"Defender" by Graham McNamee

Defender by Graham McNamee is a creepy mystery about family secrets that Tyne and her friend, Stick accidentally discover and proceed to figure it out.  Tyne is the building superintendent's high school daughter who is really tall and plays center on her basketball team.   When Tyne find's a dead girl's cut up body hidden in her basement wall, she thinks her dad knows something about it or had something to do with it.

This is a very quick read that I liked okay.  It is creepy though but had a good ending.  To me, this came across as a bit unrealistic that Tyne and Stick could put together the pieces to the mystery so easily.  (Karen's review, 3 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!

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Neighbor" by Lisa Gardner--Who Is the Real Monster?

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner is a mystery told from multiple points of view about a wife and cat who turn up missing. She has a husband who works second shift and a 4-yr-old daughter who was the last person to see her mother before she disappeared. Both husband and wife had bad childhoods but love their daughter very much and want to give her a good family. The cops are clueless as to what happened to the wife but have lots of suspects.  The husband and wife are both good liars and very good at keeping secrets.

This book kept me guessing right to the unexpected ending but I felt really bad for the neighbor. It deals with family secrets, marriage issues, prejudice, computers and sexual abuse.  This book is an eye opener to the problems pedophiles face. The plot is similar to Gone Girl; however, I liked both the main characters in this and didn’t like either of the main characters in Gone Girl. This book doesn’t have near as much swearing as Gone Girl does either. I liked it!
 (Karen's review, 4 stars)

Gerard's Review, 5++ stars:
In The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner, a husband comes home and finds that his wife and cat are missing.  The rest of the house is normal and his young 4-yr.-old daughter is fine.  The police are on it and have plenty of suspects including the husband, but no body.  This is a real page turner!  The author keeps dropping tidbits that change the focus every so often to different possible suspects, but there's really no evidence.  I really enjoyed it a lot and was blown away by the ending!

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Hold Me Like a Breath" by Tiffany Schmidt

In Hold Me Like a Breath by Tiffany Schmidt, Penelope is a daughter of one of three families involved in a black market scheme.  She has a blood disorder that causes her to bruise easily and she is to be protected at all cost!   She hates this and would love to get off on her own for a while.  Then an incident happens and Penelope is alone, all alone.  Can she handle it?

I liked this book way more than I expected I would.  There is good action that kept me turning pages.  I Loved it!  Hoping there is a sequel.
(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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Bullet" by Mary Louise Kelly--Differing Opinions on This One

The Bullet by Mary Louise Kelly is told by Caroline Cashion, a professor at Georgetown University.  Her wrist is giving her a lot of pain, but when she goes for a MRI, she discovers that she has a bullet in her neck!  When she asks her parents about it, the shocking truth comes out.  Here is a teaser from the jacket cover:

You think you know someone.  But then one day you find yourself running.  Really running, lungs burning, legs churning.  Too frightened to stop and look back.  It turns out I have been running my whole life.  I just never knew it.

This story is told very well.  I think it is a real page turner and the last part of the book has a twist that you will not see coming.  I LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review (3 stars):
The Bullet by Mary Louise Kelly is a contemporary mystery about a 37-yr-old woman, Caroline, who just learns that she has a bullet lodged in her neck near her spinal cord and that she was adopted. She has no recollection of her birth parents or of being shot. She grew up with a nice couple that she thought of as her parents all her life with a couple brothers. She is a professor at Georgetown University but her life is turned upside down when she receives this news. The story focuses on her search for the truth about what happened to her birth parents in Atlanta, how the bullet got in her neck, and the choices she makes based on the information she digs up. I found this pretty slow moving although the premise was intriguing. This mystery sort of plods along but the surprise ending makes the read worth it.

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Linking up with Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop for writing a book review.

"The Stranger" by Harlan Coben is a Page Turner!

The Stranger by Harlan Coben is a unique concept for a thriller.  A stranger comes up to you and tells you a secret about one of your loved ones that you did not know, and it's a bombshell.  Not only that, but he has evidence that he gives you to back it up!  That is the main story line in this book about Adam and his wife, Corinne.  Adam confronts her and she takes off telling him she will be back in a few days.  The other sub plots in the book are also really good with a surprise ending for me.  Don't let this book get past you--it is very good!  I 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Cold Fear" by Rick Mofina - Girl Lost in the Woods Hoping to Survive

Cold Fear by Rick Mofina, a former crime reporter, is about Doug and Emily from San Francisco who take their family on a camping trip to a National Park located in Montana and Canada.  The majority of the book is about them being interrogated by the FBI when their 10-yr. old daughter, Paige and her Beagle dog turn up missing.  They went looking for her mother in the woods when her father was angrily chopping wood, cut his hand and didn’t want to talk to her.  Her dog went off the path after a chipmunk and she followed, but he didn’t come back so she just kept looking for him, going farther and farther off the path and getting lost in bear country.  Search and Rescue teams, forest rangers, and police all go looking for her.  Reporters come on the scene and the FBI shows up to investigate the parents who were the last ones to see her.  What they dig up is a lot of information that makes it look very bad for the parents.

This was an interesting read for me because of how it was written.  Usually, things happen and the reader is kept in the dark, wondering along with law enforcement officials what really happened.  However, in this book, the reader gets to know right from the start what really happened—that the parents are telling the truth.  Consequently, the reader is sympathetic towards the parents and the FBI agents look like bad guys harassing them during their crisis.  The author switched from the search and rescue, the FBI investigation, the reporters trying to get the story, the convict scheduled to be executed for murder of a little girl in the same park 22 years ago, and Paige’s frightening time in the woods. 

I enjoyed reading this book but didn’t think it was very believable.  The author certainly gives a comprehensive picture of the news event of the lost girl, but by including so many people, it was difficult at times to keep track of everyone.   

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

I made a COLD FEAR Booktube video about this one.

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!

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)

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!

"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)

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!

"The SEARCH" by Suzanne Woods Fisher is abouth Family Secrets

There's a dog and cat in this one!

The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the third book in her Lancaster County Secrets series that is another good read!  It is about young love, forgiveness, grief, God’s sovereignty and new beginnings.  This is a story about an Amish man, Jonah and his daughter, Bess who believes her grandmother when she says “good things take time.”  Her grandmother, Bertha, has a rose farm and has a knack for knowing everyone’s business and getting her way.  She was my favorite character in this book.  Lainey is an Englisher, raised in the foster care system but who has returned to the community and decides she wants to join the Amish church.  Her and Bertha both have a big secret.  When Bess goes to live with her grandmother for the summer, she learns many things.  

I enjoyed this book with the humor, the big dog, the window into Amish living, the romance, the heartwarming plot and the fantastic ending!   The first two books in this series are The CHOICE and The WAITING.

(Karen's review, 4 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!

"Bittersweet" by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore Starts Slow but Gets Really Good

Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore is told by Mabel, a young college student who is befriended by Eve, a wealthy young girl.  Mabel joins Eve in Eve's family summer estate and loves it!  It's everything that she does not have.  But at what price does all this wealth come?

The start of this book just plodded along so much that I almost dumped it but a reviewer on Amazon said it starts slow but to stay with it, so I did.  It did pick up and then got really good.  It's well worth reading and there was a dog in it with the same name as our dog--Abby.  I loved her!
(Gerard's review, 4 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!

"The Prayer Box" by Lisa Wingate is Inspirational!

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate is a well-woven inspirational fiction novel about Tandi, a struggling single mom of a young boy and a teen girl, who is trying to put her life back together and become a strong person.  The whole book is about her attempt to trust people again and build healthy relationships.  When her landlady, Iola Anne, dies in the house across from the cottage Tandy rents, Tandy finally gets to know the woman by reading her collection of letters to God found in prayer boxes  as she helps clean up her house and take care of her cat.  Iola’s life is instrumental in encouraging Tandy.  As Tandy seeks to find her own self-worth, she finds herself taking a lead in a community project—saving Iola’s house from being torn down. 

This book is very inspirational and shows how beneficial it can be to keep a prayer box .  I loved Iola because she was like an angel to so many people, often helping others anonymously without expecting anything in return, or any publicity.  The book moved along a bit slowly as Tandi’s journey to self-esteem unfolds.  It would be a great beach read since it takes place near the water and also could be good for a book club.  There are discussion questions in the back.  

(Karen's review, 4 stars) 

 
Check out the author's website at www.Lisawingate.com where she gives lots of suggestions for using and making prayer boxes.

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!

We Both Liked "The Good Girl" by Mary Kubica and so did our Cats! (UPDATED)

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica is about a young girl named Mia, who is kidnapped by Colin and is to be turned over to other people to be held for ransom.  That is the plan, but in life as in this book, things do not always go as planned.  What happened?  You have to read the book to find out.  You will read about Mia’s mom and dad and the detective who will stop at nothing to find her.  Mia and Colin have their own story to tell.  This is the author’s first novel and a fantastic read with a shocking ending you will not see coming at all!  Books do not get much better than this!
(Gerard's review, 8/8/14,  5++ stars)

Karen's review (4 stars):
The Good Girl by Mary Kubica is a book that moves along quickly because of the way it unfolds.  Each chapter is written from a different character's perspective and it jumps back and forth between the present and the past, not revealing the big surprise until the very end.  (No cheating and looking ahead now!)  It is about a wealthy Judge's daughter who is kidnapped and falls in love with her kidnapper!  This is a very good read with interesting characters--read it and see if you like the kidnapper.  My husband liked him but I didn't.  I thought giving the cat an important part in this novel was a nice touch.       

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!