"Sad Perfect" by Stephanie Elliot

In Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot, 16-yr.-old Pea has an eating disorder.  She calls it her monster.  She keeps it well hidden.  Only her family knows, but now she has a boyfriend.  She worries that when her secret gets out, how people will react, especially her boyfriend.  Will it be a deal breaker?

I thought this book was pretty good.  The story line kept me interested and I enjoyed all the characters.
(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!

"How to Hang a Witch" by Adriana Mather

In How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather, Sam has moved to Salem, the site of the infamous witch trials.  Her family had some history in those, and when strange things begin to happen to people when Sam is nearby, people say that she is "cursed" and they want her gone!

This novel was okay.  I connected with Sam, but not so much with the other characters.  This would be a really good book to read around Halloween because it certainly is spooky!
(Gerard's review, 3.5 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!

Tuesday Teasers

Karen's:

Ceridwen stared at the splatters.  Raelyn's joy had been demented as she had ordered Simon's head to be severed.

From page 25, of Frost Like Night by Sara Raasch.

Gerard's:

"I can fight," I said, lifting my chin.  "Better than you.  Better than all of your men."

From page 56 of The Valiant by Lesley Livingston.

Besides, getting close to someone meant risking her heart.  She'd had enough grief with her parents' deaths and her sister's illness.

From page 45 of The Freedom Broker by K. J. Howe. (Kidnap & Ransom Thriller)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker.   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 Orphan's Tale" by Pam Jenoff (We Both Recommend This One)

The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff is a gripping historical fiction book about two women protected in Germany by joining a circus during the 1940s when Hitler took over and rounded up Jews for execution.  Noa rescued a little Jewish baby that was among many dead on a railcar and Astrid was a Jew whose German officer husband kicked her out when ordered to do so.  Astrid was from a circus family and the competing circus took her in.  Noa had no circus background, but the circus owner took in her and the baby to protect them and told Astrid to train Noa for the trapeze act.

This book was very good!  I really liked the circus aspect of this book and enjoyed seeing Astrid and Noa's relationship develop.  In this book, it showed how some were able to find happiness amid the terribly things going on.  There is a lot of sadness in this but also light parts too to keep it from being too depressing.  It is one I don't think I'll forget!  I had to wait to write my review to give me some time to recover from the sad ending.  I highly recommend this one!  My favorite character in this was Astrid, who was yours?
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review, 3-1-17, 5++ stars:
In The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff is set in the early 1940s in Germany when Hitler and the Third Reich ruled., 16-year-old Noa has been thrown out of her parents’ house. Her husband leaves her and her newborn baby is taken from her. Now she is on the run and is not alone. She carries a secret that if found out will mean death for her and her companion. Astrid knows the circus life very well. She is one of the stars of the show, but every day she lives in fear that her secret will come out.

I enjoyed both Noa and Astrid. I found this book very hard to put down as the tension builds throughout. Loved it! It is now my book of the month for February!


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 Freedom Broker" by K. J. Howe

In The Freedom Broker, Thea is one of 25 Kidnap and Rescue (K&R) specialists in the world--the only woman and the best!  Her father has been taken and it will take all her skills to rescue him, as more than just her father's life hangs in the balance. 

This is an adult novel to be sure with good action and plenty of twists and turns.  The ending caught me by surprise too!  This is the author's first book so I will be looking for more.
(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!

"Future Threat" by Elizabeth Briggs

Future Threat by Elizabeth Briggs is the follow-up book to Future Shock. It was good to get back with Elena, Adam and Chris. They have to go to the future again in this book. We get some new characters in this one that I enjoyed. It flowed well with action and some good twists in the end. Although this one did not have the surprise factor of going into the future like the first book did, I still think it was pretty 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!

Tuesday Teasers

Karen's:

My departure years earlier had been remarkable, whispered about for miles around.

One did not leave to marry a German officer as I had--especially if one was Jewish.

From page 24 of The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff.

Gerard's:

I shouldn't have let him in, I shouldn't have let him in, is all I can think as the horror of the whole mess now collapsing around me sinks in.  If I hadn't let him in, I wouldn't have had to face it.

From page 167 of Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough.

Something coming, something powerful and fast.  Not only one thing but many, feet pounding the hard earth--animals or people, Ash couldn't tell which.

From page 7 of Bone Jack by Sara Crowe.

When you're late for your train and you have to get home, and you race down the platform with seconds to spare:  how fast can you run?

What if it isn't a train you're running for, but your life?

From page 112 of I See You by Clare Mackinthosh.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker.   Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.  Happy Reading!

"Behind Her Eyes" by Sarah Pinborough

In Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough, Louise and Adele become friends after an accidental meeting.  They really do not have much in common at all except for one thing--DAVID.  He is Adele's husband and Louise' boss.  I think you can figure out where this is going.

I really enjoyed getting into the heads of these two women.  It is told by both of them.  The writing is really good and I just had to see how all this was going to play out.  The ending is not to be missed.  LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"King's Cage" by Victoria Aveyard is Disappointing

King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard involves a lot of politics.  Maven is now king of Norta and many do not like it.  He holds Mare prisoner and uses her to deceive other Reds into thinking the Red Guard is against them.  I kept reading only because I wanted to see how Cal and Mara would get back together.  There was some betrayal in this book but mostly it was the Red Guard building up its forces and joining with Montfort in an effort to overthrow Maven. 

Parts were a bit confusing but over all, I still liked it and am glad I read it.  I must say, I am disappointed in this series as a whole because I really loved the first book, Red Queen.  I was disappointed with the ending of this one as well, but still give it 4 stars.  There was enough interesting relationships and action to keep my interest.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)  

Gerard's review, 2.5 stars:
King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard is the third book in the Red Queen series.  Mare is now being held by Maven after giving up herself in book 2 so that her friends are still free.  I thought this book was going to be good, but I was very disappointed. King's Cage is told from various points of view.  Mare was good as always and there were some good parts; however, they were few and far between.  I wanted more action but all I got was talk.  The story line was just okay.  The next book has to be better than this mess!

See our reviews for Glass Sword (the second book of 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!

"Bone Jack" by Sara Crowe

In Bone Jack by Sara Crowe, Ash is training for the annual stag chase.  He has the honor of being the stag like his dad was 20 years ago.  His dad is home from the war but he is not the same because of what he saw there.  Now Ash is dealing with strange goings on in the land where he lives and not everyone wants Ash to run in the race.

I thought this book was pretty good,  It had an unusual story line and I enjoyed the ending.
(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!

"I See You" by Clare Mackintosh

In I See You by Clare Mackintosh, Zoe sees a picture in a classified ad that looks like her but who took it and why?  When other women that were pictured in that ad turn up dead, Zoe worries that she could be next.  This book was pretty good.  I thought the story line was good and I really enjoyed all the characters.  It had good twists and turns that kept me guessing with a solid ending that I did not see coming!  I liked her first book too--I Let You Go.
(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!

Tuesday Teasers

Karen's:

Hundreds cheer on their king and his tyranny.  I cried on the walk across the bridge, in the face of so many blaming me for their loved ones' deaths. 

From page 6-7 of King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard.

Gerard's:

But somehow, in front of Anna, she couldn't declare that she was desperate for food.  Which was absurd, she reminded herself, since the girl was nothing but a shammer.

From page 49 of The Wonder by Emma Donoghue.

Whether it is sleeping or dying, I cannot say.  Clutching it, I start away from the train.

From page 19 of The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker.   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 You I've Never Known" by Ellen Hopkins

The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins is about two young teen girls--Ariel and Maya.  Ariel lives with her dad.  Her mom disappeared when she was a baby,  When two people come into her life, she has some tough decisions to make.  Maya wants so bad to get away from her abusive mom but when she does, she finds trouble at every turn. 

The stories go back and forth, but Ariel's is told in verse so it goes pretty fast.  I enjoyed both of the stories very much.  The story lines were very good and the characters very believable with a shocking ending I really liked!
(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 Wonder" by Emma Donoghue is Based on a True Story

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue is based on a true story.  Remember that as your read this book!  Eleven-year-old Anna has not eaten for four months, yet she still lives!  Lib wright, an English nurse, has been sent to verify that this is true but she doubts it and is determined to get to the truth.

This book really drew me in.  The story line is very good and the characters are very believable.   Even though there is not a lot of action, I still kept turning pages.  The last part of this book is gripping and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to get o the stunning conclusion!
(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!

"Carry On" by Lisa Fenn is Inspirational Non-Fiction

Carry On—A Story of Resilience, Redemption, and an Unlikely Family by Lisa Fenn is an inspirational non-fiction read about caring for others that focuses on her ESPN story about Dartanyon, a visually impaired wrestler and his friend, Leroy, a legless wrestler. It follows their story even after they graduate high school. This book is amazing. It is about overcoming all kinds of obstacles and the power of love in peoples’ lives. Lisa Fenn is an amazing woman of faith who really made a difference!

This book challenges the reader to not make assumptions about people but rather, get to know their story and thereby understand them. There are a lot of touching parts in this book and both highs and lows which makes it a very interesting read. The parts I liked the most were the wrestling and Judo matches, but it was all good once I accepted that it was much more than just about sports. I would recommend this to anyone!
(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!

Tuesday Teasers

Karen's:

He had long bought into the Wolverines' misfit identity, and he figured if he learned how to coach kids without shoes, he could learn how to coach a kid without legs too.  "Tell him to come to practice," he said finally.  "We'd love to have him."

From page 17 of Carry of--A Story of Resilience, Redemption, and an Unlikely Family by Lisa Fenn.

Gerard's:

I recognized the paramedics and I could tell they recognized me, so they knew who they'd be finding in the bathroom and rescuing from the clutches of death.  It wasn't the first time I'd seen them and it wouldn't be the last.

From page 16 of Train I Ride by Paul Mosier.

No, I will stand.  And though I have no idea how, I have to keep fighting, even here in the belly of the beast.

From page 7 of King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard (3rd book in The RED QUEEN series)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker.   Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.  Happy Reading!

"Train I Ride" by Paul Mosier is Uplifting! (Updated)

Train I Ride by Paul Mosier is a children's story about Rydr, a little girl on an Amtrak train.  This book tells the story of the people she meets on the train as well as the back story on Rydr.

Every so often I need a book that I can relax with that doesn't have somebody getting hurt or killed so I read this book.  Rydr is a great character who will surprise you with her antics.  I think people of all ages would enjoy this debut book.  Job well done, Paul Mosier!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Karen's review, 3 stars:  I read Train I Ride by Paul Mosier because my husband liked it so much and it is short and quick.  I liked Rydr, the main orphan girl who is on her way from Los Angeles to Chicago to live with some old uncle she never even met because her mom died and probably her father and her grandma who she was living with.  On the train, she meets several people who she really likes.  Although her money runs out, she is quite resourceful in finding ways to get some.  I especially liked her invisible monkey act but felt bad when she didn't even take the money she got from people.  I thought this was a pretty sad story but enjoyed the funny parts.  

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!

"All Dressed in White" by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

All Dressed in White is a contemporary fiction thriller about a show called Under Suspicion that is like Unsolved Mysteries.   The book focuses on the most recent cold case the show is investigating about a missing woman who disappeared the day before her wedding from the Florida resort she was supposed to get married at. 

This book was very good.  I was never sure exactly what happened to Amanda until it was finally revealed near the end and the killer ready to kill again was a twist I did not expect!  This book is a warning to choose your friends carefully.
(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!

"The Ice Beneath Her" by Camilla Grebe

The Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe starts with a gruesome murder.  In fact, it looks like one that happened years ago and the police have no clue!  A CEO on whose property the murder too place is missing.  The search is on to find him and a woman desperately also wants to find him.

I thought this book was fantastic!  The writing is very good and the characters are believable.  The suspense really builds in this book and what you think you know, you do not!  This is my "book of the month" so far!
(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!