"The Buried Book" by D. M. Pulley is Quite The Mystery! (UPDATED)

The Buried Book by D. M. Pulley takes place in the 1950s and is primarily about 9-yr.-old Jasper searching for his mother who was involved with some very bad men!  One day she just drops him off at his uncle's farm and leaves without saying where she was going or when she would be back. The poor kid misses her terribly and the book he finds in her old house gives him some ideas on where to start looking.

I thought this was really good because it kept my curiosity up wondering what happened to his mother and if he would ever see her again.  The title chapters also were pretty clever and wasn't sure who it was that was being interrogated.  I felt very bad for poor Jasper.  I thought it moved a little slow though and did not care for all the swearing in it.  
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Gerard liked it better:
In The Buried Book by D. M. Pulley,  9-yr.-old Jasper lives with his parents in Detroit.  His parents are not exactly hands on.  One day Jasper's mom takes him to his uncle and aunt's farm, leaving him there.  Now, Jasper has problems.  He has never lived on a farm and doesn't know when or if his mom is coming back.  Jasper wants answers and will do anything to get them.

I thought this book was very good!  Jasper is a great character and believe me, you do not know what is going to happen until the end.  The writing is that good!  Must Read!
(Gerard's review 9-1-16, 5++ stars)

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"The Wolf Road" by Beth Lewis is a Wild Adventure! UPDATED

In The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis, Elka was just 7 years old, in the woods alone, lost and hungry.  Her parents left her and her nana died.  A trapper took her into his cabin and taught her the way of the woods including trapping and how to survive.  Elka was happy with him until when she got to be 17 and discovered what awful things he had done.  Then she took off on her own using everything he taught her to stay alive.

This book has the whole package:  action, humor, relationship issues, twists and turns with good writing putting it all together.  I enjoyed this first book by this author a lot!
(Gerard's review 7/27/16, 5++ stars)

Karen read this too--here's her review, 3 stars:
The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis is a creepy novel about survival.  A little girl of 7 gets lost in the woods alone and is befriended by a man who traps and lives alone in the woods.  He raised her and taught her how to make a fire, how to hunt and set snares, and used her to help him around the cabin and skinning animals.  Then when she is 17, she finds out bad things about him and leaves to set out to find her parents who left her to go mining for gold.  Does she find her parents?  Does she become like Trapper?  Will she learn to be a better judge of character?  Will she get arrested?

This book is about Elka's journey, not only in the physical sense but also about coming to accept who she is and being able to face reality.  I felt sad for Elka throughout the book and was happy when she finally made a friend who she could trust.  I thought the ending was quite sad too and because of the extent of gruesome things and the sadness of killing children and the fact that the ending was given away in the first chapter this did not come close to 5 stars for me.  I liked it okay but some of it just didn't make sense to me.  I thought Elka's relationship with her wolf friend was very cool though. 

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"Every Last One" by Anna Quindlen

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen is about the Latham family, comprised of Mary Beth and Glen, parents of three teenagers:  Ruthie and fraternal twin boys, Alex and Max.  Ruthie is into academics and loves to write, Alex is into sports and Max is into his drums and their dog.  While focusing on their depressed son, Max, the parents are caught completely off guard when Ruthie's boyfriend becomes obsessed with her and continues stalking her after she breaks up with him.  When tragedy strikes, can Mary Beth keep it together?

There is a lot of interpersonal relationships in this book and the mother is the main character who tells the story.  This book gives insight into parenting, teen issues and sibling rivalry.  For me, this book moved very slow but it is a good story and I'm glad I stuck with it to finish it.  It is contemporary fiction that reminded me a bit of Little Big Lies by Liane Moriarty which was way better.  I read this because it was a library recommendation based on my like for What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross, but I saw very little similarity other than the mother being the main character telling the story.  If you like family stories about teens and are good with no suspense, no mystery and slow moving, then I recommend this one.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

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"The Darkest Corners" by Kara Thomas - A Mother/Daughter Mystery (Updated)

The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas is quite the mystery! Actually there are several mysteries in this one: (1) Who really is the serial killer?  (2)  Where is Tessa's sister and how did she find out their father died?  (3)  Will Callie and Tessa renew their friendship? and (4)  Will Tessa find her mother?   

This book is good, but I must admit, at one point I got pretty confused with all the different things going on.  However, the author soon cleared things up and it was a very good mystery.  I liked Tessa because she really wanted to make things right when she had doubts about her testimony she gave when she was 9 years old that contributed to a man being convicted of murder.  If you like stories about dysfunctional families and a good mystery with a surprise ending, this is it!    
(Karen's reviewed 5/6/16, 4 stars)

Gerard's review 4/30/16, 5+ stars:
The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas is about a young girl named Tessa and her friend, Callie. They have never really talked about a night that they both saw something that changed their lives. Tessa moved away but now she is back looking for answers, but some people want the past to stay hidden. I thought this book was pretty good. I enjoyed the two main characters very much and the book had a good flow to it. The ending completely surprised me!

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"If I Run" by Terri Blackstock is the first of a Series about a Fugitive

If I Run by Terri Blackstock centers on two people:  Casey Cox, who leaves a crime scene that she may or may not have had something to do with, and Dylan Roberts, whose job is to find Casey and get to the truth of the matter.  I really liked this book because Casey and Dylan were both good characters that I got into very quickly.  I encourage you to read this one.  If it would have had just a bit more action, I would give it 5 stars.
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)  

Karen's review 3/23/16, 3 stars:
If I Run by Terri Blackstock is about Casey, a woman who finds a journalist friend of hers dead at his home shortly after he told her to come over. She is convinced that dirty cops murdered him and are going to arrest her for his murder. She leaves town, gets a new identity and becomes a fugitive. The victim’s parents hire Dylan, a close friend back from the war in Afghanistan, to find Casey. Casey’s father’s death was declared a suicide when she was just 12, but she always believed he was murdered and fears her friend was murdered because he was looking into her dad’s death for her. Casey is a good person who goes out of her way to help others even when she is trying to stay low and not be found.

I liked this book all right but not the ending. When I read through the questions in the back though, I discovered that this is only the first book of a trilogy so I was glad to see that! Casey questions if there even is a God but finds herself praying just in case there is when she gets into sticky situations. I have a feeling this series will not only be about Casey’s running from the law but also about her personal search for God.



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"Shaker" by Scott Frank

In Shaker by Scott Frank, Roy Cooper is a paid hitman.  He arrives in L.A. to put out a hit on Martin Shine.  He does not know the man, but he does his job.  Later on, he tries to play hero and help a man who is being beat up by some street thugs.  All of a sudden, he goes from being the hunter to being the hunted--a LOT of people want Roy Cooper gone!

I enjoyed this book because it kept my interest, liked all the different characters and a good ending.  It's well worth reading.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"The Crooked House" by Christobel Kent

The Crooked House by Christobel Kent centers on a young lady named Allison.  One night something happened to her family that left her alone.  She moved, changed her name and lived her life.  But her boyfriend becomes involved in a wedding and wants her to come with him and return to her hometown.  She does and feels like everyone is watching her.  She still thinks that all the answers from that horrible night have not come out.

This is a page turner for sure!  Allison is a great character with tension building up to the end.  It held my interest and I enjoyed it a lot!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"One of Us--The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway" is Gripping

One of Us –The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway by Asne Seierstad is a true story of Anders who went on a killing spree one day. The first part of this book tells the story of Anders growing up with his mom and his friends. He did not really have a relationship with his father. The second part of this book is when he goes on the killing spree. This is told very well and it is gripping to say the least! The last part deals with the aftermath of what he did and how it affected the people he shot.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Corrupted" by Lisa Scottoline - Inspired by Kids for Cash Scandal!

In Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline, lawyer Bennie Rosato takes on a murder case to defend Jason who she feels she let down when he was sent to Juvie 19 years ago. She also finds romance with Declan, the uncle of the Ritchie, the guy who her defendant is accused of killing. This book was inspired by kids-for-cash scandal in the judicial system in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

This book got my attention right away with the glimpse into the juvenile detention system and following two 12-yr-old boys. I found it to be very interesting and the story moved along quickly. I like Bennie and felt bad for her when she and Declan had to put a hold on their relationship. I liked how the reader was kept informed all along the way of what Bennie was thinking and feeling and how she prepared her case. This book delves into what justice is in a very readable way. If you like to read about trials and enjoy seeing things from a lawyer’s point of view, I highly recommend this book.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Link to the real kids-for-cash scandal: http://jlc.org/luzerne-county-kids-cash-scandal

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"The Short Drop" by Matthew Fitzsimmons is Blah

The Short Drop by Matthew Fitzsimmons is about a missing 14-yr.-old girl.  A decade later, the case is still unsolved.  Her father is running for President.  Gibson Vaughn is called in to help solve the case.  I found this novel to be blah.  Could not get into the characters at all although I tried.  I plowed through to an okay ending.
(Gerard's review, 2 stars)

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"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J. K. Rowling

Continuing in the Harry Potter series with book 6, I read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling.  This has several mysteries going on at the same time:  (1) What is the mission Snape and Malfoy Draco are working on; (2) Who is the "Half-Blood Prince"? and (3) Can Dumbledore and Harry find and destroy the horcruxes made by You-Know-Who?  Besides the mystery, this book also had some high points with Harry being the new captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Harry moving on from Cho, Hermione and Ron's relationship and lots more background about You-Know-Who.  Professor Snape finally reveals his true colors and the death eaters return. 

As I was reading this book, I kept thinking to myself, "this is so good!"  I didn't really figure out for sure who the Half-Blood Prince was until near the end when it came out.  Malfoy's mission was a complete surprise to me and the horcrux hunt was very scary!  I hated the ending of this book though, it was so sad so only 4 stars for this one!  I still don't get why Dumbledore trusted Snape, that part must didn't make any sense to me.  I enjoyed the potions class most in this book when Harry topped Hermione for once and how she hated that.  I look forward to reading the last book in this series to see how it will end. 

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"In the Dark Places" by Peter Robinson

In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson is a British mystery novel that I really didn’t much care for. It is about a crime ring in a rural area involved in the stealing of farm equipment for resale. The whole book is the ongoing crime investigation trying to get to the bottom of it which mushrooms into something much bigger and gruesome. It was a bit confusing trying to keep all the law enforcement people straight, a map would have been helpful to show the lay of the land and the language used many British terms I wasn’t familiar with. There is good suspense near the end but for the most part I found myself plowing through just to finish it. I did appreciate the wrap-up summaries given when the law enforcement people got together to compare notes and update each other. That helped me know what was going on.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

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"Pretty Baby" by Mary Kubica--Different Opinions on this one! (UPDATED)

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica centers on a charitable woman named Heidi who helps stray cats.  One day she sees a teen girl holding a baby at a train station and decides to take her in for just one night, assuming she's homeless.  This novel is told by multiple points of view which I thought made the story that much better.  The real good thing is the multiple story lines.  You do not really know what to expect next!  This is a page turner that is well worth reading, enjoy!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica is a contemporary psychological thriller that is sad and heartbreaking. This novel combines the sad stories of Heidi Wood, a married woman with a 12-yr.-old daughter and Willow, a homeless teen girl with a baby. Their paths cross and Heidi opens her home to Willow and the baby in spite of objections from her husband and daughter.

The reader is gradually given bits and pieces of Heidi’s and Willow’s pasts as the current events unfold which culminate into a good ending. I liked Heidi at the beginning but as the book went along, I liked her less and less. I liked Willow though and felt sorry for her throughout the book. This book portrays the social worker as incompetent and totally repulsive behavior on the part of Willow’s foster dad. This book was very disturbing to me because of the content. I thought it was an interesting read and didn’t have any clue as to how it would end so wanted to keep reading. 
 (Karen's review, 3 stars)


See our review of The Good Girl by Mary Kubica which we both liked.

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"Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas is a Must Read if you like Fantasy! (UPDATED)

We both liked this one! 
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a mix of fantasy, mystery, competition, relationships, survival, royalty and friendship. Celaena, a famous teen assassin, who was betrayed and worked in a death camp as a slave in salt mines is chosen by Prince Dorien to participate in a contest that could give her freedom. If she wins, she would have to serve the king as his Champion assassin for four years and then she would be free. Celaena is brave, confident, determined, skilled, snarky and feisty. She is housed in the castle and finds a secret passage into tunnels that lead her to trouble!

I am so glad I read this book and look forward to continuing in the series! The characters are interesting and I really like Celaena, Nehemia, Chaol—captain of the guard and Prince Dorien. I didn’t dislike Cain until well into the book but disliked Kaltain and Duke Pellington right from the start. This book kept my interest from start to finish and I found myself chuckling and cheering. I would have preferred the final duel to be a clean fight but I still liked the ending. Nor did I care for the otherworld stuff; however, the action, Celaena and her relationships with Chaol, Dorien, Nehemia and Kaltain more than made up for it. This is a really good story I recommend to anyone who enjoys a bit of fantasy.
(Karen's review, 4 stars because I hear the next book in this series is even better!)


Gerard's review:

Throne of Glass is a YA novel about a young girl named Celaena.  She has been trained to be an assassin and is "the best."  Unfortunately for her, she is captured and put in a death camp.  However, when the king decides that he wants his own assassin to work for him, he runs a contest.  His son frees Celaena to enter the contest and maybe a chance to be free IF she wins.

This is an outstanding read; I LOVED IT!   Celaena is a great character and I was quickly on her side!  This has plenty of action and the other characters are really interesting too.  It almost goes without saying that the story line is superb!  This is a MUST READ and I will be reading the next book in this series soon.  This is going to be hard to beat for my "book of the month"--it's fantastic!
(Gerard's review 7/3/15, 5++ stars)

Here is a video of Gerard and me discussing this book on our front porch:

See our Crown of Midnight review and discussion video.

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Happy Reading!

"Ask the Dark" by Henry Turner is Very Good!

Ask the Dark by Henry Turner is told by Billy, a young boy who lives by his own rules.  When his dad needs a lot of money, Billy buckles down and comes up with a plan to get it that puts him in real danger.  Does he pull it off?

This book is short and goes quick but is good.   I enjoyed it right off the bat and was into it.  Billy is a great character and a debut book by this author!  It's very well done, worth reading and loved the ending.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"Finders Keepers" by Stephen King is a GREAT READ!

Finders Keepers by Stephen King is listed as one of PEOPLE Magazine's best books of the summer and they are right! 

Morris Bellamy loves the main character in his favorite author's books.  The author has not come out with a new book in years, and Morris is upset and decides to take matters in his own hands.  Morris kills his favorite author, steals some of his money and the notebooks that contain some unpublished work and hides the money and notebooks before he gets jailed and sentenced to life.  When he is paroled 35 years later, he cannot find either the money or the notebooks.  Who took them?  What did they do with them?   Does Morris come after whoever took them?

This is a great read, I LOVED IT from the start and it got better as it went along.  Vintage King! This is the sequel to Mr. Mercedes which I also liked.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"RUN" by Andrew Grant

Marc Bowman is a sought after consultant and a software designer who has a job at a major tech company that his wife works at too.  Life is good.  Monday comes and he is surprised when he is let go, but that turns out to be the least of his problems.

RUN by Andrew Grant is a wild ride!  Marc finds trouble at every turn and things go from bad to worse!  I loved the action in this book and it is full of surprises!
(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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"Dark Rooms" by Lili Anolik Could Use More Action

Dark Rooms by Lili Anolik is about two sisters, Nica and Grace.  Nica turns up dead and the killer is found, case closed.  But Grace is not buying it and dedicates her life to finding and hurting her sister's killer. 

I found this book to be pretty good but lacking in action.  The story kept my interest and liked the surprise ending.  It's well worth reading!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"Breaking Creed" by Alex Kava

Before I write the book review, I have to tell Mr. Kava how sad I was to read about his dog, Scout, dying after 16 years.  I know you will miss him very much, my condolences.

Breaking Creed by Alex Kava is about people smuggling drugs into the U.S.A.  This book kept my interest with some action and I enjoyed the dogs in the book very much!
(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!