"After Annie" by Anna Quindlen is Fantastic!

After Annie by Anna Quindlen blew me away!  WOW!  Annie dies all of a sudden and leaves her husband who has no house cleaning or childcare experience at all and works all hours of the day!  Their 14-yr.-old girl now has to look after her three young brothers and keep the house clean.  As far as cooking goes, she knows how to make toasted cheese sandwiches but little else.  Will this family pull together and remember what their mother taught hem and told them, or will it fall apart?  

This book is about true life!  This is my favorite book so far this year and I highly recommend you read it!  If you only read one book this year, make it this one!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"Making a Play" by Abbi Glines

Making a Play by Abbi Glines teen fiction about the romance between 18-yr.-old Ryker, an outstanding high school football receiver who uses girls and the quarterback's twin sister, Aurora, who is deaf and just starting at the school.  Ryker is immediately attracted to her and she finds him attractive and nice.  Although her brother and her friend warn her about him, she is determined to get to know him and make up her own mind.  The fact that she is white he is black does not bother her at all, but her dad has a different opinion. 

I liked this book better as it went along.  As Ryker changes to become more worthy of Aurora, the language improves.  I would have enjoyed more football action but that was just a backdrop.  The main story was about Aurora adjusting to a new school and fitting in even though she was deaf and how Ryker changed and started really caring for her.  Her brother was sweet to in how he wanted to protect her and look out for her.  I liked that chapters alternated between Ryker's point of view and Aurora's.  It went fast.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 32:  She knew he wouldn't accept me when he found out about my being deaf.  I was disappointed, but it was an emotion I knew well.  I would survive.  

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"RULES" by Cynthia Lord

RULES by Cynthia Lord is about Catherine, a girl who has a younger brother who is autistic. Sometimes he embarrasses her and she feels stuck babysitting him all the time. She also feels as though her parents do things with him and ignore her. Her best friend moved to California to be with her dad for the summer, so she is very excited about a girl her age moving into the house next door. While accompanying her mom and brother to his occupational therapy, Catherine made a friend who also came for therapy. Jason was her age in a wheelchair and could hear, but could not speak.

This book is geared to kids/young teens to help them understand people with disabilities. It is very short and goes quick. I liked the guinea pigs and my favorite part was when Catherine pushed Jason fast round the parking lot so he could get a sense of what running feels like. I thought it had a pretty good message about not worrying so much what other people think. (Karen’s review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 73: Jason laughs, a sharp bark like a Canada goose. His mother looks up from her magazine as I scan the room and see everyone watching us.


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"A Curse so Dark and Lonely" by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is a great mix of contemporary fiction and fantasy. The main character, Harper, a girl born with Cerebral Palsy and her brother, Jake, struggle to care for their mother who is dying of Cancer and paying debts to the hoodlums their father was mixed up with before he died. Then one day, she was magically transported to another world called Emberfall where she was taken to break a curse that was on the prince and the castle.

I really liked this book because of the interesting characters, an amazing adventure, and the humor throughout the book. Some parts even made me laugh out loud! This was a page-turner for me that I could get lost in. Harper is a very strong girl and I enjoyed her interactions with Prince Rhen and Gray, his royal guard. This was a very entertaining, fun read that did not end quite the way I had hoped, but pretty close. I highly recommend this if you want a good escape from reality for a while. Loved it! (5 stars)

Karen’s teaser from page 147: “You would dare threaten the first daughter to the King of Disi?” Without waiting for an answer, I turn to face Rhen, who’s looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.

Gerard's review 3/30/19:
In A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, Harper and her brother do their best to take care of their mom who is very sick.  One night while Harper tries to save a young girl, she is taken and discovers a magical kingdom! A young prince needs her help!  Will she give it?  Can she ever return home? The story is told by Harper and Prince Rhen.

I thought this was pretty good.  I got involved with both of the characters early on.  I liked the story with some surprises.  The last part of the book is action packed!  I am hoping for a book 2. This is well worth reading.  I enjoyed it!
(5 stars)

Teaser from page 11:  Grey grabs his sword from the chair, pulling it free from the scabbard with a fierceness I haven't seen in . . . in ages.  "Have no worries, my lord.  This may be the shortest season yet."

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"Educated" by Tara Westover (Hubby and I disagree on this one!)

Educated by Tara Westover is her memoir of leaving her Mormon family in Idaho to pursue a formal education.  This is a long journey.  Tara is from a large family whose father owned a scrap yard and who kept her working for him as long as he could.  It is an amazing story of how she was accepted at BYU and went on to Cambridge and Harvard without having graduated high school!  In fact, even her "home schooling" was not at all regular.

I found this book very hard to read.  The father and brother made me very angry and it was difficult to fathom how dysfunctional this family was.  In some ways it reminded me of The Glass Castle and A Child Called It.  The domestic violence and abuse is heart wrenching.  I did enjoy Part 2 better when she got away from her family and into college.  I was never engrossed in this book and for the most part had to plow through.  I would have liked to know what kind of actual job the author wound up with after all that education.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Gerard's review:

Educated by Tara Westover is a true story and what a story it is!  Tara first stepped foot in a classroom at the age of 17, but now she received a BA degree from Bringham Young University and a scholarship to Cambridge in England where she was awarded a PHD in history!  WOW!  She tells her story so well.  She wanted more of a life than her family could give her, and overcame long odds to do it.  She went through a lot both in and out of the classroom!

I highly recommend this memoir, don't miss it!  Put it on your TBR list right now!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 39:  There was never any more talk of a hospital.  The moment for such a decision had passed, and to return to it would be to return to all the fury and fear of the accident itself. 

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"DRY" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

DRY by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman is teen fiction about a drought, or Tap-Out in southern California and the story of how teens Kelton, Jacqui, Alyssa and her younger brother Garrett evacuated on their own in search of a place with water. They pick up another teen, Henry, on the way who decided he couldn’t stay where he was. The group dynamics was both interesting and fascinating. Kelton and Alyssa were neighbors. Kelton’s dad was one who was a firm believer in being prepared to protect his family. Kelton was a bit weird and had a crush on Alyssa. Jacqui was a tough chick who helped save Kelton’s life and he offered to help her by giving her some antibiotics for her cut. Henry was an opportunist.  Alyssa and Garret even have a pet dog which I liked.

This book shows how quickly people can lose their humanity when they get desperate. This is a modern-day horror book. I enjoyed this book because of the adventure the teens went through to just survive and also the interaction and vying for leadership among them. I liked how the story is told from the different perspectives of the main five characters. It was easy to follow because the name of the person telling each part was at the beginning of the section. This made me realize how valuable water is and how much we take it for granted.
 (Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Here's my husband's thoughts, very different from mine:
Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman is about a group of teens who are dealing with a tap out, which means there is no water to be had!  This book fell flat for me.  There were some exciting parts that made me think, "Okay, here we go," but no!  The story line was okay.  I had no trouble with that, but I only enjoyed a few of the characters and others I found annoying.  I give this book 3.5 because I just really never got into it at all.

Teaser from page 12: As I look around the stacks of drinks, I find a single case of water that someone abandoned there maybe yesterday, when it wasn’t such a precious commodity. I reach for it, only to find it pulled away at the last second by a thin woman with a beak of a nose.

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"Last Man Out" by Mike Lupica

Last Man Out by Mike Lupica is about a brother and sister whose father was a Boston fireman who died rescuing a family from their burning house. Tommy played football and his dad would always sit in the top corner of the bleachers to watch his games. His sister, Em, was the star on her soccer team and her dad also attended all her games. This story is how the father’s death affected Tommy and Em and how they were able to help each other.

This book is sad, but with a good ending—well sort of. It does show how important it is to enjoy every chance you get to play and how things can change very quickly. Both Tommy and Em felt angry at losing their dad and dealt with the pain differently. I liked this book and would recommend it.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 23:  Tommy wished this was all a dream and he could wake himself up.  A nightmare that would end as soon as his eyes opened.

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"The Last Namsara" by Kristen Ciccarelli is GREAT!

The Last Namsara  by Kristen Cicarelli is a fun, adventurous read!  If you like fantasy, I highly recommend this.  Asha is a girl who was scarred from being badly burned by a dragon but lived.  Her father has promised her to marry someone she does not like who is very controlling.  Fortunately, her father gave her a way out if she brings him the head of Kozu, the first dragon--the one who burned her as a child. She is determined to do it!  There are many secrets though and as they are revealed, everything changes!

I liked this book a lot because it was fast-paced with lots of adventure, an interesting plot including forbidden love and strong characters.  I liked Shadow and Kozu, the two dragons, very much!  My favorite parts of the book were when Asha and Torwin rode on the dragons.  The brother/sister dynamic was interesting as well.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review, 4/1/18, 5++ stars:
In The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli, Asha is the daughter of the king, but she is also the Iskari--dragon hunter.  She has one more dragon to kill and only so much time to do it!  If not, well Asha does not want to think about that!  It will change her life forever, and not in a good way.

WOW, DID I LOVE THIS BOOK!  Asha is a great character!  Nothing or nobody keeps her down for long!  I really enjoyed the story line and the other characters were good also!  This kept me turning pages quickly!  I am really looking forward to Book 2.


Teaser from page 120:  "The Old One can try all he likes to stop me, but I'm going to find Kozu.  And when I do, I'm going to kill him."

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"Bruiser" by Neal Schusterman

Bruiser by Neal Schusterman is a contemporary fiction novel but with one special boy, named Bruiser. Somehow, he has an unusual power to take on himself the pain of those he cares about, like his younger brother and his Uncle. His uncle tries to protect him as best he can be keeping him home so he doesn’t make friends. He just goes to school and comes home, until Bronte decides to be nice to him. Her brother, Tennyson, doesn’t like her seeing Bruiser at first, but then also becomes his friend, realizing he’s not really so bad after all. Bruiser is wired to only receive pain, not give it.

Teaser from page 14:  I hate him.  I hate the concept of him.  He's a freight train of bad news barreling at my sister.

I thought this book was just okay because Bruiser was so unbelievable in what was an otherwise modern-day contemporary fiction book. The story was pretty good and it kept my interest but it wasn’t near as good as the other books I read by this author.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)


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"WONDER" by R. J. Palacio is a must read for Children

Wonder by R. J. Palacio is about Auggie’s fifth grade year, a boy with a deformed face who was homeschooled through 4th grade. Auggie has a rough start at the beginning of middle school, but shows courage and determination by not quitting. This is an emotional read that includes perspectives from several different characters. Themes in this are bullying, friendship and family. This book has photos from the movie, comments from those involved in making the movie and discussion questions in the back.

Teaser from page 227 after Auggie’s dog just died: And I wondered how it would feel to be in heaven someday and not have my face matter anymore. Just like it never, ever mattered to Daisy.

There are a lot of feelings brought out in this book, but the movie really brought it to life for me. In this case, I liked the movie better than the book. It changed just a few minor things and emphasized the teacher’s role more than the book did. I liked the changes that were made in the movie. The theme I carried away from reading the book is to be kinder than necessary and make the world a better place. I recommend this book to kids and the movie to everyone!  (4 stars)

See my movie review: Must See Movie:  Wonder

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"Into the Dim" by Janet B. Taylor - Husband and Wife Agree on this one!

Into the Dim is about Hope Walton, a home-schooled girl from a small town, who travels back in time to bring back her mother from the 12th century who she thought was dead, but who just traveled back in time!  This book is a wild one!  She meets Bran Cameron on the moors of Scotland while visiting her aunt, and then finds out he traveled back in time too to the same place she did!

This started out slow and was a bit silly and confusing for the first 100 pages or so.  I considered giving up on it but I am glad I stuck with it and gave it a chance.  This is a very entertaining read with Hope's sarcasm and wit and a roller coaster ride of ups and downs.  Just when it seems their plans are going well, they find themselves in danger and situations that seem hopeless, until they get some help from unexpected sources.  This is the first book of the series and I look forward to starting the sequel tomorrow.
(Karen's review, 9/2/17, 4 stars)

Gerard's review (5+ stars, 9/6/17):
Hope Walton is at her mom's funeral and if that isn't bad enough, now her dad wants to send her to Scotland to live with an aunt she never met while he goes on vacation with another woman!  When Hope gets to Scotland, she finds some news that will send her on the adventure of her life!  

Teaser from page 42:  My jeans wicked up the frigid water as I splashed through the shallows toward him.  His head lay cocked at an angle that hid his face.

The start of this book was kind of slow and I had a hard time getting into it; however, then it came into focus and I really enjoyed it a lot!  The main characters are really good and east to root for!  There is good action that kept me engaged with a good ending that made me look forward to book, Sparks of Light!

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"Tomorrow's Garden" by Amanda Cabot (Western Historical Romance)

Tomorrow's Garden by Amanda Cabot is the last book in the Texas Dreams series.  This one focuses on Lawrence, the former Texas ranger who accepted a temporary position as sheriff and mayor of a small Texas town. Harriet accepted the job of school teacher and moved to town with her five brothers and sisters.  Both Harriet and Lawrence had secret fears resulting from some scary past experiences.  This book has family drama, some adventure and some romance.

Of the three books in the series, this was my least favorite but I still enjoyed it.  I just didn't like Harriet, the main character, much.  I did not like how she treated Jake, her younger brother or how she treated Lawrence.  I was glad to see she changed for the better by the end of the book.  I really liked Lawrence and how he tried to help Jake.  There were parts in this book that made me laugh out loud.  It's an entertaining read.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

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"And I Darken" by Kiersten White"

In And I Darken by Kiersten White,  Lada and Radu are brother and sister.  Their father sends them off to another land.  Lada hates it and cannot wait to go to her homeland and claim her birthright.  Lada is a great character!  She knows what she wants and how to get it!  There is a lot more to this book than her story line; I enjoyed it all!  There is good action so I look forward to book 2 in this series.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars) 

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"Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate (Historical Fiction)

In Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Avery Stafford has it all.  She was born into a wealthy family, a very good career and soon to be married to a handsome man.  A chance encounter with a member of her family cast light on a hidden secret that if gets out, her family name could be ruined!

I thought this book was very good.  I was into it from page 1 and loved the characters.  It is based on a true story.  If you get a chance, read this one--so far it is my book of the month!
(Gerard's review, 6/24/17, 5++ stars)

Karen's review, 7/8/17 (4 stars):
In Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, there is a mystery connection between two old ladies who are in a nursing home and the granddaughter of one of them who stirs up an old family secret.  The part of this book about the Tennessee Children's Home Society run by Georgia Tann and its evil practices between the 1930s and 1950s was interesting, captivating, and very disturbing.  I really liked Rill, one of the main characters who told that part of the story from her point of view.

This is a sad story with a happy ending that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about families.  The story is told from two different points of view and jumped back and forth between two story lines which eventually came together.  I think people with rough childhoods would find this book encouraging.  This was a complex book that dragged for me in parts during the one story line so that is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.      

Karen also read The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate and liked that one as well.

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Sharing a book review is one of the options for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop today.  Go link yours up or maybe respond to one of the other prompts.

"The Roar" by Emma Clayton (Science Fiction Juvenile)

In The Roar by Emma Clayton,  Mika lives in a safe spot of London, away from the plague land.  He has lived there ever since his twin sister was taken away.  Mika is sure that Ellie is alive and knows secrets that he does not.  Now the government has a new program for children.  Will it help Mika find Ellie? 

The pace of this book was sort of slow at first, but picked up halfway through.  The ending really sets up what should be a good book 2!
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

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"Three Weeks with My Brother" by Nicholas and Micah Sparks

Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks is one of the best memoirs I have read. It has humor, interesting adventures and touching moments. I loved how these guys gave us a look at their family dynamics from childhood. I think they did a fantastic job of weaving their memories into their time together as they traveled around the world in three weeks. It is a story of persevering through tragedy and life’s bumps. Throughout the book, they kept repeating the mother’s standard sayings: It’s your life. No one ever promised that life would be fair. What you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things. 

I enjoyed reading this more than I expected and found the inspiration for Nicholas Sparks' books very interesting. I think anyone who enjoys Nicholas Sparks' books would enjoy this as well even though it is non-fiction. It even includes discussion questions in the back for book clubs!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"The Children's Crusade" by Ann Packer

The Children's Crusade by Ann Packer tells the story of Bill and Penny Blair who had four children, three boys and one girl.  Penny wanted nothing to do with the kids, even moved out of the house into a shack.  The father was a doctor and tried his best to be a good dad.  Flash forward years later--their dad has passed away and they have to decide what to do with the house and the property.

I loved the dialogue among the kids, especially the oldest boy and the girl.  This is well worth reading for sure.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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We Both Liked "The Silent Sister" by Diane Chamberlain (Updated)

In The Silent Sister, Riley believes her older sister killed herself as a teenager.  Twenty years later she finds evidence that this is not true.  As Riley seeks the truth, she will be hit with some things that will shake all the truths she did believe.  

This book rocks!  It's all good but as slowly the secrets and lies come out into the open you as a reader are wowed.  LOVED IT A LOT!
(Gerard's review 3/26/15 5++ stars)

The Silent Sister starts out a bit slow with Riley getting her father's house ready to sell after his death.  Boy, did this bring back memories for me though having gone through this process with my dad.  I could certainly identify with her through this process.  The story picks up when Riley believes her older sister may not have committed suicide many years ago but may actually be alive somewhere and begins her search.

During this time, the author gives us a look at what's been happening with Lisa, Riley's older sister, who is a fugitive because she was charged with murder and faked her death to avoid prison when she was 17.  I couldn't help pulling for Lisa even though her younger brother, Danny, thought she should pay for what she did--not only for committing murder but also for ruining their family.
 
I realize you may think I've given spoilers here, but I haven't.  There are lots of surprises in this book and I loved how the author developed them gradually.  This book is not only about family secrets, but about the extent parents go to protect their children and how one event can tear a family apart.  I really liked this book which was no surprise to me because I also liked The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes and Necessary Lies, and The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain.  If you like stories about family drama and lots of twists and turns, you'll enjoy this one, I'm sure!  I'd certainly recommend this one for a book club read. 
(Karen's review 3/23/15, 5 stars)

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"Hidden Agenda" by Lisa Harris is both Suspenseful and Action-Packed!

Hidden Agenda by Lisa Harris is about Michael, an undercover cop whose cover is blown and is scheduled to be killed but is rescued by the son (Ivan) and daughter (Olivia) of the man who wants him dead.  They barely escape from the island and then are on the run for pretty much the rest of the book!  Ivan is deaf but good with computers and pretty smart but his older sister, Olivia, a reporter, feels responsible for keeping him safe.

This is a good read with a lot of suspense and action that kept my interest.  The relationships are all interesting too.  It deals with family relationships, secrets, betrayal, fear and romance between an unlikely couple from two different worlds. 
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"The Inheritance" by Tamera Alexander (Christian Historical Fiction)

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander takes place in Colorado during the late 1800s.  McKenna and Robert Ashford, older sister and 14-yr-old brother, move to Colorado to live with their cousin until they can get a fresh start when they cannot make the payments on their home and livery business their parents left them.  When they get to Colorado, they find things are not at all what they expected.  McKenna soon finds herself struggling to be a mother to her cousin’s little girl, Emma, when her cousin died in childbirth shortly after McKenna and Robert arrived. 

This is a good Christian historical fiction novel about a rocky relationship between a sister and her rebellious brother whom she feels sorry for and responsible for.  I liked the main character and of course the predictable ending that is characteristic of Christian fiction.  The story line with Robert and the U.S Marshall added an interesting dimension to the book.  It has discussion questions in the back for book club use.  

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

 

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