Looking Back at Our Favorite Reads in 2016

Here is a list of books both Gerard and I loved that we read in 2016 and would highly recommend.  If you click the links it will take you to our reviews:

YA fantasy continues to be a favorite genre for both of us.  Books in this genre we both read and loved last year were:

A Torch Against the Night (the second book of Sabaa Tahir's Ember in the Ashes series) 

A Court of Mist and Fury (the second book of Sarah J. Mass's A Court of Thorns and Roses series)

Ruined by Amy Tintera (first book of series)

The Beauty of Darkness (third book of Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles series)

We also read some historical fiction and had a couple we both loved:

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

 Mystery/Thrillers we both loved:

 

 Those Girls by Chevy Stevens 

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner

 Contemporary Adult Fiction:

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross

The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin

Young Adult:

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Finally a couple children's books we both loved:

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart

 PAX by Sara Penny Packer

We also each made a top 12 Favorites list for 2016 so some of these will not be on those lists because we had to narrow down our favorites to just 12--a very hard thing to do!  I read 83 books last year and Gerard read 132.   You can see both our favorites of 2016 here:

To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Forget Tomorrow" by Pintip Dunn

In Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn, you get your future memory on the day you turn 17.  But when Callie gets her memory, it is not what she expected at all.  Now she will do anything to stop this from happening!  But can she do it?

This book was okay.  It had a bit too much romance for my liking though, would have liked more action.  The last part of the book was very good when things came together which pushed this to 4 stars.  This is book 1 in a series and look forward to reading book 2.
(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!

"A Court of Mist and Fury" by Sarah J. Maas is FANTASTIC!

Wow!  A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas is so good! This is the second book in A Court of Thorns and Roses series and is even better than the first! This review has some spoilers so read the book first and then come see what I thought of it. Definitely must read the first book before this one.  If you like fantasy and magical kingdoms, this is a "must read."  (This would be R rated for sexual content.)

SPOILER ALERT: Feyre pretty much tells Tamlin to “jump in the lake” and chooses to stay with Rys who is her mate and challenges Feyre to use her skills. This book is full of new adventures with lots of wit and packed with both heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes and lots of good dialogue. I like all the characters in Rys’ inner circle and loved their trip to the Summer Court and how the wraiths came to save Feyre and Amren from drowning. I cheered when Feyre served Rys the food in the cabin, accepting the bond as mates.   The ending is Great and I can't wait for the next book!

I was having a hard time deciding on my favorite read for December until I read this one which is the winner! (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard read this first, 6-15-16:
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas is the follow-up book to A Court of Thorns and Roses and is like ten times better than the first one!  Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to spring court, but at a high cost.  She still has the bargain with Rhysard.

Wow, oh Wow!  I really liked the characters, the writing and the action which all work together to make the story flow well.  The ending is probably the best I have ever read!  I want book 3 NOW!
(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!

"A Shadow Bright and Burning" by Jessica Cluess

In A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess, Henrietta has powers that she keeps hidden.  However, when a friend is in danger, she reveals her powers for all to see.  She is the "Chosen One" who must go and train with men to help fight the attack that is sure to come.  She has a secret though that if found out, the battle will be lost for sure.

This is the first book of a series.  Most of the real action comes at the end to set up for the second book.  I enjoyed the main character and it had good twists at the end that peaked my interest for the next book.
(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 Poet's Dog" by Patricia MacLachlan

In The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan, two young children are all alone in a fierce winter storm.  Teddy (the talking dog) locates them and leads them to a cabin where he lives so they will be safe.  Teddy tells them a story while they wait for the storm to end and for help to come.

This is a young reader's book, but I enjoyed it very much.  I hope it touches your heart like it did mine!  Perfect read for the holidays!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen read it too and here are her thoughts:
I read it because it was a short children's book that I could read quickly but did not enjoy it as much as Gerard did.  The dog understood words and only children and a poet could understand what the dog said.  I liked the ending but overall wasn't impressed, but then, poetry isn't my thing.  I liked other dog stories much better.
(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

Karen's:

I inspected my new body.  I appeared to be a teenaged Caucasian male, clad in sneakers, blue jeans, and a green polo shirt.

From page 5 of The Trials of Apollo--Book One, The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan.


Gerard's:
 "A sorcerer would never harm children," I said, squeezing her hand in return.  Granted, I'd never met a sorcerer, but Sarah didn't need to know that.

From page 1 of A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess.

He led me to his sister crouched under a big tree, a blanket wrapped around her.  She was younger, maybe eight.

 From page 2 of The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan.

The champion looked away, across the ruined village and the broken bodies.  "Only the best can become queen.  And she is not the best."

From page 15 of The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst.

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

"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is simply all about a 59-yr-old man called Ove who is brokenhearted because his wife died and he feels useless since he retired.  He is quite a character and is actually a lovable, crotchety old man who lives in a little community that he sort of takes responsibility for.  He desperately wants to join his wife so tries committing suicide, but it seems something always comes up that spoils his plans--life happens in spite of himself.  The more I read, the better I liked Ove.

This book is really good!  I liked Ove so much, partly because he reminded me of my dad and husband in some ways.  The chapters are short and give pictures of different moments in Ove's life jumping back and forth from the present to the past.   There are many tender moments and some funny things as well which makes this book very real to life.  I loved how gradually Ove formed relationships with those around him, even the stray cat who was practically starving and almost died.  This was a tear jerker for me because the ending was so sweet.  I'm sure this is one that I will not soon forget!  I highly recommend it!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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

"When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi

In When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, Paul is this close to completing a decade's worth of training to be a neurosurgeon.  All his late hours and 24-hour days are almost done.  His marriage is having problems and his wife is also a doctor.  Paul though is on top of his game and could have his choice of top-notch hospitals at only 37 years old.  But the unthinkable happens and all of his plans are changed!

This is a very emotional book!  I felt so bad for Paul, his wife and their families.  There is a lot of medical terms in this book that were over my head so that is why I gave this one 4 stars instead of 5.  It is worth reading for sure!
(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!

"Seashell Season" by Holly Chamberlin

Seashell Season by Holly Chamberlin is about Gemma, a girl who was kidnapped by her father when she was just a baby and after 17 years, is finally reunited with her mother who is now a complete stranger to her.  The whole book is about adjusting to her life with her mom and trying to understand her dad.  The mother is an artist who teaches art at a college in Maine and is a bit apprehensive about how exactly to get to know her daughter and make her feel at home.

This book reminded me of a Hallmark or Lifetime movie.  I enjoyed it a lot and liked how the author let us see how both Verity, the mother, and Gemma thought about things.  I think women would enjoy this book much more than men because it is very heavy on developing relationships and low on action.   I read it because one of my co-workers recommended it to me and I liked the summary of it.
(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!

"Teach Me To Forget" by Erica M. Chapman

In Teach Me To Forget by Erica M. Chapman, Ellery is dealing with pain.  The pain comes from a tragic family accident that her dad blamed her for and she also blames herself.  She decides to end the pain and comes up with a plan.  When a classmate, a boy, finds out her plan, he will do anything to try to stop her plan from going forward.  But can he stop it?  This is a very strong emotional book for sure!  I thought all the characters were developed very well.
(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 Tuesdays

If you have a teaser, please feel free to leave your link to it in my comments so I can visit.  

Karen's:

I realized I was about to get what I had been wishing for so fervently for over seventeen years.  And I wondered if I was ready for it.

From page 29 of Seashell Season by Holly Chamberlin.


Gerard's:

I often wonder if in the split second after I pull the trigger I'll have changed my mind, decided I should live.  This haunts me, but I know only one thing.

 From page 10 of Teach Me to Forget by Eric Chapman.

I finally was able to leave our link on the host blog today by using my gravitar instead of the open ID thing--whew!  Another problem solved!  Just thought I'd mention it in case anyone else was experience difficulty too.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker (unfortunately, I don't know how to leave my link in a comment over there--help.)  Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.  Happy Reading!

"The Beauty of Darkness" by Mary E. Pearson (Book 3 of Remnant Chronicles) UPDATED

The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson is the third and final book of the Remnant Chronicles series, and in my opinion, the best!  Lia survived Venda and is now headed home to save her people because an army is coming to her land.  I thought this book was very good.  At close to 700 pages, it is a big one!  Lia was so good!  Even better in this one than the first two.  Rafe and Kaden were good as well and I enjoyed them too.  I LOVED the ending!  This is my book of the month for December!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)


Karen read this one first:
The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson is the third book of the Remnant Chronicles series and finishes strong.  Princess Lia continues to be awesome and an amazing peacemaker!  In this book, traitors are caught and alliances are made with love taking a back seat as Rafe, Lia and Kaden work together to bring down the cruel Komizar of Venda.  All through, I kept hoping that Lia and Rafe would eventually marry.  Do they?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

Wow!  This book drew me in and I found myself thinking about it even when I wasn't reading it.  I loved this series and really cared about the complex characters as they developed.  Every book in this series is great!  I liked this series even more than THE THRONE OF GLASS series by Sarah J. Maas because it was much easier to follow and wasn't so much magic which made it more believable and realistic. 
(Karen's review, 12/2/16, 5 stars)  

The first book of this series is Kiss of Deception and the second is Heart of Betrayal. 

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

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas (UPDATED)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is about a human, Fayre who is the sole provider for her family until she kills a Faerie and gets taken by a beast away from her home to his Faerie kingdom. The beast, Tamlin, treats her well and they fall in love. Wanting to protect her from the impending trouble, he sends her back home to the human world. However, her love for him is so strong that she decides to go back and try to help him no matter what.

I liked Tamlin, but didn’t care for Feyre in the beginning but grew to like her as the book progressed. I liked this book because the suspense built and the romance blossomed gradually. I also liked Lucien and Rhysand who were interesting characters. This book has magic, adventure, suspense, romance and an interesting plot that was easy to follow. 
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Gerard read this one first:
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is about a young girl named Feyre.  She is the sole supporter for her family, a dad and her two sisters.  One day while hunting, she shoots a deer and a wolf that was going after the same deer she shot.  That was a BIG mistake as she soon found out.  Another wolf comes and gives her a choice to either be killed now or go live with the wolves.

This book was outstanding!  I LOVED the characters in it.  The middle dragged some but the last 100 plus pages more than made up for that.  I can't wait to read the second book in this series!
(Gerard's review 7-30-15, 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 Tuesdays

If you have a teaser, please leave your link to it in my comments so I can visit.  I don't see how to leave a comment on the new host's blog!  Can someone let me know?

Karen's:

I leaped back, almost stumbling over my cowering father.  The faerie could have killed me--could have, yet the lunge had been a warning.

From page 34 of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sara J. Maas.


Gerard's:

My head ached, trying to sort it all out.  Our freedom came at a high cost to others.

 From page 8 of The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker (unfortunately, I don't know how to leave my link in a comment over there--help.)  Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.  Happy Reading!

"Heartless" by Marissa Meyer is a Fun Read

In Heartless by Marissa Meyer, Catherine is one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, but all she wants to do is open a bakery and make people happy with her baked goods.  The king of Hearts wants her to be his Queen, but she runs away and falls for another man.  Will the King get his way?  Will Catherine marry or just run a bakery?  This was a fun read that I didn't have to think a lot about the plot.  I enjoyed my time in Wonderland and the characters were really good!
(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!

"Two by Two" by Nicholas Sparks - Great Book!

Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks is about a family living a good life until it isn't so great.  Russ is living a good life, married to Vivian, a beautiful woman, with new born child and zero money problems.  But life has a way of sneaking up on us and soon Russ is going to have to deal with life that is not so great.

I thought this book was really good.  All the characters were well brought out.  The best part of this book for me was the back and forth between Russ and Vivian, just priceless!  This was a great book to start the month.  Enjoy!
(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!

"A Tap on the Window" by Linwood Barclay--Good Stuff! (Updated)

A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay is about Cal Weaver who lives in a small town and is looking to find out if his son's death was an accident or not.   One night he gets involved in something that he probably should not have, but it's too late to get out!

I enjoyed this book because it has good action and lots of characters.  I kept trying to figure out who were the good guys and who were the bad guys.  I wasn't sure until the last page how it all worked out!  Good stuff!  This is a new author to me, got this one because a friend recommended it.
(Gerard's review 12/1/16, 5++ stars)

Karen read this one too on 12/8/16:
A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay is a thriller involving several mysteries. This takes place in a small town where cops like to take things into their own hands. Cal Weaver, a private investigator, is trying to find out who sold ecstasy to his teenage son who got high, fell off a roof and died. On a rainy night, against his better judgment, Cal gives Claire a ride when she taps on his window because she mentions that she knew his son Scott. From there, things really get messed up and snowball.

This is an interesting mystery that I only partially figured out. The short chapters that had conversations between a mother, son and a man whose names were not revealed until much later were annoying to me. I really wanted to know who these people were! There was a lot of tension in this book between the mayor and the police department, tension between Cal and his wife in dealing with the loss of their son and if Cal could track down Claire before something bad happened to her. There is a lot of suspense and mystery happening in this book with some very creepy people! (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 Heart of Betrayal" (Book 2 of Remnant Chronicles) by Mary E. Pearson (UPDATED)

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson is book two in the Remnant Chronicles series, the sequel to Kiss of Deception, which I LOVED. Lia and Kaden are taken as prisoners by the barbarians of Vaden and deception is prevalent in this book throughout, but not for the reader as it was in book one. Lia continues to be both feisty, brave and deceptive. She pretends not to care for Kaden in order to save his life while relying on Rafe, the assassin, to protect her. Tension between Kaden and Rafe continues to escalate, but they both love Lia. Lia and Kaden catch short times together to hatch an escape plan, that is even more urgent as Lia’s wedding to the Komizar fast approaches. There is some brutality in this book with lots of interesting characters and relationships. Will Rafe betray the Komizar to protect Lia? Will he kill Kaden? Will Griz get his revenge? Will Kaden and Lia be successful in their escape?

I LOVED this book so much! It moved along quickly and was as much fun to read as Kiss of Deception. I thought the funniest part was when Lia beat Griz at cards, but the saddest was when the Komizar killed the little girl. This is a good series that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys adventure, romance and fantasy with royalty. I look forward to the next book to find out what happens! (Karen's review 8/1/15, 5 stars)

Gerard read this too 12/8/16, but didn't like it as much as I did:
This book is the follow up to Kiss of Deception which I liked better.  Lia is being held captive in the city of Venda and Kaden is keeping an eye on her, making sure no harm comes to her.  Rafe is also captured and is waiting for his army to come and rescue him and Lia.  As in book one, the part that Lia tells were the highlight for me.  She is really good!  There is some action finally near the end which sets up the final book.
(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!

"Losing Isn't Everything" by Curt Menefee

Losing Isn't Everything--The UNTOLD STORIES and HIDDEN LESSONS--Behind the TOUGHEST LOSSES in SPORTS HISTORY by Curt Meneffe with Michael Arkush is a winner!  This book tells the story of people who were on a big sports stage and came out on the losing side.  I found it interesting to see what they were thinking during the games and how they dealt with defeat.  If you are a sports fan, then this book is for you!  You know how the winners felt because they are on TV and social media, but this book shows how the losing side feels.
(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!

"The Kiss of Deception" by Mary E. Pearson - Fantastic Fantasy (UPDATED)

The Kiss of Deception Mary E. Pearson is about a young girl who is promised in marriage to a prince to keep the peace between the two lands.  However, at the last minute, Princess Arabella aka Lia takes off!  She wants no part of this at all!  

This book has pretty good action.  Lia is a fantastic character and the parts of the book that feature her were the best.  The two primary male characters, Kaden and Rafe are interesting also.  This is a good read, the first of the series.  On to book 2!  (Gerard's review, 12/6/16, 5 stars)

Karen's review 4/30/15, 5 stars:
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is about ancient far-away lands in a world of fantasy kingdoms.  The main character, Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan a/k/a Lia, the one named in secret, is not your average princess!  She is only 17 and quite a rebel who runs away on her wedding day because she does not want to marry someone who she never has seen or met just to be part of her father’s plan to form an alliance with another kingdom.  The jolted prince is greatly insulted so seeks to find her along with her father’s bounty hunters and an assassin from the barbaric kingdom of Venda.  She just wants to live a normal quiet life and be loved by someone for who she is.

This was a nice change of pace for me.  I liked this book a lot because Lia is such a feisty princess.  The book has humor, action, mystery and clean romance.  The writes the story in first person by alternating chapters among  the perspectives of three different people:  the princess, the assassin and the prince who are all complex characters.  The chapters are plainly titled when the prince or assassin are speaking and the untitled chapters are when the princess is speaking.  In the beginning though, it is a bit confusing as to who Rafe and Kadin are—one is the prince and one is the assassin, but it took me a while to figure out which was which.  What I thought turned out to be wrong when I read on a bit farther.  On the inside the cover is a map of the various locations of the different kingdoms which is helpful to the reader.  This is the first book in The Remnant Chronicles series and now I have to look for the second one--The Heart of Betrayal!   

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!

Teasers

Karen's:

Brindle made another snorting noise.  "This is the craziest story I ever heard."

From page 58 of A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay.


Gerard's:

"The plans have changed," I said firmly, and I gathered my gown up in great bunches so I could get a foothold in the stirrup.  The straw-haired boy's mouth fell open as he looked at my once pristine gown, the hem already sloshed with mud, now smearing my sleeves and lace bodice and worse, the Morrighan jeweled wedding cloak.

 From page 17 of The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson.


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

"Where Courage Calls" by Janette Oke

Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke is about Beth, a young woman who shows courage by leaving her nice home in the east to move west to teach in a school in a mining town.  Thinking she will be free from Edward, the man her parents would like her to marry, is disappointed to see him on the same train and hear he will be stationed out west too!  Beth soon makes friends with the townspeople, teaches school at the pool hall, starts a Bible club for the children and then even adds teaching English to some miners!  When one of her students almost dies from drinking some hooch, she even becomes involved in the investigation and finds a new love interest in Jack.

This Christian fiction book moved slowly and I got bored by the end, really looking forward to finishing it so I could start another.  Beth was like super woman.  She did quite a bit of praying and the whole point of the book was that God is in control as Beth surrendered to Him to show her what he wanted her to do.  It was okay but Beth just seemed a little too perfect. 
(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!

Teasers

Gerard's:

We should have done more, and we should have done it sooner.  It ate at me every day, and I knew it ate at Donna, too.

From page 34 of A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay.


Karen's:

"We don't have the luxury of playing at an occupation for a while and then having someone else support us as soon as we're tired of it all.  Men work hard their whole lives."

 From page 47 of Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke.

I asked myself a hundred times why I ignored your note.  Everything might have been different if I'd just taken two minutes to answer you.

From page 17 of The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson.

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

"Bascomville" by Mark A. Calde

Bascomville by Mark A. Calde centers on a young teen boy named Max.  He lives with his parents and two sisters.  He is attracted to the girl next door, Janice.  The point of view is from Max who tells his story.  He has plenty to deal with involving his family, Janice and his future plans.  It is told well and I enjoyed reading it.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)  (We got a copy of this book free in return for an honest 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Holding Up the Universe" by Jennifer Niven

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven is told by Libby Strout and Jack Masselin.  They both go to the same high school, but they are very different on the status scale.  The one thing they do have in common is that they each have a health problem to deal with.

This book is much better than I expected it would be.  I really rooted for Libby and Jack.  The story flowed along well and I was always anxious to get back into it!  The ending was perfect!  If you want a feel good story, this is it!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen read this one too--here's her review:
Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Nivan is a teen romance novel. Libby, an overweight girl with panic attacks, gets bullied but stands up for herself and has a big heart. Jack has Prosopagnosia, a condition that keeps him from being able to recognize faces. Libby loves to dance and Jack likes building things. Jack keeps his disability a secret and copes the best he can until one day he confides in Libby. Libby and Jack start off on rocky ground but as they get to know each other, their relationship changes.

Although this book is very predictable, it is a good story that has a good message for teens and clearly shows how bullied people feel. I never heard of “face-blindness” before reading this so it was interesting to learn about it through Jack’s experiences. Lilly was an interesting character too with the ability to forgive. The story was told by both Lilly and Jack in alternating chapters. (4 stars)


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"The Woman in Cabin 10" by Ruth Ware is One You Have to Think About

In The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, Lo Blacklock works for a travel magazine.  When she gets a chance to go on a cruise liner maiden voyage, she goes in hope that this will be her big break to move up at her job.  Once on board, things start to happen and she tries to make sense of it. 

There is not a lot of action until the end when it really picks up, but you are inside Lo's mind wondering just what is going on?  I loved it!  It really got me thinking trying to figure it out.  If you think you have it figured out, trust me, you don't!  I enjoyed her other book too--Dark Dark Wood.  This is a very good thinking book!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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