"Bird Box--Don't Open Your Eyes" by Josh Malerman

Bird Box--Don't Open Your Eyes by Josh Malerman offers a unique concept.  Everyone boards up their windows and wears blindfolds.  Why you ask?  Wouldn't you like to know?  You will have to read the book to find out the answer to that.  The main story is about Malorie, a mom with a young boy and girl who live in an abandoned house near the river.  Malorie wants to find a better life for them if possible.  The book covers from when the mom was pregnant and about to have the kids to the present. 

I really enjoyed this book which is a real page turner.  The ending is awesome!  Read it, you will be glad you did. 
(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!

We Have Different Opinions of "Dear Killer" by Katherine Ewell

 Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell is a quick read that kept me turning the pages to see if the killer gets caught.  In this book, the "Perfect Killer" is the main character.  Kit was taught to be a killer by her mother for money--yes, they were both killers.  The mom "retired" from killing and turned over the job to her daughter (nice, huh?).  When Kit is killing, she goes by Diana, I think so she can live with herself.  The killings are not real gory but there are many! It's hard to give a book 5 stars if you don't like the main character.
(Karen's review 4/29/14, 4 stars)

Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell is told by Kit, a young girl who is the "Perfect Killer."  Why? you ask. You will have to read the book to find out that one.  Kit was taught by her mom and taught well.  Then one thing happens that will change her way of life, or will it?

I really enjoyed this book a lot!  I thought the writing was very good and Kit is an amazing character.  Put this on your T.B.R. list.  It's that good.  I LOVED it!  This is the best book I've read this month so far.
(Gerard's review 4/16/14, 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!

"Breed" by Chasse Novak Gave Me the Willies!

Breed by Chase Novak deals with a couple who have very sound jobs, lots of money and a lovely home but they do not have any children and want some.  As a last resort, they go to Europe to have a procedure done that will make sure they will have children--but at what cost?

This book is creepy good!  It reminds me of the Stephen King horror books I used to read and love!  This book will give you the willies--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. Happy Reading!

"Snowblind" by Christopher Golden

Snowblind by Christopher Golden is about a small town that a blizzard hit and people died with some other strange things occurring.  Twelve years later, another blizzard is about to hit and the town braces for what this storm will bring while remembering the last one.

This is a great read with tons of story lines and very believable characters.  I liked this page turner a lot!
(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!

"Doctor Sleep" by Stephen King

When I started reading Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, the sequel to The Shining, it did not make sense to me.  I picked it up a few days later to give it another go and then I finally caught on.  This is about a little girl who has a special power that some people want to use for evil.  Dad has the same power and fights against the evil trying to save the little girl from harm.

I enjoyed it once I got into it.  There is good action and I especially liked the parts about the little girl.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 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!

Scariest Books We Ever Read

image:  Amazon.com

The scariest book I  (Karen) ever read was my first ghost story in 2003, Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul. A girl, Amanda, was blind and was forced of a cliff, died and now haunts other 12-year-old girls. Michelle, an adopted girl, moved from Boston to Paradise Point and found an old doll in her house that she name Amanda. Amanda’s ghost came to visit her and they became friends. When someone teased Michelle, the ghost would come and arrange some sort of “accident” so they would die. Only mother figured something was very wrong but father ignored everything connected with Michelle once Jennifer was born.

Gerard's was the Tommyknockers by Stephen King.  Here is an excerpt from the dust cover (558 pages):

Late last night and the night before,
Tommyknockers, Tommyknockers,
knocking at the door.
I want to go out, don't know if I can,
'cause I'm so afraid
of the Tommyknocker man.

It begins with nothing more frightening than a nursery rhyme; yet in Stephen King's hands it becomes an unforgettable parable of dread, a threat from an unimaginable darkness that drags the practical inhabitants of a New England village into a hell worse than their own most horrible nightmares...and yours.

It begins with Bobbi's discovery of the ship in the earth, a ship buried for millions of years, but still vibrating faintly, still humming with some sort of life...faint...weak...but still better left alone.

The townspeople of Haven are "becoming"--being welded into one organic, homicidal, and fearsomely brilliant entity in fatal thrall to the Tommyknockers.

In this riveting, nightmarish story, Stephen King has given us his tautest, most terrifying novel to date.  And the next time someone raps at your door, you may want to keep the chain on.  It just might be the Tommyknocker Man.

Have you these? What did you think of them? What was the scariest book you ever read?

"The Waking Dark" by Robin Wasserman

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman is about a small town where evil takes over and people do what they would not normally do.  A group of people who have nothing in common must come together to stop the evil from spreading.  This book reminds me of the old Stephen King books that I loved.  Loved this one too--a great Halloween read! 
(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!

"Joyland" by Stephen King

Joyland by Stephen King is a story about a young man who signs on to work at an amusement park.  He finds that not only are the rides exciting, but the people who he has contact with are also.  I enjoyed this book very much!  It is a pretty quick read and the action keeps moving.  The ending has a couple of twists and I liked how it all turned out!
(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!

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill is Fantastic!

USA TODAY had NOS4A2 by Joe Hill at No. 2 to read for books coming out in May. I can see why; this book is really really good! In the book, Charles Manx kidnaps kids and takes them to a place he calls Christmasland. When one girl gets away, the only one to ever escape, he wants to get her back. When he gets her son, it's on!

This is a fantastic read full of twists and turns. Don't let the over 900 pages scare you off because it's large print and all good with an awesome ending. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son and has learned very well! 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. Happy Reading!

A Very Scary Read: "The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder" by Charles Graeber

The Good Nurse—A True Story of Medicine, Madness, Murder by Charles Graeber is a great book! I would class it as a thriller, but it’s non-fiction! Charles Cullen is a male nurse at a hospital where strange events happen on his shift. As you read this book, remember that this is not a novel, but a true story! That’s what makes it so scary! This kept my interest all the way through and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! I’ll never think of hospitals the same way again—very scary!
(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!

"The Wrath Of Angels" by John Connolly

I give The Wrath of Angels by John Connolly 5 stars plus! A plane crashes in a dense forest and the race is on to get to the plane because somebody or something is on it that everybody wants. Which is it? You will have to read the book. There is lots of action, many characters and a very good ending! I liked it and recommend it.
(Gerard's review)

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!

"Kept In The Dark" by Penny Hancock

Kept In The Dark by Penny Hancock is not much of a mystery in my way of thinking.  A woman held a young man hostage in her house and reflects on her past with her brother.  I'd say this is an okay read, but nothing great.
(Gerard's review, rating 3 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!

"Zoo" by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge is about the world trying to deal with all forms of animals who roam in packs and attack humans. I ordered this from the library and had to wait a long time for it. I feel this book could have been so much more. The parts of the book that deal with the animals are very good, the rest not so much. The ending left me with the sense that there is going to be a second book. If there is, I'll probably read it. It just did not "wow" me like I expected it would.
(Gerard's review, rating 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 White Horse" by Alex Adams

The White Horse by Alex Adams is the first of a series with incredible twists and turns! Zoe works at Pope Pharmaceuticals. When she finds out that people are dying from White Horse and the mice are dying too at her company, she knows it is trouble. Zoe wants to save herself and her loved ones so heads to do just that. This book goes back before White Horse overtook the land and afterward with a Ultra Fantastic Ending!! What exactly is White Horse you ask? You will have to read the book to find out. Can’t wait for book 2! I’m not sure this book is for everyone, but I enjoyed it a lot!
(Gerard's review, rating: 5+)

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!

"What Comes Next" by John Katzenbach

What Comes Next by John Katzenbach is an outstanding and remarkable book!  Jennifer wants to escape her mom and her small town by running away, but her plan is foiled when a man and woman kidnap her off the street.  Jennifer is now number four and the kidnappers set up a website people can watch while they torture her!  There was one witness to the kidnapping, an old professor who is near death and speaks to his dead family members. 

I liked reading Jennifer's thoughts while going through this experience and the people watching it online.  This is an outstanding read that was very hard to put down!  I couldn't help but think to myself, "Would I be watching this if it were real?"  Would you?  What comes next is you reading this gripping novel--you will love the powerful ending!
(Gerard's review)

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 are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during June and July to The Wounded Warrior Project which helps wounded warriors and their families returning from current conflicts.

"172 Hours on the Moon" by Johan Harstad (UPDATED)

Wow, oh wow! 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad is awesome! This novel is the story of three teens who are selected to travel to the moon by NASA to get people excited by the space mission again. The first 200 pages are good and the last pages from 201 to the end (351 pages total) are a page turners to the max! Once the teens got to the moon the action really picked up! I enjoyed this book very much!! Put this on your TBR for sure--it's worth it! (Gerard's review)

172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad is a depressing science fiction read that is an ominous adventure.  This book takes place in 2019 when a crew of five astronauts and three teens blast off to spend a week on the moon.  Once there, some very strange things happen and they regret going.  If you think you’d like to go to the moon, you may have second thoughts after reading 172 Hours on the Moon.  I was enjoying this book until the end came which made no sense.  I really hated the ending!
(Karen's review)

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 are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during June and July to The Wounded Warrior Project which helps wounded warriors and their families returning from current conflicts.

"Deception" by Lee Nichols

Deception by Lee Nichols is about Emma,a 17-yr.-old, girl who finds herself mixed up in a world of ghosts when her brother and parents disappear and Bennett, her brother’s friend takes her to live with him in Boston as her guardian!  He presented papers that were notarized that he was her guardian to get her away from social services.  Emma thinks she is going crazy when she sees dead people but soon discovers she is a “ghostkeeper” who not only sees ghosts but can control them!  Both Emma and I were surprised at how many people in Emma’s life also were ghostkeepers, but she had more power than they did. 

I liked the sarcasm and humor that was included in this book and also the main character, Emma, is very likable. This book has romance, mystery, suspense and a lot of paranormal things going on.  I normally do not read paranormal books so can’t really compare this with others in that category.  It certainly was a fun, quick read with lots of humor and an interesting story line which is continued in the sequel—Betrayal (reading on Kindle).

(Karen's review)

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 are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

"Tony and Susan" by Austin Wright

All right now, Tony and Susan by Austin Wright is my first double WOW book of 2012! Here's the scoop: Susan gets a package 15 years after her divorce from her husband. It's a manuscript of her ex-husband's first novel that he wants her to review. As she reads it and gets into it, she has to face the realities in her own life.

The reader gets two stories in one book: Susan's husband's story plus the story of what she feels not only about the book but about her ex-husband. Both stories are really good! The first 100 pages get you hooked and you have to keep reading. I highly recommend this one!
(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!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to KIVA this month to help the poor change their lives.

"The One Percenters" by John Podgursky

The Once Percenters by John Podgursky is a psychological thriller that contains rough language that I didn't appreciate reading. However, that aside, the story itself is really good! Edward Caine creates his own little world and tells a fantastic tale that kept me reading for sure. The ending was a shocker to me! This is a good read if you can get past the bad language.
(Gerard's review)

(John Posgursky is a new author who requested a review and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book.  I like horror and this certainly could be classed as such.  I would have given it 5 stars on Amazon if it wasn't for all the profanity.)

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

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Just After Sunset" by Stephen King

Just After Sunset by Stephen King is a collection of short stories by the "Master of Short Stories."  Most of these are very good and I wished they were longer.  I found only a couple that I didn't get into; hence 4 instead of 5 stars.  Must read for all King fans!
(Gerard's review 2009)

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