Loved "Keeping Lucy" by T. Greenwood

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood is based on a true story.  Ginny gives birth to a baby girl and names her Lucy.  At birth, the doctor tells her that her daughter is going to be a special needs child.  Her husband's father is a very rich and influential person.  He finds a way to keep Lucy out of sight and hopefully out of mind for Ginny.  But, things get out of control and Ginny goes to get her child back--this time for keeps! 

I was into this book from page 1.  This book rang true to me.  The story flowed along well and I enjoyed Ginny very much!  LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 9:  "This is all a terrible mistake," she said, yanking her hand from his and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed to get up.  Her head felt swimmy and she could still taste the acrid vomit at the back of her throat.

Happy Reading!

"A Dog Called Hope" by Jason Morgan & Damien Lewis

A Dog Called Hope by Jason Morgan is the true story about a wounded warrior and the service dog who saved him.  It is fantastic!  Jason was hurt during an anti-narcotics raid in Central America.  Months later, he was told he would never walk again.  When he is finally doing a little better, his wife leaves him.  He has three young boys and really needs something to go right!

Napal is in training to be a CCI dog.  Napal is a special dog just waiting to be given a chance to be someone's special helper. 

I really enjoyed Jason and all the stuff he had to battle through!  Of course, I loved Napal, the great dog!  This book went fast and I was engaged from page 1!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 282 (large print edition): 

As I left, Napal threw me a look that could melt anyone's heart.  It spoke to me so powerfully.  There's so much love, devotion, and companionship in here if you'll only have me.  Stand by me, and I'll be your battle buddy until the day I die.

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Making a Play" by Abbi Glines

Making a Play by Abbi Glines teen fiction about the romance between 18-yr.-old Ryker, an outstanding high school football receiver who uses girls and the quarterback's twin sister, Aurora, who is deaf and just starting at the school.  Ryker is immediately attracted to her and she finds him attractive and nice.  Although her brother and her friend warn her about him, she is determined to get to know him and make up her own mind.  The fact that she is white he is black does not bother her at all, but her dad has a different opinion. 

I liked this book better as it went along.  As Ryker changes to become more worthy of Aurora, the language improves.  I would have enjoyed more football action but that was just a backdrop.  The main story was about Aurora adjusting to a new school and fitting in even though she was deaf and how Ryker changed and started really caring for her.  Her brother was sweet to in how he wanted to protect her and look out for her.  I liked that chapters alternated between Ryker's point of view and Aurora's.  It went fast.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 32:  She knew he wouldn't accept me when he found out about my being deaf.  I was disappointed, but it was an emotion I knew well.  I would survive.  

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Blood Sisters" by Jane Corry

Blood Sisters by Jane Corry is a slow moving psychological thriller about Alison and Kitty, two step sisters. Vanessa though, being an only child, is envious of Alison and talks Kitty into making a pact to be blood sisters. One little act causes big trouble for all of them all and secrets are abundant. The day of the accident, Vanessa, Kitty's best friend, dies and Kitty suffers brain damage and is unable to speak. Alison feels enormous guilt and begins cutting herself.

This book shows how people are not all good or all bad and is about loyalty, friendship, relationships, special needs, prison, revenge, betrayal and lots of lies. I liked it but found it hard to really connect with the characters. They were so conniving!
(Karen's review 4 stars)

Teaser from page 10: She didn’t have a speech impediment, the doctor had explained to Friday Mum, as if Kitty wasn’t there. Her brain just wouldn’t translate her thoughts into words.


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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Joey--How a blind rescue horse helped others learn to see" by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley

Joey by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley is a true story which makes this so much better!  Kim believes in three things:  God, kids, horses.  She has a vision of putting hurting special needs kids with horses on a designated area, but that will take a lot of land and a lot of money!  Those are two things Kim is in short supply of so Kim puts her trust in God to provide. One horse she gets is Joey, a blind horse who was mistreated.  Can she take on a special needs horse too?

I thought this book was outstanding!  It is told very well and the women in this book are remarkable!  I fell in love with Joey!  Do not miss this one!   I'd recommend this for a book club.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 217:  Cindy's hand covered her mouth and tears streamed down her cheeks.  Sarah didn't notice her, not yet.  She was transfixed, basking in this sacred moment in which the little girl with no voice spoke up for the horse with no eyes.

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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Behind Closed Doors" by B. A. Paris (The Perfect Marriage or the Perfect Lie?)

Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris was a psychological thriller that was better than I expected.  I certainly felt sorry for Grace because of the monster she married.  He completely had her fooled to get at her sister, Millie who has Down Syndrome. 

I enjoyed this book and was eager to see how Grace was going to manage to get away from her husband, Jack and save her sister.   There are a lot of mind games going on in this book and liked that there was no graphic violence or sex scenes.  The only thing I didn't care for was the organization of the book because it jumped back and forth between the present and the past all the way through which I found annoying. 
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review 8/20/16, 5 stars:
In Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris, Grace is in the park with her sister, Millie.  Millie is a special needs person and Grace takes to caring for her after their parents reject her.  In the park one day, Jack befriends Millie and begins to romance Grace.  When Jack asks Grace to marry him, she knows better days are coming for her and Millie.

I found this thriller to be a real page turner.  The story goes back and forth in time but that only builds up the suspense.  As the author's first book, I say it is very well done!


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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Best Boy" by Eli Gottlieb was Disappointing

Best Boy by Eli Gottlieb is told by Todd Arror. He is an autistic man in his 50s who lives in a gated community with people who have special needs. He enjoys his life to a point, but would like to go live with his brother and his family. When new people come into his life, it is time to put that plan in place. This story was good enough, the characters were okay, and the book was just sort of bland. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen and it just never did. I was disappointed in this one because usually I like the books PEOPLE MAGAZINE recommends.
 (Gerard's review, 3 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. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Father's Day" by Buzz Bissinger

Father's Day by Buzz Bissinger tells the true story of a road trip Buzz took with his special needs son, Zach. You will love Zach! He might be a special needs kid, but he is smart!! I really liked him a lot! These two had a real great adventure for sure. I enjoyed reading it and I think you will too.
(Gerard's review, rating:  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!

"Animals and the Kids Who Love Them"

Animals and The Kids Who Love Them by Allen and Linda Anderson shares many stories of special needs children and the animals who gave them hope and comfort, including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and even a turtle! If this book doesn't put a smile on your face and touch your heart, I don't know what will! Read it and you'll feel better about life!
(Gerard'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 March to the American Cancer Society.

"Live to Tell" by Lisa Gardner (Updated)

Live To Tell certainly kept my interest.  It focused on Danielle who was the lone survivor when the rest of her family was murdered.  She went to work as a nurse in a Children's Psych ward to help kids who had mental illnesses.  That gave me insight into something I knew absolutely nothing about so found very interesting.  On the other hand, the "spiritual healer" that was into New Age thinking was too goofy for me.  That part of the book made no sense to me but was a core part of the book.  I liked it because it was interesting, but also found it very sad and depressing.  I did liked the ending though but wow, what a journey!  
(Karen's review 5/6/11)

Gerard's review:
Live To Tell by Lisa Gardner is one of her best books yet!  Two families are brutally murdered, one girl hangs herself, a boy has a fixation to kill his mother, and another girl thinks she's a cat!  Is that enough action for you?  I loved that this book was action-packed and moved along quickly.  It had me turning page after page!  I highly recommend you read this one!

Have your read this?  For the month of May, we will donate 50 cents for each legitimate comment to The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

"The Horse Boy" by Ruper Isaacson

Amazing Journey (30 stars)
The Horse Boy by Ruper Isaacson is the story of Rowan, a special needs child, and his father, Rupert.  Rowan forms a friendship with a testy horse named Betsy.  Rupert sees this and gets the idea to take Rowan to Outer Mongolia to attempt to be cured by the Shamans and what a journey it is!  You will fall in love with Rowan and admire Rupert who will do anything to find a cure for his son.  You will be tempted to skip some pages because at times it moves slow, but stick with it.  It has a happy ending.  I enjoyed this book and hope you do too.
(Gerard 5/30/09)

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.

"Out Of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is a novel about an 11-yr.-old girl named Melody.  Melody can’t talk or walk and has to go to a special needs class.  One thing she is though is smart.  One day she gets a talking machine so she can finally share her thoughts with others.  This is classified as a kid’s book but I really, really enjoyed it.  I think anybody would.  It’s a good story and has a great ending!  You will love Melody too!
(Gerard's review 5/11/10

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?

Why Can't U Teach Me 2 Read? by Beth Fertig

Why Can't U Teach Me 2 Read? by Beth Fertig tells the story of three people who got out of the school system barely being able to read at all.  They finally get help.  Some of the book is dry reading but the part that deals with the three people trying to read and understand what they read makes for riveting reading. (30 stars)
(Gerard's review 11/05/09)

"Somebody Else's Kids" by Torey Hayden

I liked Somebody Else's Kids by Torey Hayden because it was pretty amusing but yet sad too when you realize that this isn't fiction. Claude was a pregnant 12 yr. old who ended up giving her baby up for adoption and becoming valedictorian of her class. Lori had some brain damage so couldn’t read but a warm heart. Boo was autistic and would take of his clothes and flap around. Tomaso was violent because was angry his dad died and had to be in foster homes but was intelligent. Acted tough but showed concern for other kids, especially Lori. Lori got stuffed bear for Tomaso for his birthday and he tore it up but then had Torey sew it back up. This is a touching book.
(Karen's review 10/05)

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?

"Twilight Children: Voices No One Heard Until a Therapist Listened" by Torey Hayden

Twilight Children by Torey Hayden is one of best books Gerard ever read. Very good! Really interesting how she was able to help multiple personality Cassandra who was a real terror.

A child psychiatrist helped Cassandra (7 yr. old) who was abducted by her father for two years and was sexually abused. She developed multiple personalities but did get better eventually. Also about a 4 yr. old, Drake and Friend (his stuffed tiger) who couldn’t talk but who was thought to have selective mutism. Mother was only one who knew the truth until she confided in the psychiatrist who tried to help Drake speak. 

This is quite an interesting book that both Gerard and I liked very much.  I found it very fascinating.  It is the first book we read by Torey Hayden.
(reviewed 9/05)

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?

"Front of The Class: How Tourette Syndrom made me The Teacher I Never Had" by Brad Cohen and Lisa Wysocky

Front of The Class:  How Tourette Syndrom made me The Teacher I Never Had by Brad Cohen and Lisa Wysocky is about Brad Cohen and his Tourette Syndrome which is something that causes him to make strange noises and movements that he cannot control.  Growing up, he was bullied by his dad and his schoolmates, yet had a burning desire to be a teacher.  This book tells about how he overcame so many obstacles to achieve his goal and is truly inspiring.  Front Of The Class was so good that they made a Hallmark movie about it.  I enjoyed both the book and the movie very much recommend it to anyone.
--Gerard's review 2/25/10 (5+ stars) Karen enjoyed the movie too but did not read the book.

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?

"Looking For A Miracle" by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Looking For A Miracle by Wanda E. Brunstetter is about Rebekah, an Amish young woman who had an accident as a girl and was confined to a wheelchair.  It is a slow moving story about how Rebekah struggles with trusting God for her future and is somewhat bitter because of her handicap.  I liked how she found a way to become more self-supporting and finally found romance and love.  It gives some insight into the Amish community which I found to be interesting and includes a recipe for home-made root beer in the back.  I recommend this for anyone who likes to read about the Amish and enjoys a light, predictable read. This is the 2nd book of the "Brides of Lancaster" series.

(Karen's review 1/9/10)

 
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?

Stranded by Ben Mikaelsen

Stranded by Ben Mikaelsen is a young adult fiction book about a Jr. High girl who has lost her foot in an accident and finally gets accepted at school when everyone hears about her saving two whales.  The story delves into her feelings about her parents separation, school, fears of what others think about her and how she finally accepts herself.  In reading this book, I learned a bit more about whales and liked the theme that was not to judge people by how they look on the outside, but to look deeper at who people really are.  Her special relationship she had with the whales was interesting.  I enjoyed this light, fast read very much.  I think the author did a fantastic job at getting inside the head of a young girl.

 (Karen's review 11/20/09)

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?