"Walk a Hound Lose a Pound" by Zeltzman and Johnson

Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound by Phil Zeltzman and Rebecca Johnson gives you the do's and dont's of dog walking. It's pretty basic stuff but I liked reading how other people enjoy walking their dogs.  I so look forward to retiring from work so I can do more dog walking.  The bottom line is that you and your dog both benefit from walking, so just do it!
(Gerard's review)

Walking at the Park

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

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

"Southern Comfort" by Fern Michaels

Southern Comfort by Fern Michaels is a good read loaded with humor.  Tick is a good cop, loyal and loving family man, but when he gets home from work one day to find his wife and children murdered, he turns to booze and becomes a beach bum in Mango Key.  He sobers up but likes living on the beach with just his talking parrot that chose to live with him.  It’s pretty deserted except for down about a mile is a building called “that place” by the villagers.  He’s lived there for eight years in peace and quiet until he sees a fabricated building on “his” beach.  The DEA suspects there may be a drug operation going on at “that place” and sends two former female agents, Kate and Sandy, to just keep an eye on the place and report any activity, as well as on Tick.  Tick’s twin brother comes to visit him to try to get Tick back into living.  To make things interesting, Lawrence Tyler, Kate’s former supervisor, is pretty much hated by his colleagues who are trying to get him kicked out of the DEA because he mistreats people and is a glory hound, taking credit for the successes of others.  The dialogue between Lawrence and Kate is entertaining.

I enjoyed this book because of the humor, the intriguing storyline with the investigation into the crime, and the dynamics between Lawrence and his colleagues.  The parrot was funny and the romance helped balance out the intensity of the blackmail and human trafficking.  This would be a great beach read!

(Karen's review)

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

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

"Don't Put Me In, Coach" by Mark Titus

Mark was a walk-on player who played the whole four years at Ohio State.  He only got to play at the end of games if at all for those four years.  What he is though, is a very funny guy!  He gives the reader insights on behind the scene stuff that fans don't get to see.  I enjoyed this book a lot because it made me laugh!  Go Bucks!
(Gerard's review)

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

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

"Twice" by Lisa Unger

Twice is another winner by Lisa Unger writing as Lisa Miscione! Two times a woman's husband is killed in the same bed the woman is also sleeping in, and she claims she did not do it! There are lots of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. It took me two days to read and well worth your while!
(Gerard's review)

Twice by Lisa Unger a/k/a Lisa Miscione is a complex murder mystery and a thriller all in one.  It takes place in New York City, both above and below ground, and in a little town called “Haunted.”  There are basically two plots going on at the same time in this book.  One is about Lydia, a private eye, who is being stalked by her mother’s killer and Jeff, her partner who tries to protect her.  The other is the murder investigation of Julian Ross’s first and second husbands who were both killed while in bed next to her.  This is a chilling read involving insanity, murder, family curses and fugitives.  If you like wild stories, this is a good one!
(Karen's review)

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

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

Tuesday Teaser: "Twice"; "Invention of Hugo Cabret"

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:

Every generation, every woman thinks that she will be the one to escape it. Every time, she's wrong. I need you to find out what's happening to our family . . . and stop it.

From page 89 of Twice by Lisa Unger writing as Lisa Miscione

Gerard's:

"We wound it up and the machine drew a picture, and then we found out everything. . . ."
     Her grandfather smiled. "Not everything, I'm sure."

From page 393 of The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

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

"Threats" by Amelia Gray

Threats by Amelia Gray is a bizarre book!  David's wife is dead.  As he goes about his life at home, he finds threats on paper.  From who?  I read this whole book and I still don't know!  I also don't know what the author was trying to get across.  If you read this book and can figure it out, please tell me.  I would like to know!

 (Gerard's review)

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

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

Take the "Catching Fire" Trivia Quiz

It's been awhile since we read Catching Fire (the sequel to The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins but we took this quiz yesterday.  See if you can beat our results:  Karen missed two, Gerard missed three.  Here's the link for the quiz:  Catching Fire Trivia Quiz.

Please come back and let us know how you did!  If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

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

"As Good As She Imagined--The Angel of Tucson" by Roxanna Green

I can not say that I enjoyed this book; after all, it is a story about a young girl whose life was tragically ended at only 9 years old. However, the telling of the story is really good by her mom and dad and some other people of her family. I really felt sad for their loss. The mother tells most of the story and is a wonderful tribute to her daughter. My prayers go out to this family. May God bless all of you in a special way I encourage you to read this book!
(Gerard's Review)

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

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

"Defending Jacob" by William Landay

Oh WOW I thought after reading Defending Jacob by William Landay!  Abdy Barber is a D.A. But he is on the case of his life when his son is charged with first degree murder!!  This book could have been taken out of the real news headlines.  That being said, this book is flat out awesome!  It kept me riveted from page one!  The absolute best part, when you think it is over, it is only just getting started with a fantastic ending!  This is a double WOW for sure—you have to read this!
(Gerard's review)

Defending Jacob by William Landay, a former District Attorney, is a gripping read that combines a parents struggles to protect their son, Jacob, and the quest for truth in a murder of their son’s 14-yr.-old classmate.  They are actually afraid of the truth because they think Jacob may be the murderer, but do not want to admit it—not even to each other.  To complicate things further, the father is the assistant District Attorney who is on the case, until he is replaced because the District Attorney believes he is too close to the case and may have a conflict of interest.  Between the family drama and the court drama, this book is hard to put down.  When Jacob is arrested, the mother feels guilty and second guesses their parenting skills while the father chooses to protect his son and defend him to the end no matter what.  Even though the kid is on trial, the parents lose most of their friends too.  The story is told in first person from the father’s point of view which helps the reader understand his thinking and gives insight into the struggles he faces.  The ending is shocking and I did not see that coming! 

I liked this contemporary murder suspense very much because of the way it was written.  I was never certain as I read if Jacob was really the killer or not, which is what the dad felt.  At first, I thought he wasn’t and as the evidence piled up, I thought he was.  I’m not telling you if I was right or wrong because you really need to read it and see for yourself.  This book is thought-provoking because as you see a well-respected, man of integrity tamper with evidence and obstruct justice to protect his son, you can’t help but wonder what you would do in that situation.  This is a great read that I highly recommend to both adults and teens! (Karen's review)

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!

See another review for this at Bloggin' About Books

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

"Fairy Tale Interrupted" by Rosemarie Terenzio

Fairy Tale Interrupted--A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss by Rosemarie Terenzio is the story of the author, who was JFK Jr.'s executive assistant while he was trying to get his magazine, "George," up and going.  I enjoyed it because I was able to see what JFK, Jr. really was like.  I'm not too surprised that I found I liked him a lot!  Rosemarie holds nothing back.  Of course, it was sad about his and his wife's early death.  A very good read, indeed!
(Gerard's review)

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

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

Tuesday Teasers: "Lone Wolf" and "Defending Jacob"

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 knew the answer, of course. I just needed to hear him say it out loud: he was risking everything for a bunch of animals. He was choosing them, over us.

From p. 97 of Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult.

Karen's:

I bolted up the stairs, into Jacob's room, where I yanked open drawers, the closet, tossed up the laundry piles on the floor, desperate to find anything remotely incriminating and get rid of it.
Does that sound awful to you? I hear the little voice in your head: Destruction of evidence! Obstruction of justice! You are naive.

From page 96 of Defending Jacob by William Landay.

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

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

"Gone to Ground" by Brandilyn Collins (UPDATED)

Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins is the mystery of a serial killer in the small town of Amaryllis, Mississippi.  There were five women killed in three years, all unsolved and all called “closet killings” because they were killed with a knife to the neck in exactly the same way and found in their closet.  Cherrie Mae, Deena and Tully all think they know the killer of the sixth murder victim but all have different  people in mind.  Cherrie thinks it’s the mayor, Tully thinks it’s her husband and Deena thinks it’s her brother.  This makes for an interesting novel when they all share their information with each other to try to fit the pieces together and find the killer.

This is an interesting read with each lady alternately telling the story through their actions and thought processes, similar to The Help.  Although it is a murder mystery, it leaves out the gore and keeps the language clean.  I did not guess who the serial killer was until he was revealed at the end.  I think the title is dumb but don't let that keep you from reading this one--it's good!
(Karen's review)

Gerard read this too:
Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins is told by three women who each make a very good case as to why the man they think is the serial killer in their town.  This is a quick read I enjoyed very much with a great ending!

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

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

"Under the Never Sky" by Veronica Rossi

In Under the Never Sky  by Veronica Rossi, Aria and Perry come from two different worlds but when circumstances have them both come together, the fireworks develop!  I loved the interaction between the two main characters.  There are more books in this series to come that I will be reading too!  This is going to be made into a movie when it's all done so you know it must be pretty good; in my opinion, it is!
(Gerard's review)

Karen plans on reading this one too and will add her review later.

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

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

"Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs begins pretty normal but then spirals into an adventure involving time travel, monsters, children with unusual "talents" and a woman who can change into a bird!  I liked it because it was different but not so far out that I couldn't follow it.  It's definitely an interesting and fun read. 

Jacob has a special connection with his grandfather who seems to be suffering from Dementia.  His grandfather tells him stories about kids he once knew who had unusual talents and as Jake gets older, he begins to wonder if the stories were just made up.  The grandfather is killed by a monster in the woods one day and Jacob is the only one who saw the monster, but everyone thinks he's crazy.  His psychiatrist convinces his parents to let Jacob go visit the island his grandfather told the stories about so he can see for himself that there is nothing magical about it.  Jacob finds himself with a huge decision to make.

This is a book I won't soon forget and highly recommend!

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!

Check out another review of someone who loved this book: Freda's Voice

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green tells the story of a young teen girl who has Cancer.  At her weekly Cancer support group session that she is reluctant to go to, she meets a young teen boy who takes a special interest in her.  I don't think I'm giving up too much if I tell you that a romance develops.

This book lives up to all the hype in my opinion.  I flat out LOVED IT!  It is a beautiful love story that I was into from page one to the end.  If this story doesn't tear at your heart strings, then I don't know what will.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried.  Please give this book a chance!
(Gerard's review)

Related Post:  Read another review of this at Bloggin' 'bout Books:  Green Is My Favorite

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

Tuesday Teasers: 3 This Week!

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

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

Gerard's:

I shrugged and looked over at Lida. "I'll give you my strength if I can have your remission."

From page 131 of The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

Karen's:

Isn't interesting that the person who doubts, waffles, and wavers "should not expect to receive anything from the Lord"? Anything? Wow. That means that doubt not only robs us of the wisdom we requested but other priceless provisions as well.

From page 51 of James--Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore.

More fantastic still were his stories about life in the Welsh children's home. It was an enchanted place, he said, designed to keep kids safe from the monsters, on an island where the sun shined every day and nobody ever got sick or died.

From page 9 of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Poison Tree" by Erin Kelly

 The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly tells the story of a young girl in London whose summer romance turns into something she could never have dreamed would happen.  The ending is really, really good!  It took me awhile to get into this book, but from page 200 or so (large print version) to the end, I really, really enjoyed it!  This is the second book by Erin Kelly that I read and I enjoyed both of them.
(Gerard's review)

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly is a novel that shows how crucial it is to choose friends wisely.  The main character, Karen, certainly didn’t when she became friends with Biba.  They were from two different worlds but Karen for some reason was bored and found Biba’s world more exciting.  The book is filled with druggies, alcoholics and promiscuity.  Biba’s brother, Rex, although seems to be the most sensible doesn’t work or attend college.  He and his sister live in a huge house owned by their father rent free and invite in friends to live with them.  This book has so many complicated relationships that I don’t even know how to write about it without giving too much away.  I felt most sorry for Karen’s parents because she messed up her life so badly with one poor decision after another.  All she had to do was focus on her college studies and stick with her roommates, but no—she didn’t.  Biba was very selfish and Rex and Karen both loved her and tried to help and protect her.  When two guys are shot and killed at their house, Rex takes charge of things out of his love for both Biba and Karen.     

This is a good read if you like dark books that do not have predictable endings.  It is not inspirational or heartwarming at all!  After reading The Dark Rose which I didn’t care for, I decided to give the author another chance and go ahead and read this one and am glad I did.  This may make for a good book club read because it certainly has a lot of characters that would make for good discussion.
(Karen's review, My rating is 3 out 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 for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Artemis Fowl--The Time Paradox" by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer is a fun read!  This children's book is about a young boy who has to go back in time to find a cure for his mother, who has a life threatening illness.  The author indeed has a sense of humor, which I loved!  Artemis is one smart boy!
(Gerard's review)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Sophie--The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog" (Updated)

"Sophie:  The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog" by Emma Pearse tells the true story of Sophie, a dog who was lost at sea but managed to survive for over two months on her own! I almost lost my dog so I could really identify with what the owners were going through. This is a heartwarming, feel good story for sure!

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

Sophie—the Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse is an amazing true story about a cattle dog, Sophie, who fell overboard and survived for five months on her own living on remote islands.  The most amazing and heartwarming part though is when she is re-united with her family.  This story demonstrates the bond of loyalty and love between a dog and its owners.  Having almost lost our dog and observing her remarkable recovery from being attacked by two big dogs, I could certainly identify with the owners of Sophie.  This book shows how resilient dogs can be.  If you like dogs, this is a very interesting book that gives hope if something ever happens and you lose your dog.
(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

Here's how I almost Lost Our Dog:  Our Sweet Dog, Abby, Is Fighting For Her Life

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Incarnate" by Jodi Meadows

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows is a fantasy book about Ana, a nosoul.  She lives where if you die, you keep coming back.  She has only the one life.  When Ana gets away from Li, who was bringing her up and was very mean to her, a fellow named Sam helps her.

I enjoyed this book very much--it kept me turning pages for sure!  I hope there is a second book.  If so, I'll be sure to read it too!
(Gerard's review:  My rating 5 stars out of 5)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Front and Center" by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is a refreshing coming of age story about D.J., a high school girl who lives on a Dairy farm. This is the third book of the series and deals with D.J. starting her junior year of high school on the girls basketball team. She discovers that she is no longer in the background but rather has become popular and isn’t quite sure she likes all the attention because of all the pressure she feels to be what everyone else wants her to be. She has a new boyfriend but still longs to be with her ex-boyfriend and must decide who she really wants most. Then there’s the pressure of looking into colleges to get a college scholarship for basketball. She feels like she’d rather just play for a Division I school with less pressure but knows everyone would feel let down if she did. It has a good ending too!

I liked this whole series and especially this last book because there was quite a bit about basketball and what goes through the players’ minds as they play. D.J. is a normal, somewhat Tom boyish teen girl who tries to do what’s right. It gives good insight into the pressures that teens face but without being vulgar or depressing. I recommend this series to anyone who likes books about teens coming of age.

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!

First book in this series:  Dairy Queen
Second book in this series:  The Off Season

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Every Day a Friday" by Joel Osteen tells How To Be Happy

Every Day a Friday by Joel Osteen gives advice on how to choose to be happy every day and not let circumstances steal your joy.  It is an inspirational book that I think anyone could benefit by reading.  There are a lot of good ideas in this book involving our relationship to others.  One of the topics that spoke to me most was to Make sure you see people through eyes of love, not eyes of judgment. (P. 190)  His illustration about the rude checkout clerk really stood out to me.

I found this book to be a challenge to live as God intends us to live—full of joy and seeking to help and encourage others.  As a result of reading this book, I am going to make it a point to smile more, laugh often, and encourage others.  The seven major sections are broken down into small chapters that make it easy to read a little at a time instead of it being a page-turner that you don’t want to put down.  I would recommend this to anyone.  If people would put these principles into practice, the world would be a better place.
(Karen's review)

In Every Day A Friday Joel Osteen describes how you can be happy every day of the week, not just on Friday at 4:00 p.m. for me.  The bad news for me is that I fall far short of this.  The good news is that I'm not the only one.  Through stories, which I thought was the best part of the book, and Bible teachings, he tells you how.  I am going to try to find some middle ground.  I just don't think I can be that happy all the time, but I liked this book a lot!
(Gerard's Review)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

Tuesday Teasers: "Incarnate" and "Front and Center"

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 have no idea what it's like to be surrounded by people more than two hundred times your age, all judging and deciding whether or not you're worthy enough to live in the city they just found lying around one day. None of you can understand."

Taken from page 162 of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows.

Karen's:

But that girl, whoever she is and however bad she plays, is always a better number one than I am because she can do the one thing I can't. The most important thing of all for a point guard. That girl can speak.

From page 16 of Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Heaven is for Real for kids" as told by Colton Burpo

 

Heaven is for Real for Kids--A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back as told by Colton Burpo to his parents is a short non-fiction book about a child's trip to heaven and what he saw. It includes color pictures as well. It is written by a kid for kids. I liked the part about animals being there and how the kids all played but no one ever got hurt and that his older sister and grandpa whom he didn't know on earth came and introduced themselves to him. It's interesting and makes you want to go to heaven.  Sometimes kids think heaven will be boring, but this book shows it is wonderful and Jesus really loves children!

Here is a video of an interview with Colton and his parents:

Visit www.heavenisforreal.net.  This is the children's book, but there is also an adult version which my husband read and liked.  You can read his review of it:  Heaven is for Real.

(Karen's review)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Show Dog" by Josh Dean

Show Dog by Josh Dean tells the true story of Jack, an Australian Shepard dog, that Josh follows for a year from show to show.  This is a double WOW book for me because now I know the ins and outs of a dog show.  It's an awesome read!  The writing is very good and Jack's handlers and the other dogs in the book are good too! 

If you love dogs, declaring this a "must read" is a no-brainer.  I hated to see it end, LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

Tuesday Teasers: "Sophie" and "Every Day A Friday"

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: Finished reading Sophie: The Castaway Dog and just had to share to teaser with you from it!

Now, washed up on a barely inhabited island with very little meaty wildlife for her to live off--even if she was able to work out how to hunt for her own food--her dog mettle was about to be truly tested. How would her suburban upbringing as a civilized pet and her attachment to the Griffiths fare out here?

From page 146 of Sohpie: The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse.

Karen's:

     By having a cheerful countenance, being friendly and fun to be around, you are giving praise to God.
     Too many people drag through the day with long faces. Some don't smile for months. Then they'll come up with those same sour faces after a service and say to me, "I've got the joy of the Lord."
     I'll think: You should notify your face!
     The Bible says to be sober-minded, not sober-faced.

From page 31 of Every Day A Friday by Joel Osteen.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Dark Rose" by Erin Kelly is WOW!

The Dark Rose by Erin Kelly tells the story of two people: Paul, a young boy and Louisa, a woman. They both have things hidden in their past. I really loved this book a lot! It took me only a day and a half to finish because I couldn't wait to get back to it. It's definitely a page turner that is hard to put down with a shocking ending. This is a double WOW book for sure! I already ordered Erin's previous book. I highly recommend this one!
(Gerard's review: My rating 5 stars out of 5)

The Dark Rose by Erin Kelly is about Paul and Louisa, who each have secrets that fill them with guilt, while seeking to move on with their lives.  Unfortunately, the past has a strong hold on both of them even though they find comfort together and confess their secrets to each other.  Louisa’s past is about a lover’s quarrel with a musician who broke her heart and drove her to the fine line of love and hate. Paul finds himself having to testify against the only friend he ever had which puts himself and those he loves at risk.  This book certainly has a unexpected ending!    

 

It was difficult for me to relate to either of the main characters because their choices were so stupid and had such different lifestyles than mine.  It also was set in England so had some unfamiliar terms.  This book reminded me of a soap opera that I had no connection to because I didn’t like the characters.  I would have enjoyed it more if it didn’t jump back and forth in time so much.  It was hard for me to follow and at one point, I was tempted to just flip through the rest of the book and read the 1989 year stuff first and then go back and read the rest in date order.  I would have organized it much differently, having the background first alternating chapters between Paul and Louisa and then once their lives converged, just continue on in chronological order.  Therefore, I did not like this book very much and do not recommend it.  I’m surprised Gerard liked it so well since he usually likes books with more action than this.  He thought it was great!  Guess you’ll just have to read it for yourself and see what you think of it.

(Karen's review:  My rating 2 out 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 for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Violets of March" by Sarah Jio

"The Violets of March" by Sarah Jio is a very interesting romance novel with mystery as well. It’s about a successful New York author who is recently divorced and goes to visit her aunt Bee at her beach house in Bainbridge to get away and think things through. While there, she discovers a diary about a woman’s similar experience to hers and gets drawn into trying to piece the bits and pieces together about her grandmother’s story.


I liked this book because it is not predictable from the start like many romance novels are. I didn’t understand what drew men to her like bees to honey, but it kept my interest all through. It’s about following your heart and knowing your true love will last forever. I enjoyed this light and entertaining read. If you like romance novels, I highly recommend it!
(Karen's review:  My rating 4 out 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 for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Expecting Adam" by Martha Beck

Expecting Adam by Martha Beck is a wonderful story about John and Martha who are expecting the birth of their son. They discover late in her pregnancy that their boy is going to have Downs Syndrome. I really enjoyed this book. It is told by Martha and has both funny and sad parts. It has all the emotion you could ever want. Give it a try, it's well worth reading!
(Gerard's review: 3 out 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 for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Through My Eyes" by Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker

A book for Football Lovers

I enjoyed the first half of Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow about his background. I learned that he was homeschooled and didn't know that homeschoolers could still play on school teams, but he did. I liked reading about his training and his work ethic. He has two older brothers and lived on a farm. About halfway through the book though, he goes into specific games and gives a play-by-play narrative which I found boring after awhile and quit reading it to move to something more interesting. I suppose if you are really into the nuts and bolts of football, you would enjoy it. I expected to read more about his off the field experiences, but there was only a little about that.
(Karen's review 2/8/12)

I knew about Tim Tebow, the football player. Now after reading Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow, I feel I know about the person. I enjoyed this book some; really liked the parts when he told about growing up and sharing his faith in God, which he is very strong about doing. I enjoyed his family stories and his thoughts on football and game situations. The only drawback was the game-to-game stuff in his college career was kind of boring, but overall, a pretty good read.
(Gerard's review 7/10/11)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

Teaser Tuesday: "The Snow Child" and "Through My Eyes"

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 just finished The Snow Child and LOVED it.

They held her close, and a few drops of snow fell to the floor.  Quickly she slipped from their arms and ran out the door.

Taken from page 116 of The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

Karen's:

I would end up doing things above and beyond whatever was expected to get an edge.  I also began working out at odd times of the day and night, thinking, I'll bet there are no other kids in Jacksonville working out right now.

Take from page 33-34 of Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow (non-fiction).

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Snow Child" by Eowyn Ivey

Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey tells the story of a couple trying to make a life in the Alaskan wilderness. This book had me from page one until the end. I liked the writing and cared about the characters. I LOVED it and had trouble putting it down. It's a double WOW book for sure!
(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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Night Train" by Clyde Edgerton

Night Train by Clyde Edgerton tells the story of two young boys in the south, one white, and one black, who are really into music and play in a band.  The story kind of hops around.  It is a quick read but not much substance.  I liked it all right, but can't recommend you read this one.
(Gerard's review)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

8 Class Pets+1 Squirrel/1 Dog=Chaos by Vivian Vande Velve

A wonderful story about a squirrel being chased by a dog, (our dog's favorite pastime). They wind up in a grammar school where other animals get in on the action. I learned things about these animals that I did not know. Great book for kids of all ages and any adults who are young at heart!

(Gerard's review)


We differ on this book.  I did not like it very much because all the animals were against the dog and all the dog was doing was chasing the squirrel which is a perfectly normal thing for a dog to do.  No wonder Abby didn't want to look at the book when I took a picture of it!  I did think the writing was well done because each chapter a different animal wrote.  That part was pretty cute.
(Karen's review)

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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Fragile" by Lisa Unger

Fragile by Lisa Unger is a good contemporary fiction novel about a missing teen girl, Charlene, that brings back memories for a lot of people about another missing girl who was found dead years before.  The story takes place in a small town near New York City where people generally live out their entire lives and know each other very well since they grew up together, but still manage to keep secrets.  There are many interesting characters in Fragile who are connected through past events.  Ricky’s girlfriend turns up missing and his dad, the police detective, heads up the investigation that conjures up some guilty feelings from his past when he let an innocent teen confess to a murder he knew the kid did not commit.   

There are so many aspects this book hits that makes it an excellent choice for a book club to discuss—friendship, parenting teens, suicide, rape, ethics and young love.  Here are some teasers for you:  There is the general question asked by the troubled teen, Marshall:  How do you know if you are a good person.  I mean, how do you know if you’re not? (p. 143)  When detective Cooper searches his boy’s room for incriminating evidence so he can protect him, he says to his wife, “Anyone is capable of anything, given the right circumstances, the right motivations.” (p. 187)  Then, a little later he tells her, “I know how a moment can spiral out of control” (p. 189) speaking from experience. 

Fragile is not action packed, but rather delves into ethics and the consequences of actions.  I liked how once the mystery was solved, the book didn’t end there, but continued to reveal more to the characters about the past and have the father-son relationship healed.  I recommend this if you like books about relationships and family dynamics.

(Karen's review 2/3/12--My Rating:  4 stars)

(Gerard's review 10/19/2010--My rating 4 stars)
Fragile by Lisa Unger is about small town secrets where a girl turns up missing one day.  Secrets hidden away from an incident that took place long ago come to the surface.  I thought Fragile was pretty good.  There are lots of characters so you have to pay attention as you read to follow along.  It‘s a good book, but didn‘t really “wow“ me.


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

"Soft Threat" by Stephen Hunter

Imagine if you were in a crowded mall on Black Friday.  Not hard to picture, right?  All of a sudden, shots ring out, Santa Clause is dead, and terrorists have total control of the mall!  That is the basis of Soft Target by Stephen Hunter .  I liked it a whole lot more than I thought I would.  Good writing describes what is going on between the good guys and the bad guys.  Not a 5-star but 4.  Well worth reading.

 
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 Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue this month to help the homeless cats for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Heft" by Liz Moore

Heft by Liz Moore has two main characters: (1) Arthur Opp, who used to be a college professor but when he was let go, he put on a ton of weight and never leaves his house, and (2) Kel Keller, a poor young teen in a rich school. What they have in common is a woman named Charlene, Arthur's former lover and Kel's mom. This book is an outstanding read! The writing is so good and the story is too. I was hooked from the get-go and hated to see it end. I LOVED IT!

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!

Tuesday Teasers: "Shelter" and "Heft"

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: I just finished reading Shelter yesterday so I'm picking a teaser from it:

The message buzzed in: what part of CAR COMING! GET OUT! confused u?!? HURRY, DOPE!

Taken from page 39 of Shelter by Harlan Coben.

Gerard's:

It seems as if my mother is breathing now but I can't tell. And I can't ask. And I want to put my hand on her but I don't because she is no longer mine, she belongs to the paramedic.

Taken from page 151 of Heft by Liz Moore.

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.

"Shelter" by Harlan Coben

Shelter by Harlan Coben is a teen mystery that three high school students solve.  There are a lot of surprises along the way and mysterious characters. Although Mickey’s dad resigned from an organization that rescues children so his son could have a normal life through high school; Mickey finds himself drawn into it unexpectedly when he tries to save his girlfriend from harm.  This was an interesting read that moved along quickly for me but seemed a bit far-fetched and not very believable.  

(Karen's review)

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.

"Time Cat" by Lloyd Alexander

"Time Cat" by Lloyd Alexander is a children's book, but I don't think it's one children would like very much.  It is fantasy and the cat talks a little bit but not a lot.  It's about time travel.  The cat and Jason, the boy who owns the cat, travel back in time to different countries in Jason's dream.  They have different adventures with historical events and people.  I didn't care much for this one, but if you like history and travel, you might enjoy it.
(Karen's review:  My rating 2 out 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 Off Season" by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is the second book in the Dairy Queen series about a family who owns a small Dairy farm in Wisconsin.  The story is told through the eyes of D.J., a 16-yr.-old girl who leaves the farm to be with her older brother, Win, who gets a spinal cord injury playing college football.  The story involves being friends with people no matter what others think and not letting the opinions of others stop you from living.

My favorite part of the book is when D.J. gets through to Win to make him care about getting better by letting him coach her in basketball at the gym and the rehab center.  I look forward to reading the last book of this trilogy, Front and Center.  
(Karen's review:  My rating 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!

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.

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman--a Thought Provoking Adventure (UPDATED)

UPDATED 1/26/12
Unwind by Neal Shusterman, a science fiction YA book, tells the believable story of two young boys and a girl who escape from being unwound. What is unwind? You will have to read the book to find out, but trust me, it's not pretty! I was hooked on this book from page one because it made me care about the three main characters. It has lots of twists and turns and the ending is just so good! I really loved this book! It's the second best book I've read this month! I read this on Karen's recommendation and am glad I did!
(Gerard's review: My rating 5 of 5 stars)

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman is a fascinating and disturbing YA novel about recycling body parts. This is carrying transplants to the extreme by making it legal for parents to sign a paper turning the kid over to be unwound if they are a troublesome teen, or the tenth child in the family which is a tithe, or if an orphanage/state home is too crowded. The “unwinds” are brought to a “Harvest Camp” where they cut up the teens in their “Chop Shop” and use their different body parts in other people. Most of the story is how the three teens, Connor, Risa and Lev, who were signed over for different reasons to be unwound fight for survival and work together.

This is such a good book because of the different characters and how they interact with each other. It is really interesting to see how Connor matures along the way and how Lev learns to be street smart. I absolutely loved the ending!  This is not a book I will soon forget.

(Karen'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.

"Perfect" by Ellen Hopkins

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins is about three teens--two boys and one girl, dealing with parents and a myriad of life issues. The girl is the sister of one of the boys from Ellen's previous book, "Impulse" but that is the only connection I saw. I hoped that I would enjoy this as much as "Impulse" which I thought was fantastic, but did not. Still, I did like it. I thought the boys parts were more interesting than the girls.
(Gerard's review: My rating 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!

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: "Perfect" and "The Off Season"

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:

"Are you going to allow this?" Mr. Sausage Donovan asked. "Football players bullying students?" He said "football players" like it was a disease.

Taken from page 58 of The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

Gerard's:

When I draw even, she looks into my eyes, sending shivers up my spine. Have you ever kissed a girl? Her boldness is a surprise.

Taken from page 108 of Perfect by Ellen Hopkins.

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!

Praise the Lord--Our dog, Abby, is recovering well from being attacked by two big Rottweilers last Tuesday night. We really appreciate all who prayed for her recovery and Gerard's hand is getting better too where he was bitten.

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.

"Black Boy White School" by Brian F. Walker

Black Boy White School by Brian F. Walker tells the tale of Anthony "Ant" Jones, a black kid from East Cleveland. He is given a scholarship to an elite white prep school in Maine. How he sees things there and the people he meets is the story of this book.

Not a great read but it's interesting to say the least. The last 50 pages are very good which makes it well worth reading.
(Gerard's review: 3.5 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.