"The Lying Game" by Ruth Ware - Husband Loved It, Wife Didn't

My husband and I had completely different opinions about The Lying Game  by Ruth Ware.  He loved it, liked all the four girls and the pacing.  For me, I liked the dog best and Isa's husband, Owen.  I didn't care for any of the girls much nor the story line in general.  Throughout the book it was all about what really happened in the past with Kate's father, an art teacher at a girl's boarding school.  I did not like how the book went from present to past and and felt it was slow moving.  I was very glad when I finally finished it. 
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

In The Lying Game by Ruth Ware, Kate texts her three boarding school friends from the past saying "I need you."  It has been 17 years, but Fatima, Isa and Thea know they must come--first, because of their friendship and second, because of the incident that will forever bond them together!  I thought this book was fantastic!  I loved all the four girls in it.  The pacing of this book was perfect and the writing was very good!  Ruth Ware's books are always good!  Put this on your TBR list and you will be glad you did!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 81:  But that's a lie, and worse, it's a lie to Fatima.  That was the most important rule of the Lying Game.  Lie to everyone else--yes.  But to each other--never.

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"Sadie" by Courtney Summers

Sadie by Courtney Summers is teen fiction.  A radio personality gets a call to help find a missing girl--Sadie Hunter.  At first, he blows it off, but when he finds out Sadie is on the hunt for the man that killed her sister, he decides to go look for her!  This book is told by Sadie and West McCray, the radio personality.  It is pretty good and held my interest because of the really good parts by Sadie.  I think the ending could have been told better than it was though.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 19:  It makes me sick to think about her throwing her life in the garbage like that because that's what it amounts to.  Every little bit that made her, everything, was all in the trash and when I found it, I just started to cry because she'd . . . it wasn't worth anything to her anymore.    

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"Elevation" by Stephen King is Very Short!

In Elevation by Stephen King, Scott lives in a small town.  He has a medical issue he wants to keep quiet, but he does confide in one person.  He decides to befriend two working women who sure could use a friend.  This is a very short book--only 146 pages!  It is pretty good though and kept my interest.  I give it 4 stars because it is so short.
(Gerard's review)

Teaser from pg. 13:  "Absolutely not," Scott said.  "I guess I don't have to ask if you've ever seen a similar case, but have you ever read about one?"

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"Home After Dark" by David Small is a Graphic Novel

Home After Dark by David Small is my first graphic novel. After Russell’s mom runs off with another man, Russell and his dad decide to move to California for a fresh start! Things go well when Russell even makes some new friends. But things go south after a while and bad turns to worse! What can a young boy do? This book goes really fast since it is a whole lot of drawings to tell the story. The story line was good and kept me engaged throughout, but I missed reading words. (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"a spark of light" by Jodi Picoult

In a spark of light by Jodi Picoult, Hugh McElroy is a police hostage negotiator.  When he gets a call to go to the Center to talk to a gunman who is holding multiple hostages.  He soon finds out that his daughter, Wren, is one of the hostages.  The Center is a health service clinic.  This book tells the story backwards in time which is different for sure, but not that bad.

I enjoyed how the author told the story of all the characters in the book.  The background material brought it home to me!  This is not my favorite book of hers, but it's good enough to get 5 stars!
(Gerard's review)

Teaser from page 6:  The others held their breath with her.  They had, in the past few hours, become a single organism.

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"Baby Teeth" by Zoje Stage (We Both Liked This One)

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage is the story of a dysfunctional family, Crone's disease, and a little girl who wants her mother gone.  Hannah feels as though her mother, Suzette, doesn't really love her and is constantly trying to come between her and her father!  Suzette, on the other hand, feels as though Hannah is coming between her and her husband.  The little bratty girl behaves nicely towards her father, so he doesn't see her evil side and thinks teachers exaggerate when reporting behavior problems with his precious little Hannah.

Some chapters are written from Hannah's perspective while others are from the mother's perspective which makes for a very interesting read!  Hannah is manipulative, sneaky, smart, devious, mean, and mentally ill.  She can talk, but refuses to do so except for when it serves her purpose of scaring her mother by things she says.  Hannah is determined not to go to school because she can cause more problems for her mother at home.  She has figured out that if she acts up and is bad enough, the school will kick her out and she wins! 

This book kept my interest all the way through because I had to see if the mother was actually going to get killed and what was going to happen to Hannah.  I didn't like Hannah because she was so mean to her mother for no reason.  If you like stories about dysfunctional families, this is a wild one for you!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review, 5++ stars:
Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage is told by Suzette, a stay-at-home mom and Hanna, her 7-yr.-old daughter!  They do not get along at all; in fact, Hanna has not spoken to her mom her whole life!  She acts better toward her dad, so much so that Alex does not believe his wife when she tells him how Hanna acts toward her.  Can this become a happy family?

I thought this book was very good!  I enjoyed Suzette and Hanna very much!  I liked how the author kept adding new things one after another and hope there is a second book--job well done!


Teaser from page 7:  Suzette felt her face reddening, as if her hands had moved to her throat, squeezing the life from her.  "I--we--don't know what to do.  We can't go on like this."

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"The Last Time I Lied" by Riley Sager--We Both Liked This Mystery

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager is a mystery about missing girls that takes place at Camp Nightingale.  It is an all-girls camp for mostly rich girls.  This story centers around Emma who at 28 is still trying to find out what happened to her three cabin mates, Vivian, Natalie and Allison. Emma is an artist but can't get the girls out of her head and they are all she paints, hiding them in pictures of forests.  Sometimes she even still sees Vivian and keeps telling herself she isn't crazy.  The camp closed down for years after the girls went missing and were never found, but is re-opening 15 years later and Emma has accepted the opportunity to go back as an art instructor to teach girls to paint.  The only reason she accepts is to snoop around to see if she can find clues to what happened when she was a camper there.  There is a lot of suspicion and people still think she must have had something to do with it.

This book kept me guessing and I felt bad for Emma and the camp owner, Franny.  There are lots of questions that came up as I read this:  What happened to the three girls 15 years ago?  Is Emma hallucinating seeing Vivian all over or could Vivian still be alive?  Who is after Emma now?  What happened to her current cabin mates?  Is Theo telling the truth or not when he finds Emma in the woods with the girls?  This book jumped from present to past throughout, but it was written well so was easy to follow.  I liked it and was eager to finish to find out what actually happened.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)     

(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 
In The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager, Emma is a first-time camper.  She gets put in a cabin with three older girls who are long-time friends.  They befriend her and things are going along good until tragedy happens!  Fifteen years later, Emma gets a chance to go back to this camp.  She reluctantly winds up going to find out answers to what really happened on that night years ago!

I thought this book was really good!  Emma is a really good character and the pacing of this book is so good, you do not know the outcome till just about the last page!  This was the author's second book so I order her first one to read as well.


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"Final Girls" by Riley Sager

There were three "final girls" in Final Girls by Riley Sager.  You will have to read the book to understand what the final girls means. Quincy has started a new life for herself.  She has moved on, but one of the final girls is found dead.  When the other final girl comes to be with Quincy, her life will never be the same again. 

This is the first book this author wrote.  I read the second one and liked that one better--The Last Time I Lied.  This one did hold my interest though.  I was not invested in all the characters like I was in the other book.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from pg. 33:  "Of course it does.  What happened to you was abnormal.  But one of the things I love about you is how you haven't let it define you."

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"If We Had Known" by Elise Juska

In If We Had Known by Elise Juska, Maggie has been an English composition teacher for a long time!  Her life now is anything but stable and the same goes for her daughter, Anna.  But Anna is going to college soon and Maggi has hopes that both of their lives will be more stable.  Then there is a shooting at a local mall--three people and the shooter are dead.  The shooter was a boy in one of Maggie's classes.  Turns out he wrote a paper that his classmates found troubling.  Could Maggie have done something to help this boy?  The internet is a buzz!  Can Maggie and Anna handle the heat that is coming their way?

I thought this book was really good!  The main characters were really good and I liked them both!
(Gerard's review, 5+) 

Teaser from pg. 208:  "I fail to see how, at any point, this essay wouldn't have raised alarm," Bill interrupted.  "A student wrote about weapons, Maggie, in elaborate detail, and you ignored it."

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"Aftermath" by Kelley Armstrong

Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong is a book straight out of the real world with a high school shooting, but this has a twist, trust me! This book deals with it three years later. Skye comes back to her hometown where her brother was the shooter. As you would expect, people do not exactly welcome her back. This book is also told by Jesse, who was Skye’s best friend/boyfriend. His brother was killed in the shooting and he is still dealing with it.

I thought this book was really good! It was told very well. Skye and Jesse were both very likeable. I thought the ending was okay but could have been better. That being said, it is still good and I give it 5 stars!
(Gerard's review)

Teaser from page 8:  I see their expressions, and I crumple to the floor.  I hear this scream, this terrible scream, and I realize it's coming from me.


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"Our Little Secret" by Roz Nay

Our Little Secret by Roz Nay is told by Angela who tells it very well!   A woman is missing and detective Novak thinks Angela knows where and what happened to her.  I thought this book was VERY well done.  This is the author's first book too!  It feels like you are right in the room listening to her tell the story.  The pacing is perfect.  This is not a long book and went fast, had trouble putting it down.  Give this a read, you will be glad you did!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 47:  So many perfect days are stored in my head.  Novak brings me back if I take too long, and I try to let him see the moment I've just relived.

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"Sometimes I Lie" by Alice Feeney -- Left me Hanging

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney is told by Amber. She is in a hospital and in a coma! To find out how she got that way and why, you will have to read the book. This book goes back in time a lot, which I’m not really a big fan of; however, in this book it sort of makes sense because what you think you know, you don’t! I think the author tried to get too cute in this, her first book. Even after I read it, I’m still not sure what is what! That being said, I do recommend it. It is memorable!
(Gerard’s review, 4.5 stars)

Teaser from page 15:  Although I am frightened, some primal instinct tells me that I will get through this.  I will be okay, because I have to be. 


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"Glimpse" by Jonathan Maberry

Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry is about a woman named Rain.  She still feels guilty for giving up her baby at 16.  The boy's father died in Iraq.  One day she gets a pair of glasses from someone and thinks she sees a young boy, but no boy is found and she misses a whole day!  I think you get the idea, Rain is a mess.  As she tries to get help, she runs into many different characters. I thought this book was pretty good.  Rain was an interesting character to say the least and I loved the ending!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 63:  My blood pressure kept going up, too, and I had all sorts of heart problems.  Arrhythmia and palpitations.  Then I was diagnosed with preeclampsia.  It was a mess.

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"The Gunners" by Rebecca Kauffman

The Gunners by Rebecca Kauffman tells the story of a group of childhood friends who are now adults and come together at a funeral of a girl who was in their circle of friends.  Long-held secrets come out and some truths are told!  I thought this was pretty good.  I enjoyed all the characters and found them to be funny and interesting.  It has a real nice ending and goes quick, only 257 pages.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from pg. 35:  "Long story," Lynn said.  "Ill tell you later."

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"Not If I Save You First" by Ally Carter

In Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter, Maddie and Logan are young teen friends.  Logan is the President's son.  Maddie is the daughter of the man who helps keep the President safe.  They get caught up in an incident at the White House that will make this an adventure for both of them.

This is pretty good stuff.  There is good action and I liked Maddie and Logan; plus it has a good ending!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 19:  For a second, the world stood still, and then he pulled the trigger just as Maddie's father jumped between the man and Logan.
   And fired.

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"That Darkness" by Lisa Black (Contemporary Fiction)

That Darkness by Lisa Black takes place in Cleveland, Ohio and is a work of fiction that makes one think. It is about Jack Renner, a vigilante cop who makes sure the scumbags in Cleveland who got off before do not get off again! He takes care of them himself! He justifies it by the fact that he’s saving others from their exploits. Maggie, a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department suspects him and finds herself in dangerous situations as she gathers evidence.

This book is very creepy and at first; I was feeling overwhelmed with so many dead bodies to keep track of. Then though, things settled down some and I got caught up in wondering what I would do if I were Maggie and whether I liked Jack or not. This is a book with adventure and suspense that makes you think. It is definitely not a happy little story with a predictable ending, nor is it a murder mystery.  There is no mystery at all so if that's what you are looking for, you will be disappointed. I look forward to reading the sequel, Unpunished next.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 172:  "That in times of crisis, morality is the first thing to go out the window.  It becomes a luxury people just can't afford."


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"Only Child" by Rhiannon Navin (School Shooting told by a child) UPDATED

In Only Child by Rhiannon Navin, there has been a school shooting at the school that Zach attends.  He is going to tell you all about it!  Zach is 6 years old.  This book centers around the shooting mostly; however, there is a whole lot more to this book than that.  The aftermath of the shooting and how it affects Zach's mom, dad and other people connected to the school. 

Here is the teaser from page 7 I'd like to share with you:  She pulled the door closed again and told me to hold the metal piece this time.  I did, even though it hurt my fingers and the door was heavy to keep closed.

 I was into this book from page 1 and I thought the pacing of it was very well done.  I really enjoyed Zach's perspective of the events going on.  Only Child is the author's first book and I will be looking forward to her next one after reading this!  With all the school shootings going on this year, this is one book you definitely should read! 
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review 2/21/18:
Only Child by Rhiannon Navin is a contemporary fiction novel about Zach, a first grader whose fifth-grade brother was killed in a school shooting. Zach narrates the story of what happened and how his family sort of fell apart afterwards, his mixed feelings and how he spent time in his secret hideout in his brother’s closet. Zach is a cute little kid I couldn’t help but feel sorry for throughout the book.

Only Child is a touching novel that leads to healing for the family of a victim. This is an emotional read that kept my interest. I liked the ending and the child narration. Overall, it is a sad story but has some good advice for dealing with sadness. (4 stars)


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"The Whispering Room" by Dean Koontz

The Whispering Room is the follow up to The Silent Corner.  Jane is still on the run to put an end to the madness of people killing themselves!  At over 500 pages, this will take you awhile.  However, there is good action with a bunch of different characters.  Jane is a really good character as she is always one step ahead of the people trying to stop her.  This is as good as the first book!

Teaser from page 11:  Considering what she knew about certain powerful people, the best she could hope for was a bullet in the head.  They had the means by which to do much worse to her, the ability to break her, to scrub her mind of memories, rob her of free will, and reduce her to docile slavery.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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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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"Tilly" by Frank E. Peretti

If you are thinking about getting an abortion or if you have had an abortion, Tilly by Frank E. Peretti is a book I would recommend you read.  It is a story about a girl named Tilly who was aborted that would be nine years old now had she lived. It is also about Kathy Ross, Tilly’s mother and how she regrets that decision but finds God’s forgiveness through a dream she has of being in heaven and spending the day with Tilly.

Teaser from page 44: Kathy leaned back from the rail. She was beginning to believe all this, and that unnerved her. “No names . . . and no parents? All of you?”

This is a quick read and I suppose is thought provoking to some degree. However, it may be beautiful and helpful to someone who has gone through the experience of aborting a child. Some of those things just rubbed me the wrong way like Jesus getting married and Tilly aging in heaven as though she would if she had been born. I realize it was all just a dream which makes it more believable because in a dream, anything can happen. The point of the story is that Kathy regretted having the abortion. I see where it may be a powerful book for someone who is contemplating having an abortion so that is who I would recommend read this one. Who knows, maybe it will help save someone’s life!
(Karen's review, 3 stars)


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