Clubs Books

A small-time armed robber is compelled to flee for his life when he kills a cop in a botched liquor store robbery. Over the subsequent 24 hours we learn a great deal about the psychology and life of Colley Donato and encounter, along with him, a bizarre gallery of characters, such as a buxom ex-stripper who nurses a murderous rage and a Jersey hillbilly family with a vicious dog. This is graphic, unsentimental stuff. There are no good guys and no one to root for, just a desperate criminal who deserves all the misfortune that comes his way. Evan Hunter's (AKA Ed McBain) spare but knowing prose is compulsively readable and he tells a savagely fascinating story.

Ed McBain made a very welcome departure from his 87th Precinct novels--police procedurals, almost all of which begin with a murder to be solved--and wrote one of the toughest American crime novels up to that time (1976). In fact this reads like it could have been written two weeks ago, not over 25 years ago: a contemporary crime novel from the criminal's perspective with enough emphasis on psychology to keep the reader hooked straight through to the end.

The key phrase here is, "He who lives by the gun, dies by the gun." Prophetic words for the protagonist, Nicholas "Colley" Donato, a criminal whose expertise is the heist. McBain puts Colley through a whole set of stuff including successful jobs, a violent partner, and an equally violent woman who lusts and murders more intensely than any man in the story--and of course the knockout ending at a small town gun shop.

This is hardboiled crime writing at its finest, and very highly recommended.

Another winning recommendation from a member of the Rara-Avis hardboiled book mailing list. Up to this point I've avoided Mystery Writers of America Grand Master McBain (too popular and too many other books waiting to be read) but this little 1976, non-87th Precinct, gem was time well spent. The story is about the aftermath, told from the perspective of a small time New York City armed-robber, of a Bronx liquor store robbery gone bad. The writing is fairly fast-paced, the story unsentimental and the attitude hard-boiled. McBain, best known for his police procedural 87th Precinct series (54 books since 1956 and still counting) is worth a look if your literary tastes tend towards this genre.

I bought this book and Cd as a challenge to take my mandolin playing to another level. To date I have tackled a couple of numbers and find the level achievable, so that I am pleased and see promise in working with it further. The backing tracks at slower and uptempo speeds are very useful.

As you notice this book is quite thin. Songs like Chicago, St. Louis Blues are featured in this book along with a CD with full backing tracks as well which allows you to practically jam and experience the tunes. Not a lot of people has access to these tunes in mandolin transcripts.

The comment section by Dix showed us the chord, rhythm change, turnaround in each songs. Plenty of tips. You really have to digest it yourself though since there's no exercise of whatsoever.

What I like about this book is that it encourages you to play not just the solo, but also the rhythm part (chord). This is a song book not a guide book.

As a guitar player I wanted a mandolin book that would show me things that are not bluegrass, nothing wrong with bluegrass I just wanted something different and this book delivers. I learned 7th and minor chords that are different from the standard bluegrass fare and a few pretty neat tunes as well. I am glad I bought this.

Boy, I just loved the stories in this collection!!! The fact that the stories were intwined due to a very strong and loving friendship made it even better!!!!! I would love to see a new collection of stories centered around or connected to these characters. I could not put it down once I got started. They were warm, smart and funny. A really great read.

Her grandmother has decided it's time for Esmerelda to go before council. She wants Esmy's power tested and for her granddaughter to be accepted by the Fae.

Esmy has been using a glamour since she'd gone through puberty. As soon as she'd realized where most of her power lay, she did her best to hide it. But no more. Now that the truth is out about her Affinity, or Siren abilities, Esmy now has a difficult task. How will she find a man who loves her for her, and not one who makes her conform to their dream woman? Her father has picked out several lovers for her, but after that she doesn't know what will happen.

Affinity is a fun, interesting story. Though the plot wasn't unique, Viola Grace put in twists that made it different enough to keep my attention. It took a few pages for me to be drawn into the story, but once I was in I enjoyed Esmy's humor. There was a situation in the story that made me extremely uneasy, but other than that this was an enjoyable read. I was left with a few questions after a dinner party her tutors had after bringing Esmy to their home, so I'll be looking for the next book in this series.

Erys

Graylin aka George is about to be found out. She was been under a glamour spell for years that is soon to wear off. When it does, it will reveal her as a dragon to those who are similar. She doesn't want to be forced into wedding another dragon that is not of her choosing. So she takes matters into her own hands and picks her mate. When they first see each other without the glamour it is one explosive coupling that follows. But, will she underestimate the Council and be forced to wed another when she leads Rikard on a chase or is Rickard the man/dragon for her?

Abandon is a super hot story about being in control of your own life, and making choices that are right for you. This is fantastic story with lots of hot sex, as well as a well thought out history and an additional realm where the dragons can live without detection. Those who are not fans of shape-shifters should avoid this book as there is one scene that has both Graylin and Rikard partially shifted while having sex; personally I thought it was one smokin' hot scene. I am off to try to find book 4 in the series as Abandon has me hooked.

Tanya

Melissande aka Jinx is in trouble, her secret is out. She is the only known living Archive, and the glamour that she and her friends have used to each stay secret in this and the other realm is now coming down. She doesn't want to only serve the Mage's as those who do seem to disappear and have no life. So she is going to seek protection with the local were pack, as her Grandmother had suggested. She and her gremlin take off to her Grandmother's cabin, where she is greeted by a couple of weres sent to guard her. She is drawn to Sirnel and he seems to understand her, and he is one hot stud both as a wolf and man. But, suddenly the Grandfather who had no desire to even acknowledge her is now trying to assert influence and demand she is part of his pack.

Archive was a wonderful final chapter to the Half Blood series. I loved how Jinx is able to use her gift to thwart the dominating alpha and make things right for not only her but her mother. Additionally the author does know how to write a hot love scene which adds to my liking her works. While Archive is in a series it can be read as a stand alone book and you can read the series out of order but it won't be as much fun. A great summer read.

Tanya
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Since childhood the members of the Half-Blood Club have zealously protected each other with spells and cloaking to keep the High Council from finding out about them. When one of them is tested at the insistence of her grandmother, the entire group is exposed - and that's when things start to get interesting.

MAGUS SHIFT
Isobel `Hex' Marlin has recently been outed as a powerful mage and she's terrified. The last thing she wants is for the High Council to take notice of her but it's too late now. Her boss, James Sterling, uses pixie dust to aid the High Council in bringing her in for Questioning.

While she's not thrilled with being before the High Council and having them test her, it's what happens afterwards that really irks her. She had plans to lure James to her by choice. Now she's expected to fulfill the contract her father had reneged on when he eloped with her mother.

Warlock James Sterling is powerful in his own right. He's desired Isobel since she first came to work for him. Discovering her abilities and having her effectively handed over to him is almost a dream come true - only he insists on a hand fasting rather than marriage for now. Can James and Isobel get past their hurt and anger enough to see that they're perfect for each other and what will happen between the families who are still angry over the long ago snub?

Isobel and James make a fascinating couple and I eagerly read through the pages to find out what would happen between them. I loved getting to know Isobel and adored her upbeat personality. I wasn't sure what to think of James at first but he quickly won me over as well.


AFFINITY
Thanks to her grandmother's meddling, Esmerelda, known to her close-knit group friends as Hookey, is forced to appear before the Elven council where she'll be tested to see if she has any elven talents. To the shock of everyone present, not only does Esmy possess the talents of a fae but she is also the first siren to walk the halls of Realm. As a siren or AFFINITY when approached by a male she transforms into his ideal woman.

Boral and Orlyn have been friends and companions for hundreds of years and have vowed to never let a woman come between them. They're hoping that Esmy will agree to accept both of them. Will she be brave enough to set aside her own unease with the whole idea of sex with men?

Viola Grace writes with such humor and obvious enjoyment in the characters she creates that it's almost impossible not to get caught up in the magical worlds she brings to life through her tales. Esmy's kept her true self hidden for so long it's wonderful to imagine everyone's reaction to the `real' woman but I could also sense her discomfort with having her abilities exposed. AFFINITY is an enchanting tale full of magical wonders, sexual tension and plenty of emotional scenes to keep readers eagerly reading.


ABANDON
Graylin Treel isn't leaving anything to chance. She's determined to get the dragon of her choice before the council steps in and selects one for her. With the help of her friend Jinx she'll achieve her goal - only her plan doesn't go quite the way she expects.

Rikard is a powerful dragon. Unfortunately Graylin didn't do as much research on him as she should have - all she knows is that he's great looking, not her father, and excellent in bed. That last fact she learned by polling his ex-lovers. What she didn't anticipate was his determination to keep her.

After their one night of wild dragon sex Rickard has a few questions. The big one is why is she not registered? He shackles her to his bed while he goes and registers her and has the council's approval of their mating. Graylin has no intention of staying put . . . she enlists the help of her friend Hex and escapes. She realizes that she knows very little about Rikard and isn't so sure about her decision to mate him without knowing him better. Now the chase is on and it's up to her to evade him as long as possible.

I loved the vast array of characters in this storyline. Graylin's friends are a riot and her mother is amazingly supportive - they're just the sort of people everyone should have in their lives. Ms. Grace's sense of humor shines through the pages and brings these characters to life so that you can't help but love them.


ARCHIVE
Melissande, or 'Jinx' as her friends call her, has opted to hide at her grandmother's place in the woods due to the sudden exposure the members of the Half-Blood Club has suddenly received. Each of the young women's talents have been revealed before the Council except for Mel's. She's convinced nobody will come looking for her, after all she's only an ARCHIVE

After an unexpected encounter at the maiden pool with Orion, it's guardian, Jinx is clued into another possibility. The werewolves have recently begun to interact with other races of Realm and if she joins them then it would not only protect her but give the wers a more equal footing with the other races. She'd also be allowed her choice of mate. When the local wer packs make her the prize in their game day in which every unmated male in the clan will compete for the right to be considered for her mate.

Viola Grace's ARCHIVE is simply a delightful story that held my attention all the way through to the end. I absolutely loved the gremlin and how Ms. Grace presents him as such a whimsical character that even though she states that he's ugly - he still comes off as lovable. Jinx is one strong young woman. She makes decisions and stands by them even in the face of adversity and I had to admire her for that. One of my favorite reasons for loving this story is the kick butt fun scene where she goes after what she wants - and gets it, with some help from the other members of the HALF-BLOOD CLUB.

The HALF-BLOOD CLUB is a wonderful series in which each story flows beautifully into the next and the characters play off one another with humorous results and wickedly funny scenes. Viola Grace is a talented writer with a lot of potential as well as a vivid imagination.

NOTE: I originally reviewed each of these stories individually, this review is spliced from the reviews as posted on Romance Junkies.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies

Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 10) for Reader Views (10/07)

Are you looking for a small picture book which describes Hanukkah? If you are, Roni Schotter has created just the one for you. Inside the front cover is a description of four specific things associated with Hanukkah. The pictures throughout the book show you just how the traditions of Hanukkah are celebrated. There are little ones that small kids will be able to relate to for celebrating the holiday, including being tempted to steal food before mealtime.

With thick pages, "Hanukkah!" is a terrific book for the youngest reader. Lots of families celebrating together are a big part of this book. Isn't that what this special time of year is great for, celebrating with friends and families getting together? I love this book!

A charming little book for the young at heart about celebrating, with all the trimmings, one family's joyous Festival of Lights.

Destined to be a perenial favorite of RebeccasReads.

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award, this is one of our favorite stories for Chanukah and the holiday season. A warm and cozy glimpse at a family holiday with a simple story that is both funny and appealing. We love the illustrations and the poetic writing and have shared this book with friends of all religions. Everyone loves it! One of the nicest Chanukah books we've ever found to share.

I have heard about this book, but till you actually read it for yourself, hearing about it does not do it justice! I am usually a slow reader, but from the time I opened the first page I was captivated by the "flow" of the story, and the message in it. Before I knew it 2 hours later I had finished the book! Demos Shakarian was truly a messenger from God, his life was centered around the vision God gave to him and he would not compromise on the goal that was set before him. Though God blessed him in the physical realm, it never clouded his judgment or the vision God gave to him. It was truly a remarkable story, about being led by the Spirit of God! This book and Demos's life has been an encouragement in my life!

No human story has built such awe and faith for me. I believe that the generational obedience and worship built into this man and woman a purpose that is truly unusual if not unique in our generation. Certainly the prayers and strength of their home church deserve much of the honor for the achievements accomplished. I heve been blessed each time I read this book.

The Demos Shakarian story is about God's presence in our lives, and the miracles He will perform when we let Him, when we're willing to get out of the way to let Him take over. Mr. Shakarian's story is about a loving God and a loving son, whose heart wants to be in his Father's perfect will, but being human, forgets, and gets in the way. And God waits until he figures that out, steps back, and lets Him lovingly fix everything, often seeing miracles as Father God worked in his life, and in the lives of the people around him. It is a book of hope, of promise, and of love, things we all need and often forget where to go to get them. It was exactly what I needed to read, and I highly recommend it to others.

If there was ever a novel for feminine empowerment, this may very well be it. The female lead is unflinching in her quest to help the heartbroken and her cohorts (who happen to be strippers --how's that for feminity?) never waver from their slight distaste of men and all that is wrong with them. The humour is very understated and I found myself spitting up coffee several times after I'd read a particuliar line. Now what I really liked about this book, as it is a chick book, is the that the author kept me guessing whether or not the lead character was going to do her love interest in. Not literally, of course. It's a great concept and a great read.

Heartbreaker is a tapestry of pointed and often wacky anecdotes peppered with a little sex and spiced liberally with the personal introspections of main character, Tina, who is a professional "Heartbreaker". An appreciable fantasy feast of revenge for women who have encountered the worst in the worst types of contemporary men and survived. A delightful read for any afternoon!

Heartbreaker is about a girl who's a professional heartbreaker. I loved the way the author broke down the ways to be a heartbreaker, spoofing self help. It's also a story about a girl who was heartbroken but, of course, meets a guy and now wants to get over it. I have to say it's one of the sexier books I've read like this. Not overt, but it definitely has some scenes in it that, well, are very sexy.

I'd recommend it to just about anyone for a fun filled beach/plane ride read. It will keep you interested and hooked.

Your entire review is a run on sentence. Just goes to show why books should never be reviewed by idiots. This book was fantastic!

I LOVED this book! It was scary and I could not put it down! The relationships were well developed and the dialogue was very realistic. Great book!

This book was great reading. I enjoyed it very much. It could use with some editing but the overall story was fabulous. It was a page turner for sure. I would highly recomend this book to everyone! Great summer reading.

My 1st grader loves reading Henry and Mudge books. The charming water color and ink pictures, and the realistic kid adventures, create an engaging experience for early readers. The author does an almost magical job relaying the fears, temptations and ambitions of childhood. And many kids can identify with Henry's passionate love for his big dog, Mudge. Plus, this series will appeal to both boys and girls.

The series is at the 1st grade reading level. This book is a "chapter" book (not a "baby" book) with 3 Chapters, and about 40 pages of half text, half artwork. (Just to give you an idea of the reading level, the Henry and Mudge books are easier than Magic Tree House, but harder than the advanced Bob books.)

This particular book is about Henry's adventures with a new spy kit and with making a new friend. It's a lighthearted tale with a few good laughs.

Note: you might want to purchase Henry And Mudge First Book before this book or with this book. It introduces the characters used in the rest of the series.

Enjoy!
P. Gould, co-author of Feeding the Kids: The Flexible, No-Battles, Healthy Eating System for the Whole Family (Fork and Spoon Field Guides) (Fork and Spoon Field Guides)

I bought a bunch of these for my 9 year old nephew who was 7 and he loved them. This one he really liked. He enjoyed reading about the adventures of Henry and Mudge. These books are fun, enjoyable, entertaining, and easy to read. I've read some myself and my son Ramon who is now in second grade loves them too. His cousin loves them as a second grader now he loves them. These are great starter books to help kids on their way to reading. They really motivate kids to read because of the funny, and entertaining stories.

Henry buys a spy kit. He and his dog, Mudge, canvas the neighborhood to "flirt with danger" and "steal secrets". One day Henry finds a secret code and is determined to crack it. Funny, adorable, irresistable Mudge is a favorite at house! He can even get my reluctant reader eager to see what happens next. Easy reading level with short chapters gives the hesitant reader a real sense of accomplishment.

I can't say enough about this series. It's amazing. I have actually bought the whole series & just put it away. Every time my daughter gets a new one she has to read it over & over again.

Henry takes his loveable, unruly dog to obedience school. Henry is terribly nervous. Will Mudge sit on a puddle? Will he drool on the teacher's foot? Mudge might flunk dog school! At the end of the eight weeks Mudge and Henry must take the "Big Test". Henry and Mudge are top choice for my 8 year old son who is a reluctant reader. Mudge has definitely found a place in his heart! Short chapters, adorable pictures and funny story make this book a hit!

This is a very fun book with wonderful pictures drawn in pen and ink and watercolor. After seeing a very obedient dog walk by his house, Henry and his mom decide it might be a good idea to take Mudge--their big, slightly wild and sloppy dog--to obedience school. Henry is worried: "He thought Mudge might drool on the teacher's foot. Or sit on a poodle by mistake. Or not even stay awake long enough to do anything."

The book is funny and teaches kids some fundamentals about training dogs. If Mudge can do it, maybe your dog can do it too!
The book is rated at "level 2--reading with help" by the publisher, and it has enough repetition and short sentences for the beginning reader. However, the humor and great picture make an interesting as well as readable book!

Back in the 1980s I read this book to my dad on a long car trip. I read the first chapter to my six year old son at bedtime and he had finished the book himself by the end of the next day. We both love it! It's a very exciting and memorable book; I can recall the plot and characters twenty years later.

Hero by Walt Morey was a wonderful and memerable book. I found this book at a used bookstore and it caught my eye. I could tell by the cover and the painting of the dog on the frount that I would like. After I paid the $[...], I went home and read it. I loved how the author did not push the "amazing dog" thing because most children's writers want the dog to be unrealistic. All I am saying is that the dog acted real. A very good read. If you love animals, you will adore this book.

I really thought that this book was good. It had suspense and it held your attention. It is a great book for anyone who likes dogs and even for people who don't. I would recomend this book.