the beginning of the semester with the shooter who has locked them in.  Only a few kids were not in the assembly.  

I had no sympathy whatsoever for the shooter in this story.  I lot of people got shot which was sad; however, since I didn't feel any strong connection to the characters, I didn't shed any tears.  This was good, but I liked Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult and Columbine by Dave Cullen better which are also about school shootings.
(Karen's review, 1/25/16, 3 stars)

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp is about a shooting at a high school. It is told by four teens who go to that school. I thought this book was really, really good! I felt like I was in the school when the shooting started. The emotions of the four teens seem very real. Once you start reading this book, it is almost impossible to put down. With all the shootings going on, this could be right out of the real news.  This is the best book I've read so far this month!
(Gerard’s review 1/22/16, 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!

"The Crooked House" by Christobel Kent

The Crooked House by Christobel Kent centers on a young lady named Allison.  One night something happened to her family that left her alone.  She moved, changed her name and lived her life.  But her boyfriend becomes involved in a wedding and wants her to come with him and return to her hometown.  She does and feels like everyone is watching her.  She still thinks that all the answers from that horrible night have not come out.

This is a page turner for sure!  Allison is a great character with tension building up to the end.  It held my interest and I enjoyed it 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

No one will ever pull us apart.  That means keeping things as normal as possible.  Faking it.

From page 2 of This Raging Light by Estelle Laure.

If he'd known.  What did they think?  That he could hold a gun in her mother's face, murder Joe on the sofa, dreaming with some band still playing in his ears, he could pull the trigger on the live small bodies of her sisters, but not her?

From page 26 of The Crooked House by Christobel Kent.


Karen's:

Unfortunately, the church with its undersized parking lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built.  In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard.

From page 55 of God's Vitamin "C" For The Spirit compiled by Kathy Collard Miller and D. Larry Miller

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"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)


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 Only Child" by Guojing is a Picture Fantasy Book

The Only Child by Guojing is fantasy which reflects the author’s feelings of growing up as an only child in China. The story is cute and I really enjoyed the pictures. There are no words, just pictures except for the author’s note at the beginning which explains the story. This is a debut book. Give it a chance, especially if you have a young child.
Gerard’s review, 4 stars)

I did not like this book at all! I didn’t think the pictures were all that great and thought the book was stupid. I sure wouldn’t buy it.
(Karen’s review, 1 star)

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!

"Fired Up--Trouble in Texas, Book 2" by Mary Connealy

Fired Up –Trouble in Texas, Book 2 by Mary Connealy continues with Paul warning Dare to stay away from his mother and several attempts to kill Dare. The friends continue to pull together to guard Dare and figure out who is trying to kill him while Dare and Glynna take next steps in their relationship in spite of Paul’s warnings.

I enjoyed this western historical romance and particularly liked the humor surrounding the diner and Glynna’s cooking.  I also liked that Paul was so protective of his widowed mother.  It is a light, enjoyable read with an ending I loved and I look forward to continuing with the series. (Karen's review, 4 stars)

See my review of the first book, Swept Away

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!

"Killing Trail--a Timber Creek K-9 Mystery" by Margaret Mizushima

Killing Trail--a Timber Creek K-9 Mystery by Margaret Mizushima is going to be made into a series of books.  It stars Deputy Mattie and her K-9 partner, Robo.  A young girl is found dead and her dog has drugs in its stomach.  The story line was okay but it moved kind of slow for my taste.  I had the killer figured out early and the ending was sort of anti-climatic.  I did love Robo though and Mattie was okay.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Reporting For Duty--True Stories of Wounded Veterans and Their Service Dogs" by Tracy Libby

Reporting For Duty—True Stories of Wounded Veterans and Their Service Dogs by Tracy Libby contains 15 separate true stories about veterans, true heroes who have a lot to deal with just to get around day-to-day. They were united with dogs and their quality of life is so much better! I loved this book! The stories are so good and the pictures are wonderful! There is also other parts of the book that deals with how these dogs are trained and how dogs and people have a special bond.
(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!

"What She Knew" by Gilly MacMillan is Very Good!

In What She Knew by Gilly MacMillan, Rachel is going through the park with her 8-yr.-old son, Ben. When Ben asks if he can go on ahead, Rachel says “yes.” But then Ben vanishes, and Rachel is at a loss to know what happened. This story is told by multiple points of view which adds to the drama of finding Ben. Who did it? Who has him? What will the outcome be? I really enjoyed this book! The characters are well developed and the ending is good too!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

I read about the first 75 pages and it was just moving too slow for me.  Didn't care for the writing and was zero action.  Didn't have much background on the little boy who was missing to make me feel attached to him in any way.  Had other books I wanted to read more so skipped the middle and read the ending.  It's over 400 pages and just felt like it plodded along!
(Karen's thoughts)

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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Should we trust or rely on somebody just because they're a figure of authority, or a family member?  Are any of our friendships and relationships really based on secure foundations?

From page 3 of What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan.

All sounds--all shouts--fade.  My vision blurs, as if the connection between me and the rest of the world has been severed.

From page 49 of This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp.


Karen's:

One second they were galloping, the next Dare threw them off the horse and rolled with her toward the sheer rise of the bluff.  Dare's weight knocked the wind out of her as he landed on top, shielding her.

From page 13 of Fired Up by Mary Connealy.

The director of the mission leaned over and aid to the man, "Son, I think it would be better if you prayed, 'Make me like Jesus!'

The man looked up at the director with a quizzical expression on his face and asked, "Is he like Joe?"

From page 10 of God's Vitamin "C" For The Spirit compiled by Kathy Collard Miller and D. Larry Miller

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"Swept Away--Trouble in Texas, Book 1" by Mary Connealy

In Swept Away—Trouble in Texas, book 1 by Mary Connealy, Ruthy gets swept away in a flood trying to cross a river, Glynna Greer gets swept away with her children out of her home to escape her abusive husband, and Luke gets swept away when he falls in love with Ruthy aka Rosie. The hired guns in the little western town get swept away when Luke and his buddies take on Flint Greer to get his ranch back that was stolen. Ruthy has some interesting skills as well as cooking which include tracking, stealth, courage, gunmanship and working hard. She is an amazing woman!

I liked this book although it moved a bit slow up until the last quarter of the book. Quite a few characters were introduced and the plan to get Luke’s ranch back and get Glynna and her children to safety took up most of the book. Issues in this book include friendship, revenge v. justice, domestic violence, romance and survival. The ending was wonderful! I look forward to continuing this historical western series with Fired Up.
 (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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"STRANDED" by Melinda Braun

Stranded by Melinda Braun is about a group of seven backpacking in the mountains with a guide for a week. However, when a big storm comes up unexpectedly, three die and the four remaining have to work together to survive. None of them knew each other before the trip. Emma, age 17, is still feeling guilty about not being able to save her younger sister from a car wreck a year ago and still gets nightmares.

This book jumps into the backpacking trip practically right from the start and takes the reader through each morning, day and night of the adventure. The interaction between the teens is interesting as they begin to trust each other and work together. I liked it okay, but isn’t as good as other wilderness books I’ve read.
(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!

"Its. Nice. Outside." by Jim Kokoris

It's.  Nice.  Outside. by Jim Kokoris is told for the most part by John Nichols.  He is a 50 something year old man who is separated from his wife, has two daughters and a 19-yr.-old special needs boy.  On his way to his one daughter's out-of-town wedding with his boy, he gets news that tears his family apart.

I loved this book!  The action flowed really well and it sure kept me interested all the way through.  It has a very good ending too!
(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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Hero gently licks Brian Anderson's cheek, interrupting his dream.  It's a recurring dream that puts Anderson back on the battlefield in Afghanistan--a chaotic, intense combat zone where Anderson, amid all of the carnage, is fighting for his life.

From page 26 of Reporting For Duty--True Stories of Wounded Veterans and Their Service Dogs by Tracy Libby

I lay there for a moment longer, overwhelmed, my mind spinning, my life pinning me down.  I then performed my morning ritual for the past nineteen years:  I cursed God, then prayed to Him and pushed myself out of bed.

From page 21 of It's.  Nice.  Outside. by Jim Kokoris.

Karen's:

My eyes glanced over a huge fallen timber, a nylon tent crushed underneath its massive trunk.  But when I saw a hiking boot with the leg still attached peeking out from the destroyed tent, I realized I had been wrong.

From page 44 of Stranded by Melinda Braun.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

"Ice Time" by David Trifundov

Ice Time by David Trifunov is a short story about Paul, a 12-yr.-old who loves to play hockey but who is raised by a single mom who does not have the money for him to play. When Paul’s best friend gets a concussion and can’t play and others on the team are sick, Paul gets his chance. It seems everyone on the team is happy to get Paul except for Chad. I think any boy or girl who likes hockey would enjoy this book. I thought it was a good story that promotes teamwork. (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!

"The Neighbor" by Lisa Gardner--Who Is the Real Monster?

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner is a mystery told from multiple points of view about a wife and cat who turn up missing. She has a husband who works second shift and a 4-yr-old daughter who was the last person to see her mother before she disappeared. Both husband and wife had bad childhoods but love their daughter very much and want to give her a good family. The cops are clueless as to what happened to the wife but have lots of suspects.  The husband and wife are both good liars and very good at keeping secrets.

This book kept me guessing right to the unexpected ending but I felt really bad for the neighbor. It deals with family secrets, marriage issues, prejudice, computers and sexual abuse.  This book is an eye opener to the problems pedophiles face. The plot is similar to Gone Girl; however, I liked both the main characters in this and didn’t like either of the main characters in Gone Girl. This book doesn’t have near as much swearing as Gone Girl does either. I liked it!
 (Karen's review, 4 stars)

Gerard's Review, 5++ stars:
In The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner, a husband comes home and finds that his wife and cat are missing.  The rest of the house is normal and his young 4-yr.-old daughter is fine.  The police are on it and have plenty of suspects including the husband, but no body.  This is a real page turner!  The author keeps dropping tidbits that change the focus every so often to different possible suspects, but there's really no evidence.  I really enjoyed it a lot and was blown away by the ending!

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!

"Descent" by Tim Johnston

Descent by Tim Johnston is about a family that is going through problems and when the daughter goes missing in the Rocky Mountains, that really adds to it! This book may be a bit confusing to some as the author goes back and explains why the family is where it is. The last part of the book is a real page turner as you draw near the end.
(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!

"Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone" by J. K. Rowling (First Illustrated Edition)

This is a beautiful book!  This novel is about a young boy named Harry Potter.  One day, much to his surprise, he finds out that he is a wizard and goes to a special school called Hogwarts for wizards.

I really loved the interaction between Harry and his classmates and teachers at Hogwarts.  There is always something interesting going on in this book that makes you want to keep reading.  I know I am late to these books, but better late than never.  Loved the ending!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

See Karen's review of this too:  Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone

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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

You never told him?  Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him?

From page 42 of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling.  (First illustrated edition by Jim Kay, Oct. 2015)

He looked at his wife, standing with her back to him.  Somehow they would need to get through this hour, this day, this vacation.  The long drive home.

From page 16 of Descent by Tim Johnston.

Karen's:

Then I thought, looking at what was down at his side, that I mustn't scream.  I must protect my daughter, my precious daughter still sleeping down the hall.

From page 5 of The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. 

Happy Reading!

Gerard's Top Favorites of 2015

Gerard read 123 books in 2015 and liked most of them, but these are his top 12 favorites.

Have you read any of these?   To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Harry Potter--The Character Vault" by Jody Revenson

Harry Potter--The Character Vault by Jody Revenson is like looking through a scrapbook of the world of Harry Potter.  This is quite an informative, interesting book about the behind-the-scenes work of the Harry Potter films.  It gives interesting facts about the costumes and props for the different characters as well as some feelings the actors expressed about their characters, roles and costumes.  I think anyone who is considering watching or has enjoyed watching the Harry Potter movies would find this book very interesting.  It has lots of pictures of movie scenes and two posters, one of death eaters and one of the Order of the Phoenix.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"One of Us--The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway" is Gripping

One of Us –The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway by Asne Seierstad is a true story of Anders who went on a killing spree one day. The first part of this book tells the story of Anders growing up with his mom and his friends. He did not really have a relationship with his father. The second part of this book is when he goes on the killing spree. This is told very well and it is gripping to say the least! The last part deals with the aftermath of what he did and how it affected the people he shot.
(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!

Karen's Favorite Reads for 2015

I read 83 books in 2015 and this video shows my top 20 favorites which includes the Harry Potter Series of 7 by J. K. Rowling and the Katie Productions series of 3 by Jenny B. Jones.  The "Books & Cats, Life is Good" t-shirt was a Christmas present from my cats, Manny Boy and Spunky Doodle.  My dog, Abby, got me the whole set of Harry Potter books which by the way, if you haven't yet read, you should!

If you made a favorite book post or video for books you read in 2015, feel free to share the link in the comments.  My husband's favorite book post will be up soon--he's still deciding.

Happy Reading!