"The More the Terrier" by David Rosenfelt

The More the Terrier by David Rosenfelt is a good short book that I enjoyed.  Andy takes the case of a man accused of murder.  It went quickly because of the good storyline with a dog.  It's an enjoyable light Christmas read.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Unlocking the Animal World: Incredible Facts and How Kids Can Be Superheroes for Animals by Ingrid Newkirk

Unlocking The Animal World by Ingrid Newkirk is a short fun read about all kinds of animal facts and how kids can help animals.  The author makes many comparisons between animals and humans.  It's a whole collection of many interesting animal facts.  I think any animal lover would enjoy this short book that shows our God's great creativity throughout the animal world.  (Karen's review, 4 stars)

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"The Teacher" by Freida McFadden

The Teacher by Freida McFadden is about lots of inappropriate behavior.  I did not care for this one because first of all, I didn't like any of the main characters, I thought Addie was very stupid, Eve and Nathaniel were both unfaithful.  A lot of the storyline seemed too far-fetched to believe.  It had a wild ending, but not believable.  The only part that was believable for me was the bullying of Addie.  I had high expectations for this one because my husband loved it so was disappointed in it.  I did like that it was quick read!  (Karen's review, 3 stars) 

Gerard's review 6/15/24:
In The Teacher by Freida McFadden, Addie is 16 and bullied in high school.  Eve is one of her teachers who would like to befriend Addie; however, Eve finds out that sometimes it is better to leave things as they are.  This book is really good!  I LOVED IT!  The storyline is excellent and the chapters are short so it goes quickly.  I was always happy to get back into it.  What an ending!  (5++ stars)

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"Bowlers Guide" - Great Instructional Booklet

I found my old Bowlers Guide booklet for years ago and read it again to refresh my memory.  It helped me bowl more confidently and consistently, improving my scores from two weeks ago.  It gives basic fundamentals, explains how to shoot spares using the 3-6-9 system, tips for lefthanders, seniors and children with lots of pictures.  It really covers everything from deliveries to scoring and equipment.  I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn to bowl or improve their game.  I remember giving these to the last place team in our church league years ago.  (Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt

In Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, the two main characters are Tova,  a 70-yr.-old woman who cleans an aquarium after visiting hours and Marcellus, a giant octopus.  They form a friendship and help each other.  This is a quick, cute, happy, fun read.  Marcellus was a great, fun character!  The ending was real good too.  I enjoyed this.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"The Christmas Spirit" by Debbie Macomber is An Enjoyable Read!

The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber is a wonderful story any time of the year, but especially at Christmas.  I wish I had managed to read this last month, but am very glad I did not skip it just because it's no longer Christmas.  It's the story about a pastor of a small church exchanging places with his bartender friend the week before Christmas.  They were debating who had the harder job and they both learned some things.  This was such an enjoyable, fun read with humor and a great message.  I loved it and finished it quickly.  I highly recommend this one to anyone who wants to read something uplifting and light.  (Karen's review, 5 stars)  

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"Alias Anna" by Susan Hood with Greg Dawson is Hard to Put Down!

Alias Anna by Susan Hood with Greg Dawson is the true story about two young sisters with special talent for playing the piano.  They live in Russia during World War II and flee when the Germans move in to take over.  They manage to escape on the way to being killed.  This is a quick read that is very hard to put down.  I liked it and found it easy to read because it is written in verse and the chapters were very short!   It is pretty fascinating and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical non-fiction stories.  (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 12/22/22:
Alias Anna by Susan Hood with Greg Dawson tells a true story about two young Jewish sisters who were able to outwit the Nazis and survive during Hitler's reign.  This is a really good book told in verse so is a quick read.  This is worth the read for sure.  I found it hard to put down.  (5++ stars)

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"Foster" by Claire Keegan

In Foster by Claire Keegan, a little girl is sent to a neighbor's house because her mom is going to have a baby and cannot look after her.  She likes the people who look after her but finds out that there are secrets to be kept.  This is a short 92-page book that is okay.  I thought it was pretty good.  (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"Mr. Granite If from Another Planet!" by Dan Gutman

Mr. Granite Is from Another Planet! by Dan Gutman is the first book in the My Weird School Daze series that I didn't enjoy at all.  It was about going green but things in it made no sense at all and it wasn't as funny as the others either.  It was just stupid.  The only good thing about this one is that it's a quick read!  I would recommend skipping this one!  (Karen's review, 1 star)

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My Weird School I Can Read! Series (Level 2—Reading With Help) by Dan Gutman

All the books in this series have large colorful pictures that little kids would enjoy with very little reading.  They are very short but are great for young readers. 

 Goes to the Museum

AJ and Andrea get to go on a field trip to the museum.  Although AJ is the one who usually gets into trouble, on this trip Andrea is the one who causes trouble.  It’s a cute story.

 Class Pet Mess!

The class votes on what pet to get for their class and snake wins.  This is pretty funny and also gives some interesting information about hognose snakes.

 Talent Show Mix-Up

The class is having a talent show and AJ doesn’t know what to do.  His talents really aren’t things he can do in a classroom.  He signs up last hoping to think of something.  It’s his teacher who recognizes his talent.

 Teamwork Trouble

Ryan is forming a curling team.  AJ says he wants to be on it, but Ryan already has enough.  When one of his players gets hurt, AJ comes in to replace him, but can AJ and Andrea play together without fighting?

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"Ms. Hannah Is Bananas!" by Dan Gutman

Ms. Hannah Is Bananas! by Dan Gutman is book 4 in the "My Weird School" series.  This one is about the art teacher who says "Art is everywhere."  The animosity between AJ and Andrea is really funny and I enjoyed this book as well as the others in this series that I have read so far.  The ending of this book made me laugh out loud, it was hilarious.  I think elementary children would like this one.  (Karen's review, 4 stars)

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"Once" by Morris Gleitzman

Once by Morris Gleitzman is inspired by true events.  It takes place during World War II.  Felix is a young boy who is in an orphanage to be protected from the Nazis.  When he sees books being burned, he knows he must break out and tell his mom and dad.  They run a bookstore.  

This book is short but told very well.  Felix was a great character so I enjoyed it!  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)  

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"Stolen Child" by Jane M. Choate

In Stolen Child by Jane M. Choate, Grey's little girl has been taken and he will do anything to get her back!  He understands that he needs help to do this so asks a former FBI agent for help.  The FBI agent is Rachel, but she has issues with this type of case and is not sure she wants to go down this road again.  This is a short book that was okay.  The story moved along well with some action and a good ending.  (Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Karen's review 6/20/21:

Stolen Child by Jane M. Choate is more about the romance that developed between the father of the child and Rachel, the ex-FBI agent, who helps him find her.  I did not care much for this book.  First off, I felt no connection to the child.  The child was never in it until the end.  It also seemed odd to me that the police weren't even trying to solve the case.  There were a lot of failed attempts to kill the father and Rachel.  It just didn't feel believable and even became a bit boring.  I had this one figured out pretty early on.  (3 stars)   

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"The Night Child" by Anna Quinn

In The Night Child by Anna Quinn, Nora is a high school English teacher.  She thinks that her husband is cheating on her and her relationship with her daughter, an only child, is so-so at best.  One day she sees an image in her classroom.  She blows it off, but when she sees it again, she goes to see a psychiatrist.  What is going on?  Can she be cured?

I thought this book was pretty good.  I never really knew what was going to happen next.  It's a quick read.  This is the author's first book--not bad at all.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 10:  "I saw something, Paul, an apparition or I hallucinated or I'm going crazy or something."  She hears the instability in her voice and knows she is dangerously close to crossing a line.

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"Refugee 87" by Ele Fountain

Refugee 87 by Ele Fountain is about Shif's journey to flee his country.  His father was a professor who disappeared and was never heard from again after he said teachers should be paid more when asked how the government could improve the job for teachers.  Shif was then considered the son of a traitor who would be treated poorly if he went to military school for two years like was expected after his normal schooling.  When soldiers were taking kids in his neighborhood, his mother and his best friend's mother made arrangements for them to leave the country.  Unfortunately, the soldiers came for them before they could leave!

This is a quick-paced story of Shif's life as a refugee.  I liked Shif a lot because he was a nice and smart kid.  I liked that it moved along and wasn't dragged out.  This one reminded me of Salt to Sea which was very good.  If you liked that one, I'm pretty sure you would like this one as well!
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 19:  I haven't done anything wrong, but everyone avoids the military.  I break into a run, skidding as I turn the corner to my street.  I can hear heavy boots crunching quickly down the road I just turned off.

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"The Tale of Ole Green Eyes" by Cathy Kennedy

The Tale of Ole Green Eyes by Cathy Kennedy is a short children's book about two sisters to get a scare in the woods because of the story their grandmother told them.  It has a bit of suspense.  It's a happy little story for small children.  Of course, I liked that a cat was in it!
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from Loc. 113 on Kindle:  Brittany jumped.  She spun around and gasped, "What?"

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"The Last Pirate of New York" by Rich Cohen is a True Story!

The Last Pirate of New York by Rich Cohen tells you the story of Albert Hicks aka The Last Pirate.  You will have to read the book to find out why this is so.  You go back to the 1880s in this book which I found interesting.  The writer did his homework in making me really get the feel who Hicks was.  This is a quick read, read it in two days.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 62:  Because he believed he'd already gotten away with it.  He'd sunk the ship and left the bodies at the bottom of the harbor.

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We Miss You, Abby!--A Letter to My Dog

Abby with her Daddy, Gerard

It is with great sorrow that we had to help our dog cross the Rainbow Bridge last Monday.  I thought about this book and the letter I wrote to our dog back in November of 2014 so thought this would be a good post to update and post again.    
 
A Letter to My Dog by Robin Layton is a happy, feel-good book that is a collection of notes from people (some well-known) to the dogs which show the value of rescue dogs.  Along with the notes are full-page photos of the dogs and in the back is a summary of the dog-owners with their dogs including smaller pictures of them together.  I enjoyed this book very much and found myself smiling all the way through.  It is a quick-read that I recommend to anyone who is considering getting a dog as well as all dog owners.  This book inspired me to write the following letter to our dog:

Dear Abby a/k/a Abby Dabby Doo or Abby Dabs,

You are the best dog we could ever have!  You won our hearts the first day we met you with your soft thick fur, your big beautiful brown eyes, your sweet personality, your curly fluffy tail, your big smile and your gentleness.  I am amazed at how well-behaved you were from the first day we met you.  You got along with our two cats just fine and fit right into our family with no problem at all. 

I love how all kinds of people are drawn to you.  It was so much fun taking you to dog training classes at PetSmart because you managed to make people laugh and still were the best at following commands most days.  You are so eager to please and easy to train.  We are so proud of you!  I love to watch you enjoy the outdoors and wish we had an area where you could run off leash like you did at the park the one day when the clasp broke off and you got in a good run.  I couldn’t believe how fast you could go and how happy you were that day! 

The bond you have with Gerard is heartwarming to me.  I know you will always be a daddy’s girl, but just hope you know how much I love you too.  I enjoy feeding you breakfast every morning and reviewing the commands you learned.  I like giving you big hugs and belly rubs too.  You are such a good dog and I am so glad we decided to look on Petfinder for you when we did.  You have certainly enriched our lives!

Addendum to letter--5/25/19:  We are so sorry you dislocated your shoulder January of 2017 and that you were in pain for a couple years.  You were so tough and stubborn and we just wanted to have as much time with you as possible.  It was so hard to watch you not be able to enjoy so many of the things you used to be able to do.  Yet, you were a trooper and still wanted to please us!  When you finally reached the place where you could not longer get up or walk through the house even, we knew it was time to say goodbye.  Tell Mr. Moe and Manny Boy we miss them too and say "hello" to them for us.  We know they would be ready to greet you as you cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Karen, Lucky Mom of a Rescue Dog

 (Karen's review 11-6-14, 5 stars)

A Letter to My Dog by Robin Layten is a collection of letters written by people to their dogs.  Some famous, some old, some young contributors all have one thing in common:  they love their dogs!  The pictures in this book alone are a reason to get this.  It is filled with full-page color glossy pictures of all kinds of dogs on every other page!  The letters are very touching, some funny, some sad.  If you are a dog lover, this is a must read!  I'm sure you can agree with most, if not all, of the letters.  I know I did!

What a great book to start off with for November!  I love you, Abby!
(Gerard's review 11-5-14, 5++ stars)

Also read and loved A Letter to My Cat.

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"The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise" by Dan Gemeinhart

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart is a heartwarming children’s story about a father and daughter on a road trip. They just bought a bus and drove all over together for five years after the wife and other two daughters were killed in a car accident when Coyote was 7. The father tries to forget by changing their names—he Rodeo Sunrise and the girl Coyote Sunrise. At 12 years old, Coyote gets talks on the phone to her grandmother and finds out the park is being torn down in a few days. Coyote is determined to get there to dig up the box her and her sisters and mom buried just before they died but needs to get her father to go somehow. As her and her dad travel from Florida back home to Washington State, they pick up some travel companions along the way: a cat she named Ivan, a boy and his mother, a musician, the boy’s aunt, a runaway girl, and a goat!

This book is a fun read with lots of touching moments and some wild, fun times. I liked both the dad and his daughter and her best friend, Salvador. As soon as Coyote got a kitten, I was hooked! This book has a good lesson: don’t judge people by how they look and most people want to help others if they can. Although this is a children’s book, it kept my interest all the way. It is a quick read I enjoyed! (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 26:  Ivan, superstar kitten that he was, managed to keep his grip on Rodeo's neck through all the screeching and the leaping.  Once Rodeo had shot to an upright position, Ivan decided he'd rather not be attached to a screaming, vertical hippie.


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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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