"A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard

Thanks to the Best of 2011 Blog Hop over at "A Pause on the Path," I discovered that this is our most viewed post of 2011 with 106.

As I read A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a novel but it actually happened. It's a remarkable story of how Jaycee was kidnapped and lived in a backyard shack for 18 years. It will have you turning pages quickly because it is riveting. Thanks for telling your story so well, Jaycee! Hope your daughters and you can enjoy a normal life. I'm glad you finally have a dog too!
(Gerard's review)

After seeing the news story about Jaycee Dugard being kidnapped at age 11 and held captive for 18 years, I wasn't sure I wanted to read her book, A Stolen Life, because the abductor was such a slimeball but I am glad I did.  This is a fascinating book. I was pleasantly surprised that although she did not have freedom, she was not tortured too much. She cooperated so he would not get mad and so she could survive. It did surprise me though that she didn’t even think about ways to escape. I was so happy that she had kittens and a bird to keep her company. Phillip raped her and she became a 14-yr.-old mother of a healthy baby girl and had another later too. These girls brightened her life. This is a heartbreaking story while she was in captivity, but fortunately it has a happy ending.
(Karen's Review)

Here is a video that summarizes what she went through.  After we saw the show, we wanted to read her book!





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.

"Lost In Shangri-La" by Mitchell Zuckoff is an Amazing Adventure!

Here are my five reasons why I loved Lost In Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff: (1) It's a true story; (2) I was not up to speed on this at all so it was very interesting to me; (3) superb writing; (4) great story; and (5) has a double “WOW” factor!

This book tells the story about 24 servicemen during World War II who on a Sunday afternoon flew to a remote island in New Guinea. The plane crashed, killing 21 out of 24 people. Only two men and one woman survived. They were on a remote island filled with native tribesmen without any provisions at all and little hope of a rescue mission anytime soon. This is an incredible story that is told very well. I loved it! I highly recommend it if you like novels about real events and adventure.

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.

"Faith" by Jennifer Haigh is a Must Read!

WOW! Double Wow!  Faith by Jennifer Haigh is good!  It is told by a sister who has two brothers.  One brother is a priest, accused of molesting a child.  I loved this book, especially enjoyed the family.  A loving family, this is not.  Brother vs. brother, sister vs. brother, husband vs. wife made for great reading.  The last 75 pages are some of the best pages you will read all year!  It was impossible to put down!  The ending is a shocker!  I highly recommend you put this on your TBR list--it's SO GOOD!
(Gerard's review)

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.

"Night Road" by Kristin Hannah (UPDATED)

This book would make an excellent Hallmark or Lifetime movie! Night Road by Kristin Hannah is the story of three teens, two girls who become friends and the twin brother of one of the girls who falls in love with her friend. One night they drink and drive and the outcome of that mistake tells the story of this book. What made this book so good to me is that you care about each and every one of the characters. The writing is that good and also I liked the beautiful ending! Well worth your time to read this—it's a winner!
(Gerard's Review)

I loved Night Road by Kristin Hannah! This is such a heartbreaking story that delves into friendship, teenage drinking, family relationships, dealing with grief, love and forgiveness. Lexi is a very lonely but nice girl who grew up in foster care for most of her life. She becomes best friends with another lonely girl, Mia, who comes from a very good family. Lexi falls in love with Mia’s twin brother, Zach, the homecoming king. Mia’s parents, especially her mother, Jude, are thrilled Mia has a friend and treat Lexi as a member of the family. In one night, everything changes, just two weeks before graduation when the three good friends drink, drive and get in a car accident that leaves Mia dead.

This is just an amazing read. I could feel the emotions the different characters went through and couldn’t help but feel sorry for Lexi, the driver of the car. Zach, Lexi and Jude all played the blame game, mostly blaming themselves. I can’t say enough good things about this book! The characters were likeable and realistic, the plot is well done and certainly sends a strong message not to drive drunk. I have to read more books by Kristin Hannah—this one was so good! I highly recommend it to parents and teens or anyone who likes a good love story. This is definitely one of the best books I've read so far this year!
(Karen's review)

Other Reviews of this book:  Sheery's Place loved it!

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.

"Out Of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

I enjoyed this children's book, Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper about Melody, a girl with Cerebral Palsy. She had a photographic memory but greatly limited physically. She couldn't talk, walk, feed herself or do basic things. Kids thought she was retarded and pretty much ignored her or made fun of her. When she was in 5th grade, she got a medi-talker which enabled her to communicate. When the kids discovered how smart Melody was, they were very surprised.

This was a quick, enjoyable read that has increased my empathy for those who have disabilities.  I recommend this to anyone who knows or has contact with special needs kids.

To see how far we have come as a society though in treating people with Cerebral Palsy, I suggest you read Petey by Ben Mikaelsen which is about the 1920s.  This one is very sad but also interesting.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Check out Bloggin' bout Books review of this for another opinion:  An Important Story For Us All

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.

"Saving Max" by Antoinette Van Heugten Scores High In My Book

If you go on Amazon.com, this book did not score very well at all.  But, if there was a Gerard.com, this book would get high marks!  I enjoyed it a lot!  The story is based on Max, a young teen boy who is Autistic and smart.  When he gets checked into a special care facility, he is accused of murdering a fellow patient.  Max’s mother does everything in her power to clear her son.  This book drags somewhat, but the hearing in front of the judge which is Part 3, more than makes up for it.  It is SO GOOD!  Especially when the mother, who is an attorney, takes over to defend her son.  Fantastic!  Put this on your to read list--you can thank me later.   

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.

66 Love Letters by Dr. Larry Crabb is Incredible!

From God To You: 66 Love Letters (A Conversation With God That Invites You Into His Story) by Dr. Larry Crabb is one of the most unique books and profound books I have come across. I loved it! I am so happy I won this book in a giveaway because I found myself underlining something in just about every chapter. It is like a summary and commentary on the Bible but is written in such a way that held my attention and made me eager to read more. The writing is incredible because the whole book is written as a conversation between God and a man about each of the books of the Bible. So often, the man is asking the same questions I have about the different books. Through “God’s” part of the conversation, the author shows how all the books come together to point to Jesus and God’s plan to get people to His “big party (heaven).”

I took my time reading this one since I own it, and because there is so much to comprehend and chew on. It is very thought provoking and will be treasured as a great reference book in my library. I plan to re-read the chapters that relate to the book of the Bible I am currently reading. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in spiritual things or who has questions concerning things in the Bible.

Here's my teaser.
(Karen’s review)

About the Author:

Dr. Larry Crabb is a well-known psychologist, seminar speaker, Bible teacher, author, and founder/director of New Way Ministries (www.newwayministries.org). He serves as Spiritual Director for the American Association of Christian Counselors.


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Up From The Blue" by Susan Henderson

I find it hard to believe that Up From The Blue is Susan Henderson’s first book.  I really liked it!  Up From The Blue is about a Colonel’s daughter who one day finds that her mom is missing.  When she finds her mother, that is when the book really picks up steam.  All the characters are portrayed very well:  the dad, the brother and the mother and daughter.  Up From The Blue is a real page turner!  I’ll be looking for Ms. Henderson’s next work for sure!  I give this 10 stars and definitely recommend it!
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this one too after Gerard finished it and didn't like it near as much as Gerard:
Up From The Blue by Susan Henderson is just a very sad book about a family who is really unconnected with each other.  The girl is 8, the boy is 12 and neither really feels loved.  The dad is a military man who is at his wits end when it comes to helping his wife.  She is depressed all the time and he just hides it from everyone, telling the kids not to talk about her.  It‘s a story of putting on an act and hiding true feelings.  I felt bad for each one in the family.  It reminded me of The Glass Castle except that was non-fiction.  Told from the little girl’s point of view, the reader doesn’t get the full story until the girl does.  Although it is an interesting read, I didn’t care for it because it was just so depressing--no one in the family felt good enough. 
(Karen's review)

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

"Half A Life" by Darin Strauss is a "Must Read"

Half A Life is a memoir of Darin Strauss, who at age 18 while driving, had a car accident that killed a girl.  This book is good; read it in two days.  It was hard to put down because I never read anything like it before.  It is all about how Darin handled what happened.  I kept thinking about what if I did this?  Half A Life is an outstanding and a memorable read.  The writing is superb!  I highly recommend it!  (10 stars)
(Gerard's review)

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

"The Lock Artist" by Steve Hamilton Deserves The Hype

"The Lock Artist" lives up to the hype! Now I know why this book made the top 10 teen books of the year.  It’s that good!  The lock artist, Michael, tells the story.  He has two special things that make him unusual:  (1) he does not speak out loud; (2) he can open up any lock.  The writing is very good.  I got into it right away!  Both story lines kept my interest.  I was “locked” into this book!  I give this 10 stars and highly recommend it!
(Gerard's review)

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

"Perfect Chemistry" by Simone Elkeles Is Great!

What a fun read “Perfect Chemistry” by Simone Elkeles is!  I enjoyed reading Perfect Chemistry very much because it was such a cute high school romance story about the “perfect” pom-pom girl, Brittany Ellis, and the Latino Blood gang member, Alex, who had the reputation for being the most dangerous guy in school.  The Fairfield high school is cross cultural with the uppity rich kids from the North and the poor drug-dealing gang members from the south.  The Chemistry teacher and principal are determined to get the kids to learn from each other.   

When Brittany and Alex are paired together as partners in Chemistry it takes them awhile before they feel comfortable with each other to actually work together.  Although the plot is simplistic and predictable, it’s a fun read because of the characters, the humor and a great ending.  I liked Alex better than Brittany because he seemed to have more love and respect for his family than Brittany had for her parents.

Alex also struggled with deeper decisions whereas Brittany’s biggest decision was which guy she should go with—the jock that everyone expected her to like or Alex who she was attracted to and really liked.  I think the author did a good job at presenting both sides of Brittany and Alex—their caring and loving natures as well as the superficial ones they presented to the world.

I really liked this book because I like stories about teens, school and interesting characters.  Brittany and Alex discovered that stereotypes are not always right and were surprised to discover that they had more in common than they would have ever imagined as they got to know each other better and actually became friends and lovers.  This book addresses the issues of image, popularity, premarital sex, family, dealing with cerebral palsy, judging by appearances, teaching and gangs.  I didn’t care for the foul language interspersed throughout the book or the fact that premarital sex was taken so lightly, but it reflected the general attitude of most high schoolers.  I am so glad I read Perfect Chemistry and highly recommend it to anyone who likes YA fiction/romance.     
(Karen's review)


I discovered this one at Miss Page-Turner's city of Books
Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Rules" by Cynthia Lord: A Good First Read Of 2011

I finished this on New Year's Eve and really enjoyed Rules by Cynthia Lord a lot.  This book is about a 12-yr.-old girl named Catherine who has a brother with Autism.  He lives by a set of rules.  Catherine also has a relationship with a wheelchair-bound boy named Jason.  This is a fast read and very believable for a fiction book.  Well done, Ms. Lord, your first book is okay by me.
(Gerard's Review)

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

"Deeper Than The Dead" by Tami Hoag

Deeper Than The Dead by Tami Hoag is a murder mystery with many victims.  It is a real tragedy in more ways than one.  The author does a fantastic job of delving into the four families of the children who find a dead woman buried in the park and their teacher who is truly concerned about them.  Another dimension of the book is the criminal investigation, which includes an FBI agent falling in love with the teacher and a deputy who is the father of a bully who is one of the boys who discovered the dead body in the park.  I liked the insight into the different families who all had issues.  I felt bad for all the children and enjoyed the surprise twists that kept popping up along the way.  It certainly was not predictable and kept my interest all the way through.  It was a fast read and I recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery.  
(Karen's Review 2/22/10)

Awesome book!  Page turner!  I really enjoyed Deeper Than The Dead by Tami Hoag!  One day four children come across a dead body in the park and from there this book takes off.  The story line between the kids, their parents, the school teacher and the detective trying to solve the crime is superb.  Throw in a lot of of twists and turns and a surprise ending and you get this great book!  Deeper Than The Dead got my attention at page 1 and kept it all the way through.   A MUST READ!  This was the first book I read by Tami, but will be back for more!
(Gerard's Review 2/11/10) (5+ stars)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

I loved The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  I finished it in just two days it was so hard to put down.  Even when I wasn’t reading it, I still was thinking about it.  This is the first book in the series and I am hooked!  It takes place in a fictional country called Panem that the Capitol controls which is divided into districts based on industry.  Just to make sure everyone realizes the Capitol is in control, they run annual Hunger Games where they force two teens from each district to enter a competition to fight to the death in a place that the game makers pick on live TV. 

Katniss is the main character, a 16-yr-old girl who is a good hunter and who volunteers to take your younger sister’s place.  The boy from her district that is also chosen has a long-time crush on her but she does not realize it until he mentions it in his interview.  Katniss struggles with not only surviving the game, but also with friendships and her feelings for Peeta, her admirer and her friend Gale, the boy she hunted with before having to leave for the hunger games. 

There is humor in the book as well because Peeta and Katniss both have a rebellious attitude toward the Capitol and try not to let the game change them.  I especially liked when they went through their training for the show and Katniss outscored everyone by impressing the gamemakers with her talent and spunk.  

This book is awesome!  This is a must read if you like psychological thrillers and adventure.  This is one of my all-time favorite books and I look forward to reading the rest of series!  If you like the TV show, Survivor, you will love The Hunger Games since there are some similarities.
(Karen's review)

Are you kidding me?  one of the best books I ever read was Pack of Two but this book is it's equal!  What an awesome book!  The Hunger Games is about a young teen girl who takes the place of her younger sister in the fight to the death annual TV show.  I could not put this book down and I hear the second book in this series, Catching Fire is even better!  Wow!  I can't wait to read it too! (100 stars)
 (Gerard's review)




Reviews by Other Blogers:
For What It's Worth: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire
Bloggin' 'bout Books: The Hunger Games Will Eat You Up and Spit You Out Only After Taking You On An Edge-Of-Your-Seat Thrill Ride

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

A Bible Reading Challenge For You

 I just discovered this morning that Mom's Toolbox:  Tools For Real Moms Growing In Christ is starting a blogger Bible reading challenge to read the Bible through in 90 days.  It just started yesterday so hurry over there to sign up. 


I read the Holy Bible through once.  It's a wonderful book that can really make a huge difference in your life if you accept it as God's Holy Word and ask God to show you the truth and speak to your heart as you read it.  It is not a text book and should not be read as one.  It is inspired by God.  It is like no other book broken down into two main parts:  The Old Testament (the time before Jesus came to earth--the old covenant between God and man) and the New Testament (the time about Jesus life on earth and the acts of his disciples and his teachings--The New Covenant between God and man.)  The entire Bible is broken down into 66 books with chapter and verse references. 


There is something for everyone in the Bible.  Basic major groupings of the books by category include:



Books of the Law (aka Books of Moses), history, poetry, major prophets (major because they are longer), minor prophets (minor because they are shorter, not less important), gospels, church history, Letters by Paul, other letters, prophecy.
Gerard and I both love this book because it is life changing and thought provoking.  It is truly unique, like no other!  We highly recommend it!

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Neighbor" by Lisa Gardner

I would think The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner is more of a woman's book, but I read it and enjoyed it.  It's a fiction story about a woman who disappears one night, all signs point to foul play and to her husband.  This book is a real page turner!  The characters are very believable.  I have to admit, the ending surprised me very much!  I highly recommend you read this book.

(Gerard's review 9/23/09)

"New Tricks" by David Rosenfelt

New Tricks by David Rosenfelt is a murder mystery that is a good fun read.  It goes fast, I got into it right away and it has an unbelievable ending.  What more can you ask for?  I recommend you read this book.  I give it 7 stars.

(Gerard's review 8/23/09)