"Striking Gridiron" by Greg Nichols is Really Good!

Striking Gridiron is a true story that takes place in 1959 in Braddock, Pennsylvania.  Half a million steelworkers are on strike in this steel town, but this town rallies around its high school football team.  This team has a chance to do something really special in 1959.

This book is really good!  I love how the author gave background on the coach, players and the people of the town.  It has great descriptions of the games too.  I was into it from the first page!
(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!

"Prayers and Lies" by Sherri Wood Emmons

Prayers and Lies by Sherri Wood Emmons centers on 7-yr-old Bethany.  When she meets her cousin, Reana Mae, they form a bond that benefits them both.  As the years go on, Bethany finds out that there are a lot of secrets that are going to change the way she thinks about people and events.

I thought this book was okay.  I think it would appeal more to teen girls and women than men. 
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Four Today

Karen's:

I was abandoning my car to look for better shelter, and I didn't know if I'd find any.  My phone didn't work, I had no way of reaching my dad, and my heart was beating so fast it was making me dizzy.

From page 48 of Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick.  (Click to see Gerard's review of this one)

When Harry woke up on Sunday morning, it took him a moment to remember why he felt so miserable and worried.  Then the memory of the previous night rolled over him.

From page 288 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling.


Gerard's:

I cried till my stomach hurt.  Then I slowly climbed the thirty-two stone steps and headed for home, kicking small stones before me and cursing my sister with every step.

 From page 23 of Prayers and Lies by Sherri Wood Emmons.  (Click link for my review)

It's me, RED crayon.  We need to talk.

From page 3 of The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. (click link for our review--we both liked this one!)


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!

"Not a Drop to Drink" by Mindy McGinnis

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis is told by a young girl named Lynn.  She lives with her mom and protects their pond because water is very scarce in her world.  When an accident claims the mother, it's all up to Lynn.

I thought this book was okay.  I really liked Lynn and the story line was good enough to keep my interest.  It had a good ending too!
(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!

"The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt is a Best Seller Children's book!

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt is a story told through letters to a little boy from crayons.  As soon as I started this book I was hooked because I wanted to see what each color had to say.  It's cute and liked how this book is told from lots of different point of views.  I think it would get young children to use different colored crayons instead of just one or two colors.  This is a short, fun read that shows what crayons think.   It has over 2500 reviews on Amazon, mostly 5 stars! My husband read this too, see his review below.
(Karen's review)

Duncan is a little boy who one day opened his crayon box and found a bunch of letters from his crayons.  Every now and then you need to read a kid's book.  I enjoyed this one very much!  Happy coloring!
(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!

"Daughter of Deep Silence" by Carrie Ryan

Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan is about a young girl named Frances.  She is on board a cruise ship where everybody gets killed except for her and another girl.  Frances survives, but the other girl does not.  Then she finds out two other people survived but are telling a different story about what happened on the ship.  Why?  Why did they survive? 

This book kept me turning pages and I enjoyed the story line very much!  I read this after seeing this video by Christine at Polandbananas. 


She was right! 
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

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

Teaser Tuesday - 4 This Week!

Karen's:

Love makes people crazy.  
Loss of love makes people crazy.

From page 300 of Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon.  (We both liked this YA one, click link for our reviews)

There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled.  He was dead before he hit the floor.  
Two hundred miles away, the boy called Harry Potter woke with a start.

From page 15 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling.


Gerard's:

I ain't a Rose Rider.  I want 'em dead just like you, and alls you's done is lose me a horse and get yerself killed."

 From page 30of Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman.  (Click link for my review)

The drop is interminable and I wait, wait, wait for the slap of water that I can't see.  I'm nothing but dark and rain, screams and blood, and then I'm water.

From page 44 of Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan.


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!

"Vengeance Road" by Erin Bowman

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman is a western about an 18-yr-old girl named Kate.  One day she comes home and finds her dad dead.  She knows the gang who did it and she wants revenge.   I have not read a western in a long time so this was a good change of pace for me.  The story line kept me interested and there was just enough action.  I really liked Kate, and the other characters were well developed too.  The ending was very well done and caught me by surprise!  This is sort of based on a true story.  Give it a try, you will be happy 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!

"Escape from Baxters' Barn" by Rebecca Bond - Cute Children's Book

Escape from Baxters’ Barn by Rebecca Bond is a children’s book that caught my attention because of the cover with the barn animals and a one-eyed cat. This is a cute story about how the farm animals, the barn cat and an owl work together to get away from the farm when the cat hears the farmer’s plan to burn down the barn! It is a cute fantasy story and I also liked the sketches throughout the book. The theme of the book is that everyone is important and working together results in success when everyone does their part. This is a very quick light read that I recommend to any animal lover.
(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!

"The Big Picture" by Jenny B. Jones (Great Series!)

The Big Picture by Jenny B. Jones is the third book of A Katie Parker Production series that I enjoyed just as much as the first two in the series. This series is shows how a high school girl, Katie, finds hope for her future in spite of having a mother in prison for drug dealing and being put into foster care. Katie is such a well-developed and believable character that I couldn’t help but pull for her. In this final book, she gets reunited with her natural mom but struggles with mixed feelings about it.

This book is Christian fiction that really didn’t have the ending I anticipated for a change. I really found the support Katie got from her church friends to be realistic and liked how this book shows girls and guys can be good friends. . One of the things that makes this book stand out from other teen Christian fiction is that it’s realistic and includes elderly people as well. The romance between the grandmother and her friend added to the story. The grandmother added so much humor to this book, she was such a character! This whole series was entertaining, touching, amusing and heartwarming! Great YA contemporary fiction that I highly recommend!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Previous books in this series I reviewed were:
In Between (book 1)
On the Loose  (book 2)


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!

"Everything Everything" by Nicola Yoon is an Unusual YA Romance (UPDATED)

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon is an unusual YA romance that was an interesting read and a commentary on life and love. I enjoyed reading about Madeline who was kept inside her house for 17 years due to a rare disease—basically being allergic to the world. Her nurse, Carla, helped her to visit with the boy next door, Olly, behind her mother’s back. Carla felt bad for Madeline and wanted her to be able to live a little, so encouraged her to take a risk and live her life.

I liked that this had very short chapters and much of the book was IM messages and emails exchanged between Olly and Madeline.  I also liked the illustrations and Madeline's short book spoilers throughout the book. This book even has some adventure in it which was a pleasant surprise. I thought it would be a depressing read, but it was quite the opposite! My favorite quote from this book is: “Love makes people crazy. Loss of love makes people crazy.” Pg. 300. This pretty much sums up this book. I would say this is inspirational too.
(Karen's review 10/2/15, 4 stars)


Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon is a YA debut novel about a young girl named Madeline.  She has SCID, a rare disease that results in her not leaving the house.   I thought this book was really good!  I enjoyed the main character and the story line was very interesting.  The last part of this book came as a complete shock to me which was a good thing.  Give this book a chance.  You will be glad you did!
(Gerard's review 9/30/15, 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!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

My mom should be dreading empty-nest syndrome.  But because of SCID, I'm not going anywhere.

From page 10 of Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon.


Karen's:

"Yes, I know you're my mother."  Believe me, I've tried to blot it from my memory many times, but it never worked.

 From page 100 of The Big Picture by Jenny B. Jones.


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!

"Disclaimer" by Renee Knight

In Disclaimer by Renee Knight, Catherine finds a novel, The Perfect Stranger, on her bed stand, realizing as she reads that it is about her and an event in her life that she does not want known.  Only one other person knew about it and that person is dead.  So who wrote it and why?  Her husband and son have the same book!

This book is good with action that kept me turning pages to a really good ending.  Here's a teaser from it for you:

I'm not interested in her acknowledgement of my pain.  It's too late for that now.

(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!

"On the Loose--A Katie Parker Production" by Jenny B. Jones is Heartwarming, Funny

On the Loose by Jenny B. Jones is the second book in the Katie Parker Production series that is as good as the first, In Between. Katie, a foster teen, continues to experience teen drama, lives through a tornado, forms more friendships and deepens her relationship with her hilarious foster grandmother. When her foster mom, Millie, is diagnosed with Cancer, Katie worries about what will happen to her. As Katie continues attending church with the Scotts and getting more involved with the youth group, she continues to struggle with her own faith.

I am enjoying this YA inspirational Christian fiction series very much and look forward to reading the final book in this series, The Big Picture. The author is a high school teacher who spends a lot of time with teens and her writing certainly reflects that. This is a fun read as well as a touching one and I love her writing style! I highly recommend this light, fun read to anyone who enjoys books about teens and family.
(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!

"Badlands" by C. J. Box Isn't Anything Great

Needs more action!

In Badlands, by C. J. Box, one of the stars in my opinion is Kyle, a young boy who is out delivering the morning papers and sees a van crash and finds a package from the van.  The other star is Cassie, the new deputy sheriff.  I thought the story line was okay but predictable without much real action.  I liked Kyle a lot but this book wasn't so great.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"In the Dark Places" by Peter Robinson

In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson is a British mystery novel that I really didn’t much care for. It is about a crime ring in a rural area involved in the stealing of farm equipment for resale. The whole book is the ongoing crime investigation trying to get to the bottom of it which mushrooms into something much bigger and gruesome. It was a bit confusing trying to keep all the law enforcement people straight, a map would have been helpful to show the lay of the land and the language used many British terms I wasn’t familiar with. There is good suspense near the end but for the most part I found myself plowing through just to finish it. I did appreciate the wrap-up summaries given when the law enforcement people got together to compare notes and update each other. That helped me know what was going on.
(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!

Teaser Tuesday: 3 This Week

Gerard's:

Kyle opened his mouth and roared.  His cry came out high-pitched and it cracked in the middle, but it sounded to him like he was a wounded animal.
From page 208 of Badlands by C. J. Box.

For a minute, he didn't answer.  His eyes were wide and shocked, and he had bitten his lower lip so hard that I could see dots of blood.

From page 20 of Who Do You Love? by Jennifer Weiner.  (Click link to see my review--my book of the month!)

Karen's:

Three people and a dog huddling in a tub with parts of a couch balanced on their heads is not a precaution.  It's what you do when the weatherman says a tornado is going to sail over your house and rip through your community.

 From page 14 of On The Loose by Jenny B. Jones.


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!

"Who Do You Love?" by Jennifer Weiner

In Who Do You Love? by Jennifer Weiner, Rachel and Andy were just 8 years old when one night they met in an ER waiting room.  Little did they know that this meeting would change both of their lives forever.  This story is told by Rachel and Andy really well.  I liked both of them.  Their story lines kept me interested throughout the whole book.  I LOVED this book--it's great with a fantastic ending!  This will most likely be my book of the month and make my year-end top 12 list.  Don't miss it, a must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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

"Orphan #8" by Kim van Alkemade

Orphan #8 by Kim van Alkemade is based on a true story.  Rachel is only 8 years old when she finds herself in an infant home.  There a lady doctor runs experiments on girls.  Rachel is one of those girls.  Years later, she is a nurse in an old folks home when a patient is brought in.  Rachel recognizes the patient as the doctor who worked on her.  Will she try to get revenge?  This is a good page turner.  The tension builds as we learn what Rachel will do!  I enjoyed this book very much!
(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!

"Finding Peace" by Melanie D. Snitker is about a Photographer and a Cop

Finding Peace by Melanie D. Snitker is a clean romance/mystery that was predictable right from the start as far as the romance part.  The mystery part provided at least some action to keep me interested enough to finish. Someone breaks into Laurie’s photography studio twice. She falls for the cop on the case and gets a gun for protection. This book actually showed what the work of a professional photographer involves which I enjoyed. Overall, the shallowness of the characters and the predictability of the plot made it a mediocre book for me. This is Book 1 in the Love's Compass series which I may or may not continue.
(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: 3 This Week

Gerard's:

Rachel could no longer keep down the panic that rose from the bottom of her belly.  It burst out of her throat in a wail that vibrated the air throughout the office.

From page 44 of Orphan #8 by Kim van Alkemade.


Karen's:

He had been doing his best to ignore the pull he had towards her.  But when he was in the same room with her, it was like the wall he had built up was made of sand that was blown away by the music of her voice.

 From page 52 (Loc. 740-41) of Finding Peace (Love's Compass Book 1) by Melanie D. Snitker.

Gilchrist made his way over, wondering what on earth was making her behave in such a willful and excited manner.  Irritation slowly gave way to curiosity.

 From page 2 of In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson

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!

"Ana of California" by Andi Teran is Heartwarming and Enjoyable! (Updated)

Ana of California by Andi Teran is the heartwarming story of Ana Cortez, an orphan who is approaching 16 and has been bounced around from foster home to foster home. She lives in L.A. where her father, mother and grandmother were shot by rival gang members. She finds herself in a new situation to avoid living in a group home, being a summer intern on Abbie and Emmett’s farm in northern California. When she is attracted to Cole, a boy everyone warns her to stay away from, she ignores their advice and they become friends.

I loved this story because Ana is such a likable character who tries to do the right thing but still ends up in bad situations. She always worries that Abbie and Emmett will send her back so tries very hard to work hard and please them. It shows how one person can make a difference and overcome one's past by moving forward. I loved how Ana found ways to use her artistic abilities too. I recommend this as a good beach read—very enjoyable!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's thoughts:
Ana of California by Andi Teran is about a young teen girl named Ana. Ana is an orphan and has made the rounds of foster homes. Now she is down to her last chance. Make it work at this place—a farm or else she goes back to a group home. Can Ana do it? Can she make a go of it at the farm or not. I really liked this and cheered for Ana the whole way. I thought this book had enough action to keep my interest and is well worth reading. (5 stars)

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

"The Barter" by Siobhan Adcock

The Barter by Siobhan Adcock tells the story of two women—Bridget and Rebecca. Bridget’s story is told in modern times while Rebecca’s story is set in 1902. They both have something in common. To find out what that is, you will have to read the book. I really loved Bridget’s story. It was so good and funny a lot of the time. Rebecca’s story I didn’t like as much, but it did get better at the end. On the strength of Bridget’s story, I give this book 4 stars. Well 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!