"The Pale-Faced Lie" by David Crow (True Story)

The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow is about his terrible childhood, his abusive parents, and his struggle to be free from his father’s control and the guilt and shame he felt most of his life. He also had an older sister and a younger brother and sister. This is a sad story and one that is hard to believe families like his actually exist. It sheds light about life on an Indian reservation and how much damage can be caused by abusive parents. His dad was an ex-con who got away with murder and expected David to help him in his criminal activities. The only times David’s father was pleased with David was when he did mean things to people that his father thought was hilarious. Although David had a lot of obstacles to overcome, including his upbringing, hearing loss, poverty and dyslexia, he had a lot of determination and mental toughness. He barely graduated high school and went on to graduate college, majoring in political science. This book made me want to keep reading to see what was going to happen next and how he succeeded (I knew he did since he wrote the book). This was heartbreaking, but at the same time, extremely interesting.
 (Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 9/25/19:
The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow is the true story about his family.  He had three siblings and they idolized their dad who told them stories about his World War II feats.  But, there was another side to Thurston Crow, the dad.  David tells the story of growing up with his dad and his mentally ill mother including plenty of action!What I enjoyed most about this book is that I really never knew what was going to happen next.
(5++ stars)

Teaser from page 8:  Other days, Dad tied me to the pine tree in our front yard.  He'd wrap a thick, scratchy rope around my chest and ankles and tug on it hard to make a tight know.

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"The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides

Wow! The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a shocking thriller about evil nature. At 33, Alicia Berenson killed her husband and became the silent patient who would not speak. She was put into a mental facility where none of the doctors could get her to talk, until Dr. Faber. Alicia is a painter and her husband a photographer. The story slowly unfolds and we don’t find out why Alicia killed her husband until the end. This kept my interest all the way through and I was pretty shocked by the ending. (Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review 2/26/19:
In The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Alicia is a famous painter married to a successful husband.  Why then did she tie her husband to a chair and shoot him five times?  She never says another word!  Can she talk after that or is she just keeping quiet?  She is put in a mental hospital and is the "silent patient."  Theo is a criminal psychotherapist and wants to try to reach her and get the full story.  Can he do it?

Believe the hype around this one!  It is a NEW YORK TIMES best seller and movie rights already are in the works!  This is an adult novel.  The pacing of the book might seem slow, but it strings you along until the ending, then Bam!  Do not pass this one up, must read.  (5+ stars)

Teaser from page 35:  Her face was expressionless, blank.  A medicated mask.  I wondered what lay beneath.

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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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"Welcome to My World" by Curtis Bunn

In Welcome to My World by Curtis Bunn, Brenda’s life is on a downturn. She goes to McDonald’s daily and sees a homeless man every day. She tries to do good by him. One day the homeless guy, Rodney, gives her some life advice! What? This book was so much better than I thought it would be! I enjoyed Brenda and Rodney very much. The story line kept me engaged throughout. (Gerard’s review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 10:  "I was so . . . so . . . shocked and appalled that I couldn't even move, much less respond."  "I'm not trying to be mean," he added. 

Karen's review (4 stars):
Welcome to My World by Curtis Bunn is the story about Brenda, a depressed woman, who becomes friends with Rodney, a homeless man with a bipolar disorder. They help each other as their friendship develops. This is a heartwarming story about how simple words between strangers can bring about great change. This book gives insight into the world of homelessness, those with bipolar disorder and how people sometimes use food to deal with depression that can lead to destroying their self-esteem.

I enjoyed this book even though it moved pretty slow since there is very little action in it. It definitely addresses some major social issues and is inspirational I loved the ending!


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"The Game You Played" by Anni Taylor (Great Debut Psychological Thriller)

The Game You Played by Anni Taylor is about Phoebe and Luke whose 2-yr.-old son goes missing.  Phoebe has some mental problems and Luke gets tired of everyone feeling sorry for her and not him.  This takes place in a suburb in Australia, where Luke is a real estate agent seeking to make a lot of money and working a lot.  Phoebe and Luke grew up together and so have the same friends.  They are both on the wild side compared to me!  The story is told in first person, alternating between Luke and Phoebe.

Teaser from page 279 (Loc. 4880):  My knees buckled when I saw what was on the page.  I fell to my hands and knees, vomiting into the garden. 

I discovered this book through a teaser on Teaser Tuesday. This was quite the mystery!  I could not figure out who took Tommy.  I liked this book and was surprised to see it was a debut novel.  It certainly had a lot of interesting characters and several different themes about friendship, hoarding, judging others, parenting and drugs.  I think this could make for an interesting book club discussion, especially if you discussed it as everyone was reading it rather than after everyone read it.   You could have a guess who the kidnapper is contest at the beginning and give a prize to the winner at the end (if anyone gets it right).  It reminded me a bit of Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"Words on Bathroom Wall" by Julia Walton

In Words on Bathroom Wall by Julia Walton, Adam is Schizophrenic.  He has to transfer to a new school because he is getting bullied at his old one.  No one knows this at his new school and Adam will do anything to keep it that way.  This book is Adam's journal to his therapist because he would rather not talk.

I thought this book was pretty good.  Adam has a good sense of humor and the book moved along at a good pace.  I loved the ending!
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

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"No One Cares About Crazy People" by Ron Powers (Non-fiction)

No One Cares About Crazy People is a non-fiction book by Ron Powers.  The author is the dad to his two sons, Kevin and Dean who were both gifted but had to deal with Schizophrenia.  Some of this book is like a textbook so I just glossed over those parts.  The parts where he talks about how he and his wife dealt with their two sons was very interesting.  I hope something can be done to help the people who have this and their caretakers who are trying to do all they can to support them.
(Gerard's review, 3.5 stars)

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"Under Rose-Tainted Skies" by Louise Gornall

In Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall, Norah is 17 and has accepted that the four walls of her house will be her life.  She cannot possibly go outside and heaven forbid she should come in contact with a stranger.  However, when a new family moves in and a young teen boy notices her, will Norah do something that she could not have imagined she would do or is she just headed for heartache?
This book is based on the author's own experiences.  I enjoyed it because Norah was a fun character and thought the ending was good too!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Ruby--Between the Cracks" by P.D. Workman

In Ruby--Between the Cracks by P.D. Workman, you will meet a young girl named Ruby.  From a very young age, she had to make choices; unfortunately, most of them were wrong ones.  We follow her as she grows up and there is never a dull moment with this girl!  I also found the people in her life interesting.  Some tried to help while others tried to take advantage of her.

I enjoyed this book because the story moved along well and the characters were very believable!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Unhinge" by Calia Read is a "Must Read" (Book 2 in the Fairfax series)

In Unhinge by Calia Read, the sequel to Unravel, Victoria Donovan's life was going very well.  She married Wes, so handsome, so loving, had a great wedding and a beautiful house.  But then it all came undone.  Now she is in a mental hospital.  Her husband is dead, but Victoria is sure he is still coming to see her.  Is he?  Will a stranger help her and make her all right?

Wow!! What a read this is!  This book grabbed me from the start with good writing.  When it all plays out, in the end you will be like "What was that?"  I highly recommend this one--must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"This Raging Light" by Estelle Laure

This Raging Light by Estelle Laure is about a young teen girl named Lucille. Her dad is in a home trying to get his act together. Her mom left for a while and told her and her sister (Wren) that she would be back. That was a long time ago though. So Lucille had to do it all and hope that her secret does not get out. Will her parents come back? Does her secret get out?

I loved this book! Lucille and Wren are really good characters and the book flows along with action here and there with a real good ending! I look forward to reading book 2.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)


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"Calvin" by Martine Leavitt

If you read and enjoyed the comic strip, "Calvin and Hobbs," you will enjoy Calvin by Martine Leavitt.  Calvin, a 17-yr.-old boy born on the day the last strip was published, has schizophrenia.  He was a fan of Hobbs.  If he could just have Bill Watterson, the writer of "Calvin and Hobbs," make one more comic strip without Hobbs, he will be okay.  I enjoyed this book.  It was like reading a bunch of comic strips.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"Every Last Word" by Tamara Ireland Stone - Two Different Takes On This One

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone is about Samantha, a popular high schooler.  She hangs around with a popular group of girls that she has been with since kindergarten with a secret that she has kept hidden all this time.  What that is you will have to read this book to find out.  She gets an urge to leave the group, but does she have the courage?

WOW!  This book was really good!  I thought all the characters were well developed and got into it very quickly.  I really liked Samantha, the main character.  I did not see the twist coming at all and the ending was fantastic!  A must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)


Karen read it too (2 stars):
I was not as impressed with Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone as my husband was.  It is realistic contemporary YA fiction about Samantha, a popular high school girl who loves swimming, the number 3 and struggles with obsessing thoughts because of OCD.  Through regular visits with her therapist and medication, she begins to make some changes in her life but still wonders if she is crazy.

I thought this was okay but didn't have much action or plot to it, other than Samantha learning to cope better with OCD by changing friends and writing poetry.  It does give some insight as to what OCD is like and it was inspirational when she experienced some small victories along the way. This book is mostly about friendship and accepting yourself for who you are.  Compared to the fun, fantasy page turners that I've been reading, this one just seemed to fall a bit flat.  I thought the unexpected "twist" was kind of dopey.

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"Every Fifteen Minutes" by Lisa Scottoline

In Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline, the main character, Dr. Eric Parrish, works in a psychiatric unit.  He is recently divorced but that is the least of his problems.  As his problems pile up, he is treating a young boy named Max (a teen sociopath with OCD) that presents him with a whole new set of problems. 

You usually can't go wrong with Lisa's books; however, I thought this book kind of dragged in certain parts.  the two separate stories are okay but not exactly page turners.  This book is readable, but not one of her best.
(Gerard's review, 3 stars)

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"If I Fall, If I Die" by Michael Christie

If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie is about a young boy named Will.  His mom suffers from an illness and keeps Will inside at all cost.  But when Will meets someone at school, he decides to rebel.  The first half of this book is very, very good and kept me turning pages.  However, the second half of the book, not so much.  Overall, I enjoyed it!  Give it a chance and let me know what you think.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

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"All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is told by Finch, a young boy and Violet, a young girl.  They have something in common and to find out what that is, you will have to read the book.  I'm not saying.  They form a relationship and that is the basis for this YA novel.  I LOVED IT!  It was something to read as these two kids got to know each other.  It goes quick; I finished it in just two days.  Give it a chance, you will be glad you did.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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LOVED "Mr. Mercedes" by Stephen King

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King centers on two men—Mr. Mercedes who mowed down people with a car and got away with it and a retired detective, Bill Hodges.  When Bill receives a letter from Mr. Mercedes taunting him for not catching him and vowing to do it again, Bill gets back into the case and wants to catch Mr. Mercedes.  I loved this book which is “vintage King.”  It kept me turning pages saying “Wow, this book is good!” over and over.  What a great book to start 2015 with. 

(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

 

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"The Stone Boy" by Sophie Loubiere Was Confusing To Me

I'd skip this one if I were you!

The Stone Boy by Sophie Loubiere is about an older lady who lives alone.  When she moves into a new neighborhood, she notices a little boy next door that is being neglected and hurt.  The problem is, nobody else sees this boy.  The premise was good; however, for most of the book, I was totally lost!  Near the end, the picture became clearer. I guess I just did not get it.
(Gerard's review, 2 stars)

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"Thank You For Your Service" by David Finkel

Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel is non-fiction focusing on the men and women who fight our country's wars and the toll it takes on them and their loved ones.  It contains very interesting stories and reads like a novel.  It kept my interest throughout.  I can't say it was an enjoyable read, but you should read it if you get a chance to get a glimpse of the sacrifices made and the tragic outcomes in some cases.  
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Sure Signs of Crazy" by Karen Harrington

In Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington, you will meet 12-yr.-old Sarah Nelson. She collects troubled words and her best friend is a plant! This girl is something else, but no wonder!

I loved this book. The writing is really good and I got so caught up in it that the pages flew by. It has a very good ending too! This is the author's first book, can't wait for her next one!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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