Wishes

Fifteen years after adopting a desperately wanted baby and changing her name to hide the child’s identity, Kate Summers finds her new life threatened by the arrival of Daegan O’Rourke, whose past is strangely entangled with Kate’s. Original.

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Lost Souls

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson delivers her most harrowing novel yet as a young woman’s determined hunt for a serial killer draws her into a twisted psychopath’s unspeakable crimes.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kristi Bentz is lucky to be alive. Not many people her age have nearly died twice at the hands of a serial killer, and lived to tell about it. Her dad, New Orleans detective, Rick Bentz, wants Kristi to stay in New Orleans and out of danger. But if anything, Kristi’s experiences have made her even more fascinated by the mind of the serial killer. She hasn’t given up her dream of being a true-crime writer–of exploring the darkest recesses of evil–and now she just may get her chance.

Four girls have disappeared at All Saints College in less than two years. All four were “lost souls”–troubled, vulnerable girls with no one to care about them, no one to come looking if they disappeared. The police think they’re runaways, but Kristi senses there’s something that links them, something terrifying. She decides to enroll, following their same steps. All Saints has changed a lot since Kristi was an undergraduate. The stodgy Catholic college has lured edgy new professors to its campus and gained a reputation for envelope-pushing, with classes like the very popular “The Influence of Vampirism in Modern Culture and Literature,” and elaborately staged morality plays that feel more like the titillating entertainment of some underground club than religious spectacles. And there are whispers of a dark cult on campus whose members wear vials of blood around their necks and meet in secret chambers–rituals to which only the elite have access. To find the truth, Kristi will need to become part of the cult’s inner circle, to learn their secrets, and play the part of lost soul without losing herself in the process. It’s a dangerous path, and Kristi is skating on its knife-thin edge.

The deeper she goes, the more Kristi begins to wonder if she is the hunter or the prey. She’s certain she’s being watched and followed–studied, even–as yet another girl disappears, and another. And when the bodies finally begin to surface–in ways that bring fear to the campus and terror to the hearts of even hardened cops like Detective Bentz and his partner Reuben Montoya–Kristi realizes with chilling clarity that she has underestimated her foe. She is playing a game with a killer more cunning and bloodthirsty than anyone can imagine, one who has personally selected her for membership in a cult of death from which there will be no escape.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Lost Hours
Lazy author.

Yes?

YES!

Writes in one-line paragraphs.

Annoying?

HELL yeah!

Can I get my money back?

No–forget the money.

I want the hours back that I wasted on this piece of trash.

But I won’t.

Not ever.

Lost hours.

Characters–flat.

Leads–go nowhere.

Plot–ridiculous.

So many words spent on stupid descriptions.

Why?

WHY?!?

Hours lost.

Lisa Jackson, you owe me $7.99.

And the 20 hours or so it took to drag my eyes across this doodoo.

*headdesk*

THUNK!

4 Stars A good read
Kristi Bentz, daughter to New Orleans Detective Rick Bentz is heading back to college. She has enrolled as a student at All Saints College. A college that has been made famous not for the teachers or classes but because four women have all gone missing in a eighteen month span. The police believe the women are runaways.

Kristi wants to write a true crime novel. When she hears about the missing women, she decides to do some investigate work. Kristi learns that all of the women attended the same class with Dr. Dominic Grotto. Dr. Grotto teaches a class on vampyrism. One of Kristi’s old classmates, Lucretia Stevens tells Kristi about how she suspects one of the girls…a Rylee was in a cult. Now Kristi is really intrigued. What is Dr. Grotto’s connection to the missing women and could he be a vampire?

The only person Kristi can get to believe her that the women did not go missing on their own is her ex-boyfriend, Jay McKnight. As Kristi gets closer to uncovering the truth, it brings her just one more step closer to evil himself.

It was great to see Kristi and Rick Bentz back again. Detective Bentz is one of the most famous and one of my favorite detectives around. He may come off hard as nails but that is only because he really cares about the ones around him and would do everything he could to keep them protected. Lost Souls still featured Rick but this time he stepped out of the picture to let Kristi shine. Kristi definetly takes after her father. I liked this more supernatural approach that Mrs. Jackson took with Lost Souls but with still keeping in her usual fashion of producing a good thriller. All I have to say is when Rick Bentz is involved, no one inculding vampires stand a chance. Lost Souls leaves the reader with a cliff hanger that leading right into Malice the next book from Lisa.

1 Star No Bones on this Story
I really wanted to like this story. But for some reason, the author never got into the character’s heads. It was all surface writing, and alot of it filler material as well. I never got to know the 4 dead college students and why they did what they did. I found myself skimming alot of parts, hoping it would get better. The story could have been 200 pages shorter as well.

3 Stars Entertaining but disgusting
Kristi Bentz is finally pursuing her ideal career. She wants to be a crime writer. In order to do that she’s got to be in the thick of the case. Kristi Bentz has already been the target of two twisted serial killers but that hasn’t stopped her from living. On the contrary, she enrolls in All Saints College in Baton Rouge where four girls have already gone missing. Her father, New Orleans Detective Rick Bentz warns her against going back to school at All Saints.

She doesn’t listen. She arrives in Baton Rouge and throws herself into the middle of a creepy case where girls are going missing and secret cults are lurking. Normally romance and twisted psychopaths don’t mix, but Lisa Jackson makes it work.

From the beginning to the end this book keeps you intrigued. It’s a unique story and I’ve never read anything like it before. It’s amazing how the author can mix the disgusting and sick aspects of the book with the gushy love story.

Just a warning, before buying this book: Lost Souls is filled with gory details and necrophilia. If this book had a movie rating, it would be XXX. This book is not for the faint hearted. Be prepared to quite literally jump into the mind of a serial killer.

2 Stars I expected a little more. Not sure if I can put it in words.
Kristi Bentz has awakened from a coma and is trying to move on with her life. Having survived the attack of a madman (one of several) in the last novel (Absolute Evil), Kristi believes she can now see the future deaths of those she comes into contact with. Packing her things and leaving the comforts of home, Kristi heads to All Saints College to complete her education. Meanwhile, All Saints is experiencing a rash of missing girls; an increase in enrollment in some courses about vampirism; girls carrying their blood around their necks in vials; chat rooms; bloody martinis; and other dark issues. As Kristi decides that part of her education will include solving the “All Saints Missing Girls” case and writing a book, she finds that her life is in danger. Hoping to exclude her father from the investigation, Rick Bentz is dealing with other issues that include a wife who has a desire that he isn’t ready to address; and a daughter who wants to grow up while placing herself in danger. There were a lot of things to like about this novel, the killer wasn’t really original, but the motivation had tons of potential. A group of people who have varying degrees of dependence was extremely creative although I thought that there were things that could have been added and things that needed to be deleted. So when the “demons” are deleted, was I satisfied…somewhat, but would I get the next story in the series “Malice”, I am not sure. This one was somewhere between a 2.

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Gods and Generals

In a prequel of sorts to his father Michael Shaara’s 1974 epic novel The Killer Angels, Jeff Shaara explores the lives of Generals Lee, Hancock, Jackson and Chamberlain as the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg approaches. Shaara captures the disillusionment of both Lee and Hancock early in their careers, Lee’s conflict with loyalty, Jackson’s overwhelming Christian ethic and Chamberlain’s total lack of experience, while illustrating how each compensated for shortcomings and failures when put to the test. The perspectives of the four men, particularly concerning the battles at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, make vivid the realities of war.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great Book
I bought the book ‘Gods and Generals’ for my husband who is a history teacher and has been reading all of Jeff Shaar books. The book was unused, but you could tell that it had been on the shelf for quite a while. Great deal though, And great book if you are interested in the Civil War!

5 Stars Shaara is truly gifted! I loved this book!
I’m not a huge fan of Civil War history but I have a good bit of knowledge regarding that monsterous event as my own father was a true Civil War buff and I studied it a great deal in school. I came away from “Gods and Generals” with new respect for Generals Lee, Jackson, Chamberlain and Hancock. The story follows these key players from right before the start of the war to the march towards Gettysburg. Shaara takes the actual history and weaves it into a very compelling saga that brings much deserved respect to this horrible time in our history.

I love the way Shaara allows us to see the personal side of those involved in the war, especially Jackson and Lee. He must have spent years researching the subjects! For example, it was an eye-opener regarding Jackson’s painful losses and how that shaped his actions. The only negative is probably the contiuous nonsense about the “rebel yell” – but otherwise its an excellent book.

4 1/2 stars is probably most fitting. I would think it will become required high school/college reading – if it hasn’t already.

4 Stars Good Novel On The Early Civil War Years Just Before Gettysburg
“Gods and Generals” by Jeff Shaara is a good prequel to his father’s (Michael Shaara) title “Killer Angels” on the Battle of Gettysburg.

While Gods and Generals covers many characters from the South (James Longstreet, Jefferson Davis, AP Hill, Joseph Johnston, etc.) and the North (George McCllelan, Winfield Scott, Abraham Lincoln, etc.), there are four main characters:

1. Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson from the South.

2. Winfield Scott Hancock and Joshua Chamberlain from the North.

The narrative reads as if the character were speaking in the present tense and you are able to really feel that you are there as the event is happening (whether a battle, parting of ways between Northern and Southern army officers, etc.).

The narrative flows freely and I did not find myself becoming bored or impatient with the read.

Among the areas covered include:

1. Civil War battles such as 2nd Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and just before Gettsyburg.

2. Decisions various army officers (Lee, Hancock, Thomas, Armistead, etc.) had to make as to whether they would fight for the North or South.

3. Some personal history of soldiers’ wives (Lee, Jackson, Hancock, Chamberlain).

I am not usually a big fan of fiction, but in my humble opinion, Gods and Generals is a good read.

The book will appeal to many people: those who already have a good knowledge of the Civil War and those who would perhaps like to read an entertaining read on the Civil War before trying out more comprehensive and deeper titles on a particular aspect of the Civil War (specific battle, officer, politician, etc.).

Recommended.

4 Stars A Nice Complement to History Books
At the time this was written there are 240 reviews on this book so I will not go into details about the story but just my impressions of the book.

I liked the book due to its fast paced and “man on the ground” type of feel. Mr. Shaara writes well about battles and the history – in an overview sense – is mostly accurate mainly concentrating on Manassas, Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville.

As in most of Mr. Shaara’s books this one is also “historical fiction”, an oxymoron if you ever head one, and is a very interesting character study of the major players. I especially enjoyed the characters of Jackson and Chamberlin and give thanks to this book for sparking my interest in those two fascinating figures which prompted me to read more about them.

It is a very nice complement to history books and biographies I have previously read.

5 Stars Great start
A wonderful start to the Civil War trilogy. Perhaps a little too Confed-centric for my tastes, nevertheless we get to meet all the major players of the war up to the summer of 1863. Recommended. Beautiful presentation, btw.

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America from the Air A Guide to the Landscape Along Your Route

An illustrated guide, in both book and CD-ROM, of landscapes seen from commercial airplane windows across the United States.

This is a guide to what an airline passenger sees from his seat while flying over the United States. Through its ingenious construction and a map of preferred flight paths, it’s easy to find those pages that correspond to whatever flight a passenger happens to be on, and then to identify features that can be seen from the air. The book marries geology, natural history, and human history for a glorious portrait of the continent, from the Atlantic City Boardwalk to Mount St. Helens.

Each two-page spread features an aerial photo with captions identifying features passengers will see and an essay interpreting the features. Each chapter is a Flight Corridor, with pages sequenced to follow a trip from takeoff to landing. Because many flight paths overlap, the fifteen corridors cover the forty most heavily traveled flight segments in the continental United States, plus many others. In many regions of the country, readers will have a new page to read about every twenty minutes. The entire book is also on the included CD-ROM, which can easily be used on a laptop in the air.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars For those who love a window seat on the airplane
Great explanations of all those sites that you see from the window when flying across the USA.

5 Stars Great for Pilots and Dads alike!
Got this for my father-in-law and grandfather for Christmas – both of whom are former pilots. They especially enjoyed reading about things they had flown over but never known about. The entire family enjoyed the great photography, descriptions, and the CD-ROM in the back cover. We are all now taking turns looking at the CD-ROM – it’s a great little perk!

5 Stars Air Tour
Fabulous book with CD. A must have for the constant traveler or sighseeing buff.

1 Star Such unrealized potential
The idea is excellent – what, exactly, am I flying over right now? Selecting the most traveled air routes in the country is a great way to constrain the scope to a manageable effort. Unfortunately, this is a great idea that is very poorly executed.

For starters, the routes are very confusing to follow as they often have alternate paths. Just show me what LA to New York looks like, don’t divert my attention by diverting me to Las Vegas or Phoenix or whatever.

Second, the pictures aren’t very good. It is safe to say that very few of the pictures were taken from the window of a commercial jet. As a result, the view is not even close to what you would see from your window seat (unless you regularly fly in a satellite).

Again, a great idea. And kudos for making it a low-cost paperback. But the execution is poor.

4 Stars Interesting gift, needs more pictures
I bought this book as a gift after a review in Wired. It has major routes, and large area pictures of main land features and discussion of the routes. I wish it had more pictures, more analysis, and and more blowups of the land features. Perhaps looking at the images by computer on the CD (which comes with the book, and which is a copy of the book) would allow zooming in on features in more detail (which I haven’t tried). I was a little disappointed in the book expecting even more discussion and analysis of ‘what one sees from air’. Most of what was pointed out I already knew. However, my spouse has taken the CD on several trips and hasn’t complained.

The pictures are still great.

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The Queens Smuggler William Tyndale Trailblazer Books 2

Thrilling adventure stories introducing young readers (ages 8-12) to Christian heroes of the past. Sarah Poyntz is the daughter of an English merchant who operates a shipping business from Antwe

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Tis The Season Christmas Anthology Under the Mistletoe A Baby for Christmas Christmas Angel Home for Christmas

Nothing is merrier than a holiday romance and this book brings readers four new enchanting tales of love, including Kat Martin’s “Christmas Angel, ” Elaine Coffman’s “Under the Mistletoe, ” Katherine Sutcliffe’s “Home for Christmas, ” and Lisa Jackson’s “A Baby for Christmas.” .

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars One Story was Well Worth the Time!
Generally, I enjoy holiday anthologies. At their best, they provide seasonal fun that’s a joy to read. Unfortunately, only one story from TIS THE SEASON was enjoyable.

Book 1 -

Elaine Coffman: “Under the Mistletoe.” Rating: 5 stars. Grade: A

Mini Synopsis:

Because it was expected of her, Holly Winter always, always did everything right. With the exception of one small thing — marriage! She had gotten it wrong three times! What was the expression? Three times and you’re out. Holly Noel Carpenter Alexander Nichols Winter was a single woman and the mother of seven — seven little girls. Holly sized up her new next-door neighbor immediately . . . the man was a nerd . . . the man was a psychiatrist! Dr. Stanley Levine was forty and very single. He had never, ever been married and he liked it that way. In fact, Stanley Levine liked his entire life. His life had meaning; his life had purpose; his life was serene, orderly, and predictable. All and all, Stanley’s life was good . . . until SHE moved next door. Suddenly, he was living next door to an insane asylum. The woman was crazy and her kids were driving him berserk. His well-arranged life was no longer going as planned! But life is a funny thing!

Reviewer’s Comments:

When writing a short story, an author always runs the risk of minimizing character development. Many authors get around this problem by writing characters who already know each other. Yet, in UNDER THE MISTLETOE, Elaine Coffman’s characters did not know each other previously, nor did they have anything in common! Yet, UNDER THE MISTLETOE is an outstanding, humorous success — just goes to show some theories are meaningless. A few years ago, I read Elaine Coffman’s THE BRIDE OF BLACK DOUGLAS and frankly, I didn’t like it. And because there are so many books and so little time, I never gave Ms. Coffman another chance. Perhaps now is a good time to rethink my decision!

Book 2 -

Lisa Jackson: “A Baby for Christmas.” Rating: 3 low stars. Grade: C-

Mini Synopsis:

Who was Liam O’Shaughnessy? Two weeks ago, the man had barged into Annie McFarlane’s home with an outrageous story. He claimed an ex-lover had set him up, accusing him of embezzlement and murder, an ex-lover who just happened to be Annie’s sister! And to make matters worse, Liam claimed to be the father of baby Carol. Little Carol found abandoned, one snowy night, on Annie’s doorstep. The tiny baby Annie now loved with all her heart. But what else did Annie know? She knew Liam O’Shaughnessy was a gentle lover, a concerned father and a man determined to clear his name.

Reviewer’s Comments:

Lisa Jackson has a nice style of writing, but A BABY FOR CHRISTMAS has an unbelievable storyline. Yes, romance is fantasy, but in this story Lisa Jackson pushed the fantasy button into overdrive. Unconvincing — 1): Liam already had one child, would the man honestly get so caught up in a situation he would unconsciously have unprotected sex again? 2): Annie forgives her sister far too quickly; she blames Nola’s failings on Nola’s “free spirit” approach to life. What absurdity! Nola abandoned her baby in freezing temperatures; she’d been involved in an embezzling scheme; and then she falsely accused a man of murder. A free spirit? I think not! Sorry, I just couldn’t buy A BABY FOR CHRISTMAS’s wacky storyline.

Book 3 -

Kat Martin: “Christmas Angel.” Rating: 2 stars. Grade: D+

Mini Synopsis:

Union troops occupied Angela Summers’ beloved Savannah! Long gone were the days of grandeur when Angela was the belle of the ball. Long gone were the golden days when Angela’s future was bright and beautiful; the glorious days when she and Josh Coltrane loved. Now her feelings of love were also long gone. Doctor Josh Coltrane was dead as far as Angela Summers was concerned. Captain Josh Coltrane betrayed them both, when he joined the North!

Reviewer’s Comments:

Kat Martin chokes CHRISTMAS ANGEL via widespread predictability and shameful stereotyping. Is Martin’s heroine headstrong, intelligent, and beautiful? Maybe! And would Angela find it in her heart to forgive Josh’s betrayal? Maybe! But I was too caught up wading through Martin’s “all too familiar” storyline to really care!

Book 4 -

Katherine Sutcliffe: “Home for Christmas.” Rating: 3 stars. Grade: C

Mini Synopsis:

In her entire life, horsewoman Virginia Valemere thought she had never meet a more intimidating jerk than Neil Ellison. The wealthy, good-looking motorcyclist had almost run her off the road! He was an arrogant menace and Virginia disliked him. But she truly hated him when she learned he was the man who had ordered the NO TRESPASSING SIGN, on her former property. A property so beautiful, so precious, Virginia considered it paradise on earth. And then she discovered he was her favorite student’s father and he was the skilled brain surgeon her father needed . . . desperately!

Reviewer’s Comments:

Certainly, there were moments when I enjoyed HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, but in the end Katherine Sutcliffe’s story landed firmly in OK territory. The remarkable happily-ever-after based on a few brief confrontations was too much to give this story a higher rating. HOME FOR CHRISTMAS is a nice story, but it certainly isn’t a page-turner.

Overall View:

In 1997, Publisher Zebra promoted this anthology as “Nothing is Merrier than a Holiday Romance.” Although, Elaine Coffman delivers a remarkable, merry tale, most of the stories, in TIS THE SEASON, land in the “mediocre” category, making this anthology a less than jolly read.

MaryGrace Meloche.

5 Stars Nothing is merrier than a Holiday Romance…
4 Stories

*1. Christmas Angel by Kat Martin – Southern belle Angel Summers doesn’t want to see one more damn Yankee, especially Josh Coltrane, the man she once loved. When he joined the Union Army, she vowed to hate him forever. Now he’s back in Savannah for Christmas, for a miracle that could heal both their hearts…

* 2.Under the Mistletoe by Elaine Coffman – When widow Holly Noel Winter, along with a nanny, housekeeper, six little girls and one baby boy, moves next door to resident scrooge Dr Stan Levine, it’s time for a war between the sexes. Unless Christmas brings peace on earth and a time for even a grouch to fall in love…

* 3. Home for Christmas by Katherine Sutcliffe – Virginia “Gigi” Valemer is in a bah humbug period: it’s Christmas, she’s broke, and a stanger on a motorcycle spooked her horse so badly she was nearly thrown. Then the motorcyclist turns out to be a man with secrets, including the one that can make this holiday the best one of Gigi’s life…

* 4. A Baby For Christmas by Lisa Jackson – Lonely Annie McFarlane is having a blue holiday…until a baby in a basket is left on her doorstep. When a handsome man appears to claims the child, Annie faces losing the most precious gift she’s ever been given…or getting another Christmas surprise.

from the back cover of the book.

3 Stars Amazon has the reviews for two seperate books appearing on each other’s pages
Something strange is going on: this review is showing up on the Amazon pages for two different books (both are named ‘Tis the Season, but they have different stories in them.) The first book, which has two stories, was released by Silhouette. The second book, which has four stories, was released by Zebra. Hope this bit of info will help buyers clear up the confusion. I’ve included the back cover blurb and my review for each story in both books:

First, a review for “Tis the Season” – by Debbie Macomber and Lisa Jackson

“Christmas Masquerade” by Debbie Macomber:

He’s stolen a kiss in a crowd–and taken her heart with it. Jo Marie Early had never forgotten the stranger who’d held her so briefly. Then she met him again, engaged to another! Still, as the holiday celebrations commenced, Jo Marie dreamed about uncovering the truth behind the engagement–and claiming Andrew for her own Christmas groom!

A little silly, but sweet, in typical Macomber style, it was “cute”. It was clean though, no sex, if that’s what you’re looking for. If you like the whole “falling in love at first sight” thing, then you’ll probably enjoy this. I find the concept rather silly. (I believe in attraction and infatuation at first sight – true love could GROW from that attraction.) Anyway, I got past that and tried to enjoy the rest of the story. However, the idea of a supposedly engaged man trying to make a play for another woman bothered me, as well as his fiancee, Kelly, getting caught numerous times by Jo Marie kissing another man.

*Spoiler warning!* In the end, it turned out that Andrew and Kelly were only pretending to be engaged so that Kelly’s love interest would be pushing into making a move before it was too late. Still, the revelation came so late in the book that it didn’t take away the dirty feelings of people cheating. (If I were in Kelly’s place, would I really want a man who was low enough to make a play for another man’s fiancee? Nope!)

Okay, but not worth a re-read. Fans of Macomber will probably enjoy this, but for a good Christmas romance, I would recommend her “Angel” books starring Shirley, Goodness and Mercy. (The Trouble with Angels, A Season of Angels, Touched By Angels, and Those Christmas Angels are part of that series. I can only hope she’ll write more about them – they’re so funny and touching.)

“Snowbound” by Lisa Jackson:

All Bethany Mills wanted for Christmas was peace and quiet. But sexy investigator Brett Hanson ruthlessly stirred up the past, placing Bethany in danger. Then he whisked her away to his mountain cabin for safety–but from whom did she need protecting…?

This story was just okay. It was my first sampling of her work, and while it was enjoyable, it certainly didn’t inspire me to run off and find more of this author’s books. Not the most Christmassy story, just one that sort of happens to take place at Christmas time. The intrigue was well done, but the romance wasn’t very well executed. Three stars.

Not a keeper book, unless you happen to be a hardcore Macomber or Jackson fan.

***

And now the review for the second “‘Tis the Season” by Kat Martin, Lisa Jackson, Elaine Coffman and Katherine Sutcliffe

“Christmas Angel” by Kat Martin

Southern belle Angel Summers doesn’t want to see one more damn Yankee, especially Josh Coltrane, the man she once loved. When he joined the Union Army, she vowed to hate him forever. Now he’s back in Savannah for christmas, for a miracle that chould heal both their hearts…

I had high hopes for this one. It has so many elements that I love: it’s historical, a civil war story, and reunited lovers. But then I got to the part when some straggling Confederate soldiers try to rape Angel. Josh of course shows up with a gun and saves her. And what does Angel do? She begs him to let her attackers go, because “the war made them this way”. Completely unrealistic. I guess the author was just trying to show how understanding and kind Angel was, but I just didn’t buy it. No decent man will rape a woman, no matter what he’s been through. They deserved to go to jail for what they did, but they didn’t. That disgusted me so much that I again skipped to the next story. Two stars, since it started off well.

“Under the Mistletoe” by Elaine Coffman

When widow Holly Noel Winter, along with a nanny, housekeeper, six little girls and one baby boy, moves next door to resident scrooge Dr. Stan Levine, it’s time for a war between the sexes. Unless Christmas brings peace on earth and a time for even a grouch to fall in love…

I could hardly get through this one. I felt no connection to the characters. (When you find the antics of the dog and cat more entertaining than the growing attraction between the hero and heroine, that’s a problem in a romance story.) Also, Holly’s kids were spoiled BRATS! They broke windows, trespassed, peeped into Stan’s house after being told not to, picked his flowers, stole his freshly delivered milk, uprooted the stakes from his plants, caused him to accidentally fall off his ladder and almost die…the list goes on and on. And were they punished? No! Holly only gives them a light “you shouldn’t do that” scolding without ever bothering to back it up with real consequences, like a responsible parent should. If I had ever trespassed onto someone else’s property and taken their stuff (read: stealing!), I would have been grounded for a month, and probably sent to bed without supper. Yet these kids are not punished for being horrible little monsters. Also, Holly had been married three, yes three times by the time she met Stan. When she and Stan finally get married in the end, is there any wonder why I’m left with a cynical “as if it will last!” attitude? One star.

“Home for Christmas” by Katherine Sutcliffe

Virginia “Gigi” Valemere is in a bah humbug period: it’s Christmas, she’s broke, and a stranger on a motorcycle spooked her horse so badly she was nearly thrown. Then the motorcyclist turns out to be a man with secrets, including the one that can make this holiday the best one of Gigi’s life…

This story was just so-so. Okay for a one-time read, but not good enough for a re-read. It did have the charming “small-town” thing going for it, which was pleasant. However, I know this author is capable of writing so much better than this, so I was a little let down when reading this story. Three stars.

“A Baby for Christmas” by Lisa Jackson

Lonely Annie McFarlane is having a blue holiday…until a baby in a basket is left on her doorstep. When a handsome man appears to claim the child, Annie faces losing the most precious gift she’s ever been given…or getting another Christmas suprise.

I never finished this one. I got about half-way through, but soon realized that it was a ‘falling in lust’ story rather than falling in love. I have no problem with the hero and heroine being sexually attracted to each other, but there needs to be more than that to make the relationship believeable. Also, I find that while Lisa Jackson writes mystery and suspense very well, her books are somewhat lacking in the romance department. This was no exception. Two stars.

***

Neither book was a keeper. If you can borrow these from a friend or find them at a garage sale, you might want to read them. Otherwise, don’t bother. Neither is really worth the money.

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Navaho Stories in Basic Vocabulary A Dolch Basic Book

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Europe in a Motorhome A Mid Life Gap Year Around Southern Europe

Bored with the daily grind and keen to escape the rat-race, Hazel and Simon Jackson did what so many dream of – they sold their house and possessions, bought a motor home, took their thirteen year old son out of school and travelled Europe. They left winter behind and for the next year they barbecued on beaches, skied on mountains, swam in warm seas and danced at fiestas.

Encountering everything from Spanish hospitals, and the Guardia Civil when they were robbed in Spain – to being ripped off in Rome, propositioned in Sicily, dazzled in Dubrovnik, and almost drowned in Slovenia… they wild-camped their way through southern Europe, in a motor home affectionately known as The Beast.

They slept, ate and lived in a different place almost every day, meeting locals off the beaten track, making new, lasting friendships… and shared it all with their teenage son Jack.

If you enjoy travel and need to be re-assured that you aren’t the only ones who break-down, get lost, or stuck in impossible situations, then this is the book for you. Join them as they travel for a year through Europe, from the luxury of your arm-chair.

Brimming with useful tips and historical information, this is a book full of humour, catastrophes and everything else that comes with life on the road.

It is a dream come true.

Please visit their website at www.geocities.com/h.hdj@btinternet.com

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars I liked it
This book is a good example of a travel dairy, while obviously not intended as a “how to” book there are nevertheless many hints and tips offered to the observant reader wishing to undertake a similar journey. But don’t buy it if you expect step by strep instructions on motorhoming in Europe – if you need that much instruction perhaps you should stay at home.

Having undertaken a similar journey myself I enjoyed the opportunity to remember and reminisce which the descriptive style of this book offers. Scattered with personal opinions and observations which lift it beyond a mere “travel brochure” I found it an enjoyable and easy read – recommended.

Just a small last point, it’s a pity that the photos on the author’s web site are too small to appreciate.

2 Stars europe in a motorhome: amid life gap year around southern europe
total lack of infomation for others thinking of doing the same thing.

4 Stars The inside story
This book gives you the real inside story of what its like to up sticks, with your children, and take a gap year travelling through europe together. Alongside useful information about cities and local areas you also have the ups and downs, that are sometimes very funny, the good and the bad times, and the people you could meet, which all comes with daily travel. A list of campsites is also included. Don’t expect this book to tell you ‘how’ to take a gap year with your family – just read what happens to this family when they do! Further independent reviews can be seen at [...] . The free photographic web site gives two pages of large pictures from each country visited. Click on the small picture of each country to open the pages. Web site on page 4 of the book. [...]

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Individuality in Clothing Selection and Personal Appearance 5th Edition

Packed with illustrations, photographs, and activities, this user-friendly book provides a consumer/fashion industry perspective for individual and family clothing choices. Its multicultural approach mirrors the multi-ethnic composition of modern society. Updates content throughout to reflect recent research along with societal and fashion industry trends that impact clothing choice. Offers new photographs and illustrations throughout, many chosen from contemporary designers who design for diverse consumer groups. Begins each of the text’s three parts with an introduction from a fashion model. Adds case studies and boxed definitions to each chapter. For individuals in retailing and merchandising, and for anyone who wants to learn more about the fashion industry.

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Stonewall Jacksons Elbow An Owen Allison Mystery Five Star Mystery Series

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The Art of Creating Collectors

Gallery personnel often use the term collector less precisely than it is used in this book. Clients are not “collectors”, under Zella Jackson’s definition, unless they leave your gallery with both an acquisition and their desire for art unfulfilled. This practical manual will assist you in creating collectors and in making these collectors “your collectors”. Zella’s new book takes you step by step from establishing yourself as an expert to creating private and corporate collectors.

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Fashioning Kimono Dress and Modernity in Early Twentieth Century Japan

Fashioning Kimono focuses on 150 Japanese garments dating from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries, taken from the renowned Montgomery Collection, which includes informal kimonos for both women and men, haori jackets, under-garments, ceremonial and formal clothes, and children’s robes. Some of the designs reflect historical continuity, but many others demonstrate a radical break from the traditional. Themes and designs from Western art predominate over historical Japanese references, illustrating the modernization and Westernization of Japan at this time.

The range of the collection represents one of the most dynamic periods in Japan’s national costume. It encompasses the final phase of the living kimono, when the kimono was still the daily wear of most Japanese people. After Japan’s defeat in the Pacific War and the destruction of virtually all its major urban centres, Western clothes quickly came to replace the kimono, being considered more affordable and conducive to the new post-war lifestyle. It eventually took on a purely ceremonial or formal role, and today, except for the few fashionably daring, the kimono is worn mainly for the tea ceremony, funerals, and weddings.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Wanting more
The first fourth of the book contains a lot of valuable information about styles and techniques, then the rest is page after page of photos. Beautiful photos, but I wish there was more discussion about cultural significance of the designs depicted.

5 Stars A VIRTUAL PANOPLY OF COLOR, ART, AND HISTORY

“Fashioning Kimono” is a virtual panoply of color, art, and history focusing on kimono from the vast collection of Jeffrey Montgomery. Among the 1200 rare objects in Montgomery’s enviable collection are these 150 kimono dating from the late nineteenth to the mid twentieth centuries. It is an array comprehensive in scope with kimono and haori jackets worn by men, women and children.

The almost 200 photographs of the textiles by Stefano Ember are stunning – bold, aresting in hue, delicate as a butterfly’s wing in design. Publication of this volume accompanies an exhibition of the same name at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which runs from mid October of this year through May 1, 2006.

Annie Van Assche, the editor and primary author, presents a history of the kimono, while additional essays include such topics as new styles based on Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs, the kimono’s influence on Parisian fashion, and the fascinating memoir of a Japanese girl growing up in the 1930s and 1940s.

As Van Assche notes silk is at the very heart of the Japanese kimono culture. It’s strength, sheen and adaptability to dyes make it the ideal material. The inspired use of color, we learn, may be due in part to the fact that in ancient times the Japanese believed “color imbued a garment with special powers.”

All with an interest in fashion, design and the Japanese culture will find “Fashioning Kimono” an indispensable addition to a personal library.

– Gail Cooke

5 Stars Beautiful Book of Kimono
This book is beautifully produced with an excellent history of kimono plus many pages of designs, including children’s and men’s as well as obi, from the past 100 years. Many of the kimono designs are very “art-deco” which might turn off some who like plainer styles. But to my mind the colors and patterns are fabulous! Just look at the front cover image to get a sense of how rich these designs are.

4 Stars Solid Kimono Eye-Candy
As a Kimono enthusiast it’s nice to find a book that has pages and pages worth of JUST Kimono. The focus on a particular time period makes it interesting. Worth the bucks.

5 Stars Stunning Photographs and a great text!
This book was given as a gift to a Japanese American family. Their daughter is studying in art school. The photographs are stunning and the text is excellent. The book was a big hit.

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Live And Learn And Pass It On People Ages 5 To 95 Share What Theyve Discovered About Life Love And Other Good Stuff

“On the morning of my fifty-first birthday,” writes author H. Jackson Brown, “I thought it would be interesting and maybe even enlightening to jot down a few things more than half a century of living had taught me.” Soon he had accumulated quite a list. When a friend said he would contribute a few ideas of his own, Jackson decided to invite other friends and acquaintances — from kindergarten kids and teenagers to senior citizens — to join the effort.

Live And Learn And Pass It On contains the best of their answers, the combined wisdom of thousands of years of living. Here is what we have been taught by our parents, spouses, children, pastors, teachers, friends and enemies. They are lessons learned from loving and winning and loving and losing, the school of hard knocks, and the old method of trial and error. “Editing their entries convinced me that wisdom knows no age.” Jackson says. “Regardless of how much we know, it is never enough. School is always in session, and life challenges us to excel at being both insatiable student and inspired teacher.”

• I’ve learned that a strong code of ethics is as reliable as a compass. — Age 43
• I’ve learned that you can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. — Age 7
• I’ve learned that if I eat donuts today I wear them tomorrow. — Age 39
• I’ve learned that goldfish don’t like Jello. — Age 5
• I’ve learned that I don’t feel my age as long as I focus on my dreams instead of my regrets. — Age 83
• I’ve learned that deciding who you will marry is the most important decision you’ll ever make. — Age 95
• I’ve learned that it’s easier to stay out of trouble than to get out of trouble. — Age 14
• I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decisions. — Age 66
• I’ve learned that it always makes me feel good to see my parents holding hands. — Age 13
• I’ve learned that life is like a blind date. Sometimes you just have to have a little faith! — Age 23

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars A bit repetitive
A division by topic would make reading this book more fun and more useful. I also got tired of each line starting: “I’m learned that…” It would be more entertaining if the sentences were a little less structured. Some of the quotes seemed forced into this form.

5 Stars WE NEED MORE LIKE HIM
H. Jackson Brown’s work is a masterpiece!

To read his books simply makes you think and puts a smile on your face.

Thank you Mr. Brown.

5 Stars Mostly sound and interesting advice
There is the element of the cutesy- wootsy stuff that tries to entertain and falls flat, but by and large this collection centering on what people have learned in their lives(Ages five to ninety – five) contains a lot of solid wisdom .It also contains a vast number of sayings which give us pause, make us think, demand that we qualify and contradict.

A small work based on a good idea. (I will give a few of the sayings that may sound awkward as I am translating them back into English from the Hebrew edition of the book.)

” I learned that there is no subject you cannot teach yourself through reading”

“I learned that you can learn a lot about a man from the degree of happiness his wife has, and the degree of respect his children have for him.

I learned that to love and to be loved is the greatest delight in life.

I learned that generous people rarely suffer from emotional problems.

I learned that if you made an appointment for a doctor at eight in the morning you will still have to wait an hour.

I learned that what my grandmother said is correct: As one gets older time seems to go by much more fast.

2 Stars Overrated lesson plan
I bought this due to a description of using this for a lesson plan. The little one-liners were not particulary inspiring for me, so probably would be unlikely to do anything for my students.

My lesson learned, money spent.

5 Stars live & learn & pass it on
this is a really awesome book! it has the cutest sayings about life and the ideal book to read when you’re having a bad day or just need a lift. most of the sayings are true and from people of all ages, which is why it caught my attention. i had originally got this book browsing in a library on my college’s campus and checked it out, not knowing what to expect. it has sayings in it like “if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got” by a 51 year old; and that “even though its hard to admit, i’m secretly glad when my parents are strict with me” by a 15 year old, and that “a mule dressed in a tuxedo is still a mule” by a 70 year old and that “being a success at the office is not worth it if it means being a failure at home” by a 51 year old. after reading these passages, i’m positive that the average reader can look through the passages and find a lot that can and does relate to his or her life.

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American Lion Andrew Jackson in the White House New York Times Notable Books

Andrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times are at the heart of this remarkable book about the man who rose from nothing to create the modern presidency. Beloved and hated, venerated and reviled, Andrew Jackson was an orphan who fought his way to the pinnacle of power, bending the nation to his will in the cause of democracy. Jacksons election in 1828 ushered in a new and lasting era in which the people, not distant elites, were the guiding force in American politics. Democracy made its stand in the Jackson years, and he gave voice to the hopes and the fears of a restless, changing nation facing challenging times at home and threats abroad. To tell the saga of Jacksons presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham goes inside the Jackson White House. Drawing on newly discovered family letters and papers, he details the human dramathe family, the women, and the inner circle of advisersthat shaped Jacksons private world through years of storm and victory.

One of our most significant yet dimly recalled presidents, Jackson was a battle-hardened warrior, the founder of the Democratic Party, and the architect of the presidency as we know it. His story is one of violence, sex, courage, and tragedy. With his powerful persona, his evident bravery, and his mystical connection to the people, Jackson moved the White House from the periphery of government to the center of national action, articulating a vision of change that challenged entrenched interests to heed the popular willor face his formidable wrath. The greatest of the presidents who have followed Jackson in the White Housefrom Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt to FDR to Trumanhave found inspiration in his example, and virtue in his vision.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars American Lion
This book goes where others have not gone before into the life and times of Andrew Jackson and the social mores of the times. WHat I was struck by is his leadership style and it always seemed like he was a rabbel-rouser but in fact he was a lonely man. I like how Meacham painted all that in. I went to the Andrew Jackson statue in Lafayette Park and watched only a few people looking up at it. Maybe Meacham will change all of that because he makes you want to know this President better. I highly recommend this book and it is something you can read to your cildren 10 and up.

5 Stars Hear Him Roar
Too bad Faulkner isn’t still alive. When he said “The past isn’t really dead. It isn’t even past,” he could have been talking about this marvelous book. Though the world it depicts is obvious long gone, Meacham’s vivid writing and the way he explores universal themes of trust and betrayal, power and weakeness, etc. makes Jackson’s story feel very much of the moment. I recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in what makes our great country so great indeed.

5 Stars best I’ve read
This book is a homerun. I a an avid reader of biographies. This one brings the man and the white house to life. You feel like you are there, present for the whole administration. It is told in clear and vivid detail. It puts you in the room. History truly comes alive. Go Meacham!

4 Stars One of our greatest Presidents gets profiled properly here…
Like him (I love him!) or not, Andrew Jackson

was a fair-minded man-of-action who took no

low ground on the tough issues of his day.

This tome is a very good complete diary of the

decisions, some great, many far-sighted and some

not always perfect of this outstanding President.

Jackson lived in rugged times and many arguments

ended in duels were only one man would stand when

it was over. Jackson was heart-broken when his

dear wife passed but soldied on and helped fight

the Central Bank (a lesson for our own time) and

other miscreants who have lead us astray since.

Trail of Tears, my a*s! There was no other way.

It was either them or us. Andy, you weren’t per-

fect, but your legacy is secure! Our fourth best

President!

5 Stars A year later, still the perfect gift book
Like Doris Kearns Goodwin’s extraordinary account of FDR’s war years in No Ordinary Time, fellow Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Meacham has chronicled the transformational presidency of Andrew Jackson. In American Lion, Meacham brings a historian’s eye and a journalist’s pen to the tumultuous presidential years during which Jackson forged a new political party and reshaped the presidency. From his cinematic opening sentence – “Christmas 1828 should have been the happiest of seasons at the Hermitage.” -Meacham sets the dramatic stage for the Jackson Era on the eve of his inauguration. To those who think the unhappy Peggy Eaton affair seems overly reported, well, have we forgotten so soon how obsessed and paralyzed this nation became just ten years ago over another public scandal? Notes–the 19th century’s Twitter–flew between Washington power centers in its boardinghouses and salons. The Eaton “scandal” richly deserves its treatment as a play within a play because it is the perfect example of how in Washington, then as now, such private matters can first polarize public opinion, and then paralyze the public business. As with his earlier mesmerizing account of the friendship between FDR and Churchill and its consequences for world history, Jon Meacham has given us another gracefully written, intimate portrait of an epic personality that illuminates Jackson’s transformational role in American political history. A year after publication, American Lion should again be at the top of everyone’s gift list this holiday season.

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The Saggy Baggy Elephant Little Golden Book and CD

After a parrot makes fun of Sooki’s big ears, long nose, and wrinkled skin, the “saggy baggy” elephant isn’t too sure of himself—until he meets some beautiful creatures that look and dance just like him. Children will delight in reading this classic story as they listen to the brand-new CD!

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Golden Books are Awesome
I read this to our son, sadly, after he “out grew” these books, they were passed on. Happily, after searching all over I found these treasures on Amazon and now have a new collection for our beautiful grand daughter to enjoy.

5 Stars Cute, sturdy book and a lovely story — but beware; this version’s abridged!
I have loved this book since I had it read to me many years ago, and am excited to share it with my own child. A word of caution, however, regarding the “Little Golden Treasures” version — it has been abridged from the original! A purist like myself will prefer a copy of the full version. I may still pick it up for our child sometime down the road. The story is a lovely one and the pictures are beautiful.

5 Stars Great book for kids
My son loves this book so much. We have to read it everyday. Great price.

1 Star Very disappointing.
The item I ordered was a children’s book that was intended as a gift. I ordered a NEW book, but what I got was a book that already had a dedication on the inside cover. Certainly not something I could give to someone as a gift. I attempted to contact the seller, but never got a response. Very disappointing purchase.

5 Stars Shaggy Baggy Elephant
The book came very quick & in great shape. But I found the book at Walmart for less.

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