"One For The Murphys" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is about being someone’s hero and showing unconditional love. Although it is considered juvenile fiction, I really liked it! The main character, Carly, has been neglected and abused but finds a good foster home while her mother recovers from a beating she took from her husband. Julie Murphy, the foster home mother, is the wife of a fireman with three boys that shows kindness and love to Carly who doesn’t quite know what to make of it. This heart-warming book has humor, a good message, and is a touching quick read. It made even made me tear up at certain parts. If you like stories about kids and family, I recommend this one! It will tug at your heartstrings.
 (Karen's review, rating 5 stars)

Here's a trailer for the book:
(This is the author's debut novel, her first draft of it received the Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in Children's Literature.)


This book was recommended by I am a Reader, Not a Writer. 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. Happy Reading!

We are linking this up to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop in response to this prompt: Book Review time! Recommend a great book, perfect for these stormy fall days! We'd like for you to subscribe so you get all our reviews. Click the link to check out the other prompts and perhaps link up a post of your own.

Tuesday Teasers: A Thriller and Juvenile fiction

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.   

Gerard's:

The doctor, his expression grim, wrote: I'm sorry. She wasn't as lucky as you.
More or less the same thing happened all over again, three weeks later and four hundred and fifty miles to the west, in Butternut Falls, Minnesota.

From page 14 of Shock Wave by John Sandford. (thriller)

Karen's:

"Why did you take me in, anyway?  I ask, unable to stand still and suddenly needing an answer.
"Well..." She sighs and puts her hands in her pockets.

 From page 33 of One For The Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. (Juvenile fiction--my review will be up tomorrow morning, great read!)

Spunky Doodle has a Monday Mischief post up on our other blog that she would like for you to see:

Happy Reading!

"Shock Wave" by John Sandford

Shock Wave by John Sandford is about a mad bomber who tries to stop the superstore chain, PyeMart, from being built. There is just enough action to keep you turning pages. I did not figure out the bomber's identity at all! It's a good read!
(Gerard's review, rating 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. Happy Reading!

"Dancing Dogs" by Jon Katz

Dancing Dogs by Jon Katz has 16 short fiction stories all centered around dogs. Most of the stories are really, really good! I loved it! If you are a dog lover, I think you will love it too!  This book was recommended by People Magazine.
(Gerard's review, rating 5 stars)

Other books we read by this author and enjoyed: Dogs of Bedlam Farm and Rose in a Storm.


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. Happy Reading!

"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick (UPDATED)

After being on a long wait list at the library, Gerard finally got the DVD of this movie and we watched it last night.  It is about the beginning of films and people fulfilling their purpose.  It's a good movie we both enjoyed.
(Karen's review 10/6/12)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick tells the story of a young boy, Hugo, who after his uncle leaves him takes care of the clocks at the Paris subway station.  However, this book is much more than that!  I just loved this book!!  The story is fantastic and the drawings in the book go with the story so well.  Now I want to go see the movie!  I now know why it was up for "Best Picture of the Year."  It's an amazing story!  If you saw the movie, tell me how you liked it!  This is in the running for my book of the month.
(Gerard's review 3/15/12)

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. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during March to the American Cancer Society.