"The Lonely Book" Kate Bernheimer

The Lonely Book by Kate Bernheimer is a cute story for young children. It is about a little girl who goes to the library and becomes attached to one of the books. The book feels lonely when it gets older and fewer and fewer people bother to read it. We both thought it was cute, but Karen wasn't as impressed with it as Gerard. It may encourage kids to read though.

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 May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

"The Good Father" by Noah Hawley

In The Good Father by Noah Hawley, the 21-yr.-old son is accused of killing a political candidate and his father uses all his resources to try to clear his son's name.  I was a but disappointed in this because I kept comparing it to Defending Jacob by William Landay which is so much better! It's not a bad read, I read it all and felt is was worth my time.

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 May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

"Deception" by Lee Nichols

Deception by Lee Nichols is about Emma,a 17-yr.-old, girl who finds herself mixed up in a world of ghosts when her brother and parents disappear and Bennett, her brother’s friend takes her to live with him in Boston as her guardian!  He presented papers that were notarized that he was her guardian to get her away from social services.  Emma thinks she is going crazy when she sees dead people but soon discovers she is a “ghostkeeper” who not only sees ghosts but can control them!  Both Emma and I were surprised at how many people in Emma’s life also were ghostkeepers, but she had more power than they did. 

I liked the sarcasm and humor that was included in this book and also the main character, Emma, is very likable. This book has romance, mystery, suspense and a lot of paranormal things going on.  I normally do not read paranormal books so can’t really compare this with others in that category.  It certainly was a fun, quick read with lots of humor and an interesting story line which is continued in the sequel—Betrayal (reading on Kindle).

(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 May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

"Grave Mercy" by Robin Lafevers

Wow, oh wow!!!  Grave Mercy by Robin Lafevers is just awesome!  I loved it and had a hard time putting it down; finished it in two days.  There are lots of plots and Ismae is a great character.  This is just the first book of three so can't wait for the next one. 

Ismae is able to escape from a planned marriage.  Her next stop is the sanctuary at the convent of St. Mortain, the saint of death.  She learns well and then is given a big assignment!

I think this will be my favorite read of this month--it does not get much better than this.
(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 May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

"Every Secret Thing" by Ann Tatlock

Every Secret Thing by Ann Tatlcok is about how God sees all of us and calls to us if we listen.  The author makes this point through the characters in this story.  Beth Gunnar is a lonely English teacher who now teaches at the prep school she used to attend herself, where she was inspired by her English teacher, Mr. Dutton.  Unfortunately, she felt betrayed by him and couldn’t stop thinking about it.  She takes an unhappy student, Satchel Queen, under her wing and they develop a close friendship through their love of books and poetry. 

I didn’t care for this book much because it is slow moving and the teacher-student relationship just seemed very strange to me.  I thought it odd that Beth only seemed to care and be interested in one of her students.  I liked Ann’s other book, Promises to Keep, so much more and was disappointed in this 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 May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

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:

The beliefs she had cherished for a lifetime would be vindicated. But now she couldn't deny what was staring her plainly in the face: dogs in China ate better than doctors in North Korea.

From pate 220 of Nothing to Envy--Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick. (Non-fiction)

I wanted to shout, "Of course we're going to die! The sisters are the lucky ones--for them it is over!"

From page 152 of The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan.

Karen's:

I wanted to do for Satchel Queen what Theodore Dutton did for me. At least what he did for me before the tragedy happened.

From page 87 of Every Secret Thing by Ann Tatlock.

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Dog Who Danced" by Susan Wilson

The Dog Who Danced by Susan Wilson has several story lines that are all good.  Justine, who while getting a ride to go see her dying father, who she has a strained relationship with, loses her dog when the trucker she is getting a ride from takes off without her and kicks out the dog!  An older couple finds and takes in the dog, but they really don't get along.  Although the dog misses Justine and keeps looking for her, it tries to fit in with the couple who rescued it.  On top of this, Justine and her step mom constantly go at each other.  Enough plot lines for you? 

I recommend you read this one because it is very, very good and so is the 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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Nothing to Envy--Ordinary Lives in North Korea" by Barbara Demick

Nothing to Envy--Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick tells the true story of six people who lived in North Korea in the late 90s  (if you call this living).  What an eye-opening account to me of what life is like there.  For example, ". . . dogs in China ate better than doctors in North Korea." (p. 220)  I can't say enough good things about this book!  I really got a sense of what these people went through day to day and will never forget it!  If you read this, it will certainly make you glad you live in the USA!  It's fantastic!
(Gerard's review:  100 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 during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Dead to You" by Lisa McMann (UPDATED)

Dead to You by Lisa McMann is a real page turner! Ethan was abducted at the age of 7 and comes back home at the age of 16. WOW!! What a great book with a good ending. I LOVED IT! I hated to see this one end even though it was a great ending.
(Gerard's review)

Karen's review:
Dead to You by Lisa McMann is about a family whose 7 yr. old son, Ethan, was abducted and he finally gets away and finds them when he's 16.  The mom, dad and little sister, Gracie, are all very happy to have him back, but their 13-yr.-old son doesn't believe it's really him and sets out to prove it.  I was surprised at the ending which left me feeling sad.    

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Hand Me Down" by Melanie Thorne

Hand Me Down by Melanie Thorne is a pretty good book told by Liz, a young teen girl.  Her mom lives with an ex-con who treats the whole family pretty bad.  Her dad is a drunk who lives with a woman and Liz's younger sister who still believes in her dad.  This leaves Liz pretty much in no-man's land when it comes to living arrangements.

This book goes quick and does have a happy ending for Liz which I am glad about.  All in all, I enjoyed 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 during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The List" by Siobhan Vivian (UPDATED)

The List by Siobhan Vivian takes you back to high school. Every year at Mount Washington High School, "the List" of the four prettiest girls in each class and the four ugliest girls in each class comes out. This book follows all eight girls in the week leading up to the Homecoming dance on Saturday. The Homecoming dance night is really good! I loved this book and went back and forth on how I felt about each girl. I pretty much read this in just one day. Two things I'm certain of about this book are: (1) You will enjoy it; and (2) You will be glad you are not in High School anymore! If you are still in High School, you have my sympathy! Hang in there, life does get better.
(Gerard)

Karen's review:
The List by Siorhan Vivian portrays high school girls as shallow, selfish, jealous, wild and boy crazy. The premise of the book was that every year a week before homecoming, a list came out with copies posted all over the school listing the prettiest and ugliest girl for each grade 9-12. The book followed the eight girls who made "The List" and showed how it affected them. I only really liked Lauren (one of the pretty girls), Danielle (one of the "ugly" ones and Abby's sister, Fern who had made the ugly list the year before. I just didn't relate to this book at all because I was never into fashion, looks or petty jealousy as a high schooler. Nor was homecoming ever a big deal to me. I tried to imagine how I would have felt if my high school did such a thing and listed me as ugly. Bottom line is, I wouldn't pay any attention to such a stupid list.

This is a quick read though and was entertaining. I just felt annoyed my most of the girls in this book because they were so preoccupied with what others thought and expected. They all seemed to me to have very low self esteem which I found quite sad. I liked the ending though and was surprised to find out who made the list. Of the boys in this book, I really liked Milo and felt bad that his friend, Sarah, was acting so crazy and being so mean to him. He stuck by her anyway and actually helped her.

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

James--Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore (UPDATED)

James Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore is such a great in-depth Bible study on the book of James that I was sorry to see it end. Beth’s older daughter, Melissa, also had some interesting articles included from an historical standpoint based on research she did.

 I learned so much more about James, the author of this book, than I had known before and accepted Beth’s challenge to memorize the entire book of James, which I completed on April 23, 2012.  Whew! 

This is a very practical study because the topics in the book of James are still relevant today: Patience, temptation, rich and poor, favoritism, judgment, controlling the tongue, wisdom,, our relationship with God, how to treat others, prayer. This study is fantastic! I really can’t say enough good about it. There are DVD’s that go with this that I enjoyed too because of some funny stories she shares from her experience to make her points. In particular, I especially liked hearing about her camping trip with the birds and the hair brush story at the airport. That is one I don’t think I’ll soon forget.

Other Beth Moore Studies I did were: Fruit of the Spirit, Daniel, which were good too. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a challenge who likes a good Bible study.

Related Post:  I Did It--Challenge Completed Ahead of Time (Check out this link to see the methods I used to memorize the entire book of James)

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

Tuesday Teasers: "Catch Me" and "The List"

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:

Four days from now, I'm expecting to be murdered. I've read that you're one of the best homicide detectives in the city, so I'd like you to handle the investigation.

From page 36 of Catch Me by Lisa Gardner.

Gerard's:

"Do me a favor. Write UGLY as big as you can across my forehead."

From page 47 of The List by Siobhan Vivian.

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Catch Me" by Lisa Gardner is her Best Yet! (UPDATED)

I LOVED Catch Me by Lisa Gardner a lot! Okay, here is the deal on this book.  You have two best friends and they both die on the same day in back-to-back years.  Now that date is coming up and you know that you are next.  What would you do?  It doesn't get any better than this!  WOW!  This a definitely a page turner with a fantastic ending.  It has to be her best book yet!  Read and enjoy,
(Gerard's review)-5 stars

Karen's review (5 stars):
Oh wow is all I kept saying through this book, especially the last quarter of it!  This is an interesting book about child abuse with the unusual angle of showing the later results of it.  I really liked this book a lot because the plot drew me in quick.  D.D. Warren finds that her recent pedophile shooting is connected with another one.  As she leaves the crime scene, she sees a woman, Charlene, lurking by her car and chases her down.   Charlene explains that on the 21st, four days away, she will be murdered and would like D.D. to handle the investigation because she is a good detective.  Charlene's two best friends from childhood were murdered last year and the year before on the 21st so Charlene thinks she'll be next.  What would you do if you knew you were going to die in just a few days?  Charlene is a 9-1-1 dispatcher who tries to get prepared by taking up running, boxing and shooting.

It seems as though a vigilante  is out to rid Boston of the pedophiles when another one is shot down in cold blood--this time a 16-yr-old boy.  I found it very interesting how the author showed how older kids find their targets through gaming websites and that more and more older kids are taking advantage of younger kids based on information she got when interviewing an internet safety expert.  I thought I had it figured out before the detectives did and then when the one detective presented my theory, I thought for sure I was right but found out I wasn't.

This book really made me think.  Is one criminal worse than another?  Is it okay to take the law into your own hands to protect the innocent?  It also gave me a better understanding of how people's pasts can really mess up their lives.  This would be a real good book for a book club.  I found myself wanting to discuss it with someone as I was reading it!  I highly 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 for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Scent of Rain and Lightning" by Nancy Pickard

"The Scent of Rain and Lightning" is a murder mystery that takes place in Kansas.  When one of the sons of a wealthy and influential family is killed and his wife missing, their 3-yr.-old daughter goes to live with her grandparents, Hugh Senior and Annabelle.  The family immediately suspects one of their young ranch hands, Billy Crosby, a wife beater and an alcoholic.  Billy is sent to prison for murder but the body of the victim's wife was not found and no one really knows what happened to her (until the very end of the book).  When Billy gets out thanks to his son becoming a lawyer and getting his sentence commuted due to an improper investigation 23 years later, most of the town is not very happy.  

This book is about family, betrayal, revenge and marriage.  I enjoyed this book very much but almost didn't read it because of the sex scene that it starts off with.  I thought the whole book was going to be that way, but it isn't.  I felt sad about several good people getting killed and it had me guessing throughout the book as to who the real murderer was.  I thought it was a good read and had a hard time putting it down.  I recommend it if you like a good murder mystery and books about families.
(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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Promises to Keep" by Ann Tatlock UPDATED)

Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock is about a little girl’s dream of her parents getting back together even though her mother took off with her children to keep them safe.  Alan Anthony, the father is an alcoholic that was abusive to his family, but convinces his daughter, Rosalind, that he has changed and is going to come back and make everything better.  When the mother and kids move out on their own to a small town, the house they are surprised to find Tillie, the old lady who built the house, sitting on their porch reading their paper.  Tillie had been put into a nursing home when she broke her hip and her son sold her house.  After her hip healed, Tillie left the nursing home because she was determined to live out “her” days in her house.  Because the mother has to work and needs someone to watch the youngest daughter, she lets Tillie move in with them.  I liked this subplot because it was humorous. 

Promises to Keep is well-written and kept my interest all the way through by making me wonder if the father really had changed—it gives great insight into human nature.  This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but look forward to reading more of her books.  There are discussion questions in the back of the book which make this a good Christian fiction book club read.
(Karen's review)

Gerard read this too:
This is a really nice story about two little girls, one black, one white, who want to have their fathers in their lives again.  It kept my interest for sure.  Although somewhat predictable, it's a good story and well worth your time.  It goes fast!

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Tuesday Teasers: "Promises to Keep" and "Outlaw Platoon"

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:

Our eyes locked, and I couldn't stop my own tears. I wanted to cry out, Daddy! Tell Mom you'll change. Just promise you'll stop drinking, and maybe Mom will stay!

From page 37 of Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock

Gerard's:

That power comes only from their minds, their hearts, not from discipline or devotion to army regulations. When death lurks, nothing else matters but that bond of trust, or lack thereof, between soldier and leader.

From page 89 of Outlaw Platoon by Sean Parnell

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Blue Monday" by Nicci French

Blue Monday by Nicci French tells the story of a young girl taken at the age of 5. Then, 22 years later, a young boy is taken. Are they connected? Frieda Klein, a psychotherapist, has a client who may hold all the answers . . . or does he? This is a page turner with a major twist about ¾ of the way in and then an ending that I didn't see coming! This is the first book of a series. I look forward to reading the next one!
(Gerard's review)

I started this but just couldn't get into it and quit after the first 100 pages.  There are just too many other books I'd rather read right now.  I generally don't care for books that are set in London.
(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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Into the Free" by Julie Cantrell

Must Read -- Fantastic Book!

Into The Free by Julie Cantrell is an amazing read—WOW!  I loved this historical fiction book set in Mississippi about faith, gypsies, death, grief, domestic violence, rodeos and romance.  It is told from Millie’s perspective, a little girl searching for her identity, freedom and faith. 

The variety of characters in this book seem real and some I loved, some I didn’t.  My favorite characters were Millie, Sloth, Bump, Mr. Tucker and Mabel.  My least favorite person was Millie’s grandfather with her father and Mr. Miller close seconds.  Hard to really say who was worse.  Millie’s mother, Marie Reynolds, had a tough life but a strong Biblical foundation.  She loved her husband although he beat her on a regular basis, at one point leaving her for dead.  Millie’s mama turned to drugs to escape the pain which was very sad.  The whole book was pretty sad but it had enough funny parts and bright spots to not be depressing.  I actually cheered out loud for Millie when made the choice in the end that I hoped she would make.
 

It shows no matter how bad things may be, there is always hope.  It also portrays “Christians” in a realistic way, showing both good ones and bad ones.  Yes, some people are big hypocrites, but not all.  I liked the balance this book has along those lines and that everything is not always hunky-dory for believers.  A main theme in the book is that God brings people into our lives to help and encourage us along the way. 

Into the Free is an interesting read because it holds your interest on so many levels.  It’s both an emotional and thought provoking read.  I LOVED IT and look forward to the sequel to find out what happens with Millie next.  I highly recommend Into the Free as a great read that would be an excellent book club choice too.  It has thought-provoking questions at the end that would make for good discussion.(Karen's review)

Gerard says he's going to read this one too.

Thanks, Beaded Tail, for recommending this one to us!

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Heaven is Here" by Stephanie Nielson

Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielson tells the true story of an amazing recovery by Stephanie. She and her husband were in a Fiery plane crash. Stephanie was burned over 80% of her body! What she had to go through was remarkable, but with the help of her family, her faith in God and the love of her children, she made it all the way back! What an inspirational and amazing read this is!
(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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Wild" by Cheryl Strayed

I enjoyed WILD by Cheryl Strayed a lot; it was something unusual! After the death of her mom and a divorce from her husband, Cheryl decides to take a hike of 1100 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail! Cheryl tells the story very well; I got the feeling I was right there with her. The people she meets along the way add to an already good story. The ending, what she discovers about herself is the best part!

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Land of Decoration" by Grace McCleen

The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen is a wonderful story!  You will meet 10-yr.-old Judith McPherson who lives with her dad.  Judith makes up a "Land of Decoration," a promise land where things go as she wants them to.  As more and more bad things happen to her and her dad, she takes matters into her own hands and performs "miracles."

I enjoyed this book very much!  You will love Judith and I could identify with her being bullied.  I finished it in just two days.  I recommend 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 during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Tuesday Teasers: 4 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 asked God if it was my fault Mother died, and He said that it was. I knew that already though. I knew it every time Father was angry with me.

From page 250 of The Land of Decoration by Grace Cleen

It would be my luscious escape, if only for a brief time. There, I'd leave my troubles behind, I thought.
Instead, I only found more.

From page 37 of Wild--From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.

Karen's:

"Why are all those dogs with you?" she shouted, instead of answering his question.
"Oh, I don't know," Henry said, lamely. He pounded his fist on the steering wheel and looked down at Edgar, scootched below the windows.

From page 427 of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski.

I climb higher in the sweet gum and hope the engineer will turn that train around and come back to get me. Take me away, to the place Sloth calls the free.

From page 15 of Into the Free by Julie Cantrell.

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate (UPDATED)

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate tells the story of Ivan, a Silverback gorilla, and his friends: Stella, an old elephant and Bob, a stray dog. They perform three shows every day at Exit 8 Big Top Mall. When business slows, Ruby, a baby elephant, is brought on board and things change.

This is a lovely story, funny for sure, and it will get and keep your interest. I think this is a book for all ages. It will touch your heart and put a smile on your face! I enjoyed it very much and the ending is so, so good!
(Gerard's review)

Karen's review--my rating 5 stars
I really enjoyed The One And Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate even though it is children’s fiction.  It is based on a true story about Ivan, a Silverback gorilla who was captured and put in a cage for 27 years without any contact with any other gorillas.  In this book, Ivan is the narrator and his owner sells Ivan’s drawings and paintings.  Ivan is quite an artist.  Ivan has a stray dog named Bob who comes into his “domain” and sleeps on Ivan’s stomach.  In the next cage is Stella, an elephant, who is a good storyteller but who had a hard life at a circus.  When a baby elephant, Ruby, joins her, she is very protective of her and when she knows she is dying, gets Ivan to promise to protect Ruby for her.  He comes up with a great plan to get Ruby moved to a zoo.  This is such a cute book that has a happy ending.  It is a quick read but very enjoyable!  If you like animals and are looking for a heartwarming story, I recommend this one!  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!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wrobiewski" (UPDATED)

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wrobiewski is a book that Gerard and I have completely different reactions toward. We'd love to hear what you think of it.

I read a lot about this book before reading it. USA TODAY called it the must read book of '08. Sometimes a book does not live up to that hype like Kite Runner and We Need To Talk About Kevin. This book does. Edgar Sawtelle is born mute into a family that trains dogs. The best part of this book to me was his interaction with the dogs. The ending is so good you will want more! The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wrobiewski lives up to the hype! Read this book!
(Gerard's review 7/30/08, My rating: 5 stars)

(Karen's review 4/9/12: my rating: 2 stars)

Well, I finally got to The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wrobiewski and must say I did not like it. Gerard and I see this one very differently. He thinks it's a must read but I do not recommend this one at all. It is 562 pages that seemed like forever to get through. Although there were some parts of the book I did enjoy, like when Edgar ran away with three of his dogs and found a kind old man who let him stay with him for awhile; however, most of the book was boring or made no sense to me. I liked Edgar, the main character for the most part, but didn't like when he was mean to his favorite dog, Almondine.

I do not understand why Gerard thought the ending was good other than it was suspenseful. I did not like the ending at all but don't want to spoil it if you haven't read it yet so won't say anymore about that unless you wish to discuss it in an email.

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Laugh at Life" by Jane Seabrook

Laugh at Life by Jane Seabrook is a small collection of funny sayings with great animal illustrations to go with them, one saying or picture per page.  The author has a whole series of these cute little books.  In the back she lists the names of all the animals she illustrated in the book.  Some are very exotic.  Here is one of my favorite sayings from this book:  As you get older, your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either. This would make a perfect little gift for any animal lover.

I got this one for my personal library from paperbackswap.com for free.  If you are not aware of this site, you might like to check it out.  You post books that you are willing to give away and pay the postage for mailing, then when someone requests one of your books, once they receive it you get a credit which can be used to get a book of your choice for free (since the one sending the book pays the postage). 

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!

Hope you will visit our other blog, "Right Where We Belong" to see our Happy Easter Everyone post!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Best of Me" by Nicholas Sparks

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks is the sad love story of Dawson and Amanda, two high school sweethearts who went separate ways.  Dawson was from an abusive family and had bullies for brothers but was not like them.  Amanda was from a well-to-do family who did not want her seeing Dawson.  They had a common friend, Tuck who was an old widower but who could see their love for each other so made arrangements for them to cross paths years later through his will,  Over the years, they still thought about each other and wondered what would have happened if they stayed together.  Dawson never married, but Amanda did, although she never had the passion with her husband that she had experienced with Dawson. 

The mixture of some fighting, a couple of ghosts and Tuck’s sweet memories all work to make this an interesting read.  I liked this one because it didn’t drag along.  I think it would have been better though if the author let the reader know Amanda’s family better.  It seemed he just threw them in at the end to wrap up the book with a neat little ending. 

 (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!

Hope you will visit our other blog, "Right Where We Belong" to see our Happy Easter Everyone post!

 We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Kill Switch" by Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene

In Kill Switch by Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene, Claire Waters, a forensic psychiatrist, has to deal with a serial killer and then has to face a danger that she faced years ago as a child. This book is awesome, a page turner for sure with an ending I did not see coming.  This one is a winner!
(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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Downfall" by Terri Blackstock

Downfall by Terri Blackstock is the final book in the Emily Covington saga and it's a good one!  It had my interest from page one and only took me a day to read.  As usual with Terri's books, this has a strong Christian flavor which is not bad at all!  I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and look forward to her next novel.
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this too:
Downfall by Terri Blackstock is a Christian suspense novel that is the third book of the Emily Covington series.  The first two are Intervention and Vicious Cycle.  This is about Emily’s struggle to stay clean and figure out who is framing her.  She has been clean for two years, attends college, and works at a drug rehab facility. One day as she leaves for class, she finds a bomb attached to her car when it causes a fire.  The same morning, the wife of one of the addicts from the rehab place is killed while asleep in her bed.   This is a quick read about family, murder, revenge and love that is predictable but still pretty good.  

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 linked up with Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop to respond to this prompt:  Book review time! Some people STILL read books…share one of your more recent reads and tell us what you thought!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Tuesday Teasers: "The One and Only Ivan"; "Downfall"

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 don't want a zoo," Ruby says. "I want you and Bob and Julia. This is my home."
"No, Ruby," I say, "This is your prison."

From page 240 of The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

Karen's:

And she and her family would be terrorized. He'd make them homeless by making them fear their home, and that would just be the beginning.

From page 13 of Downfall by Terri Blackstock.

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Vow" by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter (UPDATED)

The Vow by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter is an amazing story--WOW! The true story of this couple is really good. From their meeting through their courtship is something. After a horrible accident that through the grace of God they survived, they have to start all over again discovering who they are. Here's a teaser from the book for you from page 88:

The most agonizing question of all was: Would one of those things be me? I quickly put that thought from my mind. I couldn't bear to contemplate the fact that my wife might never remember me.

I loved this book and think it is a must read for all married couples. Thanks for sharing, Carpenters, and God bless your family!
(Gerard's review)

Karen's review:
The Vow by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter is a true love story. They share how the Lord helped them keep their commitment to each other through a tragic accident that resulted in memory loss and months of rehab. It is an inspirational true story to encourage all married couples to value their marriage, keep their marriage vows and look to God for help through the hard times. This is a quick read that drew me in right away. I could sympathize with both Kim and Krickett who were both seriously injured. Although much of the book is sad, I knew it had a happy ending so kept reading and am glad I did!

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"One Dog Night" by David Rosenfelt

One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt is better than I thought it would be and I enjoyed it very much.  Andy Carpenter is a defense lawyer who takes on a very tough case.  Noah Galloway is being accused of arson that killed 26 people.  He has lived with this fact for six years and is ready to plead guilty and be sent away for good.  When Andy takes this case, he thinks his client did not do it.  It's a quick read, give it a chance.
(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.

"Home Front" by Kristin Hannah

Home Front by Kristin Hannah is an outstanding book! Jolene and Michael have two little girls. Their marriage is rocky at best, and then when things are at their worst, Jolene gets a call to be deployed and is off to join the war! Great writing to be sure. You will care deeply about Jolene and Michael and Betsy and Lulu. Will their marriage survive? Will Jolene be all right in the war? I really enjoyed this book a lot! Definitely a MUST READ!
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this one too:
Home Front by Kristin Hannah is a fantastic book about an ordinary family affected by war when the wife and mother of two girls gets deployed to Iraq.  This is a fascinating and emotional read that opened my eyes to the sacrifices soldiers and their families make to serve this country of ours.  At the beginning of the book, I didn’t like Michael, the husband, at all but he changed when he realized his family was what mattered most and stepped up when his wife went off to war.  Home Front gives insight into what war is really like and the struggles soldiers face in adjusting to civilian life when they come back. We both highly recommend this one!

Here's the trailer for this book:




If you would like to hear an audio clip from the book, click on this link:  http://media.us.macmillan.com/video/olmk/macmillanaudio/homefrontclip.mp3



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" by Michael Grant

Gone by Michael Grant has lots of conflict and mystery in it which made for an interesting read; however, the ending was a huge let down.  I felt like I lots of questions were left unanswered and nothing was really resolved in the end.  Just to give you a taste of how far out this book is, some normal kids had super powers but not all, two brothers (one evil and one good) were against each other throughout the book, coyotes talked, there was a hot wall all around a 10-mile radius of a power plant, and nothing made any sense.  One day out of the blue all 15-yr.-olds and older just went poof and disappeared.  I liked Albert, the kid who took over McDonalds and cooked.  It certainly had some funny parts and lots of action, it just didn’t make any sense.  It even had a cat that could teleport itself!  I must say though, that it kept my interest and found it hard to put down. 
(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 Teasers: "Home Front" and "Gone"

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:

Betsy looked up at him, her gaze sharp and assessing. "Maybe it's because of that fight you had. When you said you didn't love her anymore."

From page 247 of Home Front by Kristin Hannah.

Karen's:

"Something weird is happening. My math study group . . . there were just three of us, plus the teacher. They all just disappeared."

From page 3 of Gone by Michael Grant.


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

The Hunger Games Movie Does Not Disapppoint

source:  Amazon.com

We went to see "The Hunger Games" movie today and both of us thought it was very good!  It followed the book really closely and my favorite scenes in the book were all in the movie too.  It cut out a bit of the beginning so the relationship between Katniss and Gale didn't seem as close as it was in the book.  Other than that, it moved along as I pictured it and was captivated throughout.  Gerard was on the edge of his seat and didn't get bored for 2 1/2 hours!


I couldn't imagine how the movie was going to capture the awesomeness of the fire costumes for District 12 but it did!  It really was fun to watch the book actually come to life. I felt sorry for him when he said he had no chance to win it.  The actors and actresses were all excellent!  We absolutely LOVED watching this!

I don't know if it would be better to see the movie before reading the book or not.  I'd love to hear from someone's thoughts on the movie who hasn't read the book.


The biggest plus for the books I think over the movie is that in the movie, we don't really know Katniss's thoughts like we do in the book, but the movie is GREAT!  If you want a peek, here is the link to the Official Hunger Games Movie Trailer.  We, of course, look forward to seeing the next movie of this series based on Catching Fire.

Please share your thoughts about the movie in the comments; we'd like to know what you thought about it.

Our review of the book.

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

"Deceit" by Brandilyn Collins

Deceit by Brandilyn Collins starts out good and gets better and better as it goes!  Baxter Jackson, a widower who lost both his wives in "accidents," is highly respected and a great guy in the community with some dark secrets.

 The story goes back and forth between the present and the past when his foster daughter lived with him and his wife. Melissa is a 15-yr.-old daughter of alcoholic parents who goes into foster care when her mom dies, leaving her all alone.  She feels like she hit the jackpot when she first sees her new home that looks like a mansion and the two nice people, the Jacksons, who are taking her in.  The church friends of the Jacksons are eager to meet her but she has very low self-esteem and doesn't think anyone would ever want to be her friend.  All the main characters in this book, Jackson and his wife, Linda, her friend Joanne, and Melissa are all deceitful, but Melissa is the only one of them who does not profess to be a Christian. 

I loved this book because of the suspense, the interesting story line of Joanne trying to get justice for her friend, Linda, who she believed was killed by her own husband, the elder in her church.  Melissa was the biggest surprise to me and actually was the biggest deceiver of all who I at first felt sorry for.  This book certainly doesn't show Christians in a positive light, but is thought-provoking and shows actions speak louder than words and non-believers do watch the way Christians live their lives.  This is a page turner I won't soon forget and had a hard time putting down.  See my teaser from this 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.

"Animals and the Kids Who Love Them"

Animals and The Kids Who Love Them by Allen and Linda Anderson shares many stories of special needs children and the animals who gave them hope and comfort, including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and even a turtle! If this book doesn't put a smile on your face and touch your heart, I don't know what will! Read it and you'll feel better about life!
(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.

"Down The Darkest Road" by Tami Hoag

We both liked Down the Darkest Road by Tami Hoag!  A killer is loose; who and when will he strike next? This is an awesome book--Tami has done it again! Although there is not much action in this book, the suspense keeps building resulting in a fantastic ending! The writing is very good! Great job, Tami! Can't wait for her next book!
(Gerard's review)

Down The Darkest Road by Tami Hoag is about how the criminals’ rights are protected to the extent they actually walk around freely because there is no evidence that they did anything wrong.  In this book you know who the criminal is up front and what a pervert he is, yet the police can’t do anything about it because of the laws.  After a fight with her dad, 16-yr-old Leslie turns up missing.  Her younger sister, Leah, who never caused her parents any trouble grows resentful when she feels neglected.  The dad can’t handle the grief and gets killed in an “accident” leaving just the mother and Leah to deal with the incident.  When the cops can’t come up with any evidence to make an arrest, the mother goes off on her own with Leah to seek justice in her mind. 

 

I thought this was an interesting read but didn’t approve of the mother going off on her own being a vigilante and putting Leah in danger.  I liked the ending and enjoyed the trip though.  My favorite characters were Leah and Mendez and cop. 

(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.

"Through a Dog's Eyes" by Jennifer Arnold

What a wonderful book Through a Dog's Eyes by Jennifer Arnold is!  Jennifer is the founder and Executive Director of Canine Assistants, a service dog school.  She knows dogs and shares great stories about great people and their dogs.  You will find out why dogs have wet noses--bet you don't know!  I loved this book!  "A good dog is a tired dog!"  So, go out there and walk your dog and especially, love your dog--they love us!  Visit www.canineassistants.org for more information about companion dogs for the disabled.
(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: "The Crown" and "Deceit"

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:

A grim laugh from Bishop Gardiner. "With Cromwell's spies everywhere, watching everything I do? I think not."
His eyes settled on me.
"No, Sister Joanna, I'm not going to find the Athelstan crown. You are."

From page 10 of The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau.

Karen's:

New fear surged. How could I even think of looking for a strange man in a mask after dark? All alone out here?

From page 27 of Deceit by Brandilyn Collins.

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

"The Crown" by Nancy Bilyeau

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau tells the story of a nun, Joanna, who must find a relic crown to save her father who is being held captive.  I thought the first part of this book was really good with lots of action and was into it.  From part two on is when I had a problem with it.  This book is far from bad, don't get the wrong idea.  I just enjoyed the first part much more.
(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.

"Lone Wolf" by Jodi Picoult (Updated)

 Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult tells the story of Luke Warren who has two families.  A wolf one and a human one.  Both are very entertaining and you will learn a lot from both.  I loved this book very much!  The characters of Luke and his daughter, Cara, were my favorites.  There is not a lot of twists and turns in this one, but the main story is so gripping that you don't need all that.
(Gerard's review)

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult is an interesting read and also thought provoking about Luke, a family man who is also a naturalist who chooses to join a pack of wolves in the wild for two years.  He is divorced and shares custody of his 17-yr.-old daughter.  His gay son left at age 18 to live in Thailand after he and his dad had a falling out.  The dad and daughter were in a car accident which left the dad in a vegetable state hooked up to a ventilator to stay alive.  The brother came right home when he heard and insists that Luke would not want to be kept alive in that condition but the daughter holds out hope that he will get better and they need to give him more time. 

I liked this book pretty well but thought it dragged out more than necessary.  There was a lot about wolves that I found quite interesting, but thought Luke was nuts for living with them.  My favorite part was when Cara got her brother to bring in one of her dad's wolves into the hospital to try to get him to wake up when only the ventilator was keeping him alive.  I also like the brother-sister relationship.  Jodi Picoult tackled yet another controversial topic, euthanasia, in an interesting way.  
(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.

How Fast Do Your Read?

At Living, Learning and Loving Life I found this cool test to tell me how fast I read. I knew I was a slow reader, but didn't think I was this slow: 192 wpm (23% slower than the national avg., about a 5th gr. level!) Gerard beat me with 195 wpm which surprised me--I thought he'd beat by more than that.

Click on the image below to go take the quiz and see if you beat us--I bet you will.  Share your results in the comments here.

Source: Staples eReader Department

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