- It is told in verse so goes fast!
- The story moved along and does not go back and forth in time.
- Always looked forward to getting back to it to find out what would happen next.
- Maddie is a great character!
- I loved George, her dog!
- It has a good ending!
Saturday, May 29, 2021
"Alone" by Megan E. Freeman
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
"Lost in the Never Woods" by Aiden Thomas
Thursday, May 20, 2021
"The Walk On" by John Feinstein
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
"The Scent Keeper" by Erica Bauermeister
Thursday, May 13, 2021
"One by One" by Ruth Ware is Really Good!
Saturday, May 8, 2021
"A Matter of Life and Death" by Phillip Margolin
A Matter of Life and Death by Phillip Margolin is about Robin, a defense attorney who represents two men charged with murder but who she believes to be innocent. She feels a lot of pressure to not make any mistakes in defending them because their lives are on the line.
This is a very good murder mystery novel because it's not just one case, but several. It has lots of unsavory characters and moved along at a good pace. The investigation was never boring and it had some action as well. (Karen's review, 5/8/21, 4 stars)
Gerard's review:
In A Matter of Life and Death by Phillip Margolin, Robin Lockwood is a young attorney who signs on to defend a homeless man charged with murder who she believes was framed. I enjoyed this book because it went fast and had some good action. It kept me guessing with lots of characters and the twists mad for good reading. (5 stars)
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"Good Girl, Bad Girl" by Michael Robotham
This book is good stuff. The characters are brought out well and the story line has a good flow to it! Cyrus is a great character as is "Angel Face" aka the No-name girl. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
I forgot I read this before in 2019. Didn't remember it.
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Monday, May 3, 2021
Must Read "The Red Address Book" by Sophia Lundberg
Saturday, May 1, 2021
"The Good Sister" by Sally Hepworth
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth centers on Rose and Fern, twin sisters that are very different from each other. Rose has Diabetes, mood swings and is very manipulative while Fern has sensory issues but a good heart. They see the world very differently. Rose wants a baby but her marriage is on the rocks. Fern works in a library and comes up with a plan to make Rose happy.
I enjoyed this book because of Fern. She is an interesting character and very likeable, unlike her twin, Rose. I didn't like Rose much from the start. I also enjoyed Rocco aka Wally, Fern's boyfriend. Both Fern and Rocco seemed to be on the spectrum for Autism and were great together! I recommend this to anyone who enjoys stories about families or people with Autism. (Karen's review, 5 stars)
Gerard's review 4/20/21:
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth centers on Rose and Fern, sisters who both look after each other. Rose wants to have a baby in the worst way, but it does not look like it is going to happen. Fern, being the good sister, decides to come up with a plan to make Rose happy. What is that plan? Will it work? You will have to read the book to find out!
Fern was a great character and drives this book in my opinion. The book moved along well with a surprise ending. I enjoyed The Mother-in-Law more, but this book is good too! (4.5 stars)
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Thursday, April 29, 2021
"The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
I loved the original concept of this book! I never read a book like this one before so enjoyed it a lot. It is well written even though the story does go back and forth in years. I also liked Addie very much. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Sunday, April 25, 2021
"28 Summers" by Elin Hilderbrand is GREAT!
I think this book is really, really good for several reasons: (1) the writing, (2) lots of well developed characters, and (3) I never knew where this story was headed. I LOVED IT! (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)
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Thursday, April 22, 2021
"The Honey Bus--A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees" by Meredith May is Very Good!
The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees By Meredith May is a true story. Meredith's parents separated when she was only five. Then she, her younger brother (Matthew), and her mother went to live with her grandparents. Meredith's grandpa was a beekeeper and taught her all about bees. This book is more than just bees though.
"The Girl in Cabin 13" by A. J. Rivers
Friday, April 16, 2021
"Joint Custody" by Lauren and Jackie Logsted
Joint Custody by Lauren Baratz Logsted and Jackie Logsted is narrated by Gatz, a dog. He gets adopted and heads for his forever home with a man. When the man meets a woman, they become a pack of three and Gatz is happy. Soon though, the man and woman split up and Gatz will try to get them back together.
I just did not get this book at all. I thought the writing was bad and the story line did not work for me. Even Gatz, the dog, was just okay. I usually enjoy dog books, but this one is bad. I advise you to skip this one. (Gerard's review, 2 stars)
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Wednesday, April 14, 2021
"The Mother-In-Law" by Sally Hepworth
The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth centers on Lucy and her mother-in-law, Diana. They are not exactly close. When Diana is found dead, Lucy becomes a suspect. Could she have done it? I thought this book was very good. I enjoyed both Lucy and Diana. All the characters were well developed and the ending put this book over the top for me! (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)
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Saturday, April 10, 2021
"The Umbrella Lady" by V. C. Andrews is Touching--We Both Liked This!
The Umbrella Lady by V. C. Andrews centers on a young girl named Saffron who is the narrator of the story. She is left alone at a train stations that her dad took her to and then he just left her there telling her to wait for him. As she waited, and waited, and waited, an old woman with an umbrella invited her to come home with her to wait for her father who never showed. Saffron refers to her as the Umbrella Lady. I really, really enjoyed Saffron. The byplay between her and the Umbrella lady is great! Also, Saffron's interaction with other kids when she finally went to public school was priceless! I would have liked more action, but Saffron more than made up for that. I look forward to the second book this fall. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
Karen's review 4/6/2021: In The Umbrella Lady by V. C. Andrews, after a fire burns her home and kills her mother, 8-yr.-old Saffron is abandoned by her father at the train station and found by the Umbrella lady. Saffron thinks of the lady that way because she always carries an umbrella with her, even if it's sunny. The lady takes her home but leaves a note for the dad who supposedly would be back to get Saffron after he bought a few things for their new home. Saffron reluctantly goes home with the nice old lady, but expects her father to show up soon to get her. Will he ever come back? What will become of Saffran? Are the dad and the Umbrella lady in cahoots? Is the dad really sending letters or is the Umbrella lady making them up?
This was a very good book! I loved it and thought about it even when I wasn't reading it. I was always eager to get back to it and was sad to see it end, but happy to see there will be a sequel. I loved the growing relationship between Saffron and the Umbrella lady (Mazy Dazy). Mazy had lots of wisdom quotes and was constantly introducing Saffron to new words. Mazy was a former teacher and home schooled Saffron, challenging her to learn something new each day. I also enjoyed Mazy's white cat, Mr. Pebbles the third. I highly recommend this one, especially to any teachers, retirees or even teens. (5 stars)
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Wednesday, April 7, 2021
"In Five Years" by Rebecca Serle is Wild!
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
"The Exiles" by Christina Baker Kline is Good Historical Fiction
The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline is historical fiction which I enjoy reading. This novel takes place on a ship filled with women convicts headed to Australia in 1840. I enjoyed this book. The author does a very good job of character development. It moved along at a good pace and held my interest throughout with a good ending. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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"The Lost Boys" by Faye Kellerman was a Snoozer!
The Lost Boys by Faye Kellerman is one of the slowest, most boring and dissatisfying books I've ever read. This is about several police investigations--(1) a 10 yr. old missing persons case, (2) a current missing person case involving Bertram, a man with Down Syndrome (3) a possible murder case related to Bertram. As if three story lines aren't enough, there is also the drama with the detective's foster son's biological mom and dad, an assassin. The primary story line is the cold case of three missing college boys who went camping together and never returned.
First off, I kept dozing off while reading the first half of this book. I felt like it kept leaving the main story to go down different rabbit trails. The conversation seemed stilted between characters that seemed just blah to me. I was ready to quit on this one but since I made it halfway and it started to pick up a bit, I decided to go ahead and finish. That was a mistake because after continuing to plow on through, the ending was very unsatisfying. Only one case was actually solved--the others just left you hanging. Maybe it's just me, but I like a book that actually has an ending to it. I would not recommend this one. (Karen's review, 1 star)
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Sunday, March 28, 2021
"Drown Her Sorrows" by Melinda Leigh is Blah!
Friday, March 26, 2021
"The 20th Victim" by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
In The 20th Victim by James Patterson there are three shootings all at the same time. Were the planned and if so, who is behind them and why? Put your detective hat on for this one. There is good action throughout this book, but I would have liked to seen more character development. That being said, the story line is strong enough to carry it. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Friday, March 19, 2021
"The Babysitter--My Summers With a Serial Killer" by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan is a True Story
The Babysitter by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan is a true story! The story is told by Liza and Tony. Liza was a lonely girl brought up by her single parent mom. Her mom was busy most of the time and got whoever she could to look after Liza. A young boy named Tony was one of those babysitters and the other person who tells the story. Liza liked Tony because he was nice to her. However, there was another side to Tony that Liza didn't see.
I enjoyed this book because it moved along and was interesting. It was like a TV crime show on Lifetime. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Thursday, March 18, 2021
"Before She Disappeared" by Lisa Gardner
I liked this novel and was anxious to get back to it. Frankie is a witty character and was very brave and determined. Although I thought the story a bit hard to believe, it still was interesting to me. I liked how she was able to win people over and most of the characters were very likable. I thought adding the "attack" cat to this story was a nice touch. (Karen's review, 4 stars)
Gerard's review:
Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner centers on a woman named Frankie who goes around trying to find missing persons that the police were unable to locate. Frankie is a good character, but this book has little to no action in it! I did enjoy the cat in this book though, but do not think the other characters were very well developed. The ending was predictable too. I was not very impressed with this one, thus I give it only 3 stars.
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Sunday, March 14, 2021
"The Witch's Heart" by Genevieve Gornichec (Author's first book)
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec centers on a witch left for dead and found by a man called Loki. They fall in love and have three children; however, danger is coming. Can this family survive?
I was lost in this world from page 1. The author does a great job of building this adventure. I really enjoyed the characters and the story that flowed along nicely. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Wednesday, March 10, 2021
"Dangerous Women" by Hope Adams
Dangerous Women by Hope Adams is a historical fiction novel during 1841. 180 women are on a ship heading to start a new life in a new town. They are small-time convicts. One woman is stabbed with a knife and is near death. Who did it and why? That is the mystery. This book lacked action in my opinion, but had a good ending and it was hard to figure who the murderer was. The ending was good so pulled it up to 4 stars. (Gerard's review, 4 stars)
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Monday, March 8, 2021
"A Minute to Midnight" by David Baldacci
In A Minute to Midnight, Atlee Pine works for the FBI. She takes some time off and tries to find out who took and killed her sister years ago. I liked the action in this book. I also enjoyed playing detective to try to discover the killer. Good stuff! (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)
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Saturday, March 6, 2021
"Big Lies in a Small Town" by Diane Chamberlain
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
"Black Widows" by Cate Quinn is a murder mystery
Saturday, February 27, 2021
"Orphan X" by Gregg Hurwitz has Twists and Turns
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Wednesday, February 24, 2021
"Montana Bride by Christmas" by Linda Ford
Montana Bride by Christmas by Linda Ford is an historical romance that is very enjoyable! Hugh, the preacher who just got his 4-yr-old son back seeks a wife of convenience. Annie, having had her heart broken by Rudy, answers Hugh's ad. She being quite a bit younger, he reluctantly agrees to a 4-week trial period. The young boy, Evan, has been so badly treated that he won't talk, sits on the floor on a mat all day and shies away from people until Annie helps him trust.
This is an enjoyable read. I really liked how Annie gradually gained the boy's trust and helped him to be more normal. The dog added to this story as well. I enjoyed all the characters and loved watching the budding romance develop between Hugh and Annie. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction about families. This is a heartwarming story! (Karen's review, 5 stars)
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Tuesday, February 23, 2021
"Do No Harm" by Christina McDonald
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Saturday, February 20, 2021
"A Life Without Water" by Marci Bolden
In A Life Without Water by Marci Bolden, Carol has had a rough life but now she at least has a pattern to it. However, 24 years after walking out on her husband, he returns. Why now? What does he want? What made this book for me was the by-play between Carol and her ex-husband, John. The story had a good flow to it and I was into it from the beginning. I think it would make a good movie. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Wednesday, February 17, 2021
"A Girl, a Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon" by Karen Romano Young and Jessixa Bagley
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"The Children's Blizzard" by Melanie Benjamin--A Very Sad Story
The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin tells the story of two young prairie school teachers who have to find an answer not found in their school books. How are they going to get the children left in their care home safe and sound when the weather turns from a warm day into a blizzard? The author does a very good job of making the reader feel how it was on that day.
This historical fiction book is much more than just that one day. You really get to know the characters! I had high hopes for this book going in and it certainly delivered. It was better than I expected! I LOVED this book and even read the author's notes, which I normally do not do. (Gerard's review, 1/31/21, 5++ stars)
Karen's review:
The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin is based on a true event but with fictional characters. This is a very sad story with lots of death and guilt. Just reading it made me feel cold! Knowing this actually happened made it interesting and even sadder. It revolves around two sisters who both were school teachers and one of their students. Both teachers were only 16 and 17 or 18, Raina and Gerda. Raina made a right decision and Gerda, a terrible one. This is a story about immigrants and homesteading in the 1800s and survival. It has adventure and much heartbreak. Reading this for me was like plowing through a blizzard myself. (4 stars)
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Saturday, February 13, 2021
"Turning Point" by Danielle Steel
Turning Point by Danielle Steel deals with four people: Bill, Stephanie, Wendy and Tom. They are all very good doctors who love what they do. Life is good when they are at the hospital; their lives outside of the hospital, not so much. They get picked to go to Paris for a month for a training session and jump at the chance to go. But life has a way of changing things as they find out.
I really enjoyed how the author developed the four leading characters. The book flew by! (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Tuesday, February 9, 2021
"Old Bones" by Preston & Child
Monday, February 8, 2021
"Olive, Mabel & Me" by Andrew Cotter (Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs)
Olive, Mabel & Me is a short book detailing how Andrew Cotter lives with his two very good dogs. I enjoyed how he talks about their outings on hikes in the mountains as well as their day-to-day actions. (Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Wednesday, February 3, 2021
"A Vow so Bold and Deadly" by Brigid Kemmerer (The End of a GREAT series!)
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
"The Captive" by Fiona King Foster
The Captive by Fiona King Foster is about a woman named Brooke. At her farm, she is attached by a wanted criminal, Cawley. Brooke is able to capture him and there is a bounty for him. Her and her family set out with him to take him in for the reward.
This book picks up about halfway through with good action when Brooke's daughters go missing. I liked Brooke. (Gerard's review 2/3/21, 4 stars)
Karen's review 1/27/21:
In The Captive by Fiona King Foster, Brooke, the mother of two little girls who owns a cranberry farm with Milo, finds herself desperately trying to protect her family from her past. She grew up in a drug dealing family that she left 15 years ago. She kept her past a secret from Milo and her girls. Growing up, her family was in a drug war with another and one day, one of them who has a warrant for his arrest shows up at her farm! Will he tell her family about her past? Can she get the bounty for turning him in? Will he hurt her girls? Did he come looking for her?
This book is about family secrets and how difficult it is to leaves one's past behind. There is adventure and suspense in this book. I got into it fairly quickly and it just kept getting better and better as it went along. Brooke is a fighter and although she did lots of bad things, it's hard not to pull for her to succeed. (4 stars)
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Tuesday, January 19, 2021
"Ready Player Two" by Ernest Cline
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline is the sequel to Ready Player One which we both liked. In this book, Wade is back with all his friends. They face a new danger and the clock is ticking. The first part of this book was good but the second part was very bad. I did not like it at all! I give it only 2.5 stars but that is because the ending was decent. I can't say I enjoyed this one. (Gerard's review)
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