"The Whisperer" by Donato Carrisi is a Great Halloween Read

In The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi, girls are missing and then their arms show up except for one. Then one by one the bodies show up. What a fantastic read! You will not be able to figure out the killer at all! This book will stay with you. I can't wait for his next one! The Whisperer would make an awesome movie. Don't miss this one if you want a real page turner!
(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: "Low Pressure" and "The Whisperer"

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 (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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:

Strange is that when I got to your house last night, you were scared silly. Petrified, in fact. But you wouldn't hear of calling the police.

From page 75 of Low Pressure by Sandra Brown.

Gerard's:

Five little girls kidnapped in the course of a week. Then seventeen very long days of silence.
Until now.
Until these five buried arms.

From The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi. (A good Halloween read!)

Happy Reading!

"Into The Fire" by Dakota Meyer and Bing West is Amazing!

Gerard loved this one--his first audio book!

Into the Fire is a Firsthand account of the most extraordinary battle in the Afghan War by Medal of Honor recipient, Dakota Meyer and Bing West (New York Times Bestselling Author). This is an audio book read by Zach Mclarty. What an amazing true story it is! Dakota Meyer is a true hero. This book tells the story of the battle at Genuisal. This is what war is really all about. I was able to get the audio book and liked listening to it in the car. I think I got more out of it than if I read the book. Either way, please take time to read or listen to this account and thank our armed forces that are still fighting. Mr. Meyer, thank you for your service.
(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!

"Be Still My Soul" by Joanne Bischof

Like romance, historical fiction?  Then read this!

Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof is her first novel, a wonderful Christian historical fiction romance set in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Lonnie (17) and Gil (21) are forced to marry even though they barely knew each other.  In the beginning of the book, I felt bad for Lonnie and then about midway through, I started feeling bad for Gil.  They went through some tough times but Lonnie kept holding on to her faith that God was looking out for her.  This was a tear jerker for me, as they encountered heartache and physical pain.  I liked how the kindness of strangers brought healing to their marriage.  This is just the first book in The Cadence of Grace series which is based on I Peter 5:10:

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 

As I was reading this book, I couldn't help but think of how this couple would benefit from reading Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs.  I highly recommend this book if you like clean romance novels.  It also contains a reader's guide so would make a good book club selection.  I look forward to reading her next book, Though My Heart Is Torn. 

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 End of Your Life Book Club" by Will Schwalbe

I finally get on here since the cats weren't cooperating.  Woof!

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe gets 5+ stars from me—a great non-fiction book! Will’s mom has cancer. As she goes through her treatments and daily life, they talk about books they have read. If you enjoy reading, you will be able to relate to this book and get a ton of good book recommendations that you may want to read as well. I enjoyed it very much! Thanks for sharing, Will!!
(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!

"Speechless" by Hannah Harrington

Curl up with a good book like Manny Boy!

In Speechless by Hannah Harrington, Chelsea talks a bit too much and spreads some gossip that causes some tragic incidents. She decides to take a vow of silence and finds out things about herself and who she can really count on. I thought this book was very good with a good ending too! It went fast and I got into it! It includes a book discussion and a talk with the author at the end. Read both!
(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: 3 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 (well, we cheat and choose specific ones)
• 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:

Instead here I am on a deserted country road with a man who wants to kill me.
Worst of all, nobody knows where I am.

From page 92 of Trapped by Peg Kehret and Pet the Cat. (The italic parts in this book were written by Pete the cat.)  The link will take you to my review of this book.

He certainly could not waltz over to the Sawyer farm and tell Joel that he would not marry his daughter. That would only land him on the receiving end of Joel's shotgun.

From page 41 of Be Still My Soul (The Cadence of Grace Series-Book 1) by Joanne Bischof.

Gerard's: 

They both twist around to look at me, and their expressions of content transform into identical looks of worry. It'd almost be funny if it were any other situation.

From page 35 of Speechless by Hannah Harrington.

Hope you come over to see me in action!

Happy Reading!  For a special treat, Spunky Doodle would like you to check out her latest video post of her playing Whack and Knock at Right Where We Belong.

Monday Quiz About Us

Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered!

1. How often do you shop for groceries? Do you shop in one place or many?
We shop once a week at Giant Eagle.

2. How old were you when you had your first tast of alcohol?
Neither of us have ever tasted alcohol.

3. How much TV do you watch?
We watch football on Saturday and Sunday and a few favorite programs: Joel Osteen, Survivor (Karen), Parenthood, Once Upon a Time (Gerard), Army Wives, ESPN Magazine (Gerard), My Cat From Hell, Bad Dog, sometimes a movie  (Karen).

4. How do you relieve stress?
Gerard goes for a walk or works in the yard. I start singing praises or pet my cats and dog, sometimes listen to relaxing music.

For the 5th question I get to make up: What pets do you have and what are their names?

This blog hop is hosted by Acting Balanced.

"Sutton" by J.R. Moehringer--Fantastic!

Sutton by J. R. Moehringer is a fantastic book! Don't let the word "novel" fool you, Willie Sutton was an actual person. He made the first FBI Most Wanted list. He robbed banks but never hurt anyone or shot a gun. When asked why he robbed banks, he responded, "Because that's where the money is." This page turner will for sure make my top ten books of 2012. I loved it!
(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!

We are adding this one to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop in response to this prompt:  Book Review time! Recommend a great book, perfect for these stormy fall days! Hope you will subscribe to our blog so you get all of our reviews!

"Trapped" by Peg Kehret and Pete the Cat

We highly recommend this book!

In Trapped by Peg Kehrot, is about animal cruelty. Pete the cat discovers evidence of illegal trapping and finds himself abducted by the trapper with a gun! This is also about a pig who was on its way to be slaughtered but fell off the truck. Pete the cat can understand what the humans say but they can’t understand what he is saying. Every time he tries talking to them, they just think he’s hungry.

This is a good story with suspense that I think anyone who likes cats would enjoy, even though it is a children’s book. I liked it very much, a fun quick-read with a good ending.  Pete is a clever, courageous and capable cat!
(Karen's review, rating 5 stars)

There are three books Peg Kehret co-authored with Pete her cat and I liked the other two as well:  The Stranger Next Door about arson and Spy Cat about burglaries.

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!

"Okay For Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt is about Doug, a 14-yr.-old who is upset about moving to a new town and leaving his friends. The story takes place in 1968 during the Vietnam War that Doug’s oldest brother is fighting in. He also has an older brother, who gets great pleasure from picking on him and an abusive father. Doug’s idol is the Yankee ballplayer, Joe Pepitone and a signed jacket by Joe is Doug’s most prized possession. Doug narrates about his high and low points as he goes through adjusting to the new town and with the help of several caring people, he actually gets to like it. When he sees a beautiful bird book in the library, he is drawn to it and the librarian encourages him to draw the different birds. Art becomes his passion and he likens how he feels to how he thinks some of those birds feel. It’s a well-written book that gives the reader insight into the feelings of a young teenage boy. It’s a good read that I think any teen could relate to and enjoy.
(Karen's review, rating 4)

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!

"Spy Cat" by Peg Kehret and Pete the Cat

Spy Cat by Peg Kehret is an adventure with the cat and the little boy being the ones to find the burglars who have been breaking into homes in the neighborhood.  It has excitement, adventure and animals.  Parts are funny, such as when Pete the cat eats the burglar's hamburger and fries.

This is a quick fun read that shows the strong bond between kids and their pets.  I liked 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!

"It's Fine By Me" by Per Petterson

It’s Fine By Me by Per Petterson tells the story of Audun Sletten in his teen years. I liked it; thought it was interesting and really liked Audun at the end. It is under 200 pages and goes quick. Give it a try!
(Gerard’s review, rating 4 1/2 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. Happy Reading!

Tuesday Teasers: 3 For You

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

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

Gerard's:

Why can't you tell me what's going on before you drag me out?  And here I was, convinced it was a girl you were after, the way you'd dressed up!

From page 98 of It's Fine By Me by Per Peterson.

Karen's:

This bird was falling and there wasn't a single thing in the world that cared at all.

It was the most terrifying picture I had ever seen.

The most beautiful.

From page 19 of Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt. (YA)

Horror brought goose bumps to Benjie's arms as he realized that Pete's cries came from inside the van.

The Bad guys were stealing Pete!

From page 101 of Spy Cat by Peg Kehret.  (Juvenile adventure)

Spunky Doodle has a Monday Mischief post up on our other blog that she would like for you to see:

Happy Reading!

Monday Quiz About Me

Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me hosted by Acting Balanced and Touristic.  These are Karen's answers:

Just answer the questions and add one for your readers to answer in the comments.

1. What is the most interesting fact you have learned recently?
That the Red Panda's feet are all furry, they do not have pads like cats and other animals.

2. The alarm goes off on Monday morning. What is your first thought?
Time to feed the pets.

3. What is the most memorable movie line of all time?
"You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"

4. Describe a situation that always seems to try your patience.
When I'm using the computer and it takes forever to respond or when it takes me 3-4 tries to get the capcha code right when trying to leave a comment on a blog.

Now, here's my question for you: What are you reading now? Happy Reading!

"What's Left of Me" by Kat Zhang (teen)

What's Left of Me--The Hybrid Chronicles by Kat Zhang is a pretty good YA novel about two souls (girls) in one body.  In this society, one soul is supposed to fade away after a time but it didn't happen to this girl (Eva and Addie). I enjoyed the struggle and the conversations between the two girl souls.  I especially liked the ending.  If there is a book two, I'll be getting it!
(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!

"The Stranger Next Door" by Peg Kehret and Pete the Cat

Manny and Spunky's favorite character is Pete the Cat!

The Stranger Next Door by Peg Kehret and Pete the Cat is actually better than I expected.  Although the author's cat helped write parts of this book, in the story we know what the cat is thinking and saying, but the people in the book only hear it meowing which makes it more realistic.  Shortly after an aloof family move in next door to Alex's family, houses burn in the neighborhood, including the new neighbor's.  Pete the cat sees what happens and using his cat intelligence, makes his people aware of what is happening.

This book has both mystery and adventure, plus it's a quick fun read with the Pete the Cat being one of the main characters.  I think any kid who likes cats would enjoy this book very much, I did!
(Karen's review, rating 5 stars)

Other books I liked by this author:  Animals Welcome

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!

"Little Boy Blue" by Kim Kavin (Non-fiction)

I was on "death row" too but was saved through Petfinder!

What a FANTASTIC book Little Boy Blue by Kim Kavin is! There is more to this book than just Kim rescuing Blue, the dog. A lot more! Her journey to find out about Blue before she got him is very interesting. I found out things that I didn't know such as if two out of four people got dogs from shelters or rescue places there would be no need to worry about dogs being killed. I also found out some things that wish didn't happen, but unfortunately, do. Be sure to read near the end of the book about Blue at puppy school--it's so good and funny!

This is a real page turner for sure. If you buy this book, a portion of the sale goes to Petfinders (which is how we found our dog, Abby). You can follow Blue on Facebook.com/Little Boy Blue Dog. I loved this book so much that I give it 5+++ stars!
(Gerard's review, rating 5+++ stars) Karen plans to read this one too!

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 For The Murphys" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is about being someone’s hero and showing unconditional love. Although it is considered juvenile fiction, I really liked it! The main character, Carly, has been neglected and abused but finds a good foster home while her mother recovers from a beating she took from her husband. Julie Murphy, the foster home mother, is the wife of a fireman with three boys that shows kindness and love to Carly who doesn’t quite know what to make of it. This heart-warming book has humor, a good message, and is a touching quick read. It made even made me tear up at certain parts. If you like stories about kids and family, I recommend this one! It will tug at your heartstrings.
 (Karen's review, rating 5 stars)

Here's a trailer for the book:
(This is the author's debut novel, her first draft of it received the Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in Children's Literature.)


This book was recommended by I am a Reader, Not a Writer. Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are linking this up to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop in response to this prompt: Book Review time! Recommend a great book, perfect for these stormy fall days! We'd like for you to subscribe so you get all our reviews. Click the link to check out the other prompts and perhaps link up a post of your own.

Tuesday Teasers: A Thriller and Juvenile 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:

The doctor, his expression grim, wrote: I'm sorry. She wasn't as lucky as you.
More or less the same thing happened all over again, three weeks later and four hundred and fifty miles to the west, in Butternut Falls, Minnesota.

From page 14 of Shock Wave by John Sandford. (thriller)

Karen's:

"Why did you take me in, anyway?  I ask, unable to stand still and suddenly needing an answer.
"Well..." She sighs and puts her hands in her pockets.

 From page 33 of One For The Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. (Juvenile fiction--my review will be up tomorrow morning, great read!)

Spunky Doodle has a Monday Mischief post up on our other blog that she would like for you to see:

Happy Reading!

"Shock Wave" by John Sandford

Shock Wave by John Sandford is about a mad bomber who tries to stop the superstore chain, PyeMart, from being built. There is just enough action to keep you turning pages. I did not figure out the bomber's identity at all! It's a good read!
(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!

"Dancing Dogs" by Jon Katz

Dancing Dogs by Jon Katz has 16 short fiction stories all centered around dogs. Most of the stories are really, really good! I loved it! If you are a dog lover, I think you will love it too!  This book was recommended by People Magazine.
(Gerard's review, rating 5 stars)

Other books we read by this author and enjoyed: Dogs of Bedlam Farm and Rose in a Storm.


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 Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick (UPDATED)

After being on a long wait list at the library, Gerard finally got the DVD of this movie and we watched it last night.  It is about the beginning of films and people fulfilling their purpose.  It's a good movie we both enjoyed.
(Karen's review 10/6/12)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick tells the story of a young boy, Hugo, who after his uncle leaves him takes care of the clocks at the Paris subway station.  However, this book is much more than that!  I just loved this book!!  The story is fantastic and the drawings in the book go with the story so well.  Now I want to go see the movie!  I now know why it was up for "Best Picture of the Year."  It's an amazing story!  If you saw the movie, tell me how you liked it!  This is in the running for my book of the month.
(Gerard's review 3/15/12)

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

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during March to the American Cancer Society.

"When Saturday Mattered Most" by Mark Beech

The Last Golden Season of Army Football

When Saturday Mattered Most--The Last Golden Season of Army Football by Mark Beech is a really good non-fiction account about the 1958 football season that Army had.  They went undefeated and finished as high as No. 3 in the final poll.  They haven't even come close since. I enjoyed the off-the-field accounts of the coach and players as much as the game by game recap.  If you love football, then it's a no-brainer that you should read this book!
(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!

What Do You Think of When You Hear the Word Plaid? (Writer's Workshop)

When I hear the word "plaid" I think of my dad because he ALWAYS wore plaid flannel shirts (except on Sundays to church).  

The Best Shirts Ever!

My dad loved flannel shirts with two front pockets and I don't think he threw any out. When I went through his closets after he died, he had three closets full of flannel shirts and some flannel lined shirts from L.L. Bean. He would wear these all yaar round, even on hot summer days! If he got paint on some, he'd still save those to wear the next time he painted.

My dad had so many shirts because he'd usually get flannel shirts for his birthday and Christmas. I found one still in the original plastic so used it to lay him out in for his funeral. He was never big on suits and I just thought he'd look more like himself in a flannel shirt. Here we found a picture of when he got that shirt which was about 20 years earlier! Who knows, maybe he meant to save that one for his funeral one day--sounds like something he'd do!

I gave most of them away but kept a few for my husband and me. It's really nice to have these because it makes me feel close to dad still when I wear one of his shirts. My husband discovered how nice they are too. He never used to wear flannel shirts but likes them a lot now, especially in the winter to wear to work. They are so comfortable!

One of the biggest fights my parents, thus most memorable, was over him stubbornly insisting that he wear a flannel shirt for the church directory picture.  I thought it was hilarious!  Here is the picture that we purchased which appeared in the church directory:

Read more about my dad and me at "My Funny Dad Harry" blog:  http://karenzemek.blogspot.com.  Better yet, purchase the book I wrote in him memory about my dad and me and how as he grew old, the frustrations about being his primary care giver and how our roles reversed.  (Available on Amazon and Barnes Noble)

Be sure to see what our cats wrote about this over at our other blog, Right Where We Belong. 
This post was inspired by Mama Kat's Writers Workshop prompt:  What comes to mind when you hear the word plaid?.  Stop by to find more or link up one of your own.

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!

"Love Anthony" by by Lisa Genova

WOW! Love Anthony by Lisa Genova is a fantastic book to start off the month. Love Anthony is told by two women, Olivia and Beth who are facing issues in their lives, one dealing with the death of a boy and the other with an unfaithful husband. I loved both women but not their husbands.

This is a really good book and hard to put down. I enjoyed Lisa’s other two books very much too (Still Alice and Left Neglected) and this one is just as good as those. Read and enjoy! I look forward to her next book!

(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!

3 Tuesday Teasers For You

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

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

Gerard's:

I can't touch Max, and Max can't touch me. Maybe that's why we get along so well.

From page 10 of memoirs of an imaginary friend by Matthew Dicks. This is a very unique book, click on link for our review.

A swirl of unexpected emotion courses through her.  She feels fear and fury, panic and humiliation.

From page 12 of Love Anthony by Lisa Genova.

Karen's:

The reader contemplated the blank text box on the computer screen, then began typing: "If you thought that night twenty years ago was bad, wait until you see what I have planned."

From page 6 of Never Tell by Alafair Burke. (The link will take you to Gerard's review.)

Happy Reading!