"If You Tell" by Gregg Olsen

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen is a true story!   This book centers on Shelly, the mom, and her daughters:  Nikki, Sami and Tori.  Even as I read this, I found it hard to believe, especially that it went on for so long!  The story has good flow to it and I never knew what Shelly was going to do next!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 13:  Years later, Lara took a deep breath, recalling, "She used to chop up bits of glass and put them in the bottom of [the kids'] boots and shoes," she said.  "What kind of person does something like that?"

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"Unbreakable Brain--Shield Your Brain From Cognitive Decline. . . For Life!" by Will Mitchell

One of my greatest fears is Alzheimers or Dementia so when I saw a video by Will Mitchell about how it can be avoided and even reversed, I requested his book for Christmas--Unbreakable Brain by Will Mitchell.  I was disappointed in it because most of the helpful things to do and avoid I saw in the video.  The first half of the book was very boring to me because it was all about how the brain works.  There were only two chapters I found to be somewhat helpful at all which are Chapters 5 and 7.  This is a short book of only 7 chapters, but in my opinion, it could have been less than 20 pages to cover the helpful information.  Even at that, most of the helpful information was stuff I heard before, such as exercise, do strength training, keep learning new things, avoid stress, socialize often and eat healthy.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

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"Deck the Hounds" by David Rosenfelt

In Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt, Andy Carpenter is a lawyer who can pick and choose which case he wants to take.   Andy befriends a homeless man and when he finds out this man is being accused of murder, Andy decides to defend him.  This book is okay but to be honest, I could never really get into any of the characters.  The story line was okay so I did finish it.  There were cute dogs on the cover which I liked; unfortunately, they had very little to do with the story.  The cover is very deceiving which I did not appreciate!
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

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"A Noise Downstairs" by Linwood Barclay Much Better Than "Elevator Pitch"

A Noise Downstairs is the second book I read by Linwood Barclay and is way better than the first--Elevator Pitch.  This has lots of story lines.  The main one concerns a man called Paul almost got killed and is now dealing with something strange in his life.  However, there is a lot more to this novel than just that!

I did not know what was going to happen next.  A twist near the end that I did not see coming and the ending was wild to say the least.  I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 8:  Paul suspected Kenneth would hop in and make a run for it.  With the tailgate open, if he floored it, the bodies might slide right out onto the shoulder.

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"Beside Still Waters"--A Big Sky novel by Tricia Goyer

(image from Goodreads)

Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer is an interesting Amish romance novel.  Marianna is an Amish girl who has always tried to do right and obey the Amish rules to be sure to not disappoint her parents.  Her two older sisters were killed in a buggy accident the day she was born and feels like she is a constant reminder to her parents of their deaths.  When her parents decide to move away from their Amish community in Indiana to Montana, she is very upset, as she is hoping to start dating Aaron Zook.  When she learns her mother is pregnant again, Marianna has no choice but to move with them to help.  To her surprise, she likes Montana and meets some very nice English people who begin to make her question some things she always believed.

I enjoyed this book but did not like how abruptly it ended.  I assume there must be a sequel which I will look for.  This is different from most other Amish stories I've read in that this one has the Amish interacting with the English in Montana instead of just being in their own little community.  I think anyone who enjoys stories about families would like this one.
(Karen's review, 5 stars) 

Teaser from page 42, Loc. 740-41 on Kindle:  Life in the Englisch world wasn't easy.  Some Amish didn't have birth certificates or Social Security cards.  Even harder was their lack of education, and work was hard to find.

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"Elevator Pitch" by Linwood Barclay

In Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay, an elevator falls in a high rise building in New York, killing people.  When it happens three days in a row, people start paying attention.  What is going on and why?
The action in this book is little and far between.  Most of it is just people talking which does not hold my interest.  I finished it anyway because a friend recommended it.  I had no problems with all the characters, but just wanted more action!
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

Teaser from page 9:  There was a loud noise from above, as though the world's largest rubber band had snapped.  The elevator trembled for a second.  Everyone looked up, stunned.

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100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings by Sarah Cooper

100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings by Sarah Cooper is a little book with pictures full of silly tricks to do in meetings. It is definitely a gag gift but is humorous. I enjoyed it, being a person who hates meetings. I would recommend this to anyone who runs meetings or has to attend them.
(Karen’s review, 3 stars)

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A Dog For Christmas" by Linda Byler (An Amish Christian Romance)

A Dog for Christmas by Linda Byler is about Amish twins during the depression. Twins Henry and Harvey were sent away from their family to live with another because they were so poor and had so many children. Rachel and Ephraim who had three girls took them in and Henry and Harvey were well cared for and learned farming. A Newfoundland dog found a home with them and became their best friend. The story about Henry includes fun times and sad times, but his faith in God grows along the way. He finds love and does well. This book seems like a Hallmark movie with some adversity to overcome and a happy ending.
Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Gerard’s review 12/6/19:
A Dog for Christmas by Linda Byler is mostly told by Henry. He was born into an Amish family. This book tells the trials of his childhood and continues into his manhood. The story has a good flow to it and I enjoyed all the characters very much. I also enjoyed the dogs that were involved in the story.
(4 stars)

Teaser from page 4: The boys didn’t look back, knowing that what was behind them was something they could never have again.
After the first mile, their feet were cold from snow leaking into the cracks in the soles of their shoes.


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"Running with Sherman--The donkey with the heart of a hero" by Christopher McDougall

Running With Sherman by Christopher McDougall is a true story.  Christopher owns a ranch and a neighbor brings him a donkey that needs some TLC.  Little did Christopher know how bad a shape the donkey was in.  Christopher was told this donkey needs a purpose and Chris got a wild idea!

This book was best when it concentrated on the main story--the donkeys.  I enjoyed it and was glad it had a good ending.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 11:  "He's paying serious attention, and he's decided we're on his side," Scott said, as he knelt to begin sawing the other front foot.  "But don't let up.  It's only going to get rougher now."

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"The Guardians" by John Grisham

The Guardians by John Grisham is about a small non-profit called Guardian Ministries dedicated to freeing wrongfully convicted prisoners. Cullen Post, a lawyer and an Episcopal minister, is the founder. He works with three others and gets into some dangerous situations. The main case in this book is him trying to free Quincy Morgan who was convicted of murdering a lawyer.

I thought this book was pretty good but it moved slowly. Much of the book involved searching for new evidence in a cold case and getting the witnesses to admit they lied in court 22 years ago. It seems the judicial system could be improved simply by doing away with swearing witnesses in to tell the truth. It is misleading to do that, because some lie anyway but the jury is under the impression since they swore to tell the truth, they do. That is not the case. (Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 3: There is an appeal bouncing around somewhere in the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, and when it lands on the desk of the right law clerk within the hour this execution will be stayed. Duke will return to the horrors of solitary confinement and live to die another day.


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"White Bird" by R. J. Palacio (a graphic children's novel)

White Bird by R. J. Palacio is a story about a young Jewish girl named Sara.  Her childhood is a good one until world War II starts and Hitler and his army start to take over Sara's homeland.  This is a graphic novel so it goes really fast!  The story line is a good one and it kept me engaged throughout.  The pictures were very nice and middle-school readers will enjoy this and also learn some valuable life lessons from factual history.  I think adults would enjoy this too, like I did.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 7:  "...Those were dark times, yes...but what has stayed with me the most is not the darkness......but the light.  That is what I have held on to all these years......and that is the story I want to share with you now."

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!