"Katt vs. Dogg" by James Patterson (Children's fiction)

Sometimes I enjoy a change of pace from what I usually read.  Katt vs. Dogg by James Patterson is one of those!  A cat and a dog get lost and have to find some way to survive before the forest is filled with predators!  Can they really help each other?  I liked Oscar and Molly very much!  The adventures these two got into were fun to read.  The book moved along quite well!
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)  

Teaser from page 63:  "We cats are nocturnal.  Means we stay up all night.  And since there's nothing good on TV this late--not to mention no TV out here in the trees--I decided I'd just hang out up here and watch you being miserable.  It's highly entertaining."

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"Out of the Wild" by Sarah Beth Durst (Children's Fantasy)

Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst is a children’s book about Fairy Tale characters escaping “the Wild” and living under cover in the real world. This has lots of adventure and is totally silly. It reminded me of a cartoon. However, Julie shows persistence in solving the world’s problem and manages to arrive at a sort of compromise leading to a happy ever after ending.

 I had to remind myself that this is a children’s book because the whole plot is so silly. It has some funny parts and emphasizes the importance of being yourself. I liked Julie’s father the best in this. This is extremely whimsical so didn’t really appeal to me, but young children may find it very amusing and entertaining. I almost quit on this one but figured I might as well finish it since it would go quickly because it is a kid's book.
(Karen’s review, 2 stars)

Teaser from page 29: “We’re going to Grandma’s motel,” Julie said. She wondered if this was going to be a problem. In their fairy tale, Dad and Grandma weren’t exactly friends. “You knew her as Dame Gothel, Rapunzel’s witch. But don’t worry—she’s not evil anymore.”


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"A Curse so Dark and Lonely" by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is a great mix of contemporary fiction and fantasy. The main character, Harper, a girl born with Cerebral Palsy and her brother, Jake, struggle to care for their mother who is dying of Cancer and paying debts to the hoodlums their father was mixed up with before he died. Then one day, she was magically transported to another world called Emberfall where she was taken to break a curse that was on the prince and the castle.

I really liked this book because of the interesting characters, an amazing adventure, and the humor throughout the book. Some parts even made me laugh out loud! This was a page-turner for me that I could get lost in. Harper is a very strong girl and I enjoyed her interactions with Prince Rhen and Gray, his royal guard. This was a very entertaining, fun read that did not end quite the way I had hoped, but pretty close. I highly recommend this if you want a good escape from reality for a while. Loved it! (5 stars)

Karen’s teaser from page 147: “You would dare threaten the first daughter to the King of Disi?” Without waiting for an answer, I turn to face Rhen, who’s looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.

Gerard's review 3/30/19:
In A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, Harper and her brother do their best to take care of their mom who is very sick.  One night while Harper tries to save a young girl, she is taken and discovers a magical kingdom! A young prince needs her help!  Will she give it?  Can she ever return home? The story is told by Harper and Prince Rhen.

I thought this was pretty good.  I got involved with both of the characters early on.  I liked the story with some surprises.  The last part of the book is action packed!  I am hoping for a book 2. This is well worth reading.  I enjoyed it!
(5 stars)

Teaser from page 11:  Grey grabs his sword from the chair, pulling it free from the scabbard with a fierceness I haven't seen in . . . in ages.  "Have no worries, my lord.  This may be the shortest season yet."

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"Save Me From Dangerous Men" by S. A. Lelchuk

Save Me From Dangerous Men by S. A. Lelchuck is about Nikki Griffin, a bookstore owner as well as a private investigator.  Nikki is nobody you want to fool with!  In this case, she is hired to follow a woman.  When the woman turns up dead, Nikki will not rest until she finds out who killed her and why.  Nikki is a great character to say the least.  I loved her bad-ass style!  For the most part, this book was good but it had a few down parts.  It looks like this is going to be a series.  I give this book a solid 4 stars.  (Gerard's review)

Teaser from page 13:  The world coming in sharp and clear, every movement, every sound.  I chose my words carefully.  "You ready for another taste?  Or do you need a minute?"

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"The Secret Keeper" by Kate Morton

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton is a murder mystery, but not a who did it, but why did they?  On her younger brother's birthday, teen Laurel is hiding in her tree house and is the only one who sees her mother actually kill the strange man who came that knew her name.  She tells the cops what she saw, but not that her mother knew who he was.  It was concluded that her mom acted in self-defense because he was going to harm the baby brother who she was holding.  Years later, when Laurel was in her 50s and her mother was dying, Laurel decides to look into that event more closely to find out who that man was and why her mother killed him with the birthday knife they always used to cut the birthday cakes.  Through a long journey through photos, World War II letters, and a visit to London Laurel finally discovers the truth. 

This story was really good; however, it seemed to take forever to get at it and finally arrive at the end.  I enjoyed story most when it was back during World War in London, showing the mother's background before marrying Laurel's father, Stephen.  I just found it hard to believe that Laurel was never that curious about her mother's background until she was dying.  I know, that's where the title comes in, but I thought it was far-fetched that Laurel would bother doing all that research instead of just asking her mother straight out.  I did not care for how the author went into so much detail describing scenery and jumping between all different years back and forth.  I loved the surprise ending.  This book really picked up around page 400.  I really enjoyed the last 80 pages or so--it saved the book for me.  It includes some discussion questions in the back for book clubs to use.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 28:  Both sisters turned towards her mighty indignation, and therefore neither noticed Dorothy's sharp intake of breath, the look of anguish that crossed her face at the mention of Vivien's name.  By the time the three Nicolsen sisters had gathered at their mother's side, Dorothy appeared to be sleeping calmly, her features giving no hint that she'd left behind the hospital, her weary body, and her grown daughters, slipping through time to the dark night of 1941.

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