Female Books

The last few weeks, I have been enjoying my commute in the company of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, as I've listened to her fascinating book Infidel. I love books that transport me to a foreign place or time, and immerse me in a culture that I didn't know about before. And I love books that provoke thought about important ideas. Infidel does both of things exceedingly well. It is the autobiographical account of an independent-minded woman who was raised in a traditional Somali Muslim family and grew up to be a Member of Dutch Parliament advocating for women's rights. The first half of the book is a vivid account of her childhood in Somalia, and later in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Kenya as her family escaped the turbulence of their war-torn homeland. Her description of life in places like Mogadishu, Mecca, and Nairobi is rich in detail about their houses and neighborhoods, their food, their culture and traditions. Her portraits of her parents, her siblings, her grandmother, and other family members are richly complex, infused with the emotional perspective of her childhood at the same time balanced by an unflinching retrospective assessment of their good qualities and their weaknesses. The genealogist in me was fascinated learning about the Somali tribal culture that puts such a premium on one's ancestry that children at an early age can recite their ancestry for nine generations, and when two Somalis meet, they can readily ascertain their kinship even to tenth cousins. And her description of the variations of Muslim practice between countries, and the rise of Muslim fundamentalism, was illuminating and especially relevant today. She does a remarkable job of making comprehensible such alien traditions as polygamy, arranged marriages, and female genital mutilation. What is especially remarkable is how, even though she would later come to condemn some parts of the traditions she was raised with as being completely barbaric, she describes them in the context of her early life subjectively and dispassionately, neither concealing the barbarity nor revealing anger, judgment, and condemnation. The account is all the more powerful for that, allowing the reader to understand how such barbarity could be accepted and tolerated because of how it is embedded in traditional ways of life and in how sons and daughters are raised. And it allows us to understand this amazing woman on all the parts of her journey, from childhood, to adolescence when she was drawn to fundamentalism, to adulthood when she escaped to discover liberal ideas. The latter half of the book describes her life in the Netherlands, where she becomes not only a parliamentarian but a political lightning rod after making a controversial film with Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh which lead to his murder and death threats for her. The book then becomes more about politics, ideology, and her intellectual autobiography, though embedded in personal experiences of immigration, learning Dutch culture, and ultimately life as a figure in hiding from death threats. She raises significant questions about whether a liberal society can survive being tolerant of a growing immigrant community within its midst that remains insular and perpetuates an illiberal way of life. (These questions have reverberations here in America, not only regarding Islamism, but in issues like the recent Texas FLDS raids, and in the fault lines of conflict between religious liberty and civil rights protections -- issues I hope to explore in future blog posts.) And she makes a compelling argument that Islam needs to undergo its own Reformation if it is to be reconciled to modernity. Her ideas and the amazing life experience that formed them make for vital and fascinating reading.

An incredible story by a gifted writer. One of the best books I have read in many years.

What a thoughtful and inspiring book this was! Ms. Ali writes in a very engaging and direct style that makes for a hard-to-put-down biography/self-discovery book. After finishing this great book, one can only admire this woman for her courage to think for herself, change her whole way of life, and watch as her family disowned and alienated her. She was able to see Islam for what it is--a disastrously out-of-touch system set in place to suppress women, full of ridiculous mythology. Ms. Ali rightfullly shows that Islam countries are far behind Western countries in economic well being, human rights, and learning.

One, I think, must also consider X-ianity during the reading of Infidel. Could there be verses telling women to be quiet in the X-tian Quran? Could there be verses in the X-tian "holy" book where god commands men to r@pe women? Could x-tianity be a silly bunch of myths, hundreds of years old (just like Islam!), that shackle its adherents from growing intellectually and morally?

Infidel is a fantastic book by a true, modern-day hero. I'm so glad I read Ms. Ali's memoir, and I can't wait to see what she'll say next. Highly recommended!

Until it was finished, this book became a part of me--- I could not put it down. Ayaan's culture was an incomprehensible combination of love, support, backwardness, cruelty, and control. To watch her grow and develop into an independent and autonomous young lady, was to see a flower beginning to bloom. It made me thankful for having been born in the USA and for the parents I had.

Submission and degradation of women in the Muslim faith is certainly not a new or unrevealed topic, but this personal account by Hirsi Ali brings insight and understanding that one can not achieve through news articles and other written factual documentation. I applaud Ms. Ali for her courage to come forth and expose the errors of her former religion (which is no easy task) with the hope that the atrocities against Muslim women will eventually come to an end. Women of all faiths and nationalities should read this book and more like it to remind us that we still have a long way to go to accomplish true equality with men.

Donna Gillespie's The Light Bearer is an entertaining, substantive work, made even more impressive by being the author's first novel. She cares for her characters, especially her two leads, Auriane and Marcus Julianus, who are likable, soulful, and passionate heroes. It is impossible not to root for them to overcome their enemies and come together as allies. Her research is evident in the amount of historical detail, particularly in her description of Chattian customs and rituals. Since many of the facts about the culture of Germanic tribes have been lost, she relies on educated speculation to authenticate her portrayal.

As a character, Auriane is appealing in that she straddles the limbo between Germanic tribalism and Roman civilization. While she firmly subscribes to her tribal customs, she is amazed and impressed by Roman advancements. Her tolerance of Rome and Romans distinguishes her from the Boudica, a British warrior maiden who is her closest real-life composite. I like how Auriane's quasi-Romanization provides conflict between her and her kinsmen.

The novel is more fiction than history. Auriane and Marcus Julianus are entirely fictional, although I am sure they inspired by true people and events. While it is possible that people like them existed, I do not believe it to be likely. Marcus Julianus's role in monumental events is too significant; anyone who would have effected such dramatic change would have been remembered. I think that the author could have learned from Gore Vidal (in Creation or the Narratives of Empire series) or Mary Renault (in The Praise Singer or The Mask of Apollo) who create memorable fictional characters who witness historical events but rarely incite them.

In my opinion, the novel's main weakness is the lack of complexity in the characters. On one hand, the heroes are unquestionably good and capable. They rarely make mistakes, and when they do, they turn out to be fortunate errors which lead to greater understanding of events or acceptance by others. On the other hand, the villains are monstrously evil, which is the novel's biggest failing. The author never attempts to humanize Domitian, Junilla, or Odberht, all of whom may have compelling causes for their villainy: Domitian and Junilla were persecuted under the Nero regime, and Odberht was disowned by his father. The author did not have to elicit sympathy for them, but she could have made an effort to make them more understanding. In particular, her depiction of Domitian is heavy-handed, lacking the realism or intricacy of Robert Graves's Claudius or Colleen McCullough's Caesar or Augustus. While history is sketchy about him, there is some consensus that he was an able administrator, which the author omits. I think that Gillespie could have done more with him by weighing his reign against Nero's and using the similarities and differences to pin down his character.

I also think that the novel would have been more digestible as two or three midsized novels than one colossal epic. The plot has numerous places where one storyline ends and another begins. These ending and beginnings might have better handled in separate works than in one book. The novel sprawls at times; as a series of novels, it might have been tauter and more focused. She could learn narrative control from Gillian Bradshaw, whose Roman novels are consistently engaging due to their economy of words and plots.

The fact that I am comparing Gillespie to accomplished, praised writers in the genre indicates her talent and potential. Mentioning a first-time novelist alongside Vidal, Renault, Graves, and McCullough is an accolade.

The Lightbearer is truly an amazing read. Once I began it, I couldn't pull myself away from the spell of Auriane, woman warrior, fighting for the survival of her embattled Germanic tribe against the all powerful Roman army. The characters are so richly drawn, I had an immediate sense of our shared humanity, despite the remoteness of their times. I was captivated by the vivid descriptions of these two worlds, sometimes hauntingly beautiful, sometimes disturbingly barbarous, always artfully rendered through Gillespie's exquisite prose. This is definitely a page turner filled with passion, struggle, heroism, and intriguing myth. With this carefully crafted tale Gillespie enters the arena of master storyteller.

I'll never completely comprehend the fact that this is her first book!
Beautiful prose, characters that spring to life and roam in your mind, surprisingly insightful details of the ancient days, plots refreshingly free of cliche, battle & gladiatorial scenes that take your breath away and bring you to the spot, as if you are watching the whole event close-up, seeing, hearing and feeling each exciting, gory moves on the battlefields and arena yourself.

And then, of course, there's the breathtaking love story.
Though Marcus and Auriane meet face-to-face over half into the book,
this particular sub-plot of the story does not lag along the way, and it certainly lives up to general expectations when they finally come together.
Auriane's uncommon courage and strive for life and ultimate happiness - both of hers and the others - combined with Marcus Julianus's wisdom and wit comes in beautiful harmony in their endeavor to solace each other's lifelong pain; they are both fighters in their own ways.

Despite the length of the book (800 pg), I believe it'd be a rather fast read for everyone, not because it's easy to read, but solely because you won't be able to put it down and not think about it all the while.
A Stunning Masterpiece!!

This is a big book by any standards, 800 pages and is the result of years of research and study by the author into the culture, and history of Rome and the Germanic tribes. I found it fascinating, exciting and thought provoking. In fact everything that a good book should be.

The year is AD 83 and the Emperor Domitian has crossed the Rhine with four legions, approximately 24,000 men and they have not marched that far for the exercise. The German tribes have tried to maintain their independence for as long as they can, but against such might their resistance is futile. Thus begins this mammoth book that takes us from the heartlands of the Rhine back to the decadence and temptations of ancient Rome.

A young woman Auriane, daughter of a chieftain who was to become the most revered prophetess of the tribes is captured and taken to Rome as a slave. There her life is changed completely and everything that she stands for is brushed away like so much rubbish. But having known her destiny from being a child Auriane is not about to bow to the yoke of Rome without a fight . . .

There is much I could say about "The Light Bearer" which has already been said, but as I don't review all the books in McCullough's Masters of Rome series (of which I've ready each book), I don't feel I can properly do justice to the greatness of this sweeping epic, which unlike McCullough's work, spans not just from Rome, but from a not well known Germanic tribe called the Chattians.

Gillespie does an amazing job of keeping Rome and Germania separate in writing details, with an inevitable connection between the two. Much is equally known about both the Chattians and the Romans as if written by two authors with the same writing style.

Some high points I point out are the very subtle rise of Domitianus's deranged paranoia and Caligulan/Neronian style reign, though the foreshadowing was a bit too obvious for my tastes.

Other interesting bits are the use and apparent source of commonly known modern things among the Chattians, such as the Goddess of the underworld, Hel, and the Eastre celebration, involving children dressed as rabbits and the hiding of colored eggs.

Because the flaws are so few and insignificant in the face of the greater elements, I think it's easier to point them out:

The writing is very sumptuous, but often at times it can get too dense and bogged down in details. This occurs mostly the first time Auriane enters the Colisseum.

Also, the sex. I've become used to ancient historical novels writing sex scenes very metaphorically and obtusely, without using direct wording. Gillespie appears to take it to such an extreme, with the vividly flowery writing between Marcus and Auriane's lovemaking that it becomes like a dense poem jackknifing from the wonders of nature and life and the gods in an obtuse manner, you nearly forget that the two characters are having sex. So over the top is the writing, that the way Gillespie describes it, you'd think Auriane was having blinding orgasms at just Marcus's touch on her arm or chest.


With the state of Rome at this point, and the main character being a foreigner and enemy to Rome, it's inevitable that a bias against Rome would be drawn, but the male character of Marcus Arrius Julianus is so much the outcast that there is little distinction between how Auriane and Marcus view the Roman world despite their differences. Auriane views Rome as savage and barbaric, and a plague on Fria's realm, whereas Marcus views it in somewhat the same fashion, but figures it's all he has, so he may as well love it.

Aside from Julianus and some of the senators friendly to him, you'd think Rome was a festering pot of corruption, barbarity, and bloodlust the epitome of the Roman view of the barbarians, while the Chattians are viewed as pure, natural, children of the earth that can do no wrong and are victimized by everyone from Rome to their neighboring tribes. Any opposition to Baldemar, Auriane's father and chieftain of the Chattians, is viewed as petty greed and personal problems on the part of the dissenter.

Some forgiveable offenses include loose ends, which may be tied up in the sequel "Lady of the Light", or the as of yet unnamed second sequel, including both Marcus and Auriane having amulets of earth from their childhood, duplicates of one another, and Auriane's seeming mystical foresight.


All these flaws are minimal, in my view, and not much to drag the otherwise epic tale down a full star in rating.

There is one issue with both Auriane and Marcus Julianus which may detract some readers, though is apparently done in such a way that broad interpretation can explain it away as easily as it couldn't: Gillespie may be guilty of "Mary-Sue"ing with Auriane and Marcus Julianus. Both seem to be greater than their surroundings, meant for greater things not yet known to either, and with little to no flaws beyond what their separate societies have naturally imbued in them (stubborn traditionalism in Auriane, cynic realism in Marcus), and beautiful physiques. From a certain point of view, many of their actions or words appear to be Mary Sue-ish reflections of the author's own point of view (determined by the narrative) or of a sense of moral or social well-being beyond that of someone from ancient times.

Or this could simply be the tired ramblings of a fussy reader.

Either way, the over 1000 page epic was a great read, and a highly insightful view into how the Germanic tribes of the early Roman Empire, and the early Roman Empire itself may have been.

What a wonderfully heartfelt story. After meeting & talking with Melinda at an author event recently, her novel took on even more depth & stimulated lots of conversation amongst the attendees. A MUST-READ for new parents......just to let them know - we're ALL in the same boat raising our children!! Peace.

What a wonderful book....you will enjoy it from page one and not put it down. An exceptional look at true friendship and everyday life, and the power of laughter.
You won't be disappointed. Enjoy.

this book was so fun to read! I could relate to so many parts of the story. Our whole book club loved it!

Not especially well written but story was very good. Easy read over weekend and the message it left me with was a great motivator to return to journaling and the value it becomes for others in years and generations to come. Very warm story, reminds us of the importance of friends and family in our lives.

This book is wonderful. after reading it I recomended it to my book club and many members have called me in in tears or laughter , just enjoying every chapter. i think its a must read for mothers at any age. The book has made me cherish my friends and grow my friendships deeper. The author writes in a way that makes you relate to every situation but the book is not predictiable. I loved the book !!!

Perfect for any woman considering (or having committed to) the daunting task of moving your rear off the couch and on to the track! So funny, so honest, so motivational and realistic everyone who reads this book will finish it just as I did, totally inspired and ready to start the journey! I've already purchased my Water-Holder Butt Thingy and modeled it to the laughter of my family... Thanks Dawn for showing me I can actually do this!

I picked up The (Non)Runner's Marathon Guide for Women last month after finishing Claire Kowalchik's book about running for women (you can read the review here). I wanted a running book with which I could better relate. I'm a super slow runner and didn't even make it onto any of the charts in Kowalchik's book, which was a little defeating for me. So when I read about Dais' book, which tracks her struggle through training for a marathon, while also giving great tips for people who have never really run before, or haven't run much at least.

I loved this book because I related so well with the things Dais talked about. She talked about feeling discouraged because every time she went out for a run she would end up right back where she started. She also describes her first trip to the running store where she learned about the importance of shoe fit, spandex and bodyglide (which I had never heard of until reading this book). She includes some great stretches, as well as a 20-week training schedule for both a marathon and a half marathon. She also leaves space for journaling, and for answering questions she poses, such as "Why are you running this marathon?" and "What was life like before you began training and after"?

An example before and after from her book:

Vitamins
Before: Do the rainbow of fruit flavors in Skittles count?
After: Pills the size of marshmallows washed down with one of my thirty-two gallons of water.

For me, the best part of this book were the personal journal entries from when Dais was training for her own marathon. Dais' perspective is so true to how I think most new runners feel that it's hard not to laugh out loud (I couldn't read this book in public because I kept snorting at her writing). Here's a sample:

"This weekend my little calendar o' runnin' said that I had to run sixteen miles. Is it me or is this number just getting ridiculous? Sixteen miles. What possible reason could one ever have for running sixteen miles? After about Mile 10, just call a cab and save yourself a lot of effort. Hell, call me. I'll give you a lift. Believe me, it's just not worth it. One fun fact about sixteen miles - that's about how far away hell is. I know you'd think it'd be farther away, at least as far as Fresno. But you'd be wrong. Actually, I think I hit hell around mile 14, so it's an even shorter trip."

If you're new to running, or even if you've been running a long time, I highly suggest picking up Dais' book because it'll remind you of what it was like when you started and why you run. It'll also remind you that you're not the only one who suffers for running. If you are training for a marathon though, I suggest picking up some other books as well. Dais' book is great for moral support, but I think there are some others out there that would add a little more technical support, unless of course you have your own personal trainer.

As usual I came up with a great idea... I will run a marathon! This latest idea was met with the usual roll of the eyes and "just letter have her little dream" attitude. I started looking for information on running and came across this book. I headed on down to the bookstore (because wild ideas and inpatients are some of my most charming qualities) and I couldn't wait to have it shipped. I had to have it NOW! I read it cover to cover and about 80% out loud to the whole family. We were all cracking up and it has motivated me to get off my A double snakes and really do this. Now... I have run in the past... but not the last 5 years so we will see how it goes but this book is a true inspiration and a joy to read... even if you're not going to try something insane like run for 26.2 miles. READ IT READ IT READ IT... Aloha and see you on December 14th at the finish line... Hopefully not on a stretcher!

I read the 10th spandex joke. Geez, the jokes were funny at first but by the time I made it not even halfway through the book they were SO annoying. She kept repeating the same things and about how much she HATES running. Enough already. I do not get the point of writing a running book if you hate running so much. I have run marathons before so I guess it is my fault for reading a non-runner's marathon book.
I just wanted something motivating to read. I did not realize she hated running though. I want to read Chipper Jen's journal. Now that would help me!
Yes, this book is definitely for beginner marathoners BUT definitely join a running group for your marathon training. My training schedules were completely different than the one's in her book so I do not care for those either. Jumping from week 5 at 60 mins to week 6 at 90 minutes is almost a 3 mile jump. How can that be right? For a newbie no less?
If you join a marathon training group for the first time and read this book you will probably find many similarities and enjoy the book.
OR if you HATE running and are running a marathon (which is pure stupidity to me--why torture yourself if you do not like running????) this book would be perfect for you.
For seasoned marathoners you might find the jokes stupid and annoying after awhile..

I had not run a race in 10 years. This did not bother me at at all. Until about 6 months after I was diagnosed with a serious kidney condition and my doctor uttered the words " Well, you'll probably never run a marathon, but you can still exercise." A few days later I saw Dawn Dais's book The Non-Runner's Marathon Guide for Women in REI, and picked it up. As I started to flip through the pages I knew then that my little Asian doctor was going to be wrong, oh so very wrong.

Dawn Dais's book not only encouraged me to train and finish the 2008 San Diego Rock and Roll marathon, it also just plain made me laugh out loud every step of the way. Too many runners take themselves so seriously it intimidates all the rest of us flailing along the trail. If you love sarcasm and have a gift for laughing at yourself you will love this book. It makes even more sense if you've ever trained for a really long race as an adult, having never really done anything more strenuous than Spanish club in high school.

This book is enticing, exciting and sad, all on one page. Usually when a book is a sequel, it is necessary to have read the first book in order to fully enjoy it. That's not the case with this novel. The author has succeeded in giving you just enough insight to the previous book that you don't feel lost if you haven't read it, without reiterating everything in case you have. Bernice McFadden is quickly becoming one of my favorite novelists

Wow, What a book and I was thinking sugar was good, they are both good reads.Sugar comes back to bigelow for a reason, and now we know why.Jude send her back in her dreams to let her know what happen to her, and bring the family together with the true who sugar dad is.I see why mercy was put in her life the way she was to see that lappy have done to alot of people in that town.This was a great book IM sorry it taking so long to read it.

The group felt many of the unanswered questions from McFadden's novel "Sugar" were answered in "This Bitter Earth."

Overall the group felt that each character kept too many secrets. Everyone felt that the secrets were the source of the problems. Joe kept secrets about being Sugar's father and learning the details of Jude's murder. The Lacey sisters held secrets about Sugar's family including Shirley being her great-grandmother. Sugar's life would have been drastically different, if most of these secrets had been revealed earlier.

I just love this author work, her books are so heart felt. thank you bernice mcfadden.

YES, A SEQUEL THAT CAN STAND UP TO THE FIRST BOOK. THIS BITTER EARTH WAS JUST AS GOOD AS SUGAR. SHE MADE SURE SHE KEPT US IN THE BOOK AND IN THE MIND OF ALL THE CHARACTERS. MANY OF TIMES I HAD TO SAY "COCOA, YOU ARE NOT SUGAR, COME BACK TO REALITY" I FELT THAT CHARACTER LIKE I FEEL THE MY HEART BEATING INSIDE OF ME. ONCE AGAIN A WELL WRITTEN NOVEL BY BERNICE MCFADDEN

While this is Mark Stevens' first novel, you'd never know it. Stevens exhibits a mastery of storytelling and a thorough knowledge of the Colorado Rockies where the story is set.

Allison Coil, recovering from the trauma of surviving a commerical airline crash, leaves her fast-paced world and finds herself working as a hunting guide on horseback in the Eagle-Vail area. A blinding snowstorm doesn't stop animal rights activists from camping out and protesting, and Allison also forges her way home from a camp when a shot rings out. She sees something suspicious in the distance, but can't be sure of what it means. However, it soon becomes clear that a protestor and another hunting guide are both missing. While risking her life and facing real threats, she acts on instinct and slowly begins to unravel the mysteries to find the truth.

A plot filled with twists and nasty, greedy characters keep the suspense at a high level and are nicely interwoven in an easy style with good character development and a terrific setting. Mark Stevens as an author to watch - a great read!

Superb! Mark Stevens develops a group of interesting characters and thrusts them into a compelling story set in the fascinating world of guided Elk hunts (about which I previously knew nothing, but which I enjoyed learning about). For me, the book was a real page-turner in two respects: I eagerly turned the pages forward as I became engrossed in the story, and I found myself turning them backward to re-read Stevens' moving descriptions of the mountains and the ever-changing Colorado weather. This book would be particularly absorbing if read while traveling on an airplane (for reasons related to the plot that I will not divulge here), or if read within sight of the spectacular terrain that Stevens describes so well.

I went on a guided trip into the flat tops last summer. Wish I would have had the book with me. It would have made the trip that much more enjoyable. I liked Allison the main character. Her strength and charater were easy to imagine in that setting. The book is a real page turner. As a hunter and lover of mysteries, I found this book to be enjoyable on many levels. It is a must read for anyone that loves outfitting and guided hunts.

Mark Stevens brings a new voice to fiction wtih Antler Dust. Allison Coil was believable and tough even with all the high country mayhem.

Hooray for Mark Stevens in setting an evocative, fast paced, groundbreaking crime-adventure story in the gorgeous and storied Flattops of Colorado. The country breathes and lives in this new novel--you can smell the fir trees and hear the strange echoes of hoof on stone in the high country bowls. Stevens knows this country by heart and he takes you there with expertly crafted prose. Groundbreaking because the heroine is a hunting guide--a female hunting guide in a world of tough--and in this case--often ruthless men. The characters are great. They speak as they were born to speak and the reader gets sucked right into this high country drama. I welcome this brave new practitioner for making this crack-the-case story fresh and fun and gripping. Bravo.

A beautiful story about how friendship can endure despite time, distance, and life's circumstances. I could see pieces of myself in each of the main characters. I bought this four years ago, and , sadly, let it sit on the shelf all these years. Although I haven't been able to find the time to read a book all the way through in the past 4 years, I read this one from cover to cover in 2 days! I highly recommend it! I'm now sending it to my best friend who lives several states away.

Between Friends centers around friends Jillian Lawton and Lesley Adamski. The two girls are born in the same town, Jillian to wealthy older parents who have long-awaited their first child, and Lesley as a result of an unplanned teenage pregnancy; despite the differences in their backgrounds, the girls become fast friends. Rather than tell their story through traditional narrative means, author Debbie Macomber draws from alternate sources, namely letters that Jillian and Lesley write to each other but also their journals, news clippings, and other correspondence. I enjoyed this unique format, which lends itself particularly well to quick and easy reading.

Jillian and Lesley were both born in 1948, and so they were teenagers in the 1960s, when they struggled to make sense of issues going in their world going on at that time, namely Vietnam. Throughout the book, Macomber does a nice job of working in historical events. Vietnam figures heavily into the plot, but other events, such as the American Legion convention and the advent of the computer age, affect the characters as well. Sometimes these inclusions were a bit predictable or even contrived (eg, one letter contained the postscript "my land, what is the world coming to that people are tainting headache pills with cyanide?"), but even so, they added interest to the story.

This was the first book I read by Debbie Macomber, but it won't be the last. Although this book is likely to appeal mainly to women, Macomber injects a genuineness and warmth into her story that goes beyond "chick lit," and I look forward to discovering what else she has to offer.

There isn't any thing about this book that I didn't like. It grabbed my interest from the very beginning and had me reading it until the wee hours of the night, I just could not put it down. I fell in love with the characters and felt as though I were a part of their friendship. I especially loved the format of this book: journal entries, letters, etc.
I highly recommend this book!

Between Friends is the story of 2 girls that became friends at the age of 5 and remained best friends all their lives. The entire book was written in the format of letters, journal entries, and newspaper clippings. It was a strange format, and yet it seemed to give us a deeper glimpse into the lives of these 2 very different women.

Lesley grew up the oldest of 6 kids in a working class family. Her dad spent more time out of work than he did employeed, and her mom had to learn to live with him and all his faults. Jillian, the only child of Judge and his wife, grew up in the lap of luxary. And yet, through time and completely different circumstances, they stayed friends. This book encompasses decades in the lives of the 2 friends, through marriage, children, divorce, death and war. At times a little sappy and at times very touching, I found this book very enjoyable.

I absolutely loved this book. This author is so very talented and this particular book truly showcases her talents for capturing life and friendship.

Although, I thought our sex life was great before.... after reading this book together, my wife and I are experiencing, just as the title says "the highest degree of pleasure possible".
The techniques presented in this book work perfectly. The female anatomy lessons, and the information on advanced tongue techniques have changed our lives. We both feel like teenagers again.

"The Master's Guide to Cunnilingus" was written by a woman for men. It's got good, solid information on how to please a woman, what it takes, and how to give her orgasms. I liked it mostly because it wasn't too flowery and was straight advice and to the point. A good read with good, helpful tips.

This book is written with a tenderness that is lacking in other books on the subject.

This guide is complete and comprehensive. It breaks down each and every topic into language that the reader can easily understand. So many questions about cunnilingus that you may be too shy to ask, but have always wondered about, and this book answers them! It is an absolute must read for men of all ages. And it is a book that you never stop reading.

It is a definite recommendation for any man who is looking for an updated guide on sexuality and health.

Thank God someone finally wrote a book about how to do cunnilingus right. It has made me a much better man when it comes to the oral sex. I dont know what i would do without this book. I have recomended it to all my friends and they can't wait to get it.

Now I'm not the sort of person to buy these sort of books and I was a little dubious as to what a book could tell me that I didn't all ready know.
Written by a woman for men, it tells us all those things women instantly expect men to know, and some! Trust me when I say you can get her reaching the big 'O' every single time using the information in this book!

Peacemaking Women offers Biblical Hope to women who are dealing with conflict in their lives but also to those who have a desire to learn more about how to handle conflict before it happens. Tara and Judy have written a book that is not only easy to understand but it is written from their heart. It has been so exciting to put to use the biblical concepts that are taught in this book in my own life and see how the Lord has used this book to help me avoid potential conflict. It is a must read for all women who struggle with relationships and I have already recommended this book to others in my church.

How grateful I am for this book. The peacemaking principles that Tara and Judy teach in their transparent and humble way have changed my life- really!!! I have seen broken and damaged relationships restored in my own family and in the lives of others. The women in my church have studied this material and loved it. It is truly transformational. This book is practical for individuals as well as groups. There is liberating truth in Peacemaking Women. It is God's truth- spoken by women to women, addressing the internal and external conflicts that are part of our lives.
Buy the book, be transformed!

Real... Refreshing... Inspiring... Challenging... Convicting... Encouraging

Just read it! It's wort every penny!

This is a gospel centered, grace-filled, hope-giving book of wisdom. This book is filled with honesty and real-life examples, and offers practical wisdom for our relationship with God and others. It's so much more than a book on peacemaking and conflict resolution. Grab a friend or two and ponder together the deep questions. And be accountable together to help apply the Godly principles of genuine peace and mercy that only the risen Christ can provide. This is truly a book worth sharing and one that you will want to read and refer to over and over.

I read this book and liked it so much that I told my friend about it. She read it and bought about 25 copies to give to all the women in her life who needed to hear the message in this book. Then we started an online book club to share what we were learning. We had about 45 women from Nicaragua to California to Connecticut and everywhere in between sharing how this book taught us, encouraged us, and convicted us to live out the gospel - in both grace and truth - in our daily lives. I especially love the discussion of shalom (three parts: peace with God, peace with others, and peace within - and you can't have one without the others). What a great book. Can't recommend it highly enough!

272Pgs - This is my personal view of this book.

It did not grab my attention at all. At the fourth chapter, I was looking for my receipt. More Women are becoming Soul Searchers today and if you are a Title Seeker like myself meaning (a title of a book can prompt you to purchase) this book will definitely be a lesson well deserved.

This is book could be named, "When A Man Loves a Woman." Bishop really loved Abeni and she loved him back just as hard.

This book is awesome! It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. The characters really come to life in this book--you feel what they feel as you read this wonderful book!

It's been awhile since I've ordered a few books and rather than bore you with the same old rave reviews, I just have a few things to state. The book kept me up until my eyes could not take it anymore; The character Bishop in the book was fascinating. I won't go into details but the fact that it deals with FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) which is going on in certain tribes in Africa paints a picture for me to better understand the culture. Althought I don't agree with it. Pick the book up and you will not be dissappointed.

I just finished reading this book, it was very good. All the characters were great.I liked what it was about, the story really touched my heart and it made me cry. Get this book, you will not be disappointed.