"Where the Forest Meets the Stars" by Glendy Vanderah

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah, is an interesting story about love.  A very smart little girl claiming to be an alien shows up at Jo's cottage with a wild story, no shoes and dirty clothes.  Jo tries to find out her name, but the girl refuses to say.  After searching missing person websites with no success, she grows attached to the child.  Gabe, a neighbor, allows the girl to visit his farm animals and she also becomes attached to Gabe.

This is a good story but moved a bit slow for my taste.  I liked the girl though and it kept my interest because I wanted to see how things would turn out.  I liked the ending.  It's more than just the mystery about the girl though.  It's also about walls people put up and how even adults are sometimes afraid to let people in.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

In Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah, Joanna is doing graduate research in the forest alone, the way she likes it!  One day a young girl shows up.  Who is she?  Joanna goes to the police, but gets no help.  Looks at missing children files and finds nothing!  Joanna lets her stay until she finds out who she is.

I thought this book was very good!  I was into it the whole way and really cared about the characters.  It moved right along.  (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 3:  Jo could see her eyes now.  The intelligent glint in her gaze was oddly shrewd for her baby face, and Jo took that as a sign that she knew it was all in fun.  "If you're an alien, why do you look human?"

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"A Heart So Fierce and Broken" by Brigid Kemmerer

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer is the second book of this series about Rhen, Grey and Harper.  In this book, the main characters are Grey, Lila Mara and Hunter's brother and friend--Jacob and Noah.  The focus is on Grey's secret and the efforts of Lila Mara's country to form an alliance with Rhen.  Will there be war or can a peace agreement be reached?  Will Grey and Lila fall in love, perhaps rule together?  How will Rhen protect his people?

I enjoyed this book as well, especially since I like Grey and this was all about him.  There was fighting, new relationships formed and a cliff hanging ending.  Can't wait to read the next book in the series!  I was somewhat disappointed in the small part Harper had in this book; however, I did like Lila Mara and found myself routing for her and Grey.  I also liked the scarver, Iisak who brought another facet to the story.  There was not a lot of magic in this one, just a little here and there.  I enjoyed Jacob's brother in this and the banter between him and Grey.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review:
A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmererfocuses on Grey, the former captain of the guards protecting Rhen.  Lia Mara is the new character in this book that plays a main role along with Grey.  She tries to make a peaceful alliance with Rhen, but appears to have failed.  I thought this book was very, very good!  I enjoyed the interaction among all the characters.  The pacing of the book is very good also so I am looking forward to book 3!  (5++ stars)

See our review of the first book in this series, A Curse So Dark and Lonely.

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"Bravelands--The Spirit-Eaters" by Erin Hunter

You can never go wrong with an Erin Hunter book!  Bravelands--The Spirit-eaters has talking animals!  Bravelands faces danger like it has never known before.  A pack of wolves has broken "the code."  They must be stopped, but by whom? and how? 

I enjoyed this book very much.  It flows along well and has plenty of action.  It has maps on the inside covers.  It looks like a book two is coming which I am happy about.
(Gerard Zemek, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 10:  "They didn't eat anything of their kills--nothing, except the heart.  These wolves, they believe that when they eat a creature's heart, they take its spirit and its abilities."

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"Dear Edward" by Ann Napolitano

In Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, a young boy named Edward is the only person to survive a plane crash.  The reader gets two stories:  (1) Edward's life after the crash, and (2) the story of some other people on the plane, including Edward's family.  I liked this book because I enjoyed both of the story lines and the writing.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 27:  "Well, just so you know, several Facebook pages have sprung up, devoted to either the flight or to Edward.  There was also a Twitter account called @miracleboy, with Edward's face as the avatar, but that's been taken down."

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"The Making of a Miracle" by Mike Eruzione with Neal E. Boudette

The Making of a Miracle--The Untold Story of the Captain of the 1980 Gold Medal--Winning US Olympic Hockey Team by Mike Eruzione with Neal E. Boudette is the story of growing up playing sports.  I enjoyed learning about Mike's family life outside of sports.  The highlight of the book is the Olympic team that beat the U.S.S.R. and then went on to win the gold Medal.  There is good inside stuff about that.  I enjoyed this book and it moved right along. 
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 3:  And now something good, something really good and wonderful and incredible and amazing, had happened, and at that moment, that's when I stopped believing.  The thought just kept going through my head as I moved from one teammate to the next.

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"Beyond Hope's Valley" by Tricia Goyer

Image from Goodreads

Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer is the last book in the Big Sky series about Mari's two marriage options.  Will she choose the good Amish man she grew up with or leave the Amish way for Ben, the man who captured her heart?  Ben pursues his music career in this book and Mari moves back to Indiana to help her brother and Naomi during Naomi's pregnancy. 

This book dragged a bit for me.  It seemed it could have been wrapped up quicker.  It became kind of repetitive and tiresome for me.  I did not like this one as well as I did the others. 
(Karen's review, 3 stars)


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"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" by Charlie Mackesy

The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is a very short book with illustrations on every page.   It is about a young boy who becomes friends with a mole, a fox and a horse.  It is thought provoking because the boy asks some interesting questions.  It has some life lessons that apply to both young and old people with some humor too.  It is about kindness, friendship and love.  It's a happy quick read that is very unique because it is handwritten!  We enjoyed it, always like books with talking animals! 
(Karen & Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

Teaser (pages are not numbered):  "Often the hardest person to forgive is yourself."  What is the bravest thing you ever said?" asked the boy.

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"I, Cosmo" by Carlie Sorosiak

I, Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak is told well by Cosmo, a 13-yr.-old Golden Retriever. He describes his forever family and the special bond he has with Max, the boy in the family.  Although a children's book, this is a very good read with a happy ending.  It deals with a lot of family issues.  It made me laugh and I think you will enjoy how it all plays out as I did.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 22:  The bathroom doors remain closed following that first instance, many years ago, when I discovered the joy of toilet paper, unrolling sheet after sheet in frenzied merriment.  Television is my saving grace.

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"Anyone" by Charles Soule

In Anyone by Charles Soule, Gabby White is a scientist.  She is being funded but the money is pretty close to running out.  She needs to come up with something life changing.  Can she do it?  And, if she does, can she trust the people funding her to do the right thing?  I thought this book was very good.  It's just wild enough to keep me engaged throughout.  The story flowed along well and had good action!  Loved how it ended!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 

Teaser from page 15:  It felt like a video game, like a first-person video game, like Skyrim.  That was her only basis for comparison.  She was looking out through Paul's eyes, but she wasn't Paul.  She was still Gabrielle.  She hoped.

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

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus is the follow-up to One of Us Is Lying (which I liked more). The same cast of characters is back!  This book picks up after the death of Simon and is told in two parts.  Part 1 is okay, but the real action is in part 2.  I enjoyed Phoebe and Knox the most.  This is pretty good because I loved the ending.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 34:  Phoebe Lawton, you're up first!  Text back your choice:  Should I reveal a Truth, or will you take a Dare?

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"Who Stole My Church" by Gordon MacDonald (Writer's Workshop--Last Book I Read)

Who Stole My Church by Gordon MacDonald is about a pastor of a church who decides to meet with a group from his congregation every week to get feedback and to discuss what is going on in their church.  This was very different from books I usually read and was dry for me.  There really isn't much to get excited about--it was like going to a long church meeting.  I did find the life situations people were going through outside of church interesting.
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

Karen's review of 5/30/19:
When our Sr. Pastoral candidate said if he were called to be our Senior Pastor at Parma Heights Baptist Church, Who Stole My Church? by Gordon MacDonald would be required reading, I went home and ordered it from the library. In an introductory meeting with the leadership of the church, one of the questions asked of him was what book other than the Bible has had an influence on your life. His answer was Who Stole My Church?.

This is a thought-provoking fiction book about a typical congregation of a few hundred people in New England and a Pastor who wants to make changes to reach more people for Christ. An older segment of people in the church oppose spending lots of money on upgrading a sound system in the sanctuary, feel as though everything revolves around the young people, miss singing the old hymns and feel like they are in a war fighting to keep their church the way it’s always been. The pastor and his wife are based on the author’s real experiences. In the book, the Pastor creates a small group of 15 seniors who are core people in the church to meet once a week to discover their church and to understand why many things about the way they have made church work must change and reflect new realities. It is about how people face change when it threatens their comfort zone.

I thought the beginning was pretty dull when it discussed the importance of loving the church, but things picked up. I liked how easily I could relate to those in the Discovery Group and can see why our Pastoral candidate (who has accepted the call by the way to become our Sr. Pastor) recommended we read this book. It showed why changes are necessary and how both the young and older generations need to understand each other in order to work together towards a common goal—reaching the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I found the history of music chapter very interesting and whenever it mentioned a hymn, I would start singing or humming it! This is a book that definitely challenges some introspection and made me see things a bit differently when I was done. I too would recommend it to anyone who is involved in a church that is interested in seeing their church grow and reach the younger generation with the gospel. (4 stars)

Teaser from page 113: “Does all the music we love have to be thrown out the window just because the young people want something different?” Lillian asked. “Isn’t there anyplace for the music we grew up loving?”

See more posts inspired by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.  (Blog Hop)


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"Citizen 865--The Hunt for Hitler's Hidden Soldiers in America" by Debbie Cenziper

Citizen 865 by Debbie Cenziper tells the true story of men whose job it was to find Hitler's hidden soldiers in America after World War II.  This book is just 250 pages.  For the most part, it kept my interest.  I learned some new information, but at times it read like a text book.  I give it a solid 4 stars.
(Gerard's review)

Teaser from page 9:  Feliks closed his eyes and waited, three seconds, five, ten, his mind and body still.  This, he decided, must be what death feels like.

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"Along Wooded Paths" by Tricia Goyer

Image from Goodreads

Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer is an enjoyable read about an Amish girl who has two men romantically interested in her.  One, is Aaron, the Amish man she grew up with in Indiana, and the other not Amish, Ben, who serves an Amish community in Montana.  During her time in Montana, she discovers God in a new way and realizes that even people who are not Amish can be close to God!  She begins to question some of her traditions she grew up with and does a lot of thinking.  This is book 2 of The Big Sky series.

I enjoyed this book very much.  The characters were well developed and were very believable.  It was also interesting learning some things about the Amish I hadn't known before.  I liked that the reader got to know Ben's and Aaron's thoughts and not just Marianna's.  I felt for the characters as I read.   
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 15, Loc. 249-50:  But the closer he got, the more he questioned if that would be the case.  Had the distance ruined any chance of the love he'd once counted on?

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"21 Dangerous Prayers" by Gary Rohrmayer

21 Dangerous Prayers by Gary Rohrmayer is a very short booklet with 21 prayers taken from the Bible along with some commentary for each.  Then it has a couple pages of the same questions for reflection after each chapter.  It's good it only cost a dollar!  I wasn't very impressed with it but bought it since it was a church-wide thing we were doing together.  It could be used as a devotional.  I was expecting it to be more like The Risk Factor:  Crossing the Chicken Lineinto Your Supernatural Destiny by Kevin and Chad Dedmon.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

Teaser from Kindle Loc. 565:  Honesty and contentment are the pathways that lead to a life of integrity and generosity.

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"There Will Come a Darkness" by Katy Rose Pool

In There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool, the age of darkness is coming to the land but, all is not lost.  According to legend, a new prophet will rise and be the savior.  But who is that?  and will he or she be able to do it?  This book covers five people who could be the hope for the world or the cause of the darkness predicted! 

I thought this book was really, really good!  The author told the story in such a way so I was really invested in the main characters!  With tons of action that I did not know what was to come!  I am amazed that this was the author's first book.  Give it a chance.  If there is a sequel, I will be on it!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 15:  "There's no word about the prince," the woman continued.  "He hasn't been seen in Nazirah since the coup.  He's completely vanished."

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"Finding Chika" by Mitch Albom

Finding Chika by Mitch Albom is a true story about a little girl, an earthquake, and the making of a family.  Chika was born in Haiti.  At age 5, she is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.  Mitch and his wife, Janine, bring her to America in hope of finding a cure.  I thought this book was pretty good.  I fell in love with Chika quickly.  The story flowed well.  This book will tug at your heart strings.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

 Teaser from page 21:  To be honest, Chika, for my first few years, I didn't understand a great deal about Haiti, or the orphanage, or how I was supposed to make the place work.  The power would go off every day, the water would run out, deliveries of rice and bulgur would start and stop, and we never had enough medicine.

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"A Bookshop in Berlin" by Francoise Frenkel

A Bookshop in Berlin by Francoise Frenkel tells the true story about owning and running a bookstore.  It became a popular place until Hitler and his police took over in Berlin.  Her shop was destroyed and she had to take off to save herself.  This was fairly short and was pretty good but had some dull spots.
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

Teaser from page 14:  Hide newspapers?  Keep them under the counter?  "Distribution of prohibited newspapers," that would have had me sent to a concentration camp.

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"Wolf Pack" by C. J. Box

In Wolf Pack by C. J. Box, two game wardens want to go after the person who is causing deer and elk to stampeed and some are getting killed, but they are told to stand down!  For the good of national interest or else!  Why is this person being protected?

This is good stuff!  The story and action kept me turning pages.  The ending part ws very good to say the least!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 48 (large print version):  Joe felt a tremor wash through him.  He couldn't help but think the wolf was sending him a warning of some kind.

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"Three Things I Know Are True" by Betty Culley

In Three Things I Know Are True by Betty Culley, Jonah and Clay are friends who live across the street from each other.  One day when they are together, a gun shot goes out.  Both boys' lives will never be the same again!  I thought this book was very good.  I was into it from page 1.  The story flowed along quickly and I especially enjoyed all the teen characters.  It is hard to believe this is the author's first book!  Job very well done and written in verse!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 10:  It's only afterward that we know it was THAT shot--not Clay's dad's weekend target shooting in their backyard.

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"Child's Play" by Danielle Steel is between a Hallmark Movie and a Lifetime Movie

In Child's Play by Danielle Steel, Kate Morgan is a senior partner at a big law firm in New York.  She had to overcome the death of her husband when she was in her 30s having to raise three children--2 girls, 1 boy.  It was tough, but she did it and she is proud of them.  Life is good, but life has a way of changing as Kate is going to discover!  This book was like a mix between a Hallmark movie and a Lifetime flick.  I enjoyed all the characters, especially Kate's mother.  I does not take much brain power to figure how all this is going to play out, but I enjoyed it anyway.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars) 

Teaser from page 30:  Kate knew that was true.  She believed that you had to set the bar high.  They were al successful in their chosen fields, no one had made any terrible mistakes, and Kate liked it that way.

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"Recursion" by Blake Crouch is Wild!

Recursion by Blake Crouch is quite a book!  Imagine living in a world where people have vivid memories of something except those memories are false!  How does one figure out which memories are true?  It is enough to drive people mad.  This is a wild book to say the least. To me, this book started out slow, but when I got into it, I can see why it was one of the most popular books of 2019!  The two main characters are Barry, a cop, and Helena Smith, a neuroscientist.  The second half of this book is filled with action that more than makes up for the start.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 151:  "If memory is unreliable, if the past and the present can simply change without warning, then fact and truth will cease to exist.  How do we live in a world like that?  This is why we're seeing an epidemic of suicides."

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"The Passengers" by John Marrs was a Page Turner for Me

Imagine being in a car that you have no control of.  That is what happens in The Passengers by John Marrs!  This is what a few people in this novel face and they are told that the end of their ride will probably end very badly for them.  The mystery is Who is doing this and why were these people chosen?

I greatly enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down.  There is plenty of good action and enough twists that I did not know what bombshell was going to drop!  I enjoyed all the characters and the writing made this book fly by!  This is my first "Must Read" recommendation of 2020.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review:
The Passengers by John Marrs is about automated driverless cars and six hostages in cars that took over control. This is one thriller I did not care for at all.  I read it because my husband enjoyed it so much and said it was a "must read" but we do not agree on this one.  I did not like the writing style nor the way the story was told. It dragged along for me and I was glad when I finally finished it. I was caught by surprised at the ending, but even that wasn’t enough to make me recommend this to someone. I plowed through it, but did not enjoy it. This is one my husband and I had opposite views on. (2 stars)

Teaser from page 9:  "Neither of those things matter right now," the voice replied.  "The only thing you need to know at this point is that two hours and thirty minutes from now, it is highly likely that you will be dead."

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"The End and Other Beginnings" by Veronica Roth was Disappointing

The End and Other Beginnings by Veronica Roth is a collection of six short stories. The first one and the third one were okay, the other four, not so much. The writing was not very good at all.
(Gerard's review, 3 stars) 

Teaser from page 3 of (Inertia):  I didn't want to share a consciousness with Matt.  I didn't even want to be in the same room as him.

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Loved "Keeping Lucy" by T. Greenwood

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood is based on a true story.  Ginny gives birth to a baby girl and names her Lucy.  At birth, the doctor tells her that her daughter is going to be a special needs child.  Her husband's father is a very rich and influential person.  He finds a way to keep Lucy out of sight and hopefully out of mind for Ginny.  But, things get out of control and Ginny goes to get her child back--this time for keeps! 

I was into this book from page 1.  This book rang true to me.  The story flowed along well and I enjoyed Ginny very much!  LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 9:  "This is all a terrible mistake," she said, yanking her hand from his and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed to get up.  Her head felt swimmy and she could still taste the acrid vomit at the back of her throat.

Happy Reading!

"A Mrs. Miracle Christmas" by Debbie Macomber

In A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber, Laura is worried about her grandmother, Helen, getting Dementia.  She doesn't want to leave her alone so hires a home-care provider, Mrs. Miracle, from Caring Angels.  Laura and Zach can't have children so tried to adopt but were devastated when it didn't work out.  Laura is thrilled her Nana and Mrs. Miracle hit it off and has seen improvement in Nana's behavior and attitude since she hired Mrs. Miracle.  When Helen tells Laura that Mrs. Miracle is a real angel, Laura begins to worry again. 

This is a delightful, entertaining read that reminded me of the show, Touched by an Angel.  If you liked that show, I would highly recommend this book to you.  My favorite characters are Helen and Mrs. Miracle.  It's a fun, light read.  It could easily be a Hallmark Christmas movie in my opinion.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 30:  That Mrs. Miracle knew this shouldn't have surprised Helen, if indeed she was an angel.  But it sure seemed to Helen that this woman was privy to a lot of personal information, angel or not.

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!

"Fallen Land" by Taylor Brown (Historical Fiction)

Fallen Land by Taylor Brown takes place in the final year of the Civil War.  Ava and Callum are on the run because a band of marauders are after a bounty that is on Callum, a seasoned horse thief from Ireland.  Reiver, thier horse, must carry Ava and Callum to safety.

I enjoyed this book and its two main characters very much.  It is like a western which I haven't read in a long time so a nice change of pace for me.  This is the author's first book!  This is the second time I've read this one--I liked it when I read it in 2016 too.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 24:  The boy staggered along behind, finding his legs.  He was still disoriented, his boots tripping along the ground.

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!

Books We Loved in 2019

This video is made up of three parts:  the first is books we both loved, the second is ten more that Gerard loved in addition to the first nine, and the third is ten more that Karen loved in addition to the first nine.  For links to reviews of the first nine, see previous post.  To find our reviews, just enter the title of the book in the search box at upper left of our blog.

Books Read in 2019 That We Both Loved and Highly Recommend

It's that time of year to review what we read last year and give you our top recommendations.  All year I keep a Word document of the books we read with our reviews printed so at the end of the year, we can just go through the list and circle our favorites.  I also have a photo album of the pictures of our favorite reads for each year which helps a lot when doing this blog post!  We use the library.  I read 81 books in 2019 and Gerard beat me again with 91.  Below is the list of nine books that we both loved including the links to our reviews of them for your convenience.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (Fantasy)

Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst (Third book in Queens of Renthia Series)  (Fantasy)

The Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst (Fantasy/romance)

The Chain by Adrian McKinty (Thriller/Mystery)

  

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin (Thriller/Mystery)

No Exit by Taylor Adams (Thriller)

We, the Jury by Robert Rotstein  (Mystery)

The Institute by Stephen King (Horror)

The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow (Autobiography--child abuse)

The way we review books is totally subjective.  We strictly go by how much it draws us in and makes us want to get back to it.  As you can see, we read different genres.  The fact that we have only 9 books that we both loved out of 172 proves we have fairly different tastes when it comes to books.  We don't always read the same books though, so be sure to see our other posts we do coming soon that gives you each of our individual top 10 reads besides these.  

Happy Reading in the New Year!

"If You Tell" by Gregg Olsen

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen is a true story!   This book centers on Shelly, the mom, and her daughters:  Nikki, Sami and Tori.  Even as I read this, I found it hard to believe, especially that it went on for so long!  The story has good flow to it and I never knew what Shelly was going to do next!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 13:  Years later, Lara took a deep breath, recalling, "She used to chop up bits of glass and put them in the bottom of [the kids'] boots and shoes," she said.  "What kind of person does something like that?"

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!

"Unbreakable Brain--Shield Your Brain From Cognitive Decline. . . For Life!" by Will Mitchell

One of my greatest fears is Alzheimers or Dementia so when I saw a video by Will Mitchell about how it can be avoided and even reversed, I requested his book for Christmas--Unbreakable Brain by Will Mitchell.  I was disappointed in it because most of the helpful things to do and avoid I saw in the video.  The first half of the book was very boring to me because it was all about how the brain works.  There were only two chapters I found to be somewhat helpful at all which are Chapters 5 and 7.  This is a short book of only 7 chapters, but in my opinion, it could have been less than 20 pages to cover the helpful information.  Even at that, most of the helpful information was stuff I heard before, such as exercise, do strength training, keep learning new things, avoid stress, socialize often and eat healthy.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

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"Deck the Hounds" by David Rosenfelt

In Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt, Andy Carpenter is a lawyer who can pick and choose which case he wants to take.   Andy befriends a homeless man and when he finds out this man is being accused of murder, Andy decides to defend him.  This book is okay but to be honest, I could never really get into any of the characters.  The story line was okay so I did finish it.  There were cute dogs on the cover which I liked; unfortunately, they had very little to do with the story.  The cover is very deceiving which I did not appreciate!
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

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"A Noise Downstairs" by Linwood Barclay Much Better Than "Elevator Pitch"

A Noise Downstairs is the second book I read by Linwood Barclay and is way better than the first--Elevator Pitch.  This has lots of story lines.  The main one concerns a man called Paul almost got killed and is now dealing with something strange in his life.  However, there is a lot more to this novel than just that!

I did not know what was going to happen next.  A twist near the end that I did not see coming and the ending was wild to say the least.  I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 8:  Paul suspected Kenneth would hop in and make a run for it.  With the tailgate open, if he floored it, the bodies might slide right out onto the shoulder.

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"Beside Still Waters"--A Big Sky novel by Tricia Goyer

(image from Goodreads)

Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer is an interesting Amish romance novel.  Marianna is an Amish girl who has always tried to do right and obey the Amish rules to be sure to not disappoint her parents.  Her two older sisters were killed in a buggy accident the day she was born and feels like she is a constant reminder to her parents of their deaths.  When her parents decide to move away from their Amish community in Indiana to Montana, she is very upset, as she is hoping to start dating Aaron Zook.  When she learns her mother is pregnant again, Marianna has no choice but to move with them to help.  To her surprise, she likes Montana and meets some very nice English people who begin to make her question some things she always believed.

I enjoyed this book but did not like how abruptly it ended.  I assume there must be a sequel which I will look for.  This is different from most other Amish stories I've read in that this one has the Amish interacting with the English in Montana instead of just being in their own little community.  I think anyone who enjoys stories about families would like this one.
(Karen's review, 5 stars) 

Teaser from page 42, Loc. 740-41 on Kindle:  Life in the Englisch world wasn't easy.  Some Amish didn't have birth certificates or Social Security cards.  Even harder was their lack of education, and work was hard to find.

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"Elevator Pitch" by Linwood Barclay

In Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay, an elevator falls in a high rise building in New York, killing people.  When it happens three days in a row, people start paying attention.  What is going on and why?
The action in this book is little and far between.  Most of it is just people talking which does not hold my interest.  I finished it anyway because a friend recommended it.  I had no problems with all the characters, but just wanted more action!
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

Teaser from page 9:  There was a loud noise from above, as though the world's largest rubber band had snapped.  The elevator trembled for a second.  Everyone looked up, stunned.

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100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings by Sarah Cooper

100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings by Sarah Cooper is a little book with pictures full of silly tricks to do in meetings. It is definitely a gag gift but is humorous. I enjoyed it, being a person who hates meetings. I would recommend this to anyone who runs meetings or has to attend them.
(Karen’s review, 3 stars)

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A Dog For Christmas" by Linda Byler (An Amish Christian Romance)

A Dog for Christmas by Linda Byler is about Amish twins during the depression. Twins Henry and Harvey were sent away from their family to live with another because they were so poor and had so many children. Rachel and Ephraim who had three girls took them in and Henry and Harvey were well cared for and learned farming. A Newfoundland dog found a home with them and became their best friend. The story about Henry includes fun times and sad times, but his faith in God grows along the way. He finds love and does well. This book seems like a Hallmark movie with some adversity to overcome and a happy ending.
Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Gerard’s review 12/6/19:
A Dog for Christmas by Linda Byler is mostly told by Henry. He was born into an Amish family. This book tells the trials of his childhood and continues into his manhood. The story has a good flow to it and I enjoyed all the characters very much. I also enjoyed the dogs that were involved in the story.
(4 stars)

Teaser from page 4: The boys didn’t look back, knowing that what was behind them was something they could never have again.
After the first mile, their feet were cold from snow leaking into the cracks in the soles of their shoes.


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"Running with Sherman--The donkey with the heart of a hero" by Christopher McDougall

Running With Sherman by Christopher McDougall is a true story.  Christopher owns a ranch and a neighbor brings him a donkey that needs some TLC.  Little did Christopher know how bad a shape the donkey was in.  Christopher was told this donkey needs a purpose and Chris got a wild idea!

This book was best when it concentrated on the main story--the donkeys.  I enjoyed it and was glad it had a good ending.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 11:  "He's paying serious attention, and he's decided we're on his side," Scott said, as he knelt to begin sawing the other front foot.  "But don't let up.  It's only going to get rougher now."

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"The Guardians" by John Grisham

The Guardians by John Grisham is about a small non-profit called Guardian Ministries dedicated to freeing wrongfully convicted prisoners. Cullen Post, a lawyer and an Episcopal minister, is the founder. He works with three others and gets into some dangerous situations. The main case in this book is him trying to free Quincy Morgan who was convicted of murdering a lawyer.

I thought this book was pretty good but it moved slowly. Much of the book involved searching for new evidence in a cold case and getting the witnesses to admit they lied in court 22 years ago. It seems the judicial system could be improved simply by doing away with swearing witnesses in to tell the truth. It is misleading to do that, because some lie anyway but the jury is under the impression since they swore to tell the truth, they do. That is not the case. (Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 3: There is an appeal bouncing around somewhere in the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, and when it lands on the desk of the right law clerk within the hour this execution will be stayed. Duke will return to the horrors of solitary confinement and live to die another day.


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"White Bird" by R. J. Palacio (a graphic children's novel)

White Bird by R. J. Palacio is a story about a young Jewish girl named Sara.  Her childhood is a good one until world War II starts and Hitler and his army start to take over Sara's homeland.  This is a graphic novel so it goes really fast!  The story line is a good one and it kept me engaged throughout.  The pictures were very nice and middle-school readers will enjoy this and also learn some valuable life lessons from factual history.  I think adults would enjoy this too, like I did.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 7:  "...Those were dark times, yes...but what has stayed with me the most is not the darkness......but the light.  That is what I have held on to all these years......and that is the story I want to share with you now."

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"The Chestnut Man" by Soren Sveistrup - A Mystery

The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup is about a psychopath that is on the loose and must be stopped!  When he strikes, he leaves a Chestnut man at the scene as his calling card.  You will have to read the book to understand what that is.  When the detectives check for fingerprints, they find that the belong to a girl thought to be dead long ago.  Say what?

I read the large print version (over 700 pages) and was engaged for the most part.  There were a lot of detectives which was a bit confusing.  The writing was good though and I really never knew what was coming next!  I was surprised by the ending.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 14: 
She's known it for a while, yet somehow not--and only now, as the voice whispers it to her, does she understand that it's true.  She wants to scream as loudly as she can, but her gust are already halfway up her throat, and when she feels the bludgeon stroke her cheek she flings herself headlong with all her strength and staggers deeper into the gloom.  

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"The Batboy" by Mike Lupica

The Batboy by Mike Lupica is another good sports book for kids that I enjoyed as well. Brian’s parents are divorced and baseball has become his life, just like it was for his dad. This story is about Brian’s best summer ever when he gets to be batboy for the Detroit Tigers and sees baseball from the inside. Then his own baseball team is having a great season too! To top things off, his all-time favorite player, Hank Bishop, is making a comeback and signed with the Tigers! Unfortunately, Hank is not what he expected, but Brian still pursues a friendship with him in spite of Hank’s harshness towards him.

There is a lot of baseball in this book which I enjoyed. It gives some insight into baseball history and even shows the struggles of a player going through a slump. It captures the excitement of the game and was a pleasure to read. I loved the ending!   I highly recommend this to any kid who likes baseball.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 15: Working for the Tigers, even if it’s just for one summer, is my dream. And my mom, even though she isn’t too big on baseball since my dad left, is always telling me that you can’t know if your dreams are out of reach until you actually reach for them.


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"The Last Train to London" by Meg Waite Clayton is Historical Non-Fiction

The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton is based on true events!  Hitler and the Nazis are on the march.  People who oppose him are anxious to flee, but with borders being closed, it is not going to be easy!  One woman takes it upon herself to smuggle children out of Nazi occupied lands.  What a story!

I enjoyed this book that flowed along.  (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 51:  "They have families elsewhere, in England or in the United States?"
"Yes, of course, Mr. Tenkink," Truus answered.  "That's why they find themselves standing in bare feet in the snow outside a burning Jewish orphanage."

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Michigan vs. The Boys by Carrie S. Allen (We Both Liked This Teen Book)

Michigan vs. The Boys by Carrie S. Allen is a YA novel about a girl who loves to play hockey who tries out for the boys' team when the High School cuts out the girls' team due to lack of funds. I thought this book was pretty good.  It is written for teens so I was able to figure out what was going to happen, but I still enjoyed it and give it a solid 4 stars.  I am sure tomboy girls would love it!  It goes very fast, a quick read.  (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Karen's review:
Michigan vs. The Boys by Carrie S. Allen is an interesting story about Michigan, a high school student whose hockey team was cut due to lack of funds. She loves hockey and wants to keep playing no matter what! When alternatives her friends find do not work for her, she decides to try out for the boys’ team and makes it. Although she is a very good player, even better than a lot of the boys on the team, they are not happy, especially the ones who feel cut because of her! They all give her a hard time except the goalie, who is at least civil to her. The captain, Daniel, is the ring leader and the coach pretty much backs him up in an effort to get her to quit. When she proves to be tougher than they thought, Daniel sets her up in an effort to get her kicked off the team. That is when she finally reports it to the authorities.

I enjoyed this book but thought Michigan let things to too far. She should have reported the incidents right away. Anyhow, this is a good book for any young athlete to read. There is some hockey action, but mostly it’s about practices and off the rink fallout from the hazing Michigan receives. Her brother is a great character who is very supportive of her and for whose team Michigan is an assistant coach. I recommend this book to any girl athlete. I think girls would like it more than boys but it would be good for them to read it as well. (4 stars)


Teaser from page 13:  I'm happiest when I have skates on my feet, a stick in my hands and teammates by my side.  "Please . . ."  My voice cracks and the rest of my plea sticks in my throat.

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