"Beautiful Bad" by Annie Ward

Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward is a slow developing dark, twisted thriller about Maddie, mother of a little boy named Charlie and wife of Ian, a military guy who has PTSD. Maddie met Ian at a fund-raiser for the Red Cross that her friend, Joanna invited her to. Joanna worked with women and children in refugee camps around Macedonia. The book begins 12 weeks before the day of the killing and goes back and forth between the present and the past to give the reader background information. Also, when Maddie sees psychologist who uses writing therapy, Maddie’s past events are also revealed.

This is a book of lies, deception and manipulation! Charlie is a sweet little boy and the only reason I kept reading this book. The flashbacks to the past I found very boring. So boring, in fact, that halfway through the book I skipped over them and just focused on the present chapters! I would get into a present chapters and then find myself being disappointed when the next chapter jumped back to the past. I found it very annoying. Of Maddie, Joanna and Ian, I disliked Ian the least from the start. The only characters I really liked were Charlie and a cop named Diane. I did not care for this one at all, but at least did not give up on it; although, I did put it aside three times to read something better. To be fair; however, this one has been compared to Girl on the Train and Woman in the Window, neither of which read because they didn’t appeal to me. (Karen’s review, 2 stars)

Teaser from page 17: It was messy, almost as if mopped, and Diane imagined someone crawling on hands and knees before managing to haul up on his or her feet for one more staggering go at life. She had an irrational urge to start running through the house calling out for the child, but she’d already broken one rule just be entering.


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"The Great Alone" by Kristin Hannah (We Both Liked This!)

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a wild book! We meet the Allbright family. The husband Ernt, a former POW, Cora his wife and their daughter Leni. Ernt is still suffering flashbacks from the war and he has a hard time keeping a job and his temper. When a friend of his leaves him a house in Alaska, he wants a fresh start for him and his family. All will be well again!

I thought this book was really good! The three main characters are excellent and well brought out. At 644 pages (large print), this is no light read. I thought the pacing was okay and appreciated that it did not hop back and forth between present to past. A few twists caught me by surprise and I enjoyed the ending! (Gerard’s review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review (5 stars):  
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is about standing by those you love.  Leni is raised by her mother, Cora, and her father, Ernt who changes after he gets back from being a POW in the Vietnam war.  He is very abusive to his wife, but can't help it and she always forgives him.  Her and Leni are very close and both pretend everything is fine.  When Ernt decides to make a fresh start with his family in Alaska, the book gets quite interesting.  

I thought this book was very good even though it moved a bit slow.  It delves into several different relationships and explores love between an abusive husband and his wife, a love/hate relationship between a daughter and her father, young love between Leni and Matthew, and love between mothers and daughters.  Another aspect of this book is how the community helps each other.  This book shows how decisions and choices we make affect not only us but those we love as well. 

Teaser from page 21:  Dad wanted a new beginning.  Needed it.  And Mama needed him to be happy.

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"Rescuing Finley" by Dan Walsh is Enjoyable & Heartwarming (UPDATED)

In Rescuing Finley by Dan Walsh, Amy and her girlfriends decide to do a little 5-finger discount.  Amy gets caught and refuses to rat out her friends.  She is in major trouble!  Chris is helping to fight the war.  He steps on a landmine and his fighting days are over.  He comes back home, but is in a bad way emotionally!  Finley's owner is killed in the war.  Finley, a dog, gets turned into the Humane Society and is depressed.  The lives of these three come together to create a good read.

Teaser from page 37 (Loc. 436 on Kindle):  As they approached, the dog started jumping toward them, but Kim didn't see an ounce of aggression in him.  He was just a loving goofball, probably starved for attention.

I thought this book was written very well.  I enjoyed all the characters very much and even though it has a predictable ending, it did not take away the enjoyment of the book for me.
(Gerard's review 9/16/17, 5 stars)

Karen's review:
Rescuing Finley by Dan Walsh is an enjoyable read about Amy, a prisoner in the program for training dogs to be service dogs for vets, Finley, the dog she trains and Chris, the vet who Finley is being trained to help.  I really loved this book because it got my interest right away and kept it throughout.  Yes, it is predictable; however, it still was interesting and a fun read. (5 stars)

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"Stay Where You Are and Then Leave" by John Boyne

In Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne, as the first World War rages on, Alfie thinks that his father died to the war. As the war continues, Alfie learns something that changes everything. Even though Alfie is a very young boy, he must take on a man's job.

I thought this book was very good!  I enjoyed the character of Alfie very much and the story moved along well. 

(Gerard's review 6/25/16, 5 stars)

Karen's review, 4 stars:
This is a sweet story about a boy's love for his dad during World War I.  The boy, Alfie, lives in London and is only five years old, wanting to join his dad on the milk run.  The father volunteers to fight in the war but writes regularly.   The mother keeps telling the boy his dad is on a secret mission and can't write home which makes Alfie think his father may be dead.  One day when Alfie is making money shining shoes, he discovers that his father is actually in a hospital.  Alfie takes on a secret mission of his own for love.

This is a good read and I enjoyed it.  It goes very fast because it is a children's book, but Alfie is a very brave and loving, caring boy who I liked very much.  Although this book takes place during the war, the focus is on those who are not fighting and so there is hardly any violence at all. 

We have enjoyed two other books by this author too and recommend them all:  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and The Boy at the Top of the Mountain. 

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"Corrupted" by Lisa Scottoline - Inspired by Kids for Cash Scandal!

In Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline, lawyer Bennie Rosato takes on a murder case to defend Jason who she feels she let down when he was sent to Juvie 19 years ago. She also finds romance with Declan, the uncle of the Ritchie, the guy who her defendant is accused of killing. This book was inspired by kids-for-cash scandal in the judicial system in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

This book got my attention right away with the glimpse into the juvenile detention system and following two 12-yr-old boys. I found it to be very interesting and the story moved along quickly. I like Bennie and felt bad for her when she and Declan had to put a hold on their relationship. I liked how the reader was kept informed all along the way of what Bennie was thinking and feeling and how she prepared her case. This book delves into what justice is in a very readable way. If you like to read about trials and enjoy seeing things from a lawyer’s point of view, I highly recommend this book.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Link to the real kids-for-cash scandal: http://jlc.org/luzerne-county-kids-cash-scandal

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"Vanishing Girls" by Lauren Oliver is Good But . . .

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver tells the story of sisters, Dara and Nick.  They hang around with each other and are close until a car accident has consequences for both of them.  This novel is told by both sisters and I liked them both.  It is good and kept my interest throughout; however, would have preferred a different ending.  That being said, Vanishing Girls is very readable and I think you would enjoy it.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Crash and Burn" by Lisa Gardner

Crash and Burn by Lisa Gardner starts off with Nicole Frank getting into a car accident. When the police come, she tells them her daughter is missing.  They cannot find her and the police dogs cannot track her, what now?  Her husband shows up and tells the police that his wife suffers from a mental illness and cannot be trusted in anything she says.  But, can he be trusted?

This is a fantastic read!  Lisa Gardner is always good and this novel is no exception!  As you read this book, what you think you know, you do not.  Trust me.  It's filled with so many twists and turns your head will spin!  LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Crash and Burn by Lisa Gardner is a fascinating and intriguing mystery about a police investigation of an DWI accident that finds them trying to solve a 30-year-old mystery.  Nancy Frank suffers from PTSD and mental confusion from three concussions.  Her husband is supportive of her, or is he?  Can she trust him?  Who is Vero? There are so many questions that come up along the way and when you think you know something, it turns out different from what you thought with all the twists in this book.  It certainly kept my interest all the way through and is a wild read.  I can’t really go into detail because I don’t want to give you ruin the surprises for you.  

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

 


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We Both Liked "Cold, Cold Heart" by Tami Hoag, She Does It Again!

In Cold, Cold Heart by Tami Hoag, Dana gets away from a serial killer by killing him which got me hooked right from the start.  After spending a year in the hospital trying recover from what he did to her, she returns home, hoping to get some of her memory back.  Unfortunately, home proves not to be a safe haven and thoughts of how her best friend died haunt her.

You can never go wrong with a Tami Hoag book, and this one is no exception.  I LOVED it and always wanted to return to it to read more.  It has a great story line, even includes a dog which I loved as well as a good ending.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Cold, Cold Heart by Tami Hoag is an unusual thriller in that the majority of the book deals with Dana trying to solve the mystery of her best friend's disappearance that happened seven years ago which makes the killer nervous.  Dana was a beautiful news anchor on TV until she was abducted by a serial killer who she managed to kill, but escaped with lots of side effects from her trauma including brain damage. 

I liked this book and agreed with its message, although it was somewhat redundant:  "Anyone could be a killer under the right circumstances" and "Where there's life, there's hope."  At the beginning, I'm wondering where the big mystery is since Dana kills the serial killer.    This book kept me guessing who killed Casey until near the end.  I really liked John who was nice to the stray dog who became his best friend.  Although there were several murders in this book, it is not full of gruesome details.  Mostly it's all about Dana trying to remember and putting together the pieces to find out what happened to her best friend with only a little action. 
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"The WAITING" by Suzanne Woods Fisher--A Beautiful Amish Romance

The WAITING by Suzanne Woods Fisher topped The CHOICE!  In The Waiting, Jorie King, the main character who helps her grandparents on their Amish horse farm and agrees to teach school finally finds love.  This is a great story that focuses on one particular Amish family, the Zooks.  The oldest, Cal is left with his young daughter, Maggie and his three brothers--Ben, Matthew, and Ephraim when his beloved wife dies of Cancer.  Cal stepped up to run the family farm when their parents died.  Issues in this book include life struggles, family issues, faith, education, judging others, relationships and coming of age.

I absolutely loved this book and look forward to reading more by this wonderful author.  The romance is clean, the Christian theme runs throughout without being preachy and it's thought provoking.  I cheered out loud at a couple parts--once when Cal through Ben's medications into the garbage and when the test results came back for Jorie's 8th graders.  Ephraim was my favorite character. 
(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. Happy Reading!

Tuesday Tucks Me In by Luis Carlos Montalvan - Children's Book We Both Loved!

Tuesday Tucks Me In by Luis Carlos Montalvan is a juvenile non-fiction book about Luis, a vet, who came back home disabled.  Tuesday, his service dog, helps Luis through the day and tells the story.  The pictures in this book take you through a day with them.  I liked it.  Thank you for your service, Mr. Luis Montalvan and give Tuesday a treat and belly rub for me!  
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

I liked this book because it is both informative and heartwarming.  The pictures are touching and some humorous.  It's a wonderful children's book that teaches exactly what service dogs can do for vets.  I was amazed to learn that the dog recognizes 114 words!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"The Impossible Knife of Memory" by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book is about a young girl who has to deal with her dad who is suffering from PTSD.  Then she gets a boyfriend to complicate matters more.  I really enjoyed this because the main characters are really good and the plot line is true to life.  Kept me turning the pages--LOVED it!
(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. Happy Reading!

"Safe Keeping" by Barbara Taylor Sissel

Safe Keeping by Barbara Taylor Sissel concerns a family where the boy in the family is being charged with the murder of a young lady.  This is a very good page turner.  I especially enjoyed the interaction between the wife and husband and the sister and the brother.  All the family members have problems that add to the story.  I think this would make a real good lifetime movie!
(Gerard's review, 5++)

Now see what Karen thought about it:

Safe Keeping by Barbara Taylor Sissel is about a family whose 34-yr.-old son, Tucker, is charged with murder.  His father, Joe, is a disabled Vietnam vet with PTSD who constantly lives with regret of holding a gun on Tucker when he was only 4-yrs-old and locking him in the closet.  His mother, Emily and older sister, Lissa have always been protective of Tucker and want to believe in his innocence.  When Lissa finds out she is pregnant, she is afraid of becoming a mother because of all the pain her parents went through with Tucker and considers having an abortion, which causes friction between her and her husband, Evan.  The question is, is Emily and Joe’s son really a murderer?

This book is all about the family and the effects of that horrible day when Joe flipped out with Tucker.  Tucker claims he is innocent of murder but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence against him.  I liked this book and thought the ending was great!  It also has discussions questions that could be used for a book club. (Karen's review, 4 stars)   

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"Thank You For Your Service" by David Finkel

Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel is non-fiction focusing on the men and women who fight our country's wars and the toll it takes on them and their loved ones.  It contains very interesting stories and reads like a novel.  It kept my interest throughout.  I can't say it was an enjoyable read, but you should read it if you get a chance to get a glimpse of the sacrifices made and the tragic outcomes in some cases.  
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"A Collie Rescue" by Lindsay Downs

A Collie Rescue by Lindsay Downs is a short book that I read on my Kindle. I thought it was going to be about Collies being rescued, but it isn’t. It’s about Collies being buddies for returning vets with PTSD. Actually, that is just a small part of the book. This is about the FBI hunting down terrorists with the help of a returning vet with PTSD who is homeless, and her new Collie, Taz, who has her back.

This started kind of slow and I lost interest for a while, but returned to it and liked the ending. I would have rated it higher if the characters were more developed. I think vets may like it and anyone who enjoys quick reads without a lot of description or in-depth characters. (Half the proceeds from this book go to the pet fund.)
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

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