Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:
Then one day trying wasn't enough, so he stripped down to his boxers and sat in the fountain in front of his junior high school.  Then And right there, with his classmates and teachers watching, with the morning sun blinding him, he slowly leaned back until his entire body was underwater.
From page 4of Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley.


Falling, with wind whistling and roaring past my head for a short eternity, only to bounce my head against the seat in front of me.  I coughed, spit, and strained for a breath.

From page 33 of Mayday by Karen Harrington.


Karen's:

I want to run upstairs and get into the shower, but I like to watch my children when they don't know I'm there, convinced that they'll reveal themselves to me in some essential way.  They're so different when it's just the three of them, together.

From page 56 of Every Last One by Anna Quindlen.


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!

"Mayday" by Karen Harrington

In Mayday by Karen Harrington, a young boy named Wayne is the main character.  Wayne has a lot going on in his life.  He lives with his mom, who is separated from his dad and his grandpa who was in the army.  Wayne's uncle dies while fighting in the army, and on the plane ride back from the service, Wayne and his mom service a horrible plane crash.  Now Wayne cannot talk and his face does not look too good.

I liked this children's book because it had humor and made me think. The characters were brought out really well and the ending surprised me which is a good thing!
(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 Boy at the Top of the Mountain" by John Boyne

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne is about a young boy named Pierrot who becomes an orphan around the time of World War II.  When he is 7 years old, rides three trains by himself to go live with his aunt whom he never even met.  While living with her, he is influenced by the people he meets and soon he sees things far different than he used to.

I thought the second part of this book was better than the first part and the ending was very well done.  However, I do not think this was as good as this author's first book (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) but still is a very good read.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

(Karen's review 6/17/16, 5 stars) 
I was eager to read The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne, the author who also wrote The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, an amazing story!  The Boy at the Top of the Mountain is also set during World War II.  It shows how a nice, innocent 7-yr.-old boy, Pierrot, with German and French background is faced with a whole new life when his aunt takes him in to live with her after his parents both die. 

This story kept my interest all the way through and didn't have any boring part.  I finished it in just two days and liked how the author made Pierrot's struggles so clear.  This too is a sad book but thought provoking.  As Pierrot gets a new identity, he fights to keep his memories of "the good old days" and is torn apart when he realizes what he did was really wrong.  I thought the ending was great and recommend this one!  I hesitate saying any more about it because I don't want to spoil it for you.  Just read it and be shocked like I was!  I don't think I'll easily forget this book, just like The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is lodged in my memory.


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--4 This Week

Gerard's:

And between my skin and bones, something thrummed and pounded, rising and pushing, lashing through my blood--

So many eyes, too many eyes, pressed on me, witnesses to every crime I'd committed, every humiliation--

I don't know why I'd even bothered to wear gloves, why I'd let Ianthe convince me.
From page 41 of A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.


And when Thurman growled in reply, Wilson tried not to pay attention to him.  But if asked, he would have said that Thurman had said that he shouldn't worry about things like that, since other things were going to happen to make all of it make sense.

From page 25 of The Dog That Whispered by Jim Kraus.


Karen's:

Then the crashing began again.  It sounded as though it was over the living room now.  How did I wind up here? Rebecca thought.

From page 10 of Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen.

Against his father's wishes, Hans had joined the Hitler Youth movement when he was fourteen.  His father, Robert, was opposed to Germany's new leader, Adolf Hitler, and his National Socialist, or Nazi, political party.  "Don't believe them," he warned his children.

 From page 1 of We Will Not Be Silent--The White Rose Student Resistance Movement that Defied Adolf Hitler by Russell Freedman.

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 Problem With Forever" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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

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

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

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

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!

"We Will Not Be Silent" by Russell Freedman

We Will Not Be Silent--The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler by Russell Freedman is a true story about a group of young teens who turned against Hitler.   This is a very short story, but I am glad that it was told.  These teens were very brave and paid for what they believed in with their lives.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Karen's review, 4 stars:
We Will Not Be Silent by Russell Freedman is about the White Rose student resistance movement against Adolf Hitler during World War II. Specifically, this focuses on the Scholl family, whose eldest son, Hans began it.  At first, he was excited to join the Hitler Youth movement against his father's advice; however, when his creativity was frowned upon and he realized they took away some freedom and wanted to keep everyone the same, he became doubtful.  Slowly and carefully, Hans got others to help him distribute leaflets against Hitler and pointing out things that were happening that were not right in several different cities and also do some graffiti.

This was a quick read but very informative about something I did not know much about.  I thought it was interesting and am glad I happened to see at the library and picked it up.  It shows that many people were not on board with Hitler's policies and some were brave enough to put their lives on the line to fight back.  I think it is definitely worth the time to read.

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 Wolf Wilder" by Katherine Rundell

The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell is about a young girl named Feo.  She and her mom train wolves to fend for themselves.  When her mom is taken away by a general who wants to rule the land, Feo has to count on all the things her mom taught her and wolves to save her mom.  I thought this was pretty good.  I really enjoyed Feo and the story moved along well.
(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!

"Ruined" by Amy Tintera

Ruined by Amy Tintera is a quick read because there is action right from the start and it is hard to put down.  This YA fantasy is about Emelina Flores, a ruined, who comes up with quite an elaborate and dangerous plan to free her sister who was captured by Lera after they killed her mother, the Queen.  Her father was killed by the princess of Vallos so Em is out for revenge as well.  She impersonates Princess Mary after killing her off, planning to marry Prince Casimer and take down the royal family of Lera from the inside.  Em is viewed as useless by the Ruineds because she has no magic ability, even though she is very good with a sword.

I loved the humor in this book and the romance that developed between Em and Prince Cas.  I also enjoyed the writing style very much which let the reader know what both Cas and Em were thinking.  There is not a lot of description in this book which is why I think it moves along so quickly.  I liked both Em and Cas and hope they will rule together one day.  I look forward to reading book 2 in this series.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

In Ruined by Amy Tintera, Emelina Flores has nothing.  Her home has been ravaged by war.  Her parents are both dead and her sister has been taken by the enemy.  With nothing to lose but her own life, Emelina comes up with a plan to find and save her sister.  For this plan to work, Em will have to become part of the enemy.  Can she pull it off?

WOW!  This is good stuff!  The first part of the book put the plan in motion and the second part is when the action starts.  I really liked the character of Em.  This story moved along well and the end had me flipping pages to see how it was going to turn out!  Sign me up for book 2!
(Gerard's review 6/4/16, 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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Wolves made sense to her; wolves were one of the few things worth dying for.  It seemed unlikely, though, that anyone would ask her to:  After all, wolves were, in general, on the other side of the equation.

From page 14 of The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell.


But then at the end of the morning something happens, something abnormal, making this day different than all the days before.

From page 26 of Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica.


Karen's:

She'd still been awake when the sun started peeking through the curans, unable to sleep in a castle full of her enemies.  She'd spent almost a year planning to infiltrate the castle, but the reality of being surrounded by people who would kill her if they discovered her true identity was more unsettling than anticipated.

From page 21 of Ruined by Amy Tintera.

Against his father's wishes, Hans had joined the Hitler Youth movement when he was fourteen.  His father, Robert, was opposed to Germany's new leader, Adolf Hitler, and his National Socialist, or Nazi, political party.  "Don't believe them," he warned his children.

 From page 1 of We Will Not Be Silent--The White Rose Student Resistance Movement that Defied Adolf Hitler by Russell Freedman.

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!

"Don't You Cry" by Mary Kubica

Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica is told from two points of view.  Quinn is Esther's roommate.  One day Quinn wakes up and Esther is not to be found.  Where did she go?  As days go by, Quinn discovers that maybe she did not really know Esther at all.

Alex is a young teen boy who sees a girl that he is drawn to and becomes more involved with her finding himself involved in something he never expected.  The tension mounts as both story lines play out until a totally unexpected ending that I did not see coming.

Mary Kubica knows how to keep you reading. I enjoyed all three books I've read by her.  The other two were The Good Girl and Pretty Baby.
(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!

"Fly Away" by Kristin Hannah

Fly Away by Kristin Hannah is about how Kate's death affects her husband, her three children and her long time best friend, Tully.  When Kate dies of Cancer, her husband is overwhelmed, the 8-yr.-old boys handle their grief differently and Marah, her teenage daughter flips out and makes some really bad choices that lead to trouble.  Through memories and flashbacks the reader gets to know about Kate's and Tully's friendship.

I liked this well-written book because the characters were so vulnerable and although it dealt with grief, depression, addiction and domestic violence, it gives a person hope showing that the past is the past and we can make good choices to give us a better future.  Loved the ending!  I've enjoyed several of Kristin Hannah's books and this is no exception--I recommend it.

This book is sort of the opposite of Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson in which it was the father who was dying of Cancer and the focus was on the months before he died.  However, in Fly Away, it is the mother who dies of Cancer and the focus is on what happens to those who love her after her death.  Both have teen daughters who are main characters in the books.
(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 - 6 This Week

Gerard's:

I knew him.  Oh my God, I would know him anywhere, even if it had been four years and the last time I'd seen him, that last night that had been so horrible, had changed my life forever. 

From page 27 of The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

When I went into Elle's bedroom for my usual 1:00 a.m. check on her first three nights home, I swear that dog just lay there on her bed and stared at me like I was a crazy lady.  His eyes seemed to say, "What are you doing here?  She's fine.  Go back to bed!"

From page 165 of Elle and Coach by Stefany Shaheen.

You were right.  About everything.  I just wasn't ready to hear it.  But I'm ready now.  For whatever happens.

From page 47 of The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight.


Karen's:

It was nice, like being wrapped in a warm-from-the-dryer blanket.  But when she came to, and saw where she was, it wasn't so nice. 

From page 3 of Fly Away by Kristin Hannah.

Doctors aren't allowed to be humane with humans.  Joe and everyone like him will be expected to suffer and suck it up, to endure zero quality of life while being a burden to everyone held dear until the bitter, gruesome end.

Page 268 of Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova.

The accident plays on a loop in my head.  I want to press pause but the film is relentless:  his body slamming against the windshield time after time after time.

From page 14 of I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh.

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!

Wife and Husband Differ on "I Let You Go" by Clare Mackintosh

Karen's review 5/29/30:
I Let You Go by Clare Macintosh really annoyed me.  I started it but after Part I, took a long break from it because it made no sense to me.  It turned out to be a good story in the end, but it was very confusing along the way due to the strange writing style.  It is about solving the mystery of a hit-and-run driver who killed a little boy and domestic violence.  The fact it is an International Bestseller made me expect great things but I was disappointed.

This is not a book I looked forward to getting back to; however, I did plow my through it after breaking away from it three times to read other things.  The characters were not very likeable and even Jenny, the main character, was mostly annoying because she was so stupid.  This is written in first person but was very hard to follow because it was gold from several different views and was hard sometimes to know who was doing the talking.  Most books have the name of the individual who is talking at the beginning of the chapter so the reader knows right away; unfortunately, that is not the case with this one.  I found myself having to go back and re-read things several times to figure out who was saying what.  I guess the author did that on purpose just to confuse the reader, but I did not appreciate it.

Another thing that was annoying to me was how it jumped from the present to the past and back all through the book.  I know I am in the minority on this, but it just did not appeal to me at all due to the writing style and the characters.  The only character I really liked was Patrick, the vet.  Ian was plain horrible and did not like him at all, especially when he hit his wife on their wedding day, killed her cat on purpose and kicked the dog across the room.  This book did make me angry!  Even the detectives weren't very likeable for me.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more positive, but this is not one I liked much at all.
(1 star)

Gerard Liked it:
I Let You Go by Clare Macintosh is about a young boy who was with his mom, but ran ahead to get home first. He is killed when a car hits him and keeps on going! The cops look for a clue to find who could have done that. In the meantime, the boy’s mother is desperate to leave the accident scene behind and heads for a remote cottage where she hopes no one will know her.

This story is told in two parts: the first sets the scene and the second really gets into the action. It kept my interest. The second part is very good and I was anxious to see how everything would turn out. The unexpected twist at the end sealed the deal for me! This is well worth reading and goes on sale May 3, 2016.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
(Gerard's review 4/27/16, 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!

"Elle & Coach--Diabetes, the Fight for My Daughter's Life, and the Dog Who Changed Everything" by Stefany Shaheen

It's time for another dog book and Elle & Coach by Stefany Shaheen is a good one!  This is the true story of a young girl named Elle who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  It is told by Elle's mom and this turns their family routine into utter chaos.  She has three other younger children to look after.  As I read, I learned that the Diabetes needs 24-7 looking after.  They find a solution in Coach, a young dog.

I LOVED this book!  Stefany tells the story so well and I loved the dog 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!

"The Outliers" by Kimberly McCreight is a YA Thriller

In The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight, a young teen girl named Wylie is reached out to by Cassie.  They have been on the outs, but Wylie knows Cassie needs her and she and Cassie's boyfriend head out to help her.  Soon though, Wylie knows this is big trouble!

I thought this thriller was very good.  I was into it from the first page.  The story flowed good and a twist at the end was very good, then the bombshell ending!  Looks like there may be a 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!

"Inside the O'Briens" by Lisa Genova (Effects of Huntington's Disease)

Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova is about a Catholic Irish family living in Boston.  Joe, a cop, loves his wife, Rosie and his four grown children but starts acting strange.  He is diagnosed with Huntington's Disease (HD) but still tries to do his job without telling anyone.  When he is told it is a genetic disease, he is afraid for his children. 

I finally decided to read this book because my husband kept saying how good it was.  Inside the O'Briens informs the reader about HD through the life of Joe and his family.  We see how it doesn't just affect the person who has the disease, but everyone around him.  I liked Joe and felt sorry for him and his wife, and his son JJ the firefighter and his family; however, I did not care for the other three children much at all.

There is a blood test that can be done to see if a person has HD even before the symptoms show up so the big question in the book for the children is if they want to know.  It is thought-provoking because the reader can't help but question what they would do in this situation.  Would you want to know if you were going to have this disease in your future?  I don't think I would want to know ahead unless I was thinking about having a baby.

I did not care for the rough language throughout the book, nor for the lifestyles of Patrick and Katie which caused me not to like these characters, two of his grown children.  My husband loved this book, but I found it to be sad, depressing and was very disappointed in the ending that left me hanging.  I liked this author's other books much better:  Still Alice and Left Neglected.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

See also my blog post inspired by this book:  Just sayin' We Should be Humane to Humans Too! 

Gerard's review 4/24/15, 5++ stars:
Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova is about Joe, a Boston policeman.  He has been having some health issues and his wife wants him to see a doctor.  He thinks it is nothing, but agrees to go.  It turns out he has Huntington Disease!  You find out all about it when you read this book--trust me, you do not want this disease!  Not only that, but his kids are at risk of getting it too.

Lisa Genova's books are always top notch and this is no exception.  I loved the interaction between Joe and his wife and kids.  This book had me from page 1.  Make sure you read the "Call to Action" part of this book as well.  The ending is perfect!  I LOVED this book and highly recommend it and her other book too:  Still Alice and Left Neglected.

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!

"Lilac Girls" by Martha Hall Kelly

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly is told by three different points of view.  During World War II, Kasia is a Polish teenager and will do what she can to help her people fight Hitler and his army.  Herta is a German doctor and wants to prove that she is as good as a man.  Caroline works in the French Consulate in New York and when Hitler sets his sight on France, her world changes.

Kasia's story is the one I enjoyed the most.  She is a brave girl!  Her story alone makes this a "must read" book.  Herta's story came in second; I could not believe her thought process!  Caroline's story was okay and got better at the end.  I think The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is better; however, that being said, this book is very good too!  When you are done reading this, be sure to read the Author's Note too!  This is my best read for this month!
(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!

"Defender" by Graham McNamee

Defender by Graham McNamee is a creepy mystery about family secrets that Tyne and her friend, Stick accidentally discover and proceed to figure it out.  Tyne is the building superintendent's high school daughter who is really tall and plays center on her basketball team.   When Tyne find's a dead girl's cut up body hidden in her basement wall, she thinks her dad knows something about it or had something to do with it.

This is a very quick read that I liked okay.  It is creepy though but had a good ending.  To me, this came across as a bit unrealistic that Tyne and Stick could put together the pieces to the mystery so easily.  (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!

Teasers: 5 This Week

Gerard's:
The thought of administering a lethal injection was too abhorrent to dwell on.  Would we inject into the arm?

From page 119 of Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly.

She saw lightning clip a ridge to her left--south and west of the cafe.  Alarmed, she called 911.

From page 61 of The Fire Line by Fernanda Santos.

They were shocked by the mud; it looked far worse than the newspapers described it.  When the celluloid Exterminator crossed the finish line and trotted to the winner's circle, tossing his head as the roses were wrapped about his neck, they responded with exuberant applause.

From page 76 of Here Comes Exterminator! by Eliza McGraw.

Karen's:

He walked forward, out of the glare, then stopped abruptly, staring at me.  I blinked in surprise, and found myself staring back.

Page 33 of Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson.

"What if you just confront him?  I mean, show him that finger and say 'Here's the proof.  I saw what I saw.'"

From page 41 of Defender by Graham McNamee.

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!