"The Program" by Suzanne Young (UPDATED)--We Both Liked This One!

In The Program by Suzanne Young, teen suicide is on the rise so the government starts "The Program" designed to help teens, but at what cost?  The story is told by a young teen girl and does it very well.  It had my interest from page 1 all the way to the end.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Updated 10/18/13:
The Program by Suzanne Young is a combination of teen romance and adventure.  The premise is to prevent teen suicide by capturing high risk teens that show signs of depression or loneliness and by using drugs, erase their memories that led to their depression.  They are institutionalized for 6-8 weeks and then released under the watchful eye of handlers. 

I really liked this book because Sloane, the main character, is strong and tries to keep her memories.  It's an interesting novel that I had trouble putting down.  It's a book I was eager to get back to reading. 
(Karen'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!

"Help for the Haunted" by John Searles

Help for the Haunted by John Searles is about a family that consists of a mom, dad and two girls.  The one daughter goes against what their parents are teaching as they do a show on the road.  She leaves, but one night she calls and tells them to come to the church to talk.  They go and bring the other daughter along but she waits in the car.  Mom and dad go into the church but don't come out.  They are found dead.  The rest of the book tells what led up to that night, who killed the parents and what becomes of the daughters.  It's pretty good.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 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 Price of Victory" by Sandra Leesmith

The Price of Victory by Sandra Leesmith is a love story about two cyclists, Debra and Sterling.  Debra is not good at studying so decides to try to make her father proud by winning major cycling races.  Her dream is to get on a professional team and race in Europe.  Sterling is bored until he meets Debra at a race and it’s pretty much love at first sight.  Throughout the book, he seeks Debra’s love by becoming her “knight in shining armor.”  The big question is will Debra follow her dream and make her dad proud or will she choose Sterling instead.    

 

This book started off a bit slow but got more interesting as it went along, finishing strong.  It gives insight into competitive cycling with a good romance.  I really liked the happy ending.  (Karen's review, 3 stars)

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

Teaser Tuesday--4 For You

Gerard's:

He wants her to remember him, what they built together. Both Miller and James think The Program is a fate worse than death.

From page 24 of The Program by Suzanne Young. (My review went up yesterday.)

"This one's going to be an easy target," Rose said as we watched the woman lumber up the walkway. "I almost feel bad for her."

From page 25 of Help for the Haunted by John Searles.

Karen's:

"That's why I'm sitting here. You understand how difficult it is to be involved on the road."

From page 51 of The Price of Victory by Sandra Leesmith.

"Mephibosheth was obviously humiliated. "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

From page 141 of David--Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore.

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!

"Alex" by Pierre Lemaitre - Favorite Read For September (Updated)

In Alex by Pierre Lemaitre, a woman is kidnapped but that just touches the surface in this captivating novel.  It is filled with twists and turns that I never saw coming which caused me to really enjoy this book a lot!  I can certainly see why it won a CWA International Dagger Award for the Best Crime Novel of 2013!  I highly recommend this one if you want a good thriller.  It's my favorite read for September!  Read and enjoy!  
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)  

Alex by Pierre Lemaitre is a dark crime novel that is also a psychological thriller which takes place in Paris is all about revenge.  Although the serial killer is revealed early on, the police take a long time drawing a connection between the victims.  They appear to be random killings, but all gruesome in the same way.   Alex, the main character is a complicated person to say the least.  My favorite part was when the rats were crawling all over the crate Alex was trapped in!  The author did an excellent job in evoking a wide range of feelings toward Alex.  This novel is certainly a page turner and one that is so creepy that I couldn’t help thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it.   I highly recommend this to anyone who likes murder mysteries and police investigation novels. 
(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!

"Building Your Mate's Self-Esteem" by Dennis & Barbara Rainey

Building Your Mate’s Self Esteem by Dennis and Barbara Rainey is for both husbands and wives and provides some practical suggestions based on scripture for building self-esteem in your mate with familiar quotes tossed in. At the end of each chapter is a suggested thought provoking activity to do that helps you put into practice the principles given in the chapter.

There is a lot more “meat” in this book than I thought there would be and several things really stood out to me such as (1) accepting our mates unconditionally as God’s gift to us; (2) be generous with heartfelt praise; (3) encourage mate to develop close friendship with same gender and find another couple you and your spouse can become friends with; (4) seek to do specific things that please your mate; (5) encourage mate’s positive talk about himself and encourage him to avoid even thinking negative thoughts.

This book served as a good reminder to me on how to be good wife. It’s easy to let day-to-day responsibilities take over in a marriage to the extent romance and fun is neglected. Married couples should still act as though they are competing for their mate or familiarity can lead to boredom that can cause a marriage to fall apart should one of the couple choose to search elsewhere for something better. I recommend this book to any couple!
(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!

"Enon" by Paul Harding Plods Along

Enon by Paul Harding deals with a man following the tragic death of his daughter, an only child.  It also goes back in time when he was a young boy.  Some of the stories he tells and was involved in got my attention.  Some did not.  There is not much action so it kind of plods along.  
(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!

"Midnight" by Kevin Egan (How Long Can You Hide a Death?)

When a judge dies on New Year's Eve, Tom and Carol fear they might lose their jobs so come up with a plan to keep the judge's death quiet.  But for how long?  Soon they find themselves in more trouble than just that!

I liked this book more than I thought I would.  It kept me entertained and the ending part was really good!  You should read it.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 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!

Teaser Tuesdays: Four for You

Gerard's:

I was walking in the woods when Kate died. I'd asked her the day before if she wanted to pack a lunch and go to the Enon River to hike around and feed the birds and maybe rent a canoe.

From page 3 of Enon by Paul Harding. 

They set about executing the plan they had hashed out during the afternoon and then rehashed during the drive. Carol pulled the bedcovers down while Tom unrolled the rug and dragged the judge into the bedroom.

From page 72 of Midnight--How Long Can You Hide a Death? by Kevin Egan.

Karen's:

Earlier this evening a medium-sized rat, trying to scrabble over the others, fell through the slats and landed on her back. Nauseated by the physical contact, she let out a scream--there was a brief uncertainty among the other rats, but the disturbance didn't last long.

From page 97 of Alex by Pierre Lemaitre.(click link to see our reviews--both read this one)

When we sift His apparent activity through the standard of who He is, the fog begins to clear. Basing our faith on who God is rather than what He appears to be doing is crucial to our spiritual health.

From page 120 of David--Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore.


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!

"Unfinished Symphony" by V. C. Andrews

Unfinished Symphony by V. C. Andrews is the third book of the Logan Family series focusing on Melody actually discovering who her real father is and tracking down her mother in Hollywood.  More and more family secrets come to light as Melody continues to snoop around and ask lots of questions.  This book has some humor, adventure and romance as her love for Cary grows.  I liked being exposed to all kinds of lifestyles through Melody’s experiences of living with all different people in different places.  She posed nude for an artist, had pre-marital sex with her boyfriend but drew the line when it came time to be in a porn film and was embarrassed when she discovered she was wearing a see-through swim suit at the pool.  Melody and Grandma Olivia’s relationship gets even more interesting in this book with Melody’s lessons on etiquette providing some humor into the story.  As the Olivia tries to groom Melody to take over the running of the family, Melody humors her and they form a sort of truce, until the shocking ending.

 

I am enjoying this family saga series very much and will continue to the next sequel, Music in the Night.  This book raises issues of identity, destiny, grief and if one can rise above their past and the sins of their parents.  I highly recommend this series.

(Karen's review)

Previous reviews of books in this series:  Melody and Heart Song

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!

"Burial Rites" by Hannah Kent is an Outstanding Read!

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent is an outstanding read based on a true story. Agnus was the last woman to be publicly beheaded in Iceland for murder.  While waiting her execution, she is at an isolated farm where the family avoids her.  Only a priest seeks to understand her. 

Even though I knew how it would end, it does not take away from the story.  Believe me, it doesn't!  This book pulled me in the first few pages and the characters in it are all really good.  I hear there is talk of a movie deal--if that is true, it would be a good one.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

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

Our Favorite September Reads

Gerard's Favorite:  Alex

(Click link to see my review)

Karen's favorite:  Necessary Lies (click link to see my review)

 Please tell us what your favorite read for September was in a comment.

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

Teaser Tuesdays: 4 Today

Gerard's:

He lets go, and Alex holds her breast, eyes bulging, gasping for breath, hopping from one foot to the other, blind with pain.  The tears come in spite of herself as she says:  "Wh-- wh-- what are you going to do?"

From page 33 of Alex by Pierre Lemaitre.  (My review of this will be up tomorrow (my favorite read for September).

Margret drew the covers up to her chin as the officer's snores continued their unceasing rumble.  One would think an avalanche was approaching, she thought, annoyed.

From page 71 of Burial Rites by Hannah Kent.

Karen's:

"It was my mother, but she pretended she didn't know me.  She said she couldn't be old enough to have had a daughter my age and she laughed at me."

From page 84 of Unfinished Symphony by V. C. Andrews.

Someone can treat our child unfairly and we're ready to pounce.  We almost can't help living by the philosophy:  If you want to make an enemy out of me, just mess with my kid.

From page 92 of David--Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore.


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!

"Claire of the Sea Light" by Edwide Danticat-Awesome Fiction Set in Haiti

A Runaway Child in Haiti

Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat is an awesome read about a young girl named Claire who lives in Haiti.  She runs away on her seventh birthday.  As the search goes on for her, you meet other people who have connections to her and her family and learn about life in Haiti.  This was an eye opener for me that I won't soon forget!  
(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!

"Necessary Lies" by Diane Chamberlain--Good Book Club Read!

This is my favorite of hers yet!

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain is an interesting read about Jane, a good person, but not so good a social worker. Recently married to a pediatrician, Jane insists on becoming a social worker against her husband’s wishes and soon discovers they should not have gotten married. She constantly is at odds with her supervisor over the rules and procedures that conflict with what she believes is the right thing to do. Jane is so dedicated to helping her clients that she puts her marriage and her job at risk. This book addresses several issues: marriage, teenage pregnancy, poverty, sterilization, and can social work.

I loved this book! I felt bad for Robert, Jane’s husband. I enjoyed getting to know Jane’s clients and trying to figure out who the fathers were, and where and when “Ivy and Mary was here” was carved into a closet. This book tugged at my heart but I was relieved when it had a happy ending.  I thought it was really cool how the author included the epilogue as part of the story! This book is both thought provoking and gripping. I highly recommend this one and think it would be a great read for a book club.

Other books I liked by this author:
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes
The Midwife's Confession

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 "The Highway" by C. J. Box

The Highway proves why C. J. Box is one of the best authors around. Two girls are missing and the hunt is on to find out where they are and who did it. There is lots of action in this book and I really enjoyed all the characters! The ending was unexpected and oh so good! I 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!

Teaser Tuesdays: 3 This week

Karen's:

It was an odd request--visit a stranger's house and peer inside a closet--and as I drove through the neighborhood searching for the address, I felt my anxiety mounting.

From page 1 of Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain.

Gerard's:

When there is a new story about a woman killing her child, there is almost always some reference to my mother. Her story is that famous.

From page 8 of Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington.

Then she flipped him of with dismissive contempt.  That's all it took.  Rage blasted through him and orange spangles erupted in front of his eyes.

From page 34 of The Highway by C. J. Box.



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!

"Sure Signs of Crazy" by Karen Harrington

In Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington, you will meet 12-yr.-old Sarah Nelson. She collects troubled words and her best friend is a plant! This girl is something else, but no wonder!

I loved this book. The writing is really good and I got so caught up in it that the pages flew by. It has a very good ending too! This is the author's first book, can't wait for her next one!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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

"Heart Song" by V. C. Andrews - Loving This Series!

Heart Song by V. C. Andrews is the second book of the Logan Family series which I am enjoying.  This second book is about Melody's search for her natural father, her romance with Cary, modeling for Kenneth and meeting her real grandmother that does not sit well with Olivia.  Melody learns more family secrets and stands up to Olivia.  It has a shocking ending that left me hanging, eager to read the next book of the series. 

This series sort of reminds of Belva Plain's family sagas.  There is a lot of interaction among the characters which makes for an interesting read.  I liked this book as well as the first, Melody.   

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 9th Girl" by Tami Hoag Kept Me Turning Pages

You can never go wrong with a Tami Hoag novel and The 9th Girl is no exception.  There is a serial killer on the loose that has to be stopped, and Detective Nikki also has to deal with her son who is having issues in high school.  Both are real good story lines that I enjoyed very much.  This novel has good action in it that kept me turning pages.  Read and enjoy!  
(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!

Other Tami Hoag books we've read:
Down the Darkest Road
Secrets to the Grave (Fantastic!)
The Last White Knight (romance)
Deeper than the Dead (awesome)

"Braced For Murder" by Sue Owens Wright

I LOVED Braced For Murder--a Beanie and Cruiser Mystery by Sue Owens Wright!  This is a good mystery that I did not figure out with no dirty words or bad plot lines.  Dogs, dogs, dogs--loved the story line.  This is a must read for any dog lover!
(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

Karen's:

"What nonsense did she tell you? I'm sure she rambled on and on about something silly."

From page 93 of Heart Song by V. C. Andrews.

Today we've seen that love is more powerful than jealousy, godliness is more powerful than wickedness, and the Spirit of God is more powerful than anything. The best laid plans of kings and queens crumble under the mighty Spirit of God.

From page 46 of David - Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore.

Gerard's:

I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I'm sorry I couldn't be more than I was--that I couldn't stick around--and that what's going to happen today isn't their fault.

From page 5 of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick. (Karen plans on reading this one too.)

The dogs barked and lunged at the cage doors as we ran past them. Several fights broke out.

From page 23 of Braced for Murder by Sue Owens Wright.


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!

"Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock" by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick is a really good quick read YA novel! It's Leonard Peacock's 18th birthday and he has something special in mind. He plans to kill his former best friend, and then himself!

I enjoyed this book very much, it has a good story line that kept me turning the pages. I finished it in just two days! I liked the ending too. If you are looking for a good quick read, this is 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!

"Tell No Lies" by Gregg Hurwitz

Tell No Lies by Gregg Hurwitz is a novel about a man who is a counselor of paroled violent offenders.  By mistake, he gets an envelope intended for a murder victim in the making.  I found this pretty good; enjoyed the plot and action.  It's well worth your time reading.  (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 Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty is So Good! (Updated 9/13/13)

Just gets better and better as it goes along!

updated 9/13/13:
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty reminded me of a soap opera with so many characters.  Cecelia accidentally finds a sealed envelope addressed to her with clear instructions not to open it unless her husband is dead.   Of course, the wife cannot resist opening it, and can't believe what she is reading.  It puts her in a very awkward position and doesn't know what to do. 


I did not guess what the husband's secret was until I started reading the book and then I had an idea of what it might be. There is some bad language which I did not care for and the infidelity between Tess and her husband turned me off, but overall it was a very good plot and an interesting read.  I was puzzled though that it was around Good Friday and Easter when this took place, but the season was autumn.  Easter is in the spring!  I think this would make for a good book club read.
(Karen's review)

I found out the reason The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty is No. 5 on the New York Times best seller list--it is because this book is so good!  I finished it in two days.  

The beginning part of the book sets the stage and when the husband's secret is revealed in a letter marked not to open until he dies, his wife opens it anyway.  The novel really takes off as the tension builds about if the secret which has the potential to destroy lives will be revealed to the outside world or not.  

The characters in this book are believable and I loved how all the plot lines came together at the end.  And get this:  the epilogue is very good and ends the book just right!  Put this on your TBR list, you will be glad you did!  
(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!

"Etched in Sand" by Regina Calcaterra

Etched in Sand by Regina Calcaterra is a story about five siblings who have to deal with a very rough childhood and a mom who would never win a "Mother of the Year" award. I enjoyed the parts of the book that dealt with the mom. You will not believe her actions and words! This would make a very good Lifetime movie for sure; well worth reading. (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 Street Cat Named Bob and How He Saved My Life" by James Bowen

A Street Cat Named Bob and How He Saved My Life by James Bowen is a true story the bond that developed between him and a street cat he named Bob that helps them both.  The second part of the book focuses more on James than it does on the cat.  This book is nowhere near as good as Dewey, the Library Cat which is one of the best books I ever read!  In my opinion, this is still a book well worth reading because the parts that have Bob, the cat, in it are really good!  Glad it has a happy ending!  (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 Today

Gerard's:

We know better than to expect much--to us, running water and a few old mattresses is good living. We've managed with a lot less.

From page 7 of Etched in Sand--The Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island by Regina Caterra.

They were just kids on a trip to London, but they were fascinated.  Almost immediately other people were stopping to see what the fuss was about.

From page 67 of A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen.

Karen's:

"It's not a big deal, but Cecilia, please, I'm asking you not to open it."  He sounded desperate.

From page 48 of The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.

"It doesn't matter if we have many people, or just a few.  Nothing can keep the Lord from giving us victory."

From I Samuel 14:6 of the Holy Bible (ICB).



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!

"The Eagle Christian" by Kenneth Price

The Eagle Christian by Kenneth Price is a short read all about Eagles and how Christians are like them.  I enjoyed the photographs of eagles the most.  It contains many interesting facts about eagles as well, the king of birds.  There are 16 chapters each talking about one characteristic. 

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 Ocean at the End of the Lane" by Neil Gaiman was Disappointing

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (New York Times Bestselling Author), is about a man who comes back to his boyhood home and remembers the summer when he was seven when a girl befriended him.  It's a pretty good read with some good parts but also some parts that didn't interest me much.  
(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!

I, II, II John and Jude are Short but Powerful Books!

I read all these books in one week because they are all short, some in fact are only 1 chapter!  I John is the longest with five chapters, and has a lot of good things in it with the primary theme of loving God and others.  I marked a lot of verses in this book and highly recommend it!  

II John is about truth and love and that we must believe Jesus was truly human.  Verse 10 says not to welcome people into your home or even greet them if they do not believe Jesus was truly human! 

III John is about working together and support people who leave to tell others about the Lord. 

The book of Jude is about false teachers being evil and that God will punish them.  I really like the greeting in verse two which says, "I pray that God will greatly bless you with kindness, peace, and love."  What a good thing to pray for my family and friends. 

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!

"Justice for Sara" by Erica Spindler

Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler is about sisters, Kat and Sara.  After a bad fight between them, Kat found Sara dead.  At the trial, everyone assumes Kat did it, but she is found "not guilty" and the real killer is still at large.  Kat returns ten years later in hopes of finding the real killer but is not welcomed in the small town. I enjoyed this book a lot.  If you can guess the killer, you are better than me!  There is good action and a surprise ending.  
(Gerard's review, 4.5 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!

"Variant" by Robison Wells is Unpredictable!

Variant by Robison Wells is about Benson Fisher, a foster kid, who chooses to enroll in Maxfield Academy, a boarding school.  As soon as he arrives though, it seems more like a prison and finds that very strange things happen there.  It is surrounded by a high fence and wall with cameras everywhere but no teachers or grades!  The student body of only 75 students is split into three gangs:  Variant, Havoc and Society.  The gangs have made a truce and divided up the work contracts.  Benson wants out from the time he gets there and cannot understand the complacency of everyone else!  This is not what he expected!!

This is a page turner that I really liked because of the characters. The plot really doesn't make much sense, but it makes for a fun read and I enjoyed it right up until the very end which I did not like.  The interaction among the characters kept my interest and I especially liked the paintball parts.
(Karen's review, 4 stars--it would have been 5 except for the dumb ending)   

In Variant by Robison Wells, Benson Fisher thinks that his life is on the upswing now that he is going to be enrolled at Maxfield Academy; however, 24 hours later all he can think about is how to escape! Why the change? You will have to read the book to find the answer. There is just enough action to keep me going and the build up to the ending is really good! It has a twist that I did not see coming. Enjoyed it and now am going to start the next book in this series, Feedback.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

NOTE: I read 200 pages of Feedback and thought it was stupid so finally quit on it. Wells should have stopped after his first 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!

Tuesday Teasers: Four Today

Karen's:

"We don't have a principal" she said.  "We don't have teachers, and we don't have counselors."

From page 14 of Variant by Robison Wells. (See Gerard's review here.)

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

From I John 4:15-16 of The Holy Bible (KJV)

Gerard's:

The scene of the crime.  The place her life had come to a bloody, screeching halt.

From page 2 of Justice For Sara by Erica Spindler.

I'm having a nervous breakdown, she thought with relief.  I'm about to lose my mind, and that's just as well, because this cannot be fixed.

From page 169 of The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. (click the link to read my review.)


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!

Our Favorite Reads For August

 Gerard's favorite:

The Boys In the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Karen's favorite:

Melody (Logan family saga) by V. C. Andrews

Abby's (Gerard liked it too) Favorite:

Kara's Gift by Annemarie O'Brien

Books we both liked but not our favorites:
The Clock of Life, In the After, The Never List


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 Silent Wife" by A. S. A. Harrison

If you read Gone Girl, then you have pretty much read The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison which alternates chapters between her (Jodi) and him (Todd).  I loved Gone Girl but this book is pretty good too.  It kept my interest and the ending was sort of a surprise.  I think it is worth your time, enjoy.  My wife didn't care for it though and gave up after four chapters, but then she didn't like Gone Girl either.   

Here is a teaser for you:

And now you want to throw it all away and join the ranks of pussy-addled middle-aged men like me whose brains are in their pants. I'm disappointed in you, Todd.

From page 156 of The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison.

(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!

"Melody" by V. C. Andrews is an Oldie but a Goodie!

Melody by V. C. Andrews is very good and I am glad I read it. It is one my husband had before we were married 16 years ago and I finally got around to reading it. I am so glad I did! Melody is a 15-yr.-old girl who is part of a family with many secrets. She is a nice girl and good student, but grew up in a coal mining town and is shocked to find out family secrets after her dad dies in a mining accident and her mother drops Melody at the dad's brothers house while she goes off to try to become a model or actress. Melody moves in with her dad's relatives, which she never met, Aunt Sara, Uncle Jacob and her cousins, Cary and May, a little deaf girl.

This is such a good story with all the secrets gradually coming to light and Melody realizing that her parents never told her the truth about who she is. Melody is very pretty and she learned to play the fiddle. I did not care for her mother at all and wondered how Melody turned out so well. There lots of interesting relationships and characters in this book. I loved how Cary came around to liking Melody and how he became protective of her. This is the first book of a series and I am eager to read the next two soon! If you like family stories with interesting characters, I highly recommend this one! There are lots of surprises along the way! It would make a good book club read.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Next in Series:  Heart Song

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!

"Lara's Gift" by Annemarie O'Brien

I prefer cat books myself, meow!

Lara's Gift by Annemarie O'Brien is a children's short story about a young girl who loves dogs and with her papa, takes care of them to give to the Tsar.  She also has a special gift.  I'm not telling you what that is; you will have to read the book to find out!  For such a short book, there is enough action that keeps the main plot moving along.  I loved it and will be looking for more from this first-time author.  
(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 Today

Karen's:

"Melody, if you can't decide what to leave here, I'll decide for you," she said and reached down to pluck the stuffed cat out of the suitcase.
"No!," I cried.  "That was the last thing Daddy gave me!"

From page 48 of Melody by V. C. Andrews.  (Melody is 15)

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

From I John 3:22-23 of the Holy Bible (KJV).

Gerard's:

"Then speak of this to no one," Papa said.  "Not even to Alexander."

From page 7 of Lara's Gift by Annemarie O'Brien.  (My review will be up tomorrow)

Keeping his gaze straight ahead, watching the forest, he whispered, "That's the last time.  Don't do something stupid like that again."

From page 87 of Variant by Robison Wells.



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!

Monday Mischief: Out Takes--Who Says Modeling Is Easy?

Thought you might enjoy so comical header outtakes:

Wait Manny!  Don't go yet!

Why do we always have to be in the background, mom?

Spunky Doodle, look at the books!

Joining in with the Monday Mischief and Cats on Tuesday blog hops.

We Both Liked "The Clock of LIfe" by Nancy Klann-Moren (Giveaway)

 The Clock of Life by Nancy Klann-Moren is about Jason Lee desiring to be as brave as his dad and do the right thing no matter what.  It shows the effects of the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement on Jason Lee’s family.  Jason Lee is a southern white boy who befriends Samson Jackson, a black boy in spite of what others think.  Jason Lee’s father was actively involved in the civil rights movement and endured ridicule for joining with the blacks in the march with Martin Luther King before Jason Lee was born but died in the Vietnam war before Jason Lee was born.

Jason Lee’s coming of age story is both interesting and sad.  My favorite part was when Jason Lee and Wally went to visit Jason Lee's mom at the hospital and helped her escape!  It’s an entertaining historical fiction read that emphasizes blacks and whites are alike and should have the same rights.
(Karen's review posted 8/22/13, 4 stars)

The Clock of life by Nancy Klann-Moren is a real good coming of age story about a young white boy who befriends a young black boy in the south. This book had my attention all the way! I really enjoyed the main character and the story line was well told. Great writing that I think both young teens and older people would enjoy.
(Gerard's review posted 7/15/13, 5 stars)

August 28 will be the 50th anniversary of the 1963 civil rights March with Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech.  This book would be a good one to read this week! 
Here's a teaser from the book:

     "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. 
     "I won't."
     "Your daddy got himself forty-seven stitches across the back of his shoulder.  And they threw him in jail to boot, just so you and boys like Samson could be friends."

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

We are offering this first to my friends and blogging buddies (that's you!) before releasing this book "into the wild."  Just let me know if you would like to have it.  It's too good to just sit in our bookcase--it needs to be read!

(We received a free copy of this book to review and received no compensation and did not affect our reviews.)

Visit the Author's Website here.

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!

Glad I'm Done With Ezekiel!

I just finished reading the Old Testament book of Ezekiel and feel a sense of relief.  It has some interesting things but lots of symbolism and prophecy of destruction--kind of depressing.  I liked reading about the visions God showed to Ezekiel because they were pretty wild.  The last few chapters were encouraging about how God would bring his chosen people back and be with them.  The references to Gog and Magog and the city, the river and the temple all reminded me of things in the book of Revelation.  The main theme of Ezekiel is "Then they will know that I am the Lord God."  This phrase and slight variations of it are repeated throughout the book.

I am reading through the Bible for the second time and have only a few books left to go:  Philemon (1 chapter), I, II, III John and Revelation. 

Below are links to the posts I did sharing some highlights from Ezekiel on our other blog, Right Where We Belong:

God of Details
Dry Bones Come To Life
God is Loyal to Jerusalem
God is Fair
Would God's Message For the U.S. Be The Same?
The Lord Punishes But Warns First

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!