"The Light Between Oceans" by M. L. Stedman

In The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Steadman, Isabel lives on a lonely lighthouse, miles away from everybody. She has tried three times to have a baby and it ended in tragedy all three times. Then one day a ship crashes and her husband finds a dead man and an unhurt girl baby. What comes next? Here are a few questions: (1) Does Isabel raise the baby as her own, after all, who will be the wiser? (2) Is the baby's real mother alive? (3) Will Isabel's husband report this and do the right thing?

This is a real page turner and enjoyed how Isabel and her husband handled this situation. You will want to keep reading this book--it's a good one!
(Gerard's review, rating 5+ stars)

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

Tuesday Teasers: Two Fiction and one Non-Fiction

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

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

Gerard's:

   And there he was, her tiny son, teetering near the edge, a ghostly image in the fog.
   "Noah," she whispered, suddenly terrified, her fingers sliding down the pane as panic surged within.

Taken from page 9 of You Don't Want To Know by Lisa Jackson.

Karen's:

Katie squirmed uncomfortably. "Misty shouldn't get suspended," she protested weakly. "Not when there are, what do they call 'em, extenuating circumstances."

Taken from page 35 of Catching Fireflies by Sherryl Woods (A Sweet Magnolia novel).

It is an incontestable fact that you are no longer young.  One month from today, you will be turning sixty-four, and although that is not excessively old, not what anyone would consider to be an advanced old age, you cannot stop yourself from thinking about all the others who never managed to get as far as you have.

  Taken from page page 2 of Winter Journal by Paul Auster.  (I only read up to page 8 and quit on this one--didn't care for the lengthy sentences--this is actually one of the shorter ones!)

Happy Reading!

"Father's Day" by Buzz Bissinger

Father's Day by Buzz Bissinger tells the true story of a road trip Buzz took with his special needs son, Zach. You will love Zach! He might be a special needs kid, but he is smart!! I really liked him a lot! These two had a real great adventure for sure. I enjoyed reading it and I think you will too.
(Gerard's review, rating:  5 stars)

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

"Shaggy Dogs, Waggy Dogs" by Patricia Hubbell

Shaggy Dogs, Waggy Dogs by Patricia Hubbell is a children's picture book with very little writing and lots of big full-page colored pictures of dogs. The entire book is actually just a poem. I think my husband gets these children's books about dogs just so our dog gets on this blog too! We both read this one though (in about 1 minute). It mentions all different kinds of dogs.

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

"Dare Me" by Megan Abbott

Dare Me by Megan Abbott uses a cheerleading squad to explore some common teenage girl issues such as jealousy, betrayal, hurt, manipulation and loyalty. This book was a bit of a disappointment to me because I didn’t like the coach at all. Her behavior throughout the book was inappropriate and it turned into a murder mystery that wasn’t all that big a mystery. The most interesting aspect in Dare Me for me was the tension between the coach and Beth. After reading this book, my impression of cheerleaders is even lower than it was before—it presents cheerleaders in a bad light. It left me feeling sad for Beth and angry at the coach.
(Karen's review)

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

"The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando is a quick teen fiction read about a scavenger hunt that a high school holds every year at the end of the school year. It was fun reading about how they found stuff that was on the list and the bonds of friendship in the group. This isn't a must read but still worth your time. I think you would enjoy it--I did!
(Gerard's review)

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

"Pushing the Limits" by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry is told by Echo, a young teen girl who was Miss Popular. Then a nightmare happened that still haunts her, and she can't remember it! Noah, is a young teen boy who is dealing with the death of his parents and trying to get his brothers and him together again. The attraction between Echo and Noah forces her to push the limits.

This book is awesome! I got into it from page one and just kept turning pages. Echo and Noah seemed so real, it really didn't seem like a book at all and I loved the ending. Make it a point to read this YA book--it's that good!
(Gerard's review, rating 5+ stars)

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry is a teen romance between a girl named Echo and a boy named Noah who both have scars from personal issues and are helped by the same clinical social worker.  Their relationship has ups and downs which make it believable and both decide to work together to get a look at their files for answers.  Loved the ending which inspires kids to look to the future and not get stuck in their past!

I was surprised at how good this book is—better than I expected and I loved the ending.  My favorite character was Noah but also liked Mrs. Collins, the clinical social worker.  It was also refreshing to finally read a book about foster care that showed a true picture with a variety of different types of foster homes including a very good one.  I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys books about teens.  I look forward to reading Dare You To, a story about one of Noah’s friends, Beth.
(Karen's review)

For another review of this, see Jodi's Book Reviews.

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

Tuesday Teasers: 3 Good Ones For You

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

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

Karen's:

I packed as many of them as I possibly could into the hearse and had the rest stand on the sideboards, hanging on through the open windows. With Rosemary holding limp Little Jim in her lap beside me, I set out to take all the kids home, going to Yampi and then Pica--the kids on the sideboards having the time of their lives, hooting and hollering, treating it like a carnival ride--before heading for Kingman.

From page 171 of Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. (Historical memoir)

No one ever asked that question. They stared, They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked. My entire world collapsed around me as I answered, "Yes."

From page 96 of Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.  (YA Fiction)

Gerard's:

"What you are doing to her, forcing her to come to birthday parties and taking her to playdates, it's torture."
"I'm only trying to find her friends," Susan answers.

From page 26 of January First by Michael Schofield. (Non-fiction, autobiography)

Happy Reading!

"January First" by Michael Schofield (UPDATED)

Gerard's Favorite of the Month, possible the year!

January First by Michael Schofield tells the true and ongoing story of Janni Schofield who has Schizophrenia. It is told by her dad, Michael. This is a fantastic read! You talk about a page turner—I really had a hard time putting this down. You will not read many books like this! Good luck, Janni, I'm praying for you and your family. This is a must read!
(Gerard's review, rating 5++ stars)

January First by Michael Schofield is the true story of his daughter’s descent into madness and his struggle to save her.  At just three years old, his daughter, Janni had hallucinations and symptoms of Schizophrenia, although it took several years for the official diagnosis.  He shares his heart-wrenching story of how he and his wife were actually afraid of their sweet little girl because of her violent outbursts.  She would hit her parents, her dog and often tried to hit her younger brother.  Reading this, I felt sorry for Janni, her parents, her teachers and her brother.  It is a very sad story of a family who fought so hard to be a normal family, but couldn’t.  The husband and wife both love Janni very much but often found themselves disagreeing as to how best to help her.  Fortunately, it seems they found some hope at the end of the tunnel.  If you want to read an inspiring story of parents who don’t give up through difficult times, I recommend this book to you.   Wow!
(Karen's review)

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

"Half Broke Horses" by Jeannette Walls

Half Broke Horses is a true life novel about Lily Casey who grew up in the 1930s, the oldest daughter of a horse trainer in Texas. Lily was a girl with gumption and her story is both inspirational, funny and amazing! She could break horses, play poker, teach school and fly a plane! Lily was a strong girl who never gave up and who always found a way to manage, even when things were tough. The only child she encountered that she couldn't teach was her own daughter who was a wild child with compassion and a yearning for adventure. I enjoyed this novel and found it to be an interesting read which is based on the author's grandmother's life.
(Karen's review)

We also enjoyed The Glass Castle by this author, about the author's immediate family growing up in poverty with an alcoholic father and mentally disturbed mother.  Jeannette was much like her grandmother, Lily.

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

"That's Why I'm Here--The Chris and Stephanie Spielman Story"

That's Why I'm Here--The Chris and Stefanie Spielman Story by Chris Spielman with Bruce Hooley details the story of how Chris dealt with his wife's cancer. The part of the book that focuses on Stephanie's battle was very captivating but the first half about football I mostly knew already. Stephanie was some woman! Thanks for telling her story, Chris. God's blessing to you and your children always.
(Gerard's review)


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

"I'll Walk Alone" by Mary Higgins Clark

I’ll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark is contemporary fiction dealing with stolen identity, impersonation and the kidnapping of a 3-yr-old boy, Matthew. Zan, a young successful interior decorator is still holding out hope for her son’s return. Even though she is divorced, she agreed to have dinner with her ex-husband on what would be their son’s fifth birthday to reminisce. Things go from bad to worse for Zan when some pictures surface showing her actually kidnapping her own son!

I felt sorry for Zan throughout this story and even though it seems like all is revealed early on, there is still the mystery of who is really behind the kid’s kidnapping. This book held my interest right from the start. The police seemed to be in the dark throughout the book while Zan’s friends work to prove her innocence and find out what’s really going on with Matthew. What a nightmare this poor lady lived through! It’s definitely a book I’d recommend for anyone who likes contemporary fiction with some mystery in it.
(Karen's review)

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

"Broken Harbor" by Tana French

Broken Harbor by Tana French opens with a murder of a husband, two young children, and the wife in very bad shape. As told by the lead detective, he thinks he has the person who did it, or does he? This is a really good book for sure. I got into it from the get-go and the last 200 pages or so are very gripping. They kept me turning pages until I got to a compelling surprise ending which I loved! I would have liked a little more action throughout, but it certainly is a good read!
(Gerard's review)

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

Tuesday Teasers: 3 Good Ones For You

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

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

Karen's:

The morning the man with the gun walked into Evelyn Oliver's classroom, she was wearing two items she had vowed during her forty-three-year career as a teacher never to wear. Denim and rhinestones.

Taken from p. 8 of One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf. (One school. One gunman. Your child.--fantastic book we both liked, click link to see our review)

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I confess that I am an accessory to a crime that is ongoing and to a murder that is going to happen very soon."

From page 2 of I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark. (Stolen identity thriller)

Gerard's:

They scurried in every direction like small animals caught suddenly under a light.
But, of course, there was nowhere on earth to go.

From page 4 of The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker.  (science fiction)

Happy Reading!

"Leota's Garden" by Francine Rivers

Touching Christian Fiction

Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers is very good about an old lady, Leota, who was totally misunderstood by her kids and her granddaughter (Annie) and a college student (Corey) who met her through a sociology project because he needed a case study. While using Leota as his case study project, Corey got to know her as a person and gained a better understanding of the elderly. Leota had an overgrown garden which she couldn't take care of because her arthritis was so bad, but was delighted that Annie decided to restore it for her. There's a lot of tension between the mothers and daughters which makes this such a sad story. The grandmother is feisty and loves her visits from her granddaughter who is a college student, and hopes to set things right between herself and her children before she dies.

I liked Leota's Garden very much because Leota was such an interesting character. This novel gives insight into the issues of aging and caring for the elderly in an amusing and touching way. It's an emotional read that I had a hard time putting down.

Other books I liked by Francine Rivers:
Redeeming Love
The Scarlet Thread

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

"The Age of Miracles" by Karen Thompson Walker

Imagine if you woke up one day and found out that the rotation of the earth has slowed, causing the days and nights to be longer?  That is what happens in The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker  A young girl named Julia describes how her family and everyone else is coping with this and also the usual other things life always seems to throw at us.  I enjoyed this book a lot and got into it right away.  For her first book, this is extremely well done!
(Gerard's review, rating 5 stars) 

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

"One Breath Away" by Heather Gudenkauf

Her Best Yet!

In One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf, a lone gunman takes over a small classroom holding the teacher and pupils hostage.  What made this book so good in my opinion is that it is told by five people as the novel is ongoing.  I got to know their thought and background to understand what led up to this point.  The writing is superb.  If you want riveting, this is it!  I could hardly put it down and kept saying how good it was while reading it.  Oh, and good luck trying to figure out who the gunman is—I was completely surprised!  To sum it up, it doesn’t get any better than this—don’t let this one get past you! 
(Gerard's review, rating 5 stars)

One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf is really, really good!  It is fast-paced and realistic contemporary fiction with characters that are very believable.  It grabbed my attention right from the start and never let me go!  The hostage situation at the small school in a fictional small town in Iowa is described so well, I could feel what the characters were feeling.  It kept me guessing who the gunman was right until he was revealed.  I’m sure because this story is told from five different people, there is at least one that you will identify with.  For me, I identified with the teacher—determined to protect her students from the gunman while thinking about her husband.  The teen girl’s unwavering desire to protect her brother was both touching and heartwarming.  It shows how a crisis can bring families closer.    I highly recommend One Breath Away—it even has a dog in it!
(Karen's review, rating 5 stars)

Other books we've read by this Heather Gudenkauf:
These Things Hidden
Weight of Silence

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

"Amped" by Daniel H. Wilson

Amped by Daniel H. Wilson is about people who get implanted with an amp. This amp gives them more power than the average human and a conflict grows. I thought this was pretty good but it took me awhile to get into it. The last 100 pages really saved it and makes it one I recommend!
(Gerard's review, rating 4 stars)

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

"The Face of Heaven" by Murray Pura

The Face of Heaven by Murray Pura is historical Christian fiction about an Amish man and woman who feel strongly enough against slavery that the man joins the union army and the woman volunteers as a nurse on the battlefields of the Civil War. There is the romance story line too but the majority of the book is about the Civil War through their eyes. Nathaniel and Lyndel must endure shunning from their families and community when they join the war effort, but believe it is what God would have them do. I learned from reading this book that it is not the custom of the Amish to wear wedding bands and that a married woman wears a white knapp, but a single woman wears a black knapp.

Parts of this book were very intense and so gripping that I missed my bus stop while reading it coming home from work on the bus one day. Other, parts dragged a bit, but overall it was good. I also read The Wings of Morning by this author and liked that one even better.
(Karen's review)

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

Do I Give Away Too Much?

Reading in our backyard with our dog, Abby.

Writing book reviews is a bit tricky for me to know how much of the story to share without spoiling it for someone.  Recently, I got two replies to a couple reviews on Amazon that I shouldn't include spoilers in my reviews.  Honestly, I didn't think I did; however, the fact that these readers thought so made me question it.  On this blog, my husband and I both review the books we read and have very different styles.

Gerard tends to focus more on what he thought of the book and are generally very short reviews.  On the other hand, I give a short synopsis of what happens in the book without giving away the ending.  Sometimes I'll share a part I especially liked if it's a book I really enjoyed.  When I finish a book that makes me go "Wow!" and that I want to discuss it with someone, it's difficult for me not to share some details. 

So, I'm asking our blog readers, what do you think?  Do I give away too much.  Does Gerard give you enough?  In general, I am asking for constructive criticism here so we can improve our reviews.

Happy Reading!

Tuesday Teasers: Historical Amish Fiction and a Mystery

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:

When they arrived at the second landing, the man shoved him forward down the final set of stairs and the slave landed with a cry of pain on top of Nathaniel. Immediately behind, Moses came tumbling down the steps after him.

Taken from page 25 of The Face of Heaven by Murray Pura. (Historical Christian Amish Fiction)

Gerard's:

"It's nothing I can't work out," he stated flatly. "We'll find Paul Everett, Ms. Gleason. If he's alive, we'll find him."

From page 21 of The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane. (Finished this one yesterday, click the link for the review.)

Here's a link to Our Favorite Reads For July.

If you have reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"The Line Between Here and Gone" by Andrea Kane

The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane is about Amanda’s son who needs a donor and fast! His father is a match but must be found, if he is alive. His car was found all bloody but he was not in it. Amanda hires a forensic team to find him but will it be in time or is he dead? This book moves fast but I would have liked more action. It is good though so gets 4 stars from me.
(Gerard's review)

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

"Homer" by Elisha Cooper Made Me Smile!

Our Abby Dabby Doo agrees this is a happy dog story!

Homer by Elisha Cooper is a cute children's full-page picture book with very little writing about a dog, Homer, and how he is content and loyal.  It's a happy little book that we both enjoyed.  It made us smile.  It took longer to look at the pictures than it did to actually read the book.
(Gerard and Karen's review)

If you are a dog lover, you might like to see what our dog, Abby Dabby Doo, is up to lately:

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

"The Secret" by Beverly Lewis

The Secret by Beverly Lewis is an interesting read about a secret an Amish wife keeps from her whole family and after some 22 years of marriage, finally chooses to deal with it.  Her oldest daughter, Grace, has to step up and takes on the responsibility of cooking and holding the family together.  Heather, another non-Amish girl who is working on her thesis is also keeping a secret from everyone and hides out in Amish country.  This is the first in the Seasons of Grace series which of course leaves loose ends for the second book.  It’s okay, but not anything exciting—mostly a lot of inner turmoil and relationships that I think would appeal to women more than men.   
(Karen's review)

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

"The White Horse" by Alex Adams

The White Horse by Alex Adams is the first of a series with incredible twists and turns! Zoe works at Pope Pharmaceuticals. When she finds out that people are dying from White Horse and the mice are dying too at her company, she knows it is trouble. Zoe wants to save herself and her loved ones so heads to do just that. This book goes back before White Horse overtook the land and afterward with a Ultra Fantastic Ending!! What exactly is White Horse you ask? You will have to read the book to find out. Can’t wait for book 2! I’m not sure this book is for everyone, but I enjoyed it a lot!
(Gerard's review, rating: 5+)

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

"Tell The Wolves I'm Home" by Carol Rifka Brunt

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt tells the story of a young teen girl whose beloved uncle passes away.  Then, she finds love and understanding from the last person she would think she would.  I loved the byplay between the two sisters which I think is the best part of the book.  This is a feel good story that you may enjoy.
(Gerard's review) 

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

"Unspeakable" by Sandra Brown

Unspeakable by Sandra Brown is an interesting novel because it has three main story lines and I only guessed the ending of one of them.  The first is the two escaped convicts Carl and Myron, who can’t even stay out of trouble until meeting up with Carl’s brother.  This bunch is mean!  Another interesting story line is about the newly retired policeman, Ezzy and his preoccupation with an unsolved crime from 22 years ago.  The third is about a deaf/voluntary mute widow, Anna, and her 5-yr-old son, David who live with her father-in-law on a ranch.  Shortly after Carl and Myron escape from prison, John Sawyer, a drifter, suspiciously arrives to offer to be their ranch hand.  Although he is a good worker and eventually Anna begins to fall for him, something just seems off about him.

This book is very well written too; it was easy to follow the different story lines and keep characters straight.  I liked the character development which gave this book a realistic flavor and the fact that everything was explained in the end and there are no loose ends.  Unspeakable is packed with humor, action, suspense, romance which mix together making this a really good read that kept my attention throughout!    I highly recommend it.

Sample of humor:  Ezzy, the forced retired cop’s description of a cruise:

She also had mentioned a cruise.  He couldn’t think of anything worse than being stranded on a ship with a bunch of strangers and a hyperactive crew determined to see that he had a good time doing things he didn’t want to do.

Sample of mean:  They had left the sisters resting in peace at the bottom of their water well with bullets in their heads.

Sample of action and suspense:  Jack grabbed David’s hand and thrashed through the shallow water to shore.  “Quick, put your shoes on.  Get your clothes.”  Jack scrambled into his jeans and picked up his boots.  The triangle had stopped clanging, but Anna wouldn’t have used the emergency signal just for the hell of it.   

Sample of romance:   His arms tensed, tightening the embrace.  Then, pressing her lips with his, he kissed her.

He thought Oh, Lord, oh, Lord, because her mouth was very soft and so sweet and temptingly receptive.

Moments later, it was he who initiated the exchange of tongues, but she responded favorably.

(Karen's review)

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