"The Stranger Game" by Peter Gadol

In The Stranger Game by Peter Gadol, Rebecca's boyfriend has gone missing, but the police do not seem to be fazed by this.  He probably is playing the "Stranger Game."  What is that?  You will need to read the book to find the answer to that!  This book was pretty good.  The pacing was good and I enjoyed how all the characters were developed.  A twist at the end surprised me and I liked how it all played out!  (Gerard's review, 4.5 stars) 

Teaser from page 15:  I would never see them again.  The third rule of the game was never follow the same stranger twice, and so I drove away.

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!

"Becoming" by Michelle Obama by Michelle Obama

I heard that Becoming by Michelle Obama was a good book and was curious to learn more about her and what it was like living at the White House and what it would be like being a First Lady.  This book did not disappoint.  It satisfied my curiosity and also was very inspirational.  My favorite character in this book was Michelle Obama's mother.  The first part of the book is about her childhood, the middle about her career and developing her relationship with Barack, the last third about the Presidential campaign and her time at the White House.  She is very open about sharing her story.  Living in the White House has some perks, but the inability to go anywhere when you wanted or even just outside on the balcony without notifying the secret service and getting their permission would be a deal breaker for me right there!  (Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 12:  When I thought I had a good idea about something, I didn't like being told no.  Which is how my great-aunt and I ended up in each other's faces, both of us hot and unyielding.  

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"The Dream Daughter" by Diane Chamberlain was a Big Hit for Both of Us!

In The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain, Carly is going to give birth, but the doctor tells her it does not look good for the long run.  Her brother-in-law comes up with a wild solution, but will Carly go for it?  If she does, will it work?  This is a wild book to say the least!  Carly is a great character and you have to pull for her.  Some good twists and turns that I did not see coming kept me involved!  I especially loved the last part of the book!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

Karen's review, 11-30-18:
In The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain, shortly after Carly gets news that her husband was killed in Vietnam only weeks after he left in 1970, she learn she is pregnant.  Early in her pregnancy, she receives bad news that there is something wrong with her baby's heart and that it is fatal!  Carly is so devastated by the news, that she is willing to do anything to save her child--including time travel to the year 2001 so she can try fetal surgery!  Her brother-in-law, Hunter, who she met when she was his physical therapist was a time traveler from 2013 and talks her into giving it a try.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it to women.  It's a combination of contemporary and science fiction.  I don't think men would enjoy it as much.  It certainly has adventure but centers around Carly's fight to save and get to know her child, Johanna.  It has touching scenes and lots of unexpected twists along the way.  I was a little disappointed when it ended.  It even has two dogs in it and some funny parts as well.  I found it to be thought-provoking too and had trouble putting this down.  I really looked forward to getting back to it!
(5 stars)

Teaser from page 25:  "It doesn't matter.  What matters is that during her studies, she discovered it's possible to travel forward and backward in time."

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

"One of Us is Lying" by Karen M. McManus

In One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus, five high school kids are in detention in a classroom.  One of them does not make it out alive!  It was no accident.  Who did it?  I almost gave up on this one, but I'm glad I did not!  Once the story picked up, it was kind of hard to put down!  The other four characters were really brought out very well.  It has some good twists and turns also.  If you love a good who done it mystery, this book is for you.  This is well worth reading!
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars) 

Teaser from page 15:  He runs a shaking hand through his think white hair as one of the paramedics stabs Simon with a syringe and the other two lift him onto the stretcher.  "God help that boy," he whispers.

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 Dog's Way Home" by W. Bruce Cameron

A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron is about Bella, a very good dog who is taken from her home in Denver until her owner, Lucas, can find a new place to live that allows pit bulls.  Unfortunately, Bella sees her opportunity to break out of that yard and head on home to her Lucas the day before he was coming to get her!  It takes her two years to find her way home!  Along the way, she runs into lots of adventures and has several different people who she lives with including doggie foster parents, two gay men, an alcoholic woman, a homeless vet, and a cougar!

I had a hard time getting through this book because it was just so heartbreaking.  I felt so bad for this poor dog and very angry at the animal control guy who was just part of a plot to harass Lucas and Bella.  The only reason I finished it was because the title implies that she does make it home. I liked how there were lots of cats in this story and some parts were pretty funny, such as when Bella discovered what a great place a grocery store is.  I also liked how the VA hospital patients enjoyed Bella which reminded me of how those in the nursing home enjoyed our dog, Abby's, visits when we used to take her every week.  The unfairness of the breed discriminatory law was very upsetting to me.  Anyone could see by her behavior that Bella was not a dangerous dog, nor was she a pure pit bull, but was viewed as one by one guy in animal control.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron is told by Bella, who is a very good dog!  She is pronounced a pit bull by three animal control officers (in spite of being a mix and many others saying she is not a pit bull) and the state she lives in has laws that will not allow her to be a house pet.  She gets separated from her owner and makes it her goal to get back to her person somehow.  I enjoyed this book very much.  Bella tells the story quite well and it has a great ending!
(Gerard's review 8/6/17, 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!

"Everless" by Sara Holland--We Both Gave This 4 Stars

Everless by Sara Holland is her debut novel. It is a fantasy about mystery, magic, betrayal as Jules goes searching for an answer to why her father told her to never let the queen see her and to run if she ever saw Liam Gerling, once a childhood friend who banished her and her father from Everless. I liked Jules, but it didn’t make sense to me that she wouldn’t listen to her father and not go back to Everless, a dangerous place for her. She discovers her papa kept lots of secrets from her which leads to her searching for even more answers!

As with any fantasy, some things didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me, but I enjoyed this book anyway. It has a lot of interesting characters and an angle I haven’t come across before with the blood iron—stealing people’s years of life by draining some blood from them. This was a hard concept for me to really understand. The character interaction is what kept my interest. I didn’t like that one of my favorite characters was killed.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review:
Everless by Sara Holland is fantasy and this author's first novel.  The concept was a new one that I have never read before.  It deals with blood and you can store it up to live longer.  The main character is a young girl named Jules who I liked.  I was engaged for the most part.  The ending was wild to say the least, but I liked it enough that I will read book 2--Evermore!  (4 stars)

Teaser from page 16: If I hadn’t pulled Roan out before the flames could catch, he would have been burned alive. And as my reward, we had to flee the only home I had ever known, because Papa was afraid of what Liam would do to me if we stayed at Everless, knowing what I had seen.


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!

"Good Me Bad Me" by Ali Land

In Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land, Annie lives with her mom who does things she should not do!  Annie goes to the police and tells on her mom, then into witness protection.  Ready to start a new life with a new name and family while waiting for the trial to begin.  Unfortunately, her new family and her do not seem to connect.  She will be good, won't she?

This is the author's first book and I must say I am impressed!  There is good pace to the book and the characters are very believable.    The trial was the best part with a surprise ending!  This is well worth reading.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

Teaser from page 6:  You turned your had to the side.  Faced me.  Your eyes never left mine, I read them with ease.  You said nothing to them, yet everything to me.

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 Sun Dog" by Stephen King

The Sun Dog by Stephen King is vintage King! Kevin gets the birthday present he wanted for his 15th birthday—a camera! The first picture he takes shows something it should not! The more pictures he takes, the thing is still in there and is scares Kevin really bad! The pace of this book is really good and the ending had me turning pages as quick as I could!
(Gerard’s review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 9:  But it was not practical good Kevin was thinking about.  In fact, he was not thinking at all.  He was feeling . . . and remembering.  

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!

"Once a King" by Erin Summerill

Once a King by Erin Summerill is the third book in the "Clash of Kingdom" fantasy series.  The first was Ever the Hunted and the second was Ever the Brave.  King Aodren wants the best for his kingdom and that means making peace with the channelers.  Lirra has every reason to not trust the king, but when he reaches out to her, she decides to help.  Will it be enough?

I thought this book was really good, just as good as the first two!  The book had a good flow to it and good action as well.  King Aodren and Lirra are good characters.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 20:  I press my fist to the sudden bloom of ache in my belly.  I want to forget this request and finish my glider.

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!

"We, the Jury" by Robert Rotstein

We the Jury by Robert Rotstein is about a trial where a husband killed his wife. The question is, was it premeditated or was he a battered spouse who killed in self-defense? We hear from everyone involved in the trial, especially the jury! I enjoyed this book very much! The characters were really good and I liked the judge and the fore person the most. If you can figure out how this one ends, you are smarter than me. This is my book of the month so far!
Gerard’s review, 5++ stars)

Karen’s review:
We the Jury by Robert Rotstein reminded me of the play, 12 Angry Men because instead of taking us through the trial, the entire book centers upon the 8-member jury and its deliberations. I think anyone who has been called for jury duty would find this book interesting. We find out about the trial through transcripts that the jury requests read back to them. My favorite characters were the messenger/”actor”, the student, the grandma and the jury consultant who was part of this jury! I felt sorry for the judge and was surprised by the ending. I really liked the unique way this book was written. Each new chapter was really commentary by one of the many different characters. I loved it! (5 stars)

Teaser from page 22: The jurors look at each other and shake their heads. The Clergyman doesn’t look at anyone. He just keeps his head bowed, as if in prayer.


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!

"BREACH" by W. L. Goodwater

Breach by W. L. Goodwater is a fantasy about a hole in the Berlin Wall that grows. The wall is held together by magic and hides a very dangerous magical book. Ehle, the creator of the breach wants to make sure the book gets destroyed Karen, a USA magician is chosen to assist the CIA in their mission to fix the wall. She finds herself mixed up in magic she never knew before.

This is a wild book that I liked because of Karen, the main character, and the various relationships she developed. There were several groups that was a bit of a challenge to keep straight and the writing style was difficult to follow at times because it was told from different points of view with poor transitioning. One just stopped and another began. There definitely was a lot of action and adventure in this book which made me want to keep reading.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 23: It was always the same with men like George. “You only ever think about using your magic to smash something,” she said. “You might be surprised to learn it has other, less destructive uses.”


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 Other Wife" by Michael Robotham

In The Other Wife by Michael Robotham, Joe O'Loughlin is mourning his dead wife.  At least he has his mom and dad to lean on.  One day he gets a call his dad is in ICU and in a coma.  When he gets to the hospital, he sees a woman by his dad's bedside but not his mom.  When he inquires, the woman tells him she is his dad's other wife!  Say what?  This is an adult novel. 

If you are looking for an action book, this is not it.  This is a psychological thriller that you need your thinking cap for!  There are several story lines that all lead to the main story!  I enjoyed the twists and the different characters were true to life.  Also, you never knew what was really going to happen next!  Some parts are slow, but I though the overall story made up for that.  It had a good ending and is well worth reading!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 10:  'But I was told . . .'  'I asked the hospital to call you.'  'I'm sorry, but who are you?'  'I'm his other wife.'

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!

"Fire & Ice" (Book 3 of Wild at Heart series) by Mary Connealy

Fire & Ice by Mary Connealy is the third and final book in the Wild Heart series. This book focuses on Bailey and Gage. Bailey prides herself on being able to take care of herself and be as good a rancher as any man and Gage is determined to get his cattle to graze in the canyon that Bailey blocked with her cabin. While Gage starts blasting away the mountain to give him another way into the canyon, he and some of his men nearly get killed when a trap someone set for them results in an avalanche! He accuses Bailey but she sets him straight and convinces him it wasn’t her that set that trap. After making it through a lonely winter, she is actually happy when Gage Coulter comes to her door, but is floored at what he wants.

This third book continued to be entertaining and is a great ending to this series. I loved how Bailey and Gage gradually grew to love each other. I really liked all three sisters in this series and was sorry to see it end. Once again, this book had adventure, mystery, romance and humor. I loved this series and flew through all three books once I started it.  I highly recommend this series for light reading.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 14:  "This is why you've been as good as hiding from me ever since the first time I came across you in your sister's cabin, all the way back before Kylie married Aaron.  You didn't want me to know you were a woman."

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!

"Now & Forever" by Mary Connealy (Book 2 of Wild at Heart series)

Now & Forever by Mary Connealy is the second book in the Wild at Heart series that focuses on Shannon and the mountain man, Tucker, who sometimes works for Gage Coulter. After tucker gets clawed by a bear and Shannon and he fall off a cliff into the river to get away, they rely on each other to find a way out. They spend five days and nights in an underground cave before they are rescued, at which time they get married! Most of the story is the mystery and adventure of someone trying to chase them off their homestead by getting their sheep killed and burning their barn. Although Shannon is a tough woman, she cries a lot in this book.

I liked this book as much as the first in this series, but was a bit disappointed in the ending. (5 stars)

Teaser from page 28: She’d go find her sister, who would turn out to be the first woman ever to survive this rattlesnake of a river. And if anyone could do it, it was Shannon. And no one was more apt to help her than Matthew Tucker.


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!

"My Sister, The Serial Killer" by Oyinkan Braithwaite

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite centers on two sisters.  The older sister is Korede and the younger sister is Ayoola.  Ayoola is the killer of some men that she has a relationship with.  Korede cleans up the mess.  Now a man Korede is in love with is going out with her sister.  All bets are off now!  This book had a lot of hype so I wanted to read it.  I found it to be okay.  The story line kept me involved and the sisters were good characters.  This is the author's first book.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 6:  "It's not my fault, you know."  But I don't know.  I don't know what she is referring to. 

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!

"Tried & True" (Wild at Heart Series Book 1) by Mary Connealy

Tried & True by Mary Connealy is about three sisters becoming homesteaders after serving in the Civil War disguised as men to fulfill their pa's dream.  Kylie, Bailey and Shannon are the three sisters who have been made tough by war and have picked up some manly skills.  Shannon loves animals and is happy raising sheep while the eldest sister, Bailey loves being independent and raising cattle.  Kylie, however, prefers civilization, tea parties and bonnets and has agreed to homestead for just three years to claim ownership of the land and then sell it to her pa and move back east.  When the land agent comes around and discovers she is a woman so can't get the 2-yr land exemption and has to live on the land five years to own it, she is devastated and her plans change.

I enjoyed this first book in the series which centers on Kylie and look forward to reading about the other two sisters in the next books of this series.  Kylie's struggles to do manly jobs at her cabin, the efforts to try to get her to leave and the romance that developed between her and Aaron, the land agent, kept my interest. 
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from pg. 21:  Aaron Masterson had his arms around the prettiest little thing in the whole wide world.  And considering she was soaking wet, freezing cold, and crying her head off, that was saying something.

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 Wonky Donkey" by Craig Smith

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith with illustrations by Katz Cowley if a cute, funny early childhood book that has been on the best seller list.  That is why Gerard wanted to read it.  I saw this video on Facebook one day so I decided to read it too.  It is very repetitive and could be used to help little children exercise their memory skills.  I thought it was very cute and not just for children as you can see by this video, the grandma was enjoying it as much if not more than the little boy.  It's a quick read for sure--this grandma read the entire book in just over 4 minutes.
(Karen & Gerard, 5 star for children)


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!

"What You Hide" by Natalie D. Richards

In What You Hide by Natalie D. Richards, Spencer is the son of a wealthy family.  He is nearing the end of high school and his family has plans for him.  He want to do his own thing.  Mallory lives with her mom and step dad.  She fears for the safety of her mom and herself with a baby is on the way.  Mallory takes off and finds shelter in a library where Spencer does community service.

I thought this book was pretty good.  It kept my interest and the pacing was good so I never got bored.  I enjoyed both Mallory and Spencer and think it was worth the read.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 3:  I start my ascent, slow and steady.  The world slips quietly away.

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Gerard's Best Books of 2018

Out of 101 books I read during 2018, I have narrowed it down to the 12 favorites below:

1--Life in a Jar by Jack Mayer (non-fiction)

2--On Desperate Ground by Hampton Sides

3--The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (Wife also gave this 5 stars)

4--The Last Namasara by Kristen Cicarelli (One of wife's favorites too)

5--Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage (Wife also liked)

6--Bright We Burn by Kiersten White (book 3 of I Darken series)

7--Night Blood by Elly Blake (Frost Blood Series)

8--The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

9--The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

10--Children of Blood and Bone by Tom Adeyemi

11-Educated by Tara Westover (non-fiction)

12-Fury Born by Claire Legrand

See previous post for my wife's best books of 2018.  Whose list do you like better?

 Happy Reading!

Karen's Best Books of 2018

I narrowed down my favorite reads of 2018 to 12 but that includes counting four great series each as one item. My mix included some YA sports stories, historical fiction/romance, science fiction, fantasy and mystery.

1. Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain (contemporary science fiction, time travel)

Best single book of the year—Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain was fantastic. I hated to put it down because I was always eager to see what would happen next. This emotional read had so many ups and downs, twists and turns that I just kept thinking about it even after I finished. Time travel is something fun to think about and this book made it very believable. I found myself saying “Oh no!” out loud several times throughout this book! It’s about a mother’s love for her unborn child and the lengths she goes to in order for it to be healthy and have a good life. If I could recommend just one book to a woman, this would be it!

2. Nyxia by Scot Reintgen (2-book YA science fiction series)
Nyxia contained a lot of relational stuff among competitors from around the world. It was about leadership, competition, and finally survival and courage. This one is reminiscent of Ender’s Game, which I loved!

3. Everlost by Neal Shusterman (3-book YA fantasy series)
The Everlost series was just a fun read for me about how dead people can enter the body of living humans or in some cases, animals even which is called “skin jacking.” This one had lots of funny parts that made me actually laugh out loud.



4. Clover Springs Mail Order Bride Box Set by Rachel Wesson (5-book historical romance series)

5. Trails of the Heart by Rachel Wesson (5-book historical fiction series)
The Rachel Wesson historical romance series were very entertaining, with adventure, wit, and clean romance. Although each book was about the Old West romances, they each had a unique angle which kept me reading more and more of her stories. These too were quick reads.




6. A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena (murder mystery)

7. Her Last Breath by Linda Costello (hit-n-run Amish mystery)
A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena and Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo were both well written murder mysteries with surprise endings for me.










8. The Last Namsara by Kristen Cicarelli (fantasy with dragons)
This one was such a different type of read for me that kept my interest. I loved the dragons in it and the main character was very cool. This is the first dragon book I ever read.

9. QB1 by Mike Lupica (children’s football story)

10. Fast Break by Mike Lupica (children’s basketball story)

11. Team Players by Mike Lupica (children’s baseball story)

 

The Mike Lupica books are great reads for kids who like sports, but I enjoyed them very much too. He wrote many others as well, but the three I listed above were the ones I liked best. They are short and go fast, but all are more than just about sports.

12. DRY by Neal Shusterman (YA contemporary fiction)
This one is actually pretty scary because it is about something that could actually happen—serious drought! A group of teens who do not have much in common, join together to work to survive.

I highly recommend all these, loved them all!  I'd love to hear what you thought of them if you read any.  I read over 90 books so it wasn't easy to narrow it down to this.  Subscribe to this blog so you don't miss any of our book reviews.  Happy Reading!

"Beyond Their Years--Stories of Sixteen Civil War Children" by Scotti Cohn

Beyond Their Years by Scotti Cohn is historical non-fiction. This is a collection of stories from 16 people who, during their childhood, the civil war was ongoing. They look back and tell how they dealt with it. This is a wide range of stories from men and women. Some from the north and some from the south. For the most part, they were interesting with some better than others. If you enjoy reading about history, this is the book for you!
(Gerard’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 55:  Before the end of February, the blue-eyed, sandy-haired "little snotty boy" wore a dark blue uniform and carried a gun.  One of the other soldiers, a big husky fellow called "Curly," was not impressed with the newly created "Private Stockwell."

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!

"Ashes in the Snow" by Ruta Sepetys

Ashes in the Snow by Ruta Sepetys is a work of historical fiction about when the Russians under orders from Stalin took people from Lithuania to Siberia and put them in a work-concentration camp.  The main characters are Lina--16-yr.-old girl, her brother Jonas and their mother.  Their father was taken separately!  The writing in this book is really good.  I got a real sense of what these people went through by reading this.  It was a good book to finish the year.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

Teaser from page 43:  Siberia?  That couldn't be right.  Siberia was half a world away.  There was nothing in Siberia.

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!

"Stolen Marriage" by Diane Chamberlain

In Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain, during 1943-1955, Tess is engaged to her childhood friend, Vincent.  Tess and Vincent are both devout Catholics in Maryland, and look forward to working together, he as doctor and she as nurse.  However, when a polio epidemic breaks out in Chicago, Vincent, a fine doctor goes to help.  A couple weeks turns into many and although they write, Tess gets impatient for his return.  Her girlfriend, Gina, whose husband is off at war talks Tess into taking a short fun trip to Washington, D.C. and staying at her aunt's little tourist hotel.  Then something happens that changes everything and throws a monkey wrench into her life!  She gets drunk and a total stranger takes her virginity!  She feels so ashamed and then a couple months later discovers she is pregnant!  Will she and Vincent still get married?  What will she do about the baby?  Will she even get her nursing license?  You'll have to read the book to find out, I'm not telling.

I liked this book and felt bad for Tess.  There are a lot of well-developed characters that become a part of Tess' life and there are a lot issues happening in this book including inter-racial marriage, family secrets, grief, relationships, acceptance, love and the amazing story of how Hickory, North Carolina volunteers got a Polio hospital built and functioning in just 54 hours that is based on true events. This is a good story that I think would be a good read for a book club.  I am giving it 4 stars just because I enjoyed other books by Diane Chamberlain more.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 33:  The night before came back to me in a rush and I kept my eyes squeezed tightly closed in regret.  What had I done?  I'd made love--no, I'd had sex--with a stranger.  Oh, to be able to take it all back!

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!

"My Name is Leon" by Kit de Waal

In My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal, Leon is a 9-yr.-old boy who lives with his mom.  His dad left a while ago.  His mom pretty much leaves him to fend for himself.  Add a new baby to the mix, and that is trouble!  Pretty soon Leon and his baby brothe4r get put into a foster home.  His baby brother gets adopted, but not Leon!  Leon will find his brother if it is the last thing he does.

This book started out strong, but when a bunch of new characters get brought in, it kind of went off track.  However, the ending brings the book back on track.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 29:  "She's been taken to the hospital, love.  You could see she wasn't well."

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"Juror #3" by James Patterson

In Juror #3 by James Paterson, Ruby does not have too much experience in court.  Now she had to defend a person in a murder trial!  I thought this was pretty good.  Ruby was a great character and really carried the book.  There are actually two trials in this book--the second trial is the main story.  The book flowed well and had a good twist to it!
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

Karen's review:
Juror #3 by James Patterson is about Ruby, an inexperienced lawyer who finds herself representing two men charged with murder in two separate trials in Mississippi.  In the second trial, Lee, a wealthy man who she almost married is her client.  She feels as though she is over her head, but is supported by Lee's sister, Suzanne.  In both trials, Juror #3 is a strange one!

I enjoyed this book but was disappointed the second trial was sort of skimmed by at the end.  Ruby was brave and put herself in danger to help her client.
(Karen's review, 4 stars) 

Teaser from pg. 30 of large print version:  My stomach did a flop.  I had a spasm of such intense nausea, I was afraid I might vomit on his carpet.

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"The Girl with the Broken Heart" by Lurlene McDaniel

In The Girl with the Broken Heart by Lurlene McDaniel, Kenzie's second year of college comes to a close.  Instead of going home, she heads off to work at a horse farm to take care of three horses!  She has her reasons.  Austin, who has secrets comes into the picture to help Kenzie with the horses.

I enjoyed this book!  Kenzie and Austin were really good characters.  The book had good pacing so I really could not figure out the whole story.  I had this book at 5 stars, but the ending par pushed it up to a 5++ stars, my highest rank!  I recommend this one to anyone who likes Hallmark movies--good read.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review:
The Girl with the Broken Heart is a teen romance between Kenzie, a college girl with a heart issue and Austin, the guy who was her helper in caring for rescue horses during one summer. Austin finds himself falling in love with her even though he tries not to. He has secrets he does not want to share.

This book is okay. Kenzie and Austin’s feelings are developed slowly which makes their relationship very believable. I liked that there are no sex scenes in this book. Although there are sad events, the writing did not touch my emotions. I thought this was pretty ho-hum but enjoyed the horse part of the story. (3 stars)


Teaser from page 18:  She closed her eyes, took deep breaths.  "I . . . I know.  I didn't mean to yell at you.  I guess I was expecting someone--"

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"The Last Pass" by Gary M. Pomerantz

The Last Pass by Gary M. Pomerantz is a true story describing the basketball career of Bob Cousy and his life off the court.  Bob Cousy was a fantastic point guard for the Boston Celtics.  The stuff he could do with a basketball is amazing!  He could dribble and pass like no one else!

The basketball part of this book was really good, but I enjoyed reading about his life off the court even more!  I laughed out loud while reading this one!  He is in his 90s now, what a remarkable story he has told!  This is my "book of the month" for December!
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 28:  Seeing Cousy play against the Globetrotters that night, Kerner, owner of the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks, was dazzled.  He decided that Cousy was the greatest college player he had ever seen.

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"When the Men Were Gone" by Marjorie Herrera Lewis

When the Men Were Gone by Marjorie Herrera Lewis is based on a true story that is inspiring.  In fact, it even inspired the author to give coaching football a try!  Brownwood, a small Texas town during WW II was on the verge of canceling their High School football season because they did not have a coach.  Tylene, a former English teacher and now assistant principal at the High School loved football and what it meant to the town.  She also hated to see the season canceled, knowing the then some of the seniors may drop out to enlist.  She began her search for a coach and found herself stepping into the role!  A lady football coach was unheard of in the 1940s, but Tylene ignored the insults and proved she knew the game and could play!

I enjoyed this book very much.  I really liked the football parts and how Tylene and Moose interacted with the players and how she convinced the men she could be the coach.  I give this 4 stars because I would have liked to have had more football games than just one.  This is a quick read and I was sad to see it end.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)


Gerard's review:
When the Men Were Gone by Marjorie Herrera Lewis is based on a true story.  In the early 1940s, in a small town in Texas, it's time for high school football.  It is the place to be on Friday nights!  But, with the men of fighting the war, somebody needs to step up to coach the team.  With no one coming forward, it looks like the season will be called off until a woman steps up!  How will that go over?

I enjoyed this book very much.  Tylene was a great character and rally carried the book.  The story line rang very true in this quick read.
(5 stars)

Teaser from page 3:  "When are you going to call the shots out there, Tylene?"  Mr. Periwinkle asked.
      "I'll go down there right now if they'll let me," I said.
      My father turned to the men.  "Don't kid yourselves.  She might just take over before the second half."

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"One of Us" by Craig DiLouie

One of Us by Craig DiLouie is about a bunch of children who were born with extreme genetic mutations.  They are kept in a home, but this is not a happy home to say the least!  They want that to change.  I thought this book was okay.  The story line was told pretty well; however, some parts did not hold my interest.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 62:  "You creepers keep away from normal kids, you hear.  Next time, there won't be no warning.  I'll just take off my belt and get to whuppin'.  Understand?"

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