A Couple Childrens Books

The two childrens books we read this week were Snow!  Snow!  Snow! by Lee Harper and Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit--A Book of Changing Seasons by II Sung Na.

Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit by II Sung Na appealed more to Gerard than me.  It's about different animals and how the handle the snow and what happens in spring.  There are pictures on every page but not particularly cute.

Snow! Snow! Snow! by Lee Harper is a short, fun childrens book with very little writing and big pictures on every page.  Gerard and I both liked it because it was a cute story about dogs going sledding and having a good time like we did as kids and even not to long ago.  We thought you might enjoy a video of us sledding to bring this to life!

This sure beats shoveling!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Black Hearts" by Jim Frederick is An Outstanding Read!

Black Hearts by Jim Frederick is an outstanding read!  I loved it!  It is the story of 1st platoon, a group of men known as the “Black Heart” brigade, and what led up to the horrific murder of an Iraqi family and the rape and subsequent burning to death of their daughter by members of this group.  However, there are lots of other true stories too.  The writing is so good I felt like I was right there with them!  I really got to know better what our soldiers and the people who lead them go through.  This is for sure my book of the month and it has a good chance of making my top ten books of this year!  If you really want to know what our troops face day-to-day, read this book!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Still Alice" by Lisa Genova Gives Great Insight Into Alzheimer's

We both liked Still Alice!

Karen's review:

Ever know someone with Alzheimer’s and wonder what they are thinking?  Still Alice by Lisa Genova is a brilliant novel that shares what it is like to have Alzheimer’s from the point of view of one who actually has it!  Most stories about people with Alzheimer’s are told from the caretaker’s point of view.  Still Alice lets the reader inside the mind of the person afflicted with this degenerative disease which has no cure.  Alice is only 50 and already has some symptoms of Dementia.  She is a college professor at Harvard, the wife of a scientist and mother of three grown children.  This is a story about a family and how the mother with Alzheimer’s feels as she discovers she is losing her memory, becoming confused and is sometimes disoriented. 

Reading this is a great way to learn about Alzheimer’s and become aware of the symptoms.  It was a bit scary for me to read this and find that my “senior moments” of forgetting words and names happened to Alice who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 50!   The author actually interviewed people who had early onset of Alzheimer’s.  Questions for discussion are included in the back along with an interview by the author. 

This is a good read and did not drag at all.  Some parts were even humorous.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about families, relationships or wants to know more about Alzheimer’s.  I think it would be a good book for a book club to discuss.

Another book Gerard and I highly recommend by Lisa Genova is Left Neglected.  To learn more about Still Alice or get in touch with Lisa Genova, visit www.StillAlice.com.  To learn more about Alzheimer’s or help those suffering from the disease, visit www.actionalz.org or www.alz.org.

Gerard's review 3/2/09:
Still Alice by Lisa Genova is a book I saw on Amazon and saw it got a good review so thought it would be worth reading. It sure is. This is just a fantastic book! It is a story about Alice Howland who gets early Alzheimer's disease. It's funny, sad, powerful and tells how she and her family handled having it. This, I think, is the definitive book on Alzheimer's. Hard to put down. I'm not surprised if people could read it in one sitting. It's that good. Do not miss reading this. It will stay with you for a long time!



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

You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March.  We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Strength Training For Seniors" by Michael Fekete, CSCS, ACE

I liked Strength Training For Seniors by Michael Fekete because it gave some really good information about exercising in general, about how the muscles, tendons and ligaments all work in addition to some good exercises and instructions for developing a personal exercise program.  Blank worksheets are included to help the reader set specific goals, manage stress, and record progress in workouts.  This is a short book but packed with helpful and interesting information on strength training specifically for people over 50.  It also includes several different scenarios from real clients he worked with who had different problems so the reader can see how to tailor a personal workout program. 

To answer the excuse of having no time, Michael Fekete says on pg. 122:

Put your priorities in order.  Eliminate the useless, the unproductive, and the nonsensical.  You will be surprised at the amount of time freed up for training.  The time you allot to exercise is your best investment.  If you think that you cannot make time for exercise now, then be sure to make plenty of time for illnesses and hospitals later.

I highly recommend Strength Training For Seniors by Michael Fekete!
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen was pretty good but not great.  I was not “wowed” by it. 

Reasons to read this book:
(1)  great characters; (2) animals are part of the story; (3) Jacob Jankowski at 93 or so yrs. old, he’s not sure.  The part of the story when he is in the nursing home is hilarious!! (4) it has a very good ending; (5) it is going to be made into a movie.

Reasons not to read this book:
(1)  The plot of the story was a little confusing to me; (2) The prologue gives away the story.  I suggest you skip it if you decide to read this book; (3) some swearing in it.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

Tuesday Teasers: 3 This Week!

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. 

I'm back in the gym again!

Karen's Two:

I have found that strength training brings about the widest range of immediate, maintainable, and long-lasting physical and mental/emotional benefits.  Recent research proves that even with the very elderly and the very weak, effective strength training increases independent function skills and produces significant improvements in stair climbing, getting up from the floor, rising from the chair, and walking speed.

From p. 7 of Strength Training For Seniors--How to Rewind Your Biological Clock by Michael Fekete, CSCS, ACE (See "It Feels Great To See Progress" on our other blog about my gym experience.

Here's another I'm reading:

She looked up at John, his eyes patient, waiting for an answer.  How could she tell him she had Alzheimer's disease?  He loved her mind.

From p. 78 of Still Alice by Lisa Genova.

Gerard's:

"The Disaster March," he said, wrestling the apron over his head.  "Means something's gone bad--real bad."

From 13 of Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen.  (contains lots of swearing)

You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"The Horse Boy" by Ruper Isaacson

Amazing Journey (30 stars)
The Horse Boy by Ruper Isaacson is the story of Rowan, a special needs child, and his father, Rupert.  Rowan forms a friendship with a testy horse named Betsy.  Rupert sees this and gets the idea to take Rowan to Outer Mongolia to attempt to be cured by the Shamans and what a journey it is!  You will fall in love with Rowan and admire Rupert who will do anything to find a cure for his son.  You will be tempted to skip some pages because at times it moves slow, but stick with it.  It has a happy ending.  I enjoyed this book and hope you do too.
(Gerard 5/30/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"The Girl In The Gatehouse" by Julie Klassen

I really liked the cover!

The Girl In The Gatehouse by Julie Klassen is historical fiction about Mariah who was sent away from her home for inappropriate behavior to live in a gatehouse on her aunt’s property.   This takes place in the 1800s when it was considered unladylike to be an author so Mariah wrote a couple books under a pseudonym.

There were quotes before each chapter but the harshest I think was this one by Nathaniel Hawthorne in a letter to his publisher, 1852:  All women as authors, are feeble and tiresome.  I wish they were forbidden to write. 

I found the historical quotes interesting and also the book cover.  There is mystery, romance and the insight into the 1800s in this story.  I enjoyed the interaction with the people in the poor house across the street from the estate, especially when Mariah got her friends to put on a little play for those at the poor house.  There are a lot of characters, but they were introduced slowly enough to be able to get to know them. 

I had to laugh when I came to the part of Captain Bryant discussing Mariah’s novel with her and his lieutenant, Mr. Hart, when he did not know she was the author because it summed up how I was feeling about this book:

He snapped the book shut.  “It is all so much gentlewoman gibberish to me.” . . .. In any case, I am afraid I find the book frightfully dull.
“Let me guess,” Hart said.  “No swordplay, no gunfire, and no horse races.”
“Exactly.  Lots of long looks and deep discussions.”
Hart raised one finger high.  “And therein lies the void between the sexes.  Women want long looks and deep discussions, and men want to ride and shoot.”

There was so little action and it moved so slow, several times I had trouble keeping my eyes open!  I plowed through it though because I have seen several good reviews for it and I got to liking the characters.  I loved the ending--and not just because it was over!  The theme is forgiveness and to move on even if you make mistakes, don't dwell in the past.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help the charity at the top of this blog by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

If you want to see other bloggers thoughts on this book, visit Christian Fiction Book Club over at Edgy Inspirational Romance.

"JESUS--90 Days With The One And Only" by Beth Moore

I discovered JESUS-90 Days With The One And Only by Beth Moore through a blog (unfortunately, I don't recall which one it was but think it was Reading and Life).   It's actually a devotional book by Beth Moore.  I've done some of her Bible Studies and always came away with a better understanding and a fresh perspective so was very excited to find this book.  I had a Barnes & Noble Gift Card so bought it with that.  It is a beautiful book!  I look forward to using it in my devotions and may perhaps share some things from it as I go through it on my other blog, Always Looking Up.  This is a 90-day journey so I will not keep showing this in our header here for three months even though I will be reading it.  I'm sure it will be very good!  (If it was your blog where I saw this, please let me know so I can include a link to your post--I know I left a comment that I would be using my gift card to get it.)




Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Twin" by Allen Shawn

Twin by Allen Shawn tells the true story of Mary, Allen Shawn's twin sister who had autism.  Her parents sent her away to "summer camp" for good.  That's how it was handled back in those days.  Allen shares his feelings about that and his relationship with his brother, parents and Mary.  Some of the book is like a text book; I would have liked a little more action.  It was okay, not really a bad read but not riveting either.
(Gerard's review)   

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

66 Love Letters by Dr. Larry Crabb is Incredible!

From God To You: 66 Love Letters (A Conversation With God That Invites You Into His Story) by Dr. Larry Crabb is one of the most unique books and profound books I have come across. I loved it! I am so happy I won this book in a giveaway because I found myself underlining something in just about every chapter. It is like a summary and commentary on the Bible but is written in such a way that held my attention and made me eager to read more. The writing is incredible because the whole book is written as a conversation between God and a man about each of the books of the Bible. So often, the man is asking the same questions I have about the different books. Through “God’s” part of the conversation, the author shows how all the books come together to point to Jesus and God’s plan to get people to His “big party (heaven).”

I took my time reading this one since I own it, and because there is so much to comprehend and chew on. It is very thought provoking and will be treasured as a great reference book in my library. I plan to re-read the chapters that relate to the book of the Bible I am currently reading. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in spiritual things or who has questions concerning things in the Bible.

Here's my teaser.
(Karen’s review)

About the Author:

Dr. Larry Crabb is a well-known psychologist, seminar speaker, Bible teacher, author, and founder/director of New Way Ministries (www.newwayministries.org). He serves as Spiritual Director for the American Association of Christian Counselors.


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Dilemma: A Priest's Struggle With Faith And Love" by Father Albert Cutie

For me Dilemma by Father Albert Cutie was an eye-opening look at just what it means to be a Catholic Priest.  Father Cutie became one but then fell in love and had to make a choice.  Dilemma gives very good inside accounts of how he made his decision and what other people thought of it and him.  I enjoyed reading his story.

Here's my teaser from p. 144: 

"But I also very much felt called to be a married man, even a family man. I was a priest in love and contemplating marriage; I no longer believed the two things to be incompatible as I had been taught."

(Gerard's review)

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

"Rose In A Storm" by Jon Katz is a WOWIE!-Updated 3/2/11

We Loved This Book!

UPDATED 3/2/11: Karen's Review:
I agree with Gerard, Rose in the Storm by Jon Katz is really good! It’s a touching fiction story about the life of a farm working dog, Rose. I really liked learning about farm life through this book and seeing how the animals connected and interacted with each other. When Sam, the only human on his farm gets injured during a 5-day blizzard with temperatures -30 degrees and is air-lifted to a hospital, his border collie, Rose, takes care of the farm without him. I especially identified with Rose’s memory of her special connection with Sam’s wife Katie, who died. I’m sure anyone who lives on a farm or likes animals would love this book! I am a city girl and enjoyed it very much. I kept thinking about our blogging buddy, Mountain Woman at Red Pine Mountain, who blogs about her farm in Vermont as I read this book.  We both highly recommend this book!


The author has also written a non-fiction book, The Dogs Of Bedlam Farm, about his farm in upstate New York. Gerard liked that book too and now I’m going to read it too! The author’s website is www.bedlamfarm.com.

Gerard's Review:

WOW!  What a book!  Rose in a Storm by Jon Katz is about Rose, a working dog on a farm and her owner, Sam.  Rose has a lot of work to do as there are a lot of animals on the farm to look after.  Rose tells the story which is very cool.  One day a huge storm comes and Rose is put into a situation she has never been in before.

I felt a lot of emotion while reading this book which to me says that is a really good book! Rose is a wonderful dog that the reader can't help but love. I think anyone would enjoy this book, especially dog lovers. The best part is that it has a good ending--the dog lives! I cried when I read Dewey, The Library Cat and cried at the end of this book too--yes, it's that good! Karen is going to read it as well.

We saw Faye's write up about Rose In A Storm by Jon Katz over at Summit Musings and ordered it from the library.  I'm so glad I did! 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?  You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March.  We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

Comment For Charity

We are very happy to report that we received 224 comments on our all our blogs during February so will donate $112 to The National Children's Cancer Society (50 cents per comment).

The day we first met Abby! (6/20/09)

For March we will again donate 50 cents per comment on all of our blogs but to Canine Lifeline--the organization that rescues dogs from shelters that are scheduled to be put down. They use foster homes to take in the dogs to give them longer to find them good homes. They have saved over 300 dogs throughout Ohio and Kentucky since it started in 2009. This is how we got Abby! She was scheduled to be put down because she was in an overcrowded shelter. She is a wonderful dog and it would have been so sad had Barb, one of the founders of Canine Lifeline, had not rescued her to give her extra time for us to find her.

Visit their website at www.caninelifeline.org to donate, see what other dogs are available or provide a foster home. We hope you will comment on all our blogs to help out this charity that is so wonderful!

Tuesday Teaser: "Dilemma" and "Girl In The Gatehouse"

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:

But I also very much felt called to be a married man, even a family man. I was a priest in love and contemplating marriage; I no longer believed the two things to be incompatible as I had been taught.

From pg. 144 of Dilemma: A Priest's Struggle With Faith and Love by Father Albert Cutie

Karen's:

Had she not promised herself she was finished with men and their untrustworthy ways? Even as she thought this, she knew the promise was a poor shield against the truth. For she felt certain no honorable man would ever love her now.

From pg. 77 of The Girl In the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

"Whatever Tomorrow Brings" by Lori Wick

I liked Whatever Tomorrow Brings by Lori Wick.  It’s a Christian romance about family and hospitality.  Three siblings whose mother died after moving to California from Hawaii and whose father went back to mission work in Hawaii but left kids in the states with the intent to join them later have to make it on their own with the help of Christian friends.  Katie, the oldest, gets a teaching job and takes care of her teen brother Sean and little sister, Marcail.
(Karen's 5/23/09)

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

What Wizard Of oz Character Are You?

Do you like The Wizard Of Oz?  The Wizard of Oz is an all-time classic movie that I always enjoyed.  When I was little, the wicked witch scared me so much that I had nightmares about her chasing me!  When I got a bit older, we used to actually act it out in our backyard!  I liked being a flying monkey so when I saw this quiz I just had to try this quiz.  As a teen, when I saw the movie "Pilgrim's Progress" all I could think was that it's like "The Wizard Of Oz!"   Gerard and I both got the same result:

We Are the Tin Man

You feel like you're not compassionate enough, but you've got more heart than almost anyone else in this world.  (I do have compassion, but it just feels like I should be doing more.) You care deeply for others, and you are extremely sensitive. You are easily moved. (I sometimes cry when reading a touching story or when seeing a sad movie like "Marley & Me" or "The Notebook."  Gerard is very emotional. You find it easy to put yourself in someone else's shoes. You're very empathetic. (I think this is true, especially when I've gone through a similar situation that someone is going through.) If only you were as easy on yourself as you are on others. You don't give yourself enough credit! (Yeah, this is true of both of us.  We really don't.  I get mad at myself quite easily when I forget things--I am becoming more forgetful and Gerard yells at himself when he goofs up something.)

What Wizard of Oz Character Are You?
Take the quiz and let us know your results in the comments!
I wonder how many different characters we can get.

"Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

"Speak" is a fiction book but it reads like a non-fiction book.  It is about Melinda who starts her freshman year in High School as an outcast.  It has to do with a terrible incident that occurred just before school started.  She does not speak much, if at all, at school--hence the title of the book.  Her observations about High School are dead on!  There was a lot of hype about this book and now I see why.  This is a great book for teens, but I think anybody would enjoy it.  You get into it quick and I had a hard time putting it down.  At less than 200 pages, it is a quick read.  Well worth reading for sure!  The ending is AWESOME!
(Gerard 3/29/09)

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

"Secrets To The Grave" by Tami Hoag is FANTASTIC! (Updated 2/25/11)

What a fantastic sequel to Deeper Than The Dead.  Secrets To The Grave by Tami Hoag is a real page turner.  I couldn't put it down!  It starts off with a woman found brutally killed.  If you think you know who the killer is, think again because you don’t.  I loved all the many twists and turns in this.  Deeper Than The Dead was one of my top books from last year and now Secrets To The Grave is one of my top books of this year.  I sure hope there is a third book.  This is about as good as it gets!
(Gerard's review)

Check out my teaser from this book.

UPDATED 2/25/11:  (Karen's review)

Secrets To The Grave by Tami Hoag is a psychological thriller with complicated crazy characters that will keep you guessing what is up with them.  It begins with a brutal murder witnessed by only a 4-yr. old girl and brings the reader along a bumpy road as the detectives try to figure out who killed Marissa and why. 

I liked Anne, the heroine who was married to Vince, the former FBI special agent brought in to assist with the case.  This book is full of surprises and suspense.  Secrets to The Grave is a real page turner that got my interest right from the start and just kept getting better as it went along.  I wasn’t able to guess who the killer was for sure until almost the end.  I highly recommend this book if you want a good murder mystery.

visit Tami's website at www.tamihoag.com 

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

"True Grit" by Charles Portis Is As Good As The Movie!

True Grit by Charles Portis is a western about a young girl who wants to avenge her father’s killing by going after the killer and gets a well-known marshal to help her.  I think most people know the story.  I’ve seen the movie three or four times.  The book was just as good as the movie.  Nothing really new that is not in the movie, but I enjoyed reading it!
(Gerard's review)

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

"Rescue Josh McGuire" by Ben Mikaelsen

Rescue Josh McGuire is a story about adventure and protecting a bear cub that I'm glad I didn't pass up although it's a book for kids. Josh flees to the mountains with his dog and a bear cub on a dirt bike to keep the orphaned bear cub from being taken by the Montana Fish and Game Department to be used for lab experiments. After Josh's older brother died, Josh's father became an alcoholic and accidentally shot the cub's mother when hunting with his son but wouldn't admit it. It's a very good story about the difference this one boy made and the search to find the boy. He was determined not to return home until he could keep the cub and the law would be changed to not permit bear hunting in the spring when cubs were generally born. I recommend it to boys and animal lovers

(Karen's 4/15/09)

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

Tuesday Teaser: "Rose In A Storm"

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. 

Only have one for you this week:

Rose sank into a state of absolute focus. She dug and dug and dug, aware neither of pain nor cold, only of Sam beneath the snow.

From Rose In A Storm by Jon Katz. My review of this book will be posted Wednesday--this book really good!

Happy Presidents Day!

This video recaps all the presidents in under 4 minutes! Pretty cool, I thought. I'm glad I'm not the President of the U.S.--way too much responsibility! I'm amazed anyone wants that job but I'm sure glad some people do. I found this over at MaryTheKayTheBlog on her Honoring our Greatest Presidents post. She has a trivia quiz over there for you too!

"The Wee Free Men" by Terry Pratchett Is Very Strange

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett is teen fantasy which I read for a change of pace and enjoyed.  I normally do not read fantasy books but the teaser I saw for this one at The Adventures Of An Intrepid Reader got my attention.  It looked like it would be a funny book and it is.  I was not at all disappointed.  It's a story about a little girl who wanted to be witch.  When her little brother is missing, she goes after him into Fairyland to get him back from the Queen.  It is sort of a combination of "The Wizard of Oz" and "Alice in Wonderland" and does not make much sense.  The Wee Free men (Nac Mac Feegle) were blue with red hair and about six inches tall, noted for stealing, fighting and drinking.  They were very fast, strong and helped Tiffany get her brother back.  I liked them especially but it wasn't always easy to understand them.  I especially liked the part of the Nac Mac Feegle steeling the sheep and at the end about the lawyer humor. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape reality for awhile and just be entertained.  Oh, it's such a crazy book that the printing is upside down so you actually read it backwards!  It's hilarious--a fun read!  You can read my teaser. 

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

"Black Seconds" by Karin Fossum

Black Seconds by Karin Fossum is a quick read which is always good.  A little girl goes missing and is found weeks later.  As usual, in a mystery there are quite a few suspects.  This is a page turner.  I didn’t know who did it until the very end.  I liked it and recommend it!
(Gerard's review)

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

"America By Heart: Reflections On Family, Faith and Flag" by Sarah Palin

There is really no grey area when it comes to Sarah Palin.  You either like her or you don’t.  I do.  America By Heart:  Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag is her second book; her first was Going Rogue: An American Life.  She touches on a number of subjects.  The chapters of this book that I enjoyed most were:  “Why They Serve,” “The Rise Of The Mama Grizzlies,” “I Hear America Praying,” and “Common Sense Constitutional Conservatism.”  I liked both her books. 
 (Gerard's review)

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

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?

"A Sick Day For Amos McGee" by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead

A Sick Day For Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead is a childrens book about Amos McGee who works at the zoo.  He always makes time for some very special animal friends.  One day he is too sick to come to the zoo so his animal friends came to visit him! 

Amos cared about the animals and the animals cared about him.  It's childrens book that we think any child would find amusing. The illustrations that go along with the story are very well done.  A charming little kids book about caring for others!
(Gerard & Karen)

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

"Seven Days Of Rage: The Deadly Crime Spree Of The Craigslist Killer"

Seven Days of Rage by Paul Larosa and Maria Cramer is from the excellent TV shows “48 Hours Mystery” the story of the “Craigslist Killer” is an excellent read of how a young medical student who “had it all” went so bad.  Reading this was just like watching the show.  I really enjoyed the in-depth reporting and getting all sides of the story.  The show is on Saturdays which I tape and look forward to watching.  It's a great show about true crime.

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

"Train From Marietta" by Dorothy Garlock

Train From Marietta by Dorothy Garlock is story of adventure in Texas and romance in the 1930s. When Kate plans to take the train from New York to California to practice medicine with her uncle, little did she know that she would be kidnapped along the way and her plans would change when she finds romance. This is also a story of betrayal, survival and friendship. I liked all the main characters, especially the Indian boy.


Dorothy Garlock is one of my favorite authors and this book did not let me down. I love how she can tell the story in such a way that it makes me feel as though I’m right there or watching a movie. I enjoyed this book very much because I like stories with happy endings!

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

Teaser Tuesday: "66 Love Letters" and "Left Neglected"

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:

God, what are You saying to me in Your first love letter, Genesis?

You've made a mess, but I have a plan!

In Genesis, I begin telling the story of how everyone fails and I succeed.  I want you to know how much of a mess you've made out of all the beauty I created.

Taken from p. 2 of From God To You--66 Love Letters:  A Conversation with God That Invites You Into His Story by Dr. Larry Crabb 

Gerard's: 

I decide I'm not dead because I can hear the sound of the rain hitting the roof of the car.  I'm alive because I'm listening to the rain, and the rain becomes the hand of God strumming his fingers on the roof, deciding what to do.

Taken from p. 64 of Left Neglected by Lisa Genova (author of Still Alice).

Meet us On Monday

1. What do you put on your hot dog?

Karen: Ketchup and sometimes mustard sometimes. I have hot dogs two or three times a year.

Gerard: I guess ketchup but I don’t really like hot dogs.


2. Do you play Sudoku?

Karen: No, it takes too long. I was curious about it though so tried it just by putting numbers in haphazardly. Then I spotted a small book on how to do it at Marc’s which I browsed through and tried again with success!

Gerard: I have no interest in these things whatsoever.


3. What is your favorite vegetable?

Karen: Corn on top of mashed potatoes is my favorite, but only have it if we go to a lunch buffet on rare occasions.

Gerard: What's a vegetable? The closest I come to eating vegetables is drinking V8 Fusion. I like tomatoes on burgers.


4. Do you color your hair?

Karen: No, I hate to spend any time fussing with my hair! I’m just going to go gray and be happy I have hair!

Gerard: Of course not.


5. What is your favorite brand of clothing?

Both of us like L.L. Bean and St. John’s Bay.

Meet more bloggers over 40 at Meet Me On Monday.

"Twisted By The Wind" by Tom Hays

Twisted By The Wind by Tom Hays is an unusual book, at least different from any I’ve read before.  Through a variety of short humorous fiction stories about Ben Braddock, the author conveys the main theme of the book that the journey of life is the destination and that “destiny is what becomes of a person in the end in spite of all efforts to change or prevent it.”  I enjoyed the bits of wisdom from the author before each story such as:

 It’s not really work if you like doing it.

If at first you don’t succeed, that’s pretty much how it works for most people.

Every day, life gives you a second chance.  Take it.

Jumping to conclusions is not considered good exercise.

He also included some poems throughout that book that I enjoyed as well.  Although I’m not in total agreement with the general philosophy of this book, parts were humorous.  This is a short quick read that was amusing, entertaining and thought-provoking.  You can visit Tom Hay’s website at http://PearlOfTheDay.com for inspirational and motivational quotes.  You can visit his blog at http://tomhaystoday.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Tom, for the free copy of your book in exchange for this review! 

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

"Breaking Night--From Homeless to Harvard" by Liz Murray

Loved the movie, loved the book! This story was a lifetime movie that we both liked very much.  Breaking Night by Liz Murray is just as good, if not better.  It is the true story of Liz Murray who was homeless and wound up at Harvard!  It's a remarkable and inspirational story!  The writing is very good and really captures her struggles.  Thanks for the book, Ms. Murray, and may God bless you always!  I give this 10 stars! 
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this too and liked it:

WOW!  What an interesting book filled with insight into poverty, homelessness and drug addiction!  Breaking Night is the memoir of Liz Murray who shares about her life of living with her drug addicted parents, her effort to protect her parents who both contracted AIDS, living at a group home, her dependence on friends while homeless, her determination to go back to school and change her life.  This is a very good book!  It is so hard for me to fathom people actually living like she did.

Breaking Night shows that a person can change in spite of one’s circumstances if they make good choices and work hard.  It is about family relationships, forgiveness, friendship, judging by appearances, survival, overcoming obstacles and being responsible.  Liz overcame many obstacles and found herself with a scholarship from The New York Times and was accepted at Harvard!  She is now a motivational speaker helping others get their life on track and is now working with a small team of people to open Broome Street Academy, a high schools for homeless teens in September of 2011.  Liz is a remarkable person!

This is an inspirational book that I highly recommend!  Her website is Manifest Living.  I also enjoyed the movie on Lifetime that was based on this book.

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

Visit Saturday Sampling for more great posts of the week or link one of yours!

"A Lifetime Of Wisdom" by Joni Earickson Tada

I give A Lifetime Of Wisdom by Joni Earickson Tada 30 stars!
I haven't read a Joni book in a long time but found this one while browsing through the library.  I'm so glad I did!  What makes this book so good is that Joni goes back to how she thought about things when she was a teen and now shares 40 years later what she has learned since.  As always, the writing in Joni's books is superb.  This book is hard to put down.  It gave me sort of a spiritual bath, which I think we all need from time to time to reflect on the really important things in life.  Bless you, Joni!  I highly recommend you read this book!
(Gerard's review 7/1/09)

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

"If I Stay" by Gayle Foreman

If I stay by Gayle Foreman is a really good teen novel!  It is about a teenage girl named Mia who, with her family, got into a car accident.  Her parents and brother die, but she lingers in ICU.  She describes her emotions while she hangs between life and death.  I enjoyed this book because it’s short, well written and went quick.  I give it 7 stars!

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

Teaser Tuesday: "Breaking Night" and "You Killed Wesley Payne"

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. 

We have a non-fiction and a YA fiction teaser for you today, check out our giveaway for Gerard's:
Karen's: 

Every night was like this.  While Ma and Daddy injected themselves with cocaine and ran in and out, like a tag team, I stayed close by and shared the night with them.  While Lisa slept in her bed, I had them all to myself; I helped keep them safe.

Taken from p. 55 of Breaking Night--A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey From Homeless To Harvard by Liz Murray

Gerard's: 

Dalton needed to check out the crime scene.  First stop, football field.  The kid followed, plump and sweaty, huffing to catch up.  He held out his knuckles for a bump.  "My name's Mole."

Taken from p. 3 of You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin.  We are giving this one away.  Here is the link to our giveaway where you can find out more about this book.

If you would like to enter a Feb. 5 giveaway for the book I wrote, My Funny Dad, Harry visit Red Pine Mountain and leave a comment on my guest post.

Giveaway: "You Killed Wesley Payne" by Sean Beaudoin

We received an advanced copy of "You Killed Wesley Payne" by Sean Beaudoin and will pass it along to one of our readers who would like to have it.  Here is the summary from the back cover and the book trailer:

You Killed Wesley Payne is a truly original and darkly hilarious update of classic pulp noir, in which hard-boiled seventeen-year-old Dalton Rev transfers to the mean hallways of Salt River High to take on the toughest casde of his life. The question isn't whether Dalton's going to get paid. He always gets paid. Or whether he's gonna get the girl. He always sometimes gets the girl. The real question is whether Dalton Rev can outwit crooked cops and power-hungry cliques in time to solve the mystery of "The Body" before it solves him.

If you would like this teen fiction book, please leave a comment with an email address so we can contact you should you be the winner.  We will pick the winner of this giveaway on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011.

"Up From The Blue" by Susan Henderson

I find it hard to believe that Up From The Blue is Susan Henderson’s first book.  I really liked it!  Up From The Blue is about a Colonel’s daughter who one day finds that her mom is missing.  When she finds her mother, that is when the book really picks up steam.  All the characters are portrayed very well:  the dad, the brother and the mother and daughter.  Up From The Blue is a real page turner!  I’ll be looking for Ms. Henderson’s next work for sure!  I give this 10 stars and definitely recommend it!
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this one too after Gerard finished it and didn't like it near as much as Gerard:
Up From The Blue by Susan Henderson is just a very sad book about a family who is really unconnected with each other.  The girl is 8, the boy is 12 and neither really feels loved.  The dad is a military man who is at his wits end when it comes to helping his wife.  She is depressed all the time and he just hides it from everyone, telling the kids not to talk about her.  It‘s a story of putting on an act and hiding true feelings.  I felt bad for each one in the family.  It reminded me of The Glass Castle except that was non-fiction.  Told from the little girl’s point of view, the reader doesn’t get the full story until the girl does.  Although it is an interesting read, I didn’t care for it because it was just so depressing--no one in the family felt good enough. 
(Karen's review)

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