Fiction Books

GRINDIN WAS OFF THE HOOK I KNEW THIS BOOK WOULD NOT LET ME AND IT DIDN'T THE AUTHOR PUT HER FOOT IN THIS ONE THIS A MUST READ GO GET IT.

I'm not going 2 write a long drawn out review b/c anyone who's read Mrs. Santiago's work knows how she get down. This book is great. I read "Little Ghetto Girl" first and have been hooked on Mrs. Santiago's work every sense. Grindin is an excellent read and kind of a continuation from "Little Ghetto Girl" it gives past readers a chance 2 revisit Kisa Kane. If you haven't read any of her books, pick this one up, I promise you'll love it.

Meet Kennedy, she's beautiful, multi-talented, family oriented, and a hustler. She's out there on the grind trying to take care of her family and secure her future. She faces a lost that sends her life into another direction, and she's forced to grind harder.

As she gets deeper into her hustle, she unexpectedly meets Chaz. Chaz is a man who will forever change her life. He understands her grinding mentality and together they have an unmistakenable chemistry. They find themselves falling head over heels for one another.

In between their evolving relationship, chaos tries to drive a wedge between them. Chaz's crazy baby mama tries to stake her claim on him, but Kennedy's not having that. His baby mama underestimates her, and Kennedy let's her know what's up. A wound from an earlier lost opens up and is linked to a current situation that Kennedy hides for everyone.

Take a ride with Kennedy and you'll witness the true meaning of gridin for the sake of loyalty, trust, and family. Danielle Santiago gives you a well illustrated portait of the definition of grindin.

I was highly disappointed with Little Ghetto Girl,but this one was much better.I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm actually looking forward to the next one.

I was sleeping on this book for a very long time, this book was so good, I could not believe there wasn't one dull moment in the book, the plot was thought out and flowed smoothly, characters were described and developed well, and the story had a unique grind of it's own. Danielle Santiago you deserve those 5 stars, because you know you was Grindin when you wrote this one, and I'm get on my grind and anxiously wait for the next one!!

I read The Forbidden Game series as a teenager and since have read it a dozen times at least. I cannot begin to tell you how amazing this series is. Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith was recently re-released and I must say as good as that series is this one is 10 times better. I really hope it gets released again for a new generation. This story is so unique, based around a girl who buys a game from a strange store. Her and her friends end up opening up a veil that has kept a demon in the shadows who has just happened to have been in love with her for years. He brings her and her friends into the game to relive their worst fears. Even as a teen I fell in love with Julian, the shadow demon. He is absolutely breathtaking and everyone who reads this series will fall in love with this tragic character. Don't just listen to me, read it for yourself. If you like: Vampire Diaries, Twilight, Vampire Academy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Tithe, or any other book similar to these you will love this one!

Who's this mysterous man, well who ever he is, he can have me any time. Very good book to read and can get addictive in the world of L J Smith.

like the other reviewers, i've read this book when i was 16. now at the age of 21, i still find this book captivating and have reread the series a dozen times over the years. the ending always makes me cry. the characters are memorable especially julian. this is a book you'll treasure and reread no matter how old you get.

This is the most awesome book in the WORLD!!! It's so sad that it is going out of print! I found this book last year while looking for a scary book to read and I found this! I have re-read and re-read it so many times that it's almost falling apart not to mention the times i have let MANY other people borrow it!!! Everyone LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! Julian is like OH MY GOD HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I totally fell in love with the Prince of Shadows... I recommend it!!! HOpefully you'll get it before it's too late... Almost all L.J. Smith's book are going out of print!! Especially the NIGHT WORLD series that are awesome!!! Tells you of how when someone breaks the rules of the Night World they have to Pay!!!!!! Forbidden Game is a page turner and so romantic, courageous, loyal, evil, good, betrayal and everything!!!!!!!! READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This entire Trilogy is just amazing. I was given a present of the first book when I was about 7 (10 years ago), and I immediately wanted the next two! I fell in love with Julian there and then, and was never able to understand why Jenny didn't just choose him! I've read these books over 20 times, and they're all falling apart. Everybody in the entire world should read them, because you're missing out if you don't. I highly recommend them. The last book is a nice finish, but it's incredibly sad. I wish it had ended differently! Anyone who would like to discuss these books, I've set up a Yahoo! group for it called theforbiddengame. Please join, I really like to talk about these books!

This is one of the better Love Stories books. The characters are well-developed, including the minor characters. There is a wonderful little subplot going on with Grizzly and Stacy. The first time I read this, I thought the characters were in college, not in high school. So if you're a little older and want something that isn't quite so corny, this is a good pick.

When I received this book in the mail, I was so excited to read it because of all the reviews and all, but when I started to read the book, I was kind bored in the beginning until I got to almost the middle..I Do wasn't exactly what I expected..It wasn't really about their love or relationship, but more of her being a journalist and reporting about the guy's lacrosse team which of course Adam is on..I expected more from Jane and Adam, but there weren't really anything between them..I mean there was a bond, but it wasn't something I thought was romantic..not until the end at least..So I give this book 3 stars..it's not GREAT, but it's a good read=]

This is a wonderful book from beginning to end. The dialogue and humor was great as well as the romantic situations. Don't miss this book!

i love this book so much. i like the friction between adam and jane.man i wish guys were more like him. i strongly urge you to read it!

This book is one of my favourites too... I bought it in 2000 and I still pick it up every now and again, it makes me laugh, smile and dream every time. It's so good even after all these years the story between Jane and Adam still captivates me. Elizabeth Chandler created two characters that make you wanna feel that click beteen hate and love that just makes your toes curl. :)

I have read most of the series and I think it was the most flawless. The story kept me more interested than most of the other books. Jude never ceases to amaze me. All her plots are different and they all get me pumped up and make the Star Wars soundtrack play in my head. This book is fast, action filled and very, very interested.

Lovely read. This book continues where THE HIDDEN PAST left off. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrive at Gala, eventualy,and they discover that there is a plot to kill the Queen and also sabotage the up-coming elections.
No sploilers from me, you'll have to read the book to find out what happens. You won't be dissapointed!

The Mark of the Crown was really an extrordinary book in the Jedi Apprentice series. The same great characters are back and are on another adventure. The plot kept my attention through the entire book. For all who like the series or are new to it, this is definitely one you'll like!

Star War Jedi Apprentice: Mark of the Crown

The main characters in this book are Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi-they are Jedi Knights. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent to the city of Gulu on the planet of Gala to keep the peace. They
are having elections for a governor. On Gulu, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are caught between two mobs of angry citizens and must escape. This is just one of their many adventures on gala.

Qui- Gon is my favorite character because he is a master of the Force and overcomes many challenges in the book. He is always serious and doesn't give up easily. The Queen of Gala trusts him. He takes the most serious missions while Obi-Wan stays behind and keeps an eye on the Queen, who may have been poisoned. Mali, a chemist, analyses tea that has been given to the Queen and tell Obi-Wan: "Whatever it is, it doesn't belong in tea." The problem in this book is for Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to protect the Queen.

I recommend this book for anyone who likes Star Wars or adventure books. When you read this book you will want to know what happens next all the time, such as when Obi-Wan was stuck in a giant refrigerator. You will feel a sense of adventure and will want to know how the book ends-does the Queen live or die?

Jude Watson continues to write intereszing stories about the adventures of Qui-Gon Jinn and his young Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. He also writes about their developing relationship, with both men longing for connection and not realizing that they are coser than they think!

In this instalment the two Jedi are sent to Gala, where the dying queen is bringing democratic elections to her planet, and her son is not at all happy about it.

This is a well-written and interesting story in this continuing series.

"Sophie." That one word carried layers of meaning... (A Minor Revolution, pg 13)

Any remaining "seeds of doubt" are now dispersed!

Behind each carefully chosen word of this well-crafted first chapter, the reader catches a tantalizing glimpse of the layers of meaning yet to be uncovered in A Minor Revolution. With her uncommon creativity and her remarkable command of the English language, Ms. Genther has provided us every reason to join her as we step back in time and discover a fascinating world of danger, intrigue, and even - dare we say - love.

After reading the first chapter I was so wrapped up in the main character Sophie I wanted to keep reading. With the book set in the fascinating time of the French Revolution and with a plethora of strong, independent characters, this book is a must read.

The lives of individuals can seem minor indeed, when viewed against the a big background such as the French Revolution. Yet, Ms. Genther clearly delineates the lives of her characters, while still showing the grand scale of history playing out at the same time. A Minor Revolution accomplishes a challenging task by keeping things moving smoothly while working on several levels at once. This excerpt moves along briskly by providing exciting action on both the personal and historic levels.

It has potential, but I agree with the statements of the "Lots of Description" review; however, I did pick up on the fact that Pierre's intentions were NOT to rape Nanette.
The story does a flashback to 3 months before to state that her father is choosing her suitor for her, but then in the present, suitors have come and gone with no reasoning as to why. You state what the character thinks her father wants in her potential mate, but ultimately, if they all had similar qualities, what led him to reject them?
As with the initial meeting of Geoffrey, I'm sensing some Jane Austen "Pride and Prejudice" with the behavior of the younger sister and potential suitor. Hopefully, you have a different twist on the storyline. Despite a slow start, I would be interested in reading how things pan out for Sophie and what she does with her new found power to impact the world.

A Minor Revolution will prove to be a masterpiece. The cadence of her words takes on a life of their own. She has a distinctive flair in her writing that is quite rare. To be sure, I think that this author is certainly one to watch. Very few writers make an impression on me in a few lines. Kirsten Genthner portrays excellence in writing and is a credit to the literary world. I can't wait to read the whole novel!

NOT A BOX
by Antoinette Portis

Parents often joke about how little kids think that "the box is more fun than the toy"... and this book explains why kids are right! Where others see a box, the imaginative little bunny sees a fire engine, a house or a boat! That's not a box, it is whatever you want it to be. Less is certainly more here, and I think most parents can appreciate the message about the power of creativity. This is such a great book! Highly Recommended!

This book is so amazingly simple...and I think that is the beauty of it. I found this accidentally at the library, brought it home and my 3 year old fell in love with it. He loves to read books, but I find that anything overly illustrated and long does not seem to hold his attention very long. This is the first book that he picked up and "read" by himself and then to me. He gets up in the morning and picks it up again. An instant classic!!! Bravo Antoinette!!

As a children's book author it's always a daunting task to think like a child. 'Not a Box' is a take on the children's imagination. I think just about everyone played with boxes as a child. The pure imaginations could turn a simple box into anything they want it to be. I smiled reading this book reminiscing that there was a time when a box was not just a box. I remember when I was young; our family bought a new refrigerator that came in a gigantic box. That box was the greatest thing ever. It's also sad that as the life becomes complex a simple box becomes nothing more than a box.

It's hard to add anything else to these reviews, but let me just say that my daughter absolutely loved this book and reads it over and over and over again. She loves shouting, "It's not a box!" and calling out what it really is.

I bought four books for my four granddaughters, and reports are that this one is their favorite, even though the others are fine and one is a major prizewinner.
These are little girls aged 3-4 years. I think that a good kid-rating is worth a lot, so wanted to pass it on!

This book is great! My best friend told me to read this and I think it is her favorite too. The whole series is about the same town and the same people so when you read the first book you will have to read all of them. I also recommend anything by Terri Blackstock.

I'm a new Terri Blackstock fan, but she has me hooked now! I love the way she manages to get the message of Christ into each book. And the suspense in this kept me on the edge of my chair. I like to read anyway, but I literally could not put this one down until I had finished it. I hope she writes more Newpointe 911 novels!

This novel focuses on the firemen in Newpointe and their wives. First one wife is murdered--and then another! It soon becomes obvious that a killer is stalking the firemen's wives. Mark Branning is determined to keep his wife safe, but that is difficult to do because she kicked him out of the house for a suspected affair. But they each love the other, and they are Christians, so they reach out to God for help. And we know that the Holy Spirit is always there with us, regardless of what happens. It is definitely an exciting and fulfilling read!

I am reading the "Cape Refuge" series and love it. Now she has scored another homerun with the first installment of the "911" series. I love Christian mystery and Terri Blackstock does it better than any author I have found.

Having just finished the Cape Refuge series, I moved on to another by starting Private Justice, the 1st book in the Newpointe 911 series. (Subsequent books, in order, are: Shadow of Doubt, Word of Honor, Trial by Fire, and Line of Duty.)

I would agree that the premise of this book may be somewhat far-fetched, but suspension of disbelief is part of the enjoyment. Everything doesn't have to be so totally realistic.

As in the Cape Refuge series, Newpointe 911 introduces us to characters we grow to care about. Assuming they continue throughout the series...have only read this 1st one so far.

I will admit I grew a little tired of the "misunderstanding" between Mark and Allie about Mark's supposed straying from the marriage vows. She jumps to conclusions after walking in on Mark hugging a female colleague and he gives in and moves out way too meekly. As his devotion to her proves itself over and over, she steadfastly continues to be angry. It takes a near fatal injury to bring them both around....too formulaic? Maybe, but I say overlook it and just enjoy the book.

Terri Blackstock had me hooked by the second chapter of her amazing book. Me being an avid reader of hers, I had expectations that were met by the first half of the book, love, suspense, and mystery. She writes with such ease, she lures you in. I fell in love with the two main characters, Mark and Allie, and hoped taht some fire would spark between them. But the story within the book, was Dan and Jill. Reading the first two books, I've realized their love story is a basis for the whole series. I would recommend this book to an avid reader of suspense. It will not get your hopes hope!

My wife and I like this author very much. Victoria Taylor Murray writes a good, steamy love story and is great at weaving murder and mystery into the plot. After a long day's work, we enjoy steaming in the hot tub, then relaxing in bed with a VTM book. Yes, we take turns reading to each other, like a couple of newlyweds.

We recommend this book and her Lambert series also. I hear she has a cookbook out, too, and since I'm the best cook in the family, I'll probably get that one next, but I guarantee, I won't be reading it in bed.

Meanwhile, pick this one up. Bob the plumber says!!!

Reading The Shadow of Her Smile was like slurping a long, cold lemonade on a sultry, summer day--I couldn't devour it fast enough!

The story started off with a bang, growing increasingly suspenseful as Victoria Taylor Murray drew me into her exciting plot with the ease that only the best writers can achieve. From Trump Towers to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to Little Italy to NYPD and a grandmother's run-down mansion, she painted a New York seldom seen by outsiders. I especially relished the historical vignettes of The Big Apple woven in at appropriate places in the story.

Although many of the supporting characters were ultra-worldly--obviously shallow, greedy, and lustful--each one was unique and thoroughly fleshed out. Through them, Murray captures the true essence of the city's diversity of cultures and life-styles.

And the hero and heroine are to die for! The excitement was nonstop as handsome Corbin Douglas searched for beautiful, red-haired Nikki Rourke--a "woman in a photograph" with an unforgettable smile--overcoming death-defying, breath-stealing obstacles to help her.

This well-written, fast-paced book has everything: believable characters, realistic dialogue, suspense, romance, and "original" humor. For example, when Corbin, a cop-turned-private-investegator, told his former partner, "I have a headache the size of Stephen King's Buick 8," I laughed out loud... a welcome relief from the tension of the book's drama.

I join this talented author's legions of fans in applauding her on penning another winner. My one regret is that I didn't discover her from her very first book." -- Betty Dravis, author of "The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley," "1106 Grand Boulevard," and "Millennium Babe: The Prophecy"

I have been an avid Victoria Taylor Fan every since the Lambert series hit the bookshelves. I enjoy the writing style of this writer very much. Her stories are unique, exciting, sexy, and entertaining. I can hardly wait until her next novel hits the bookshelves!

I've always been a romance reader, but my general fare is Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts, so when my sister told me all about this author and how good her romantic suspense stories are, I was skeptical at first.

I decided to buy her stand-alone book ... just in case I didn't enjoy VTM's style as much as my sister did. But that turned out NOT to be a problem. I adored this book and its glitzy characters, as you can tell by my name title. LOL ...

And that cop is to die for!

So now it's back to the shopping cart to toss in her Lambert series. Thanks, Victoria, for a wonderful reading adventure. Keep up the good work.

Love this author; love all her books ... even her new cookbook.

I had the pleasure of meeting VTM at one of her booksignings and she's a very sweet, knowledgable women. I meet a lot of celebrities in my line of work (even doubling for the stars routinely), but never met an author before ... so that's an occasion I'll long remember.

I look forward to her next book. Hurry up, Victoria!

Ok, here's the thing. After reading all these reviews, i thought that for once, a book could make me cry. All you Amazon reviewers said that this was the saddest book, that it made you sob. Well, this book didn't make me cry, even one tear, didn't make me even SAD, which i thought was absurd, because the concept of a mother dying IS sad, but this book didn't make me FEEL it. What a huge disappointment. I was interested in the book, sure, i gave it a shot, i reread it, but it DIDN'T MAKE ME FEEL SAD NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I READ IT!!! It was frustrating because MsMartin is usually a very good writer who makes you feel the character's pain or anger or sadness or whatever, but this book didn't cut it.
Sunny is a good character. It's a shame that the author couldn't make her into a GREAT character in this book.
This book gained 2 stars because I WANTED to read it again, plus its cover was good, and it tied up the fight with Ducky. That was decent.
Anyway, if you enjoy sad books with FEELING, this book IS NOT FOR YOU. If you enjoy reading books that have absolutely zero impact on you whatsoever, BUY THIS BOOK.
gotsa go,
but one thing 2 say,
this book DID NOT CUT IT
luvyasall & toodles
Mel-jane

Ok...well at first i thought the book was gonna [be bad] because it was assigned in school but, once i picked it up i could not put it down. Ann Martin makes you be part of Sunny. You feel what she feels and want what she wants. Its fantastic. The book made me cry and I've never cried in one single movie! I recomend this books to teens everywhere! This book has also influenced me to read many other of the California Diaries.
-Rebecca

Sunny is a teenager who is going through a tradgety. She is loosing her mom to canser. Sunny used to cope with this by skipping school, not studying, and even running away. Iused to think that sunny was a selfish character, because she didnt even visit her mother in the hospital. In this book, she stopped running from her problems. She handled her mothers death with a lot of maturity. I think Sunny is very brave. Even though she is a character from a book, i respect her.

This book opened up my heart into a new perspective. I couldn't imagin loosing my mother but this book opened up my eyes and made me see more of what a tragedy loosing your mother is. After all the [stuff] she gave to all her freinds they all realized that it was a time of need for her. With her freinds coping her every step of the way she managed to survive the tragedy of her loss. If you are a fanatic as I am READ THIS BOOK and have a box of tissues reading it you'll need it.

im a great fan of ann martin. SUNNY DIARY#3 was EXTRAORDINARY. it is SOOOOOOOO touching. i think it is the best in the seires. SUNNY is a WONDERFUL. SHE IS A VERY rich charachter. she is ,in her third diary,facing her problems at last. she is so hurt and the reader feels it,it is so HARD to say goodbye or farwell to a person especially if it is your mom. ann has succeeded in going deep through her.the readers tears is a great evidence. im 16 and i see the book is suitable for all ages. anns aim isnt describing sunny s suffering only but i think she wants to tell us how LUCKYwe are. we should VALUE our parents more and stop complaing about our lives. all over the world many people are suffering even more than sunny .the diaries give us HOPE. .even sunny HAS a bright side to look at. She still has her friends . so she will be healed soon. in fact ANN shows sunny that her mom ISNT DEAD. she WILL be always be with her.in her mind. in her heart ,in Sunny herself.i think ann deserves the nobel prize,doesent she?so ahead and read CD#12.

Beautiful! I must admit that parts of this story, especially the beginning were a bit difficult for me to read. But that just goes to show how true to life this author's writing is.

The story revolves around Marley, her mother, Pam, and her grandmother, Ma Grand. Each woman's faith is challenged through the issues of life; an engagement that ends, breast cancer, and the condition of getting older. Each woman's trial(s) affect the other as it is also so in real life. When Marley's co-worker invites her to visit her church, Marley comes into a new understanding of God and forges a more personal relationship with Christ. In the process she encounters more peace, love, and fulfillment than she ever imagined possible.

This book instructs that despite the storms this life may bring we must stand firm and trust in the Lord. Ellis' writing evokes feelings of hope and happiness, at the same time Ellis also manages a very satisfying end. This work should definitely not be excluded from among good Christian fiction.

this book sums life true net worth for anyone who want to be love in God's purpose... a must read for women who feel they have to hide behind the wrong of man just to say you have a man...

I loved the book. It was such a feel good book. I hope she writes another book soon. Keep up the good work.

I didn't really like the title, but the story was fabulous! Probably the greatest Christian romance ever written. I also don't particularly like Christian fiction romances because they are usually boring and drawn out, but this novel is unlike any other Christian romance book that I have read. True enough it is a story about faith, trust and love, but it should be named something like "Love is in the Airlines," because that is where her heart lead her to find true romance (and let me tell you that he was a GOOD find). But from the beginning, Marley had suspicions about her fiance. The book was predictable but it was a quaint story. MaGrand was a big hit. She was one grandmother who spoke from her fists--and if the punch landed on your face--then so be it. Marley's friends fitted in the story as fill-ins. Christian romance writers need to use this book as a model. Jamellah Ellis kept it real and exciting. I recommend this book to all Christians especially women and non-Christian women.

It's a first rate engagement celebration honoring the couple of the century, Marley Shepard and Gerrard Shore. With hopes of what tomorrows were to bring, Marley was more than 70% certain that she was making a major mistake.

With wedding plans being made, Gerrard was becoming more physically absent and emotionally delinquent from their relationship. Causing Marley to become fixated in her grooming techniques which usually resulted in indulging her purse, shoe, and lip stick fetishes.

Marley's soul was in a deep disrepair; Her mother's hurting, grandmother is angry, father is absent, and her fiancé didn't care. All out of hope, joy, strength, resolve, and determination, Marley cried out; "God what have I done to deserve this?"

Be still and know that God is God.

It was those words that alleviate and allotted for some immediate comfort. It wasn't until she actually made it to Gilead's Balm, that her eyes, ears, mind, and heart were relieved. `Stop trusting yourself. Trust in the one who made you.'

God Bless you. Jamellah Ellis sharply perceptive walk through Marley Shepard's eyes was so very pleasing. I found myself smiling, laughing out loud, and riddled with heart wrenching grief. A wonderfully detailed work on life, and establishing an independent relationship with God.