"Tempests and Slaughter" by Tamora Pierce

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce is about three young people, two boys and one girl, going to a school to improve their magical abilities.  This book had ups and downs to me.  I enjoyed the three main characters well enough but think the writing and story line could have been better.
(Gerard's review, 3 stars)

Karen's review:
I did not finish this one.  I read about halfway and wasn't invested in it because there was no action!  It just didn't hold my interest at all and there really was no plot going on by the halfway point.  Although I liked the three main characters enough, I did not want to plow through it any longer so gave up on it.

Teaser from page 6:  "The other man seized Arram by the collar and lifted him into the air.  'If you're a mage, spell me, then,' he growled.

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"Gone Too Long " by Lori Roy

In Gone Too Long by Lori Roy, Imogene is the daughter of the head of the Ku Klux Klan, but now her dad is dead, and she hopes all the Klan stuff is over. She never was a fan of it! When she finds a small boy, who knows her name locked in a room on her property, it is not over by a long shot!

The problem I had with this book is that it went back and forth in time which bothered the flow of the book for me. Other than that this book was not too bad at all. It kept me engaged for the most part!
 (Gerard’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 13:  "I can't call the police," Tillie says.  "I known Robert and Edith Robithan most all my life.  And I ain't going to be the one to tell them their son is a thief."

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"Marooned in the Arctic" by Peggy Caravantes (non-fiction)

Marooned in the Arctic by Peggy Caravantes is the true story about Ada Blackjack, a desperate mother of a sick young boy who agreed to go on an Arctic expedition for two years to Wrangel Island to get some extra money for her son.  Wrangel Island is north of Alaska and Siberia!  She agreed to go along with three men as a seamstress to sew warm clothes for them during the two years. Although she was told some Eskimo families would join them, none did. During her time there, out of necessity, she learned to hunt, trap, kill, and even build a small boat! She and Vic the cat out survived the men!

Her story is quite remarkable, and I enjoyed the tidbits about the cats, walruses, polar bears and the Arctic Fox.  I can't imagine a day 50 degrees below zero like this expedition crew had to deal with.  No one could pay me enough to live like Ada did in the Arctic!  If you like adventures in tough conditions, read this!
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review:
Marooned in the Arctic by Peggy Caravantes tells the true story of Ada Blackjack, a young Eskimo girl who goes along with four men on an expedition to Wrangel Island in the Arctic, a remote uninhabited territory.  She goes along because she needs money to help care for her ill son.  

I thought this book was pretty good.  I enjoyed the parts that dealt with the animals that she encountered.  This book is very short, but it kept my interest for the most part.  (4 stars)

Teaser from page 13: Cats and sailors have had a strong bond throughout history. Felines destroy rats and mice that could cause havoc on a ship in various ways: getting into a cargo of grain, chewing on the ship’s mooring ropes or woodwork, or carrying diseases. Cats do not like water, but they adapt to travel on it and become companions to lonely sailors.


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"Renegade Ranger" by James J. Griffin

Renegade Ranger by James J. Griffin took me on a wild, dangerous ride.  When Tom Foley, a Texas Ranger, kills the Captain Ranger at headquarters, shooting him in the back, Ranger Jim Blawchyzk gets shot twice by his friend Tom too when he went back to give the Captain some cookies.  Jim's son, Charlie plans on joining the Texas Rangers as soon as he turns 18, but an exception is made for him to join up early so he can ride along to track down his father's shooter and former friend.  The big question is why did Tom do it.

There is a lot of dialogue and the chase is stretched out with more shootings along the way.  I thought the plot was interesting, but the writing was very simplistic and the dialogue corny and stilted.  I really got tired of the line "Bet your hat on it" which was way over used.  I like westerns now and then, but this was far from a favorite.  I expected better.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 28:  Tom Foley was just emerging from the corridor leading to Captain Trumbull's office, his smoking six-gun in his hand.  An expression of surprise mingled with disbelief crossed his face when he spotted Jim.

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"Someone Knows" by Lisa Scottoline

Someone Knows by Lisa Scottoline is about young teens who decided to play a prank.  It turned out tragically wrong!  Now Allie, after 20 years goes back to where it all began and she will get to the truth about that night.  I thought this book was pretty good.  It is told by a lot of people which I thought added to the story.  The part I did not like is that it sort of took forever and a day to get to the real action.  That being said, I still give it 4 stars.  This is not one of her best books, but I'm still glad I read it.  It just took some patience to get to the good part.  (Gerard's review)

Teaser from page 54:  Sasha was only kidding, but the more she thought about, the more she wanted to move the gun. 

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"Refugee 87" by Ele Fountain

Refugee 87 by Ele Fountain is about Shif's journey to flee his country.  His father was a professor who disappeared and was never heard from again after he said teachers should be paid more when asked how the government could improve the job for teachers.  Shif was then considered the son of a traitor who would be treated poorly if he went to military school for two years like was expected after his normal schooling.  When soldiers were taking kids in his neighborhood, his mother and his best friend's mother made arrangements for them to leave the country.  Unfortunately, the soldiers came for them before they could leave!

This is a quick-paced story of Shif's life as a refugee.  I liked Shif a lot because he was a nice and smart kid.  I liked that it moved along and wasn't dragged out.  This one reminded me of Salt to Sea which was very good.  If you liked that one, I'm pretty sure you would like this one as well!
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 19:  I haven't done anything wrong, but everyone avoids the military.  I break into a run, skidding as I turn the corner to my street.  I can hear heavy boots crunching quickly down the road I just turned off.

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"Two Weeks" by Karen Kingsbury

In Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury, Elise just needs to get by one semester of high school with no problems.  Then she can get on to her adult plans.  Cole has big plans too after graduation, but when he meets Elise, love is in the air!  When Elise discovers she is pregnant, both hers and Cole's plans are up in the air!  Her big decision is whether to keep the baby or put it up for adoption.

I thought this was pretty good.  I enjoyed all the characters and even thought I guessed the ending I was happy about it!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 7:  Whatever happened next in her life, Elise made herself a promise that day.  She wasn't going to talk to her mother about it.

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"Blood Sisters" by Jane Corry

Blood Sisters by Jane Corry is a slow moving psychological thriller about Alison and Kitty, two step sisters. Vanessa though, being an only child, is envious of Alison and talks Kitty into making a pact to be blood sisters. One little act causes big trouble for all of them all and secrets are abundant. The day of the accident, Vanessa, Kitty's best friend, dies and Kitty suffers brain damage and is unable to speak. Alison feels enormous guilt and begins cutting herself.

This book shows how people are not all good or all bad and is about loyalty, friendship, relationships, special needs, prison, revenge, betrayal and lots of lies. I liked it but found it hard to really connect with the characters. They were so conniving!
(Karen's review 4 stars)

Teaser from page 10: She didn’t have a speech impediment, the doctor had explained to Friday Mum, as if Kitty wasn’t there. Her brain just wouldn’t translate her thoughts into words.


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"Never Alone" by Elizabeth Haynes

In Never Alone by Elizabeth Haynes, Sarah lives with her two dogs in a farm house.  She has money problems, but when an old friend moves into the guest house and pays a very generous sum, her problems seem to be over!  However, nothing is ever as it seems!  This book is like a slow burn.  You know something is going to happen, you just do not know to whom or what it will be.  This book reminded me of a soap opera with such little action, but somehow it worked for me!  I really cared for Sarah and wanted things to go well for her!  The writing was good. 

(Gerard’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 23:  She won't admit to it, if you ask.  She won't tell you.  It doesn't matter; you know better than to push someone when they're in that vulnerable state.

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"walk it out" by Tricia Goyer is Inspirational Non-Fiction

walk it out--The Radical Result of Living God's Word One Step At A Time by Tricia Goyer is  her story about how God's Word made a difference in her life.  It is inspirational and covers many different topics that the Bible covers.  It challenges the reader to live out their faith by completely surrendering to God and actually obeying his word.  It is full of true examples of how the author lives out her faith and what true Christianity looks like.  At the end of every chapter are a few questions for reflection.

I liked how Tricia shares her life with the reader and is truly a servant of God.  She is pretty amazing and has a very interesting story to tell.  I also liked how she worked in scripture.  I was just a bit disappointed that it didn't have more about her family.  The Cleveland City Mission is having a "Stand In" event on Public Square, Saturday, June 29 to help raise awareness of almost 3,000 children in Cleveland and to learn what can be done to help.  At first, I wasn't going to go, but after reading this book, decided to participate.  Homelessness is an issue close to my heart so here is an opportunity to become involved in a solution.  You can pre-register for Stand in at www.thecitymission.org/stand-in.
(Karen's review4 stars)

Teaser from page 45:  When the topic of abortion came up in church or Bible study, I sank deep into my seat, especially when people spoke doggedly against it.  My stomach knotted up, and I was certain everyone within twenty feet of me heard the frantic pounding of my heart.

Visit Tricia Goyer's blog.

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"The Cornwalls Are Gone" by James Patterson & Brendan DuBois

The Cornwalls Are Gone by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois is a page-turning thriller about the kidnapping of Amy Cornwall’s husband and 10-yr-old daughter. Amy is an Army intelligence Captain who comes home from work to find a strange cell phone and an odd message on her dining room table. She has just 48 hours to locate and liberate an unknown man in Texas or her husband and daughter will be killed! She lives in Virginia and has no time to waste. She blows off her 8 a.m. meeting at work and sets off who kidnapped her family and why. She is determined to complete this mission and get her family back no matter what and finds out she is dealing with an extremely dangerous man!

This book grabbed me from page 1 and never let go! It moved along quickly and had no dull parts. It has mystery, suspense, adventure, betrayal and fighting. I think this book could be improved if the authors developed the characters of Tom and Denise before just jumping in with the kidnapping right away. It is okay the way it is, but I think I would have been even more invested in the story if I felt I actually knew Tom and Denise. I would like to have seen a bit more character development.
(Karen’s review 6-18-19, 5 stars)

Gerard's review:
In The Cornwalls Are Gone by James Patterson, Amy Cornwall has 48 hours to follow instructions given to her, or her husband and daughter will be killed.  She is instructed not to tell anyone.  Amy was a really good character.  The other people in this novel were never really developed.  The last 30 or so pages is when the bulk of the action takes place.  This book is worth reading.
(4.5 stars)

Teaser from page 7: I read and re-read the message, clear and to the point, and I’m in the middle of reading it for the third time when the strange phone rings, jolting me so hard that I nearly drop my weapon.


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"Saving Meghan" by D. J. Palmer -- Can you love someone to death?

Saving Meghan by D. J. Palmer is contemporary fiction.  Some people would say Becky should be "Mother of the Year" since she is focused on her only child, Meghan 24-7.  She has to be because Meghan is ill but countless doctors cannot figure out what it is.  Becky will do whatever it takes to find out what is wrong with her daughter!  Carl is the father.  He wants what is best for Meghan, but thinks he knows what the problem is, and it is not medical!

I enjoyed this book very much.  The characters were brought out really well and the story flowed along.  Throw some twists in the book and at times I laughed out loud at some parts.  Try to figure out how all this plays out.  I am guessing you won't just like I couldn't.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 27:  I could tell by the way he looked at me with sadness and sympathy that he'd do anything and everything to make me well again.  But there was a deep sense of loss in that look, too.  He was sure he lost me to her--to my mom.    

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"No Exit" by Taylor Adams

In No Exit by Taylor Adams, Darby Thorne gets caught up in a blizzard.  She is able to get to a rest stop and once there, will find out that the snow will become the least of her problems!  This book is a real page turner.  Darby and the other characters were developed very well.  The action was good and I loved the ending!
(Gerard's review, 5++ Stars)

Karen's review:
No Exit by Taylor Adams is a thrilling suspense about Darby, a college girl who has been a big pain to her mother all her life. Darby gets caught in a blizzard in Colorado on her way to see her mother and make things right before she dies. When Darby stops at a rest stop, there are only four people inside—a creepy guy named Lars, a guy about her age named Ashley who was a chatter box, an older alcoholic veterinarian named Ed and his cousin, Sandi. Once Darby discovers Jay, a 9-yr-old girl locked in a cage in back of a van in the parking lot, she decides to help save the girl.

The suspense gradually builds as this book slowly moves along while the four at the rest stop wait for the snow plow to arrive in the morning. Wow, what a thriller this is! Darby comes up with plan after plan as one fails and she has to think of something else. This winds up with Darby giving the kidnapper a lot of trouble and almost getting herself killed on several occasions. I liked this book and although a couple things were really far-fetched and didn’t quite add up, I would recommend it to anyone who likes suspense. (5 stars)

Gerard's Teaser from page 22:  She stepped away, leaving a handprint on the door, feeling her heartbeat pounding in her neck.  An intensifying rhythm.

Karen's Teaser from page 23: Oh my God, there’s a kid outside in that van.
Locked in a cage or something.


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"The Tale of Ole Green Eyes" by Cathy Kennedy

The Tale of Ole Green Eyes by Cathy Kennedy is a short children's book about two sisters to get a scare in the woods because of the story their grandmother told them.  It has a bit of suspense.  It's a happy little story for small children.  Of course, I liked that a cat was in it!
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from Loc. 113 on Kindle:  Brittany jumped.  She spun around and gasped, "What?"

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"Everyone Can Be a Ninja" by Akbar Gbajabiamila

Everyone Can Be A Ninja by Akbar Gbajabiamila, host of American Ninja Warrior, is his story about how he got to where he is today and the obstacles he had to overcome to reach his dream.  This is an inspirational read that was pretty interesting.  He shared advice from his dad, his mentors and how he overcame many bad circumstances in his life.  I especially liked how he shared learning from his failures and how he moved on.

I liked him as a host of the Ninja Warrior shows and like him even more after reading his book!  The gist of the book is that everyone has some gift from God and we need to use our gifts to help others and accomplish God's purpose for our life.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 32:  Don't be ashamed of who you are and what you want to accomplish.  To others, it might sound crazy, absurd, a waste of time.

See a blog post I wrote about American Ninja Warrior September 1917:  American Ninja Warrior Was Disappointing.

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"touch blue" by Cynthia Lord

touch blue  by Cynthia Lord is a children's book about Aaron, a 13-yr.-old foster boy who gets placed in a home on an island off Maine with Tess (11) and her younger sister, Libby.  He is angry that he is not allowed to call or see his mother.  When Tess discovers he plans to run away to look for her, Tess comes up with a plan to get them together so they can talk.

I enjoyed this book because it showed how different life was on an island near Maine.  I also liked the silly superstitions Tess shared throughout the book and how Aaron's was able to make a contribution to the community and adjust to life on the island.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 41:  "Please?"  he asks.  It's been four years since I've heard from her.  If Natalie gets mad at her, my mom might not write to me again."

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"Love You Hard--A memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury and Reinventing Love" by Abby Maslin

In Love You Hard--A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love by Abby Maslin, Abby is a young woman who is married to a fireman she calls T.C.  They also have a son named Jack, age 2.  Life is good.  One night T.C. heads out to a ballgame but is not back in the morning.  Something is very wrong.  Abby's life as she knows it is over, and she will have to deal with a new reality.  Abby tells the story in this book and pulls no punches. 

I felt a lot of emotions as I read this and am sure you will too.  On Amazon, this book got a 94% 5 star rating and that is what I am giving it as well.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 134:  Decades more of in sickness and in health:  the three of us, growing old together, learning how to navigate the real world again and trying not to crash and burn.
    I park the car at the end of the gravel driveway outside Ruth and Don's familiar yellow house and burst into tears. 

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"The Last Pirate of New York" by Rich Cohen is a True Story!

The Last Pirate of New York by Rich Cohen tells you the story of Albert Hicks aka The Last Pirate.  You will have to read the book to find out why this is so.  You go back to the 1880s in this book which I found interesting.  The writer did his homework in making me really get the feel who Hicks was.  This is a quick read, read it in two days.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 62:  Because he believed he'd already gotten away with it.  He'd sunk the ship and left the bodies at the bottom of the harbor.

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"Those People" by Louise Candlish is About Suburban Neighbors in London

Those People by Louise Candlish is about a close-knit suburban neighborhood in London.  Ralph and Naomi are sort of the "unofficial" community leaders with three kids and two dogs.  Naomi and Tess, Naomi's sister-in-law and next door neighbor, got the street to have "Play Out Sundays" where no one parks or drives on the street so kids can play freely in the street--sort of like a big block party every week!  All is well until Darren and Jodie move in to house #1 because they do not follow the "rules."  They play loud music at night, have constant noise while renovating their house during the day, and have lots of vehicles parked in their yard and on the street!  This causes quite a stir and several neighbors would love to see them leave.  When their old scaffolding collapses, killing a pregnant daughter-in-law of one of their neighbors, a police investigation is started and neighbors are suspected of sabotaging the scaffolding!

This book held my interest all through.  At first I thought the title referred to the new neighbors, but by the time I finished, I think it refers to the close-knit neighbors who were constantly finding fault with Darren and Jody.  At any rate, the interactions among the neighbors were well done and although I was able to guess who it was the messed up the scaffolding hoping that Darren would get hurt, I was surprised at who actually attempted to kill him.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review and was glad I liked it!  I recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Big Little Lies or crime investigations.  This book will be on sale June 11, 2019.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 30:  Can you believe this place?"  Darren said to Jodie as the sound of Sam's screams came pouring through the Kendalls' open door.  "Their kids are going mental, but they can't handle a bit of music."

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"Rough Magic--Riding the World's Loneliest Horse Race" by Lara Prior Palmer

Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer is a true story.  Lara, at the age of 19, decides on a whim to enter the longest and toughest horse race there is with no formal training!  How do you think she does?  This is a pretty good book!  The best part is when she does the race.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 22:  It didn't surprise me that no one was taking my race attempt seriously.  I was that scatterbrain who lost Oyster cards on the Underground and failed driving tests.

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