"Quiet--The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain

Review first published Jan. 7, 2013

Today I am doing one of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompts:  Open your picture folders, close your eyes and pick a random photo to share and write about.  This is the picture I got from my "Favorite Reads 2013" folder so I am just re-posting this book review with the picture.

There was a lot of hype about Quiet--The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain and it won awards in 2012. Now having read it, I can tell you the hype was spot on! What a wonderful book!! I thought it was going to be a text book but it's not. The great thing about this book is that I enjoyed it and learned too. It's hard to beat that combination. The examples Susan Cain gives of people are very interesting. That is why I'm giving it 5++ stars. Well done, Ms. Cain! I LOVED it!
(Gerard's review, rating 5++ stars)

I started reading this book and found it to be quite boring. I even decided I'd skim it instead but couldn't even make myself finish it then. I was surprised to see that "brainstorming" sessions do not produce great results. A better way would be to let each person brainstorm their ideas by themselves, then review them together and possibly add to them as a group then. I just didn't want to keep plowing my way through. I read the first 100 pages or so.
(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!

"The Never List" by Koethi Zan is a Real Page Turner! (UPDATED)

I'll Never do that!

The Never List by Koethi Zan is about three college girls who were kept chained up in a college professor's basement and one in a box!  This book grabbed a hold of me from page one!  The plot is really good and I loved the interaction throughout the book among the three girls.  The last few chapters when all the twists take place were so good I did not want to stop reading.  Put this on your to read list--you will be glad you did! 
(Gerard's review posted 8/20/13, 5+ stars) 


The Never List by Koethi Zan got my attention right away with two girls making a list of things they would NEVER do to stay safe. It is told from Sarah's view point who was held captive in a basement of a psycho college professor along with her best friend, Jennifer, and two other girls, Tracy and Christine. The professor was arrested when Sarah escaped but ten years later is up for parole. When the girls meet years later to work together to make sure he is not released, they wind up in dangerous situations and realize the professor is even a bigger monster than they thought.


This psychological thriller is very creepy but at least not gory in spite of references to torture and a very dark world of human trafficking. It explores the extent people will go for self preservation and the depravity of humanity. Although the main character, Sarah, is likeable and I couldn't help but root for her in her quest to find her friend's dead body, it didn't seem very believable that she would do that. I enjoyed some of the dialogue which lightened things up some. There are some tense moments and I had to keep reading to see how she escaped and learn what happened. The ending was shocking! To me this is a cross between a thriller and a cozy mystery novel.
(Karen's review posted 8/17/13)

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: Three Today

Gerard's:

They clutch the raft with rigid hands. They are unwilling to let go, unable to pull themselves out of the swirling current.

From page 13 of Visitation Street by Ivy Pochoda. (Just finished this one, see my review before this post.)

Once in the building, my body felt enveloped in a mist of darkness and evil. This place was a vision of hell to me, all red and black, packed with a crowd geared out in studded leather who seemed, beyond any other terror, utterly unpredictable.

From page 101 of The Never List by Koethi Zan. (See Karen's review.)

Karen's:

  "It's a tough thing to do in these parts, but you be friends with anyone you want, Jason Lee. Don't let nobody tell you different, you hear?" Her tone sounded like a scolding.

From page 8 of The Clock of Life by Nancy Klann-Moren.


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 (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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.   

Happy Reading!

"Visitation Street" by Ivy Pochoda

Visitation Street

by Ivy Pochoda is about two girls who take a raft out one Saturday night. One girl is found by the rocks, the other girl is missing. What happened? Will the other girl be found dead or alive? This incident also affected other people in the neighborhood who have their own problems.

The story moves along and kept my attention. The last two chapters when the truth comes out about what happened that night are very good!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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

"Shot All To Hell" by Mark Lee Gardner

Shot All To Hell--Jesse James, the Northfield Raid, and the Wild West's Greatest Escape by Mark Lee Gardner is a non-fiction book that tells the story of Frank and Jesse James and their brothers in arms, the younger gang. It covers their last bank robbery job and the chase for them afterward. The part about the bank robbery was really good and interesting. Some of the other meetings they had with people were good and even funny at times. However, I thought there would be a lot more action in this book so was disappointed.
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

I liked Sutton by J. R. Moehringer much better, also a bank robber! It was fantastic!

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!

"Unseen" by Karin Slaughter

Unseen by Karin Slaughter continues the relationship between Will Trent, a detective, and Sara Linton, a doctor.  Will goes undercover and Sara gets drawn into the same case he is on much to Will's surprise.  Both are put in mortal danger! 

This book goes back and forth in time, and leaves you in suspense.  It's a really good read.  It had just enough action for me and was hard to put down.

(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Karen was going to read this one until she flipped through it and got turned off by the language.

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: Four For You

I'm jumping right in with the teasers today to save you a little time.  After you read them, you might want to check out our post from yesterday if you missed it and learn about A Fun Way To Share Your Books.

Gerard's:

As Bushnell rushed down the aisle, a passenger asked him what was the matter.  Without stopping, a visibly distressed Bushnell blurted out, "The train is being robbed, that's what's the matter!"

From page 11 of Shot All To Hell:  Jesse James, the Northfield Raid, and the Wild West's Greatest Escape by Mark Lee Gardner  

She felt numb, like she was watching someone else do this.  A different woman held her Glock.  A different woman stared down this murderer, this child rapist.

From page 80 of Unseen by Karin Slaughter. (My review will be up tomorrow)

Karen's:

As you will soon see, our enemy's favorite --not only, but favorite--form of torture is psychological, so you need your mind to work. You have to keep him out of your head. Never tell him anything about your life before. Never."

From page 29 of The Never List by Koethi Zan.

While I prophesied, there was a noise and a rattling. The bones came together, bone to bone.

Ezekiel 37:7 from Holy Bible (International Childrens Bible)  Find out more here:  Dry Bones Come To Life.



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 (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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.   

Happy Reading!

A Fun Way To Share Your Books--Release Them Into The Wild

I am having a fun time cleaning off my bookshelves since joining www.bookcrossing.com last week.  Basically, the idea is to share your read books with other people by just placing them in places for them to be found.  Here's how it works: 

This is a book we received to review that we didn't want--our first release.

REGISTER:  Print out free labels to put inside the cover of your book (or you can purchase fancier labels if you want).  Then register your book at www.bookcrossing.com and write the BookCrossing ID ("BCID") number on the label.  The inside label says:

HOWDY!  HOLA!  BONJOUR!  GUTEN TAG!
I'm a very special book.   You see, I'm traveling around the world making new friends.  I hope I've met another friend in you.  Please go to www.BookCrossing.com and enter my BCID number (shown below).  You'll discover where I've been and who has read me, and can let them know I'm safe here in your hands.  Then...READ and RELEASE me!  BCID: ___________ (you fill this in)

RELEASE:  Then decide where you will leave it which is called "releasing it into the wild."  Add your release notes so people can actually go hunting for it if they want.

This is my first BookCrossing zone,  I left it on the bus stop bench, crossed the street to get a picture of the book waiting to be found, and when the buses went by that were blocking my view, the book was already gone!  That made me feel good!  Sometimes people will follow-through and actually report they found the book and enter the BCID number so you can follow the book around to see where it's been.

So far I've left books on benches at bus stops, benches at the zoo, benches or picnic tables at parks, and in my lunch room at work.  So far, I've released 7 books and all were picked up but three that I know of, two I just released at the park today.

FOLLOW:  So far, no one has reported any of the found ones on the website, but I hope they will.  Even if they don't though, it's a fun way to get rid of books you no longer want and let someone else read them.

My user name on the website is BookDumper so if you join, please use me as the referral and look me up.  There are BookCrossers worldwide and you can look up how many have joined in your area.  What do you do with books you are finished reading?  Wouldn't you like to join too?

"In the After" by Demitria Lunetta is Thrilling! (UPDATED)

 In The After by Demitria Lunetta is about how Amy, a teen girl and a toddler she finds survives when people all over the world are pretty much wiped out by very fast green creatures who are attracted to noise and light, and feed on people.  Amy thinks of her normal life with her parents, her friends and school as "before" and the life she lives now in silence and alone, only going out at night to scavenge for food, as the "after."

I enjoyed this book very much, it is a page turner I did not want to put down and when I did, I looked forward to getting back to it! I was completely engrossed in this one, not knowing what was going to happen next!  I highly recommend it to anyone who likes wild science fiction end-of-the-world type books.  I can't wait for the sequel!  This is a new author, give it a try.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)
 

Karen reading IN THE AFTER while waiting in line at Giant Eagle

In The After by Demitria Lunetta is a teen science fiction novel about a young girl home alone when the world changes.  She finds a young baby and becomes its caregiver.  Later on they find more people who have survived and are safe, or are they?  What kind of city are they in now?

This book drew me in right from page 1 with lots of action and a really good ending!  LOVED IT!  I'm looking forward to the sequel!
(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!

"Tell Me" by Lisa Jackson (Romantic Suspense)

Tell Me by Lisa Jackson is about a woman convicted of killing her oldest daughter and shooting her two other children. After 20 years, one of the children tells the world that his mom did not do it; however, it was his testimony that convicted her in the first place.

I thought the best parts of the novel were (1) a woman trying to get the mother to open up to her and tell her what really happened that night, and (2) two detectives putting all the parts of the trial together again to make sure the mother did not go free, and what they discover! You will not believe the ending to this book!
(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!

"The Silver Star" by Jeannette Walls

The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls tells the story of two young teen girls who are pretty much left on their own when their mom takes off. They decide to move to a small town where they stay with relatives. All goes fine until an incident happens to one of the girls.

This novel is slow moving in the beginning with little action; however, around page 200 of my large print version, the main plot kicks in and then it zooms along because it gets really good. If you liked her first two books, you will probably like this one too.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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

Our reviews of other books by Jeannette Walls that we read:
The Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses.

Happy Reading!

"Barefoot Summer" by Denise Hunter

Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter is a delightful Christian romance novel. Madison is a vet with a close family, but is still grieving over the death of her twin brother who died suddenly as a teenager. His dream was to win the Ragatta (annual sailing race) before his 27th birthday. Madison suffers from nightmares related to his death and thinks that if she wins the race with his boat, it will put an end to them. Beckett teaches her how to swim and how to sail and they both experience chemistry between them. Beckett doesn’t feel he’s good enough for Madison because he had a lot of family issues. Madison tries to deny her attraction to him because of his reputation from high school and the incident between him and her sister for starters.

This is a light, enjoyable read with some exciting parts. I could easily identify with Madison’s feelings when she was learning to swim and although the ending is predictable, it did have a surprise along the way. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys Christian romance novels or sailing.
(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!

Tuesday Teasers

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

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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:

Aliens had landed, they were not friendly, half of the planet was dead.
They were horrifyingly fast, traveling across the globe at an alarming pace.

From page 9 of In The After by Demitria Lunetta. (My review will be posted tomorrow.)

Uncle Tinsley looked at the two of us for a long moment, then leaned the shotgun against the wall. "You can sleep in the barn."

From page 53 of The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls (Large print edition)

Karen's:

Her veins buzzed with adrenaline, leaving her shaky in its wake. She hated this.

From page 33 of Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter.

By the way, I'm giving up on Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  It's so boring to me, I can't take it anymore!  I know, people love this book, but it just puts me to sleep--seriously, I doze off every time I read it!  Am I the only one who found this book terribly boring and hard to read?

Happy Reading!

Our Favorite Reads for July

Karen's Favorite:

A Bride For All Seasons

Gerard's Favorite:

Proxy

Click the title to see our reviews.  What was your favorite read for July?. Happy Reading!

"Close My Eyes" by Sophie McKenzie

Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie  is a story about a woman who eight years after the death of her baby is told that her baby is actually alive and that her husband knows about it.  At first, she passes it off, but when she decides to look into the possibility, she cannot locate her doctor and other people who might have answers are being killed!  Can she turn to her husband?

This book is very good; I enjoyed it!  It moves right along at a quick pace with a shocking ending.  It is well worth your time!
(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!

Runt by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Runt by Nora Raleigh Baskin is a children's book about the trials that middle-aged school kids go through.  I liked how the kids were portrayed and the story line.  It moved along at a good pace. 
(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!

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton Disclafani

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton Disclafani is the story about a young girl who gets sent away to camp after an incident comes to light.  The camp is a riding camp for girls.  She learns a lot more than just horses.  There is not a lot of action, but I really enjoyed the main character's interaction with her family and the other girls at the camp.  It has a pretty good ending too.  (4 stars)

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

Tuesday Teasers--Four for You

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

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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:

"Which do you mean?" and turning round, he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."

From page 10 of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (classic historical fiction).

So I spoke to the people in the morning.  Then my wife died in the evening.  The next morning I did as I had been commanded.

From Ezekiel 24:18 (International Children's Bible).

Gerard's:

My family was progressive in certain ways, and I'd known to expect this. But still, the thought of either Georgie or Sam finding out made me want to die.

From page 88 of The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls by Anton Disclafani. (Historical fiction from 1930s--My review will be up tomorrow.)

She gives her an austere (that is one of our vocabulary words this week) look and Maggie knows that I know that Miss Robinson knows exactly why she wants to move away from me. Maggie wants everyone to laugh.

From page 25 of Runt by Nora Raleigh Baskin (contemporary fiction-childrens).

Happy Reading!

A Chance To Win--Boyhood, Baseball, and the Struggle for Redemption in the Inner City by Jonathan Schuppe

Gerard gave it 5+ stars, Karen gives it 3 stars

A Chance To Win--Boyhood, Baseball, and the Struggle for Redemption in the Inner City by Jonathan Schuppe is inspirational non-fiction based on the real lives of several people living in the ghetto in Newark, New Jersey.  Rodney, a drug dealer who gets shot, paralyzed from the waist down, winds up in a wheelchair and seeks to make a difference in the lives of others by getting kids to play baseball and get off the streets.  I was surprised that parents didn't mind their kids being coached by an ex-con, but guess since many of the parents were ex-cons too or into drugs.  That was my favorite part of the book, when it was about the coaching and ballgames. 

Unfortunately, that was just a small part of it and most was more about the lives of several of the players and their struggles with their family, particularly their fathers.  It was interesting for the most part, but did not care about the part about the mayor and the city.  I would classify this as an inspirational read because the message is not to ever give up, no matter what the circumstances.  I was somewhat disappointed in the ending and found myself plowing through it near the end.  It felt to me like a news article rather than a novel and didn't end as I hoped so was kind of a let down.

My husband liked it much more than I did.  You can read his review here.
(Karen's review, 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 received a free copy to review but have not received any compensation. This did not affect our review in any way.

"The Humans" by Matt Haig

The Humans by Matt Haig is about an alien being who inhabits the body of a professor who has a wife and a young son. He has a mission, but when he starts to hang around humans he decides the mission may change, or does it? I enjoyed this book more than I expected. It is funny and is quick moving with a nice ending.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)


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

"The Trial of Fallen Angels" by James Kimmel, Jr.

 The Trial of Fallen Angels by James Kimmel, Jr. is about a woman who goes to the afterlife but doesn't remember how she got there.  She meets people who connect her to her past, then she is told that she has to defend lost souls in the final judgment courtroom.  Then her trial comes up and she remembers! 

I enjoyed this book because it was something different with a couple of good twists.  This was a pleasant surprise, a good read that I just found while browsing at the library.
(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!

Tuesday Teasers: Four For You!

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

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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:

Rodney ran through his memory of the shooting, over and over and over again. He still couldn't believe it happened over a girl.

From page 34 of A Chance To Win--Boyhood, Baseball, and the Struggle for Redemption in the Inner City by Jonathan Schuppe. (non-fiction)

But this person might have a wild son who murders people. This son may do any of these other bad things.

From Ezekiel 18:10 (International Children's Bible)

Gerard's:

LaVander Peeler got even closer to me. The boy smelled like fried tomatoes, buttered cornbread, and peppermint.

From page 12 of Long Division by Kiese Laymon. (Lots of offensive language in this, just started it but dumping in the dud pile.)

"But I thought we were in heaven," I said, not quite sarcastically, instantly aware of the contradiction and smiling inwardly. "Why would anybody need lawyers in paradise?"

From page 55 of The Trial of Fallen Angels by James Kimmel, Jr. (Review will be up tomorrow)

Happy Reading!

"The Lost Whale" by Michael Parfit

The Lost Whale--The True Story of Orca Named Luna by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm is an interesting story about saving a whale named Luna. So many people had contact with Luna it became a crime to interact with her. Lots of people tried to help Luna get back to her whale friends. That is the main story in this book. I liked it.
(Gerard, 4 stars)

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

"Run, Brother, Run--A Memoir of a Murder in My Family" by David Berg

Run, Brother, Run--A Memoir of a Murder in My Family by David Berg talks about the killing of his brother, Alan, and then the trial of the person held responsible for the killing.  For the most part, this book was very interesting.  I enjoyed learning about what led up to the killing and the life Alan and David led together along with their dad.  The trial was interesting too.  I give it 4 stars.
(Gerard, 4 stars)

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

4 Tuesday Teasers Today

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

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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:

And now Allison had been in an accident, and a child was dead.  It didn't seem possible.

From page 57 of Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline.

As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced;The wheels did not turn about as the the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

From Ezekiel 1:17 (the NIV Study Bible)

Gerard's:

Evidence was destroyed, perjury suborned, and justice defiled. But in this case I wasn't the defense attorney, trying to get his client "off." Nor was I the prosecutor, pursuing justice for the victim.

From page XV of the Prologue of Run, Brother, Run--A Memoir of a Murder in My Family by David Berg.  (My review will be posted tomorrow.)

There wasn't much Sandy could do except go to work every morning and wait for the interminable days and weeks to pass.  Eventually, she would find out how much of her life would be ruined because she had been friendly to a whale.

From page 104 of The Lost Whale by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm.


Happy Reading!

"Instructions for a Heatwave" by Maggie O'Farrell

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell tells the story of a man who one morning went out to get the paper, told his wife he would be right back, but didn't come back.  The wife called her three children home to search for dad.  

What makes this book so good is the interaction between the three kids, who have their own problems to be sure, and their mom.  There are plenty of "wow" moments in this, especially at the end.  Great writing!  I loved it!! 
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell is one Gerard and I have completely opposite feelings about.  I thought this book was very slow moving with no action and was annoyed by how it jumped from one character to another with no transition, most of the book was the characters thinking about the past and very little had to do with finding the missing father which was the big mystery of the book.  I didn't really care about any of the characters who each had their secrets.  

Another thing that was annoying to me was the lack of chapters--it just kept going on and on so there was never a good place to stop.  It just broke sections between a change in the character narration with a row of stars.  I didn't care for the writing at all--it had too much description for my taste with long rambling paragraphs.  The bickering among Gretta's grown children did not hold my interest at all which is what Gerard thought was the best part.  I thought the title was dumb and didn't even like the cover.  The only reason I read this was because Gerard thought it was so good.  Sometimes we agree on books, but not this time.

If I HAD to choose a favorite character, it would be the older sister, Monica, just because I enjoyed her storyline about trying to win over her two stepdaughters, a very small part of the book.  I would not recommend this book to anyone.  Sorry, Maggie.
(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!

Loved "A Bride For All Seasons--The Mail-Order Bride Collection" by Four Different Authors

Great Beach Read--Very Enjoyable!

Do you like reading clean historical romance books?  Do you enjoy mail-order bride stories?  I do, so when I saw A Bride For All Seasons—The Mail-order Bride Collection, I just had to read it and was not at all disappointed.  In fact, it is a collection of four novellas by four different authors:  And Then Came Spring by Margaret Brownley, An Ever After Summer by Debra Clopton, Autumn’s Angel by Robin Lee Hatcher, and Winter Wedding Bells by Mary Connealy.  I loved them all!

This book is so cool because all four mail-order bride stories are tied together by the common matchmaker, Melvin Hitchcock of The Hitching Post, a mail-order bride catalogue with the highest rate of successful marriages.  None of the couples that were matched up in this book got what they expected because Melvin edited their letters, at times l just omitting something that he felt would prevent the client’s chances of finding a match!  Consequently, all the couples have trust issues to begin with and it was fun to see how the couples get past that and become happily married in time.  (See My two teasers.)

Out of the four authors, I was only familiar with Mary Connealy, but now I have a whole list of books to read by the other three authors as well!  This book is a fun, entertaining read.  There are also three discussion questions for each novella in the back.  This would be a great Book Club read!
(Karen's review)

Check out my progress on learning to Juggle (part 2) using The Great Juggling Kit book.

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!

Linked up with Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop today for the prompt:  Book review!  What are you reading this summer?

Tuesday Teasers

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

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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:

Two hours and twenty-two minutes she'd been waiting!  If her errant fiance bothered showing up at all, it better be on hands and knees.

From page 6 of "And Then Came Spring" by Margaret Brownley, the first novella in A Bride For All Seasons--The mail-order Bride Collection. 

"Our Mathew is scarce on smiles and even more scarce on talk."  She grinned.  "I think with that sparkle of mischief I see in your blue eyes you might just be the one to tug both from the depths of him."

From page 126 of "An Ever After Summer" by Debra Clofton, the second novella in A Bride For All Seasons--The mail-order Bride Collection.

Gerard's:

The car jackknifed, spun sideways, and flipped over at 162 mph.
Airborne.
The stabilizer engine screeched helplessly at the sky.
Or maybe that was the girl.

From page 7 of Proxy by Alex London. (science fiction YA)

Gretta puts her hands on her hips.  She calls her husband's name, once, twice.  The flank of the garden wall throws the sound back to her.

From page 9 of Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell.

Happy Reading!

Proxy by Alex London is GREAT Science Fiction

Proxy--Some Debts Cannot Be Repaid by Alex London is great! WOW!! Imagine screwing up and having another person take all the punishment. That is what Syd does for Knox, until one day Syd decides that he had enough and takes off, but runs into Knox! What happens then? Just a real page turner with action galore and the ending is fantastic! The writing is SO good too--LOVED IT!
(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!

A Children's Ebook: "Candy and the Cankersaur"

Image source:  Amazon

Candy and the Cankersaur by Jason Sandberg is a children’s book about a little girl (Candy) who has a very rich father that enjoys giving her lots of things, including a pet dinosaur! The jealous neighbor boy does something very mean but admits to his crime and apologizes. I love stories with happy endings! The illustrations for this ebook are very cute and it shows the strong bond kids can have with their pets. This would be a good bed-time story for toddlers or any boy or girl who likes dinosaurs.
(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!

Galatians is About Freedom--Only Six Chapters!

Christians are saved by faith

The book of Galatians is a short book of only six chapters that is mainly about the Christian’s freedom in Christ.  It is a letter Paul wrote to the Galatians to encourage them to stay strong in their faith.  Some Galatians were being misled to believe that they had to be circumcised to be a follower of Christ and Paul wrote to them emphasizing that was not so.  He encouraged them to stick to the truth, fulfill the law by loving their neighbors as themselves, and being saved by their faith in Christ and not by their obedience to the law.  They were encouraged to bear each others burdens, be especially good to other believers, not grow weary in well doing and let Christ live through them by faith.

(Karen's review)

See my Sunday Sharing post from Galatians:
 A Prayer for Those With Heavy Hearts
Helping Others

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!

"Lost Cat--A True Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology" by Caroline Paul

"This Cat had a fun adventure; good book."--Manny Boy

Lost Cat--A True Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology by Caroline Paul with illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton is a short tale of a cat who ran away from home for five weeks and returned. Caroline, owner of Tibby, the runaway cat, tries to figure out where it went using various methods, only to find that talking face-to-face with the neighbors worked best. This is filled with humor and is a light, fun read I recommend to any cat lover who will appreciate the cat-owner relationship. My favorite part was the animals communications class! The illustrations are cute too!

Here's a teaser from it: 

Today I had brought two sides of myself to the class:  My skeptical side counted the people in the room and added up the money the teacher was making.  My earnest side stared at Tiby's photo and told him, "Tonight we're going to have a little chat."

(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!

"Don't Go" by Lisa Scottoline is a Must Read! (UPDATED 7/3/13)

This is SO good!

Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline is about Mike Scanlon, an army doctor in Afghanistan who gets the awful news that his young wife is dead. Coming home, he finds out that his daughter does not even know who he is! He also discovers that the battles he has to face on the home front are more than he could have imagined.

This book is very hard to put down, a real page-turner with plenty of "Wow, I didn't see that coming" turns. The ending? Well, you have to read it to believe it! Books just don't get any better than this--a must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

UPDATED 7/3/13:
Don’t Go by Lisa Scottoline is a good read about an army podiatrist who not only is a hero in Afghanistan, but also fights to become a hero on the home front in spite of being an amputee, his failing business, drug addiction, the death of his wife, and the custody battle for his baby daughter who doesn’t even know him. This book delves into issues vets have when coming home from seeing horrendous things in battle and the struggles they face. Dr. Scanlon has it tough but rises to the challenge after his passionate no-nonsense, kick-butt attorney, Stephanie, “lights a fire” under him and gets him back on track.

I enjoyed this book, it’s a good read and you can’t help but pull for the doctor to succeed and get to the bottom of things. I felt very sorry for him throughout the book; however, the suspense was kind of ruined by the book cover which gives away the ending. I think this would be a good book club read if done along the way because of the characters and the mystery of who killed the Doctor’s wife’s best friend.
(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!

"Joyland" by Stephen King

Joyland by Stephen King is a story about a young man who signs on to work at an amusement park.  He finds that not only are the rides exciting, but the people who he has contact with are also.  I enjoyed this book very much!  It is a pretty quick read and the action keeps moving.  The ending has a couple of twists and I liked how it all turned out!
(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!

Tuesday Teasers from Scottoline, The Bible, and Stephen King and a "How To"

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

Karen's:

He felt jarred that they could laugh at such a thing. His only daughter could have been killed, at his wife's funeral.

From page 69 of Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline.

I've known people to pick it up in half an hour--but most take a little longer, so don't worry if you are not as quick as that.  Practice is very important; you've got to teach yourself new habits, just as when you learn to ride a bike, and repetition is the only effective way to do this.  

From page 8 of The Great Juggling Kit--All you need to know to develop amazing juggling skills by Stuart Ashman.  (Watch my video of me learning the first step that I posted yesterday.)

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

From Galatians 5:13-14 of The Holy Bible, (King James version).

Gerard's:

"He told me the Joyland funhouse--Horror House, he called it--is haunted. I asked him if he was pulling my leg, and he said he wasn't."

From page 33 of Joyland by Stephen King. (Review posted tomorrow.)

Happy Reading!

Learning to Juggle Using "The Great Juggling Kit" by Stuart Ashman

I thought maybe some of your were wondering why it is taking me so long to read such a short book of only 63 pages--The Great Juggling Kit--All you need to know to develop amazing juggling skills by Stuart Ashman. It is because I am actually trying to learn to juggle and it's hard. I don't practice much and haven't really even practiced regularly so that is why this book has been showing in our blog header here for over a month now. Hope you enjoy peeking in on me to watch my progress starting with this first video. I know I haven't quite perfected the arch consistently, but do you think I'm ready to move on?

Fortunately, this is a book I own.  If it were a library book, I'd be renewing it over and over!

(I should have made one when I first started using a ping pong ball which was harder because it was so light.) I got a set of juggling balls from our Focus Sports Camp at church a couple weeks ago, and they are much easier to use.

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

Our Favorite Reads In June

Non-fiction:

Karen's:  The Blood of Lambs

Gerard's and Abby's Favorite:

A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home

Fiction:

Karen's:  The Testing

Gerard's:  Don't Go

Manny and Spunky's:  The Cat That God Sent

Have you read these yet?  We highly recommend them all!

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!

Great Thriller: "Poppet" by Mo Hayder

With Poppet by Mo Hayder, you get two stories in one! One story is about a missing girl who is presumed dead. The body was never found. The Detective working on the case knows what happened, but his friendship stops him from revealing it. When he tells the friend, she will stop at nothing to keep the body hidden. The second is that something is happening at a nursing home that is terrorizing the residents.

Both outcomes to these two stories will shock you--it did me! I loved the dog in the second story! This is a great quick read well worth your time!
(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!

"The Testing" by Joelle Charbonneau is All About Choices

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau is a Dystopian teen thriller that starts slow but gets better and better as it goes on.  About half way through, things really pick up.  Cia, age 17, is chosen for "The Testing" to see if she can attend the University and become one of the leaders of the United Commonwealth to restore the country.  However, she soon finds out that the tests are not easy and have dire consequences if she fails.  It has been years since anyone has been chose from her Five Lakes Colony, but several others from her colony are also going with her to Tosu City to be tested, including her childhood friend, Tomas.  Cia is pretty smart, mechanically inclined, compassionate and very knowledgeable about plants. 

I enjoyed this first book of a series and had trouble putting it down when Cia and her friend, Tomas were struggling to survive the fourth test.  The relationship between Cia and Tomas was interesting to me as well.  This book is all about choices and consequences.  Basically, Cia's father's advice about trusting no one serves her well during the testing, but unfortunately, she didn't always follow it.  I look forward to reading the sequel:  The Testing:  Independent Study coming out this fall.(Karen's review, 4 stars)

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

"The Why of Things" by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop

The Why of Things by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop is a quick read about a family that is dealing with the loss of a member.  When they go to their summer cottage, they find they have to deal with another tragedy which kept me interested.  I would have liked a little more action though!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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

"A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home" by Sue Halpern is Fantastic!Visi

I like brightening people's day at the Nursing Home, woof!

A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home:  Lessons in the Good Life from an Unlikely Teacher by Sue Halpern is a fantastic book! Our dog, Abby, goes to a nursing home every weekend so when I saw the title of this book, it was no-brainer, I wanted to read this! I enjoyed it very much! When she was trying to get her dog certified so they could do visits was a very funny part. The stories about the patients they visited touched my heart and were as interesting as the parts about her wonderful dog.

If you have a dog and want to visit nursing homes, this book is a must read for you! We enjoy visiting with our dog a lot, and I’m sure Abby likes it too! (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!