"The Secret Keeper" by Kate Morton

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton is a murder mystery, but not a who did it, but why did they?  On her younger brother's birthday, teen Laurel is hiding in her tree house and is the only one who sees her mother actually kill the strange man who came that knew her name.  She tells the cops what she saw, but not that her mother knew who he was.  It was concluded that her mom acted in self-defense because he was going to harm the baby brother who she was holding.  Years later, when Laurel was in her 50s and her mother was dying, Laurel decides to look into that event more closely to find out who that man was and why her mother killed him with the birthday knife they always used to cut the birthday cakes.  Through a long journey through photos, World War II letters, and a visit to London Laurel finally discovers the truth. 

This story was really good; however, it seemed to take forever to get at it and finally arrive at the end.  I enjoyed story most when it was back during World War in London, showing the mother's background before marrying Laurel's father, Stephen.  I just found it hard to believe that Laurel was never that curious about her mother's background until she was dying.  I know, that's where the title comes in, but I thought it was far-fetched that Laurel would bother doing all that research instead of just asking her mother straight out.  I did not care for how the author went into so much detail describing scenery and jumping between all different years back and forth.  I loved the surprise ending.  This book really picked up around page 400.  I really enjoyed the last 80 pages or so--it saved the book for me.  It includes some discussion questions in the back for book clubs to use.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 28:  Both sisters turned towards her mighty indignation, and therefore neither noticed Dorothy's sharp intake of breath, the look of anguish that crossed her face at the mention of Vivien's name.  By the time the three Nicolsen sisters had gathered at their mother's side, Dorothy appeared to be sleeping calmly, her features giving no hint that she'd left behind the hospital, her weary body, and her grown daughters, slipping through time to the dark night of 1941.

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"Queen of Sorrow" by Sarah Beth Durst (Book 3 in Queens of Renthia Series) Great Series!

Gerard's review:
The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst is the final book in the Queens of Renthia trilogy.  Queen Aleina wants peace for her land and now with Queen Naelin at her side, things look bright for the future!  But, when Naelin's children are taken by other spirits, she has reason to believe that Queen Merecot is behind it and Naelin wants her children back!  If it means war, then so be it.  This book is really, really good just like the previous two.  The writing is very good as well!  This is one you get into right away and hate to put down!  I loved the interaction among all the characters and was glad to see the wolf, Bayn, back in this one.  Love that wolf!  (5++ stars)


The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst is a wonderful finish to the Queens of Renthia trilogy, my favorite fantasy trilogy of all time! I loved this story so much, I was disappointed to see it end—even though I liked the ending. Queen Merecot had Naelin’s children kidnapped and brought to her castle in Semo and also got rid of the wolf Bayn, having her spirits chase him into the untamed lands! Merecot enters into a power struggle with the Queens of Aratay in the hopes of getting enough “spirit” power to change the spirits for good. We also meet Ven’s family, Queen Daleina’s sister, and Cajara, a new heir candidate. There is much death and some sadness in this but it is well balanced with joyful occasions, humor and happiness.

I liked all of the queens in this book and enjoyed their negotiations and scheming as well. I was pleased with Naelin’s decision in the end and enjoyed her journey! What a trip! I am normally not one for politics, but really was drawn into the political aspects of this book. I really hope the author comes up with some more books about Renthia! I want to know what happens with Merecot, Arid, Ven and Naelin, Hannah and of course, Queen Daleina. The characters are so well developed and the writing is amazing! I liked that it has so many characters without being confusing. Sarah Beth Durst has officially become my favorite fantasy author!
(Karen's review 3/22/19, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 32: As she flew, she flung her mind out like a net, catching every spirit within fifty miles and driving them toward Semo. SAVE MY CHILDREN! ATTACK!

See our other reviews for this series:  The Queen of Blood and The Reluctant Queen

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"Watching (The Making of Riley Paige--Book 1) by Blake Pierce

Watching (The Making of Riley Paige—Book 1) by Blake Pierce is a thriller about a couple murders on a college campus Both victims were friends of Riley Sweeny, who tries to figure out who the killer was on her own by pretending to get into the killer’s mind by re-enacting what the killer probably did. Riley, a senior psychology major becomes a target herself.

This book has a lot of grammatical errors and moved along fairly slowly. I thought it was okay but did not care for all the bar scenes, and the story line wasn’t very believable. I don’t know if I want to continue reading this series or not.
 (Karen's review, 2 stars)

Teaser from page 9: And Riley could see at least one thing that was wrong. About halfway down the hall, a girl was collapsed on her knees, sobbing.


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"Once Upon a River" by Diane Setterfield

In Once Upon a River by Dian Setterfield, a man walks into a bar carrying something.  He falls and the patrons of the bar think that he is dead.  A nurse is called and the man is still alive.  What he was carrying turned out to e a little girl who is thought to be dead.  The girl is alive but is mute.  Three families claim the little girl.  Does she belong to one of them or the man who carried her into the bar? 

Good luck trying to figure out this book!  The characters are well developed and think this was well worth reading even though it is over 600 pages in the large print version.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 46:  This is wrong!  All wrong!  It should not be so!  And that is when it happened.

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"Convenient Lies" by Robin Patchen

Convenient Lies by Robin Patchen is book one in the Hidden Truth series. This is a page-turner thriller about Rae, a journalist, who discovers Julian, her husband, is a terrorist who already has a wife! But then, Rae had secrets from him as well. She decides to leave Julien with their 12-day-old son and go back to her grandma’s to get some gold coins her dad told her he hid for her, then disappear with her grandma. She stole some of her husband’s files for insurance, leaving him a note in the hopes that he would let her leave in exchange for her silence about his selling weapons to terrorists. She is thrown for a loop though when her plan unravels. Will she be able to keep her son safe and not let him be raised by a terrorist? Will she be able to start a new life? Will her old flame be able to win her back and build a life together? Will Julien track her down and what will he do when he finds her?

This is a good thriller because it mixed the terrorist with family life and brought out how complicated relationships can get. I enjoyed the story line and thought Julien was a very interesting character. I also liked Brady, Rae’s old flame and was pulling for him to find a way to protect her and get back together with her. I plan to continue with this series.
(Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 1: There were only two people Rachel Adams trusted. One was twelve days old, and the other had mysteriously quit answering her phone.


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"The Deepest Blue" by Sarah Beth Durst (Fantasy) We Both Loved This One!

The Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst is a fantasy about bloodthirsty nature spirits, love, adventure, sea monsters and politics on the Belene Islands south of Renthia.  Mayara successfully kept her spirit power a secret for years, only confiding in her best friend, Kelo who is now her fiance.  Unfortunately, on her wedding day, she used her special power to stop the big spirit storm from destroying her island.  That is when her adventure starts and she finds out what she is truly made of.  When the "Silent Ones" eventually find her, she is faced with a difficult choice:  denounce her family, leave her home forever and don't talk to join the Silent Ones or take her chances at trying to survive for a month on an island that is home to many nature spirits who are hungry and then become heir to the queen of Belene with the opportunity to visit her loved ones again.

I enjoyed reading this book very much, it is so good!  I liked the humorous parts and the characters.  The plot had twists I did not see coming at all and I was turning pages quickly eager to find out what would happen next.  My emotions were all over the place with this one--amusement, sadness, joy and curiosity.  This is a stand alone with a great ending!  I finished reading this one in just two days and recommend to anyone who enjoys uncomplicated fantasy.  (I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review--this book comes out March 19, 2019.)
(Karen's review 3/15/19, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 3/18/19:
In The Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst, it starts off with Mayara's wedding day--a day to celebrate. But even before the vows are said, Mayara makes a decision that puts her future in doubt!  Can she get her and her husband's plans back on track, or is their future doomed?  The pacing of this book is very well done.  The best thing about this book to me was the interaction between all of the characters.  I really cared about what was going to happen.  The ending of the book was a wild ride to say the least!  Great job, Sarah!  (5++ stars) 

Teaser from page 73:  "Because you've arrived, we all get to die that much sooner.  Hurray.  So happy to meet you."

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"My Life Among the Underdogs" by Tia Torres

My Life Among the Underdogs by Tia Torres is a memoir about Tia's life and all the great dogs that have been part of it!  This woman has been blessed.  Each dog has its own chapter and are all different.  It is a short book, but the story is told very well!  I wish she would have included pictures of the dogs, but that is the only criticism I have.  If you love dogs, you will find this hard to put down.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 28:  At that moment, I made the decision to protect her at all costs, always.  I never wanted her to leave my side, and right there, on the floor, in an embrace that felt like forever, it became Tia and Tatanka.  Together we would change the world.

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"The Scorekeeper" by Dustin Stevens (Suspense Thriller)

The Scorekeeper by Dustin Stevens is a suspense thriller about an ex-con (The “Scorekeeper”) creating a sort of “treasure hunt” for an excellent detective and his canine partner to figure out to get the truth out about his conviction. Part of his scheme involved burying a college girl alive in a pine box! Why would he do that? Will the detectives find her in time? Who would do such a thing?

This book got the suspense going right from the start! It was refreshing to read a thriller that didn’t have crooked cops doing the investigating. I liked how this book showed the value of K-9 partners, having Billie involved in all the detective work. (Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from pg. 13, Kindle Loc. 174-76: The knuckles on her left hand were smashed beyond repair. Done by pounding her fist one time after another into the pine boards just inches from her face, she had lashed at her enclosure long after it proved any good to do so.


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"Mrs. Morhard and The Boys" by Ruth Hanford Morhard

Mrs. Morhard and the Boys by Ruth Hanford Morhard is a true story.  This is about one mother's vision--the first boys baseball league.  The first 10 pages or so deal with Josephine growing up and he adult life.  What this woman went through is remarkable!  What a story!  The second part of this book deals with baseball and how she helped young boys play the game!  I am glad this woman's story was told because it needed to be.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 24:  Soon her feet were off the ground, and the colt was dragging her around and around with him.  She clung on for dear life, terrified.

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"Mrs. Grey" by Rachel Wesson (Book 12 in Clover Springs Mail Order Brides Series)

Mrs. Grey: Clover Springs Mail Order Brides Book 12 by Rachel Wesson is about how the sheriff and Loreana Grey get together. There is some tension between the Irish workers and the former slaves who have set up camp just outside of town as well as some old grudges from the Civil War between those who fought for the north and those who fought for the south.

I was disappointed in this book because I really liked Mrs. Grey but her character seemed to be watered down in this book. It also wasn’t about a mail order bride so don’t know why it was included in this series. I liked other books in this series much better. This one lacked the humor and interest that others had.
(Karen’s review, 3 stars)

Teaser at Kindle Loc. 66-67: The former slaves and their families had been having a hard time in Denver and welcomed the chance to come to Clover Springs. The two groups of men had set up camp just outside of town.

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"Sophie Last Seen" by Marlene Adelstein

Sophie Last Seen by Marlene Adelstein is a good read about Jesse and her journey to overcome her grief caused when her 6-yr-old daughter disappeared from a store. Jesse feels like it was all her fault. Sophie, the little girl, was obsessed with birds and always wore her binoculars so she could watch them closely. She had a box full of little trinkets that crows brought to her and loved routine. She was mad at her best friend, Star, That Day she disappeared because Star had promised to go with her to the mall but then changed her mind. When Sophie disappeared, Star felt guilty too, thinking if she had gone That Day, things may have been different. Jesse never stopped looking for her daughter, even though people thought she was strange.

This is a good story that shows how differently people deal with grief and guilt. It was also a mystery figuring out what happened to Sophie. I enjoyed the information about birds that was imparted through the story as well as Saint Anthony, Jesse’s dog who became her faithful companion. I really enjoyed Jesse’s journey from being a total self-absorbed wreck to a person who thinks of others and is ready for a fresh start. (I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.) (4 stars)

Teaser from page 3:  She didn't care if people thought she was crazy.  For Jesse, who spoke to few people anymore, it was a comfort even if Sophie never actually answered back.


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"2nd Chance" by James Patterson with Andrew Gross (A Women's Murder Club Novel)

In 2nd Chance by James Patterson with Andrew Gross, a serial killer is on the loose with no pattern!  Everybody is at risk.  Four women making up the Women's Murder Club is back to solve this.  To me this was a dud.  I never really got into it.  Although the story line is okay, it goes quickly to a predictable ending.
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

Teaser from page 5: Then Aaron Winslow's eyes came to rest on what had made the girl hysterical.  He felt his heart sink.

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"the night Olivia fell" by Christina McDonald

the night olivia fell by Christina McDonald is about a mom's worst nightmare--A call in the middle of the night saying her pregnant daughter was found lying under a bridge--brain dead!  Was she pushed or did she jump on her own?  Who is the father?

I thought this book was really good!  It is told by Olivia, the daughter and Abi, the mom, who wants to find out what happened, and why.  Try to get your own answers.  I am guessing you will be wrong like I was!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)  

Karen's review:
the night olivia fell by Christina McDonald is about a teen girl, Olivia, who met an early death before her mother even knew she was pregnant. This novel is told from alternating perspectives of the mother, Abi, and the daughter, Olivia The mother hid a secret from Olivia for years and when Olivia discovered what it was, she was on a personal secret mission. Although the police said her death was accidental, the mother went on a personal mission of her own to find out details and exactly what happened. Olivia was declared brain dead but was kept on life support in the hopes of saving her baby. Was it an accident or did someone push her off that bridge? Will the baby survive? Who is the father?

I thought the story was pretty good but I did not really care much for Olivia because of the way she treated her mother and her boyfriend, Tyler. This was written in a way that I found sort of annoying, the book jumping back and forth from the present to the past. I was a bit surprised at the ending of who her death actually happened. I liked the mother, Abi, and give her credit for pursuing the truth about her daughter’s death. (4 stars)


Teaser from page 46:  I remember looking at Olivia in the fading evening light and feeling like I didn't know her anymore.  I knew then that something had been shaken loose, something I had no power to put back together. . . .

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"Joey--How a blind rescue horse helped others learn to see" by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley

Joey by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley is a true story which makes this so much better!  Kim believes in three things:  God, kids, horses.  She has a vision of putting hurting special needs kids with horses on a designated area, but that will take a lot of land and a lot of money!  Those are two things Kim is in short supply of so Kim puts her trust in God to provide. One horse she gets is Joey, a blind horse who was mistreated.  Can she take on a special needs horse too?

I thought this book was outstanding!  It is told very well and the women in this book are remarkable!  I fell in love with Joey!  Do not miss this one!   I'd recommend this for a book club.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 217:  Cindy's hand covered her mouth and tears streamed down her cheeks.  Sarah didn't notice her, not yet.  She was transfixed, basking in this sacred moment in which the little girl with no voice spoke up for the horse with no eyes.

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"The House Next Door" by James Patterson & Susan DiLallo is a Collection of 3 Thrillers!

The House Next Door by James Patterson and Susan DiLallo is the first story in this 3-story thriller collection. Laura and Ned have three kids and the house next door is a wreck. One day they get a new neighbor—Vince and his boy Vinney. When Vince calls her early one morning to ask a favor, she agrees and picks up Vinney from school to drive him to soccer. Laura and Ned argue a lot and Vince makes Laura feel excited. He is nice looking and charming. She begins to think about having an affair with him as her life seems to be falling apart.

This is a quick read and fairly predictable. I did not care for Laura and pretty much had Vince figured out from the start. Things moved along quickly and the most exciting part was right near the end of the story. (Karen’s review,3 stars)

Teaser from page 36: “No. Listen. You don’t think it’s strange—a new family in town, keeps to themselves, meets no one. Didn’t even move in with any furniture, for God’s sake.”

The second one in this collection is The Killer’s Wife by James Patterson and Max DiLallo. Michael Pierson, a high school vice principal is married to Ellen, an elementary school nurse who collects butterflies. Six high school girls from the high school Michael Pierson works at have gone missing over the past 22 months and are presumed dead with the most recent only three weeks ago. Detective McGrath has a gut feeling that Michael is responsible and finally he is arrested when caught red-handed abducting another girl. Pierson refuses to talk to anyone—no lawyer, no cop, not even his wife! McGrath decides to get close to Ellen in the hopes of getting more evidence against him. She claims she had no idea.I liked this one because of the crazy ending and Ellen was an interesting character. (Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 178: “You and your husband have been married for six years. But tell me: How well do you really know him? Do you think he’d ever be capable of—” “Absolutely not!” Ellen exclaims, springing to her feet.

We. Are. Not. Alone. by James Patterson and Tim Arnold, the third story in this collection, is a science fiction suspense story that I enjoyed even more than the first two. A disgraced Air Force scientist, Robert Barnett, spent years exploring the possibility of communicating with life on other planets and it finally pays off when he gets a message from outer space! This was a thought-provoking read with a twist that was really great! (Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 291: They know their wife and mother is about to embark on yet another very important, highly classified, and quite possibly dangerous mission to outer space. What they don’t know is, they will probably never see her again.


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