Series Books

Don't take everything he says literally and you'll be fine after reading this book.

The book is entertaining and very well written. The stories used to illustrate the points made are usually an adventure in themselves.

Richard Marcinko practices what he preaches and this book will tell you how to do the same.

Buy this book!

Great book. I like Dickie's straight forward, everything goes approach. Very practical and useful advice you can put to use right away no matter what your career is.

When I first put this tape in I thought to myself what the heck is this guy going on about. But I kept on going. It will grow on you. Richard's navy seal strategy to success is definitely one of the original motivational tapes out there. With a warriors attitude and what the author describes as "Testical Fortitude" you know your in for a ride. The author takes real navy missions and turns them into business strategies. With a philosophy of breaking rules only hurts the person who made the rules Richard just puts a foot in the face of whoever stands in the way. Dont be a follower. Set the standard not live up to it. Its a very inspiring look at a different approach to success. Exciting and motivating.

Another good motivational book from the Rogue, but I have seen much of the same ideas in a lot of his other books. I would still recommend it to anyone intrested in looking for a good motivational book.

I have read several business success books but none of the others even came close to this one. Marcinko cuts through all the politics and political correctness and delivers an excellent set of principles applicable to any industry. His war stories are more than just entertaining, they really drive home the points that he is making about the importance of planning, training, etc. This is must reading for everyone who is a warrior at heart regardless of their field of endeavor.

Wonderful! Very insightful and informative. A great addition to anyone's bookshelf. I highly recommend it.

This is an excellent book to aid in the understanding of Shawshank Redemption, whether studying english or mass media.
I found the book to contain additional details on story boards and amended scenes, which indicate the way the script writer, Frank Darabont, adapted the story to film.
Thoroughly enjoyed the script, especially as I can read it in places I can't view the film, i.e. work.

As a rule, don't buy shooting scripts if you want to write a screenplay. Shooting scripts are finished products.

That said, screenwriters can learn from this exploration of the classic movie (yes, folks, it is a classic, it's been shown a billion times on TNT), by reading the deleted scenes (my personal favorite is one about the publicity of Warden Norton's prison-to-work scheme, in which Heywood, played in the movie by William Sadler, gets his best and sharpest lines for someone who's supposed to be the dunce of the movie), the storyboards, the explanations of which scenes were kept, etc.

And for people who just love the movie, it's a must-own.

This is a truly fantastic piece of work!!! If you really enjoyed the movie, and is fascinated by the art of filmaking, this book is for you. More than just the script of the film, the analysis by Frank Darabont takes to a totally different level and perspective. It actually makes you think like a Director. Other than this, just being in the production yourself... This is a true making-of The Shawshank Redemption, that is totally worth the price.

As Frank Darabont says in the introduction of the book, who else would buy the screenplay unless they really want to know more about the film? Sticking to that idea, Darabont has given the film student/buff, and those who simply love the movie, a real treat with this book. Not only does it contain the screenplay, it's the screenplay (I emphasize) AS IT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE FILMING. He's published it exactly as he wrote it when he adapted it from King's novella. I point this out because, as Darabont himself points out in the intro, so many screenplays that are thrown out by merchandise wizards are nothing but the finished movie transcribed. And really, what good is that to someone who wants a deeper knowledge of the film?
Not only does he give us the original screenplay, he gives us a scene-by-scene comparison of the screenplay vs. the finished film, and why things got changed/added/left out. This, in particular, says a lot about Darabont to me. This is a man who wants to use his work not only to be what it is (a GREAT film), but to educate as well. This book inspires. He includes storyboards, as well (including a storyboard for a deleted scene- oh, goody, goody!) and introductions by both himself and Stephen King, and a summarizing bit of advice to budding filmmakers and screenwriters. I devoured this book in short time (one night), lol, and found myself going back to the film to compare and analyze- if you don't do the same after reading it, I'll eat my foot.. okay, maybe not. But something drastic, I warrant you. If you are at all inclined to learn about filmmaking, writing, or even if you just love "The Shawshank Redemption" (which is what lead me to the book in the first place), this is a real must-have. It's worth the price alone just to read what he had to say about filming Freeman's scene walking through the field after discovering Andy's message. Trust me. By the way, fellow "Shawshank..." lovers are welcome to ...discuss it. Enjoy this book, everyone. It's a real find. And I'm SO glad I chose to buy it. The ONLY reason I give it four stars as opposed to five is because, personally, I would have liked to have seen more storyboards.

Seamless--that's the writing of Virginia Smith. This author has the ability to move me along line-on-line and chapter-by-chapter before I even think to come up for air. "How long have I been reading?" I ask myself. Actually, I don't care; I simply pick up the thread of Mayla's unconventional approach to life and dive. Smith weaves Mayla in and out of a job loss, a Florida trip to patch up a relationship, and an online tete-a-tete. Can unconventional meet conventional and survive with faith intact? With her typical candor and strength, Mayla doesn't disappoint. And neither does Virginia Smith in Sincerely, Mayla.

I still say that my favorite book is "Just As I AM". I loved how it made me look at people differently, hopefully more like Christ looks at them. So when I heard there was a sequel, I wasn't sure I'd like it. But, Mayla is so real that I was immediately swept back into her story. I laughed, cried and just enjoyed Mayla all over again! She is a friend to those who really need one, a daughter/granddaughter to love and be loved by, and someone who isn't too proud to let the Lord still work in her heart. I highly recommend you get both books about Mayla to read and enjoy!

Sincerely Mayla is Virginia Smith's follow up to Just As I Am, where we first met Mayla Strong a young and very unconventional character and watched her come to faith. Sincerely Mayla brings us this lovable character as endearing as she was in book one, though a bit tamed in her appearance, sporting fewer piercings and less colorful hair.

In the thick of winter, Mayla finds herself unemployed, on the outs with Pastor Paul who Mayla discovers she has feelings for, and the proud owner of a pet that she finds in the middle of a storm. When faced with these disasters does Mayla do what every unemployed, lovesick, pet owning woman should do? No, of course, not. This is Mayla we're talking about here. She sets off for Orlando, not to visit the big mouse, but to reconnect with her grandmother and get away from her problems. But poor, Mayla. Her problems hop on the plane or zip through emails and the telephone to make her vacation anything but restful.

As an avowed suspense and mystery lover, I rarely make time for novels outside of this genre. Virginia Smith's books are one of the few exceptions. Smith does such a wonderful job of character development. She provides the reader with a unique cast doing battle with everyday issues and marries this with the struggle to live within their faith. Wrap all of this up with humor and a fun plot and you have one must read after another.

Sincerely Mayla certainly fits this mold and is another Smith winner. Through Mayla's innocence we see the world from a different perspective. We watch her struggle with her new faith and think about how we live out our own faith. Her innocence coupled with the basic desire to do the right thing makes Mayla a very loveable character. She faces the same life issues we all face and the reader can deeply empathize with Mayla, forming a strong bond with her. Don't miss Sincerely Mayla or any other Virginia Smith novel. Buy one today, you won't be disappointed.

I thoroughly enjoy Virginia Smith's Mayla books. This is book two in the series, and Mayla is a Christian now, but she still has a world of problems. Her boss lays her off so he can hire his niece to take her place, she finds a rabbit in a blinding snowstorm and takes him home with her and he promptly tries to chew up her bedroom. Her gay neighbor blames her because his partner became a Christian and moved out, and she makes a fool of herself in front of Pastor Paul, the man she dreams about becoming more than just a friend. Overwhelmed, she decides, against her mother's advice, to go to Florida and see her grandmother. But grandmother is a train load of trouble, all by her self. Funny, touching, with a ton of very human conflict, and a strong faith message. Who could want anything more?

"I've always said if the Lord had intended His people to live in snow He would have put the garden of Eden in the middle of the North Pole." So begins Sincerely, Mayla. With these opening words from Mayla Strong I immediately related to her. And even though she's a bit younger and more impulsive than I am, I stayed with her through the whole book, feeling her struggles, laughing at her joys, rooting her on as she tries to fix things.

Nobody can handle serious subjects quite like Virginia Smith. She deals with several "hot button" topics here, but with such a light touch that it never comes off as preachy. This is just Mayla, living her life, trying to be the person God wants her to be, and hitting a few speed bumps along the way. Smith has written a funny, touching sequel to Just As I Am. If you haven't read it, you will still enjoy Sincerely, Mayla., but you'll probably enjoy Mayla's story a lot more if you know how she started.

This is without doubt the best of all Star Trek stories, both in film and in print. It touches on many grand philosophical, scientific, and technological themes: machine intelligence (both in Commander Data and in the Borg), space-time engineering (the first time humanity has done this, via the efforts of Zefram Cochrane), the first contact from an alien civilization (the arrival of the Vulcans), the confrontation with true history (meeting Cochrane and finding out just who the man really was), and the ethics of highly advanced civilizations (the contrast between the Borg and humanity). This book and the film will without a doubt inspire many a young reader to take up the practice of science, and thus it will do the best job of all. Science fiction has the habit of coming true sometimes, but it also has the fault of underestimating. The future of humanity, as exemplified by the Star Trek crew of the year 2367, is a grand one to contemplate, but the true future will be much better: a world populated by humans and machines striving to be the best they can be; a future that is never static, for stagnation to intelligent life is an abomination. We will do genetic engineering of humans, to be the best we can be; we will do space-time engineering, to travel beyond any immediate confines; we will create intelligent machines, to be our friends and allies. All of these things we will do, and much more. Humans and all other lifeforms, organic or not, will be very different in the time frame set in this novel. But they will be restless, ambitious, and always yearning for more understanding, for more insight, for more knowledge: these traits will characterize the beings of the 24th century...and beyond.

"And you people...you're all astronauts on some kind of...star trek?"

That line, uttered by Dr. Zephram Cochrane in both movie and novelization, has to be my all time favorite from the Trek film series. The most interesting difference between movie and book, as far I am concerned, is that despite James Cromwell's fine performance I found the film's Zephram Cochrane incredibly annoying. I never developed a shred of sympathy for him, because the background the film gave me - the Third World War and its chaotic aftermath - wasn't sufficient to make me understand him. I don't know, not having seen the script from which J.M. Dillard worked, whether she added "Zef" Cochrane's tragic battle with bipolar disorder (a disease that before the War had an effective treatment), or if it was among the elements that inevitably got cut as the film took shape. But I do know that for me, it made all the difference in being able to care about this character and root for him.

The book follows the film with little filler added except for background on Lily Sloane and Zephram Cochrane, which gives it a similar pace. They complement each other well.

As usual, J.M. Dillard does a fine job of remaining true to the source material, while still elaborating on it. The story is an excellent one, with plenty of action and plenty of interesting science-fiction concepts for the more thoughtful to consider. It gives us a bit more insight into the "future history" between the near-collapse of civilization and the beginning of the Federation that has been hinted at but rarely detailed in various episodes of Star Trek, in various generations of series.

The plot and characterization are both excellent and the writing is fluid and professional. The book is a pleasure to read.

This is, of course, the novelization of the highly successful Star Trek: The Next Generation film of the same name. First Contact refers not to first contact with the Borg, for, six years later, Picard still bears the mental scars of his assimilation in the form of Locutus, but to Earth's first contact with an alien civilization. It is a story that had yet to be told, although Captain Kirk and his crew had met the extraordinarily old Zefram Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive, in an episode of the original series; additionally, there had been hints that this pivotal event in human history took place some time after a terrible Third World War on Earth.

As the story begins, the Borg have attacked the Federation, with one of their massive cube ships making a bee-line for Earth herself. Picard and the new Enterprise-E starship defy Starfleet orders and rush to the battle, after which they follow a small Borg ship through a time portal which takes them back to 21st-century Earth. The Borg plan is to destroy the Phoenix, the spacecraft which Zefram Cochrane launches and, by way of its successful warp drive test, captures the attention of a Federation scout ship. If that pivotal event does not happen, the Federation we all know and love will never come to be. While half of the senior staff is planet-side trying to make sure the Phoenix launch happens on schedule, the rest of the crew find themselves battling a Borg infestation onboard the Enterprise herself. Data is captured, Picard is in danger of letting his hatred of the Borg overrule logic and reason, and we get to meet the Borg Queen. Personally, I've always felt that the introduction of the Borg Queen was a disservice to the greatest Star Trek villains of them all. The Borg Queen is a complete contradiction that introduced a level of individual vulnerability into a collective that was, up until this time, faceless and seemingly invulnerable.

This is an impressive novelization of the film, making it a worthwhile read to those of us who are already familiar with the onscreen story. In particular, it provides a great deal of insight into the erratic nature of Zefram Cochrane himself; in the movie, he came across as basically a drunk, but the novelization does a much better job of explaining his behavior. That alone makes this novel a natural and extremely beneficial corollary to the movie.

Star Trek First Contact by J.M. Dillard was an excellent book. it showed emotion, fear, dispair, and anger. IT was a well written book considering it was made after the movie. I encourage all Star Trek fans to read this book and watch the movie.

So far, I have found the Stargate Atlantis books to be far superior to the Stargate SG-1 books. Many of the SG-1 novels are obviously written by inexperienced authors, and are little more than legitimized fan-fiction. Mind you, I have only read two Atlantis novels thus far ("Rising" and "Reliquary"), but both of them have been of higher-than-average quality, while out of the eight-or-so SG-1 novels I've read, only one or two have been of equal quality. Regarding "Reliquary", I was completely unsurprised to find out that the author (Martha Wells) is an already-established writer with many published novels. It shows in this book.

She does an excellent job of creating atmosphere. The first half of the book reads like a suspense novel, with the tension growing as the team explores an abandoned Atlantean outpost. When they find an unexpected survivor, things seem to be explained . . . until everything starts to go wrong. It isn't a very long novel, but the plot is so well-paced that you don't notice the length, or lack thereof.

The characterizations are quite good. The dialogue, the actions and interactions of the characters, all of it is true to the show. She also does a good job with descriptions (lending to the atmosphere). I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If given the chance, I will certainly read all of this author's Stargate novels, and I intend to look into her other books as well.

As a writer, it is extremely difficult to turn off my inner critic when reading a series tie-in like this. Historically, such books are an experiment in mental torture with their inaccuracies, poor style/construction, sophomoric plots, cardboard original characters, et al. Honestly, I can't even walk by the Star Trek section of any bookstore without physically cringing. Knowing the process of tie-in publication, you would think the license owners of these shows would be FAR more selective when choosing who expands their universes upon the page.

Ms. Wells, on the other hand, stands out from the pack with this work. Talk about a blast of welcomed fresh air! The characterization was scarily accurate, the plot/storyline well conceived and laid out, and the dialog had me literally guffawing out loud (John's thought of group therapy with sock puppets completely slayed me!).

Several reviewers mention the SGA episode, "Conversion," which shares a similar plot contrivance with "Reliquary," though in the latter, Shepp has the misfortune of becoming a gray-skinned werewolf creature psychically in tune with Ancient technology--as opposed to becoming a two-legged eratus bug that likes to combine kissing with stick fighting. Long story to short, considering the length of time the publication process takes (2-3 years ordinarily), Ms. Wells likely wrote her first draft while Season 1 was still on the air.

Thanks to her amazing way of bringing the SGA characters to life, such things are irrelevant.

If I had one bone to pick, it would be the POV-shifting in so many scenes. That's one of those writing Ten Commandments that should never be broken. POV-shift is annoying, even jarring to the reader, and it screams amateur. But in this case, it's a small point when the strength of the story is taken as a whole.

Looking forward to seeing what "Entanglement" has to offer!

I'm a huge fan of the show Stargate:Atlantis for many different reasons, most of them have to do with character growth and interaction. I usually shy away from books based on favorite tv or movie themes since most cannot stand up to the reasons I like them to begin with, but I bought a couple of the Atlantis novels in order to have something to read when bored at my third shift job. The first time I picked up Reliquary to fill in some time was the moment I was lost to it. I couldn't put it down and had the book finished within 48 hours of picking it up. This book is a must for any Atlantis fan who loves the characters and their interaction. Ms. Wells KNOWS these characters and all I kept thinking while reading the story is "this author has to be a fan of the show". What a fantastic adventure with our favorite characters. I'm not sure I totally understand the entire plot with the bad guy's motives, but it honestly doesn't matter since the adventure alongside the characters was entertaining and fulfilling in itself. I hope to see more of Stargate:Atlantis titles from Martha Wells. Five Stars and Two Thumbs Up!!

I found the books really good, but the entire time they were messing with the months and moments in every single story. For example this one takes place about four months after the issue with the teams biggest human enemy the Genii and after they did battle with a crazed wraith on another planet a couple of weeks later. I mean if they want to make the books they should do them in the order that the tv series played in rather then going back and forth and tossing certain details that they never mentioned in the show. But all in all this was a really good story, I especially got a kick when they mentioned the details of sheppards first conversion before he went through it a second time in season 2. I recommend this to any who like the tv show.

I bought this book to read it in the airport while on a trip, It was a great book, kept me very entertained.
Love how well the author got the characters, got a few laughs on Rodneys comments and Sheppard's attitude.
I recommend it, is a short book, good jepardy.


Andrea

I am actually looking for a new one to read on the trip back.

I am Brenda Jackson #1 Fan. I first purchase two random books at two diffrent times & realized that they were sequels one of my first. I then went on line & researched the author. Low & behold I was shocked to see that the books I purchased were part of a series. I have since purchased every book by Mrs. Jackson. Which included Thorn's Challenge. All of Mrs. Jackson books are on point. I just purchased her last installment of the Westmoreland series last week. Thorn's Challenge

Thorn Westmoreland is the man! He can be my challenge any day. Thorn is just one of the remarkable Westmorland men. Too bad men like him don't exist. I don't want to give the book away. Just buy it and read it. As a matter of fact, read about all the Westmoreland men. You will not be dissapointed. Oh, and the sex! Wahoo!

I am a fan of Brenda Jackson and found this to be one of my all time favorite books. The fact that Thorn felt they could have a relationship with no strings, is funny. It is indeed another story of a Westmoreland man and truly they are men of passion. I really enjoyed when Tara ran into her ex and Thorn was there by her side what a comfort. It is another story of how beautiful true love can be.

What was Tara thinking? Exchanging her virtue for some pics for charity. Well evidently she's smarter than me. 'Cause she ended up with the man. You go girl. Ms. Jackson I loved it.

WOW...talk about HOT, HOT, HOT...who knew the Westmoreland boys were so tempting. This is the first Westmoreland novel I've read and you can bet, I'll be searching for the rest. I couldn't put it down 'til I was done! Tara and Thorn definitely had their hands full with one another, each one fighting the temptation or love for 2 years, I couldn't imagine! I thoroughly enjoyed the teasing of the brothers. The way they wanted to protect Tara's honor, if Thorn only wanted to use her. And just the way the brothers interacted with each other! Well done Mrs. Jackson!

I have enjoyed all the books in this series and was disappointed that this was not a Louis Kincaid book. I find it easy to like Kincaid and think him an honorable man. While A Thousand Bones as a thriller is good, I was disturbed by the ending. Jo's choice of justice was simply wrong. I have to like the hero of the story and Jo's dishonorable decision makes that impossible for me. Just ask the agent who could not accept it either.
I like Parrish's books and will continue to read them. Let's hope the next one I do not have to throw against the wall in frustration when I am finished.

I just finished reading this book and it had me hooked until the very end. The characters were true to life and the situations they found themselves in were very plausible.

This, in my opinion, is one of the better police procedural books as it was set in a time period when DNA was not yet discovered. Thus, murders were solved by honest to God police work. Clues were followed instead of just matching DNA to a person.

A very well written book.

First thing first it astounds me that A: one of these books haven't been made into a movie yet. And B: that these books aren't published in hardcover.

Back to back I read Micheal Connelly's Echo Park and then P.J. Parrish's A Thousand Bones. And I be honest with you A Thousand Bones was every bit just as good if not better.
Every novel these two author's write get nominated for a Thousand awards in the mystery field and every year. And every year I sit there in disbelief when they don't win at least one.
And yet every novel they write is better then the last.
Possibly the best mystery novel of 2007.
I give it a 10 out of 10.

I have only recently discovered this author, but I'm loving everything I've read so far and this is no exception. Compelling story well told.

If you were hoping that the new P.J. Parrish book would be another installment in the Louis Kincaid series, you only get half your wish. Kincaid takes a minor role in this tale that stars his girlfriend, Miami homicide detective Joette Frye. Joe has grown significantly from the young rookie who worked for the Echo Bay Police Department, where even most of the veteran cops had never drawn their weapons in the line of duty. As the story of her rookie year unfolds, so does the character of this determined, capable and unique woman --- a welcome addition to this popular series.

Most of the book takes place as Joe recalls the horrific events that shattered the serenity of Echo Bay and left a town devastated. The woods around this quiet little village held not only the bones of countless victims but also the dark secrets of the monsters who buried them. It was in these woods that two boys found a human bone and triggered an investigation that would still haunt Joe 13 years later.

As we have come to expect from skilled writers, their characters draw us into the story and create a sense of urgency so vital to good police work. While Joe tends to be impulsive, her mentor seems to be overly cautious and the relationship between Joe and Detective Rafsky develops in a most satisfying way as they form a solid bond and strong partnership.

The poignancy with which Parrish (sisters Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols) deal with the parents of the girls who have gone missing over the years is another example of how the authors blend poetry with prose. On the other hand, one is overwhelmed when the mind of the perpetrator is revealed and victims are seen through the eyes of evil. Delving into the psyches of predators can be disturbing, but it definitely adds to the texture of the story. And, regardless of their disappointments and rejections, I want to see them pay for what they have done! And so do the cops who cannot rest until justice is done.

A THOUSAND BONES will hold your attention and run you through a gamut of emotions as the small-town cops work to solve the crimes and bring some resolution to those who have suffered. We look forward to more of Joe Frye and Louis Kincaid as they work through their own histories to bring new freedom into their relationship.

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding, a substance abuse counselor in Phoenix, AZ who wanted to be Brenda Starr before life intervened. She reviews for www.bookreporter.com and www.faithfulreader.com To contact Maggie, e-mail Magster2@cox.net.

My 83 year old neighbor, a Prayer Warrior, was so impressed with this book, she asked to read my copy of Pilgrim's Progress, of which she had only heard and had never read. She will recommend The Tinker's Daughter to her great-grandchildren.

WENDY LAWTON BRINGS HER READERS INTO THE LIVES OF THE YOUNG GIRLS SHE WRITES ABOUT. AS YOU READ ABOUT THESE GIRLS, IT IS AS IF YOU ARE THERE WITH THEM SEEING WHAT THEY GO THROUGH, ASKING GOD WHAT DO I DO NEXT, WHAT HAPPENS TO ME NOW, THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT A LOT OF US ASK NOW. WE DON'T KNOW OUR OUTCOME, BUT WE CAN SEE THERES AND MAYBE SEEING THERES IT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO IN OUR LIVES.

The Tinker's Daughter started a bit slow; built up speed; and finished with a flurry. By the end of the book I wanted more to read on Mary Bunyan. Easy reading. Vocabulary section in back of book allows young readers a chance to easily become familiar with terms used in Mrs. Lawton's writing.

In the Tinker's Daughter, I didn't expect the story to relate to my life at all. But as you read further into the book, you discover an independent but also scared little girl who just wants her father back. It is her who takes the journey everyday to visit and feed her father in prison, and her who makes sure the house is running smoothly. But you will learn, as she does, that being independent is good up to a point, but to really survive you need God's help. I would reccomend this book to anyone in the ages of 10-14 who likes historical fiction and is looking for a good story for a rainy day.

The Tinker's Daughter is one of the most incredible books I've ever read. I would give this book a five star rating. It has so much feeling and emotion and such strong faith for God, it makes yhou feel like you're actually standing there on the sidelines watching this story happen.
The story is about a young girl naemd Mary Bunyan who was born blind. The book shows this girls independentcy and such strong faith for God. It also is about how she shows people that just because she's bllind doesn't mean she can't do anything she wants to. The story also shows this amazing love she has for her father and how she helps him out in his time of need. So if your a Christain or somedbodey who is just struggling in life right now I 100 percent recomend this book for you because I gaurantee you, you'll love it!

What would you do if your spouse or significant other, who you believed dead for several years, suddenly reappears on your doorstep -- alive and in living color -- wanting to pick up right where you left off?

That's exactly what happens to Madeline Stone. When her cheating husband Russell's plane crashed, it was good riddance to bad rubbish as far as Madeline was concerned. Russell's brother however, refuses to give up hope. And after six years, the impossible happens...Russell is alive, a little worse for the wear, but alive nonetheless.

Needless to say, Madeline is skeptical that he is who they say he is. She's not happy at all to see the man who caused her so much heartache. But, it's been said that tragedy has a way of changing a person, and Russell is one changed brother! He's loving, caring, the perfect father and husband, and he's very determined to tear down the walls Madeline has built around her heart.

I absolutely loved this storyline! The unexpected twists throughout the story really threw me for a loop, and really enhanced the book.

Whenever I pick up an Adrianne Byrd novel, I know I'm in for a treat. Her characters are always endearing. And even though romance novels are formulaic with regards to the fact that the couple at the beginning of the story will be together by the end of the story, Byrd consistently manages to throw in little surprises that make for an engaging read.

Renee Williams, All the Buzz

This book is a breath of fresh air. The plot was really intriguing and kept me on my toes. Maddie, Russell, and the kids were such a cute family. He was perfect with the kids and perfect with Maddie. The twist and turns in this book were really good. I could not put this book down because I wanted to know if that was really Russell. I could tell that Christopher really loved his brother and his death really changed him. The scene in the book when everybody first met Russell and his eyes immediately went to Maddie was creepy but good (lol). In reading the last few chapters of this book, my mouth was wide open in shock the whole time. You will not believe.

I bought this book when it was first released because well it was written by Adrainne Byrd and I love all of her books. I read this book in one snowy afternoon! It was great, it moved fast and she had some unexpected twists. I loved it. A lot of contempoary romance novels follow a predictable script, this did not. Do yourself a favor pick up a copy. You wont be disappointed

Okay, so this one is going down as one of my new all time favorite romance novels. I wasn't so sure about this one because I've been stuck on reading either Brenda Jackson or Beverly Jenkins. But I decided to put them aside and read one of the many Kimani Romances that I haven't read yet. I'm glad I picked this one. The story line was so well written, and just the way "Russell" and Madeline meshed was so beautiful. Adrianne Byrd did an excellent job with this one. Hopefully she'll continue to write this way. Good job Adrianne

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. i thought he was sooooooo sweet going into her room at nights while she sleeps to give her a kiss (sighing). Great read, didn't think i would like it but a keeper this one.

My boys love Toad Catchers Creek! They want me to read it to them a few times a week. They have it memorized! It is a fabulous book that teaches children that they can do anything if they believe in themselves! A very important lesson to learn!

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Florrie Binford-Kichler, Founder of Patria Press, Inc.- an award-winning independent publisher and Member of The Children's Book Council; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

In this enchanting tale endorsed by Dr. Laura Slessinger, a young boy named Chris wants to give up in the face of a challenge. He finds inspiration in a story shared by his father, and he grows as a result.

Told in buoyant verse, this story is an entertaining introduction to the idea that achieving begins with believing.

The father/son relationship is a special element of this story and is celebrated in the author's dedication: "[To my father] for the many loving lessons he spent his time teaching me."

Martin Cannon's vivid illustrations create a captivating setting for this delightful story.

Truly a quality production destined to be a modern classic.

The whimsical cover of this oversized book is a feast for the eyes and sure to captivate children before they even open the book. The story inside doesn't disappoint. Decorated with upbeat, brightly colored pictures, every page is lush and appealing. The oversized text and fun pictures bounce off the page, combining to address the issue of childhood fears and the importance of believing in yourself. The positive message of this charming book is perfect for kids of all ages.

Marsha Jordan
Author of Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter
Inspirational Essays Illustrated by Seriously Ill Children
www.hugsandhope.org/pb.htm

A young boy named Chris wants to give up in the face of a challenge. He finds inspiration in a story shared by his father, and he grows as a result.

Told in buoyant verse, this story is an entertaining introduction to the idea that achieving begins with believing.

The father/son relationship is a special element of this story and is celebrated in the author's dedication: "[To my father] for the many loving lessons he spent his time teaching me."

Martin Cannon's vivid illustrations create a captivating setting for this delightful story.

Truly a quality production destined to be a modern classic.