"A Very Simple Crime" by Grant Jenkins

Wow!  What a twist at the end in A Very Simple Crime by Grant Jenkins.  This is about two brothers, Adam and Monty.  One day Adam comes home after a weekend escape with someone not his wife to find his wife dead.  The only other person home was their mentally impaired son who is known for violent outbursts.  When Adam is charged with murder, Monty becomes his lawyer. 

A Very Simple Crime goes very fast.  I got into it quickly and found it hard to put down.  I was only going to give it a 7 plus rating, but the twist at the end boosted it up to a 10!  Yes, it’s that good!  I enjoyed it a lot!
(Gerard's review)

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?

"What A Difference A Dog Makes" by Dana Jennings

Dog lovers like me will love this one!  What A Difference A Dog Makes by Dana Jannings tells the true story of Bijou, a poodle who helps his master through a bout with cancer.  If you own a dog you will relate very well to this book.  Cute stories and Bijou is still alive!  Always a good thing!  Quick read, only 187 pages.  I give it 5+ stars.
(Gerard's review)

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

"Last Dog On The Hill" by Steve Duno

At Where Is My Mind I found this "Review In Five" meme that fits Gerard's short reviews perfectly. You just say five things about a book like this:

 1.  It is the true story about Steve Duno befriending a dog.

2.  The dog's name is Lou.

3.  Steve and Lou have a great bond of friendship.

4.  Steve trained Lou well and Lou taught Steve a few things too.

5.  Last Dog On The Hill by Steve Duno is a good read if you like stories about dogs and the human-animal bond.

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

Tuesday Teasers From "The Insane Train" and "The Way Back To Mayberry"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following:          

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser. 

Gerard's:

"Now," he said, tugging at his nose, which had now disappeared altogether, "about this proposition. You're telling me you want to hire on as security to help transport mental patients from California to Oklahoma?"

from p. 74 of The Insane Train by Sheldon Russell (The review will be posted Saturday (1/8/11) for this one)


Karen's:

Because of his appearance and social status, Rafe never had a chance with the mayor and Mrs. Jeffries. Look at what they missed--a warm, funny, and talented individual. It makes you wonder about the relationships we may miss because we are too quick to judge people on external appearances.

From p. 33 of The Way Back To Mayberry: Lessons From A Simpler Time by Joey Fann