"Wolf Hollow" by Lauren Wolk

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk kept my interest all the way.  Annabelle has lived a nice quiet life in her small town with her loving family.  However, that all changes when a young girl named Betty comes to town.  Annabelle is being bullied and has to find a way to stop it.  Then one day, Betty goes missing and all signs point to one man who Annabelle has befriended.

This book was really good!  It moved along quickly and Annabelle is a great character.  It also has a surprise ending that I 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!

Teasers: 4 This Week

Gerard's:

I want to say yes.  I want to say, Yes, beautiful girl, I know.

From page 27 of When We Collided by Emery Lord.

I was trying not to see how tired he looked, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.  But most of all, I was trying not to think about the fact that we had been told, by experts who knew these things, that he had approximately three months left to live.

Page 13 of Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. 

I left her there, musing in that patch of poison, and prayed that she would wake tomorrow with scarlet boils and hard scabs.  I prayed for a rash to veil her face with pustules and scales.

From page 53 of Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk.

Karen's:

It took a while for the otters to realize that something was happening inside the crate.  But a moment later, they heard it.

From pg. 6 of The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.

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!

"When the Moon is Low" by Nadia Hashimi

When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi is a heartbreaking story about Fereiba and her family in Afghanistan.  Part 1 of the book is her childhood and her life in Afghanistan growing up and her marriage to Mahmoud, a good man who was an engineer, and their three children.  Part 2 focuses mostly on Saleem, her 15-yr.-old son and their journey to England after her husband was killed by the Taliban.  He felt the responsibility to be the man of the house and then got separated from his family in Greece on their way to England to live with Fereiba's sister.

This book kept my interest all the way through.  It shows how tough the life of a refugee is and my heart just goes out to them.  I liked Fereiba who always felt like an outsider and had a very hard life except for a short time.  I found myself pulling for Saleem in the second part of the book which showed how three different women helped him along the way and how encouraging that was for him.  I was a bit disappointed that the ending was sort of open, but I guess that was better than a sad ending.  I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in what it is like to be a refugee or Muslim.  It was an eye-opening story for me to understand how not all Muslims are extremists.  It even has some discussion questions in the back for book clubs to use.  It's very good!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)



Tweet by Karen:

Reaching the Unreached-MENA https://t.co/cbMY4fQUHp donated after reading WHEN THE MOON IS LOW 

— Karen Zemek (@kzemek) May 14, 2016

Here is a link to donate to help refugees in Greece through Samaritan's Purse
Here is a link to donate to help refugees through World Vision



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!

"When We Collided" by Emery Lord

When We Collided by Emery Lord is about two teens--Jonah and Vivi, who have a summer romance.  However, this book is so much more than that!  They both have a lot to deal with in their lives and take turns telling the story.

I really liked Jonah and Vivi was very good too!  It captured my attention from page 1 and the ending made me cry!  This is so good, I highly 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!

"So Close to Home" by Michael J. Tougias and Alison O'Leary is Remarkable!

So Close to Home by Michael J. Tougias and Alison O'Leary tells a true story which makes it all the more remarkable!  The main story deals with the Downs family, a husband, wife, 8-yr.-old boy and 11-yr.-old girl.  They were on a freighter that a German U-Boat torpedoed!  The story of how they survived it is really good!  This book also deals with other aspects of the war on the sea that I found interesting as well.
(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: 6 This Week!

Gerard's:

He wasn't about to start a fight earlier with the Heredia in the process of sinking, but now adrift on the raft, where minutes felt like hours, he wondered if they'd have another disagreement.  His ship might be at the bottom of the ocean, but he was still the captain.

From page 100 of So Close to Home by Michael J. Tougias & Alison O'Leary.

It took a while for the otters to realize that something was happening inside the crate.  But a moment later, they heard it.

From pg. 6 of The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.

Karen's:

"Oh, Hazel!  This is where it comes from!  I know now--something very bad!  Some terrible thing--coming closer and closer." 

Page 7 of Watership Down by Richard Adams.  (This teaser is by a rabbit.)

I wasn't sure what I wanted, but I had no interest in marriage and the household that would come along with it.

When my chores were completed, I would slip into the orchard with a book. 

From page 35 of When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi.

"The school says not, but then they would, wouldn't they?"  Ray didn't hold a particularly high opinion of Tom's head teacher, who had been quick to place the blame on Mags and Ray for not presenting a "united front" at parents' evenings.

From page 105 of I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh.

Once again, Hopper would be helping Mrs. Clover teach the kinderbunny class at Easter Bunny Elementary School.  That was where young bunnies went to learn how to be Easter Bunnies.

From page 2 of The Grumpy Bunny Goes to School by Justine Korman, illustrated by Lucinda McQueen. 

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 Wild Robot" by Peter Brown

In The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, a crate is washed up on a remote wild island.  Robot Roz escapes from the crate.  How will the robot adopt to the island?  How will the many animals that call the island their home see this new object?

Okay, I get that this is a children's book, but I will tell you that I think any age would enjoy this book.  The way the robot and the animals got along was so good!  The story kept my interest all the way and it went really fast!  Take a chance and be a kid again--read this and enjoy the story when nature and technology collide.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown is a children's book I enjoyed for a break from heavy topics and intense mystery novels. This is a light, fun read about animals on an island who become friends with Roz, a robot who got washed up on their island in a crate.  Roz befriends the different animals along the way and they grow to like her in return.  She adopts a little gosling and learns to be a good mother.  I think children would enjoy this one very much.
(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 Darkest Corners" by Kara Thomas - A Mother/Daughter Mystery (Updated)

The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas is quite the mystery! Actually there are several mysteries in this one: (1) Who really is the serial killer?  (2)  Where is Tessa's sister and how did she find out their father died?  (3)  Will Callie and Tessa renew their friendship? and (4)  Will Tessa find her mother?   

This book is good, but I must admit, at one point I got pretty confused with all the different things going on.  However, the author soon cleared things up and it was a very good mystery.  I liked Tessa because she really wanted to make things right when she had doubts about her testimony she gave when she was 9 years old that contributed to a man being convicted of murder.  If you like stories about dysfunctional families and a good mystery with a surprise ending, this is it!    
(Karen's reviewed 5/6/16, 4 stars)

Gerard's review 4/30/16, 5+ stars:
The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas is about a young girl named Tessa and her friend, Callie. They have never really talked about a night that they both saw something that changed their lives. Tessa moved away but now she is back looking for answers, but some people want the past to stay hidden. I thought this book was pretty good. I enjoyed the two main characters very much and the book had a good flow to it. The ending completely surprised me!

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 Grumpy Bunny Goes to School" by Justine Korman

The Grumpy Bunny Goes to School by Justine Korman (illustrated by Lucinda McQueen) is a cute little children's book that caught my eye at a rummage sale.  I won't tell you why the bunny was grumpy, but I will say I think any teacher would enjoy this one!  It is about teaching creatively.  I enjoyed it very much!
(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!

"Rescue Road" by Peter Zheutlin is for Dog Lovers!

Our dog Abby is a rescue--found her on Petfinder when she was 5.

Rescue Road by Peter Zheutlin is a true story about Greg Mahle who was down on his luck. Things were not going his way. When he decides to go on rescue road trips to deliver dogs to their forever families, his whole life changes! I loved this book! The people Greg meets while he is driving are remarkable. The dedication they have to dogs is something to behold. However, the dogs steal the show as you would expect. I read a large print book so it went very fast, but being a dog lover helped 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 ex" by Alafair Burke is Pretty Good

The ex by Alafair Burke is about Olivia Randall, the best criminal defense lawyer in New York.  When she learns that her ex-fiance is in some major trouble, she takes the case.  However, the more she learns about her ex, the more she suspects that maybe he did the deed. 

I thought this book was pretty good. I enjoyed both of the main characters and the story moved along well.  I was surprised by the ending too!  It is 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!

Teaser Tuesday

Karen's:

Ray didn't hesitate.  "That's exactly what we're going to find out."

From page 13 of I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh.

"Just remember that you said you saw him too.  You can't say I lied without accusing yourself of the same thing."

From page 25 of The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas.

Gerard's:

He dug into the bottom drawer of his desk.  Pulled out the bottle he'd stolen from his dad, uncapped it, and took a drink.

From page 3 of The Watcher in the Wall by Owen Laukkanen.

That would be of murder, I surmised.  Three counts of murder against a guy I could only imagine being arrested if he accidentally walked out of a Whole Foods with a raisin granola bar.

From pg. 16 of The Ex by Alafair Burke.



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 Watcher in the Wall" by Owen Laukkanen

In The Watcher in the Wall by Owen Laukkanen, there is a website that young teens are going to.  It's a suicide how to and somebody is encouraging them to do it!  The detectives are on it and it's a race to stop this person before more kids die.  But they will need all their skill to stop it.

I thought this action-packed book was really good; the pages flew by!  The characters were developed well and very believable.  The ending was kind of drawn out, but that is a minor point.
(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!

"Aundy--Book 1 of Pendleton Petticoats Series" by Shanna Hatfield

Aundy by Shanna Hatfield is a historical western romance that kept my attention all through and was an enjoyable read, although had some very sad parts in it.  I liked Aundy right off and felt so sad for her and her new husband at the beginning of the book.  This is a story of a woman coming from the city to be a mail-order bride for a farmer in Oregon who was very excited to marry her and share his dreams with her.  She is a strong, independent woman with a kind heart.

This is a clean romance novel with action as well.  I liked the writing and hope to read more books by this author.  I really liked how she took charge and made her own decisions in running her new farm.
(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!

"A Mother's Reckoning--Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy" by Sue Klebold

In A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold, Sue is the mom of Dylan, one of the killers at Columbine High School!  She holds nothing back in describing what she felt when she found out it was her son who was one of the killers, and the reaction she received from people afterward and how she dealt with it.  She also gives us background on Dylan growing up and the lead up to the shooting.

Parts of the book were really riveting.  I have to say this was an eye opener for me!  She wrote very well 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

Karen's:

The girl had been so strong and stoic throughout the entire day's ordeal.  He knew she had to be exhausted, frightened, and beleaguered by all that had happened on a day that should have been filled with love, happiness, and celebration.

From Kindle location 805-7 Aundy by Shanna Hatfield.  

Gerard's:

All hope vanished as she comprehended what lay at the edge of the wooden planks.  In the very place she'd been kissed only moments before, were the remains of her life's great love.

From page 8 of The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins. 

Tom and I raced around the house like demented wind-up toys, flooded with adrenaline, unable to stop or to complete a task.  our wide-eyed pets crouched in the corners, alarmed.

From page 6 of A Mother's Reckoning--Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold. 


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!

"True (. . . Sort of) by Katherine Hannigan (A Kid's Book)

Every once in a while I like to read a book that I can just enjoy and is not on a heavy subject.  Something quick, light and entertaining.  True (. . . Sort of) by Katherine Hannigan is this kind of book.

Delly Pattison, Brud Kinney and Ferris Boyd all have problems of their own, but when they all befriend each other, it is a beautiful thing to see!  Delly has her own way of speaking that I found entertaining.  This has a good story line and goes very quickly!  This is a kid's book I enjoyed.
(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!

"Originals--How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant

Originals—How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant is an interesting non-fiction book about developing creativity and how certain creative individuals have changed the world. Much of it is about corporations but the second half is more about ways in which to get creative ideas accepted by others and encouraging creativity. As I was reading, some things really caught me interest and I wish I had a pen and paper to take some notes. There were some parts that bored me which I skipped. I was happy to find that at the end is a nice summary of the key points that interested me most! I was also pleasantly surprised to see that I finished the book much sooner than expected because so many of the last pages are references.

Here are the points I found interesting:

• Procrastinate strategically—(like dad did) mull things over, don’t be in a rush to get something done ahead of schedule.
• Seek feedback from peers.
• Highlight 3 weaknesses of idea to give reasons not to support it, especially if presenting it to those opposing it, then invite them to name more which helps them see it’s not so bad after all.
• Don’t try to calm down when anxious, get excited instead!
• Welcome criticism.
• Link good behaviors to moral character when complimenting children (You have been very helpful. You are a kind person.)
• Explain how bad behaviors affect others to promote empathy and guilt to get people to change their behavior.
• Emphasize values over rules.
• Youngest ones in family are generally bigger risk takers, comedians and more creative than first-borns.

(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!

"Thirst" by Benjamin Warner

In Thirst, by Benjamin Warner, Eddie is coming home from work one day and there is a huge backup.  He decides to walk home and on his way, he notices that water is suddenly gone!  How did that happen?  How long will it be before it comes back? 

This book held my interest throughout.  I enjoyed the character of Eddie very much and it has a pretty good 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!

Teaser Tuesday

Karen's:

Okay, we can't look into our own futures, but we''ll still be in the future for twenty-four hours.  That will be enough.

From page 36 of Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs.  (Click link for Gerard's review)

The first advantage is that leading with weaknesses disarms the audience.  Marketing professors Marian Friestad and Peter Wright find that when we're aware that someone is trying to persuade us, we naturally raise our mental shields.

From page 69-70 of Originals--How Non-conformists Move the World by Adam Grant.  (Non-fiction)

Gerard's:

Losing Ava's friendship had left me unable to remember who I might be anymore without her.  As strong a force as her presence had created, her absence was stronger yet.

From page 5 of Under the Influence by Joyce Maynard.  (Click link for my review.)

But there was no water on the other side of the road.  A thin rust-colored scar ran through the sand where it should have flowed.

From page 5 of Thirst by Benjamin Warner. 

Be sure to see our review of Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, a must read that we both liked!

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!

"Under the Influence" by Joyce Maynard

Under the Influence by Joyce Maynard is about Helen, a woman down on her luck who needs help.  When a rich couple befriend her, soon they become the center of Helen's world and good times are had.  But, when a bad time comes, Helen must decide if she will stay with her friends or go it alone.

People Magazine had this as their book of the week a while back and I can see why!  The story is very good.  At no time was I bored or skipping pages.  The characters were very good and believable.  The writing was outstanding!
(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 Decent Proposal" by Kemper Donovan--Contemporary Mystery/Romance

The Decent Proposal by Kemper Donovan is a unique love story with an element of mystery that takes place in L.A. Richard and Elizabeth both get a decent proposal by an attorney representing an anonymous client. They are complete strangers. Richard is a film producer fallen on hard times, likes to party and has a best friend Michaela (Mike). Elizabeth is a successful attorney without friends except for a homeless man named Orpheus. The proposal is that if they spend two consecutive hours talking to each other one day a week for a year, they would both be given half a million dollars each at the end of the year! Who wouldn’t accept an offer like that?

 I do not want to spoil anything, so will just mention the questions that came up as I was reading, such as: (1) Will Richard and Elizabeth fall in love? (2) Why were they chosen? (3) Who is behind the proposal? (4) How will they spend the money if they succeed? Even Richard and Elizabeth couldn’t come up with a common acquaintance that might have been trying to match them up.

The mystery in this book is what kept my attention more than the characters. There is some foul language and a lot of drinking episodes I did not care for, but the plot was interesting.  Another thing that bothered me was the girl called Mike.  I had to keep reminding myself it was the girl. Overall, I’m glad I read this novel and thought the author wrapped things up in a very unique way.   It was witty and had a lot of references to movies and books which I enjoyed.
(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!

"A Dog Called Homeless" by Sarah Lean

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean is actually about a young girl named Cally. Her mom dies and her whole life changes when her dad makes a life-altering decision. But, Cally finds hope in a stray dog. I really enjoyed Cally who is a great character! The last 50 pages were really good. Too bad the rest of the book wasn’t as good. I LOVED the parts the DOG was in most and would have liked more. Because of the strength of the last 50 pages, I pushed my rating of this book up to 4 stars. This is a children’s book that I’d recommend especially to girls.
(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!