"The Fatal Gift of Beauty--the Trials of Amanda Knox"

I must confess that I did not read The Fatal Gift of Beauty--the Trials of Amanda Knox by Nina Burleigh cover to cover. The first 179 pages or so were background stuff, which is necessary, I know; but I found it rather boring and uninteresting after awhile. I just skimmed most of that. When I finally got up to the murder, the investigation and the trial, it was very, very good and I was caught up in it. Can't say this is a must read, but sort of good overall.  If you are interested in this case, I recommend it.
(Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Tuesday Teasers: Books by Burleigh and Lippman

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:

Some might say the pentagon was Chicken George, but it was our talent for secrecy, our sense of ourselves as a single community.  Once we five joined, truly joined, it was never boys against girls, or Hallorans against the other two families.  No, it was Sean and Gwen who destroyed us.

From page 141 of The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman.

Gerard's:

It was a perfect, heart-shaped face but with a mysterious expression, one that viewers could only subjectively read. One American who went on to start a website devoted to Amanda Knox's guilt said she took one look at it and thought, "That girl's a killer."

From page 212 of The Fatal Gift of Beauty--The Trials of Amanda Knox by Nina Burleigh. (Non-fiction)

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The Leftovers" by Tom Perrotta

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta is about a town where a rapture takes place. People who were on Earth are suddenly gone and the people who are left have to come to grips with that. I enjoyed how the different characters dealt with it. This is not a "wow" book by any means, but an enjoyable read nonetheless.
(Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The Dog Who Knew Too Much" by Spencer Quinn (UPDATED)

I enjoyed The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn. Bernie and Chet, his 100 lb. dog, are partners in the Little Detective Agency and specialize in finding missing persons. Chet is the narrator of the story and it’s so funny when he gets distracted by smells or off the track with random thoughts. At first, it was even kind of annoying when I was trying to follow what was going on, but then I got used to it. I liked that the dog acted like a dog would and wasn’t like a person. He couldn’t actually talk and it wasn’t like he had any supernatural ability. One of the lines he kept repeating was: “Our cases closed just about every time with me grabbing the perp by the pant leg.”

I think you should read this one too!

This is a real fun read with both action and mystery. I think anyone who likes dogs would like this book. Visit www.ChetTheDog.com to see what else he’s up to.
(Karen's review)

Gerard's review posted 10/14/11:
You can never go wrong with a Bernie and Chet book.  I love Chet, he steals the show like he always does.  This is a good quick, enjoyable read with a happy ending! 

Gerard also read Dog On It by this author and liked it even better, but this book is well worth your time.  We both recommend it!

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The Eighty-Dollar Champion" by Elizabeth Letts

This non-fiction book is about a horse named Snowman, a plow horse, who with his owner, Harry, went on to become a world champion show jumper! The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts has it all. The story is so good and the writing made me feel as though I was right there cheering on Snowman! I hated to see this book end; I loved it so much! I hope a movie comes out on this book. If you don't read The Eighty-Dollar Champion, you are missing out on a great story! For sure, it is in my top ten or even five for my books of the year.
(Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Tuesday Teasers: "The Dog Who Knew Too Much" & "The $80 Champion"

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:

Something huge and strong knocked me down. I rolled over, bumped against rocks that wouldn't give, bumped against more and more and more rock in every direction, solid rock but on the move at the same time, and started clawing, clawing, clawing, seeing nothing, smelling nothing, hearing nothing--except my heart, pounding like crazy--and feeling nothing but rock, closing in from all around.

Taken from page 87 of The dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn.

Gerard's:

Snowman was a puzzle. If the horse could jump big sturdy paddock fences, why had he not shown any particular skill with a rider on his back?

Taken from page 87 of The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"No Distance Too Far" by Lauraine Snelling

Didn't care much for this one--too slow.

No Distance Too Far by Lauraine Snelling is Christian fiction set in 1904. Astrid, the main character, is a woman doctor who desires to follow God's will; she's just not sure what that is. She is not sure if God wants her to be a medical missionary in Africa, to work with her mentor or stay in Blessing to assist in her sister-in-laws medical practice or work on an Indian reservation with Red Hawk. She also wonders if Joshua is the man for her.

I liked the part where she was at the mission school, but it moved slowly and I didn't much care for it.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Rin Tin Tin" by Susan Orlean

Our dog, Abby, thinks you should read this one!

Rin Tin Tin—The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean is one of the most interesting dog books I have read. For those who may now know, Rin Tin Tin was a dog in a TV show years ago. First of all, let me tell you that Susan Orlean did a ton, and I mean a ton of research on this book. It took a decade to write it and second of all, this is a wonderful book!!! You're going to find things about the owner, Lee Duncan, and Rin Tin Tin (a German Shepherd) that is simply going to dazzle you! I got so caught up in it that I had a hard time putting it down. The few pictures in the book are very good too. Thanks for all your hard work, Susan, I LOVED IT!

Here is one of my favorite quotes from it since I'm not reading it on Tuesday for a Tuesday Teaser from page 85:

He scrambles up a tree--a stunt so startling that I had to replay it a few times to believe it. Can dogs climb trees? Evidently. At least certain dogs can.

(Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach

WOW!! This book is good, really really good! It's about a college baseball team, the president of the college, and his daughter. The good news is that you do not really have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this book. There is plenty of action off the field, trust me. Did I tell you that the ending is fantastic? It is! Read and enjoy. They hype about this book is true!

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Sarah's Daughter" by Ruth Bass

I enjoyed Sarah’s Daughter by Ruth Bass more than I thought I would.  It’s about a grieving family in the 1880’s and how the husband and his three children cope with the death of Sarah, the wife and mother.  Rose, the oldest daughter, is 14 and becomes overwhelmed with taking on all that the mother did while still going to school.  The father turns to alcohol to drown his troubles.

Here is a quote I thought was very good:

Sarah always said when the problem was very big, you just started at the very beginning and went along a bit at a time, the way you read a new book.

"Read only the first line," she'd say, "and understand that.  Don't go skimming through or try to see the end before you have absorbed all the lines between.  Problems are like books.  You work your way through them, and sometimes the ending is quite a surprise."

I liked the humor in this book and found the historical look at daily living in the 1800s very interesting.  The main character is likeable and well developed.  The author told most of the story from Rose’s point of view, even sharing her funny thoughts with the reader.  It is very well written and character driven.  This novel is about friendship, dysfunctional families, grief, suicide, dreams and some romance.  I recommend it to anyone who likes books teens or historical fiction.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Thunder Dog" by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory (Updated)

Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory is a must read!  It is a true story about Michael and his guide dog, Roselle.  It tells how they managed to escape the morning the towers fell and also his life story of being blind.  You get two stories in one book--both remarkable to say the least.  I enjoyed it very much!
(Gerard's review)

Karen's review:

I was surprised when I read Thunder dog by Michael Hingson because most of the book is not about his escape from the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 which is what I expected.  Instead, the book focuses on the author’s life showing how he didn’t let his blindness hold him back.  He is an ordinary person who happens to be blind.  He was blind from birth but still rode a bike, drove a car, flew a plane, graduated with a Master’s degree in physics (with honors), held several high pressure jobs!  Yes, he and Roselle, his guide dog, were among many people who walked down 1,463 stairs to get out safely when the plane flew into the building, but the book explains more about the special relationship between guide dogs and their owners.  I learned a lot about what it’s like to be blind—it was fascinating to me how he could “hear” inanimate objects in front of him kind of like bats do based on the echo of sound waves. 

Thunder dog is inspirational, enlightening and educational—a good read!  Michael set up a foundation in memory of his beloved guide dog, Roselle which provides technology to blind children and adults to assist them in living normal lives.  Check it out at www.rosellefoundation.org. 

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Tuesday Teasers: "Thunder Dog," "Art of Fielding" and "Sarah's Daughter"

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:

. . . "Get out of here!  It's coming down!"  The South Tower emits a deep rumble that becomes a deafening roar. I hear glass breaking and metal tearing, accompanied by a chorus of shrill and terrified screams.

From page. 108 of Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory (Review will be up tomorrow)

     And then all Affenlight saw were faces, Mike Schwartz's big and nearby and twisted in a suffering grimace, Henry's beyond it round and distant and blank, revealing nothing, as there came, from that corner of the dugout, a muffled but nonetheless sickening crunch, followed by a thud.

     Owen.

From page 101 of The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach.

Karen's:

The date was on the back.  October 27, 1871, ten years after the Civil War began.  She didn't want to look like that.  She didn't want to be her mother.

Taken from page 6 of Sarah's Daughter by Ruth Bass.

 You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

The Library Test

Gerard is a Strong Thinker

Gerard with our dog, Abby You tend to have an opinion on everything. You are the opposite of wishy-washy. You like to consider yourself informed, and you're more than happy to read up on anything you don't know about. You've got an intensity that draws people to you. You provoke strong emotional reactions. There isn't a lot of middle ground or gray area with you. You rarely feel conflicted about anything.

This is true for my hubby, Gerard, all the way through.  I like that he is a strong thinker and well informed.  People do like him but sometimes he does feel conflicted when two of his sports team play at the same time, he struggles with which one to watch. 

Karen is a Concrete Thinker

See the cats? When it comes down to it, you're a practical person. You're only concerned with what works in life. You like to build your skills and knowledge about the world. You like to know lots of things. You are career-focused. You get a lot of satisfaction from working hard. You are always looking for ways to improve yourself and strengthen your ambition in life. You study a lot.

I agree I am very practical and do have a desire for knowledge, although not necessarily current events.  Being career-focused is a joke.  I really can't say I am although I do get lots of satisfaction from working hard.  At this time, my most satisfaction comes through blogging.  I do enjoy my Bible studies and seek to improve at becoming more like Jesus.

Take The Library Test

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate $1.00 per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is famine relief through Samaritan's Purse.

"Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love" by Larry Levin

Oogy by Larry Levin is a story of a family who adopted a very gentle but beat up dog that had been used as bait for dog fights because he wouldn't fight.  He lost one ear, the left side of his face, and a broken jaw but the police found the pup and took it to a veterinarian who cared enough to go above and beyond to save it's life because of its sweet disposition.  This book is about the dog everyone thought was a pit bull that was actually a Dogo--a breed I never heard of before.  I felt sorry for the poor dog because of all the pain it suffered, but happy that he found such a loving family that gave him a good life! It was an enjoyable read.
(Karen's review 9-30-11)

Oogy is the true story of Larry Levin who rescues a "Bait Dog."  You will have to read the book to find out the meaning of that term.  He comes out with the name "Oogy."  The book details how he and his family incorporated Oogy in their lives.  This book is okay, a nice story.  I don't think it's anything special.  I've read better dog books for sure.
(Gerard's review 11/6/10)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it?  What dog book would you recommend?

This is the last day to comment on our blogs for our 50 cent donation per comment for Best Friends--a great animal rescue organization.

"Susannah’s Garden" by Debbie Macomber

Sorry, cats weren't cooperating to model for me today.

Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber is a romance novel that covers young love, missed love, love in marriage and love after death.  Susannah is bored with her life, which although is good, isn’t really happy.  Susannah struggles with her college age daughter, her mother, her anger towards her dead father and her sense of missing something in her marriage.  Susannah wonders if she married the wrong man and seeks to find her first love in her hometown while getting her mother moved into an assisted living facility with the “help” of her daughter.  As Susannah hunts down her first love, hangs out with her best friend from high school, and packs up her parents things, she makes some enlightening discoveries which made the ending very interesting.

I loved the cover and liked some of Debbie Macomber’s other books so chose to read Susannah’s Garden.  I think the title and cover of this book are misleading.  For example, the cat belongs to a neighbor and is mentioned only once.  “Susannah’s garden” was mentioned twice and not until the last third of the book.  I would have chosen “Stupid Susannah,” “Judge Dad” or “Peace with the Past” instead.  I kept thinking Susannah was stupid through most of the book.  I liked this book okay, but it is all about relationships and the most action was when Susannah’s mother moved into the assisted living facility so it’s not a page turner.  My favorite character was Vivian, Susannah’s mother.  I felt sad for her having to leave her home just because she got lost one day and claimed to see her dead husband.   

If you want a good book about a garden, I recommend either The Midwife’s Confession by Diane Chamberlain or Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Darkness My Old Friend" by Lisa Unger

WOW, oh wow!!  Lisa Unger's books are always so good and Darkness My Old Friend is no exception!  The story line is great, the characters are well developed and the writing is superb!  What more in a book do you want?  I highly recommend this one!
(Gerard's review)  

(You can see a teaser from this one in yesterday's Tuesday Teaser post.)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Tuesday Teasers from Debbie Macomber and Lisa Unger

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:

It had sounded wildly romantic and she'd meant it. Except that when she came home, Jake was gone.

From page 176 of Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber.

Gerard's:

They laughed until they were weeping with it, both of the clutching their middles. And Bethany thought how much she loved her wild, defiant child, how she'd failed at almost everything, lost so much, but that none of it mattered because of the one thing about her life that was right.

Taken from page 39 of Darkness, My Old Friend, by Lisa Unger.

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The One Percenters" by John Podgursky

The Once Percenters by John Podgursky is a psychological thriller that contains rough language that I didn't appreciate reading. However, that aside, the story itself is really good! Edward Caine creates his own little world and tells a fantastic tale that kept me reading for sure. The ending was a shocker to me! This is a good read if you can get past the bad language.
(Gerard's review)

(John Posgursky is a new author who requested a review and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book.  I like horror and this certainly could be classed as such.  I would have given it 5 stars on Amazon if it wasn't for all the profanity.)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Blind Fury" by Lynda La Plante

Wow, Blind Fury by Lynda La Plante is a real good who done it!  Anna Travis is the lead detective who tries to find a serial killer of women.  She gets unexpected help from a prisoner who just really wants to connect again with Anna.  This novel has twists and turns and a very good ending.  I enjoyed it!
(Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"This Time Together--Laughter and Reflection" by Carol Burnett

This Time Together—Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett is a collection of short essays about funny things that happened in her life.  She shares humorous stories about her career and various celebrities.  By reading this book, I discovered a depth to Carol Burnett that I hadn’t known before.  She is really a nice person, not just funny.  I used to enjoy watching The Carol Burnett Show and fondly remember the sketches with Tim Conway, Harvey Korman and Vicky Lawrence that made me laugh.  That’s why I chose to read this book and am glad I did!
(Karen's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes" by Chris Crutcher

WOW!  What a great Book this is!  Loved it!  This book is about a very special friendship between a boy and a girl who are "misfits" at a high school but much more than that.  It deals with freedom of speech, suicide and abortion too.  I got into Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes right away and really cared about the characters.  This is a good YA novel but all ages would get something out of it.  I give it a double wow!
(Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Morning Comes Softly" by Debbie Macomber

A delightful and heartwarming read, Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber is my favorite novel of hers. It’s a romance about a Montana cowboy who puts an ad for a wife in a paper so that he can raise his brother’s three children who became orphans when their parents were killed in an auto accident. Who would answer such an ad? One lonely frumpy librarian from Louisiana named Mary is who. Travis thought she was like Minnie Mouse and was very disappointed when they first met; however, she managed to bulldoze her way into his heart. She met all the requirements mentioned in the ad that he and the children wrote: she could cook, sew and sing.

There is a lot of humor in this book which I loved; however, it also dealt with some serious issues such as dealing with grief, anger, bitterness, marital issues, and parenting. It is a light, enjoyable and entertaining read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys a good family story with romance and a happy predictable ending.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Lost and Found" by Jacqueline Sheehan

Lost and Found by Jacqueline Sheehan is a nice little book about the story of Rocky, whose husband dies suddenly. She takes a job as an animal warden and meets a black Labrador retriever named Lloyd. This book goes quick and I loved the Bucky character as well as Lloyd. Give it a read, it's worth it.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Tuesday Teaser: Authors Macomber and Crutcher

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:

"We didn't have macaroni and cheese every night," Beth Ann delighted in telling the social worker. "One night Uncle Travis fixed popcorn. We had strawberry ice cream for dessert."

From page 22 of Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber.

Gerard's:

"She's right, Mobe. Her mother's the only person who can set this straight. We better find her."

From page 132 of Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher.

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"I Am Maru" by Mugumogu

I am Maru by mugumogu is a picture book about the popular YouTube cat, Maru. The author also has a blog and many of the pictures in the book are from that. It has good color photos of the cat and was an enjoyable quick read. Maru lives in Japan and so the book is in Japanese and English.

My cats were very jealous and did not look at this book with me--they feel like they could do things Maru does and should also have a book about them, especially since our dog has one. They admit though that this is a good book because Maru is a beautiful cat and of course, cats stick together.

Here is Maru's video that went viral:




This cat knows how to have fun!

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't) by Betty White

If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't) is a quick, fun, light read about Betty White.  What impressed me most is that she is 89 years old when she wrote it!  She is in good health and still has passion and enthusiasm.  I enjoyed reading about her career, her pets, and her love for life and felt like old age doesn't have to be bad after reading this.  It's uplifting.  She has a great attitude as this quote from the first page indicates:

However, if one is lucky enough to be blessed with good health, growing older shouldn't be something to complain about.  It's not a surprise, we knew it was coming--make the most of it.

I was also surprised to find out she has quite a collection of stuffed animals.  We have stuffed animals all over our house; hers were in one room.  I loved that she turned down roles that went against what she believed in or that she did not find funny.

I knew she was an animal lover and liked her in The Mary Tyler Moore show as the "Happy Homemaker" and in  The Golden Girls TV show too; consequently, I was eager to read this book and was not disappointed.  Her humor comes through. 

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"In Their Blood" by Sharon Potts

In Their Blood by Sharon Potts is a coming of age story of a young man who loves to live life on his own, with no responsibilities or money worries because his parents are highly successful. That is, until his parents are tragically killed and he takes it upon himself to find out why while also taking care of his baby sister.

There's not a lot of action but I still enjoyed this book; must have been the writing style. I'm glad I read it!
(Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Breaking Silence" by Linda Castillo

Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo is her third book that has Kate as the lead cop trying to solve a crime against the Amish.  This book is a page-turner.  I thought I finally nailed who the killer was only to find out I was wrong, as usual.  The ending is really good; didn't see it coming at all!  This book is well worth reading.  I give this 1 1/2 wow rating!
(Gerard's review)

Karen's review:
Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo left me stunned! If you like a good murder mystery and stories about the Amish, this one combines the two very well. The former Amish Chief of Police, Kate Burkholder, has her work cut out for her as she tries to track down the perpetrators of a string of hate crimes in the Amish community where no one wants to answer her questions. The biggest puzzle is when what appears to be an accident causing three deaths that result in four orphaned kids turns out to be murder. I could feel her emotions as she worked to get the boys out of the manure pit and chased down the criminal through his place of employment. I also enjoyed the subplot of her personal relationship with Agent Tomasetti as they worked together on the case.

I liked that the story is told from Kate’s point of view as she goes about trying to solve the crimes while trying to keep her personal feelings in check. I was shocked by the ending which kept me reviewing in my mind what happened to try to make sense of it all. This is a very interesting read that I highly recommend.

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

Other books we read and liked by Linda Castillo: Sworn To Silence & Pray For Silence

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Save Me" by Lisa Scottoline (UPDATED)

This book starts out good but goes downhill fast at about page 200 or so.  The lead character turns into Nancy Drew.  The story line goes from good to bad and then the main plot is absolutely ridiculous!  Save yourself the trouble, don’t bother reading this one!

(Gerard's review)

Save Me by Lisa Scottoline is a contemporary novel about the strong bond between mothers and daughters.  It looks at the issues of bullying, community, volunteering and ethics.  It is the story of a mom that I think any mother would find interesting and enjoy.  Rose rescues several children from a fire at the school while volunteering as a lunch mom, including her own daughter, is proclaimed to be a mom hero and then later is portrayed as a villain when one girl she thought was safe goes back in and ends up in a coma.  When Rose’s attorneys advise her to sue the school, she fires them and begins her own investigation to find out what really happened that day.  What she finds out was quite a shock! 

I liked Save Me because it made me want to keep reading to see what was going to happen.  Hunting for her daughter in the fire and then being in another fire trying to save the mother who was so mean to her was gripping.  My favorite line of the book is “Every mom is an action hero.”  Although the story is a bit farfetched, it certainly is a good read.  I recommend this to any mother. 
(Karen's review)

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

"Want To Go Private" by Sarah Darer Littman

Want To Go Private by Sarah Darer Littman tells the story about Abby, a young girl just starting high school.  She is not exactly Miss Popular and goes online to chat with her one true friend and meets someone who calls himself Luke.  She gets way too caught up with this guy and trouble starts.  

WOW!  Did I love this book!  I read it in just a day and a half even though I work full-time.  I especially liked the way the author gets the views across of the other people in Abby’s life.  It’s a definite page turner and a must read for teen girls and their parents!    A double-Wow book for sure!  I LOVED IT and highly recommend it!

(Gerard's review)

Karen's review:
Want To Go Private by Sarah Darer Littman is a fantastic book for parents and teens. Even though I am neither, I liked it too! It is a fast read that shows how teenage girls are easily manipulated by online predators through the story of Abby, a 14-yr.-old girl just starting high school, who willingly ran away with a guy she met in an online chat.

I liked Abby at the beginning, but then thought, “How can she be so stupid?” Through the therapist, the author explains that there is a difference between academic intelligence and emotional intelligence. The predators act like they care by listening and agreeing with whatever the girls say as they “blow off steam” and thus get their trust which they take their time building for months. Then, when the girl has a fight with her parents, the predator suggests that they meet and boom! Emotional intelligence develops with maturity so young teens can easily be deceived.

By reading this book, teens should be able to spot some “red flags” that could prevent them from becoming a victim like Abby did. Parents can get some tips that could help them monitor what their children are doing online, such as not letting them have access to a computer or laptop in their bedrooms for one thing. I agree with Gerard, this is a “must read” for teens . . . and their parents!


Tips Found In This Book:

1) Only chat with people you actually know.

2) Parents should not allow kids to have a computer/laptop in their bedrooms.

3) Parents should have a list of the websites and log-ins/passwords their children use.

4) If someone asks you to do something that makes you uncomfortable, don’t do it!

5) To overcome stage fright, focus on only one person in the audience and talk to them.

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

For more internet safety tips visit http://wanttogoprivate.com and http://chezteen.com

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Tuesday Teasers: 3 Today!

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:

All of us are both people in need of help and people who have been positioned by God to provide his help to others. We always carry both identities.

From page 2 of Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands--How To Help Others Change (Study Guide) by Paul David Tripp.  (This is a study I am just starting on Sunday mornings.  I am very excited about this and will be posting things I am learning from it over at my other blog--Right Where We Belong.

I keep thinking about the picture I sent to Luke.  I keep hearing the words he used to describe how excited it made him.

Taken from page 97 of Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman (YA)

Gerard's:

"Can you see to it that someone stays with the children until we get this settled?"  Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't ask."

Taken from page 63 of Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo.

If you like our Tuxedo cat who poses with our books on here, you might enjoy her post on our other blog that she wrote: "Feast Day" by Spunky Doodle.

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Blood Feud" by David Robbins (UPDATED)

Blood Feud by David Robbins moved along at a good pace and kept my interest because Chace was such an interesting character.  It is is full of killing, a shoot-em up book about family loyalty, revenge, and hate. My favorite part was when Chace fled to Galveston, Texas and took over the hawking business from Tunk to help the kids which showed he was kind-hearted in spite of being a killer.  I did like the ending!
(Karen's review 9/12/11)

Blood Feud by David Robbins is about a feud between the Harkey clan and the Shannon clan. Chase Shannon sets out for revenge after the brutal rape of his older sister by the Harkeys. To say I enjoyed this book would be an understatement--I loved it! Blood Feud is a double wow, which means it's as good as it gets! The good news is that there is going to be two more books in this series. Can't wait!! Read and enjoy!
(Gerard's review 9/8/11)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Recommended Books About September 11

Three books we would like to recommend you read about 9/11 are Let's Roll!--Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage, Homer's Odyssey and Thunder Dog.

Let's Roll--Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage by Lisa Beamer

We read Let's Roll!  Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage by Lisa Beamer one a long time ago around the time it first came out and liked it. It was before we even started writing reviews but here is the book description:

2003 ECPA Gold Medallion Award winner!  Let's Roll!—the moving, behind-the-scenes story of United Flight 93 hero Todd Beamer and his widow, Lisa—is so much more than a tribute. A message of character, courage, and undeniable faith in the face of horrifying tragedy, it encourages anyone who reads it to live real life right now . . . and to have confidence and hope for the future.

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper

One book about September 11 that both of us really enjoyed is Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper (this link will take you to our reviews of it.)  It's about a New Yorker who was separated for days when the terrorist attack happened on 9/11 from her three cats, one of which was Homer--an eyeless kitten with a big brave heart. You can visit www.gwencooper.com to hear the author and actually see Homer in action!

Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson

We have not read Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson but have requested it from the library based on reviews I've seen about it. Here is the book trailer for it:







Here are several links to bloggers who have reviewed it: Life With Katie, Ramblings of a Christian Mom and Army Wife.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

The International Children's Bible Packs A Punch!

For my personal devotions this year, I have been using the International Children's Bible. It is especially helpful when reading through the Old Testament books.

I was brought up using the King James Version of the Bible and so memorized my scripture from that. I was always hesitant to read other versions but over time, I have come to accept the New International Version (NIV). I just think part of the charm and uniqueness of the Bible is the old English. It reminds me how old the scriptures really are and how God has protected his word throughout time.

However, here is an example of how some verses can really be more powerful when put into plain English.  This particular verse jumped out at me and then I looked it up in my KJV Bible to see if I had it marked. I did, but oh, how much plainer is the International Childrens Bible.

Here are three examples of Proverbs 18:15 so you can see how much easier the Childrens version is to understand:

KJV:

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

NIV:

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent--the LORD detests them both.

International Children's Bible:

The Lord hates both these things: letting guilty people go free and punishing those who are not guilty.

If you have children, I recommend getting them The International Children's Bible and use it yourself too for a better understanding of the scripture!

Have you seen this before? Which translation of the Bible do you prefer?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"You're Next" by Greg Hurwitz (UPDATED)

You’re Next by Gregg Hurwitz is a complex and mysterious novel about a family man who goes to great lengths to protect his wife and little girl from being killed by the bad men who are after him because of who he is. Mike was abandoned at the age of 4 and grew up in foster care waiting for his dad to come back for him. He made a good life for himself but when he found out he and his family were in danger and couldn’t go to the cops for help because there was an alert out that he was a suspected terrorist, he turned to a friend from his childhood.

I liked this book because it had lots of suspense, action and mystery to keep me reading. Although I was confused at the beginning because it jumped around a bit, I stuck with it and the second half really took off. I felt the pressure Mike was under and really liked the Casino caper when Mike tore the safe out of the wall of the office with the help of his friend, Shep. It has a great ending and emphasizes the importance of stamina and loyalty. Never give up!  I read this because Gerard said it was so good.  Now I recommend it to you--you're next!
(Karen's review)

Gerard's review:
Wow, oh WOW!  You're Next by Greg Hurwitz is a page turner!  The novel is about Mike, who is left on his own at age 4 so his childhood is not so great.  He overcomes that though and things go well until one day people start coming after him, his wife, and even his daughter!  He turns to his one true friend from childhood for help.  I really enjoyed the ride this book gave me.  Make the time to enjoy it for yourself!


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


You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Teaser Tuesday: "You're Next" and "Blood Feud"

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:

Annabel was shouting for him to get into the truck, and he thought of her and Kat behind him, watching through the movie screen of the windshield.  Everything he stood to lose seemed summed up in the countless glares pointed in his direction, all those well-dresed folks who'd watched him knock down a cripple.

From page 92 of You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz. Gerard loved this book, check out his review by clicking the link.

Gerard's:

Scarlet looked at each of them.  She saw no pity, no mercy, only resentment of who she was or, rather, what she was.  The only exception was the young one.

Taken from page 17 of Blood Feud by David Robbins.

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Emory's Gift" by W. Bruce Cameron

Emory's Gift by W. Bruce Cameron is a real good story about a young boy named Charlie Hall. His mom died and he lives with his dad. He is also dealing with Junior High, which is not being good to him at all! Then his whole life changes when he befriends a grizzly bear. I enjoyed this book a lot. I identified with Charlie and think you will like it too! (Gerard's review)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"War Horse" by Michael Morpurgo (UPDATED)

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo is a double wow book for me! Joey, the war horse, tells about his adventures during World War 1 and the special bond he has with a young boy named Albert. At only 160 pages or so, it goes very fast. I loved it! I look forward to seeing the movie which is coming out on Christmas.
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this one too:
War Horse is a touching book that kept my interest all through.  Although it is a children's book, I enjoyed it but must admit I got teary-eyed reading it.  Parts were very sad but I loved the ending!  Joey, the horse, tells his story about living on a farm with a boy named Albert and then being sold to the army because Albert's dad needed money to save his farm.  The horse goes through a lot but Albert never gives up looking for him. 

The MOVIE:
We went to see the movie the day after Christmas and it is as good as the book!  It's really fantastic and we both cried, it was so moving.  You see the horrors of war but yet also the sacrifice for others, love, determination and some funny scenes too!  Great book, great movie!  We highly recommend it.  For more detail, see War Horse at Plugged in Online.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Growing Up Colt" by Colt and Brad McCoy

I am a Cleveland Browns fan so when I heard our Quarterback is a Christian and wrote a book about his life, I wanted to read it. I was surprised to find that his dad wrote some of it as well. This was an interesting read because Colt and his dad share very personal experiences from Colt's childhood and also how his training growing up helped him to become the leader and the role model that he is today. Brad, his dad, shared four main principles of parenting while balancing discipline and love:


 1. Prepare the kid for the path, not the path for the kid.
2. Prepare your children to do their best.
3. Prepare your children to be leaders.
4. Prepare your children for open and closed doors.

I also thought the lessons Colt said he learned were very good, such as always finish what you start, treat everyone with respect, listen to advice from those more experienced than you and relax because "the hay is in the barn."  He used this phrase in his first NFL start as a Cleveland Brown and the guys asked him what it meant.  It means they practiced and put in the work, so now they can relax and go out and play.  (He grew up on a farm in Texas.)

It was nice to read about someone who walks with God and didn't make a lot of bad choices that messed up their life. I think the book balances his childhood training, football games, and his walk with the Lord well. I enjoyed learning so much about Colt through this book. He's definitely a leader with character and I am happy he is our Quarterback! I recommend it to parents, all Browns fans and anyone who is interested in football.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Manny Picks The Winner of our Audio Book Giveaway

Congratulations to our blogging buddies at Beaded Tail who won our audio book giveaway for IRON HOUSE by John Hart.  To enter the giveaway, all you had to do was comment on any of our blogs between Aug. 20 and Aug. 30.  I actually did an elimination round first by rolling dice to choose 16 finalists.  I counted the comments back starting with Aug. 20 and wrote down the commenter's name on a piece of paper according to the roll of the dice.  Obviously, the more you commented, the better your chances.  After I got through all 90 some comments, I threw them on the floor and let my cat, Manny pick one.  As you can see in the video, he was very contemplative but clearly had his paw on just one of them.  Both Gerard and I liked Iron House by John Hart very much and hope the gang at Beaded Tail enjoys the audio book!

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Tuesday Teaser: "Ready Player One" and "Growing Up Colt"

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:

Then I made a silent vow not to go outside again until I had completed my quest. I would abandon the real world altogether until I found the egg.

From page 166 of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Karen's:

A few days later, after the dust had settled, I actually thanked Dad for making me ride that steer. I also told him how scared I was to ride that night, and then we talked about how you sometimes have to do things even whey you're scared.

Taken from page 74 of Growing Up Colt--A Father, a Son, a Life in Football by Colt and Brad McCoy.  (For those you don't know, Colt McCoy is the Cleveland Browns Quarterback so that's why I'm reading this one--I'm a Browns fan!)

CHECK OUT OUR GIVEAWAY:
This is the last day to enter our giveaway for the audio book, IRON HOUSE by John Hart.  

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

JESUS: 90 Days With The One And Only by Beth Moore (Giveaway)

JESUS: 90 Days With The One And Only by Beth Moore is a devotional book with her insights into scriptures that all relate to Jesus. It has 1-3 pages on each passage of scripture with questions for reflection, space to write notes and her thoughts about the verses. I used it as a devotional book and liked it. I only wrote it in a little bit because I realized it would be a good book to pass along. Also, I found many of the thought questions required too much thought for me. It is a great book for focusing on Jesus and she made some very interesting points. It was like having her in a Bible discussion with me.

If you don't mind having some of my answers, live in the U.S. and would like this book, just let me know in the comments. It does no good just sitting on my shelf. To keep it simple, the first to comment gets it if you give me your email so I can contact you for your address. It has 436 pages.

Beth Moore is a well-known Bible teacher who speaks at conferences and has written many Bible Studies.

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.