N Books

This is by far the most thorough exegetical work I've found anywhere on the book of Romans. It is a masterful commentary full of pertinent insight and many nuggets of considerable import. My only negative critique is that this commentary is not more Pastoral. It is extremely useful (read "invaluable") for scholars, theologians, seminarians, etc., but is not nearly as easily digested and presented for Pastors or Sunday School Teachers or Church Bible Study teachers, etc. I only wish Moo had included more pastorally, but nevertheless this is a magnificent work and highly recommended for anyone wanting to understand Paul's message to the church at Rome. I would recommend that perhaps some other commentaries be included (even such trustworthy classics such as Calvins or Luthers).

Dougas J. Moo has written the greatest one-volume commentary on the Book of Romans!

Two other books by Moo on Romans are also helpful:
1. Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies)
2. Romans: The Niv Application Commentary: From Biblical Text to Contemporary Life

This commentary is probably the most exhaustive and careful study of Romans I have ever read (and I have read quite a few books on Romans). Douglas Moo stresses that the overarching theme of the letter to the Romans is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He says that Paul wrote Romans for a number of reasons: to defend his gospel against those who were accusing him of saying things like "Let us do good, so that evil may result." He also wrote to show that both Jew and Gentile are in equal need of the gospel, and that one cannot boast against the other. Paul also wrote to galvanize support for his mission to Spain (Romans 15).

Romans 1-3 shows that both Jew and Gentile are lost in sin without faith in Christ. Romans 7 shows the futility that Paul and other unsaved Jewish people in general experienced under the law, and Romans 7:24ff depicts deliverance through salvation in Christ.

Romans 8:29 means that God foreknew us in relationship, not that God foreknew that we would believe in Christ (I disagree, but this is Moo's viewpoint, and he argues cogently).

According to Moo, Romans 9 speaks of God choosing certain individuals to be saved because of His own purpose and grace, and not because of any faith he foresaw in His people. Jacob I have loved means "Jacob I have chosen," and Esau I have hated means "Esau, I have not chosen."

In a tour de force of careful argumentation, Moo shows from Romans 9-11 that God is not through with the Jewish people, and that "all Israel" in Romans 11:25-26 means that all the Jewish people alive at the time of Christ's return will be saved.

Romans 12-15 has ethical material found in a number of other Pauline epistles, and Romans 13 was written because Paul wanted to show that submitting to governing authorities was part of the pleasing will of God mentioned in 12:2 (although he leaves open the possibility of Christians responding to the government when it goes against the clearly expressed moral and ethical will of God.

The list of people in Romans 16 doesn't make for the most scintillating reading, but it shows that Paul's missionary ventures were not solo performances. He relied on others, both men and women.

What else can I say except that this is an awesome commentary. The heavy duty Greek stuff is mostly in the bottom as footnotes, but this is still a commentary I would recommend mainly for pastors and educated lay people. Moo's NIVAC offering on Romans may be a better choice for beginners.

I do not quite agree with the Calvinistic interpretations of Romans 8:29 and 9:22, especially since 9:30-10:21 make it clear that faith plays an important part of the process. In my opinion, God does not choose apart from his foreknowledge of the human response, and I think Romans 9:30-10:21 brings this out.

But otherwise, this commentary is exhaustive (and exhausting if you try to read it in a short period of time!) and extremely helpful. Thumbs way up!

Moo's commentary is good not excellent. I find he tends to chase rabbits. I would have prefered to have read more of his own thoughts on the verses as to so many different opinions of others. Over all he has done a good job, but I would not say his commentary is better than Hodge or Cranfield or some of the other older commentaries on Romans.

Moo is officially classed as a dispensationalist, however, it is known that he disagrees with a lot of traditional dispensational thought, as he is more progressive than most. For one, he is post tribulational in end time thinking, and believes in the 'now and the not yet' of the Kingdom. This book clearly shows that.
I am not a dispensationalist at all and yet I was amazed at the clarity and balanced thinking of this commentator. As he, himself states - he believes more in 'fullfillment' theology. And that's where this book is at especially in the murkey waters of ch 9, 10 and 11.
If he was as dispensational as one reveiwer above says, then Fee or the NIC committee would not have had him, as the niether the series or Fee are at all dispensational.
What Moo does do is bring traditional reformed / replacement thought toward a more Christocentric understanding of Israel as a people, who together with gentiles form God's one fulfillment people, and yet he also deals with the traditional dispensational thought that says Israel are God's earthly people and the Church His heavenly people ( or less in some cases).
I think Moo deserves credit for this book - it is outstanding, and will hopefully clear up a lot of the terrible dispensational mess in the West, and bring Christocentric fulfillment views rather than dual covenant views into people's understanding.

This was a good story. But there was nothing great in it. It was not a "page-turner", and there is nothing thrilling or intriguing in the book. The book was kind of typical and predictable, but not so much so that it caused me to rate it lower than a 4. If you are seeking thrills and something eventful, do not get this book. However, if you are looking for a good leisurely read, do get this one.

Ain't no drama like family drama because family drama don't stop.. You will certainly enjoy this book along with others by Marcus Major!! This is a feel good book about how we deal with family, friends and relationships.

Marcus Major has written an eloquent tribute that delves into
the intricacies of family life, especially the nuances & intimacies of marriage. I also enjoyed his candor with the male aspect on views of marriage and friendship. I love this book! I can't wait to see how Jasmine evolves as a young woman.

I have been following Marcus Major since his first short story that was published in "Got to Be Real". Once again I have to say that I am pleased with his story telling abilities. Reading this book was like talking to an old friend telling stories about his families trials, tribulations, but the unity and love that keeps them together.

I would recommend this book to anyone, and I already have!

This is a very good read. The Moore family had real good members that made the story enjoyable to read. I would recommend this book to others.

Holistic medicine. Food being the primary medicine for health. You are what you eat. Large focus on Asian Diet. Many great tips. I had no idea that some of these really helpful products existed. And I forgot about food combinations. Much better than the simple food pyramid. She teaches you to listen to your body. And utilize more greens. A worthwhile read if your goal is super nutrition. You'll be in the healthfood store after reading this, and enjoying it.

This book was my introduction to TCM, traditional Chinese medicine, and it was an eye-opener. I really enjoyed the author's relaxed demeanor throughout the book, while still getting the points across. The eating plan is reasonable and realistic. The YinYang Sisters teas recommended are really delicious and it's great to have beverage alternatives that are actually good for you as well. I am experimenting with the teas, some of the homeopathic remedies and trying reishi mushroom extract and liking it! I am working on losing weight, lowering blood sugar and improving or healing some inflammatory disease processes and I'll report back on my progress using the recommendations in this book. In addition, the author is extremely helpful via her website with specific and individual questions. All in all, I highly recommend this book.

Do yourself a favor and buy Feed Your Tiger. I was given the book by a friend at work. I saw it had good reviews from 2 French chefs quoted on the cover. So I tried the diets - all of them for all the types. They all taste good.

I like salt like a dragon, sweets like a bear, spices and liquor like a tiger and cigarettes and pizza like a crane. What does that make me? A satisfied reader. The author has good suggestions for all my addictions.
So I started eating seaweed for my salt craving. I like it. It's crunchy. Then I started using stevia for my sweet tooth. It's not bad. At least its sweet. I used a couple of homeopathic remedies suggested in the book and finally started to lose weight for the first time in many years.

I have continued to use the diet suggestions and I highly recommend this book. It's fun fast reading. All my friends at work are trying to figure out their animal types. I work in a hospital and there are lots of bears and dragons around. Some of us have started a club --former fatties now addicted to Feed Your Tiger.

I loved the recipes in this book! Apple rhubarb pie, Hunter's Chicken (or tofu), home made digestive bitters, leek pie, steamed salmon with pineapple and red onion, pasta with tree ears, healthy coq au vin, nouvelle ratatouille, a fast easy sukiyaki and Indonesian noodle dish. The desserts like chocolate berry pie were a revelation. Anyone can make these and stay slim and healthy.

I know I am a Bear who loves to eat. With this book I lost 38 pounds and am still getting thinner and happier every day. This is the only way to lose weight and keep it off--eat well, eat less, drink tea, and Feed Your Tiger!

This fantastic new book is a vital tool for busy, active people who don't have time to be sick, fat, or stupid. Or dunces who write erroneous reviews about books that are beyond their limited understanding. Feed Your Tiger recommends tasty, slimming meals from Asian and other restaurants; a balanced basic diet for everyone; and recipes, special foods, and easily available supplements for 4 eating types:

* Dragons: salty junk foods addicts
* Bears: sweets and comfort-food bingers
* Tigers: nervous eaters who like spices and alcohol
* Cranes: food extremists, smokers

If you are none of the above, you are an angel--although possibly an overweight one. Use this book to overcome your food addictions, build vitality, and enhance your appearance.

The well-known author of Feed Your Tiger has an extensive Net presence with numerous columns featured on both traditional medical as well as alternative health and beauty websites. She has authored authoritative books on Asian medicine, including Asian Health Secrets: The Complete Guide to Asian Herbal Medicine, which is highly recommended by alternative-minded health professionals. Her book Healthy Beauty features natural ways to enhance vitality and individual appeal for men and women.

Feed Your Tiger is a sophisticated, very practical and enjoyable book that targets the dangers of our fast-paced urban lifestyle--overweight, diabetes, prostate problems, weakened immunity, food addictions, and depression.

Recently I was reminded of this awesome book, which I loved to have read to me when I was a young child. I'm so excited to share it with my new niece and nephew! Wonderful story line of determination, and emphasis that one can be whatever one chooses to be.

This book was handed down to us from other family members who read it to their kids years ago. We loved it as much as they did and ended up buying a copy to give to our school. Highly recommended.

my daughter enjoyed this book when she was small. so much so that it looked very well used now my granddaughter is enjoying the book and it fast becoming her favorite book to read

Even though it isn't a "funny" book, I find myself utterly amused
with the pictures. The story is simple and charming.
The book is a classic in my eyes, and very special to me. I hope it will be for you too.

My daughter (she's six) just finished reading this book herself, out loud to me at bedtime. It took her four or five nights to read the three short chapters.

In the middle of the book, when Pickles the cat has a small triumph, she said "it makes me cry!" and at the end she said "I wish it just kept going". I felt so glad for her to have the experience of what it's like to read a good book - these are the feelings that make one a real book lover for life!

Like another recent reviewer I thought the pictures a little crude but the cats were remarkably cat-like; there was no effort to make them cute or cuddley. Yet, perhaps because of that simplicity, Pickles invokes a strong sense of feeling/identification as the he "grows" into a better cat through the three short chapters.

I think this was the perfect book for my daughter to read at this time. Just challenging enough, a great story and illustrations that work very well with the story. I'm also am glad to find a good children's book that's NOT about a boy (though Pickles IS a "he"); I'm sure all parents with daughters know that the vast majority of kid's books are about boy hero (yes I know there are some excellent exceptions) so a wonderful book that's not about a boy is a great find.

My 2 1/2 year old son absolutely loves this book..the illustrations are lovely, and it is so much fun to read with him. He has already remembered all the words, and fills in most of the gaps as we read it together. He is crazy about fire engines and firemen. I can't recommend this book enough.

My 2-year old follows this story pretty well (it has a repetitive-type storyline) and caught on quickly to the page turn cues (siren). He loves all the sound effects throughout the story. The illustrations are eye catching as well and help tell the story for a child that doesn't read yet. The price is reasonable considering how hard these cassette read-along are to find!

There's not much more to to add to the glowing reviews already here. I just wanted to say that the kids go crazy for Fireman Small. I like that he is such a sweet caring firefighter who goes out of his way to help everyone. I love any book that instills compassion in its readers. We love Fireman Small!!!

I picked this up thinking that it would be another good fireman book for my fireman-obsessed five-year-old. It certainly is that, but the flow and the structure also make it an excellent help-your-child-to-fall-asleep story. The basic plot is that Fireman Small is very tired and keeps trying to go to bed, but each time he does some new emergency happens that forces him to get up one more time. When he's done with the last one, everybody thanks him for all his help and he oh-so-happily drifts off to sleep. I usually read him several stories at bedtime, but I like to make sure that this is the last one; by the time we're through with it he's usually nodding off.

One small problem; Wong seems to have a unique sense of rhythm, which makes this harder to read aloud then you might expect; it took me a couple of readings before I felt that I had gotten it completely right. With practice, though, it flows beautifully.

This is a sweet story with a nice flow and repetition. My 2 1/2 year old son has immediately begun pretending to be Fireman Small saving the kitty and the baby bunny. I will definitely look into other books by this author.

My uncle was a Fireman in San Francisco for over 30 years and the realization of his job hit home to me as I read this book I have recommended it to everyone its an awesome story of Love Courage and family and Gods promise to see us through any trial even a fiery one .Lynnette Davis

I am the wife of a Fire Captain and I could relate to so much that Susan writes about. Thank you Susan for telling such a wonderful story! I read this book over a 24 hour period, no easy task with a 7 week old baby and a 3 year old, and with my husband at the fire station. I could not put the book down and didn't want it to end, I laughed and cried and totally enjoyed every page. This is a must read for any wife, or family, of a fireman.

Loved this book. It was past around for the wives of the fire academy to read. With my brother on for a few years, I thought I knew a lot about what this journey would entail. But this book was insight, funny, heart wrenching. It was a easy, quick read. I will know give this to all the new wives entering this department. It really opens you eyes on what to expect, from the shift to your husband's second family. Worth your time.

This is one of the best books that I have read! Susan really knows how to express what all fire wives feel. This book made me laugh, cry, and say "yep, I've seen (heard, felt, done) that!" so many times. I think anyone married to a fireman would love this book. I really appreciate the awareness it has given me. I only wish I read it sooner. As a 9-year fireman's wife myself, I highly recommend it!

This book was given to me by my firefighter fiancee soon after he proposed. What a Godsend! I consider this my "bible". Susan summed up the feelings we as wives have about our firemen husbands and does it in a funny, thoughtful and wonderful way. I recommend this be required literature for every fireman to hand out when they decide to propose!! LOL. Thanks Susan for sharing our side of the story!

Let's face it, we know the ending when we start. But, once into the book, you are drawn into the world at the NIC unit. You see what is happening as if you were there experiencing it. To see the raw emotion, experience the day to day happenings is to fall in love with the little life that is so fragile at this stage. Then on the other level you see how much love is shared, how everyone is drawn to this family. And yes, it is a family just like any other. I keep going back to the book and reread passages - when after a bath, little Jackson has a breathing problem, you read the "prayer" that BD Wong has going through his head. You get so imvolved that you actually feel emotionally exhausted after you put the book down. I so hope for more books by this particular author! Bravo! I am a Foo Follower for sure!

So, after finishing the wild ride/read on 3 different plane trips and stops at several coffee shops. I was crying, laughing, experiencing a roller coaster of emotions and everything else of this intense, personal family story. I kept having to stop to wipe away tears or suppress laughter in the very pulic spaces that I read the book. I guess B.D. can write as well as act. All of us can thank this family for sharing their experience...and making us all realize that alternative or traditional families are the same. A new Foo Follower.

This book is remarkable. I could, literally, not put it down and then was disappointed when I finished it. It is a real life, soul revealing, sad, funny, inspirational story. I feel that my life is richer for having read it. I am quite picky when it comes to how I spend my time, especially with regard to reading and I would read this again without hesitation.

I was recommended it because I just lost someone close to me through death and this book allowed me to grieve openly and fully for my loss and for all loss.

This book made me proud to be human. I await more from B.D. Wong.

a perspective, from a single woman, with no children-yet:
Believe it or not, this book is one of my birthday presents to myself, to help improve the quality of my life.

BD has helped me become a better woman. Hopefully, I will also become more responsible, as well. Hopefully, I will be better to cope with life's emotional issues, and handling them better.

That's what drew me to the book.

You see, while growing up, many, many people automatically assume that any given person should be able to handle anything thrown at them. You ask those around you for help, or you are impacted by something trumatic, and those around you automatically assume that you're tough enough to go through it, by yourself. Many a time, I would go through life, and not tell of my problems, because I felt that those around me would make the problem worse - or blame me for it.

Some of us have a harder time getting through things. To say "get over it", is a cruel thing to say. I feel that sometimes, those saying such a thing, are really digging deeper into the mess, and allow for things to continue to spiral downward.

I feel that this book allows people to communicate, in ways that go beyond the core scope of what the book was essentially written about.

I find it ironic that 2 men, sharing their account of parenting, pregnancy, and love with the world, including me, would have more of an impact on me, than that from any woman, since I have never received this type of insight from women.

I shouldn't have to get this type of insight about childrearing, etc., from men. However, I am indebted to BD and Richie, nonetheless.

You see, women have this thing out there, where they feel that they don't like sharing, esepcially when it comes to things like child-birth and pregnancy. It's like this secret, kept to hurt those women coming up in the world. Growing up, you ask your female relatives about such things, details inolved, and those female relatives keep quiet!

Women do not share everything, contrary to popular belief.

Needless to say, this is one of the first things that has impacted me, while reading the book.

The other is, of course the trauma, and roller coaster that BD talks about.

Some of the things mentioned, bring me back to the trials in my life.

I am thankful for the book, and the impact that the book has on my life.

When I saw this book, I just had to read it. Not because of who the author was or that he was gay, but because he LIVED what I was LIVING. Mr. Wong's book is the ONLY book about NICU babies that I would suggest as a MUST READ for critically premature parents! It doesn't help you understand the medical terms, it helps you understand YOU, as a parent of a tiny ray of life in a plastic box.
I lost a premature daughter (Mary) at 23 weeks, eleven months after that my second premature baby (Julia)was born at a whopping 28 weeks. I still was grieving Mary's death while trying to stay "upbeat" and "positive" about my Julia in the NICU. I joked, I laughed, but I hid A LOT of emotions. Everybody tells you how strong you are, what a brave person you are, while inside you are screaming "WHY MY CHILDREN!?!". You feel like you are the ONLY person in the world who feels that way.
Well, Mr. Wong's book is the ONLY book I have read that made me feel like I wasn't going crazy. He not only addressed the issues of being a parent of a NICU baby, but losing a child, and the realities of coping with that loss while being exatically happy your child has made a huge accomplishment (She either pooped, or ate half a teaspoon of breastmilk... major things in a NICU).
His humor at the most critical of times is very similar to how I dealt with things when the dr.s would say... "Well, Julia had a good day today, she only stopped breathing twice, and oh, by the way, her blood levels show she may need a transfustion, etc."
Life in the NICU is like constantly waiting for the shoe to drop! And when it does, it is usually a size 15 triple E!

I would love for Mr. Wong to do a follow up to his book, maybe "Following Foo, The Early Years". Julia is now 18 months old, and we are dealing with Early Intervention, Boston Children's Hospital, Weight issues, and Mom (or Dad) going nuts trying to keep it all in check. I would dearly love to hear some advice. Plus, I fell in love with his adorable son in this book and would love to know how he is doing!

Midshipman Alan Lewrie continues to reveal his inherent talents as a fighting officer in the British navy. Ashore with his beloved artillery at the Battle of Yorktown, he meets the Chiswick family of American Loyalists, forming relationships that will develop throughout the series.

The 2002 McBooks Press version (paperbook) that I bought at Borders has pages 145 through 192 printed twice, and then pages 198 to 241 are missing altogether! I can't imagine how such a mistake could get by. One minute they are setting up in the trenches, the next they are sailing wearily out of the the bay. So...I have no idea what happened and I'm taking it back tomorrow for a refund.

So check it out before you buy it.

Otherwise, great book.

As a strong fan of Dewey Lamdins' books, I've now read them all, The French Admiral was the best. I felt a much greater sense of history and a deeper understanding of the conflict as it impacted the lives of Loyalists, Revolutionaries, and their families. The bloody fighting seemed more in context than the conflicts described in the other books of this series.

I recommend this book very highly.

The French Admiral in paper has been awaited by Alan Lewrie fans since 1990. It is the crucial #2 "missing link" from early in the series of Alan's swashbuckling adventures in the age of fighting sail. Although we know the general events of this long-missing novel about the Royal Navy from references in succeeding books, it comes as a throwback to the exciting rakehell that Lewrie was early in his career. The alleged orphan [] of a scheming English knight, Lewrie has a most modest opinion of himself, although he comes of age as a mariner in the course of this pivotal novel. American readers will be most interested that this novel takes place on the Eastern Seaboard, especially during the crucial siege of Cornwallis' troops at York Town. (From the detailed sailing descriptions in the Chesapeake Bay it's a good bet that Lambdin sails there often.) This story offers a chance for an extended look, from the British point of view, at the vicious enmities and fighting that characterized the American Revolution in the genteel South. It does not, however, offer the least personal glimpse of the French Admiral. That august and triumphant sailor, the shipbound Admiral de Grasse, is instrumental in the series of British blunders and defeats that lose the rebel American colonies to England.

The language is a bit rougher than is the salty talk customary in sea stories by genuine British authors. I wonder if Lambdin chose "Lewrie" as his hero's name because it resembles lurid and lewd, which Alan is, although he's not a scoundrel as well. This is a physically bigger book than the other Lambdin pb's I've read, thanks to the customarily expansive McBooks Press edition (i.e., larger type and better paper than the stubby Fawcett Crest/Ballantine editions).

This is the second installment in what is developing into quite an enjoyable naval series. In _The King's_ Coat, Alan Lewrie, an illegitimate sixteen-year-old London rakehell, was essentially forced into going to sea in 1779 as a midshipman after being framed by his moneygrubbing father and his two half-siblings. He had a very rocky start in his new career but was beginning to learn his trade and had made a few friends, as well as more than a few enemies. He had also managed to come to the notice of at least two men of note, and well-placed interest was always paramount in advancing one's naval future. And there was the gorgeous young Lucy Beauman in Antiqua to whom he began paying court. Now it's two years since he left England and the rebellion in America is drawing to a close, buoyed by incompetence on the part of the British army and navy. And in the process, Alan finds himself trapped like a rat with Cornwallis at Yorktown. He escapes the disaster, partly through chance, partly through the aid of some Loyalist militia, and partly through his own intelligence and unexpected competence. By the end of the book, his future has improved in several important ways, both professionally and personally, and he has become a harder sort of person than he was at the beginning. And there's a new love interest, whether he wants to think so or not. Lambdin offers a welcome antidote to the rather proper style of Hornblower and even Audrey -- his sailors swear fulsomely, his protagonists can be just as narrowminded as anyone else in their society -- but he certainly knows his naval lore. And just when you're settling in to an adventurous episode, something horrible happens to remind you of just how bloody a true civil war the glorious American Revolution really was.

What a great book - with two of the most evil antagonists I've ever encountered. It's very depressing in parts, though, so I wouldn't read really casually. Both Gabriel (the main character), his friend "king" James, and Gabe's brother are fascinating characters. I was riveted through the whole book. Okay, I did put it down, but only to deal with things like my daughter crying, etc. I'm going to have to read it again in the future!

Durham evokes the wildness of the Plains and West with superb prose, sometimes nearly poetry in its details. Gabriel is a realistic depiction of an impatient, uncertain teenager. The plot line certainly keeps the reader involved, as we are curious to learn what new horror Marshall and Caleb will unleash on the people around them, as well as whether Gabriel and James will escape. But Durham's decision to present certain portions in italic with no names given to the people in them--even after we have been introduced to those people--struck me as striving too much for some mystical effect. I'm not clear on what this style is supposed to achieve and found it more annoying than effective.

The characters a full-bodied and mature. The story is heart-breaking and real to the core. One sympathizes with the protagonists and wishes the antagonists straight to hell. Now that is what I call a good novel. Durham has done a fabulous job...

Rarely do I read a book in one sitting, but I felt I had no choice in this one. I wish more books that I picked up held my interest, my imagination, and my heart as well as this one has. The main character, Gabriels, tells us a story of the American West in a unique manner far different than the "typical Western" we know. I highly recommend this book to those who are tired of cliches and formulas. I'm glad I found this little treasure.

Yes, Kansas was and is a Great Plains state, and anyone who first arrives might say, "I can't believe I'm in Kansas."

Kansas is an acquired taste, and Gabriel Lynch, a youngster frresh from the big eastern city of Baltimore, could not quite discover the tastefulness of farm life. Not many teens today could either. But they should read "Gabriel's Story" anyway.

This coming of age drama by David Anthony Durham has Gabriel run away from his mom and new step-dad to join up with a motley crew of vicious criminals. Gabriel soon learns to cherish a more simple life.

One might say he learned a lesson: Be loyal to your family. They're not as bad as you think.

Larry Rochelle, author of DEATH & DEVOTION: A Palmer Morel Mystery

Every once in a while someone is affected by cancer or a sickness. This book Guardian of Angels by Lurlene McDaniel shows how problems can affect a family. A young girl named Darcy fears that her mother won't get better because she hasn't been well since she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has been constantly in and out of the hospital. Darcy's mother has great hope that she will be better in no time. Darcy has to trust her mother and she has to try to keep her life moving along just like it was before her mother became sick.

The family is soon overwhelmed with Darcy's sister, Adel, getting married and her mother being sick. After the wedding Adel is planning on moving to Germany and this is when Darcy and their father need her the most.

Will Darcy's mother ever get better and will her family ever be the same again? Find out by reading Garden of Angels by Lurlene McDaniel.

Garden of Angels is a wonderful book about a girl named Darcy who's mother gets a rude a-waking by cancer. As her family and friends help Darcy's mother with her illness, Darcy meets a boy named Jason, who helps Darcy face reilty. But can Darcy's mother live and fight this cancer or will medial science fail her. The most needed question to be answer is: Are the Angels watching over Darcy and her family?

Lurlene McDaniel is one of my most favorite authors, and this book is by far one of the most inspiring books you could ever read. It's about a girl whose beloved mother gets struck with breast cancer, and her world is never the same again.

McDaniel writes with such flair that you can hardly bring yourself to put the book down. The ending is very sad, but also leaves you with a feeling of hope. This book teaches us that while we may not get to choose what happens to us, we do get to choose how we respond. This book reveals that people don't always get what they deserve, whether they be good or bad.

If you haven't read this book yet, then I highly recommend you read it. You won't be disappointed.

Some parts of this book were excellent. I loved the whole story, until I got to the epolouge. Why did Jason have to die? And why is Darcey living in the mountains? Although the epolouge isn't the best, and the story is rather predictable (mom dies, Jason liked Darcey all along, Connors would develop) it was an all in all good book. I would recomend it to anyone who wants to know Lurlene a little bit more.

After Darcy Quinlin finds out her mother has breast cancer, she is deeply saddened and in disbelief. She is also loosing her sister, Adel, to Barry Sorensen, a soldier in Vietnam. Above all that, there is J.T. who pushes her around especially when she falls hard for Pastor Jim's brother-in-law, Jason, who just moved to Connors. Darcy needs comfort and someone to talk to about boys, feelings, and school problems and her mother can't be that person. Neither can Adel because she is moving far away with Barry. Her mother did leave a beautiful garden that Darcy takes care of and it helps her through her many situations now and to come.
I liked this book because it was different from other Lurlene McDaniel books. In this book the girl doesn't have cancer, like in many other books, it's her mother. Also, this book is set in the 1970's during the Vietnam War.
I would recommend this book to teenage girls who like sad, loving stories or like other Lurlene McDaniel books.