"Suspect" by Robert Crais - NYT BESTSELLER (updated)

The dog has a big role in this book!  Woof!  Woof!

UPDATED 2/14/13:
Suspect by Robert Crais got my attention right from page 1 and kept me turning pages all the way through.  This is so much more than just a mystery.  Maggie is a German Shepherd that got shot in Afghanistan and became a partner to Scott James who is a cop recently transferred to the K-9 unit after his partner was killed.  Both Maggie and Scott suffer from PTSD and are trying to recover to return to active duty.  I liked how Maggie developed a strong bond with Scott and how Scott really became attached to Maggie and trusted her.  Scott and Maggie work together to find out who the men were that killed his partner and shot him.   The story moved quickly and suspense built up as it went along.  I enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who likes dogs.
(Karen's review)

Suspect by Robert Crais is a novel about a cop and a dog. The cop lost his partner in a shootout and nine months later is still having nightmares. The killer is still out there too! The dog lost his master during the war in Afghanistan and was shot at.

The cop joins the K-9 unit at the meet up and becomes a pack of two with the dog to go after the bad guys. This book has lots of action so it goes fast. I especially liked the parts where the dog tells the story. It is currently No. 5 on the New York Times best sellers list! I recommend it--read and 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. Happy Reading!

"Mockingjay" by Suzane Collins

We both liked this one!

Gerard's review:
You know the deal about Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins--the last book of The Hunger Games trilogy!  Some people were disappointed in this book, but I am not one of them.  I thought this was the best of the three because it has tons of action!  I never knew what was going to happen next.  I like how not everyone thought Katniss was all that, the Gale-Peeta-Katniss triangle, and the surprise ending!  I enjoyed Mockingjay a lot!  It was hard to put down and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next!

Karen's review:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the last book in The Hunger Games trilogy and did not disappoint.  This book is amazing!  There is so much action, well developed interesting characters, and psychological drama that I was engrossed in it right from the start all the way to the end.  To get the most out of Mockingjay though, I highly recommend that you read the entire series.  I felt so bad for Peeta throughout the book but am satisfied with the ending.  There is a lot of suffering but loved that Prim’s cat survived and enjoyed Katniss’ relationship with it.  There is some humor in this book too which helped balance the gravity of it.  I liked Katniss throughout the series and admired her intelligence, determination, spontaneity, skill, compassion and perseverance.  At no point was I able to know how it would end for sure. 

This is a great book to end the series and I highly recommend this series (The Hunger Games and Catching Fire) to anyone 14 and older.  I also think this entire series would work great for a book club, there is just so much to discuss.  This series is a MUST READ for anyone who likes suspense, adventure, excitement and books about relationships.  

Reviews by other bloogers:
Bloggin' 'bout Books: Hunger Games Finale Leaves Me As Mute As An Avox
Scientific Nature Of The Whammy: Mockingjay

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Cleo" by Helen Brown

The very good news is that Cleo by Helen Brown got such a favorable opinion across the seas that it is going to be made into a movie!  It is just now coming to the U.S.A.  Two of my favorite books were Marley & Me and Dewey, The Library Cat.  Cleo is sort of a combination of both of them.  I loved this book because Cleo is an awesome cat!  I got into it right off the bat.  Cleo is about a cat who becomes a member of the family at just the right time.  All emotions are in play in this one.  I highly recommend it as a “must read.”  Enjoy it, and then go see the movie.  I know I am.  To further enjoy this book, go on www.helenbrown.com, it’s awesome!
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

By reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett I learned a lot about the unwritten "rules" that maids were expected to follow and that segregation was quite extreme in Mississippi during the 1960s.  For some reason, I thought that the mistreating of blacks as low life was longer ago in slave days.  The main story line is that one of the white ladies, Skeeter, gets the maids to share with her what it's like being a maid and how they feel about things so she can write a book about it.  The author actually grew up in the south and had a maid.  

I was fascinated by this book which revealed a very different community from what I am used to.  I liked how Abileen, the maid who took care of a little white girl used to tell her "secret" stories that were teaching her that people are people, whether black or white.  It is entertaining to read what the maids thought of the families who employed them and is a thought-provoking book.
(5/13/10--KAREN'S REVIEW)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett has been on the best sellers list for a long time so I just had to find out for myself if it was that good--it is!  The writing is superb!  This is a novel, but you would think that the characters were actually real.  It is about the early 60s when white people in the south had black maids and a young girl decides to write a book from the maid's perspective. 

I enjoyed this book very much!  It went fast and I was into it from beginning to end.  I'd love to see this book made into a movie--it would be outstanding!  Read this one, you won't be disappointed! (5+++ stars)
 GERARD'S REVIEW (3/18/10)

See also: Bloggin' bout Books review:  The Help A Pitch-Perfect Southern Masterpiece
The Parchment Girl

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?