Shadow Books

A simple, practical guide to understanding and enjoying Celtic spirituality with engaging stories and practical applications. I especially enjoyed the meditations which focused on the world today plus the special emphasis on the "kindly virtue" of hospitality. Suggestions for creating one's own sacred space and sacred time added to suggestions for making work holy will give the reader some meaty food for thought and action.

Knowing the author personally, I anxiously awaited the finished product. Having heard Msgr. Barr speak in person on Celtic Spirituality, the book generates his enthusiasm and personality. The stories are wonderful and the suggested applications can easily be adapted to a persons everyday life. I never realized what a difference it makes knowing the author, when I read it, it is almost as if I can hear him. A great book to pick up and open to any chapter to be fed for the journey.

Great character development. A story that holds your attention from start to end. A book that ends as well as it begins. It makes you want more. I recommend this book to anyone who loves history, intrigue, and drama. It reminds us how a family defines who and what we are.

Very easy reading. Terrific and absorbing, packed with twists, and charaters were very lively. Emotionally captivating, a Touching love story. I will recommend it to all my friends.

With all the publicity for the new "Black Dahlia" movie this month, I figured it was time to read "Shadow of the Dahlia" by Jack Bludis. I've been saving this book to read some time when I was depressed, and since this week has had a few disappointments, I figured that was enough excuse to ignore the phone for a few evenings and plunge myself back into Hollywood in the early part of 1947.

The protagonist of this book is Rick Page, a private eye. Rick is thrown into the world of Hollywood high-rollers who trade women like cars when he is asked to find Laura Prendergast, ex-callgirl, now-wife of a millionaire. At the same time, a crime boss enlists Rick's help in discovering who fathered his impetuous daughter Alice's forthcoming child.

Rick doesn't feel like he's making any headway in either case. The wife he's seeking doesn't want to be found, and the people she is hiding with turn out to be worse than the people she was hiding from. The daughter won't tell him who the father of her baby is, and she doesn't really want to settle down and be married, anyway-- but she makes it clear she wouldn't mind sleeping with Rick [again!].

All the city's attention is focused on the brutal murder of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, so it seems Rick alone is left find out what really happened to Laura Prendergast, and find a Daddy for Alice's baby. But when people keep warning Rick to mind his own business-- NOT TO MENTION knocking him out several times and trying to drown him-- he could swear the voices are familiar from both cases. What's the connection between Laura and Alice? And do either of them have a connection to the murder of the Black Dahlia?

Jack Bludis does it again... this great book sets you squarely in another time and place for a few days, keeps you on your toes from the start, and delivers a satisfying conclusion.

This would be a great book to read anytime, but especially so now, to get psyched up for the release of the new movie "Black Dahlia."

Every mystery work has something special within its pages; a twist that leaves you shaking your head or thinking about it for days after the read. To me, this work left me with a smile and the realization that life often evens the score.

Rick Page is a private eye in L.A. He is hired by a millionaire to find his missing wife. He finds her, murdered and mutilated in the same fashion as another young women had been before her. Seemingly the two murders were not related, nor were the killers of the first victim, Elizabeth Short, ever brought to justice, but Rick knew better.

His investigation takes him into the depths of those who seem to have no soul, nor regard for the dignity of human life, only for their perverse pleasures and greed.
Nearly losing his own life, Rick presses on determined to settle a burning desire to see the murderers of Laura Prendergast brought to justice. Perhaps the justice is not the way some would have liked, but nevertheless it seemed to fit the occasion.

I liked this book. It took on a new twist in a mystery read and kept my interest.
The characters were well thought out and the author interwove them nicely within the storyline. There was mystery, adventure and a tad of romance. Well done and recommended.

Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

Helen Hollick just amazes me with her writing skill! I cannot say it better than to quote Historical Novels Review: "If only all historical fiction could be this good"! Helen has taken the King Arthur Pendragon of our childhood fairy tales and written a gritty, realistic work that depicts Arthur as a human being, with the strengths and weaknesses that we all have in some form or fashion. I've recently read the entire "Pendragon's Banner" trilogy and this was the most difficult book of Helen's works to read. Because as with all good things, the story of Arthur, his family, and his love for Britain had to come to an end. I'll not give away the story here. Suffice it to say that this is historical fiction at its finest, with true-to-life writing of the people and times in Britain circa 500 A. D. I highly recommend this excellent work (and the entire trilogy) to those who value realistic, well written historical fiction with a plot that twists and turns through a wealth of characters of the time brought to life! Helen Hollick is, in my humble opinion, the FINEST writer of historical fiction today! Kudos to her for her fine work, and I eagerly await more from this very talented author! Further, I truly appreciate the massive amount of outstanding research that Helen did preliminary to writing the entire "Pendragon's Banner" trilogy! Hers was no easy task since source works on Arthur and his times were both biased and dismally missing much information! Finally, I wish to thank her for her work, and particularly for the "Author's Notes" which she writes and includes in each of her books! Great work by a marvelous writer!

THIS ENTIRE SERIES AND IN FACT ALL OF HOLLICKS NOVELS ARE GREAT. sHE IS AN INTELLIGENT AND CREATIVE AUTHOR. IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A FUN ROMANCE LOOK ELSEWHERE. THIS SERIES..THE KINGMAKING..PENDRAGONS BANNER AND SHADOW OF THE KING IS FULL OF HISTORY WAR PLOTS AND SOME ROMANCE THROWN IN THE MIX. I READ CONSTANTLY AND THIS IS NOT A BOOK THAT WILL INSULT YOUR INTELLIGENCE.

this book is fantastic alan gibbons slowly builds up suspense in this brilliant sci fi novel.

This was definitely a great book and I really hope many other people do buy it. It may look like a bit of money but I definitly loved it. It really is worth it! I hope you enjoy it!

This is simply the best epic ever written. Kaye's writing is so beautiful and eloquent. It is a great piece of historical fiction as well as a love story. This is not the most intellectual book I have ever read, but it is the only one that I have read 5 times!

This is a superlative work of beautifully written, well-researched historical fiction by the author of the best selling, sweeping epic, "The Far Pavilions". The author was born in India, where she lived most of her life. Her love of that country is evident in her loving, descriptive passages of the land of her birth. Her assessment of Anglo-Indian relations during the time of the British Raj is infused in the characters of her spellbinding novel. With exotic, mid-eighteenth century India as a backdrop for most of this engrossing story, the reader is swept away by its beautifully descriptive narrative. It is in India that the fate of a beautiful, young, Anglo-Spaniard heiress with the improbable name of Winter Ballasteros and that of Captain Alex Randall, a commissioned officer with the East India Company, are irrevocably intertwined.

Born in India and orphaned at an early age, Winter is brought up in England but is always longing for the land of her birth. The opportunity to return home to India presents itself when she is betrothed at a tender age to the debauched Conway Barton, the grasping Commissioner of Lunjore, who is many years her senior. Captain Randall, who is sent by the Commissioner to escort his betrothed to India, is loathe to do so, knowing the Commissioner to be no fit husband for a seventeen year old girl, Moreover, Captain Randall is keenly sensitive to the potentially dangerous feelings of unrest that seem to be sweeping India, as its native population begins to chafe under the insensitive rule of its colonial masters.

Once in India and against a backdrop of native unrest, Winter and Captain Randall slowly begin to develop a relationship. When the Sepoy Rebellion of 1957 occurs, Winter and Captain Randall are thrown together. They discover that they must struggle to survive the madness and bloodlust that is all around them, as they witness atrocities beyond comprehension. The author gives a vivid re-creation of the Siege of Delhi, as well as a plaintive telling of the massacre of women and children at Cawnpore, a horrific bloodbath from which even the natives themselves shrank. It is against this tumultuous, historical backdrop that the personal drama of Winter and Captain Randall is juxtaposed.

With a wonderful cast of Indian and Anglo characters, the author gives the reader a sense of the vastness of India with its many different religions and castes. She successfully depicts the colonialist attitudes that would serve to unite Indians whose paths might not ordinarily cross and galvanize them to take violent action in an attempt to break the oppressive, colonial yoke. The Sepoy Rebellion of 1857 would be a lesson that England would long remember.

This is a riveting novel that those who love well-written historical fiction will enjoy, as will those who simply love a well told tale. Bravo!

You will find it hard to put this book down. It covers a wide format of territory, in a variety of ways. Basically it is a story of the women on the northwest frontier. It is set in the fledgling days of Astoria, Oregon and covers the northwest frontier on all fronts. The reader lives with early day homestead wives, prostitutes and the fringe elements, who have come looking for a new life. Then there are the Indian girls who can be bartered for a horse or a packet of furs. This story has been thoroughly researched from the archives of Astoria. The records are there and history is laid out in The Historical Society, the Public Library and numerous letters and diaries, left by the women themselves.

They came to the northwest looking for a new life. Some came to be wives and mothers, some came to take their place in a man's world of establishing a farm, some came as prostitutes---and then there was one who had a smattering of training as a nurse. Rachel O'Connor soon links up with Doctor Mark Whitfield; A young newcomer who is getting established in the new land. She goes with him on house calls to lumber camps, primative Indian villages and far flung homesteads. Her life seems full and satisfying until she meets Steve Parker, a handsome young half-breed Indian man, who knows no rules or boundaries and is as wild as the mountains around him. He takes what he wants without apology- -----and he wants Rachel. This is such a spellbinding story. I could almost feel the cold wind and rain in my face.

This book was very well written. Full of action and suspense. At the end, Had me (a full grown man) crying like a woman at a chick flick. BRAVO!!! " Thank You Nancy"

This and later books of Garroc are set in the Geoffrey of Monmouth Old England. Berberick does the Old English stuff as well as an Inkling. She's good at magic too. Read 'The Panther's Hoard' too.

From the beginning, Sabrina and Ian's story will capture your heart... Then betrayel will threaten to break it. Two strong people matching wits against each other: Sabrina, the headstrong girl thirsty for revenge and Ian, the handsome hero determined to reveal Sabrina for what HE THINKS she is. A wonderful story full of adventures and characters to love.

What a wonderful author Debra Dier is. This is such a great story I couldn't put it down. Ian is the hero everyone wants to meet and Sabrina is funny, witty and such a lovable character. I couldn't help but want them to get together. I loved all the little surprises Ms. Dier put into this story as well. A great read for any historical romance buff.

SHADOW OF THE SUN, begins us with Sarah talking to her father, Roger Pendergrass. He thinks he is cursed for taking a priceless treasure from a tomb in Egypt. Therefore, he is asking Sarah to return it for him to break the curse. He cannot ask his partner for he knows that Jake will not want to return it. Since Sarah has always wanted her father's love and approval she accepts this feat.

Jake Mitchell knew of his partner's plans to return the Treasure to Egypt. But he can't let this happen. He knows that this could be the last chance to save hi Career by delivering this treasure to the King. So he sets off to find the person Roger has hired to take the treasure back to Egypt. Never realizing that it is Rogers daughter.

When Jake and Sarah end up on the same Ship heading to Egypt the fun begins, she knows who he is but he never guesses who she is. Will the treasure be returned? Or Will Jake use it to further his Career? Will it truly break a Curse? Will t rue love prevail in the end? All these are good questions that you will ask yourself as you read Shadow of the Sun.

In my Opinion Tammy Hilz as written a wonderful romance novel of adventure and archaeologist set in the late 1700's. This was an excellent read. A book that I just couldn't put down until I was through.

When her archeologist-father, deathly ill from a Pharoh's curse, calls on Sarah Whitehurst to carry the remains of Queen Tiy back to Egypt, Sarah sees a chance to reclaim her father's love from Jake Mitchell, the young man who replaced her in her father's eyes and became the son he truly wanted. Admittedly a woman travelling alone in 1798 is risky, especially with Napoleon gathering an invasion fleet poised to strike somewhere, maybe even to Egypt itself, but Sarah is intent to accomplish what her father sets as her goal. Her increasing fascination with the story of Queen Tiy only makes her more resolute.

Years before, a viccount had stolen Jake Mitchell's archeological finds, claiming them as his own and accusing Jake of stealing. The discovery of Queen Tiy (in partnership with Sarah's father) is a chance to redeem his reputation, reclaim his role as a leading British archeologist, and gain the funding he Jake needs to pursue his love of Egypt and of archeology. Admittedly his partner has been suffering from a bit of superstitious nonsense, but no superstition, no thief, nothing, is going to get in Jake's way this time. When Jake discovers that Queen Tiy's remains are missing, presumably stolen by his partner, Lord Whithurst to be returned to Egypt, he sets off in pursuit.

Thrown together on the same ship, Sarah hides her identity and the nature of her cargo from the man she knows will do anything in his power to deny her this one chance to reclaim her father's love. Despite herself, however, she feels a growing appreciation, respect, and desire for this powerful man. Although Jake knows Sarah is hiding secrets, he can't imagine she is hiding the one secret most important to him. When he discovers the truth, Sarah knows that any chance at love will be destroyed. But first, they need to explore Egypt--and to avoid the armies of Napoleon himself.

Author Tammy Hilz writes an emotionally rich adventure story. Both the streets of London and the deserts of Egypt come alive in this exciting story. Sarah and Jake are both damaged characters intent on proving themselves, and Hilz makes their emotional and physical attraction vividly real at the same time as she draws the conflict in strong relief. SHADOW OF THE SUN is the first of an exciting series of historical novels by Tammy Hilz. I'll be looking forward to reading the remaining novels as well.