"Toes" by Tor Seidler is Cat Story

Toes by Tor Seidler is a children's book, 5th grade level, about a black cat with seven toes on each paw.  His litter mates don't accept him so he leaves home and finds a musician to live with.  The cat is very intelligent and helps the man achieve his dream.  I did not like the sad ending at all.  Other than that, I enjoyed the fast fun read.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Identical" by Ellen Hopkins

Identical by Ellen Hopkins is about two sisters, Kaeleigh and Raeanne. Their father is a judge, their mom is running for political office. Money is not an issue. From the outside, it looks like a perfect family, but as the sisters tell their story, you come to realize that not everything is as good as it appears. Identical kept me turning the pages quickly and a whole lot of issues are brought to light. I loved it! This is the second book I've read by Ellen Hopkins. The first was Impulse and in my book, she is two for two.
(Gerard's review:  4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Lamb" by Bonnie Nadzam

Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam is not a fluff read by any means. You have to use your brain power to get the true meaning of this book. It tells the story of an older man who befriends an 11-yr.-old girl and convinces her to go on a trip to the mountains with him without telling her mother. To find out what happens on the trip and what they learn about each other you'll have to read the book. I don't want to spoil it for you. I enjoyed it; it is well worth reading!
(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is a fast-paced teen science fiction romance that kept my interest. I thought it was sort of a strange book because Juliette, a teen, has some super power of being able to kill people she touches although the book never explained why her power is only effective with certain people but not others. I didn't understand that part. I liked the adventure parts where Adam and Juliette ran away together from the asylum but didn't care for all the strikeouts throughout the book. I found them to be distracting. Maybe that was the idea of them, I'm not sure.

Overall, I think the theme is to realize you are unique and accept yourself. At the beginning, Juliette has been confined for a long time in solitary and is feeling very depressed. Then gets a cell mate who she recognizes from her past and is nice to her because he's always liked her but pretends he doesn't know her. Eventually she becomes hopeful for a future and a happy life ever after.

If you like teen romance with a twist, I recommend this one.  I saw a lot of teasers from this that got my attention but was a bit disappointed in this book.  I liked Legend by Marie Lu much better!

(Karen's review:  My rating: 3 of 5 stars)

Gerard's review:
If you like science fiction books with romance, this is it.  A young boy and a young girl fight against an evil government that wants to use them, especially the girl whose touch is lethal.  I liked this book a whole lot!  It kept my interest throughout with lots of good action.  I look forward to the sequel if there is one.  This is the author's first book--very well done!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the

poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

Teaser Tuesday: "Unwind" and "Lamb"

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:

He's going to tell me now, Connor thinks. He's going to tell me they're unwinding me, and then break down in tears, going on and on about how sorry sorry sorry he is about it all.

.
Taken from page 7 of Unwind by Neal Shusterman.

Here's one from the book I just finished that is too funny not to use:

But if I made the Red Bend football team, it would mean I wasn't a cow. That's what I'd been struggling with ever since Brian showed up.

Taken from p. 131 of Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

Gerard's:

Lamb left her in the white hotel and drove back toward the city, away from the last broken reaches of daylight as rain clouds threaded with neon blue in the rearview mirror. The girl would be there when he returned.

Taken from page 61 of Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam.

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Dairy Queen" by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is a story about D.J., a 15-yr.-old girl who helps with the family Dairy Farm in Red Bend, Wisconsin, and has a love for football. She used to play with her two older brothers and gets sucked into helping Brian Nelson, the good-looking quarterback of her school's arch rival team, train over the summer. As she gets to know him, she gets to like him. He is shocked and feels betrayed though when he finds out she will be playing against him!

Teaser: But if I made the Red Bend football team, it would mean I wasn't a cow. That's what I'd been struggling with ever since Brian showed up. p. 131

This is a fun read about a girl and her self-esteem issues. I enjoyed learning some about Dairy farming, the whole football aspect of the book, and how D.J. learns that communication is so important. There is enough included about her family and friends to make this realistic fiction. I look forward to reading the sequel.
(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 starxs)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

Happy Martin Luther King Day--A Book/Movie For You!

I just happened to find out about Ruby Bridges over at MaryTheKayTheBlog today when I read her post, "How We Celebrate Martin Luther King Day at our House." Here is a video clip about Ruby Bridges that I thought looked so good that I checked to see if there was a book about her, and there is. I ordered Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story from the library as well as the DVD.





Other books about her is Through My Eyes: Ruby Bridges and The Story of Ruby Bridges: Special Anniversary Edition

Have you seen this movie or read the book? What did you think of it? How are you celebrating today?

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Impulse" by Ellen Hopkins is Fantastic!

WOW! "Impulse" by Ellen Hopkins is a fantastic read! Tony Connor and Vanessa each have their own demons to deal with. They all wind up at Aspen Springs, a place that helps teens deal with their issues. How they deal with them and their own stories is just remarkable! To say I enjoyed this book would be putting it mildly. I LOVED "Impulse"!

Although it is over 600 pages, it is in verse and I was so caught up in it that it did not seem that long. This is for sure going to be my favorite read this month and will be in my 12 favorites for 2012. This is one you will not soon forget--what an ending! I highly recommend it! (Gerard's Review:  My rating: 5 of 5 stars)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"The Inside Story of the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins"

I love this book!

Full 60 to History--The Inside Story of the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins is just awesome!! It details the 2010-2011 season in which "my" Bruins won the Stanley Cup. It is filled with lots of incredible photographs, including lots of action shots. I felt as though I was practically on the ice myself as I read this. The words by the management and the players are priceless! If you are a Bruins fan, you have to get this one! GO BRUINS!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"An Invisible Thread" by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski is the true story of Laura, a white sales executive, befriending a black 11-yr-old panhandler, Maurice. This is a great book about friendship. Maurice is very likable and Laura tells the story very well. It is a feel-good story with a happy ending. I liked it a whole lot!
(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

3 Tuesday Teasers

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:

We walked across the avenue to the McDonald's, and for the first few moments neither of us spoke.  This thing we were doing--going to lunch, a couple of strangers, an adult and a child--it was weird, and we both felt it.

From pg. 7 of An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski.

Well, no, see . . . not when your mother's a stark raving psycho. For years she went undiagnosed.

From page 91 of Impulse by Ellen Hopkins.

Karen's:

"Tell me why you're here, Adam. What are you doing in an insane asylum if you don't belong here?"

"I've been asking you the same question since I got here."

Taken from page 41 of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"The Digital Diet" by Daniel Sieberg

The Digital Diet--The 4-step plan to break your tech addiction and regain balance in your life by Daniel Sieberg gives a lot of common sense suggestions such as limiting your online time to 90 minutes a day and focusing on one task at a time to be more efficient.  It suggests deleting sites that you no longer use and spending more time with real family and friends that you actually can see rather than online friends.  I found it ironic that it gave me more websites to use to help limit my online time and track how long I'm at different websites.

I do not recommend this one.    

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" by Tom Franklin

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin is a very interesting book that is a mystery about two missing girls and Larry Ott, the suspected murderer. Through flashbacks, the interesting story of “Scary Larry,” the white boy, and Silas, his black friend, growing up in Mississippi is told. This story is a mixture of a tale of friendship and a mystery. Did Larry really kill the girls and who shot Larry? Will Larry and Silas remain friends? Which boy had the better life? These are questions that arise.

Here’s a quote I particularly liked:

“What’s missing out of you, Silas?

Courage, he thought.

No wonder he felt at ease among these chickens.”

The title comes from how southern children are taught to spell Mississippi:  M, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, humpback, humpback, I.

I liked this book because the characters were interesting and the story telling was well done. It has a unique plot, not only the mystery of who killed the girls but also family secrets. I would have given this book 5 stars except for the profanity.

(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Tony and Susan" by Austin Wright

All right now, Tony and Susan by Austin Wright is my first double WOW book of 2012! Here's the scoop: Susan gets a package 15 years after her divorce from her husband. It's a manuscript of her ex-husband's first novel that he wants her to review. As she reads it and gets into it, she has to face the realities in her own life.

The reader gets two stories in one book: Susan's husband's story plus the story of what she feels not only about the book but about her ex-husband. Both stories are really good! The first 100 pages get you hooked and you have to keep reading. I highly recommend this one!
(Gerard's review:  5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives.

Book Beginnings for January 6, 2012

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin starts off with a sentence that made me want to read more right off the bat.  Here it is:

The Rutherford girl had been missing for eight days when Larry Ott returned home and found a monster waiting in his house.

How does your current read begin and what are your thoughts so far?

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Dear Sparkle: Cat-To-Cat Advice" by Sparkle the Cat

Dear Sparkle: Cat-to-Cat Advice from the world's foremost feline columnist by Sparkle the Cat is a fantastic book that entertains while imparting great information on how to solve some problems that cats and humans have. Sparkle answers the letters from cats with humor and many good suggestions, including some cat owners can learn from as well. It has cute pictures of cats included too and shares bits of cat wisdom! I read it on my Kindle and highlighted many passages. I highly recommend this for any cat owner and am sure your cats will enjoy it too! Ours did.


Sparkle is also a blogger who I visit regularly at www.sparklecat.com. She is a sweet cat!
(Karen's review: My rating: 5 of 5 stars )

Spunky Doodle and Manny's review

This is our favorite book yet!  The best book ever!  If you live with a cat, you must read this one!  It's pawsome!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"The Homecoming of Samuel Lake" by Jenny Wingfield

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield is a good story about three families.  Tragedy hits when Swan's grandfather commits suicide and her father, Samuel Lake, loses his church. Samuel Lake is a preacher with a wife, a daughter named Swan and two boys. He lost his church so moved his family to live with his wife's parents in Arkansas. The preacher's kids meet a boy named Blade who is abused by his father who is their neighbor. Swan determines to help Blade hide from his father. The author does a good job of story telling about good and evil using three families--the Lakes/Moses and Ballengers. Through the story, the little girl and father both pray for miracles, trusting God for a good outcome.

Here's a little teaser for you:

I know you're probably afraid of your daddy.  I'm afraid of him, myself, and I only saw him once.  So why don't I have my daddy talk to your daddy?  My daddy's a preacher.  He talks people into changing their ways all the time. (pg. 57)

This book held my attention because there is the story about the kids trying to protect Blade, the family dynamics, the faith angle and the murder. This was an interesting read with lots of characters that I liked.
(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

(Read on Kindle for free through library.)

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

"Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

In Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Hannah Baker has a plan to kill herself. Why? you ask. That is what the people who receive tapes from her in a shoe box want to know. Clay is one of the people who receives these tapes explaining why she did it.

I never ran across this angle in any book I ever read. It is interesting and very thought provoking. I liked it although I can see why some people may not.

(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)


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

"Love Lifted Me" by Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck

This Christian fiction book is about the marriage of Jade and Max.  When Max wants to go and coach a high school football team, Jade goes along, but things don't go very well.  I liked this book some but was not riveted to it.  It's worth a try. 

(Gerard's review:  3 stars)
 
Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesdays: 3 Teasers For You

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:

I hold my finger over the button, listening to the soft hum in the speakers, the faint squeak of the spindles winding the tape, waiting for her voice to return.
But it doesn't. The story is over.

From pg. 31 of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher about teen suicide.

Spunky Doodle and Manny's teaser:

They place excessive importance on useless things like sitting in front of a desk and fiddling around with strange, uninteresting machines. Do you really expect such dull, graceless creatures to understand that 4:00 a.m. is playtime?

Karen is reading on Kindle to us, quote at 6% from Dear Sparkle: Cat-to-Cat Advice from the World's Foremost Feline Columnist by Sparkle the Cat

Karen's:

I know you're probably afraid of your daddy.  I'm afraid of him, myself, and I only saw him once.  So why don't I have my daddy talk to your daddy?  My daddy's a preacher.  He talks people into changing their ways all the time.

From pg. 57 of The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield.

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

"Furry Logic Books" by Jane Seabrook are Cute

I got three Furry Logic books by Jane Seabrook for my birthday and found them to be very cute and humorous.  They all have witty sayings (one saying every other page) with cute animal watercolor drawings.  Obviously, these books do not take much time to read.  The three I got are:  Wild Wisdom, Love, and A Guide to Life's Little Challenges, which is my favorite one.

It's the pictures that make these books o I'll give you an inside peak:

A GUIDE TO LIFE'S LITTLE CHALLENGES

No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap.

WILD WISDOM

Happy people are more likely to get what they want which only makes them even more happy.

LOVE

As long as I have you, there's just on thing I'll always need--tremendous self-control.

(Karen's review)

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

Our 12 Best Reads of 2011

Here is a list we each made of our top 12 reads this year. It is never easy to choose only 12 because we read so many, but these are the ones we narrowed it down to. We've included the links to our reviews of the books for your further reading. You will note that several are on both of our lists.

Our Top Favorites That We Both Liked:

• Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens
• Rose In a Storm by Jon Katz
• Divergent by Veronica Roth
• Iron House by John Hart

Gerard's Other Top 8 books of 2011 out of 157 books:

• Faith by Jennifer Haigh
• The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts
• Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams
• Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
• Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary by Andrew Westoll
• Blood Feud by David Robbins
• Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock
• Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

Karen's Other Top 8 books of 2011 out of 106 Books

• Still Alice by Lisa Genova
• The Maze Runner by Jim Dashner
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• True Colors by Kristin Hannah
• Lethal by Sandra Brown
• Night Road by Kristin Hannah
• A Difficult Boy by M. P. Barker
• Want to go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Gerard bought me a Kindle for my birthday so I'm not sure if we can always include our books in our header like we have been doing, but so far we have.  I get the book from the library as well so I can take a picture of the cover to include it.  I am also considering changing our blog template to show more of our posts but think I'll lose our header.  We appreciate all our readers and are excited to see this blog has actually caught up to our Right Where We Belong one in number of followers!  HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY READING!

Have you read any of these? If so, feel free to share the link to your review.  If not, you definitely should! Do you have any "best reads" you think we should read?

Last day to help The Cleveland Pregnancy Center 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.

"Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo

Abby thinks you should read this one!

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo tells the story of a young girl who befriends a dog that she names Winn-Dixie, after the store where she found him. Because of the dog, she gets to become friends with other people in the neighborhood. It's a very short children's book but I enjoyed it! The story is well told.
(Gerard's Review:  My rating: 3 of 5 stars)



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

"The Boy in the Moon" by Ian Brown (Non-fiction)

I enjoyed The Boy in the Moon by Ian Brown, a non-fiction book. Ian's son, Walker, is severely disabled with C.F.C., a rare condition that only 100 people in the whole world have! This disease is a hodgepodge of a lot of issues. I respect Ian and his wife for all they did to help their son. It's a 24/7 job for sure. I also enjoyed the stories about the other people who have to raise sons or daughters that have C.F.C. They definitely have my admiration.

(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

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.

"Murder Past Due" by Miranda James

Murder Past Due by Miranda James is a cozy mystery that almost put me to sleep.  It's about a college librarian who takes his Maine Coon cat with him practically everywhere, even to a funeral!  This was the fun part of the book.  The college librarian's curiosity and concern for his college student boarder draws him into his private investigation of the murder of one of the alumni authors who came to speak at the college and donate all his materials to the archives.  There was a lot of lying by the characters and the reader was kept in the dark as to who the murderer was until the very end.  

This was slow moving and presented many possible suspects, some of which lied which caused more confusion for me.  The subplot of who boarder's biological father was somewhat interesting.  I liked the cover but was relieved when I finished it!
(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.

"Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope" by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly

Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly is the true story of Arizona Congresswoman, Gabrielle Gifford's recovery after being shot in the head. It is a very inspiring story and is told by Mark, her astronaut husband. It reads like a novel and I enjoyed it a lot.
(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)


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.

"Legend" by Marie Lu (UPDATED 1-4-12)

Legend by Marie Lu is teen fiction that takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles.  It is told by a young boy named Day and a young woman named June.  Day is an outlaw and is wanted by the Republic.  June is a member of the Army of the Republic.  They are on opposite sides, or are they?  Legend is so good that the movie rights have already been sold.  If you loved "Hunger Games" and "Divergent," you will love Legend too.  I look forward to the second book in this series.
(Gerard's review)



Legend by Marie Lu is a futuristic teen romantic thriller about a fugitive 15-yr.-old, Day from the slums, who is passionate about protecting his family and helping people, even if it means going against the Republic. When June, a Republic agent and military prodigy from a wealthy family, thinks Day is responsible for killing her brother when trying to steal the cure for the plague to cure his youngest brother, she hunts Day down. This is a fun, adventurous novel that is a page turner. 

Favorite quote from this book:

“I never did ask you about your street name. Why 'Day'?”
“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.”

I liked how the author alternated telling the story between Day and June.  It kept my interest and was also easy to follow.  Although somewhat predictable, I enjoyed it very much and was rooting for Day and June to become friends from the start.  I recommend this to anyone who likes action and romance.

(Karen's review:  My rating: 5 of 5 stars)


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: "Legend" and "Murder Past Due"

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:

"You're too late," she says. "Because today the plague patrol is coming for your family. They're taking them away."

From pg. 145 of Legend by Marie Lu.

Karen's:

The last thing I wanted was to get involved in the life of one of my boarders. If Justin's problem turned out to be serious, he would have to go home to his parents.

From page 13 of Murder Past Due by Miranda James.

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.

"Weight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf is a page-turner that grabbed my attention right from the start. A young girl is abducted and her friend, Calli is also missing. Calli is seven but hasn't spoken since she was four. I liked this book because it wasn't predictable and deals with a lot of different issues such as family dynamics, alcoholism, old flames, police investigation, selective mutism and friendship. It is a fast read and contains discussion questions at the end. I recommend this book if you like contemporary fiction about families.


(Karen's review 2/11/10)--Also enjoyed These Things Hidden

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.

"Keep Your Brain Alive: 83 Neurobic Exercises" by Lawrence Katz

This is a quick-read but very interesting and practical. The gist of the book is to improve memory, you need to keep your brain active and use all of your senses. “Routines can be brain deadening.” Basically, learn to enjoy new experiences, change things around, interact with people and change up routines.

The most startling thing I learned from reading this book is: "Research has shown that watching television literally numbs the mind: The brain is less active during TV-viewing than during sleep!" (p. 117)

Gerard gave me this one for my birthday--thanks, honey!  You need to read it too!

(Karen's review--My rating: 5 of 5 stars)


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.

"Double Booked For Murder" by Ali Brandon

Double Booked For Death—a Black Cat Bookshop Mystery by Ali Brandon is about solving the mystery of a popular author’s death when at a book signing in an independent book store owned by Darla.  This is a cozy mystery that Darla and her ex-cop friend, Jake, who also acts as her security guard for the bookstore tries to solve.  This is a fun read because it includes Hamlet, the bookstore cat and some interesting twists along the way as clues are eventually connected.  

I just couldn’t resist reading a mystery about a cat and a bookstore but was a bit disappointed the cat didn't have a bigger role.  Although the cat is on the cover, it really is incidental to the story.  The ending was really fun!  I’m not much on cozy mysteries, but this is the best I’ve read so far.  

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.

"A Time to Kill" by John Grisham

A Time To Kill by John Grisham tells the story of two men who brutalize a ten-year-old black girl in the deep south in the USA.  When the father learns of this, he decides to deal out his own brand of justice and shoots the two men in cold blood before they go to trial.  When his trial takes place, he and his white lawyer are in a battle for both of their lives.

I know this book has been out for years but somehow I missed it.  I'm glad I read it now though--it's very good!  The trial and all that surrounded it was outstanding.  As usual for John Grisham, the writing is top-notch.  If you haven't read this one yet, you should because it is well worth 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: Four 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.   

Gerard's:

Naw, Jake, that's why I got you. I don't plan to go to no gas chamber. I saw you get Lester off, now just get me off.

From page 100 of A Time To Kill by John Grisham.

Early each Saturday morning, the keepers would take Gita [an elephant] on a long, rambling walk around the grounds before the zoo opened, and it was my privilege to be invited to go along, several times. Those are the memories etched in my mind.

From page 54 of Betty and Friends by Betty White.  (Karen reviewed this non-fiction one already.)

Karen's:

Maybe my parents will forget about what the neighbors think and welcome me as their daughter again. And maybe, just maybe, Brynn will forgive me.

From page 45 of These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf.  (Gerard's review of this one is up.)

On her first day running the store, she'd been the unwitting victim of a lightning-fast swipe from Hamlet's claws. The attack had occurred as she'd moved his downstairs food bowl from its usual spot, in front of the local author showcase, to the corner of the science-fiction section.

From page 2 of Double Booked For Death by Ali Brandon. (a cozy mystery)

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.

"Betty & Friends" by Betty White is a Must Read for Animal Lovers!

Being an animal lover myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this book of fantastic photographs of animals Betty White has met and got to know in various zoos. She gives some interesting facts about the animals, shares her special one-on-one encounters she's had with many and manages to include some humor as well. The only thing I object to was that she gives "Mother Nature" credit for the animals instead of God, the creator.  This book is centered around the photographs that are true works of art.  Tad Motoyama, the L.A. Zoo's official photographer, gave her some of his photos that she chose to share with the world through this book.    

My favorite experience she shared was that she developed a bond with a baby gorilla named Lulu, and when it was older, it blew her kisses.  Years later when visiting another zoo, she saw a gorilla do the same thing and mentioned that Lulu used to do that with her too.  It turned out that was the same gorilla!  

I highly recommend this as a must read for all animal lovers--a great animal book and a fast read with no boring parts! I loved it!
(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.

"These Things Hidden" by Heather Gudenkauf

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf tells the story of Allison Glen.  She's a young teen girl who was her parents' pride and joy--good grades, great athlete, had it all until an unwanted pregnancy and a chain of events changed all that.  She gets a chance to get back into society but her parents shun her although she keeps trying to reach out to her sister.

WOW!  This book is Good!  This is a page turner that I did not want to put down.  I got into it from page one!  I love this author's first book (The Weight of Silence) and this one is just as good, if not better!  The ending is shocking!

“These Things Hidden” by Heather Gudenkauf is a sad book about two sisters, adoption, guilt, infanticide and relationships.  It certainly kept my interest but had a surprise ending that I didn’t expect.  This shows how far teenagers will go if they feel isolated and desperate.  I think “These Things Hidden” would be a good Book Club book.
(Karen's book)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?  We also liked Weight of Silence by this author.

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.

"Come a Little Closer" by Dorothy Garlock

Come a Little Closer by Dorothy Garlock is a historical romance set in the 1940s.  Christina was an army nurse who decides to switch gears by leaving Minnesota to be a nurse in the small Wisconsin town.  She finds herself in a love triangle with two brothers who both are attracted to her but very different.  Both the Doctor she assists and one of the brothers have issues that she helps them overcome.  She finds herself being attacked by a jealous obsessive woman and chased by an alcoholic out for revenge for his brother’s death.  She chooses one of the brothers and lives happily ever after. 

This book is about taking risks and making changes to improve your life.  It reminded me of a fairy tale but was an enjoyable read.  I was surprised at the brother she decided to marry—thought she would have picked the other one.  Although basically a romance novel, it had enough action in it to keep my interest.

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.

"Unlikely Friendships" by Jennifer S. Holland

Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer S. Holland is a remarkable non-fiction book about animals bonding together that you would not think would (like a lion and a tiger, a polar bear and a sled dog, a kitten and a gorilla). The pictures alone are worth getting this book and the stories are interesting. From just looking through it looking at the full-page color pictures, Karen noticed that cats/kittens appeared most often. If you like animals, this is a must read for you. The library has labeled this book a “sizzler”—it’s that good!
(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 Litigators" by John Grisham

What a great read The Litigators by John Grisham is! A small law firm, Finley and Figg, unexpectedly gets a new person in David Zinc, who quit a huge law firm to join them. When they get a really big case that could make them millions, the fun begins. The trial is very interesting! The writing, as usual for Grisham, is excellent. John Grisham is on top of his game with this book. It's both funny and sad. Don't miss 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: "The Litigators" and "Come a Little Closer"

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:

He ricocheted off the podium and landed hard on the carpeted floor, still groaning and grimacing as if in enormous pain. There was a wild scramble as Wally and David sprinted for him, as did two uniformed bailiffs and a couple of the Rogan Rothberg attorneys.

From page 284 of The Litigators by John Grisham.

Karen's:

With every step, her heart raced, pounding in her chest. Ever since she had left Holden Sutter's room, it had been a struggle to contain her emotions;what began as confusion became anger, then disappointment, before turning into still something else, something she could not identify.

From page 61 of Come A Little Closer by Dorothy Garlock.

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 Baker's Wife" by Erin Healy

"The Baker’s Wife" by Erin Healy is a really good book.  Audrey and her husband work at a bakery.  Her husband used to be a Pastor, but when her son got a church deacon’s daughter pregnant, they got booted out.  One day Audrey gets into an accident and the blood is the deacon’s wife’s who got her kicked out.  The problem is, there’s no body so where is she?  Her husband, a detective, decides to take matters into his own hands and has a hostage situation at the bakery:  “Find my wife or everyone dies!”  This is a page-turner for sure!  It includes lots of scripture and references to God as well.  Give it a shot.
(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.