For The Thrill Of It by Simon Baatz

I don't think I will read anything better this year! This will be hard to beat!
For The Thrill Of It by Simon Baatz takes place in 1924 is just riveting. It tells the story of the killing of Bobby Franks by Nathan Leopold and Richard Leob. What makes the book so good is that you feel like you are right there while all this is going on! The writing is that good.

This book grabbed me from the first page and held me to the last. The first part of the book is especially good, focusing on the planning that went into the so-called perfect crime and then picks up again in the courtroom. You will keep turning pages with this one. It is hard to put down! It would make a very good movie. Well done, Mr. Baatz. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
Gerard's review (2/25/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Tuesday Teaser: "Train From Marietta," "Wee Free Men," "Secrets To The Grave"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser. 

Karen's: (This is from the book I just finished. It was so good I wanted to do a teaser from it.)

She didn't feel the cool of the rain, but instead the pull of his whiskers on her hair and his breath on her face. Was that his heart or hers thumping so determinedly between them?

Taken from p. 193 of Train From Marietta by Dorothy Garlock See my review.

Now I'm reading this one:

Once again the water boiled, the green-haired creature shot up, and the long arms clawed at the mud. Then it screamed and dropped back into the water.

From p. 5 of The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.

Gerard's:

She held up a hand before Mendez could draw a breath to answer. "What am I thinking? She witnessed her mother's murder. What could be all right after that?

From p. 64 of Secrets To The Grave by Tami Hoag.

"Forever My Lady" by Jeff Rivera

Forever My Lady is a story about Dio, who has to go to a prison boot camp.  He loves a childhood sweetheart named Jennifer.  What he goes through in boot camp is interesting, as are the people who are also there.  I thought it had a pretty good ending and it says "to be continued."  This is a short, quick book that I recommend.  I look forward to a sequel.

(Gerard's review 6/12/09)

Karen Says:  Real World Romance From A Man's Perspective

I liked Forever My Lady by Jeff Rivera, because it's not your typical romance. It's about Dio, a Latino gang member called Playboy, whose girlfriend, Jennifer, got shot six times in a drive by shooting meant for him. He was sent to prison boot camp and Jennifer was in the hospital. It's a good story about his struggles at boot camp and how he matured and learned to become a responsible citizen that Jennifer would want to marry. He thinks about her constantly and thinking about their future together is what keeps him going and motivates him to become a better person. The reader learns much about their relationship through the letters they exchange while he is detained. The warning label on the book which says "Parental Guidance, Explicit Language, Adult Situations" almost scared me off but I'm glad I read it. It has a bitter sweet ending. I came to like Dio and pulled for him throughout most of the book. I highly recommend this to both men, women and young adults.
(Karen's review 6/10/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Left Neglected" by Lisa Genova

I liked Left Neglected because even though it dealt with a career woman and super mom, Sarah, who suffered brain damage, it was funny because of her sense of humor.  The way the book is written makes it very interesting because it is told from Sarah’s perspective.  I enjoyed reading about the mother-daughter relationship and how Sarah understood her son's attention deficit better after her accident.  The ending was very good and I am glad I read this book! 

Until I read this book, I never knew that someone could not know their left side existed.  Reading this book was a good way to learn about Left Neglect.  The author has a PhD in neuroscience and talked to people who actually had Left Neglect.  This is an interesting story about how a person’s whole life can change in an instant. The lesson is not to talk on your cell phone while driving!  I recommend this one too!
(Karen)

Put this book on your MUST READ list--it's the best book I've read so far this year! Left Neglected by Lisa Genova is a wonderful read! Sarah has a husband, three young children and a very high prestigious job. There are just not enough hours in the day for her until her car accident. The brain damage she suffered from the accident makes life as she knew it not there anymore. How she and her family copes is the basis for this book.

I really enjoyed Left Neglected from page one! The writing and humor makes it hard to put down. It’s very funny and thought provoking with a wonderful ending. In short, please read this book! Here's my Tuesday Teaser from it.
(Gerard)

Here's a short interview with the author:




Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"One September Morning" by Rosalind Noonan

I found One September Morning by Rosalind Noonan while browsing the library.  The cover caught my attention and the reference to Jodi Picoult made me get it.  I'm so glad I did!  I got into it fast.  The characters are people you will care about.  It's hard to put down and you will re-examine your thoughts on the Iraq war.  I liked the ending too.  You can't ask for much more than that in a book.  Pick it up if you see it, you will be glad you did! (30 stars)

Gerard (6/3/09)

I really liked this book about an army widow who wasn't satisfied with the army's report on her husband's death in Iraq and uncovered some disturbing facts about how he really died.  It also included the effects of his death on his family and how his feelings about the war in Iraq changed during his service there.  This book gave some insight into the Iraq war and gave me a new perspective on it.  One September Morning is a bit of a mystery because at first you don't know which soldier is the killer and then it turns to suspense as the killer puts his plan into action.  I read this in two days because it was captivating and I liked Abby, the main character who was the army widow.  I recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries, suspense, PTSD, stories about military families or psychos.   

(Karen 6/7/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?