"The Drift" by C. J. Tudor

In The Drift by C. J. Tudor is about survival.  Hannah, Meg and Carter are all in a tough spot at different locations.  They will have to work with other people to get out alive.  What all three do not know is that a bigger danger awaits them!  This has a good storyline with lots of action and I enjoyed the characters too!  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Drowning" (The rescue of flight 1421) by T. J. Newman

Drowning by T. J. Newman is about a plane that was in trouble from the start and is now deep in the ocean.  Can anybody be saved?  This is very good stuff as you can see how this could actually happen!  It is interesting how they came up with things to try to save people!  (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

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"Three Sisters" by Heather Morris (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Book 3)

Three Sisters by Heather Morris is based on a true story.  Three sisters make a pact to always stay together and be there for each other, but when two of them are sent to a concentration camp by the Nazis, that pact is put to the test.  Will they survive to see their sister again?  This book is really good!  The parts about the concentration camp are very powerful!  I loved all the three sisters and liked the very good ending!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"Cilka's Journey" by Heather Morris

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris is based on the true story of Cilka Klein.  What a story it is!  She was only 16 when she was taken to a concentration camp.  After that she was sent to a Siberian prison camp--the charge was sleeping with the enemy.  She will have to be strong to endure this.  

Good stuff!  Cilka was so brave and determined to stay alive in the face of death every day.  Be sure to read the additional information and the afterword as well.  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)  

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"Five Survive" by Holly Jackson is so Good It's a Must Read!

Five Survive by Holly Jackson is a teen thriller than kept my interest.  Six friends head to spring break in an RV and end up in a deserted area with a shooter shooting out their tires and gas tank!  He says one of them has a secret and he'll only let them go if they tell him what he wants to know.  What does he want to know?  He doesn't say!  He just says they know who they are.  They can't call for help because there is no cell service.  How will they get out?    

This has lots of suspense in it as the friends try to figure out ways to escape and send for help.  This is a really good book because all through it, I was trying to figure out who was the one going to die (based on the title), how they would get out of this predicament and what the secret was and who had it.  I agree with my husband about this one--it's a page-turner and a must read if you enjoy mysteries and thrillers.  Even the ending is a shocker!    (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 1/23/23:
In Five Survive by Holly Jackson, six friends pile into an RV for a fun weekend at a camp.  They get lost in the dark and go into the woods where their RV breaks down!  Just when they are about to go, someone makes sure that they are not going anywhere until they give him what he wants.

This was SO GOOD from the writing, to lots of action, the storyline, the believable characters, and a great ending!  This went really fast because I couldn't stop turning the pages!  Do not miss this one!  (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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"The Lost Girls of Willowbrook" by Ellen Marie Wiseman is Based on True Events

In The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman, Sage is an identical twin.  Her sister that she thought died six years ago is actually missing.  She escaped from Willowbrook and Sage sets out to find her.  Sage assumes Willowbrook is a school but finds out how wrong she is.  At Willowbrook, Sage is mistaken for her sister and must use all her smarts to find her.  

I thought this book was really good because of the writing and storyline.  I felt like I got to know Willowbrook very well.  What an awesome and eye-opening road it was for me!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"The Family Game" by Catherine Steadman

In The Family Game by Catherine Steadman, life is good for Harriet.  Her new book is flying off the shelves!  She is engaged to a very handsome rich man and is about to have a baby.  One thing left to do is meet her future husband's family.  There are a lot of them who are also very rich.  When she meets her future father-in-law, he gives her a tape of a book he's been working on to listen to.  Then it's game time!  

I think this book is outstanding with good characters and storyline.  I loved the ending!  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"Killers of a Certain Age" by Deanna Raybourn

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn is about how four retired women assassins scheme, plot and fight for their survival against the very organization that hired and trained them to be killers.  This book moved slow for me, but had me interested right from the start.  It had a bit of humor but not enough to say it was humorous.  It is narrated from the point of view of Billie, one of the old women assassins.  The characters seemed shallow.  I felt they could have been developed more.  I'm glad I stuck with it though because the last few chapters were very good!  (Karen's review, 3 stars)

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"The Displacements" by Bruce Holsinger

The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger is about a family who is living the good life, real good!  However, a hurricane changes everything and now they will have to learn how to survive without all the good things they took for granted.  I enjoyed this book because I liked all the family members and the ending.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah is One We Both Liked a Lot!

You can count on Kristin Hannah books being good and The Four Winds is one of them!  In this one, she highlights the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era.  Elsa is kicked out by her family after she got knocked up by a farmer boy.  They got married and lived with his parents on their farm.  Elsa learned farming and loved her husband, but when the drought came with the dust storms, he couldn't handle it and left her and their two young children to try to find work in California.  

This book is really good!  I loved the character interaction all the way through.  Elsa was a great character who carried the book.  She had low self-esteem but turned out to be very brave for her children.  I would have liked a different ending, but still loved the book.  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review 7/7/21:

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah is historical fiction about the struggle of farmers in America during the Great Depression and the big dust storms in the plains.  Many farmers left their land to try to find jobs in California where they thought they could find work.  Elsa, Rafe and her two kids Loreida and Anthony work on a farm in Texas with Rafe's parents.  When a long drought comes causing the crops and animals to die, Rafe leaves on his own for California.  When circumstances get even worse, Elsa has no choice but to leave with her kids as well.  Will Elsa find work?  Will she and her kids make it to California?  Will she find Rafe one day?  Will Rafe's parents be able to save the farm?  

This is a good book that made me appreciate all I have and how easy my life is compared to what people had to deal with during the Great depression.  I felt the characters were real people and cared about them.  This is a sad story about what love is and its importance.  I couldn't help but wonder how this book would end and was satisfied with the ending.  This book certainly opened my eyes and heart to the poor people who live in poverty.  I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction dealing with survival. 

This book reminded me of The Children's Blizzard because both dealt with children trying to survive the elements, but I liked this one better because of the writing and because there is more action in it.  (5 stars)

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"Girl A" by Abigail Dean

Girl A by Abigail Dean is based on a true story.  Lex and her siblings grew up in a "house of horrors."  When the parents die, Lex and her sister want to turn their house into a house of goodwill.  

This book goes back and forth in time which got tedious after awhile; however, the strength of the story is good enough to overcome that.  I think this would make an ideal Lifetime movie for sure!  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Alone" by Megan E. Freeman

In Alone by Megan E. Freeman, Maddie is having a secret sleepover that turns into a disaster when she awakes and finds that she is all alone.  I mean really alone, no people anywhere!  Now what?  I liked this book a lot for the following reasons:

1. It is told in verse so goes fast!
2. The story moved along and does not go back and forth in time.
3. Always looked forward to getting back to it to find out what would happen next.
4. Maddie is a great character!
5. I loved George, her dog!
6. It has a good ending!

(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"Her Last Breath" by J. A. Schneider

In Her Last Breath by J. A. Schneider, Mari wakes up in bed in a strange room with a dead man she does not know next to her who has a knife in his chest.  She remembers nothing!  Did she do it or is this a set up?  This book is pretty good.  Mari was a good lead character and I really cared about her.  The story had a good flow and it kept me guessing!  The ending was okay.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)


Karen's review of 12/29/17:
Her Last Breath by J. A. Schneider is a page-turning murder mystery. Mari, who is separated from her husband, wakes up on a bed in a strange room with blood all over her, her dress torn and next to a dead guy she doesn’t know who has a knife in his chest! To top it off, she has asthma and cannot find her inhaler. While looking for it, she passes out and wakes to another strange man who is trying to save her. The cops arrest her for the guy’s murder because her fingerprints were on the knife. The guy who saved her life is a former cop, currently a construction worker named Jay. Mari’s husband, Ted who is a lawyer, comes to the hospital and volunteers to defend her. Mari gets to the point of being paranoid and not knowing who to trust!

Teaser from page 1: She froze; gasped. Couldn’t take in air seeing his black hair, his chest hidden under a tent of bloodied sheet.

I got hooked on this book right from the start and was surprised with the ending. I did not figure out who the murderer was although it was obvious someone was setting Mari up. I hope to find more books by this author and highly recommend this one if you enjoy a good mystery. She has a series of standalone thrillers with the same cops as are in this one.
(5 stars)


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"Fallen Land" by Taylor Brown (Historical Fiction)

Fallen Land by Taylor Brown takes place in the final year of the Civil War.  Ava and Callum are on the run because a band of marauders are after a bounty that is on Callum, a seasoned horse thief from Ireland.  Reiver, thier horse, must carry Ava and Callum to safety.

I enjoyed this book and its two main characters very much.  It is like a western which I haven't read in a long time so a nice change of pace for me.  This is the author's first book!  This is the second time I've read this one--I liked it when I read it in 2016 too.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 24:  The boy staggered along behind, finding his legs.  He was still disoriented, his boots tripping along the ground.

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"No Better Friend" by Robert Weintraub about a WWII Dog

No Better Friend by Robert Weintraub is about one man, one dog, and their extraordinary story of courage and survival in WWII.  WOW!  This book is so good!  My review will not do it justice, but I will try.  Two British sailors were looking for a mascot for their gunboat.  They fell in love with Judy, a fiercely loyal dog, Right away! This took place just as World War II was about to begin.  Judy was right in the midst of the battle.  She had a relationship with all the men but formed a strong bond with a sailor named Frank. 

This book takes you through World War II.  The writing made me feel as though I were right there with them.  The adventures that Judy and Frank go through are really something!  I enjoyed this book very much!  Judy put her life on the line for the men so many times!  What a dog!  What a book!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 5:  "Swim"! Frank yelled to Judy, while giving her one last push that sent her flying out the porthole.  Below, the ocean was roiling and filling with oil and debris from the dying ship.

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"The Escape Room" by Megan Goldin is SO GOOD!

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin is a wild thriller about ruthless investment bankers who are controlled by greed. Four find themselves trapped inside an elevator for what they think is an exercise in team building. Sarah Hall is ecstatic to get hired and become part of this team, but when they turn on her when she tries to do the right thing, her life goes south fast.

This is a contemporary thriller that kept my interest. I liked Sarah Hall and Lucy, but did not like Sam, Jules, Sylvie or Vincent. I would strongly recommend that you do not read the prologue because it sort of gives away the ending. I liked the ending to this one in some ways, but think it is also sad in a way! I finished this in two days!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)


Gerard's review 8-20-19, 5++ stars:
The Escape Room by Megan Goldin is about a group of investment bankers.  Their firm only hires the best of the best!  One day, this group has to meet for a team-building training exercise.  They are a competitive bunch and discover that the exercise becomes a test for survival!

This is such a great debut thriller!  The pacing of the book is excellent!  The characters were brought out really well and it is very believable!  I had to keep going to see how it all played out.  You must read this one!  I LOVED IT!


Teaser from page 154:  It all gave me temporary amnesia, or perhaps willful blindness, at the damage we'd wrought on the lives of the nameless people at the factory in Michigan, or a hundred other places affected by our decisions.  We used profit as justification for shattering lives.

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"The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead is based on a real story.  This book takes place in the early 60s.  Elwood is a young boy who makes a mistake and is sentenced to a reform school called "Nickel."  There he meets a young boy named Turner.  Nickel is a rough school, but especially for young black boys.

This is a short book so a quick read.  I liked the contrast in thinking between Turner and Elwood and how they handled their time in Nickel, a school with very corrupt officials. 
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 17:  He'd been so proud of his ability, dumb and simple as it was.  He never settled on one conclusion until he got to Nickel, which made the truth of the contests unavoidable.

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"Marooned in the Arctic" by Peggy Caravantes (non-fiction)

Marooned in the Arctic by Peggy Caravantes is the true story about Ada Blackjack, a desperate mother of a sick young boy who agreed to go on an Arctic expedition for two years to Wrangel Island to get some extra money for her son.  Wrangel Island is north of Alaska and Siberia!  She agreed to go along with three men as a seamstress to sew warm clothes for them during the two years. Although she was told some Eskimo families would join them, none did. During her time there, out of necessity, she learned to hunt, trap, kill, and even build a small boat! She and Vic the cat out survived the men!

Her story is quite remarkable, and I enjoyed the tidbits about the cats, walruses, polar bears and the Arctic Fox.  I can't imagine a day 50 degrees below zero like this expedition crew had to deal with.  No one could pay me enough to live like Ada did in the Arctic!  If you like adventures in tough conditions, read this!
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review:
Marooned in the Arctic by Peggy Caravantes tells the true story of Ada Blackjack, a young Eskimo girl who goes along with four men on an expedition to Wrangel Island in the Arctic, a remote uninhabited territory.  She goes along because she needs money to help care for her ill son.  

I thought this book was pretty good.  I enjoyed the parts that dealt with the animals that she encountered.  This book is very short, but it kept my interest for the most part.  (4 stars)

Teaser from page 13: Cats and sailors have had a strong bond throughout history. Felines destroy rats and mice that could cause havoc on a ship in various ways: getting into a cargo of grain, chewing on the ship’s mooring ropes or woodwork, or carrying diseases. Cats do not like water, but they adapt to travel on it and become companions to lonely sailors.


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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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