"Half A King" by Joe Abercrombie is a Real Page Turner

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie is about a young man named Yarvi. When he finds out that his brother and father are dead, he is next in line to become the king—something that he does not want. As events unfold, he finds himself a slave on a ship. Does he stay a slave? Does he take his rightful place as king? And what and who killed his brother and father? This is a real page turner of a great fantasy novel with plenty of action which had me glued to the book. I think there is going to be a book two and if so, I’ll be on it! 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!

"Sleepwalker" by Wendy Corsi Staub

Sleepwalker by Wendy Corsi Staub is all about a father who seeks revenge on people he feels are responsible for his son's imprisonment and subsequent death.  This book is gruesome and the killer is a real creepy mean person who goes to extreme lengths to make others lives miserable.  Allison McKenna's testimony at his son's trial is what convinced the jury to convict him so the father lives to make her pay.  Allison, Mack and their three little kids kept me reading.  Once Mack starts sleepwalking as a side effect from his medication, things start picking up and get very interesting.

This book started out slow for me and I almost gave up on it because of how mean and creepy the killer is.  It is not you basic who done it because right from the start you know who the killer is.  The "mystery" of it is if Allison and Mack will be able to stay safe and keep their happy family together.  I'm glad I finished it and didn't quit on it.  If you like creepy books, I recommend it.
(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!

"Alex" by Pierre Lemaitre - Favorite Read For September (Updated)

In Alex by Pierre Lemaitre, a woman is kidnapped but that just touches the surface in this captivating novel.  It is filled with twists and turns that I never saw coming which caused me to really enjoy this book a lot!  I can certainly see why it won a CWA International Dagger Award for the Best Crime Novel of 2013!  I highly recommend this one if you want a good thriller.  It's my favorite read for September!  Read and enjoy!  
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)  

Alex by Pierre Lemaitre is a dark crime novel that is also a psychological thriller which takes place in Paris is all about revenge.  Although the serial killer is revealed early on, the police take a long time drawing a connection between the victims.  They appear to be random killings, but all gruesome in the same way.   Alex, the main character is a complicated person to say the least.  My favorite part was when the rats were crawling all over the crate Alex was trapped in!  The author did an excellent job in evoking a wide range of feelings toward Alex.  This novel is certainly a page turner and one that is so creepy that I couldn’t help thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it.   I highly recommend this to anyone who likes murder mysteries and police investigation novels. 
(Karen'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!

"Permanent Record" by Leslie Stella

Permanent Record by Leslie Stella is a young adult novel about a boy going to a private high school.  There are two problems:  (1) he does not practice the faith of the school; and (2) he does not go along with the rules of the school as in selling candy bars and following the football team.  Consequently, he gets bullied a lot! I thought this book was pretty spot-on in showing what goes on in private high schools (I went to one myself and got bullied).  There are some laughs along the way and a couple of surprises.
(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!

"Alex Cross, Run" by James Patterson

Don't let the size scare you off--this was LARGE print.

In Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson, there are a lot of dead bodies in Washington. It's up to Alex Cross to find their killer, or is it killers, and bring them to justice. What he doesn't know is that one man is out there that is after him and will do anything to get his revenge. I liked Alex Cross, Run because it moved right along with a good surprise ending.
(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 Burning Air" by Erin Kelly

The Burning Air by Erin Kelly tells the story of a young boy who when he gets turned down to enter a private school, holds a grudge against the family who runs it. The first 75 pages set the background and then the two plots kick in. Why two? You will find out when you read it. The last 100 pages or so are absolutely gripping! This is Erin Kelly's third book and in my mind, she is 3 for 3.
(Gerard's review)

Other books we read by her:
The Dark Rose
The Poison Tree

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!

"Did You Miss Me? by Karen Rose (UPDATED)

A Real Page Turner For Sure!

Did You Miss Me by Karen Rose is a fast-paced, complex thriller about revenge, betrayal, dysfunctional families and a very brave prosecuting attorney, Daphne (a cancer survivor), who is a target and the romance that develops between her and the Federal agent (Joseph) who tries to find her kidnapped son.  This novel has a lot of things going on:  abduction, murder, manipulation, crime investigation, colorful characters and secrets. 

 

I loved the part Daphne’s dog played in this novel.  Divorces, remarriages and name changes really make it challenging for the reader to keep everyone straight and make all the connections.  Parts reminded me of the writing style of Brandilyn Collins where the author leaves you hanging and then jumps to another scene with other characters.  The author creates lots of suspense without a lot of gore.  I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers with some mystery.

(Karen's review added 3/22/13)

Did You Miss Me by Karen Rose is the story of a man who has a grudge against a woman prosecutor in Baltimore.  For me the best part of this book was following the man who had it all planned out how he was going to get his revenge against her--just excellent with a great ending and lots of suspense.  Put this one on your TBR list and when you read it, you will be happy 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!

"The Stonecutter" by Camilla Lackberg - Giveaway

The main story in The Stonecutter by Camilla Lackberg is about a killing of a 7-yr.-old girl who a fisherman brings up out of the water.  However, there are a ton of other subplots which are all good too!  There is a lot of deception in this book.  It is a 500+ page novel that doesn't feel that long because I got caught up in the story.  I loved the wild ending and that is why I give it 5 stars plus!  I enjoyed it a lot!  It also has discussion questions in the back if you wish to use it for a book club read.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

We will give this one away to whomever comments first saying they would like it with an email address so we can contact you for a mailing address.  

(We received a complimentary copy from the publicist, Simon and Shuster but this did not affect my thoughts about this book.)


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!

"Never Coming Back" by Hans Koppel

Never Coming Back, International bestseller, by Hans Koppel tells the story of a couple who hold a woman hostage that they feel was responsible for their daughter's suicide 20 years ago. She was a member of "The Gang of Four" who terrorized a school. The other three are dead; will she meet the same fate? You talk about a page turner, this is it! Plenty of "wow" factors and the ending is not to be missed! I give it 5 stars plus-plus!!! A must read for anyone who likes a good story.
(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 List" by Siobhan Vivian (UPDATED)

The List by Siobhan Vivian takes you back to high school. Every year at Mount Washington High School, "the List" of the four prettiest girls in each class and the four ugliest girls in each class comes out. This book follows all eight girls in the week leading up to the Homecoming dance on Saturday. The Homecoming dance night is really good! I loved this book and went back and forth on how I felt about each girl. I pretty much read this in just one day. Two things I'm certain of about this book are: (1) You will enjoy it; and (2) You will be glad you are not in High School anymore! If you are still in High School, you have my sympathy! Hang in there, life does get better.
(Gerard)

Karen's review:
The List by Siorhan Vivian portrays high school girls as shallow, selfish, jealous, wild and boy crazy. The premise of the book was that every year a week before homecoming, a list came out with copies posted all over the school listing the prettiest and ugliest girl for each grade 9-12. The book followed the eight girls who made "The List" and showed how it affected them. I only really liked Lauren (one of the pretty girls), Danielle (one of the "ugly" ones and Abby's sister, Fern who had made the ugly list the year before. I just didn't relate to this book at all because I was never into fashion, looks or petty jealousy as a high schooler. Nor was homecoming ever a big deal to me. I tried to imagine how I would have felt if my high school did such a thing and listed me as ugly. Bottom line is, I wouldn't pay any attention to such a stupid list.

This is a quick read though and was entertaining. I just felt annoyed my most of the girls in this book because they were so preoccupied with what others thought and expected. They all seemed to me to have very low self esteem which I found quite sad. I liked the ending though and was surprised to find out who made the list. Of the boys in this book, I really liked Milo and felt bad that his friend, Sarah, was acting so crazy and being so mean to him. He stuck by her anyway and actually helped her.

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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Scent of Rain and Lightning" by Nancy Pickard

"The Scent of Rain and Lightning" is a murder mystery that takes place in Kansas.  When one of the sons of a wealthy and influential family is killed and his wife missing, their 3-yr.-old daughter goes to live with her grandparents, Hugh Senior and Annabelle.  The family immediately suspects one of their young ranch hands, Billy Crosby, a wife beater and an alcoholic.  Billy is sent to prison for murder but the body of the victim's wife was not found and no one really knows what happened to her (until the very end of the book).  When Billy gets out thanks to his son becoming a lawyer and getting his sentence commuted due to an improper investigation 23 years later, most of the town is not very happy.  

This book is about family, betrayal, revenge and marriage.  I enjoyed this book very much but almost didn't read it because of the sex scene that it starts off with.  I thought the whole book was going to be that way, but it isn't.  I felt sad about several good people getting killed and it had me guessing throughout the book as to who the real murderer was.  I thought it was a good read and had a hard time putting it down.  I recommend it if you like a good murder mystery and books about families.
(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 April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Homecoming of Samuel Lake" by Jenny Wingfield

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield is a good story about three families.  Tragedy hits when Swan's grandfather commits suicide and her father, Samuel Lake, loses his church. Samuel Lake is a preacher with a wife, a daughter named Swan and two boys. He lost his church so moved his family to live with his wife's parents in Arkansas. The preacher's kids meet a boy named Blade who is abused by his father who is their neighbor. Swan determines to help Blade hide from his father. The author does a good job of story telling about good and evil using three families--the Lakes/Moses and Ballengers. Through the story, the little girl and father both pray for miracles, trusting God for a good outcome.

Here's a little teaser for you:

I know you're probably afraid of your daddy.  I'm afraid of him, myself, and I only saw him once.  So why don't I have my daddy talk to your daddy?  My daddy's a preacher.  He talks people into changing their ways all the time. (pg. 57)

This book held my attention because there is the story about the kids trying to protect Blade, the family dynamics, the faith angle and the murder. This was an interesting read with lots of characters that I liked.
(Karen's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)

(Read on Kindle for free through library.)

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

"Blood Feud" by David Robbins (UPDATED)

Blood Feud by David Robbins moved along at a good pace and kept my interest because Chace was such an interesting character.  It is is full of killing, a shoot-em up book about family loyalty, revenge, and hate. My favorite part was when Chace fled to Galveston, Texas and took over the hawking business from Tunk to help the kids which showed he was kind-hearted in spite of being a killer.  I did like the ending!
(Karen's review 9/12/11)

Blood Feud by David Robbins is about a feud between the Harkey clan and the Shannon clan. Chase Shannon sets out for revenge after the brutal rape of his older sister by the Harkeys. To say I enjoyed this book would be an understatement--I loved it! Blood Feud is a double wow, which means it's as good as it gets! The good news is that there is going to be two more books in this series. Can't wait!! Read and enjoy!
(Gerard's review 9/8/11)

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

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