"The Nature of Fragile Things" by Susan Meissner is Thrilling Historical Fiction

In The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner, an Irish woman comes to America to marry a man she has never met and knows nothing about.  That is just one of the multiple storylines in this book, all of which were interesting.  You will be engaged and get lost in this wonderful book.  There is lots of action and plenty of twists and turns.  Do not miss this one, it's a must read!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review Jan. 23, 2022:

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner is the story of a mail order bride from Ireland coming to San Francisco to marry a widower and become a mother to his 7-yr.-old daughter shortly before the great earthquake of 1906.  The full story unfolds slowly, but there is enough action along the way to keep the reader interested.  Sophie answers Martin Hocking's ad for a wife and mother because she is not happy living in bad conditions in New York and wants a home and a child to love.  Martin wants a wife to keep up appearances and to care for his daughter when he's away on business.  It is a loveless marriage purely of convenience.  This book is very good!  It is about family secrets, fraud, friendship and love.  (5 stars)

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"Mad Honey" by Jodi Picoult

In Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult, Olivia did not know her husband had a dark side.  She goes back to her hometown but then her son is charged with first degree murder of his girlfriend.  Is he abusive like his dad?  Can Olivia do anything to saver her son?  This is good.  The characters are brought out really well.  It is a bit long, but the storyline more than makes up for that!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"No Bad Deed" by Heather Chavez is Quite the Thriller With Lots of Bad Guys!

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No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez is a thriller filled with twists that so much so I got confused at one point. This is about a family of four being stalked, harassed and set up to be murdered.  Once again, the police and detectives are pretty useless in helping this family.  Cassie, the mom, is the heroin who never gives up looking for her missing husband and later her teenage son.  This book has lots of action in it and lots of terrible people!  It certainly kept my attention all through it and if you like puzzles, this is a good one!  Eventually all the pieces fall into place except for the title.  I still don't understand that!  (Karen's review, 4 stars) 

Gerard's review 1/6/23:
In No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez, Cassie sees a man and woman fighting in the dark.  She calls 911 to report it and is told to stay in the car.  However, she cannot just sit in her car and decides to go help the woman.  Turns out that was a huge mistake!  This is my first book of 2023 and I’m off to a good start.  This has good action with an interesting storyline that kept me reading as well as Cassie being a very good character.  (5+ stars)  

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"Dark Horses" by Susan Mihalic

In Dark Horses by Susan Mihalic, Roan, 15-yr-old girl, has a love for riding horses in shows.  She wants to be in the Olympics like her dad who won a bunch of medals and now oversees Roan's training.  However, when a boy moves into the picture, things get complicated!  If you enjoyed V. C. Andrews' old books, this is for you.  I did and got through this one quickly!  It has a good storyline, interesting characters and the ending was one for the books!  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Seven Perfect Things" by Catherine Ryan Hyde

In Seven Perfect Things by Catherine Ryan Hyde, 13-yr.-old Abby sees a man dump a bag that has something moving in it into a river.  Abby gets the bag and finds seven puppies inside.  Now what to do?  Home is not an option because her dad is abusive to her mother and would never allow dogs in his house.  

The characters in this book were brought out very well.  I liked Abby the best.  The story was paced well, but there were some parts that were hard to read.  That being said, I still enjoyed it.  (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"The Playground" by Jane Shemilt Lives up to the Hype

The Playground by Jane Shemilt takes place in London and is about three families, one with three children, one with two kids and one with an only child.  They all meet and socialize through having one of their kids being tutored by Eve.  The parents have no clue what their kids are up to.  Each family has some sort of problem, some worse than others!  

Several different issues are packaged in this book:  marital abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, friendship and rape.  The interaction among the characters is what moves this book along.  I would have enjoyed it more if I actually liked more of the characters.  As it is, I only really liked three, Eric, Grace and Charley.
(Karen's review3 stars) 

Gerard's review7/6/20:
The Playground by Jane Shemilt centers on three women, Eve, Melissa and Grace.  They all have children and over time, they become close and socialize along with their husbands.  The children go off to play on their own.  What could possibly go wrong with that?  I flew through this book because I enjoyed the interactions between the adults and the children so much.  The ending was the best!  This is a great read!  (5++ stars)

Teaser from page 30:  She wishes she had some of those earphones that cancel out noise.  She'd cancel out her whole family if she could.

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"The Pale-Faced Lie" by David Crow (True Story)

The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow is about his terrible childhood, his abusive parents, and his struggle to be free from his father’s control and the guilt and shame he felt most of his life. He also had an older sister and a younger brother and sister. This is a sad story and one that is hard to believe families like his actually exist. It sheds light about life on an Indian reservation and how much damage can be caused by abusive parents. His dad was an ex-con who got away with murder and expected David to help him in his criminal activities. The only times David’s father was pleased with David was when he did mean things to people that his father thought was hilarious. Although David had a lot of obstacles to overcome, including his upbringing, hearing loss, poverty and dyslexia, he had a lot of determination and mental toughness. He barely graduated high school and went on to graduate college, majoring in political science. This book made me want to keep reading to see what was going to happen next and how he succeeded (I knew he did since he wrote the book). This was heartbreaking, but at the same time, extremely interesting.
 (Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 9/25/19:
The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow is the true story about his family.  He had three siblings and they idolized their dad who told them stories about his World War II feats.  But, there was another side to Thurston Crow, the dad.  David tells the story of growing up with his dad and his mentally ill mother including plenty of action!What I enjoyed most about this book is that I really never knew what was going to happen next.
(5++ stars)

Teaser from page 8:  Other days, Dad tied me to the pine tree in our front yard.  He'd wrap a thick, scratchy rope around my chest and ankles and tug on it hard to make a tight know.

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"The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides

Wow! The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a shocking thriller about evil nature. At 33, Alicia Berenson killed her husband and became the silent patient who would not speak. She was put into a mental facility where none of the doctors could get her to talk, until Dr. Faber. Alicia is a painter and her husband a photographer. The story slowly unfolds and we don’t find out why Alicia killed her husband until the end. This kept my interest all the way through and I was pretty shocked by the ending. (Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review 2/26/19:
In The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Alicia is a famous painter married to a successful husband.  Why then did she tie her husband to a chair and shoot him five times?  She never says another word!  Can she talk after that or is she just keeping quiet?  She is put in a mental hospital and is the "silent patient."  Theo is a criminal psychotherapist and wants to try to reach her and get the full story.  Can he do it?

Believe the hype around this one!  It is a NEW YORK TIMES best seller and movie rights already are in the works!  This is an adult novel.  The pacing of the book might seem slow, but it strings you along until the ending, then Bam!  Do not pass this one up, must read.  (5+ stars)

Teaser from page 35:  Her face was expressionless, blank.  A medicated mask.  I wondered what lay beneath.

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In Doubt by John W. Mefford

Image from Goodreads

In Doubt (an Ivy Nash Thriller, Book 3) by John W. Mefford is a thriller about Ivy Nash, a former Child Protective Services worker who now runs her own business of helping children in crisis. She is hired by a very wealthy businessman, Dillon, to watch his little four-year-old daughter. His wife is in a drug rehab institution. Dillon was shot at his fundraiser, then is accused of raping a minor. Ivy isn’t quite sure if he’s the loving dad she sees when Ivy is with him or if he’s a sexual predator. Then, her friend who she works with is charged with manslaughter for killing her step father that raped her! Her friend denies killing the creep but Ivy has some doubt.

This one seemed like just too much crime going on for my taste. The characters were not very well developed and the only one I really cared about was the little 4-yr.-old girl and Ivy. Ivy was portrayed as “super woman” who did her own investigating while still providing care for the little girl. I did not care much for this one, just too many similar story lines going on at once. I thought it was pretty unbelievable how Ivy and her friend fought off their strong, male, experienced abusers.
(Karen’s review 2 stars)

Teaser from page 174 (Loc. 2445-54): I shut the door and swallowed, a sob building in my throat. Then I headed downstairs to figure out if my friend and partner had committed murder.


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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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"Among the Wicked" by Linda Castillo

Among the Wicked by Linda Castillo is a story about Chief Kate Burkholder going undercover as an Amish women moving to Roaring Springs, New York.  She agrees to temporarily join the community to try to get evidence about some nasty rumors about the Bishop and look into the suspicious death of a 15-yr.-old girl that was found dead of hypothermia in the woods near where she was living.   Kate is determined to see through the assignment in spite of being in very serious danger and Tomasetti's objections. 

I enjoyed this book but once again, typical of Linda Castillo's Amish mysteries, Kate Burkholder bravely solves the mystery with near death experience.  She is brave but not too bright.  Kate's escape from death is hard to believe. 
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 49:  I'm loath to admit it, but I don't want leave.  Already, I miss him.  Already, I'm apprehensive about what lies ahead.

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"Now Is Everything" by Amy Giles

In Now is Everything by Amy Giles, Hadley has a bright future ahead of her.  She is pretty, an excellent student, and good in sports.  Her dad controls her though, and not always in a good way!  But, she puts up with it to protect her younger sister from him.  When a boyfriend enters the picture, the tension gets higher.

Teaser from pg. 39:  "The noise, the chaos, all belong to another world, another dimension.  Not mine."

I enjoyed this book very much!  I got into it quickly and was always ready to continue it.  The characters were true to life and there were no dull points.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

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"The Breakdown" by B. A. Paris (Mystery)

In The Breakdown by B. A. Paris, on a stormy night Cass passes a car off the road in the woods.  She thinks about stopping to help, but after thinking about worst case scenarios, decides to drive on.  The next day she finds out the woman is dead and that she knew her  Does she tell the police what she saw?  Can she stop blaming herself for not stopping?  Will she tell anyone?

I thought this book was very good!  The pace is well done and the story is believable.  I enjoyed this author's first book, Behind Closed Doors and this book is just as good, if not better!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

The Breakdown by B. A. Paris is full of mystery.  Cass, the main character, last sees her new friend through her car window on a dark road during a storm on her way home from a party.  Her friend's car is stopped on the side of the road but does not appear to be in need of help.  The next day though, Cass hears on the news that her friend was killed!  Then the silent phone calls start up and Cass gets freaked out.  Plus, not only is Cass upset about the murder but she notices she keeps forgetting things and is afraid she has early dementia!  

This book is a disturbing read because strange things keep happening with Cass.  I can't say too much without giving things away but it is a very good mystery.  I got into it right away and looked forward to getting back to it.  Things really picked up and got interesting in the second half, so don't give up on it!  I highly recommend this book and only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because the turning point was far-fetched and pretty unbelievable.  
(Karen's review, 4 stars)     

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"The Boys in the Bunkhouse" by Dan Berry is Fascinating!

The Boys in the Bunkhouse--Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland by Dan Barry is a non-fiction book about 21 men who were kept in an old rundown building.  They did work for a company, work no one else wanted to do.  They were mistreated and received very little pay.

I thought this book was fascinating!  I enjoyed getting to know the men in the bunkhouse as they told their stories.  It was sad how people just did not want to get involved in their plight!  It has a real good ending!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars) 

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"The Mystery Box" by Eva Pohler

The Mystery Box by Eva Pohler is a suspenseful read that slowly builds, beginning with Yvette, a bored housewife.  One day Yvette meets her strange and mysterious neighbor, Mona, who lives in the house behind her when Yvette delivers a UPS package to Mona that had Yvette's address on it.  Mona begins telling Yvette her incredible life story.  Day after day, Yvette agrees to come and hear more.  Mona confides that she fell in love with a professor who had connections with the Taliban and had kept her prisoner.   Yvette is shocked when she finally realizes why Mona is telling her all this--it's not just because she is lonely.

I thought this was interesting right from the start but Yvette choosing to stay behind to hear more of Mona's story rather than join her family for a vacation didn't seem very realistic.  Yvette took her family for granted and I liked how once her life got shaken up, she yearned for things to go back to how they were before.  I didn't like Mona much at the beginning because she was engaged to a nice guy but cheated on him, falling for Ahmed Jaffar instead.  
(Karen's review, 4 stars)    

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"Ruby--Between the Cracks" by P.D. Workman

In Ruby--Between the Cracks by P.D. Workman, you will meet a young girl named Ruby.  From a very young age, she had to make choices; unfortunately, most of them were wrong ones.  We follow her as she grows up and there is never a dull moment with this girl!  I also found the people in her life interesting.  Some tried to help while others tried to take advantage of her.

I enjoyed this book because the story moved along well and the characters were very believable!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Those Girls" by Chevy Stevens is a Thriller About 3 Sisters We Both Liked!

Those Girls by Chevy Stevens is a gripping novel that is about three sisters (Dani, 17, Courtney-16 and Jess-14) who are abused by an alcoholic father and later raped and how each is affected by their experience and deals with it differently.  These sisters are very close and support each other and start a new life with help from an unlikely source, an ex-con who got a break and is plays it forward.

The girls do pretty good at putting their past behind them until Jess discovers she is pregnant by the guy who raped her and brings everything back. 

I LOVED this book in spite of some very graphic and horrifying parts which worked to get the reader to really root for those girls to succeed.  The bond between the sisters was very interesting to me and how Jess's daughter became the "best part of them."  I liked the people who helped the girls along their way with the "playing if forward" theme worked in and the way they chose their new names for the new identities. The ending had a lot of suspense and action which made me to keep reading and not put this down!
(Karen's review, 5 stars) 

Gerard's review (5++ stars):
Those Girls by Chevy Stevens is about three sisters.  One of the sisters shoots their dad to save the other one from him and they all go on the run!  They soon find more trouble.  This books is told in three parts from various points of view.  I really enjoyed the first part of the book as the girls were in big trouble with non-stop action.  The second part was pretty much rehashing what happened in the first part but part 3 when everything came together more than made up for part 2 and I got caught up in it!

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"The Mare" by Mary Gaitskill

The Mare by Mary Gaitskill is for the most part, told by Velveteen, an 11-yr.-old girl and Ginger, a young woman who hosted Velveteen for two weeks.  The interaction between these two made this book.  It was not always good and they got to really see the differences between them.  Ginger's horses were also a part of the book that I enjoyed. 

Entertainment Weekly gave this book high praise and they were right!  The ending is fantastic!  They byplay with Velvet's real mom and her was very good too.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Chasing Jenna" by Micki Fredricks

Chasing Jenna by Micki Fredricks is about a young girl who goes to college and is befriended by two young men. For the first part of this there is a love triangle story where Jenna is torn between the two guys.  The second part is more exciting because the action picks up.  I understand that the first half sets the scene, but I thought dragged on too long but I loved the ending!  It's well worth reading for sure, glad I stuck with it.
(Gerard's review 12/18/14, 4.5 stars)

Chasing Jenna is written by Micki Fredricks an Iowa blogger and was just released last month.  I received an ARC of this from the author when I offered to review it.  It is about Jenna, a poor girl from a small town who grew up in an abusive home but is excited about going off to college away from her hometown.  As she is moving in, some boys come by to help her with her things and show her around.  Jenna and her roommate immediately fall for them and find out that The Brotherhood they belong to is not a fraternity, nor is it a house of nice guys who do volunteer work in the community like Cale told them it was.  This shows how easily it is for girls to be deceived and misled.  Jenna was used to going unnoticed, but since she started college, she has two guys clamoring for her. 

This is a good story that would be good for teens to read.  It is scary that this type of thing actually happens but I don’t want to ruin the book for you be saying too much.  It has romance, suspense, action and mystery.  I liked it because although I thought Jenna was a nut case and really didn’t care much for her, I was hoping she would be okay so the story kept my interest.  

(Karen's review 12/11/14, 5 stars)

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"Amity and Sorrow" by Peggy Riley

Amity and Sorrow by Peggy Riley is the story of a mother who takes her two daughters and drives away from a cult compound.  The mother is sure the father is going to come after them.  The one daughter embraces the new life, even though she knows nothing about the outside world.  However, the other daughter wants to go back to the life she has always known in the compound. 

I enjoyed this book.  It went fast and for this author's first book, I think she did really well!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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