L Books

This third installment in the beloved Anne series is one of my favorites. Having just completed two years of teaching in Avonlea, Anne, along with friends Gilbert and Charlie, is ready to leave the Island and make her way to Redmond College. Her four years there offer quaint-seeming insights into college life a hundred years ago. After spending her freshman year in a boarding house, Anne and chums Priscilla, Stella, and Philippa move into a little house called Patty's Place. Even though they are committed to their studies, life is never dull. Anne has no lack of suitors, turning down no fewer than five proposals during the course of the story. And her summers are full of adventure, whether it's back in dear Avonlea or teaching as a country schoolmarm.

I've read Anne of the Island each year I've been in college, and as I finished it this time, I couldn't help but relate to Anne's excitement for the future, mingled with regretful nostalgia about the college life she was leaving behind. College is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Having attended a small Christian university, I relate to Anne's old-fashioned values and the safe, wholesome environment of Redmond.

Montgomery has such a pungent writing voice, alive to the quirks of human nature and the beauties of outdoor nature. She brings spice, optimism, and a touch of cynicism to the story and the characters. Anne's most personal experiences are recounted with poignancy, and are rooted in reality, although they may seem whimsical to modern readers. The ending is sweet and satisfying. I just love Anne, and especially this tale of her college experiences. Don't miss it.

Anne of the Island is the third installment of the smash Anne of Green Gables series. The book begins with Anne leaving for college to further her education the second time. When she arrives, she encounters a slew of minor domestic problems, a new group of friends, and Love. All of which she deals with using that famous atypical personality of a "Kindred spirit"



Although the book deals with more serious subject matter than the preceding books, as a reflection upon Anne's growing older, the book starts with the lighthearted catchy fun that made Anne famous in her prequels. Most of this fun is centered on the Anne's encounters with her roommate cats Rusty, Joseph, and Sarah-Cat. Anne's exclamations of fear at being stalked by the docile house cats is classic Anne and delicious fun.



The Book also dives into more serious matter, with Lets be friends-Lets be more than friends-Lets be friends-I hate you-Marry me! Gilbert abandoning his indecisiveness and aggressively courting Anne. Although this relation is of little interest to male readers, it is made a key plot element, most likely because it is attractive to the books target demographic, pre-teen girls. Luckily, most of the content on Anne's romance does nothing to affect other parts of the story much and as a result are harmless to skip when they become drab.



Anne of the Island is a solid installment in the Anne series. Although not equaling or surpassing Anne of Green Gables, "Of the Island" leaves little to be desired besides not having a near constant usage of the word "eh". If you an Anne fan, pick up her third book. Eh.

"Anne of the Island" is my favorite Anne book, and the last chapters of my copy are worn and torn because I have read it so many times. I loved it as a young girl, and I loved it again when I read it from my college dorm room (in fact, I think it's time for another rereading!). Plus, of course, a college education makes many of the literary references more relevant than they were at age 11.

Anne fans already know how wonderful are these chapters of Anne's life. This book outlines an important epoch in the series and answers the all important question of whether they will or they won't--a turning point on which the next five books hinge. And since you must start at "Anne of Green Gables" to appreciate any of it, this review cannot convince to you read just book three. It is just one more love letter to "Anne of the Island" added to this review panel.

The story of Anne continues with this work and the author stays true to her style, story line and character developement. This, like the other books in this series, have a rather timeless nature about them and a comforting charm. The reader, of course, must remember the time they were written and the style and syntax used at that time. From my own point of view, this is great. I enjoy this type of writing and certainly enjoy Ms. Montgomery's story telling abilities. In this work, Anne goes off to Redman College and her adventure continues. Recommend these books for readers of all ages. Wish there were more works out there like it.

this book never gets old. i've had it for so long and now i'm off to college and i still enjoy reading it cover to cover. anne is a great character, one who is easy to love and who explains herself well. the other characters are also quirky. something about this book is very universal, which i think explains why even in this century i still find myself being able to relate to Anne. the plot, while essentially a love story, is not overly sappy. and while most people would probably expect the ending, the twists and turns throughout the novel keep you entertained and engaged.

This is a wonderful book, easy to read, logically arranged, and provides a better understanding of the Bible.

.....you wanted to read the entire Bible, this is the way to do it. Being chronological, scripture is drawn from various books as best they could determine in sequence. Makes for a great story and allowed me to put things in perspective.

I first started reading The Daily Bible over 15 yeards ago and I continue to do so today. I can think of no better version to use as a daily bible. Being arranged chronologically, gives a better understanding of the history of God's dealing with mankind. In addition, reading the various writings in their historical context is a great aid to understanding why these inspired men wrote what they did. I keep several copies of The Daily Bible on hand and give them to those who I meet that are sincere students of God's word.

This is great tool for daily bible readings. You can read the bible thru in a year. Loved it and I ordered 2 more after receiving mine.

I purchased this Chronological Bible (NIV) several years ago based on the recommendation of a friend at church. I had tried several times reading through the Bible based on a reading schedule, but never completed the Bible until I received this easy to read chronological Bible.

Wow! It was life changing as I had never read through the Bible. This Bible gives a brief summary of what you'll be reading each day which is an excellent way to begin reading by reinforcing God's word. I've now read through it 3 times and each time, I learn new things about God and his son, Jesus Christ. If you've never read through the Bible, this is the best Bible as it puts the Bible in chronological order which makes so much sense! Enjoy. You won't regret this purchase. It will change your life.

My son just turned four and loves monsters. This book is adorable and fun. A great easy read before bed.

I use this book as a way to teach my first graders describing words/adjectives. Each page in the story as at least 2 describing words for the kids to identify such as color, shape, and feeling words. The kids then draw their own monsters (I give them wiggly eyes) and writing to share. A fun activity for sure!

My preschool class loves this book, and asks for it more often than any other book.

This book is the most wonderful when it comes to dealing with the "monster" anywhere in the house. My daughter had it read to her in daycare and she made her own monster and then said "Go away Big Green Monster". Watching her read it to me is so adorable. Her eyes light up when I bring it to her for reading time.

This book has easy to remember text and is perfect for reading aloud. Children can "read" along and feel proud that they have power over the monster. My co-workers and I have used this book in preschool, PreK, and even younger classrooms.

Reading this book aloud is beneficial because it helps children learn the connections between pictures and words. It also shows them that reading is fun, and can be a starting point for a lifetime of reading.

My daughter received it for Xmas when she was 1 year old, and she's loved it ever since. I think she has always understood that it was pretend, and she enjoyed being in charge of the monster.

i just got this a few days ago and my first impressions, without actually trying any of the techniques, were that it wasn't looking very practical. but the author cautions not to just go through each technique (among dozens) in the order presented but to try a couple that look like they might interest you most and play around with them and then go on from there.

so after scanning awhile i saw what is supposedly salvadore dali's image generation method. yeah right, i thought. well, that worked the first time i tried it. and i sketched it out and it didn't look like a dali, but it was the most imaginative sketch i've ever come up with. it was a man riding through the air on a hobby horse above a pavillion tent. and he was thinking about how glad he was that he didn't crash into the tent. i added more adults in the air playing with childrens' toys (jump rope, pogo stick, tricycle etc.) and the children down outside the pavillion wanting their toys back. beats going out to the park and 'copying' as van gogh called it.

so next i took those words associated with the image and i plugged them into a technique that looked to me like one of the most impractical in the book. and i got an idea that i've been looking for. and that idea rendered a cool poem. most of the examples in the book look to be "business/career challenge" oriented but at least some of these techniques will also inspire raw creativity. be creative about using the toys.

take it from a skeptic. this stuff rocks. but you have to actually use it, not just read about it. i'm so thrilled that i have this book. YAY!

As a consultant, I am regularly engaged in combined sessions with clients. This book gives an excellent overview of the tools and techniques to use, but is more broad than deep. For me, it works fine. For someone who wants to do very specific creative activities, it doesn't give enough examples and practical application.

I have about 400 books in my library and Thinkertoys (with Thinkpak) is the best book I've read so far. The book is full with creative tools and puzzles to play with. The book comes to me at the right time since I am about to start my own business and the book provides a lot of insight, ideas and techniques. Thank you Mr. Michalko for creating the "toys".

This book, together with my treasured Roger von Oech books, sit prominently on my bookshelf when working on a variety of problems - software development, film production, creative writing for scripts or novels, and developing opportunities in this mediacentric age. These books break open your mind from the restrictive fences imposed on our thinking by the conventional world that we are surrounded by. These fences need to be torn down. If you are an older person (probably older than 30!), then your thinking will become ossified. Just like using your muscles, you need to rework your brain and your thinking with effort to create opportunities and connections to emerging technologies and new developments.

This book is a must for anyone in business who is in need of fresh, limitless ways to create the ideas and creative strategies businesses need these days of uncertainty and complexity. I got my copy from my manager who gives one to all new employees.

Sailor Moon is one of my favorite manga of all time. These books are so hard to get. If you can find one grab it !

I haven't read the manga(any of it) but I want to point something out. Who in this entire universe would want the name Bunny? I woundn't. Maybe that's why they changed it to Serena. Just a tiny clue, you know.

This is one of the best volumes. Usagi and Mamoru and Serena and Darien and Bunny and Darien are my favorite couple. This volume is so romantic and touching. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask are my favorite couple. This volume is so romantic and wonderful. I loved it. I read every volume and loved it. I've been a huge fan since 1995 and still love this series- the anime, manga and lvie action version. Usagi/Mamoru Serena/Darien Bunny/Darien Sailor Moon/Tuxedo Mask are the best couple and the main couple and have the best love story.

This is one of my favorite Sailor Moon volumes. In it, my favorite couple, Bunny/Darien, Usagi/Mamoru, Serena/Darien have lots of romantic moments. I loved both the Japanese and English versions. The Japanese version is my favorite and the English version is great. I use both the Japanese names, Usagi and Mamoru and the English names Bunny and Darien. In this book, Usagi, known as Bunny and Mamoru, known as Darien begin to date. When Usagi (Bunny) wakes up in Mamoru (Darien)'s bed, they reveal their secrets to each other. Tuxedo Mask rescues Sailor Moon from a battle and kisses her. Darien reveals his identity as Tuxedo Mask. He tells Bunny the truth about his past. Although at first they'd enjoy teasing each other, when Darien reveals his identity to her, she admits that she has strong feelings for him and they begin to date. Darien tells her about his childhood. Bunny finds a pocket watch and takes it with her, while Darien saves Bunny's handerkerchief. He gies her a new nickname, in the Japanese version, Mamoru's nickname for her is Usako. Usagi then calls Mamoru Mamo-chan. In this version, Darien's nickname for Bunny is Buns. Bunny becomes very happy with Darien's new name for her. The next time they meet, Bunny sees her new boyfriend, Darien, reading about crystals. Darien playfully teases Bunny as they talk together. Bunny gets excited as they begin to talk. Bunny decides to keep his identity a secret, so the others will let her stay together with Darien. Darien apologizes about before and Bunny smiles and tells him it's alright. Bunny tells Darien that she wants to return his pocket watch. Darien tells her to keep it and he tells her he has something for her and they can trade next time. They reunite when Sailor Moon is about to fall and Tuxedo Mask saves her. Sailor Moon kisses Tuxedo Mask. Darien begins to think about the different sides to her. When Sailor Moon is about to be attacked, Tuxedo Mask saves her. Darien takes the shard for Bunny. Bunny is in shock. She calls out to Darien. Then their past is revealed. Usagi and Mamoru, Bunny and Darien, find out that in the past they were two lovers, Serenity and Endymion. They were in love and reincarnated in the future to meet in the present. Bunny finds out that Darien is her true love. When she sees him in her arms, he is taken away. Bunny is heartbroken and stays in her room for a week as she begins to remember the past. This volume is romantic, touching and will make you cry. It is truly one of the best volumes ever.

Well, this book is when sailor V first appears. She is totally cool. Darien and Bunny (Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon) figure out eachothers true identities. And they find the silver imperium crystal(which is very very important). If you have seen Sailor Moon on Cartoon Network, just a thing. This is much different. Sailor Moon isn't as...clumsy. And the whole crystal thing is done way differently. Still an amazing book, well written, good plot. Any real sailor moon fan will absolutely adore this book.

Every company has those take-them-or-leave-them dead end employees - but then there are those employees who are truly special, and who make the company run as it should. "Love 'Em Or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay" is a guide for managers to making sure they keep these star employees happy and productive, so one's company can stay happy and productive. With countless tips to keeping the cream of the crop producing for your crop, "Love 'Em Or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay" is an essential read for any manager and for community library business collections.

Well worth the purchase. In addition to sound "theory" provides very practical application. If you subscribe to the concept that BEING BRILLIANT AT THE BASICS will get you to the next level, this books is clearly for you. We bought one for all our HR Managers around the country whereby they can utilize the practical application ideas as bet fit their facility.

As a busy professional, it's easy to fall into the trap of tending to the task and not so much the relationship. This book brings me back to that important balance. Chapter six, "Family", was extremely useful and helped me understand that employees have needs that, many times, surpass their pay check. I was better able to work with an employee who had special family needs. This book is filled with practical, relevant, and usable advice on keeping employees engaged. This book is an essential read for leaders today. If you care about developing your people you will understand them better after reading LOVE 'EM or LOSE 'EM.

In any economy, the ability for managers to engage talent is a mainstay, yet few know how to do it. Love 'Em or Lose 'Em teaches `em how. It is practical and down-to-earth, providing leaders, at all levels, ideas which they can implement TODAY. This quick read is chalk full of anecdotes and suggestions that are low to no cost, leaving managers with no more excuses. More business books should take their cue from Love `Em - no wading through troves of mind-numbing theory. It is friendly, approachable, and to the point.
Debra Bogowitz, Accelerated HR Solutions Group

Unlike the hundreds of management books out there that can be rather philosophical and academic on how to create a productive work environment (with many of the concepts capable of being covered in three, not three hundred, pages), this book focuses on 26 strategies with countless practical actions under each strategy that a manager can take to make the work environment (read: "people") highly productive.

Best yet, the authors' strategies for employee engagement and subsequent retention don't cost big bucks to implement. And if you haven't figured out how much payroll dollars you lose by disengaged employees who ultimately leave, you're missing a big chance at improving your bottom line.

If there was ever a phenomenal return for money spent, it's in implementing Love 'Em or Lose 'Em's s6 strategies. But that means you have to first invest in the book! Buy it!

The Captive was by far my favorite and most anticipated of the Secret Circle series. It shows you another, less shy, side of Cassie and shines light on the other side of the coven, such as Deb, Susan, the Henderson brothers, and, of course, Faye. You also watch Cassie struggle with her feelings for Adam and her loyalty to Diana. I thought it was a great book. I couldn't -- didn't put it down.

Of the three books in this trilogy, this is perhaps the slowest one to read, simply because the action is not as quickly paced as the first one, and so much happens during the course of the novel. This is the book where most of the plot development occurs, and this is where we really start to know the characters who are introduced in "The Initiation." This book also serves as set up for the third book, and the climax of the series.

The mystery in New Salem deepens. More people die under strange circumstances, and Cassie finds out that many of the coven members' parents died in the same year, 1976. On top of that, Faye blackmails Cassie, first into finding the crystal skull that Faye covets, and then into voting for Faye when leadership of the coven is being determined.

One of L.J. Smith's greatest strengths is her ability to weave separate plots into a cohesive whole, and none of her series show this quite so well as her Secret Circle books do. The separate-yet-connected events in this book are expertly tied together in the third one, leaving no loose ends in the process and keeping the reader enthralled until the last page is turned.

I loved this book! The first Secret Circle book was good and this one was even better. I can't wait to read the conclusion to this series!

Faye, a powerful member of the coven, is blackmailing Cassie. Faye wants to have more power and be the leader of the coven and Cassie has to help her reach her goals. Cassie soon realizes that her actions may hurt Diana even more than the truth about Cassie and Adam would. Still, Cassie feels trapped and her only way to be free may be to join the dark side.

I enjoyed this one just as much as the first. The action didn't slow down and I was hooked throughout the entire thing. I also liked Cassie's brush with the dark side. It gave the series a depth that it may not have had otherwise. Another thing I liked was how the coven was no longer split up into groups of good and bad members. All in all this is a great middle book that doesn't fail to live up to the first.

"The Captive" is the second book in the Secret Circle Trilogy by L. J. Smith, her most worthwhile trilogy. In the first book "The Initiation", teenager Cassie Blake and her mother moved to New Salem, where she was adopted by a group of witches within the school, who needed a twelfth member for the completion of their coven. There were complications however: although Cassie is instant friends with the coven leader Diana, Diana's cousin Faye is hostile and manipulative toward her. Meanwhile, Cassie has fallen for Diana's boyfriend Adam, and now Faye is blackmailing Cassie into doing whatever she asks - if she doesn't, she'll tell Diana the truth.

And what Faye is after is the sinister crystal skull that the coven uncovered, but that Cassie suspects is somehow behind the awful deaths of several people within New Salem - and she knows that it'll become twice as dangerous if it ends up in Faye's hands. But telling Diana that her beloved boyfriend and her best friend have been cheating on her would break her heart, as well as see her kicked out of the coven. She seemingly has no choice but to get Faye the skull - but first she has to find it...

Meanwhile, Cassie is investigating other strange occurrences around New Salem - she's been experiencing odd dreams, and her mother and grandmother's behaviour is still secretive and aloof. She finds a sealed and blocked off cellar at the local cemetery, as well as an unusual feature on the graves of the other witches' parents - all of them died in 1976. What happened that year to kill so many of the first generation? Another time phenomena strikes Cassie as odd - all the teenage witches celebrate their birthdays within three months of each other, almost as if the parents coordinated their children's' births.

As well as this there is the usual teenager-novel fare: school dances, joy riding, bullying, hormones, raunchy games, and a sprinkling of witchy rituals throughout. Finally though, the story accumulates with the vote for the permanent coven leader, a position coveted by both Faye and Diana, and a disaster that reveals much of the back-story to the terrible happenings at New Salem.

However, the story ends with one of L. J. Smith's frustrating cliff-hangers which forces you to track down and pay for the next book before you find out what happens. I've always found this to be one of the most unappealing components of Smith's books, unlike book series like "Harry Potter" for example, with each installment containing a full, complete plot, Smith's books are divided into several volumes for the simple reasoning: they get more money this way. If there is a publication out there that combines all three of the books into one, I suggest getting that instead of spending money on three separate books.

"The Captive" is possibly the best book in the series, melding several mysteries and plot devices into a whole, with enough intrigue and suspense to keep anyone interested. Cassie's dilemma certainly makes compulsive reading, as does the duality between Diana and Faye, and the direction that the coven can take. The figure of Black John lurks in the background like a sinister shadow (and is certainly Smith's best villain) and again Smith deftly portrays the relationships and attitudes of normal, understandable characters in an abnormal situation. Here we get to see a little more of the personalities of the rest of the coven, and although the Cassie/Adam love match still seems a little unlikely to me, it shakes things up well for the final book "The Power".

The Chosen is the first Night World book that begins from the main character's point of view... at age five. It's Rashel Jordan's fifth birthday, and she's celebrating with her mother and best friend, Timmy, at an amusement park. But before the day is over she watches a vampire kill her mother, eat her best friend, and burn her aunt alive.

Years later we find our beautiful dark-haired, cat-eyed girl a sleek, dangerous, and prestigious vampire hunter. Rashel is The Cat, known for murdering vampires all along the East Coast. She joins up with the vigilante team, the Lancers, on a stake-out (pardon the pun), only to find herself fatally attracted to the vampire she's supposed to kill.

Quinn is legendary in his own right; a vampire dating back to the New England years, known to have a black heart and emotions colder than ice. He also happens to be a killer telepath and terribly dangerous, even to hardened vampire hunters. Imagine his surprise when he wakes up after tangoing with two hunters to find himself looking into the eyes of The Cat.

What follows is an intense hunt. Rashel, face cloaked by a scarf, allows Quinn to escape, tarnishing her reputation and even her own opinion of herself. She attempts to make up for it when she stumbles across Daphne Childs, a fluffy bunny of a girl on the run from supposed vampire slave traders.

Rashel is a deeply involving heroine. She's strong, tough, and always prepared. Despite how jaded she is, we see her helping others at the risk of her own life. She even goes head-to-head with Quinn, knowing his reputation. Quinn is just as fascinating. We saw a peek of him in Daughters of Darkness, but he really shines in this novel. His backstory is heartbreaking, moreso when he's betrayed near the end by one of the only people he trusts.

This is easily one of my top three for this series (and no specific location, as my three favorites are so for several different reasons). Even if you pass on the rest of the series, this is one you cannot let alone.

This is a pretty good book. The characters are good. The plot's great. The writing's wonderful. So what's my problem? It should have been longer! Most of the Night World books by L.J. Smith manage to feel complete despite being short. "The Chosen" was different. The characters, their feelings, and their lives were complex. I especially would have been interested in learning more about Quinn. It just felt a bit rushed to me at the end. Actually, that's probably a good thing, that I loved the characters enough to want more. In any case, for the length she had to work with, L.J. Smith did a pretty good job.

As the fifth book in the Night World series, 'The Chosen' improves on all four of the previous books, drawing on deeper themes and ideas than the rest, and setting the scene for this continuing trend in the next book 'Soulmate'.
Rashel Jordan is only five years old when she witnesses her mother being killed and her younger brother Timmy being drunken from by a vampire. Because she's seen the killer and is telling others about what happened he comes after her when she stays at her Aunt Corinne's house, burning it to the ground. Rashel is alone in the world.
At seventeen years old, she is the bane of vampire-kind. Calling herself 'the Cat' she hunts and kills their kind in all of the major cities, and there is a large bounty on her head. At the time this story takes place Rashel goes to the Lancers, a human organisation for killing vampires and joins in with a small group who're watching a warehouse that has been lately occupied by vampires. Their goal is to catch a vampire and discover its reasons for being there - through torture if need be. Among the group is a young girl named Nyala whose sister was killed by a vampire. Yet when the vampire is caught and the others go to scout around, Rashel finds that to her horror she and the vampire - Quinn (last seen in Daughters of Darkness) are soulmates. Letting him go, Rashel finds that she is suddenly wanted by both sides of the fight - the vampires still have a bounty on her head, and the Lancers think she has defected to the other side.
And it doesn't end there. While on the run from both of them Rashel literally runs into a young girl Daphne Childs, who is one of the missing young girls of late. With her in tow Rashel has access to exactly what the vampires are up to. For unknown reasons - though Rashel suspects its the slave trade - girls are being abucted from a club known as the Black Iris by none other than Quinn himself. Rashel's mission is clear - get into the club, become one of these 'chosen' and thus get herself to one of the secret and hidden vampire enclaves. And she'll have to do it by herself...

As you can see, the premise is a fascinating one, and there is no shortage of interesting characters and ideas. Not all vampires are bad, not all humans are good so it would seem, and there are enough twists and turns, suspence and excitement to keep most people interested. It draws on things mentioned from the other books - the enclave is probably much like the ones Rowan, Kestrel and Jade escaped from in Daughters of Darkness, and the password that Rashel uses with the Lancers 'the night has a thousand eyes/and the day only one' is re-used in the prophesy in book seven. L. J. Smith extends more on her idea and the nature of the Night World than previously seen, and several characters pop up that will have appearences in other books - namely Hunter and Lily Redfern.
The 'mission' plot strand gives the book some focus (too often L. J. Smith's work rambles, changes, backtracks or doesn't know where its going) and the pace is fast and never dwindles.

However, there are a few flaws, the nature of which keeps this book from being a 'five-star' novel. The character of Nyala was a complicated and intriguing one - a girl who was slightly mentally unstable. I don't want to give too much away, but for those who have read the books, I felt that she should have perished in the fire. Okay, that's not very nice of me, but a good author should know when to destroy a character for greater impact in the book's progression. But no, L.J. Smith simply *had* to save her, didn't she. She just *had* to have yet another happy, cliche-ridden ending that is so prevailent in so many of her books. To have Nyala has a tragic figure would have been both poignant and heartbreaking - *that's* what we should have come away from the book feeling.
Secondly, Daphne Child's part in the book is pretty implausible. Let me get this straight - she manages to escape from the jaws of certain death and is saves by pure chance by Rashel. And when she is faced with what she got away with, she wants to...do it again? Huh? Yes, yes, she's very brave about going back to the Night Club and letting herself get kidnapped, but come on! - it was just plain stupid. No one in real life would ever do this to themselves. It was the same when Rashel was at the docks and she turned around to find all the girls still there - face it, they would have run like deer.
It also ended very abruptly - we don't know what is to become of Timmy, of the girls, of the enclave...it ends with simply the boat sailing back to the shore. I for one had many unanswered questions, and since each book tells of a totally different couple, they weren't to be found in the next book.
Finally, the use of the name 'Timmy', brought back Lassie flashbacks: 'Oh no, Timmy's down the well!' Unfortunatly this meant whenever Timmy turned up I was plauged by visions of him floudering in water.

All in all however, a good read. One of L.J.'s more suspenseful, darker works. Highly recommended in the context of the Night World series.

But 'Timmy'?...

looking for vampire scum! After a friend and family perish at the hands of an evil vampire Rashel whips herself into killer shape and goes on a rampage as she leads a double life...hunting vampires by night and attending school during the day! All is well for Rashell, kicking vampire butt at night until she crosses paths with a magnetic vampire named Quinn. Rashell finds herself foiling the kidnapping plan and letting Quinn go free!
Their paths then cross again when Rashel goes undercover at a Nightworld night club...
Quinn has no idea the beautiful green eyed girl he meets at the underground club is the same lethal vampire slayer he met that night he was ambushed and then set free by. A determined Rashell wants to be let into a nightworld slave trade and will use all her wiles to get Quinn to let her into the slave trade.
This book has an exsplosive ending! Astonishing secrets are revealed to both Quinn and Rashel. L.J. Smith is my top author and I also suggest Christopher Pike.

This is my all time favourite L.J. Smith book although it is closely followed by Huntress. I loved Rashel's strong character and Quinn was to die for as the vampire guy with no heart. I felt that this was the best written book and the characters were a lot more realistic than in some previous ones. Also nice touch with the flashbacks into their pasts to give them more depth and background.

Rashel kicks butt in her role as the breathtakingly beautiful and devastatingly dangerous slayer of vampires. Ever since she was a kid, Rashel has been picking off evil Night World people and she has never been beaten or caught. Determined to find the vampire who killed her mother, a chance encounter with the deadly vmpire Quinn will change her life.

When she gives him a chance to escape, Quinn realises that this beautiful girl is far from what she seems. Later, they meet again and once again, Rashel is faced with either killing him or letting him escape and possibly ruining her disguise. She lets him go and soon after, he too his faced with the same choice.

Fantastic! Deserves 10 stars! Couple of questions though. Why is it that the humans never seem to want to become vampires? It's not that bad really, from the book description and would solve problems like dying. The best book though!

I first read this book at the recommendation of my neuropsychologist following a closed-head injury 8 years ago. I think it saved my sanity! Closed-head injury can bring about a panoply of just plain WEIRD symptoms that can make the patient (and their family, for that matter) feel as if they're losing their mind. The insanity is explained by a doctor who went through the same experience after an accident. She talks about it in a very non-technical way and helps the patient and those around the patient understand what's happening, why, and that NO, you're not nuts!

I suffered a ruptured aneurysm this summer '07, and read this book while recovering from brain surgery. It prepared me for the worst regarding other's responses to my temporary slower mental functioning. The book also helped me to be more sensitive to other people in general regardless of whether an infirmity is obvious or not. I.e., people were very compassionate toward me when my head was shaved and my scalp was full of staples, but now that my hair has grown back and the staples have been removed, that sensitivity has disappeared even though I am still recovering and will be for a long time.

I was inspired by Dr. Osborn's strength and her determination to overcome her deficits. I admire her for writing this book to help others in her situation. Because of this book, I knew to ask my neurologist about cognitive therapy and am now enrolled and working with a occupational/speech therapist.

I don't recommend reading this book early in the recovery process if you have had any kind of brain injury. I did, and it caused severe depression to overcome me. For lighter, more humorous material about brain injury survivors' ordeals, I recommend Susie Becker's book, "I had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse?"

I have had Encephalitis twice, recieved rehabilitation in Occupational, Physical and Speech therapies, and currently work full-time, yet will forever be aware of my physical & mental limitations. In this book a doctor explains her acquired brain injury and the rehab process she and her famuly and friends dealt with, along with the positive strategies she has gained to deal with her life today. This book clearly clarified for me the diference between TBI and simple brain injury and brought to reality the fact that other people have dealt with similar rehab situations as myself & survived successfully! A must read I found hard to put down.

I was told to Read the book Over My Head By Claudia L. Osborne. I Like Her Was in a Bad accident in which I also had a closed head Brain Injury. I was in a coma for over 7 weeks in late August of 2006. I would agree with the writers synopsis that all you want to do is get back to your old Self, To be the same personyou were and do the same things but so many things changed in that split second that it is not only better to forget the Who you were and to Start basically a new Life. It is the only way to look positivly and to go on with life a new. A lot of the things in life will stay the same and yet there are so many things that I can no longer do. I could Bitch and Moan and get on hating My New Life or I could accept what has happened, Thank God Daily that for what ever reason I was spared: that He has a plan for Me and I must look at the positive and not the negative. I make it a goal now to work on putting a smile on My face every day by the time I close my eyes and go to sleep. That is of course after I have thanked the Dear Lord For The things that I can still enjoy among those things are the greatest Family and Friends a person could have. You have to look at life as a whole New life; separate and different in so many ways from who You used to be, but The same in social aspects where things ar still the same.

Osborn does what is virtually impossible. She translates the fog of a damaged brain's function into vignettes that an undamaged brain can comprehend.

In her case, this translation is from experiences which were by definition wordless, disorganized, incomprehensible, frightening and often completely mindless to their opposites. The level of Dr. Osborn's skill in doing this may be best understood by readers who have some experience (as I do) in being with brain-injured people.

Whether one appreciates Osborn's achievement in communicating the uncommunicable is unimportant. What is valuable is that she succeeds so well in giving us insight into the "being" of at a subset of the injured.

Most of the incidents recorded in the book are too long to quote in illustration of my point. Their length is a necessary consequence of Osborn's wish to reveal her floundering. Nothing in her life was straightforward. A relatively short excerpt follows:

BEGIN EXCERPT (page 33)

"I left soon after for the bookstore, but with the force of old habit and despite Marcia's written reminder dangling from the dash, I drove directly to the hospital. And then home again. Three times.

"It was noon when I drove out of the hospital parking lot for the third time, I was determined it wouldn't happen again.

"Now, as I turned onto the main road, Marcia's note clutched in my hand, I chanted, "Book store, go to the bookstore.'

"I was still saying it thirty minutes later as I turned into our driveway.

"When I got into the house, I reread Marcia's note. Lord, the bookstore.

"Well, I would definitely get the book tomorrow. Right now, I could still do the second item on her list - water the lawn."

END EXCERPT (page 34)

Needless to say, Osborn forgot to water the lawn.

The book is also notable in illustrating the lack of insight (in regard to her limitations) that Osborn (as others) experienced for quite some time. Then, once insight was gained, she writes about her struggle with a sorrowed sense of lost self.

One incident that helped to her to understand the scope of her lost abilities (which apparently were exceptional) is recorded on pages 205-206. She was not able perform even so "simple" a cognitive exercise as making a telephone call to obtain a patient's medical information.

The book provides a generalized understanding of how rehabilitation is accomplished. This includes learning stratagems for partially replacing lost structural functions.

BEGIN EXCERPT (page 145)

"Now my notes ordered me to [begin italics] really look in the mirror. Hair combed? Teeth cleaned? Collar straight? Earrings match? Expression alert, smiling? [end italics] It began to make a difference."

END EXCERPT

For the most part, the rehab portions of the book are most useful for providing a patient's view of rehabilitation. "Over My Head" certainly does not provide an overview of rehabilitation techniques. Osborn does, however, include a concise review of the generalized deficits that rehab and therapy have to address.

By the end of the book, Osborn manages to return to teaching medicine, but in a format and in situations where she can proceed more or less by rote and under controlled circumstances. Osborn emphasizes that adult brain injury generally imposes permanent limitations upon post-trauma performance. You will not be who you were. Part of the rehabilitation process requires coming to emotional grips with whom you have become.

I recommend "Over My Head" without reservation. It will be of most value to people new to dealing with brain trauma. It also has worth for those of us who lost figurative pieces of ourselves, but do not have brain trauma to blame. The "coping with loss and less" element of the book has universal appeal.

Throughout, Osborn shines as a human being.

This is a really cute book. But I have an issue with the idea that the most important person is whomever you happen to be with at the time. I think this love-the-one-you're-with philosophy causes problems in families and in society , and I think we need to foster in our children an ability to consider loved ones who aren't standing right next to us. When I go out with friends and my husband stays at home, he's still more important than the people I'm with. Remembering that helps to keep our marriage happy and healthy, and I would like my son to learn that sense of loyalty and commitment. So the "wise" answers at the end of this book don't ring true for me, and they don't represent a philosophy I want my son to adopt.

This would make a great present for any age. If we all followed the advice in this book, the world would be a much better place. So simple, yet so complex at the same time. We loved it, and I will read it to my children once a week so they remember always.

This book is a beautifully illustrated journey that explores life questions in a way that is magic for the reader of any age.

My husband has recently started reading on the topic of Zen and Buddhism and wanted to expose our children to the practices as well. This is a wonderful story. Perhaps a little more than they can comprehend yet (ages 4 and 2) but a wonderful, beautiful story.

Great experience. Received the book very quickly and it was in great condition. This is one of my favorite children's books. I buy it for all my friends when they are expecing their first child.