"Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard is an Exciting, Fun Read! (UPDATED)

We both Loved this one!

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is a YA novel about a young girl named Mare.  She is a "Red" who lives in a world that is controlled by the "Silvers."  One day Mare is captured and it turns out that she has powers that a Red is not supposed to have.  The Silvers quickly take her under their wing so that this is not discovered by the world. Mare wants to help her people, the Reds, even though it puts her in danger. 

 WOW!  This book has tons of action with lots of twists that I did not see coming.  LOVED it a lot!  Will read book 2 for sure.  This is my new book of the month!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

 Karen's review:
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is an interesting cloak and dagger fantasy about humans with silver blood and super powers (Silvers) ruling over poor, down-trodden humans with red blood and no super powers (Reds).  Some Reds band together, calling themselves “The Red Guard” to try to change things for the better.  Mara is a Red, but is different.  She is an excellent pick pocket who discovers, by accident, that she has a super power in spite of her red blood. 

It’s not often I hate to see a book end, but with this one, I did!  I enjoyed this book with action, brother rivalry, lying and betrayal very much.  I liked the main character and couldn’t help pulling for her despite all odds.  I was disappointed to see this is just the first book of a series.  Now I have to wait for the next book to come out.  This book is similar to Cinderella and Divergent is some ways.  If you like adventure, fantasy and interesting relationships, I highly recommend Red Queen.  

(Karen's review 3-18-15, 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 Tuesday: Four Today

Gerard's:

Logan's secretiveness had bothered her.  She'd called the only two people in her life who would care, her friend Marilyn and her former boss from the bookstore.

From page 17 of The First Wife by Erica Spindler (click link to see my review)
  
When Dara got metal pins in her kneecaps and swore she would never speak to me again, and when Mom went silent for weeks and started taking sleeping pills every night and waking up too groggy to go to work and the hospital bills kept coming, kept coming, like autumn leaves after a storm.
But why weren't we good enough before?

From page 26 of Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver.

Karen's: 

They've pulled me inside out, swapping Mare for Mareena, a thief for a crown, rags for silk, Red for Silver.  This morning I was a servant, tonight I'm a princess.

From page 104 of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.

    A wicked hope filled two watching eyes as Alec Ramsay and his horse almost went down.  But the boy kept the black legs driving beneath him and the race went on.     

From page 4 of The Black Stallion Mystery by Walter Farley.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.
Happy Reading!

"The First Wife" by Erica Spindler is GREAT!

The First Wife by Erica Spindler is about Baily, a young woman who dreams of meeting "Mr. Right."  She meets Logan Abbot and quickly falls in love.  They get married but when they get back to his farm after the honeymoon, she hears rumors about women who have gone missing and Logan is a suspect!  She does not want to believe it but as time goes on and events happen, she wonders if it is true and if she is safe.

This is a GREAT book, a real page turner with a fantastic ending!  There are lots of twists and turns before you finally know how it all plays 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!

"The Enchanted" by Rene Denfeld

The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld is a different kind of book for sure.  It is told by a nameless person that we do not know until the very end.  It takes place in a prison with a man on death row who is visited by a lady and a fallen priest.  The story is told well and I got into it.  The ending is 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!

"The Reluctant Psychic" by Suzan Saxman is Interesting

The Reluctant Psychic by Suzan Saxman is a true story.  When Suzan was little she saw monsters and other things that scared her.  When she told people, they were scared of her, including her own mother!  One day Suzan was told she had the ability to see things that other people do not.  She believed it! 

This book was interesting to say the least even though I myself do not believe in readings or psychics.  At the end of each chapter she tells stories of people who came to her for readings. 
(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!

"H Is for Hawk" by Helen MacDonald"

H Is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald tells a true story and what a story it is!  Helen is trying to deal with the unexpected passing of her father.  She has always had an interest in hawks and falcons that she picked up from her dad.  She decides to try to tame a Goshawk--a pretty hard if not next to impossible task!  She named it Mabel.

My favorite parts of this book is when she trains and connects with the hawk, not that other parts were bad though, far from it!
(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!

Teaser Tuesdays: Four Today

Gerard's:

Cesar eventually authorized me to rinse out my mouth, but by then the damage was done.  The episode left a bitter taste in my mouth long after the burning subsided.

From page 20 of Whipping Boy by Allen Kurzweil (non-fiction) (click link to see my review)
  
Mabel is bating at them, bating so hard, wings beating so furiously, that she hangs horizontally in the air.  The breeze is cold in my face, my fist pulled towards the fleeing pheasants.

From page 138 of H Is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald.

One from each of us from American Sniper by Chris Kyle (See Gerard's review, click link)

IT WAS MY DUTY TO SHOOT, AND I DON'T REGRET IT.  THE woman was already dead.

From page 2.

Karen's: 

     It was the most hopeless feeling in the world, seeing my wife in excruciating pain, without anything I could do.

              I was a hell of a lot more nervous watching her give birth than I ever was in combat.
          
From page 114.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.

Happy Reading!

"The Black Stallion" by Walter Farley an Exciting Fun Read

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley is a fantastic book about a boy, his fight for survival after a shipwreck, his wild black stallion and racing.  There is a lot of action in this children’s book that made me want to keep reading.  It is refreshingly uncomplicated and full of adventure.  I enjoyed this book very much and plan to read more by this author! 

(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!

"Whipping Boy" by Allen Kurzweil

Whipping Boy by Allen Kurzwell is the true story about Allen who was bullied by a 12-year-old boy named Cesar while attending a Swiss boarding school.  Forty years later, Allen decides to search for and confront Cesar.  The beginning of this book is when he is bullied and how he deals with it which I thought was the most interesting part.  The search to find Cesar was pretty good, but the ending was a bit of a let down.  Still, I enjoyed it.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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

We Both Liked "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle is a Must Read

American Sniper is Chris Kyle’s story of his life, the American SEAL sniper credited with the most kills in the Iraq war. The book starts with a little from his childhood and how he was a cowboy, then goes into depth about his Navy and SEAL training. It covers his experiences in Iraq during the war over his four deployments and touches on his personal life as a husband and father. He was a great warrior and was completely dedicated to serving his country by killing the bad guys. It shows the struggles between he and his wife due to their different priorities.

I liked the book because I learned some new things; however, can’t help but think both he and his wife would have been better off not getting married. Chris was definitely “married” to the Navy and being a sniper. Time after time, he put his career ahead of her and his children. I enjoyed reading about the training he went through and the combat situations he experienced, but when he went into detail about the different weapons, I got bored with that. I did learn though that choosing the right weapon is kind of like choosing a golf club—there are a lot of options. I also was shocked at how much hazing goes on when new guys are assigned to a SEAL team.

I guess what bothered me most was that he proclaimed to be a strong Christian, yet seemed to be very self-centered when it came to his marriage, his language was rough, he got into a lot of bar brawls and drank a lot—all things strong Christians would not do. If you want a glimpse of what really goes on in the Iraq war and the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families, this is a must read.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

American Sniper is the true story of Chris, a sniper, and the best one in the service.  I have read a few books on the war and this one ranks right up there with the best, if not the best that I have read!  His account is absolutely riveting.  I was able to experience through his telling what is going on and what he went through.  WOW!  I LOVED this book!  Chris was an American hero for sure!  This is a must read and if you have a chance to see the movie, do 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!

"Old Fashioned" by Rene Gutteridge

I heard a lot about the movie so was excited to read Old Fashioned by Rene Gutteridge when I saw it at the library.  This is a love story about letting go of one's past and moving forward.  Clay and Amber very different but yet are attracted to each other.   This is a clean romance novel that shows how people can change but that no one is perfect.  Clay was really strange though, his first few dates with Amber were really unbelievable!  I enjoyed it because of the humor in it and especially liked the ending!  It's a quick read.  It has discussion questions in the back for book club use.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)  Here's the movie trailer:


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!

"Hush Hush" by Laura Lippman Is Confusing

Hush Hush by Laura Lippman is about a woman, Melisandre Harris, who leaves her two-month old daughter locked in a car.  The baby dies.  She is found not guilty but found to be insane.  Then she wants to film a documentary as she plans to re-connect with her two other daughters.  Not everyone is in favor of this.

This book has a ton of story lines and it is easy to get confused, but the ending ties it all up.  The book is really good though and kept my interest.  
(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: Four Today

Gerard's:

When Lindy rode by, my thoughts scuttled after her.  I was mindless to all else in my crush.

From page 7 of My Sunshine Away by M. O. Walsh (click link to see my review)
  
CS:  But I knew Mrs. Dawes wasn't in her right mind.  I saw her and I left her alone, to walk out and get in her car and--do what she did!

From page 8 of Hush Hush by Laura Lippman.

Karen's: 

He only knew that he had had his choice of remaining in the water alone or being pulled by the Black.  If he was to die, he would rather die with the mighty stallion than alone.

From page 12 (Loc. 164-65 on Kindle) of The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. 

You can sleep on the pillow next to me," as my small hand softly patted the space I had made for him.  The thought that he would come filled my child's heart with an incredible joy and peace.

From page 23 (Loc. 283-85 on Kindle) of A Lady in France:  A Memoir by Jennie Goutet.


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 pick two sentences from the book you are reading.
Happy Reading!

The Daily Bible In Chronological Order-365 Daily Readings NIV

The Daily Bible organizes scripture in chronological order with month and days at the top of the pages that you can follow if you want to read the Bible through in a year.  It also includes interesting facts about passages such as the only woman in the Bible whose age is mentioned was Sarah, the wife of Abraham.  It's like having a commentary handy with the passage you are reading.  I like that it has subheadings for that serve as an outline of the chapters.  It is written in paragraph form with the references listed at the side which is very helpful for teaching.

We both recommend reading the Bible.  This is helpful to get things put in order for you.
(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!

"My Sunshine Away" by M. O. Walsh

My Sunshine Away by M. O. Walsh concentrates on the night that Lindy Simpson is attacked near her home.  The suspects are many.  This book is told by a young boy who lives across the street from Lindy and has a crush on her.  He wants to find out who attacked her.  It could not have been him, or could it?

I found this book to be pretty good.  It kept my interest and I was surprised at the ending.  It is worth 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!

"Someone To Watch Over Me" by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Someone To Watch Over Me by Yrsa Sigurdardottir centers on a boy who has Down's Syndrome.  A fire burned down an assisted living facility.  Five people died and this boy is convicted of burning it down!  Meanwhile, an inmate at a psychiatric unit hires a detective to prove the boy is not guilty.

This book kept me interested throughout.  I would have liked a bit more action, but that being said, this book is well worth reading.  I enjoyed 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!