"The Dark Rose" by Erin Kelly is WOW!

The Dark Rose by Erin Kelly tells the story of two people: Paul, a young boy and Louisa, a woman. They both have things hidden in their past. I really loved this book a lot! It took me only a day and a half to finish because I couldn't wait to get back to it. It's definitely a page turner that is hard to put down with a shocking ending. This is a double WOW book for sure! I already ordered Erin's previous book. I highly recommend this one!
(Gerard's review: My rating 5 stars out of 5)

The Dark Rose by Erin Kelly is about Paul and Louisa, who each have secrets that fill them with guilt, while seeking to move on with their lives.  Unfortunately, the past has a strong hold on both of them even though they find comfort together and confess their secrets to each other.  Louisa’s past is about a lover’s quarrel with a musician who broke her heart and drove her to the fine line of love and hate. Paul finds himself having to testify against the only friend he ever had which puts himself and those he loves at risk.  This book certainly has a unexpected ending!    

 

It was difficult for me to relate to either of the main characters because their choices were so stupid and had such different lifestyles than mine.  It also was set in England so had some unfamiliar terms.  This book reminded me of a soap opera that I had no connection to because I didn’t like the characters.  I would have enjoyed it more if it didn’t jump back and forth in time so much.  It was hard for me to follow and at one point, I was tempted to just flip through the rest of the book and read the 1989 year stuff first and then go back and read the rest in date order.  I would have organized it much differently, having the background first alternating chapters between Paul and Louisa and then once their lives converged, just continue on in chronological order.  Therefore, I did not like this book very much and do not recommend it.  I’m surprised Gerard liked it so well since he usually likes books with more action than this.  He thought it was great!  Guess you’ll just have to read it for yourself and see what you think of it.

(Karen's review:  My rating 2 out of 5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Violets of March" by Sarah Jio

"The Violets of March" by Sarah Jio is a very interesting romance novel with mystery as well. It’s about a successful New York author who is recently divorced and goes to visit her aunt Bee at her beach house in Bainbridge to get away and think things through. While there, she discovers a diary about a woman’s similar experience to hers and gets drawn into trying to piece the bits and pieces together about her grandmother’s story.


I liked this book because it is not predictable from the start like many romance novels are. I didn’t understand what drew men to her like bees to honey, but it kept my interest all through. It’s about following your heart and knowing your true love will last forever. I enjoyed this light and entertaining read. If you like romance novels, I highly recommend it!
(Karen's review:  My rating 4 out of 5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Expecting Adam" by Martha Beck

Expecting Adam by Martha Beck is a wonderful story about John and Martha who are expecting the birth of their son. They discover late in her pregnancy that their boy is going to have Downs Syndrome. I really enjoyed this book. It is told by Martha and has both funny and sad parts. It has all the emotion you could ever want. Give it a try, it's well worth reading!
(Gerard's review: 3 out of 5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Through My Eyes" by Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker

A book for Football Lovers

I enjoyed the first half of Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow about his background. I learned that he was homeschooled and didn't know that homeschoolers could still play on school teams, but he did. I liked reading about his training and his work ethic. He has two older brothers and lived on a farm. About halfway through the book though, he goes into specific games and gives a play-by-play narrative which I found boring after awhile and quit reading it to move to something more interesting. I suppose if you are really into the nuts and bolts of football, you would enjoy it. I expected to read more about his off the field experiences, but there was only a little about that.
(Karen's review 2/8/12)

I knew about Tim Tebow, the football player. Now after reading Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow, I feel I know about the person. I enjoyed this book some; really liked the parts when he told about growing up and sharing his faith in God, which he is very strong about doing. I enjoyed his family stories and his thoughts on football and game situations. The only drawback was the game-to-game stuff in his college career was kind of boring, but overall, a pretty good read.
(Gerard's review 7/10/11)

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

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

Teaser Tuesday: "The Snow Child" and "Through My Eyes"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Gerard's: I just finished The Snow Child and LOVED it.

They held her close, and a few drops of snow fell to the floor.  Quickly she slipped from their arms and ran out the door.

Taken from page 116 of The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

Karen's:

I would end up doing things above and beyond whatever was expected to get an edge.  I also began working out at odd times of the day and night, thinking, I'll bet there are no other kids in Jacksonville working out right now.

Take from page 33-34 of Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow (non-fiction).

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Snow Child" by Eowyn Ivey

Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey tells the story of a couple trying to make a life in the Alaskan wilderness. This book had me from page one until the end. I liked the writing and cared about the characters. I LOVED it and had trouble putting it down. It's a double WOW book for sure!
(Gerard's review: 5+ stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Night Train" by Clyde Edgerton

Night Train by Clyde Edgerton tells the story of two young boys in the south, one white, and one black, who are really into music and play in a band.  The story kind of hops around.  It is a quick read but not much substance.  I liked it all right, but can't recommend you read this one.
(Gerard's 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. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

8 Class Pets+1 Squirrel/1 Dog=Chaos by Vivian Vande Velve

A wonderful story about a squirrel being chased by a dog, (our dog's favorite pastime). They wind up in a grammar school where other animals get in on the action. I learned things about these animals that I did not know. Great book for kids of all ages and any adults who are young at heart!

(Gerard's review)


We differ on this book.  I did not like it very much because all the animals were against the dog and all the dog was doing was chasing the squirrel which is a perfectly normal thing for a dog to do.  No wonder Abby didn't want to look at the book when I took a picture of it!  I did think the writing was well done because each chapter a different animal wrote.  That part was pretty cute.
(Karen's 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. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"Fragile" by Lisa Unger

Fragile by Lisa Unger is a good contemporary fiction novel about a missing teen girl, Charlene, that brings back memories for a lot of people about another missing girl who was found dead years before.  The story takes place in a small town near New York City where people generally live out their entire lives and know each other very well since they grew up together, but still manage to keep secrets.  There are many interesting characters in Fragile who are connected through past events.  Ricky’s girlfriend turns up missing and his dad, the police detective, heads up the investigation that conjures up some guilty feelings from his past when he let an innocent teen confess to a murder he knew the kid did not commit.   

There are so many aspects this book hits that makes it an excellent choice for a book club to discuss—friendship, parenting teens, suicide, rape, ethics and young love.  Here are some teasers for you:  There is the general question asked by the troubled teen, Marshall:  How do you know if you are a good person.  I mean, how do you know if you’re not? (p. 143)  When detective Cooper searches his boy’s room for incriminating evidence so he can protect him, he says to his wife, “Anyone is capable of anything, given the right circumstances, the right motivations.” (p. 187)  Then, a little later he tells her, “I know how a moment can spiral out of control” (p. 189) speaking from experience. 

Fragile is not action packed, but rather delves into ethics and the consequences of actions.  I liked how once the mystery was solved, the book didn’t end there, but continued to reveal more to the characters about the past and have the father-son relationship healed.  I recommend this if you like books about relationships and family dynamics.

(Karen's review 2/3/12--My Rating:  4 stars)

(Gerard's review 10/19/2010--My rating 4 stars)
Fragile by Lisa Unger is about small town secrets where a girl turns up missing one day.  Secrets hidden away from an incident that took place long ago come to the surface.  I thought Fragile was pretty good.  There are lots of characters so you have to pay attention as you read to follow along.  It‘s a good book, but didn‘t really “wow“ me.


Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Soft Threat" by Stephen Hunter

Imagine if you were in a crowded mall on Black Friday.  Not hard to picture, right?  All of a sudden, shots ring out, Santa Clause is dead, and terrorists have total control of the mall!  That is the basis of Soft Target by Stephen Hunter .  I liked it a whole lot more than I thought I would.  Good writing describes what is going on between the good guys and the bad guys.  Not a 5-star but 4.  Well worth reading.

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

We are donating 50 cents to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue this month to help the homeless cats for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Heft" by Liz Moore

Heft by Liz Moore has two main characters: (1) Arthur Opp, who used to be a college professor but when he was let go, he put on a ton of weight and never leaves his house, and (2) Kel Keller, a poor young teen in a rich school. What they have in common is a woman named Charlene, Arthur's former lover and Kel's mom. This book is an outstanding read! The writing is so good and the story is too. I was hooked from the get-go and hated to see it end. I LOVED IT!

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

Tuesday Teasers: "Shelter" and "Heft"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Karen's: I just finished reading Shelter yesterday so I'm picking a teaser from it:

The message buzzed in: what part of CAR COMING! GET OUT! confused u?!? HURRY, DOPE!

Taken from page 39 of Shelter by Harlan Coben.

Gerard's:

It seems as if my mother is breathing now but I can't tell. And I can't ask. And I want to put my hand on her but I don't because she is no longer mine, she belongs to the paramedic.

Taken from page 151 of Heft by Liz Moore.

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Shelter" by Harlan Coben

Shelter by Harlan Coben is a teen mystery that three high school students solve.  There are a lot of surprises along the way and mysterious characters. Although Mickey’s dad resigned from an organization that rescues children so his son could have a normal life through high school; Mickey finds himself drawn into it unexpectedly when he tries to save his girlfriend from harm.  This was an interesting read that moved along quickly for me but seemed a bit far-fetched and not very believable.  

(Karen's 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. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Time Cat" by Lloyd Alexander

"Time Cat" by Lloyd Alexander is a children's book, but I don't think it's one children would like very much.  It is fantasy and the cat talks a little bit but not a lot.  It's about time travel.  The cat and Jason, the boy who owns the cat, travel back in time to different countries in Jason's dream.  They have different adventures with historical events and people.  I didn't care much for this one, but if you like history and travel, you might enjoy it.
(Karen's review:  My rating 2 out of 5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"The Off Season" by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is the second book in the Dairy Queen series about a family who owns a small Dairy farm in Wisconsin.  The story is told through the eyes of D.J., a 16-yr.-old girl who leaves the farm to be with her older brother, Win, who gets a spinal cord injury playing college football.  The story involves being friends with people no matter what others think and not letting the opinions of others stop you from living.

My favorite part of the book is when D.J. gets through to Win to make him care about getting better by letting him coach her in basketball at the gym and the rehab center.  I look forward to reading the last book of this trilogy, Front and Center.  
(Karen's review:  My rating 3 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman--a Thought Provoking Adventure (UPDATED)

UPDATED 1/26/12
Unwind by Neal Shusterman, a science fiction YA book, tells the believable story of two young boys and a girl who escape from being unwound. What is unwind? You will have to read the book to find out, but trust me, it's not pretty! I was hooked on this book from page one because it made me care about the three main characters. It has lots of twists and turns and the ending is just so good! I really loved this book! It's the second best book I've read this month! I read this on Karen's recommendation and am glad I did!
(Gerard's review: My rating 5 of 5 stars)

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman is a fascinating and disturbing YA novel about recycling body parts. This is carrying transplants to the extreme by making it legal for parents to sign a paper turning the kid over to be unwound if they are a troublesome teen, or the tenth child in the family which is a tithe, or if an orphanage/state home is too crowded. The “unwinds” are brought to a “Harvest Camp” where they cut up the teens in their “Chop Shop” and use their different body parts in other people. Most of the story is how the three teens, Connor, Risa and Lev, who were signed over for different reasons to be unwound fight for survival and work together.

This is such a good book because of the different characters and how they interact with each other. It is really interesting to see how Connor matures along the way and how Lev learns to be street smart. I absolutely loved the ending!  This is not a book I will soon forget.

(Karen's review:  My rating: 5 of 5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Perfect" by Ellen Hopkins

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins is about three teens--two boys and one girl, dealing with parents and a myriad of life issues. The girl is the sister of one of the boys from Ellen's previous book, "Impulse" but that is the only connection I saw. I hoped that I would enjoy this as much as "Impulse" which I thought was fantastic, but did not. Still, I did like it. I thought the boys parts were more interesting than the girls.
(Gerard's review: My rating 3 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

Teaser Tuesday: "Perfect" and "The Off Season"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Karen's:

"Are you going to allow this?" Mr. Sausage Donovan asked. "Football players bullying students?" He said "football players" like it was a disease.

Taken from page 58 of The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

Gerard's:

When I draw even, she looks into my eyes, sending shivers up my spine. Have you ever kissed a girl? Her boldness is a surprise.

Taken from page 108 of Perfect by Ellen Hopkins.

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!

Praise the Lord--Our dog, Abby, is recovering well from being attacked by two big Rottweilers last Tuesday night. We really appreciate all who prayed for her recovery and Gerard's hand is getting better too where he was bitten.

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Black Boy White School" by Brian F. Walker

Black Boy White School by Brian F. Walker tells the tale of Anthony "Ant" Jones, a black kid from East Cleveland. He is given a scholarship to an elite white prep school in Maine. How he sees things there and the people he meets is the story of this book.

Not a great read but it's interesting to say the least. The last 50 pages are very good which makes it well worth reading.
(Gerard's review: 3.5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Toes" by Tor Seidler is Cat Story

Toes by Tor Seidler is a children's book, 5th grade level, about a black cat with seven toes on each paw.  His litter mates don't accept him so he leaves home and finds a musician to live with.  The cat is very intelligent and helps the man achieve his dream.  I did not like the sad ending at all.  Other than that, I enjoyed the fast fun read.

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Identical" by Ellen Hopkins

Identical by Ellen Hopkins is about two sisters, Kaeleigh and Raeanne. Their father is a judge, their mom is running for political office. Money is not an issue. From the outside, it looks like a perfect family, but as the sisters tell their story, you come to realize that not everything is as good as it appears. Identical kept me turning the pages quickly and a whole lot of issues are brought to light. I loved it! This is the second book I've read by Ellen Hopkins. The first was Impulse and in my book, she is two for two.
(Gerard's review:  4 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Lamb" by Bonnie Nadzam

Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam is not a fluff read by any means. You have to use your brain power to get the true meaning of this book. It tells the story of an older man who befriends an 11-yr.-old girl and convinces her to go on a trip to the mountains with him without telling her mother. To find out what happens on the trip and what they learn about each other you'll have to read the book. I don't want to spoil it for you. I enjoyed it; it is well worth reading!
(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)


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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is a fast-paced teen science fiction romance that kept my interest. I thought it was sort of a strange book because Juliette, a teen, has some super power of being able to kill people she touches although the book never explained why her power is only effective with certain people but not others. I didn't understand that part. I liked the adventure parts where Adam and Juliette ran away together from the asylum but didn't care for all the strikeouts throughout the book. I found them to be distracting. Maybe that was the idea of them, I'm not sure.

Overall, I think the theme is to realize you are unique and accept yourself. At the beginning, Juliette has been confined for a long time in solitary and is feeling very depressed. Then gets a cell mate who she recognizes from her past and is nice to her because he's always liked her but pretends he doesn't know her. Eventually she becomes hopeful for a future and a happy life ever after.

If you like teen romance with a twist, I recommend this one.  I saw a lot of teasers from this that got my attention but was a bit disappointed in this book.  I liked Legend by Marie Lu much better!

(Karen's review:  My rating: 3 of 5 stars)

Gerard's review:
If you like science fiction books with romance, this is it.  A young boy and a young girl fight against an evil government that wants to use them, especially the girl whose touch is lethal.  I liked this book a whole lot!  It kept my interest throughout with lots of good action.  I look forward to the sequel if there is one.  This is the author's first book--very well done!

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the

poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

Teaser Tuesday: "Unwind" and "Lamb"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Karen's:

He's going to tell me now, Connor thinks. He's going to tell me they're unwinding me, and then break down in tears, going on and on about how sorry sorry sorry he is about it all.

.
Taken from page 7 of Unwind by Neal Shusterman.

Here's one from the book I just finished that is too funny not to use:

But if I made the Red Bend football team, it would mean I wasn't a cow. That's what I'd been struggling with ever since Brian showed up.

Taken from p. 131 of Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

Gerard's:

Lamb left her in the white hotel and drove back toward the city, away from the last broken reaches of daylight as rain clouds threaded with neon blue in the rearview mirror. The girl would be there when he returned.

Taken from page 61 of Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam.

Happy Reading! We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Dairy Queen" by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is a story about D.J., a 15-yr.-old girl who helps with the family Dairy Farm in Red Bend, Wisconsin, and has a love for football. She used to play with her two older brothers and gets sucked into helping Brian Nelson, the good-looking quarterback of her school's arch rival team, train over the summer. As she gets to know him, she gets to like him. He is shocked and feels betrayed though when he finds out she will be playing against him!

Teaser: But if I made the Red Bend football team, it would mean I wasn't a cow. That's what I'd been struggling with ever since Brian showed up. p. 131

This is a fun read about a girl and her self-esteem issues. I enjoyed learning some about Dairy farming, the whole football aspect of the book, and how D.J. learns that communication is so important. There is enough included about her family and friends to make this realistic fiction. I look forward to reading the sequel.
(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 starxs)


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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

Happy Martin Luther King Day--A Book/Movie For You!

I just happened to find out about Ruby Bridges over at MaryTheKayTheBlog today when I read her post, "How We Celebrate Martin Luther King Day at our House." Here is a video clip about Ruby Bridges that I thought looked so good that I checked to see if there was a book about her, and there is. I ordered Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story from the library as well as the DVD.





Other books about her is Through My Eyes: Ruby Bridges and The Story of Ruby Bridges: Special Anniversary Edition

Have you seen this movie or read the book? What did you think of it? How are you celebrating today?

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Impulse" by Ellen Hopkins is Fantastic!

WOW! "Impulse" by Ellen Hopkins is a fantastic read! Tony Connor and Vanessa each have their own demons to deal with. They all wind up at Aspen Springs, a place that helps teens deal with their issues. How they deal with them and their own stories is just remarkable! To say I enjoyed this book would be putting it mildly. I LOVED "Impulse"!

Although it is over 600 pages, it is in verse and I was so caught up in it that it did not seem that long. This is for sure going to be my favorite read this month and will be in my 12 favorites for 2012. This is one you will not soon forget--what an ending! I highly recommend it! (Gerard's Review:  My rating: 5 of 5 stars)


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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"The Inside Story of the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins"

I love this book!

Full 60 to History--The Inside Story of the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins is just awesome!! It details the 2010-2011 season in which "my" Bruins won the Stanley Cup. It is filled with lots of incredible photographs, including lots of action shots. I felt as though I was practically on the ice myself as I read this. The words by the management and the players are priceless! If you are a Bruins fan, you have to get this one! GO BRUINS!

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"An Invisible Thread" by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski is the true story of Laura, a white sales executive, befriending a black 11-yr-old panhandler, Maurice. This is a great book about friendship. Maurice is very likable and Laura tells the story very well. It is a feel-good story with a happy ending. I liked it a whole lot!
(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

3 Tuesday Teasers

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Gerard's:

We walked across the avenue to the McDonald's, and for the first few moments neither of us spoke.  This thing we were doing--going to lunch, a couple of strangers, an adult and a child--it was weird, and we both felt it.

From pg. 7 of An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski.

Well, no, see . . . not when your mother's a stark raving psycho. For years she went undiagnosed.

From page 91 of Impulse by Ellen Hopkins.

Karen's:

"Tell me why you're here, Adam. What are you doing in an insane asylum if you don't belong here?"

"I've been asking you the same question since I got here."

Taken from page 41 of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"The Digital Diet" by Daniel Sieberg

The Digital Diet--The 4-step plan to break your tech addiction and regain balance in your life by Daniel Sieberg gives a lot of common sense suggestions such as limiting your online time to 90 minutes a day and focusing on one task at a time to be more efficient.  It suggests deleting sites that you no longer use and spending more time with real family and friends that you actually can see rather than online friends.  I found it ironic that it gave me more websites to use to help limit my online time and track how long I'm at different websites.

I do not recommend 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. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" by Tom Franklin

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin is a very interesting book that is a mystery about two missing girls and Larry Ott, the suspected murderer. Through flashbacks, the interesting story of “Scary Larry,” the white boy, and Silas, his black friend, growing up in Mississippi is told. This story is a mixture of a tale of friendship and a mystery. Did Larry really kill the girls and who shot Larry? Will Larry and Silas remain friends? Which boy had the better life? These are questions that arise.

Here’s a quote I particularly liked:

“What’s missing out of you, Silas?

Courage, he thought.

No wonder he felt at ease among these chickens.”

The title comes from how southern children are taught to spell Mississippi:  M, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, humpback, humpback, I.

I liked this book because the characters were interesting and the story telling was well done. It has a unique plot, not only the mystery of who killed the girls but also family secrets. I would have given this book 5 stars except for the profanity.

(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

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

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Tony and Susan" by Austin Wright

All right now, Tony and Susan by Austin Wright is my first double WOW book of 2012! Here's the scoop: Susan gets a package 15 years after her divorce from her husband. It's a manuscript of her ex-husband's first novel that he wants her to review. As she reads it and gets into it, she has to face the realities in her own life.

The reader gets two stories in one book: Susan's husband's story plus the story of what she feels not only about the book but about her ex-husband. Both stories are really good! The first 100 pages get you hooked and you have to keep reading. 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. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives.

Book Beginnings for January 6, 2012

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin starts off with a sentence that made me want to read more right off the bat.  Here it is:

The Rutherford girl had been missing for eight days when Larry Ott returned home and found a monster waiting in his house.

How does your current read begin and what are your thoughts so far?

We are donating 50 cents to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs.

"Dear Sparkle: Cat-To-Cat Advice" by Sparkle the Cat

Dear Sparkle: Cat-to-Cat Advice from the world's foremost feline columnist by Sparkle the Cat is a fantastic book that entertains while imparting great information on how to solve some problems that cats and humans have. Sparkle answers the letters from cats with humor and many good suggestions, including some cat owners can learn from as well. It has cute pictures of cats included too and shares bits of cat wisdom! I read it on my Kindle and highlighted many passages. I highly recommend this for any cat owner and am sure your cats will enjoy it too! Ours did.


Sparkle is also a blogger who I visit regularly at www.sparklecat.com. She is a sweet cat!
(Karen's review: My rating: 5 of 5 stars )

Spunky Doodle and Manny's review

This is our favorite book yet!  The best book ever!  If you live with a cat, you must read this one!  It's pawsome!

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

"The Homecoming of Samuel Lake" by Jenny Wingfield

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield is a good story about three families.  Tragedy hits when Swan's grandfather commits suicide and her father, Samuel Lake, loses his church. Samuel Lake is a preacher with a wife, a daughter named Swan and two boys. He lost his church so moved his family to live with his wife's parents in Arkansas. The preacher's kids meet a boy named Blade who is abused by his father who is their neighbor. Swan determines to help Blade hide from his father. The author does a good job of story telling about good and evil using three families--the Lakes/Moses and Ballengers. Through the story, the little girl and father both pray for miracles, trusting God for a good outcome.

Here's a little teaser for you:

I know you're probably afraid of your daddy.  I'm afraid of him, myself, and I only saw him once.  So why don't I have my daddy talk to your daddy?  My daddy's a preacher.  He talks people into changing their ways all the time. (pg. 57)

This book held my attention because there is the story about the kids trying to protect Blade, the family dynamics, the faith angle and the murder. This was an interesting read with lots of characters that I liked.
(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

(Read on Kindle for free through library.)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

In Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Hannah Baker has a plan to kill herself. Why? you ask. That is what the people who receive tapes from her in a shoe box want to know. Clay is one of the people who receives these tapes explaining why she did it.

I never ran across this angle in any book I ever read. It is interesting and very thought provoking. I liked it although I can see why some people may not.

(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Love Lifted Me" by Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck

This Christian fiction book is about the marriage of Jade and Max.  When Max wants to go and coach a high school football team, Jade goes along, but things don't go very well.  I liked this book some but was not riveted to it.  It's worth a try. 

(Gerard's review:  3 stars)
 
Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesdays: 3 Teasers For You

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser.   

Gerard's:

I hold my finger over the button, listening to the soft hum in the speakers, the faint squeak of the spindles winding the tape, waiting for her voice to return.
But it doesn't. The story is over.

From pg. 31 of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher about teen suicide.

Spunky Doodle and Manny's teaser:

They place excessive importance on useless things like sitting in front of a desk and fiddling around with strange, uninteresting machines. Do you really expect such dull, graceless creatures to understand that 4:00 a.m. is playtime?

Karen is reading on Kindle to us, quote at 6% from Dear Sparkle: Cat-to-Cat Advice from the World's Foremost Feline Columnist by Sparkle the Cat

Karen's:

I know you're probably afraid of your daddy.  I'm afraid of him, myself, and I only saw him once.  So why don't I have my daddy talk to your daddy?  My daddy's a preacher.  He talks people into changing their ways all the time.

From pg. 57 of The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Furry Logic Books" by Jane Seabrook are Cute

I got three Furry Logic books by Jane Seabrook for my birthday and found them to be very cute and humorous.  They all have witty sayings (one saying every other page) with cute animal watercolor drawings.  Obviously, these books do not take much time to read.  The three I got are:  Wild Wisdom, Love, and A Guide to Life's Little Challenges, which is my favorite one.

It's the pictures that make these books o I'll give you an inside peak:

A GUIDE TO LIFE'S LITTLE CHALLENGES

No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap.

WILD WISDOM

Happy people are more likely to get what they want which only makes them even more happy.

LOVE

As long as I have you, there's just on thing I'll always need--tremendous self-control.

(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?