"A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

A Separate Peace by John Knowles is the story of two roommates at a boys boarding school in New Hampshire during World War II. It’s about their rivalry, friendship, and how the boys try to stay separate from the war. Gene, the introverted intellectual who tells the story is jealous of his roommate, Phineas (Finny), a natural athlete who is outgoing and a natural leader but a poor student.

I read this book a long time ago for school and decided to re-read it now because I remember liking it. I especially liked the parts with Finny and enjoyed it again. It has some fun parts, but mostly is sad, especially what happens to Phineas.
 (Karen's review, 4 stars)

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

We Both Liked "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier (Updated)

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier is a sad story about an all-boy Catholic high school that has a “secret” organization called the Vigils who actually rule the school while the teachers look the other way. Archie is a master con who manipulates not only students, but also the teachers. He is the one who assigns tasks to students he chooses. When Jerry gets mixed up with the Vigils, his “assignment” gets out of hand and he realizes too late the participation in the chocolate sale for the school really wasn’t voluntary after all. Can Jerry really go against the Vigils and survive?

This is a quick YA read that I liked because of all the group dynamics involved. It is not only about bullying, but also about manipulation and being true to oneself. This is a powerful book that shows how devastating peer pressure can be. What started as an innocent prank mushroomed into much, much more! I plan to read more books by this author. The sequel is Beyond the Chocolate War.
(Karen's review, 8/20/15, 5 stars)


The Chocolate War by Robert Comier is about an all-boys Catholic school that sells chocolate bars as a fund raiser.   It is a tradition, but this year one boy refuses to do it!  Will this catch on with the other boys?  What will the consequences be for his refusal?

I lived this book in real life so it brought back lots of memories for me.  The author is spot on with his telling of it.  The characters were brought out very well and I enjoyed it.  It is a quick read that you can do in a day or two at the most.
(Gerard's review 8/10/15, 5 stars)

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

"Snow Like Ashes" by Sara Raasch is Great! (Updated)

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch is her debut fantasy novel about courage, determination and a mission of 8 Winterians to free their captured slaves and rebuild their kingdom. Meira, the main character and one of the surviving remnant, is a 16-yr-old orphan girl who wants to be a soldier and contribute to help Winter. This looks like an in surmountable task especially since Winter has lost its magic conduit. The secrets, betrayal and lies all create a very good story line.

This book sailed along. Once Meira decides to do whatever it takes to help Winter even if it’s not the way she wants, the book took off. I liked the love triangle and the fighting scenes best. For me, it was really hard to pull for Winter because I don’t like Winter. The kingdoms were named for the four seasons and then four other kingdoms were rhythms which I really didn’t understand. The magical part didn’t make much sense to me either, but it did make things interesting. I really liked the ending and think this is a very good debut novel. (Karen's review 8/19/15, 4 stars)


In Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch, a YA fantasy novel, the kingdom of Winter has been conquered.  A few people remain and vow to rebuild their land.  Meira is one of them.  She would do anything to help Winter make a comeback!  This book is very good because there is lots of action which made it fly by.  Meira is a fantastic character who I cheered for all the way!

If you loved the Sarah J. Maas books, which I did, you will love this one too!  It is hard to believe this is the author's first book which she first drafted at age 12!  I LOVED this book and look forward to the next one in this series.  Books don't get any better than this!
(Gerard's review 8/12/15, 5++ stars)

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

"In a Dark, Dark Wood" by Ruth Ware is a Page Turner I LOVED!

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware is about Leonora who is leading a good life.  She is a writer and doing well.  One day she receives an email to come to a "hen" party given for her best friend when she was going to school.  It has been ten years and she really does not want to go, but against her better judgment, she does.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY has this book as one of their top 10 summer reads and PEOPLE MAGAZINE had it as a top read.  They are both right!    The first part of the book sets the scene and you might think it is slow, but when the action starts, this is becomes a real page turner.  I enjoyed all the characters and could not wait to see how it all played out!  I LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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

Teaser Tuesday - Three This Week

Gerard's:

But I don't move.  And not just because my head hurts, and my legs hurt, and my muscles feel like wet tissue.

From page 172 of In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware.
  

And that's when I notice something else.

My own footprints are clearly visible in the powder around me, but where his should have been--leading to and from the bench--I see nothing but a thick layer of untouched snow.

From page 12 of Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone.

Karen's: 

"Oh."  I run one hand down the flat side of the blade.  "That's how it works."

 From page  of Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. 



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

 Happy Reading!

"Love Saves the Day" by Gwen Cooper

Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper takes place in New York and is about Sarah (a DJ and record shop owner), her cat Prudence, daughter Laura (an attorney) and son-in-law, Josh (free-lance writer).  Laura and Sarah's relationship is strained but after Sarah dies, the cat helps Laura remember good things about her mother and carves out a place in Laura's heart.  Laura discovers how much her mother loved her and that family is more important than money.

This story was slow moving but picked up toward the end.  I liked the narration by the cat best because the reader gains insight into what cats like and don't like, but the story is pretty good too.  My favorite part was when the cat jumped on the table during the Seder dinner at Laura's when she had her in-laws over for the first time.  I loved the cover.  I liked Homer's Odyssey by this author better but this one is okay.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

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

"Time Between Us" by Tamara Ireland Stone

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone is a YA novel about a relationship between Anna and Bennett.  This was not supposed to happen.  The "why not?" is in the book.  You will have to read it for yourself.  But now that it does, will they be able to keep it going?  Or, will an accident involving Anna's best friend tear these two apart forever?

This is the second book I read by this author and I loved them both.  I really cared about both of the main characters in this and the story line and writing kept me interested.  Now it's on to the follow up book, Time After Time.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Here's a teaser from pg. 12 of this book:

And that's when I notice something else.

My own footprints are clearly visible in the powder around me, but where his should have been--leading to and from the bench--I see nothing but a thick layer of untouched snow.

 Also read:  Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

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 Evertree--Spirit Animals" by Marie Lu

The Evertree--Spirit Animals (Book 7) by Marie Lu is a children's story about four kids and their spirit animal friends who save the world. This is an adventure that probably would appeal more to children than adults. Apparently there is a game online that goes along with this series because on the back it says "Unlock the game. Discover your own spirit animal and join the adventure at scholastic.com/spiritanimals." There's also a code given to "unlock huge rewards."

First of all, I didn't realize this was a book 7 of a series until I looked at it closely. The cover really caught my attention and as well as the fat that Marie Lu is the author. I had a little bit of difficulty with keeping track of all the characters and remembering what names were of the animals but after I got into it, I got it all sorted out.  This is not a book I would recommend to adults but I think kids would enjoy it.
(Karen's review, 2 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!

"Eeny Meeny" by M. J. Arlidge Did Not Disappoint!

Eeny Meeny by M. J. Arlidge is a thriller!   In this novel, someone is putting two people in a locked room with only one way out.  Only one person can get out.  Do I have your interest yet?

This book looked good to me so I picked it up on a whim at the library.  The story moves along well and it kept my interest throughout.  There is good action and a really good ending--well worth reading.

Here's a teaser for you from page 3:

"On the floor by the phone you'll find a gun.  It has one bullet in it."
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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

Teaser Tuesday--5 Today!

Gerard's:

Sir reaches for me but I shove through his grip, pushing by everyone--Dendera, who shouts something about floral arrangements, and Alysson, who says something about calming down, and Mather, who says nothing because that's what he does, he just stands there while I'm supposed to close my eyes and obey.

If I have to close my eyes and obey, Noam does too.

From page 210 of Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch.
  

Carter snapped his fingers and the meeting began to break up.  Suddenly, Archie felt empty, used up, discarded.

From page 38 of The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier.

After many minutes of this silence, something happened that had never happened before, at least to Valentina's knowledge:  Mrs. Ivanova began to cry, turning her head away in a futile attempt to hide her emotions from the girl.  Valentina saw the tears anyway and soon she was crying also, upset and afraid but without knowing why.

From page 3 of Dark Eyes by William Richter.

Karen's: 

Celaena took the barmaid into the alley, if only because she didn't want to wake the other inn guests and get into yet another fight.  She didn't really know why she'd offered to teach her to defend herself.

From page 3 of Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica.

Whenever Sarah used to be upset about something bad that happened to her, she would cheer herself up by saying, Worse things have happened to better people.  But I don't think anything worse than this has ever happened to anybody.

 From page 70 (Loc. 1100 on Kindle) of Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper.

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


Happy Reading!

"Dark Eyes" by William Richter

Dark Eyes by William Richter is about a Russian girl who is adopted by an American couple and moves to New York.  Years later, she goes by Wally and lives on the street.  She knows her way around and nobody messes with her.  She still wants to find her birth mom and her dad, who was in a Russian prison, breaks out and wants to find his wife too.  But what he has in mind is not very nice!  Wally needs all her street smarts to find her first.  It took a while for the action to start, but when it does, this book heats up!  It is well worth reading.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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

Happy International Cat Day!

In honor of International cat day, here are a couple cat book trailers I just saw on YouTube this week:

This was Booktube Read-a-thon challenge to re-enact a scene from a book done by Between Chapters.

After viewing this book trailer done by Why Mermaids for the Booktube Read-a-thon challenge, I quickly borrowed the e-book from the library and am currently reading it on my Kindle.

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!

"Brutal Youth" by Anthony Breznican

Brutal Youth by Anthony Breznican centers on St. Michael's, a school that now accepts questionable students and highly religious students which is not a good mix.  There is lots of bullying going on.  I really enjoyed the character of Father Mercedes and Sister Maria.  I thought Brutal Youth has good action and it held my interest throughout.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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

"Pretty Baby" by Mary Kubica--Different Opinions on this one! (UPDATED)

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica centers on a charitable woman named Heidi who helps stray cats.  One day she sees a teen girl holding a baby at a train station and decides to take her in for just one night, assuming she's homeless.  This novel is told by multiple points of view which I thought made the story that much better.  The real good thing is the multiple story lines.  You do not really know what to expect next!  This is a page turner that is well worth reading, enjoy!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica is a contemporary psychological thriller that is sad and heartbreaking. This novel combines the sad stories of Heidi Wood, a married woman with a 12-yr.-old daughter and Willow, a homeless teen girl with a baby. Their paths cross and Heidi opens her home to Willow and the baby in spite of objections from her husband and daughter.

The reader is gradually given bits and pieces of Heidi’s and Willow’s pasts as the current events unfold which culminate into a good ending. I liked Heidi at the beginning but as the book went along, I liked her less and less. I liked Willow though and felt sorry for her throughout the book. This book portrays the social worker as incompetent and totally repulsive behavior on the part of Willow’s foster dad. This book was very disturbing to me because of the content. I thought it was an interesting read and didn’t have any clue as to how it would end so wanted to keep reading. 
 (Karen's review, 3 stars)


See our review of The Good Girl by Mary Kubica which we both liked.

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 Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Mass is Fantastic! (UPDATED)

Here is my Booktube spoiler free review of Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas:

The Assassisn’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas is amazing! It has action, betrayal, romance, humor, and shows a softer, caring side of Celaena that I wish I had known going into the Throne of Glass series. This book is about two assassins, Celaena and Sam, who like each other in spite of being competitors. We also see Hamel Arobynn’s dark, cruel, mean side--he's a real scumbag. There are five novellas that comprise this book that were all very good. I particularly liked the first three better than the last two just because the last two are so heartbreaking and so sad. After reading this book, I like Celaena even more than I already did.

This book is a page turner that had me from start to finish. I liked this one even more than those I’ve read in The Throne of Glass series because this book does not have any magic in it, just action and a lot of character development. I enjoyed this book very much and wish I had read it before starting the series so I knew Celaena better. I think Celaena and Sam should have went back to the Red Desert and worked for the mute assassin when they decided to leave Arobynn. In the second story about the healer, I found the self-defense lesson by Celaena very interesting and liked how she was willing to train Yrene, the barmaid at the White Pig Inn, how to defend herself. In the third story, Celaena finally finds a friend in Ansel and has some fun for a change. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy adventure, action, and well developed interesting character interaction. 
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Mass is made up of five short stories that give background on Celaena, the main character in The Throne of Glass series.  This collection could have easily been a novel because the stories follow in chronological order.  The three big things I got out of this book were:  (1)  I got to see a different side of Celaena; (2) Got to know Sam and about his relationship with Celaena; and (3) got to know more about Arobynn Hamel (the guy who trained her to be an assassin).

Wow!  This book is fantastic!  The stories are very good and filled with twists and turns.  I LOVED IT A LOT!  I would recommend reading this first before the Throne of Glass series although I didn't do it that way and still enjoyed it.  I just think reading this one first would give you helpful background on Celaena going into the next books.
(Gerard's review 7/22/15, 5 stars)

Review of the previous books in this series:
Throne of Glass
Crown of Midnight
Heir of Fire

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!

Booktube Read-a-Thon is here!

This sounds so much fun, plus they have daily fun challenges as well with chances to win free books!  Today's is to create a reenactment of a scene from a book that is less than a minute long.  I wish I was on vacation this week so I could fully participate, but I will try to do as much as I can in spite of my full-time job.  You are allowed to use one book to combine several challenges if you need to such as reading a book with blue on the cover that is also a book you really want to read.  For me that is The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas.

CAN YOU COMPLETE THE CHALLENGES?!

The challenges:
1// Read a book with blue on the cover
2// Read a book by an author who shares the same first letter of your last name
3// Read someone else's favourite book
4// Read the last book you acquired
5// Finish a book without letting go of it
6// Read a book you really want to read
7// Read seven books

Check out the video that explains this: https://youtu.be/y2qxJhU5GPs

Follow BookTubeAThon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/booktubeathon

Anyone else doing this?  I look forward to watching the scene reenactments!  

Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday - Three

Gerard's:

The actual truth was bad enough.  Vickler knew he wasn't coming down again.

From page 16 of Brutal Youth by Anthony Breznican.

All this scuttles through my mind in the split second I wonder what to do.  Help the girl.  Get on the train.

From page 13 of Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica.

Karen's: 

Celaena took the barmaid into the alley, if only because she didn't want to wake the other inn guests and get into yet another fight.  She didn't really know why she'd offered to teach her to defend herself.

From page 104 of The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas.

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

Happy Reading!

"Every Last Word" by Tamara Ireland Stone - Two Different Takes On This One

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone is about Samantha, a popular high schooler.  She hangs around with a popular group of girls that she has been with since kindergarten with a secret that she has kept hidden all this time.  What that is you will have to read this book to find out.  She gets an urge to leave the group, but does she have the courage?

WOW!  This book was really good!  I thought all the characters were well developed and got into it very quickly.  I really liked Samantha, the main character.  I did not see the twist coming at all and the ending was fantastic!  A must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)


Karen read it too (2 stars):
I was not as impressed with Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone as my husband was.  It is realistic contemporary YA fiction about Samantha, a popular high school girl who loves swimming, the number 3 and struggles with obsessing thoughts because of OCD.  Through regular visits with her therapist and medication, she begins to make some changes in her life but still wonders if she is crazy.

I thought this was okay but didn't have much action or plot to it, other than Samantha learning to cope better with OCD by changing friends and writing poetry.  It does give some insight as to what OCD is like and it was inspirational when she experienced some small victories along the way. This book is mostly about friendship and accepting yourself for who you are.  Compared to the fun, fantasy page turners that I've been reading, this one just seemed to fall a bit flat.  I thought the unexpected "twist" was kind of dopey.

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

Teaser Tuesday--Four

Gerard's:

"I hid in the bathtub until help came.  A cop shot one of my dogs."

From page 13 of The Hand that Feeds You by A. J. Rich. (Click link for review)

When I just stared at him, he said, "For having the nerve to request where I slaughter you, I'll let you in on a secret, human:  Prythian must claim your life in some way, for the life you took from it.  So as a representative of the immortal realm, I can either gut you like swine, or . . . you can cross the wall and live out the remainder of your days in Prythian."

From page 37 of TA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

Still, I can hear this one thought hiding in the dark corners of my mind.  It doesn't attack like the others.

From page 9 of Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone.

Karen's: 

"No, tomorrow you won't."  In a move quick and precise, the sword cut the air, blood sprayed my horse's mane, and the man's head toppled to the ground.

From page 276 of The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles--Book 2) by Mary E. Paerson.

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

Happy Reading!

"The Hand That Feeds You" by A. J. Rich

The Hand That Feeds You by A. J. Rich is about a lady named Morgan.  She is living with her fiance named Bennet and her dogs.  One day she comes home and her fiance is dead.  it looks like her dogs did it, but has a hard time accepting that.  On further investigation it turns out the name of her fiance was false and this man has a history of wrong doing.

This is a real page turner that I enjoyed.  I loved how the dogs were kept in the story for almost the whole book!  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

Joe's body jumped as if he'd been given a jolt of electricity.  An alarm sounded.  Code blue.

From page 49 of Invasion of Privacy by Christopher Reich. (Click link for review)

She removed the dagger from his throat, using the blade to brush back a strand of his dark hair.  "I have my sources."

From page 72 of The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass Novellas) by Sarah J. Maas.

Karen's: 

"I don't think you particularly want to see how angry and vicious and awful I am underneath."  

"Go ahead and be as nasty as you want, Princess, because I've been ten times as nasty, for ten times longer than you've been alive."

 From page 89 of Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas.

Every day I would come home and see her shadow.  It's what gave me hope that one day we would be able to be together:  the fact that she still thought about me.

From page 25 of Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover.

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

Happy Reading!

"Invasion of Privacy" by Christopher Reich

Invasion of Privacy by Christopher Reich is told by Mary.  Her husband, Joe, worked for the FBI and was killed.  End of story.   BUT, Mary believes it is not that simple and wants to know why the cover up?  This book is a page turner.  I got into it early on and the story line is good and very believable.  I liked all the characters too.  Read this, you'll be glad you did!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)  

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

"Heir of Fire" by Sarah J. Maas (Updated)

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas is the third book in the Throne of Glass series so read the first two first!  In this book, you will be introduced to yet more new characters.  My favorite is Rowan and hope he is a main character now.  Of course, we get more of Chaol, Dorian and Celaena.  This series seems to get better and better with each book!  This is another action packed book full of twists and turns that I didn't want to put down with a fantastic ending!  I want more, Wow!  Can't wait to read the next one in this series!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review:
I thought this book started out very slow and was very confusing but the second part really picked up and got very good.  Things I liked about it are:  Celaena learning to use and control her magic fire power, Manon training Abraxos, her wyver and how they sort of bond, Rowan finally being nice to Celaena and them fighting together, Celaena's confrontation with her Aunt Maeve when she demonstrates her power, the showdown with the King at the end and Chaol still protecting Celaena's dog, Fleetwood. 

I think I'm probably the only person who liked the first two books better than this one.  I am looking forward to continuing on with this series because there are enough characters that I like and want to see how it all turns out.

Here are my two favorite quotes from this book:

The witch, Manon, trying to get her vicious wyver, Abroxos, to eat meat:

"He moved to sniff some white-and-yellow flowers.
A nightmare.  this was a nightmare.  "You can't really like flowers."
Again those dark eyes shifted to her.  Blinked once.  I most certainly do, he seemed to say." p. 261

Aelin to Rowan at the end when arguing about her plan of action:

"And, just like I said, magic doesn't work there anymore.  you'd be trapped in that form.  Though I do hear that Rifthold rats are particularly delicious, if you want to eat them for months." p. 560

Review of the previous books in this series:
Throne of Glass
Crown of Midnight

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!

"Crown of Midnight" by Sarah J. Maas with Discussion Video

Both my husband and I are reading this series now, he is reading the book first and then I am reading it so be sure to come back and see my review of the book too.

Here's Gerard's review:
This is the second book in The Throne of Glass series which is action packed!  There is so much going in in this second book!  Celaena is such a bad ass, I love her!  She knows what she is and is not afraid of anyone and makes it clear she is not one to mess with.  The characters of Dorian and Chaol are further developed and some new ones are added.  We learn a lot more in this book than in the first.  Loved this book a lot!  On to book 3--Heir of Fire.
(5++ stars)

(Karen's review, 5 stars)
In Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, there are a few more characters introduced and lots of action.  Celaena plays a dangerous game making the king think she is following his orders when she isn't really.  She continues to pursue her own agenda, to find his secret power source and to seek revenge.  There are quite a few scenes I liked a lot including some with Chaol, Dorian, the king, assassinations and her dog, Fleetfoot.  I am still pulling for Chaol in the love triangle.  A couple of her secrets are revealed in this book too!

I liked the humor in this book and the fighting she does seemed justified to me.  She is very clever but way more curious than I would be.  Can't picture me wandering through dark secret passageways below a castle alone!  This is one brave girl!  I also like how Chaol is always willing to protect her and help her anyway he can.  There were lots of things I especially liked in this book but don't want to be more specific to spoil it for you.  Read it and discover the mysteries for yourself! 

Here is a discussion video on this book that Gerard and I did on our front porch yesterday:

See our reviews of the first book in this series:  Throne of Glass.

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!

"Arena Mode" by Blake Northcutt

image from Amazon

Arena Mode by Blake Northcutt is the first in a series of fantasy novels around 2041.  This is about Mox, a superhero comic collector genius with a photographic memory, a cancerous brain tumor, and a couple good friends who convince him to enter the Arena Mode contest held in Manhattan, NY to get enough money for the surgery he needs to remove the tumor.  He has no faith in God or anything, and is solely focused on playing the odds which have paid off for him in winning lots of money gambling.  The contest is only for superpower humans, so he has to sneak in by faking a superpower to get the attention of the guy who gives out the invitations to participate.

The majority of this book is the actual contest involving a lot of fighting. During the contest, Mox discovers what is really important to him and fights to survive by out thinking his opponents and getting some help along the way.  I was interested to see how this guy with no superpowers was going to survive against the others who all had superpowers which was pretty fascinating.  I think the theme is about being a superhero by making a difference, but it wasn't all that clear.  Overall, the book is pretty gruesome, corny and unbelievable with a surprise ending I didn't like.   This is not a series I intend to pursue.
(Karen's review, 3 stars) 

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

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

It's impossible for me to make the connection between who I am now and who I was then--as if I died long ago in that town and resurrected somewhere else, with a brain full of another girl's memories.

Except that I miss my father.

From page 19 of When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord. (Click link for review)

Celaena reached a gloved hand into the sack and tossed the severed head toward him.  No one spoke as it bounced, a vulgar thudding of stiff and rotting flesh on marble.

From page 6 of Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas.

Karen's: 

Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings.  The hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.

 From page 115 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling.

As I looked down my nose at mindless consumerism, I had to stop and remind myself that I was participating in a glorified reality show--a show where contestants signed a contract, agreeing to kill each other for obscene piles of cash.  As far as entertainment goes, it doesn't get any more mindless.

From page 161 (location 2164 on Kindle) of Arena Mode by Blake Northcott. (Review goes up tomorrow--loved it!)


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

Happy Reading!

Things on My Bookshelves That Aren't Books

What's on your shelf that aren't books?  I have lots more things, but since this is a Top 5 Wednesday tag, we only get to pick five things.

"When We Were Animals" by Joshua Gaylord

When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord is told by Lumen, part of it as she was growing up and part as a married woman.  Where she lived growing up, teenagers did something as a rite of passage that you will have to read the book to find out exactly what that was.

I really loved this book!  The story line was good and I thought the characters were well brought out.  It kept my interest throughout with a good twist at the end I did not see coming.  This is well worth reading!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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

"Ruby (Dakota Treasures-Book 1)" by Lauraine Snelling if a Fun Read

Don't know why libraries can't put their stickers on the back!

Ruby by Lauraine Snelling is a good read about Ruby and her younger sister Opal (9 yrs. Old) who move to the Dakota territory from the east when their father sends for them just before he dies to give them their inheritance. It’s hardly a town at all with just a saloon/brothel, the Dove House that they inherit and another saloon, small store and a few other buildings. No sheriff, no children, no school, no church. The father’s dying wish was that Ruby would take care of the girls. She promised him she would before she finds out that they are prostitutes. Ruby is very uptight about everything and Opal is fun loving, friendly and adventurous. Ruby decides to stay only because she promised her father so decides to discontinue serving liquor, and the brothel, changing it into a respectable hotel that serves food and coffee. She agreed to permit the card room to stay open for gambling certain hours and let Belle run it.

I enjoyed this book very much because it was interesting to see how Ruby persuaded the others in the business to stay on and help change things. I liked Opal better than Ruby. I didn’t understand why Ruby did not pray more in this Christian fiction book than she did when she kept running into so many problems and challenges. It seemed she just complained a lot, yelled a lot and bossed people around, expecting Charlie to take care of everything. If you like historical fiction, I would recommend this book. Although it is classed as Christian fiction, I didn’t really find all that much Christianity in it.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)


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

"Bobby Wonderful--An Imperfect Son Buries His Parents" by Bob Morris

Bobby Wonderful by Bob Morris is a non-fiction memoir.  Mr. Morris tells what he and his family went through as their mom and dad lived their final days.  I am sure this book will resonate with the older crowd that went through this time in their life too.  This is an emotional book that is well worth reading.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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

"Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas is a Must Read if you like Fantasy! (UPDATED)

We both liked this one! 
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a mix of fantasy, mystery, competition, relationships, survival, royalty and friendship. Celaena, a famous teen assassin, who was betrayed and worked in a death camp as a slave in salt mines is chosen by Prince Dorien to participate in a contest that could give her freedom. If she wins, she would have to serve the king as his Champion assassin for four years and then she would be free. Celaena is brave, confident, determined, skilled, snarky and feisty. She is housed in the castle and finds a secret passage into tunnels that lead her to trouble!

I am so glad I read this book and look forward to continuing in the series! The characters are interesting and I really like Celaena, Nehemia, Chaol—captain of the guard and Prince Dorien. I didn’t dislike Cain until well into the book but disliked Kaltain and Duke Pellington right from the start. This book kept my interest from start to finish and I found myself chuckling and cheering. I would have preferred the final duel to be a clean fight but I still liked the ending. Nor did I care for the otherworld stuff; however, the action, Celaena and her relationships with Chaol, Dorien, Nehemia and Kaltain more than made up for it. This is a really good story I recommend to anyone who enjoys a bit of fantasy.
(Karen's review, 4 stars because I hear the next book in this series is even better!)


Gerard's review:

Throne of Glass is a YA novel about a young girl named Celaena.  She has been trained to be an assassin and is "the best."  Unfortunately for her, she is captured and put in a death camp.  However, when the king decides that he wants his own assassin to work for him, he runs a contest.  His son frees Celaena to enter the contest and maybe a chance to be free IF she wins.

This is an outstanding read; I LOVED IT!   Celaena is a great character and I was quickly on her side!  This has plenty of action and the other characters are really interesting too.  It almost goes without saying that the story line is superb!  This is a MUST READ and I will be reading the next book in this series soon.  This is going to be hard to beat for my "book of the month"--it's fantastic!
(Gerard's review 7/3/15, 5++ stars)

Here is a video of Gerard and me discussing this book on our front porch:

See our Crown of Midnight review and discussion video.

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!

"More Happy Than Not" by Adam Silvera

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera is a YA novel told by a young teen boy named Aaron.  He is having problems figuring out who he is exactly and he does not have his dad to go to because his dad committed suicide.  Poor Aaron thinks he is the cause of that!

I enjoyed this book.  It covers a lot of modern-day issues and all the characters were very well developed. 
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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

Teaser Tuesdays: Four Today

Gerard's:

Under a black-purple sky, a chariot is drawn by six angels harnessed like horses.  Blood and sweat stream down their shoulders and chests where the harness cuts into them.

From page 33 of End of Days by Susan Ee.

"I'm spending the night at Genevieve's.  Tell Mom I'm at Brendan's playing some new game or something."

From page 21 of More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera.

Karen's: 

"I demand to know," she began, but the Captain of the Guard pulled her back from the prince with spine-snapping force.  "I wasn't going to kill him, you buffoon."

 From page 12 of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.  (Click link for Gerard's review.)

One of the most important things you can do as a leader is to develop other leaders.  Those leaders will affect hundreds, if not thousands, of other people.

From page 4 of Leadership Lessons from West Point edited by Major Doug Crandall.

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

Happy Reading!

"Leadership Lessons from West Point" Can Apply to Leadership in General

Leadership Lessons from West Point is written by different Army officers who have had actual battle experience in leading men. It is actually a textbook that is well organized and addresses many different aspects of effective leadership. I must admit I did not read the entire book word for word because it nicely set off main points of each topic. I read those main points and if it was related to something that I felt would be helpful to me as a Sunday School teacher or volunteer coach, I read those entire passages. After reading Hope Unseen about an army officer who became blind due to a war bomb in Iraq and eventually got a teaching position at West Point, I wanted to read this book to see more of what West Point cadets were taught about leadership.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

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

"End of Days" by Susan Ee is a Great Finish to a Great Series!

End of Days by Susan Ee is book 3 and the last of the angel series which I loved! All three books in this series are very good! In this last book, Penryn and Raffe are on the run with a lot of twists and turns to come before the last part of the book that covers the final battle between angels and humans.

There is plenty of action in this one which made me enjoy it a lot! It’s a great series that has a really good ending. Super job, Miss Ee! I look forward to your next project.
 (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

The first book in this series is Angelfall and the second is World After.


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!

"An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo is Historical Fiction

An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo is an interesting read.  First off, it is told by a lady in a nursing home to one of the nurses and her son who visits her.  She is looking back to when she was 16 and telling the story about how they had an elephant in their garden during World War II and their walk across Germany to avoid the bombing of their city, Dresden.

I loved War Horse so when I found out Michael Morpurgo wrote this book too, I was eager to read it.  It is quite a story and I loved how it was told.  Although it is fiction, it is based to actual people and events.  This book has adventure and a bit of romance.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Here is the link to the actual story this book is based on:  Story of how Belfast Zoo's Baby Elephant Was Kept In Backyard of Home During Second World War Blitz to be Made into Film

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 Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is a YA story about a 13-yr.-old boy, Conor, whose dealing with anger issues and fear of his mother dying of Cancer. His parents are divorced, and his dad remarried and now lives in America while Conor lives in England.

I didn’t really care much for this book because the Monster that appeared to Conor to help him accept the loss of his mother seemed real; however, that made no sense.  I thought it was a dumb book but read it because I heard so many recommend it on YouTube.  It is sad and has a realistic fantasy feel to it.  I really thought the cover was well done.
(Karen's review, 2 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!

"Ask the Dark" by Henry Turner is Very Good!

Ask the Dark by Henry Turner is told by Billy, a young boy who lives by his own rules.  When his dad needs a lot of money, Billy buckles down and comes up with a plan to get it that puts him in real danger.  Does he pull it off?

This book is short and goes quick but is good.   I enjoyed it right off the bat and was into it.  Billy is a great character and a debut book by this author!  It's very well done, worth reading and loved the ending.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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

Teaser Tuesday: Four Today

Gerard's:

That was just mine, and no one had ever looked at it before, not even Miss Eveline at school.  Stupid, I told myself, with every push of the pedals.

From page 16 of Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff.

This the same day the letter came, but I weren't home then.  I was feeling too riled to go home 'cause I seen Tommy Evans, found him, I mean, though I never told it till now, 'cause wouldn't you'f wondered why I was in them woods so early in the first place?

From page 16 of Ask the Dark by Henry Turner.

Karen's: 

I want so badly to tell her the truth, but I also know that the truth won't make things any better between us than they are now.  The truth makes less sense than the lie, and I don't even know which on I should go with anymore.

 From page 104 of Confess by Colleen Hoover.

Rand touched a finger to his forehead and headed out the door, settling his hat on his head as he went.  Change was coming to the Little Muddy, and a certain young blond woman was at the heart of it, whether she wanted to be or not.

From page 123 (Loc. 1908 on Kindle) of Ruby (Dakotah Treasures Book 1) by Lauraine Snelling.

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

"Lost in the Sun" by Lisa Graff

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff is about a young teen boy named Trent and a girl named Fallon.  They share one thing in common that binds them together.  What that is, I'm not saying.  You'll have to read the book to find out.  I liked this book well enough enjoying both the main characters.  The story line is good, but not great.  The book has a good flow to it and I was never bored with it.  I think it is worth reading.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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

Children's Picture Book Standings (Vacation Reading)

Knowing I would be busy working in Sports Focus Camp at Parma Heights Baptist church this week, I knew I wouldn't get much reading done so stocked up on some short children's books I could easily read in just a few minutes.  Here is my report on the ones I read going from best to last (in my opinion):

1st place:  Don't throw It To Moe by David A. Adler (Penguin Young Readers level 2)
I really liked this book a lot!  It is about a little kid who loves football even though he is small, gets teased and doesn't get much playing time.

2nd place:  Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats by Alicia Potter, illustrated by Birgitta Sif
This is another very good picture book with an interesting story line as well about cats.  The most timid cat of all finds inner courage when it counts.  The illustrations are very good!  My cats voted this their favorite because of the plot with the timid cat becoming courageous.

3rd place:  How Many Cats by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Robin Eley
This is a fun book that encourages counting and subtracting with very good pictures of cats to count doing all sorts of things.  I liked the pictures, trying to find all the cats, and the rhyming of the words.  My cats liked this book too because of the good cat pictures and the writing.

4th place:  Castle Life by Laura Durman
I liked this one next because I enjoy the medieval period with castles and knights.  This is a non-fiction book geared to children with colorful pages and short fact boxes throughout.  It gives lots of information and I found it interesting.

5th place:  Look by by Jeff Mack
This is amazing writing because he tells the story with just two words!  It's a funny book about a boy glued to the TV and his gorilla who tries to get his attention.  I don't want to give away the ending so won't say any more, but it's cute with great pictures on every page!

6th place: Cat and Mouse by Ian Schoenherr
This is about the relationship between a cat and a mouse.  The mouse gives tips on how to get along with a cat in a fun way.

7th place:  Bandit's Surprise by Karen Rostoker-Gruber, illustrated by Vincent Nguyen
I didn't care too much for this one because it is sad.  The first cat resents the new kitten which is normal but then the cat ran away and I didn't like that part at all.

8th place: How to Catch a MOUSE by Philippa Leathers
Neither my cats nor I cared much for this one because it made the cat be stupid and it was way too silly and demeaning to cats.

9th place:  War Dogs:  Churchill and Rufus by Kathryn Selbert
This is a non-fiction children's picture book about Winston Churchill and his dog before, during and after World War II.  I thought it was boring.

10th place:  If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss
I guess I was so disappointed in this book that I ranked it last.  It made absolutely no sense whatsoever and puts down zoos.  Didn't care for the drawings or the writing in this.

These were fun, quick reads that I got from the children's section at the library.

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!

"Confess" by Colleen Hoover (Updated)

Confess by Colleen Hoover is told from two points of view--Auburn and Owen.  Auburn is a young teen girl and Owen is a 21-yr-old man.  They both have secrets and if they confess them, it could break apart their relationship.

I loved this book!  The characters are really good.  The story was good too, a real page turner with an excellent twist at the very end which is fantastic!  This was the first book I read by Colleen Hoover, but it sure will not be the last!
(Gerard's review 6/25/15, 5++ stars)

Karen read this too:
Confess by Colleen Hoover is a contemporary romance about Owen, an artist who does paintings inspired by anonymous confessions that people leave on notes for him at his studio. One day Auburn shows up the day of a showing who he hires to collect the money and is impressed with her interest in his paintings and her salesmanship skills. She looks familiar to him and they hit it off. Both Owen and Auburn have secrets that test their relationship when they are revealed.

I enjoyed this love story because I really liked Adam and Owen and found myself pulling for Owen throughout the book. I didn’t care at all for Trey, the cop, right from the start and was very pleased with the ending. The only thing I didn’t really care for was the quickness of the physical relationship between Owen and Auburn. This book deals with drug issues, domestic violence, jealousy, love and sacrifice, and a mother’s fight for custody of her child. It also has some humor related to a cat that made me like Owen right off.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

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