"The Kiss of Deception" by Mary E. Pearson - Fantastic Fantasy (UPDATED)

The Kiss of Deception Mary E. Pearson is about a young girl who is promised in marriage to a prince to keep the peace between the two lands.  However, at the last minute, Princess Arabella aka Lia takes off!  She wants no part of this at all!  

This book has pretty good action.  Lia is a fantastic character and the parts of the book that feature her were the best.  The two primary male characters, Kaden and Rafe are interesting also.  This is a good read, the first of the series.  On to book 2!  (Gerard's review, 12/6/16, 5 stars)

Karen's review 4/30/15, 5 stars:
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is about ancient far-away lands in a world of fantasy kingdoms.  The main character, Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan a/k/a Lia, the one named in secret, is not your average princess!  She is only 17 and quite a rebel who runs away on her wedding day because she does not want to marry someone who she never has seen or met just to be part of her father’s plan to form an alliance with another kingdom.  The jolted prince is greatly insulted so seeks to find her along with her father’s bounty hunters and an assassin from the barbaric kingdom of Venda.  She just wants to live a normal quiet life and be loved by someone for who she is.

This was a nice change of pace for me.  I liked this book a lot because Lia is such a feisty princess.  The book has humor, action, mystery and clean romance.  The writes the story in first person by alternating chapters among  the perspectives of three different people:  the princess, the assassin and the prince who are all complex characters.  The chapters are plainly titled when the prince or assassin are speaking and the untitled chapters are when the princess is speaking.  In the beginning though, it is a bit confusing as to who Rafe and Kadin are—one is the prince and one is the assassin, but it took me a while to figure out which was which.  What I thought turned out to be wrong when I read on a bit farther.  On the inside the cover is a map of the various locations of the different kingdoms which is helpful to the reader.  This is the first book in The Remnant Chronicles series and now I have to look for the second one--The Heart of Betrayal!   

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!

Teasers

Karen's:

Brindle made another snorting noise.  "This is the craziest story I ever heard."

From page 58 of A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay.


Gerard's:

"The plans have changed," I said firmly, and I gathered my gown up in great bunches so I could get a foothold in the stirrup.  The straw-haired boy's mouth fell open as he looked at my once pristine gown, the hem already sloshed with mud, now smearing my sleeves and lace bodice and worse, the Morrighan jeweled wedding cloak.

 From page 17 of The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson.


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

"Where Courage Calls" by Janette Oke

Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke is about Beth, a young woman who shows courage by leaving her nice home in the east to move west to teach in a school in a mining town.  Thinking she will be free from Edward, the man her parents would like her to marry, is disappointed to see him on the same train and hear he will be stationed out west too!  Beth soon makes friends with the townspeople, teaches school at the pool hall, starts a Bible club for the children and then even adds teaching English to some miners!  When one of her students almost dies from drinking some hooch, she even becomes involved in the investigation and finds a new love interest in Jack.

This Christian fiction book moved slowly and I got bored by the end, really looking forward to finishing it so I could start another.  Beth was like super woman.  She did quite a bit of praying and the whole point of the book was that God is in control as Beth surrendered to Him to show her what he wanted her to do.  It was okay but Beth just seemed a little too perfect. 
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teasers

Gerard's:

We should have done more, and we should have done it sooner.  It ate at me every day, and I knew it ate at Donna, too.

From page 34 of A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay.


Karen's:

"We don't have the luxury of playing at an occupation for a while and then having someone else support us as soon as we're tired of it all.  Men work hard their whole lives."

 From page 47 of Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke.

I asked myself a hundred times why I ignored your note.  Everything might have been different if I'd just taken two minutes to answer you.

From page 17 of The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson.

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

"Bascomville" by Mark A. Calde

Bascomville by Mark A. Calde centers on a young teen boy named Max.  He lives with his parents and two sisters.  He is attracted to the girl next door, Janice.  The point of view is from Max who tells his story.  He has plenty to deal with involving his family, Janice and his future plans.  It is told well and I enjoyed reading it.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)  (We got a copy of this book free in return for an honest 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Holding Up the Universe" by Jennifer Niven

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven is told by Libby Strout and Jack Masselin.  They both go to the same high school, but they are very different on the status scale.  The one thing they do have in common is that they each have a health problem to deal with.

This book is much better than I expected it would be.  I really rooted for Libby and Jack.  The story flowed along well and I was always anxious to get back into it!  The ending was perfect!  If you want a feel good story, this is it!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen read this one too--here's her review:
Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Nivan is a teen romance novel. Libby, an overweight girl with panic attacks, gets bullied but stands up for herself and has a big heart. Jack has Prosopagnosia, a condition that keeps him from being able to recognize faces. Libby loves to dance and Jack likes building things. Jack keeps his disability a secret and copes the best he can until one day he confides in Libby. Libby and Jack start off on rocky ground but as they get to know each other, their relationship changes.

Although this book is very predictable, it is a good story that has a good message for teens and clearly shows how bullied people feel. I never heard of “face-blindness” before reading this so it was interesting to learn about it through Jack’s experiences. Lilly was an interesting character too with the ability to forgive. The story was told by both Lilly and Jack in alternating chapters. (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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Woman in Cabin 10" by Ruth Ware is One You Have to Think About

In The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, Lo Blacklock works for a travel magazine.  When she gets a chance to go on a cruise liner maiden voyage, she goes in hope that this will be her big break to move up at her job.  Once on board, things start to happen and she tries to make sense of it. 

There is not a lot of action until the end when it really picks up, but you are inside Lo's mind wondering just what is going on?  I loved it!  It really got me thinking trying to figure it out.  If you think you have it figured out, trust me, you don't!  I enjoyed her other book too--Dark Dark Wood.  This is a very good thinking 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teasers

Gerard's:

His eyes crinkled in a way that made me think he might be smiling beneath the bandanna, and I felt the blood drain from my head and my fingers, pooling in the core of my body, ready to fight or flee, whichever it had to be.
     He took a step forwards.

From page 5 of The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.

But the only one who stands out from the staring, jabbering crowd of them isn't my own brother or the woman who's wrecking my parents' marriage.  It's a girl I don't even know, the largest girl here.

From page 84 of Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven.

Karen's:

I tell myself to give Mick a chance, give these girls a chance, give this day a chance, give myself a chance most of all.  The way I see it, I've lost my mom, eaten myself nearly to death, been cut out of my house while the whole country watched, endured exercise regimes and diets and the nation's disappointment, and I've received hate mail from total strangers.

 From page 24 of Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven.


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

"Small Great Things" by Jodi Picoult is Thought Provoking--A Must Read! (UPDATED)

 Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult is a contemporary fiction about racism that is absolutely very thought provoking and educational.  It is about Ruth, a black nurse, who is charged with murder and negligence because the newborn, the son of white supremacist parents, that she was watching over dies.  Ruth is a widow with a son who is a high school honor-student.  

There are so many good scenes in this book!  It started a little slow for me with all the baby deliveries at the beginning, but that just was a small part and soon moved along.  That was just to show what a good nurse Ruth was and that she really loved her job.

This is such a remarkable story that helped me look at blacks in a whole different light.  I never realized before reading this how it really is to be black.  I would love to hear a black person's views about this book!  I really did not enjoy the chapters about Turk and Brit, the parents of the baby who died because they were horrible people!  I really liked the chapters about Ruth's public defender, Kennedy and the chapters about Ruth.  In typical Picoult style, chapters are written from different characters' points of view.  I felt the characters were well developed and the plot had an unexpected twist that shocked me!  I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone--must read.  It has lots of great lines and the author used the experiences of some real people that she interviewed to get a feel for what it's really like to be black in the United States.  I loved the surprise ending!  Must Read! 
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

My husband and I both loved this one, here's his review:

In Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, Ruth Jefferson is a delivery nurse in a small hospital.  She has been one for 20 years and is very good at it.  One night a newborn baby is having serious problems and Ruth is left alone with the baby.  The baby is white, and Ruth is black, with orders not to touch this baby.  When the baby dies, the parents blame Ruth!  Did she do something to the baby or did she try to save it?

WOW!  This book is GOOD!  This story is true to life and the characters are well developed.  The trial part alone is worth reading for sure but I enjoyed the whole book!  A must Read!!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Shared this with Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop - the prompt was share a book review.  I was pleased to see she is reading many of the books we have recommended and loved!

"Susie's Senior Dogs" by Erin Stanton

Susie's Senior Dogs by Erin Stanton tells the true story of senior dogs that have been given forever homes by people.  I loved reading all the joy the dogs brought the people and the people gave their dogs.  The pictures in the book are really good too!  You can follow Erin and the Senior Dogs on Facebook and Instagram at "Susie's Senior Dogs."
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Diabolic" by S. J. Kincaid - Loved It!

The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid has plenty of action and so many twists my head was spinning!  Nemesis is a Diabolic.  It will kill to protect the one that it is pledged to.  But now, the emperor summons Sidonia, the owner of Nemesis, to his court to be held as hostage for the doings of her father.  To protect her, Nemesis goes instead.  Can she pull this off though?  And if not, then what will happen?  LOVED 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Three Weeks with My Brother" by Nicholas and Micah Sparks

Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks is one of the best memoirs I have read. It has humor, interesting adventures and touching moments. I loved how these guys gave us a look at their family dynamics from childhood. I think they did a fantastic job of weaving their memories into their time together as they traveled around the world in three weeks. It is a story of persevering through tragedy and life’s bumps. Throughout the book, they kept repeating the mother’s standard sayings: It’s your life. No one ever promised that life would be fair. What you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things. 

I enjoyed reading this more than I expected and found the inspiration for Nicholas Sparks' books very interesting. I think anyone who enjoys Nicholas Sparks' books would enjoy this as well even though it is non-fiction. It even includes discussion questions in the back for book clubs!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Even as I spoke, I visualized the blow I'd use to kill her.  A single strike to the back of the head....No need to risk her screaming.

From page 15 of The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid.

Karen's:

Night after night, my mom had us name three nice things our siblings had done for us, and each night we wre somehow able to come up with something.

And to my surprise, my brother and I began to argue less and less.

 From page 71 of Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks.

"I'm Ruth," she announces.  "I'm going to be your nurse today."

All I can think is:  Over my dead body.

From page 35 of Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.

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

Happy Reading!

"A Night Divided" by Jennifer A. Nielsen is a Good Read We Both Enjoyed! (Updated)

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen is an interesting historical fiction story about a family divided by the Berlin Wall. Gerta is 12 and lives in East Berlin with her parents and two brothers . . . until the night her father and one of her brothers left and never came back because a fence went up during the night separating East and West Berlin. Her father and brother were stuck on the other side! Then, before very long, the fence became a wall to keep the Eastern Berliners under Russia rule from leaving. Gerta is bold and determined to somehow get the rest of her family reunited with her father and brother on the other side of the wall but time is running out because Fritz, her oldest brother, is about to be inducted into the military in just a few weeks!

This is a very good story of bravery, courage, staying true to one’s beliefs and adventure that moves quickly. I couldn’t help but pull for Gerta to succeed and liked the ups and downs with her friendship with Anna.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)


In A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen, Gerta lives with her mom and dad and two brothers.  They have heard talk of something soon to happen so the father and young brother go on a scouting mission, but when the Berlin Wall goes up, they cannot get back!  Greta wants to be together again but how to make that happen and who to trust?

This book was very good!  The writing is excellent and the tension builds throughout.  I loved all the characters and the book reads true to life.  A must read!  I highly recommend this 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday--4 Today

Gerard's:

For a moment, I honestly don't understand.  And then it hits me with the force of a blow:  they don't have a problem with what I've done.

From page 21 of Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.

We walked on in silence for a couple of minutes longer, until my anger had entirely faded and I could no longer remember exactly why I'd chased after her in the first place.

From page 13 of Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland.

Karen's:

I awoke to sirens screaming throughout my city of East Berlin.  Instantly, I flew from my bed.  Something must be terribly wrong.

From page 1 of A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

And all of a sudden
I'm blinking back tears.
Because seeing him
lying there like that makes me . . .

From page 11 of Saving Red by Sonya Sones. 


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

Happy Reading!

"Our Chemical Hearts" by Krystal Sutherland, A Good Debut Novel

In Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland, Henry Page is sitting in class one day when a new girl enters dressed in boys clothes, her hair undone, and walks with a cane.  Henry needs a female relationship in his life, is Grace Town the girl for him?   I thought this book was really good.  I enjoyed both Henry and Grace as they got to know each other.  The last part of the book is very good!  For a first book by the author, she set a high bar for herself.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Saving Red" by Sonya Sones is a "Feel-Good" Book (UPDATED)

Saving Red, by Sonya Sones is about Molly, a teen girl with a service dog, Pixel, who helps her cope with her panic attacks.  She becomes friends with a homeless girl, Red, who  has some mental issues of her own.  Molly decides to help reunite her with her family before Christmas. 

I enjoyed this unique teen fiction book written in verse.  It goes very quick and I liked the story line.  It touches on PTSD, suicide in addition to homelessness, mental illness and guilt.  It was interesting to see her make friends with Red and also Cristo and his cat!  Although this book deals with some heavy subjects, it is not dark at all but pretty uplifting.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

In Saving Red, by Sonya Sones, Molly is a young teen girl who has a dog named Pixel.  You will love Pixel!  One night, Red is out doing community service and she sees a young red-headed girl who she becomes friends with.  She wants to get Red back to her family in time for the holidays but can she?

This book is told in verse with ongoing action so it goes very fast.  I enjoyed all the characters.  If you are looking for a feel-good book, this is it!  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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Call" by Peadar O'Guilin

The Call by Peadar O'Guilin takes place in Ireland.  The Sidhe have been banished and put in a land of their own and have the power to take young teens to their land.  If you get the "call," good luck on getting away!

This book is an out-and-out horror story.  If this was a movie, I am not sure I would want to see it.  But I was fine reading it.  Nessa is a really good main character.  The last part of the book was a real page turner!  If there is a book 2, sign me up!  If you enjoyed the Hunger Games, then you will probably enjoy this 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Guilty" by Karen Robards

In Guilty by Karen Robards, Kate a single mom of a 9-yr-old boy, Ben, has finally built a good life for herself and now works as a prosecutor in the Philadelphia DA's office.  Unfortunately, her past comes back to haunt her and she finds her and Ben in great danger.  Fortunately for her, the cop who questioned her about the courtroom shooting is attracted to her and gives her some added protection even though he knows she is lying to him.

I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel but felt the ending was a bit too tidy and very unbelievable.  I did like the progression of Kate and Tom's relationship and the kid was an interesting character.  I liked how the mother was always thinking what would be best for him and wanted to protect him at all costs.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Frost looked back up at her father, but he was no longer there, the hand in hers suddenly cold and lifeless.  "It is happening again," Bunt said.  "There is no escape."

From page 51 of Frost by M. P. Kozlowsky.  (Bunt is a robot.)

But if she refuses to let the doctors put her to sleep, this is the future:  Sometime during her adolescence, the Sidhe will come for her, as they come these days for everyone.  They will hunt her down, and if she fails to outrun them, Nessa will die.

From page 3 of The Call by Peadar O'Guilin.

I awoke to sirens screaming throughout my city of East Berlin.  Instantly, I flew from my bed.  Something must be terribly wrong.

From page 1 of A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

Karen's:

Judge Moran was on his feet, she saw as her disbelieving gaze followed Soto's.  The judge raised his hands, palms outward, as if to ward off the threat.  His eyes were wide and his mouth was opening, as if he was about to speak, or yell, or something.  Whatever he meant to do, she never knew, because she was just in time to watch--bang!--as his head was blown to pieces.

From page 31 of Guilty by Karen Robards.

But the injustice of it all, the anger it provoked in me, and the ability to understand her suffering--all of it led me to a single-minded pursuit.  And that was to give back to Jenny Kramer this most horrific nightmare.

From page 9 of All is not Forgotten by Wendy Walker.

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

Happy Reading!

"Frost" by M. P. Kozlowsky is Really Good!

Frost has spent her whole life in an abandoned apartment building.  She lives with her Broot and a robot.  But now her Broot is very sick and Frost will do anything to make her Broot get better, including going outside where it is not safe!

I thought this book was really good!  There is lots of action and a fantastic twist at the end that I did not see coming at all!  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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Empire of Storms" by Sarah J. Maas is one We Both Liked

In Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas, Aelin is looking for a way to save her homeland before it is overtaken.  Manon has a big part in this book surrounded by good action.  Her and Aelin together are really good!  Lysandra also has a major role and I also enjoyed the parts with Rowan.  In this book, the author concentrates on other characters besides Aelin which I was fine with.  The pages leading up to the ending were the best part of this book.  It is action packed for sure and impossible to put down!  I LOVED IT and am looking forward to book 6.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review:
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas is the second to last book in The Throne of Glass series and is full of adventure, battles, plotting and romance.  Aelin continues her quest to save the world to make it better and it is good to see her rally her friends to help her.  If you have been reading this series, definitely continue on with this book but don't read this one until you have read all the previous ones.

Parts of this book were puzzling to me; however, the action scenes are very good and I cheered for Rowan and Lysandra in the battles and also for Mannon and her Wyvern, Abraxos!  I really liked these characters especially in this book!  Aelin now fights with her magical fire more than her swords which is okay, but I liked the sword fighting better.  This book has very strong female characters who always seem to stay one step ahead of the males in this book.  It was good to see Ansel back too.  I liked her and Aelin working together.
(Karen's review, 4 stars because I didn't like the raunchy sex scenes in this one)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Midnight Star" by Marie Lu

The Midnight Star by Marie Lu is the final book in The Young Elites series. Adelina aka "The White Wolf" is now the queen.  She takes care of people who get in her way.  But now she finds out that she has to make a deal with her enemy or else!

Marie Lu shows that she does not have to take a back seat to anyone.  This book had loads of action and the ending had plenty of twists and turns.  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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

A loud boom ripped through the building.  Next came a deafening thud; glass shattered high above them.


From page six of prologue of The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts.

So why should I help a liar and a traitor?  After everything the Daggers have put me through, does Raffaele honestly think I am going to fight for their lives just because he is using my dying sister against me?

From page 128 of The Midnight Star by Marie Lu.

Karen's:

Aelin was insane, Dorian realized.  Brilliant and wicked, but insane.

And perhaps the greatest, most unremorseful liar he'd ever encountered.

From page 303 of Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. 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 Perfect Horse" by Elizabeth Letts

The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts is one of my favorite books to read.  This is a good non-fiction book on a subject that I knew nothing about.  In the last few days of World War II, some U.S. soldiers capture a German spy and he has pictures of beautiful horses with him.  Colonel Hank Reed and his men decide to save the horses from certain death.

I found the first 100 pages slow, but the action picked up soon enough.  It is interesting to follow the thinking of the men who played the big roles.  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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Crooked Kingdom" by Leigh Bardugo has Tons of Action

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo is the follow-up to Six of Crows.  This book picks up where Six of Crows left off.  I was into it from page 1.  It was so good to be back with Kaz and the gang as they make up plans to out-wit their enemy!  There is tons of action in this book as they get in and out of trouble and always remain one step ahead.

I LOVED IT!  I am happy the author got it done in two books, but would love more!  This is my new "book of the month"!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

When Kaz had outlined this part of the plan at the hideout on Black Veil, Wylan had been incredulous, and for once, he hadn't been the only one with questions.


From page 14 of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo.


Karen's:

It felt like it had been raining ever since the day of the barbecue, although she knew this wasn't true.  When she thought of her life before the barbecue, it was suffused with golden sunlight.

From page 25 of Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty.

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

Happy Reading!

"Truly Madly Guilty" by Liane Moriarty is One We Did Not See Eye to Eye On (updated)

I read Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty on my husband's recommendation and because he laughed out loud as he read through it.  Unfortunately, I did not find it all that funny and plowed through it.  (To be fair though, I just got done reading A Torch in the Night by Sabaa Tahir which was one I could hardly put down which had lots of adventure, action and interesting characters.)  Compared to that, this one really fell flat.

The tiny bit of action in it was alluded to all through the book in an attempt to build up some mystery, but moved along much too slow for my taste.  It is primarily about three couples and their marriages.  I really hated that the chapters went back and forth between the day of the big incident and the present and the past.  I just wanted to know what happened already and found the writing annoying.  Of the characters, I found the girl Dakota interesting and liked Tiffany and Sam best of the adults.  I also thought Harry, the grumpy neighbor was an interesting character but he wasn't in it much.  I loved Big Little Lies by this author so expected to like this book as well, but I didn't. 
(Karen's review, 2 stars)


Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty is about three couples and their children who gather together for a backyard barbecue.  What could possibly go wrong?  First of all, this is an adult novel.  I read a lot of YA and fantasy novels so this was a change for me which I thought was fantastic but find I am in the minority compared to other reviewers on Amazon.

I enjoyed all the characters and laughed out loud through it!  The dialogue among the characters made this a very enjoyable read.  This is the third book I have read by this author and I loved them all!  You cannot zoom through this book, because if you miss one thing, you miss a lot of the story!  LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review 10-9-16, 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"A Torch Against the Night" by Sabaa Tahir is as Good as the First in This Series!

After reading An Ember in the Ashes, I went right into the next book--A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir and loved it too.  In this one, Helene's point of view is added in the telling of the story and it is exciting right from the start.  Much of the book is Elias and Laia on the run with Helene and her three black guards chasing after them but the author has a way of having things happening in different places at the same time and making great use of cliff hangers at the end of the chapters to keep your interest.  There are some sad parts and the characters did some things I didn't like or understand; however, it did make for a good story.  I really like Helene who is put through the ringer in this book. 

This book has some surprises and again, some tight situations where. I felt I was on a roller coaster with all the ups and downs in this book.  It moved a bit slow at the beginning, but the last third of the book made up for it!  I had to take a break after several of the chapters to let things sink in and then go right back to it to see what would happen next. I look forward to reading the rest of this series!   
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir is the follow-up to Ember in the Ashes.  Usually I have trouble getting into book Twos because it was so long since I read book 1, but not so with this one.  I was into it from page 1!  It was so good to re-connect with Laia and Elias!  Both are wonderful characters.  This book flows very well and I was surprised more than once.  A lot happens in this which made it just as good as book 1, if not better.  I LOVED it!
(Gerard's review 10/5/16, 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Midnight Dog Walkers" by Annie Phenix

The Midnight Dog Walkers--Positive Training and Practical Advice for Living with a Reactive or Aggressive Dog by Annie Phenix is non-fiction.  The author works with overly aggressive dogs and their owners.  She tells about the way she trains dogs.  The best part of this book was when Annie told about the dogs she owned.  If you have an aggressive dog or just love dogs in general (like I do), this you would probably like this book too!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

She had a feeling Rowan would very, very much enjoy the task of shredding Darrow into little pieces.  She also had the feeling that she'd very, very much enjoy joining him.


From page 55 of Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.


Karen's:

 Any elation I felt at destroying Blackcliff Academy or rescuing Elias from execution vanishes.  The Empire hunts us.  If it catches us, we die.

From page 3 of A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir.

"And I don't want to compete with you, Elias.  The moment we start working against each other is the moment we let Marcus and Zak win."

From Page 109 of An Ember in the Ashes by by Sabaa Tahir.

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

Happy Reading!

"An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir is Fantastic YA Fantasy

Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir lives up to all the hype and I agree with the reviewers who loved this book.  The characters are well developed and very interesting.  The story is told from alternating points of view of Laia, a slave girl who is a spy trying to find and free her brother who was arrested by the Empire because of his weapon drawings in his sketchbook, and Elias (a mask), a soldier of the Empire who really wants out because he does not want to kill innocent people.  He has been trained at Blackcliffe to kill since he was 6 yrs. old along with his best friend, Helene--the only girl mask in their class.

I loved this book and am glad I finally got around to reading it.  Can't wait to see what happens in the second book of this series!  The world building in this one is pretty simplistic (which I liked) and the action and dialogue if fun to read.  There is a lot of personal dilemmas that different characters face as well as the overall plot of Laia trying to rescue her brother before he gets killed.  Helene, Izzi and Cook are also fantastic supporting characters!  The woman commandant of the school is unbelievably cruel, even to her own son but it makes for a great story! 
(Karen's review, 5 stars)


(Gerard's review 5/27/15, 5++ stars):
 An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir is told by two people.  Laia and her brother are captured by the empire forces.  Laia becomes a slave girl all the while trying to find a way to get her brother out of prison--even to the point of being a spy.

Elias is the best soldier in the empire forces and stands a very good chance to become the head of the empire.  The problem is he does not want this at all.  Elias wants to escape this life and become free.

Does Laia free her brother?  Does Elias get his freedom?  Read this to find out!

This is a fantastic read especially for an author's first book!  I was glued to this book right from the beginning.  If you like YA fantasy, this is a must read!  It kept me turning pages for sure.   I hope there is a book two!  Click here to view my video review of An Ember in the Ashes.


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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Obsession" by Karen Robards is Quite the Page Turner!

Obsession by Karen Robards begins with a mystery right off the bat and is filled with action, mystery and suspense throughout. This is a book about an FBI investigation against the head of the CIA whose personal assistant, Katherine, is caught up in the middle and in great danger throughout the book. Katherine doesn’t know who to trust and finds herself in several life and death situations. This novel is full of betrayal, suspense, mystery and action with a bit of humor and romance.

This book kept me guessing all through, but at least I picked the right person that Katherine should trust, well, sort of. This has a wild plot and interesting characters. I especially liked Katherine’s cat, Muffy! Loved the ending! The one explicit sex scene I could do without, but other than that, I liked this contemporary thriller which is a page turner I recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and unusual plots.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesdays

Karen's:

As last thoughts before dying went, it lacked something, and Katharine Lawrence knew it.  Still, there it was:  Her kitchen floor was filthy.


From page 9 of Obsession by Karen Robards.


Gerard's:

 "Laia--" I begin, but a low groan rolls down the tunnel, and the ground trembles.  Through the sewer grates I hear screams, shouts, and the deafening reverberation of an enormous explosion.

From page 13 of A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir.

Twenty-one men with intellectual disability, all Texans, living hard in a run-down Pee-Wee's Playhouse in Nowhere, Iowa.  How the hell, she wondered, did this hot mess happen? 

From Page 18 of The Boys in the Bunkhouse by Dan Barry.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. 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 Boys in the Bunkhouse" by Dan Berry is Fascinating!

The Boys in the Bunkhouse--Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland by Dan Barry is a non-fiction book about 21 men who were kept in an old rundown building.  They did work for a company, work no one else wanted to do.  They were mistreated and received very little pay.

I thought this book was fascinating!  I enjoyed getting to know the men in the bunkhouse as they told their stories.  It was sad how people just did not want to get involved in their plight!  It has a real good ending!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Dead Man" by Joel Goldman is 3 Mysteries in 1!

The Dead Man by Joel Goldman is about a former FBI agent, Jack who has a movement disorder that makes him shake. He takes a job as director of security at the Harper Institute of the Mind, working for an extremely rich man who has early stages of Alzheimer’s.  With the help of his landlady, an ex-cop, Jack finds himself investigating the deaths of two Dream Project volunteers who died, one suicide, one accident but what he believes to be murders connected with the institute.   The institute tries to help people who have bad nightmares be able to take control of what happens in them.

Jack's daughter, Wendy, who overdosed was believed to be involved with a drug ring and the FBI believes Jack knows what happened to the missing five million dollars they believe she had.  The mystery is what happened to the money.

The third mystery is who killed the parents of a little 10-yr.-old girl, Maggie while they were sleeping.  She got away by jumping from her bedroom balcony two-stories high.

This is a very complex mystery!  I figured out just one of the three.  There is a serial killer on the loose and lots of deaths in this book.  The title refers to the crime scene itself which gives the most evidence.  Jack is the main character and I liked him.  This is good from start to finish--I was never bored with it and recommend it to anyone who likes a good murder mystery!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Karen's:

She'd dreamed of this moment often.  The image of the killer was as hazy as it had been when she was ten years old, painting her cheeks with her parents' blood before she hurled herself off the balcony outside her bedroom, the killer never caught, never forgotten.


From page 6 of The Dead Man by Joel Goldman.


Gerard's:

"You have to protect on another.  If you're playing baseball and the leftfielder misses the ball, yes it hurts the team--but the ball isn't going to hit the rightfielder in the face.  Miss your assignment in football, do the wrong thing, and there's a good chance one of your guys will get walloped." 

From Page 23 of Lasting Impact by Kostya Kennedy.


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

Happy Reading!

"Lasting Impact" by Kostya Kennedy

Lasting Impact: One Team, One Season, What Happens When Our Sons Play Football by Kostya Kennedy covers the 2014 football season of New Rochelle High School in New York.  This book takes on more subjects than just the football team.  Some I liked, some not so much.  The best parts of this book for me was that I got to know the players and the parts that told about their coach, Lou Dirienzo.  I enjoyed this and if you like High School football, you will too!
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Second Half" by Lauraine Snelling

The Second Half by Lauraine Snelling is a contemporary inspirational fiction story about family trusting God through their struggles such as adjusting to retirement, raising grandchildren, dealing with depression. When Ken and Mona’s grown son, Steig, is deployed to Pakistan in the special forces, they become the legal guardians for his 9-yr.-old daughter and 5-yr.-old son whose mother abandoned them and gave up her parental rights. The grandparents and children look forward to skyping with Steig on Thursdays, but it never happens. One day they are informed that Steig is Missing in Action and they struggle to hold on to hope of seeing him come home.

I enjoyed this Christian fiction book, especially the everyday moments that made it very believable. I thought it was funny that Jake, the little boy, was afraid of dogs and cats and that his grandparents had one of each. It shows how one phone call can throw a monkey wrench into the best laid plans!  I highly recommend this to retirees or those nearing retirement.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Watching Edie" by Camilla Way is a Good One!

In Watching Edie by Camilla Way, Edie was a little bit of a crazy girl in high school.  But she befriends Heather, a girl who has trouble of her own and no real friends.  However, when a boy named Conner comes along, Edie has time for him and him alone!!  Years later, Edie is at the lowest point in her life, alone and desperate when Heather shows up!  That's a good thing, right?

I thought this book was very good.  I went through a love/hate relationship with both Heather and Edie.  The writing was good too and it moved along at a good pace.  I recommend 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The House of Secrets" by Brad Meltzer

In The House of Secrets by Brad Meltzer and Tod Goldberg, Hazel Nash was 6 years old when her dad told her mysteries must be found. Now Hazel’s dad is dead. Died in a car accident that Hazel and her brother were in also. Hazel now knows nothing of her past and she wants to find answers. I listened to this audio book and enjoyed it. The story moved along well and Hazel was a great character. I liked the great twist at the end that I did not see coming at all.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!