"Whatever Tomorrow Brings" by Lori Wick

I liked Whatever Tomorrow Brings by Lori Wick.  It’s a Christian romance about family and hospitality.  Three siblings whose mother died after moving to California from Hawaii and whose father went back to mission work in Hawaii but left kids in the states with the intent to join them later have to make it on their own with the help of Christian friends.  Katie, the oldest, gets a teaching job and takes care of her teen brother Sean and little sister, Marcail.
(Karen's 5/23/09)

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

What Wizard Of oz Character Are You?

Do you like The Wizard Of Oz?  The Wizard of Oz is an all-time classic movie that I always enjoyed.  When I was little, the wicked witch scared me so much that I had nightmares about her chasing me!  When I got a bit older, we used to actually act it out in our backyard!  I liked being a flying monkey so when I saw this quiz I just had to try this quiz.  As a teen, when I saw the movie "Pilgrim's Progress" all I could think was that it's like "The Wizard Of Oz!"   Gerard and I both got the same result:

We Are the Tin Man

You feel like you're not compassionate enough, but you've got more heart than almost anyone else in this world.  (I do have compassion, but it just feels like I should be doing more.) You care deeply for others, and you are extremely sensitive. You are easily moved. (I sometimes cry when reading a touching story or when seeing a sad movie like "Marley & Me" or "The Notebook."  Gerard is very emotional. You find it easy to put yourself in someone else's shoes. You're very empathetic. (I think this is true, especially when I've gone through a similar situation that someone is going through.) If only you were as easy on yourself as you are on others. You don't give yourself enough credit! (Yeah, this is true of both of us.  We really don't.  I get mad at myself quite easily when I forget things--I am becoming more forgetful and Gerard yells at himself when he goofs up something.)

What Wizard of Oz Character Are You?
Take the quiz and let us know your results in the comments!
I wonder how many different characters we can get.

"Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

"Speak" is a fiction book but it reads like a non-fiction book.  It is about Melinda who starts her freshman year in High School as an outcast.  It has to do with a terrible incident that occurred just before school started.  She does not speak much, if at all, at school--hence the title of the book.  Her observations about High School are dead on!  There was a lot of hype about this book and now I see why.  This is a great book for teens, but I think anybody would enjoy it.  You get into it quick and I had a hard time putting it down.  At less than 200 pages, it is a quick read.  Well worth reading for sure!  The ending is AWESOME!
(Gerard 3/29/09)

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

"Secrets To The Grave" by Tami Hoag is FANTASTIC! (Updated 2/25/11)

What a fantastic sequel to Deeper Than The Dead.  Secrets To The Grave by Tami Hoag is a real page turner.  I couldn't put it down!  It starts off with a woman found brutally killed.  If you think you know who the killer is, think again because you don’t.  I loved all the many twists and turns in this.  Deeper Than The Dead was one of my top books from last year and now Secrets To The Grave is one of my top books of this year.  I sure hope there is a third book.  This is about as good as it gets!
(Gerard's review)

Check out my teaser from this book.

UPDATED 2/25/11:  (Karen's review)

Secrets To The Grave by Tami Hoag is a psychological thriller with complicated crazy characters that will keep you guessing what is up with them.  It begins with a brutal murder witnessed by only a 4-yr. old girl and brings the reader along a bumpy road as the detectives try to figure out who killed Marissa and why. 

I liked Anne, the heroine who was married to Vince, the former FBI special agent brought in to assist with the case.  This book is full of surprises and suspense.  Secrets to The Grave is a real page turner that got my interest right from the start and just kept getting better as it went along.  I wasn’t able to guess who the killer was for sure until almost the end.  I highly recommend this book if you want a good murder mystery.

visit Tami's website at www.tamihoag.com 

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

"True Grit" by Charles Portis Is As Good As The Movie!

True Grit by Charles Portis is a western about a young girl who wants to avenge her father’s killing by going after the killer and gets a well-known marshal to help her.  I think most people know the story.  I’ve seen the movie three or four times.  The book was just as good as the movie.  Nothing really new that is not in the movie, but I enjoyed reading it!
(Gerard's review)

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

"Rescue Josh McGuire" by Ben Mikaelsen

Rescue Josh McGuire is a story about adventure and protecting a bear cub that I'm glad I didn't pass up although it's a book for kids. Josh flees to the mountains with his dog and a bear cub on a dirt bike to keep the orphaned bear cub from being taken by the Montana Fish and Game Department to be used for lab experiments. After Josh's older brother died, Josh's father became an alcoholic and accidentally shot the cub's mother when hunting with his son but wouldn't admit it. It's a very good story about the difference this one boy made and the search to find the boy. He was determined not to return home until he could keep the cub and the law would be changed to not permit bear hunting in the spring when cubs were generally born. I recommend it to boys and animal lovers

(Karen's 4/15/09)

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

Tuesday Teaser: "Rose In A Storm"

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. 

Only have one for you this week:

Rose sank into a state of absolute focus. She dug and dug and dug, aware neither of pain nor cold, only of Sam beneath the snow.

From Rose In A Storm by Jon Katz. My review of this book will be posted Wednesday--this book really good!

Happy Presidents Day!

This video recaps all the presidents in under 4 minutes! Pretty cool, I thought. I'm glad I'm not the President of the U.S.--way too much responsibility! I'm amazed anyone wants that job but I'm sure glad some people do. I found this over at MaryTheKayTheBlog on her Honoring our Greatest Presidents post. She has a trivia quiz over there for you too!

"The Wee Free Men" by Terry Pratchett Is Very Strange

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett is teen fantasy which I read for a change of pace and enjoyed.  I normally do not read fantasy books but the teaser I saw for this one at The Adventures Of An Intrepid Reader got my attention.  It looked like it would be a funny book and it is.  I was not at all disappointed.  It's a story about a little girl who wanted to be witch.  When her little brother is missing, she goes after him into Fairyland to get him back from the Queen.  It is sort of a combination of "The Wizard of Oz" and "Alice in Wonderland" and does not make much sense.  The Wee Free men (Nac Mac Feegle) were blue with red hair and about six inches tall, noted for stealing, fighting and drinking.  They were very fast, strong and helped Tiffany get her brother back.  I liked them especially but it wasn't always easy to understand them.  I especially liked the part of the Nac Mac Feegle steeling the sheep and at the end about the lawyer humor. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape reality for awhile and just be entertained.  Oh, it's such a crazy book that the printing is upside down so you actually read it backwards!  It's hilarious--a fun read!  You can read my teaser. 

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

"Black Seconds" by Karin Fossum

Black Seconds by Karin Fossum is a quick read which is always good.  A little girl goes missing and is found weeks later.  As usual, in a mystery there are quite a few suspects.  This is a page turner.  I didn’t know who did it until the very end.  I liked it and recommend it!
(Gerard's review)

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

"America By Heart: Reflections On Family, Faith and Flag" by Sarah Palin

There is really no grey area when it comes to Sarah Palin.  You either like her or you don’t.  I do.  America By Heart:  Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag is her second book; her first was Going Rogue: An American Life.  She touches on a number of subjects.  The chapters of this book that I enjoyed most were:  “Why They Serve,” “The Rise Of The Mama Grizzlies,” “I Hear America Praying,” and “Common Sense Constitutional Conservatism.”  I liked both her books. 
 (Gerard's review)

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

For The Thrill Of It by Simon Baatz

I don't think I will read anything better this year! This will be hard to beat!
For The Thrill Of It by Simon Baatz takes place in 1924 is just riveting. It tells the story of the killing of Bobby Franks by Nathan Leopold and Richard Leob. What makes the book so good is that you feel like you are right there while all this is going on! The writing is that good.

This book grabbed me from the first page and held me to the last. The first part of the book is especially good, focusing on the planning that went into the so-called perfect crime and then picks up again in the courtroom. You will keep turning pages with this one. It is hard to put down! It would make a very good movie. Well done, Mr. Baatz. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
Gerard's review (2/25/09)

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

Tuesday Teaser: "Train From Marietta," "Wee Free Men," "Secrets To The Grave"

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: (This is from the book I just finished. It was so good I wanted to do a teaser from it.)

She didn't feel the cool of the rain, but instead the pull of his whiskers on her hair and his breath on her face. Was that his heart or hers thumping so determinedly between them?

Taken from p. 193 of Train From Marietta by Dorothy Garlock See my review.

Now I'm reading this one:

Once again the water boiled, the green-haired creature shot up, and the long arms clawed at the mud. Then it screamed and dropped back into the water.

From p. 5 of The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.

Gerard's:

She held up a hand before Mendez could draw a breath to answer. "What am I thinking? She witnessed her mother's murder. What could be all right after that?

From p. 64 of Secrets To The Grave by Tami Hoag.

"Forever My Lady" by Jeff Rivera

Forever My Lady is a story about Dio, who has to go to a prison boot camp.  He loves a childhood sweetheart named Jennifer.  What he goes through in boot camp is interesting, as are the people who are also there.  I thought it had a pretty good ending and it says "to be continued."  This is a short, quick book that I recommend.  I look forward to a sequel.

(Gerard's review 6/12/09)

Karen Says:  Real World Romance From A Man's Perspective

I liked Forever My Lady by Jeff Rivera, because it's not your typical romance. It's about Dio, a Latino gang member called Playboy, whose girlfriend, Jennifer, got shot six times in a drive by shooting meant for him. He was sent to prison boot camp and Jennifer was in the hospital. It's a good story about his struggles at boot camp and how he matured and learned to become a responsible citizen that Jennifer would want to marry. He thinks about her constantly and thinking about their future together is what keeps him going and motivates him to become a better person. The reader learns much about their relationship through the letters they exchange while he is detained. The warning label on the book which says "Parental Guidance, Explicit Language, Adult Situations" almost scared me off but I'm glad I read it. It has a bitter sweet ending. I came to like Dio and pulled for him throughout most of the book. I highly recommend this to both men, women and young adults.
(Karen's review 6/10/09)

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

"Left Neglected" by Lisa Genova

I liked Left Neglected because even though it dealt with a career woman and super mom, Sarah, who suffered brain damage, it was funny because of her sense of humor.  The way the book is written makes it very interesting because it is told from Sarah’s perspective.  I enjoyed reading about the mother-daughter relationship and how Sarah understood her son's attention deficit better after her accident.  The ending was very good and I am glad I read this book! 

Until I read this book, I never knew that someone could not know their left side existed.  Reading this book was a good way to learn about Left Neglect.  The author has a PhD in neuroscience and talked to people who actually had Left Neglect.  This is an interesting story about how a person’s whole life can change in an instant. The lesson is not to talk on your cell phone while driving!  I recommend this one too!
(Karen)

Put this book on your MUST READ list--it's the best book I've read so far this year! Left Neglected by Lisa Genova is a wonderful read! Sarah has a husband, three young children and a very high prestigious job. There are just not enough hours in the day for her until her car accident. The brain damage she suffered from the accident makes life as she knew it not there anymore. How she and her family copes is the basis for this book.

I really enjoyed Left Neglected from page one! The writing and humor makes it hard to put down. It’s very funny and thought provoking with a wonderful ending. In short, please read this book! Here's my Tuesday Teaser from it.
(Gerard)

Here's a short interview with the author:




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

"One September Morning" by Rosalind Noonan

I found One September Morning by Rosalind Noonan while browsing the library.  The cover caught my attention and the reference to Jodi Picoult made me get it.  I'm so glad I did!  I got into it fast.  The characters are people you will care about.  It's hard to put down and you will re-examine your thoughts on the Iraq war.  I liked the ending too.  You can't ask for much more than that in a book.  Pick it up if you see it, you will be glad you did! (30 stars)

Gerard (6/3/09)

I really liked this book about an army widow who wasn't satisfied with the army's report on her husband's death in Iraq and uncovered some disturbing facts about how he really died.  It also included the effects of his death on his family and how his feelings about the war in Iraq changed during his service there.  This book gave some insight into the Iraq war and gave me a new perspective on it.  One September Morning is a bit of a mystery because at first you don't know which soldier is the killer and then it turns to suspense as the killer puts his plan into action.  I read this in two days because it was captivating and I liked Abby, the main character who was the army widow.  I recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries, suspense, PTSD, stories about military families or psychos.   

(Karen 6/7/09)

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

"A Sick Day For Amos McGee" by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead

A Sick Day For Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead is a childrens book about Amos McGee who works at the zoo.  He always makes time for some very special animal friends.  One day he is too sick to come to the zoo so his animal friends came to visit him! 

Amos cared about the animals and the animals cared about him.  It's childrens book that we think any child would find amusing. The illustrations that go along with the story are very well done.  A charming little kids book about caring for others!
(Gerard & Karen)

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

"Seven Days Of Rage: The Deadly Crime Spree Of The Craigslist Killer"

Seven Days of Rage by Paul Larosa and Maria Cramer is from the excellent TV shows “48 Hours Mystery” the story of the “Craigslist Killer” is an excellent read of how a young medical student who “had it all” went so bad.  Reading this was just like watching the show.  I really enjoyed the in-depth reporting and getting all sides of the story.  The show is on Saturdays which I tape and look forward to watching.  It's a great show about true crime.

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

"Train From Marietta" by Dorothy Garlock

Train From Marietta by Dorothy Garlock is story of adventure in Texas and romance in the 1930s. When Kate plans to take the train from New York to California to practice medicine with her uncle, little did she know that she would be kidnapped along the way and her plans would change when she finds romance. This is also a story of betrayal, survival and friendship. I liked all the main characters, especially the Indian boy.


Dorothy Garlock is one of my favorite authors and this book did not let me down. I love how she can tell the story in such a way that it makes me feel as though I’m right there or watching a movie. I enjoyed this book very much because I like stories with happy endings!

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

Teaser Tuesday: "66 Love Letters" and "Left Neglected"

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:

God, what are You saying to me in Your first love letter, Genesis?

You've made a mess, but I have a plan!

In Genesis, I begin telling the story of how everyone fails and I succeed.  I want you to know how much of a mess you've made out of all the beauty I created.

Taken from p. 2 of From God To You--66 Love Letters:  A Conversation with God That Invites You Into His Story by Dr. Larry Crabb 

Gerard's: 

I decide I'm not dead because I can hear the sound of the rain hitting the roof of the car.  I'm alive because I'm listening to the rain, and the rain becomes the hand of God strumming his fingers on the roof, deciding what to do.

Taken from p. 64 of Left Neglected by Lisa Genova (author of Still Alice).

Meet us On Monday

1. What do you put on your hot dog?

Karen: Ketchup and sometimes mustard sometimes. I have hot dogs two or three times a year.

Gerard: I guess ketchup but I don’t really like hot dogs.


2. Do you play Sudoku?

Karen: No, it takes too long. I was curious about it though so tried it just by putting numbers in haphazardly. Then I spotted a small book on how to do it at Marc’s which I browsed through and tried again with success!

Gerard: I have no interest in these things whatsoever.


3. What is your favorite vegetable?

Karen: Corn on top of mashed potatoes is my favorite, but only have it if we go to a lunch buffet on rare occasions.

Gerard: What's a vegetable? The closest I come to eating vegetables is drinking V8 Fusion. I like tomatoes on burgers.


4. Do you color your hair?

Karen: No, I hate to spend any time fussing with my hair! I’m just going to go gray and be happy I have hair!

Gerard: Of course not.


5. What is your favorite brand of clothing?

Both of us like L.L. Bean and St. John’s Bay.

Meet more bloggers over 40 at Meet Me On Monday.

"Twisted By The Wind" by Tom Hays

Twisted By The Wind by Tom Hays is an unusual book, at least different from any I’ve read before.  Through a variety of short humorous fiction stories about Ben Braddock, the author conveys the main theme of the book that the journey of life is the destination and that “destiny is what becomes of a person in the end in spite of all efforts to change or prevent it.”  I enjoyed the bits of wisdom from the author before each story such as:

 It’s not really work if you like doing it.

If at first you don’t succeed, that’s pretty much how it works for most people.

Every day, life gives you a second chance.  Take it.

Jumping to conclusions is not considered good exercise.

He also included some poems throughout that book that I enjoyed as well.  Although I’m not in total agreement with the general philosophy of this book, parts were humorous.  This is a short quick read that was amusing, entertaining and thought-provoking.  You can visit Tom Hay’s website at http://PearlOfTheDay.com for inspirational and motivational quotes.  You can visit his blog at http://tomhaystoday.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Tom, for the free copy of your book in exchange for this review! 

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

"Breaking Night--From Homeless to Harvard" by Liz Murray

Loved the movie, loved the book! This story was a lifetime movie that we both liked very much.  Breaking Night by Liz Murray is just as good, if not better.  It is the true story of Liz Murray who was homeless and wound up at Harvard!  It's a remarkable and inspirational story!  The writing is very good and really captures her struggles.  Thanks for the book, Ms. Murray, and may God bless you always!  I give this 10 stars! 
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this too and liked it:

WOW!  What an interesting book filled with insight into poverty, homelessness and drug addiction!  Breaking Night is the memoir of Liz Murray who shares about her life of living with her drug addicted parents, her effort to protect her parents who both contracted AIDS, living at a group home, her dependence on friends while homeless, her determination to go back to school and change her life.  This is a very good book!  It is so hard for me to fathom people actually living like she did.

Breaking Night shows that a person can change in spite of one’s circumstances if they make good choices and work hard.  It is about family relationships, forgiveness, friendship, judging by appearances, survival, overcoming obstacles and being responsible.  Liz overcame many obstacles and found herself with a scholarship from The New York Times and was accepted at Harvard!  She is now a motivational speaker helping others get their life on track and is now working with a small team of people to open Broome Street Academy, a high schools for homeless teens in September of 2011.  Liz is a remarkable person!

This is an inspirational book that I highly recommend!  Her website is Manifest Living.  I also enjoyed the movie on Lifetime that was based on this book.

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

Visit Saturday Sampling for more great posts of the week or link one of yours!

"A Lifetime Of Wisdom" by Joni Earickson Tada

I give A Lifetime Of Wisdom by Joni Earickson Tada 30 stars!
I haven't read a Joni book in a long time but found this one while browsing through the library.  I'm so glad I did!  What makes this book so good is that Joni goes back to how she thought about things when she was a teen and now shares 40 years later what she has learned since.  As always, the writing in Joni's books is superb.  This book is hard to put down.  It gave me sort of a spiritual bath, which I think we all need from time to time to reflect on the really important things in life.  Bless you, Joni!  I highly recommend you read this book!
(Gerard's review 7/1/09)

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

"If I Stay" by Gayle Foreman

If I stay by Gayle Foreman is a really good teen novel!  It is about a teenage girl named Mia who, with her family, got into a car accident.  Her parents and brother die, but she lingers in ICU.  She describes her emotions while she hangs between life and death.  I enjoyed this book because it’s short, well written and went quick.  I give it 7 stars!

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

Teaser Tuesday: "Breaking Night" and "You Killed Wesley Payne"

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. 

We have a non-fiction and a YA fiction teaser for you today, check out our giveaway for Gerard's:
Karen's: 

Every night was like this.  While Ma and Daddy injected themselves with cocaine and ran in and out, like a tag team, I stayed close by and shared the night with them.  While Lisa slept in her bed, I had them all to myself; I helped keep them safe.

Taken from p. 55 of Breaking Night--A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey From Homeless To Harvard by Liz Murray

Gerard's: 

Dalton needed to check out the crime scene.  First stop, football field.  The kid followed, plump and sweaty, huffing to catch up.  He held out his knuckles for a bump.  "My name's Mole."

Taken from p. 3 of You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin.  We are giving this one away.  Here is the link to our giveaway where you can find out more about this book.

If you would like to enter a Feb. 5 giveaway for the book I wrote, My Funny Dad, Harry visit Red Pine Mountain and leave a comment on my guest post.