Children's Books

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.

I read this book a few years ago because I had just seen Episode III in theatres and I was interested in anything Star Wars. At the time I did not realize thet this book was the sixth book in the series and as soon as I finished this book, I went back and started with number 1. Anyway, I LOVED this book. It made Obi-Wan my favorite character and even the sub-charaters were great. The relationship between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan is truly special and this book will give you chills. I can't wait to see if/when/how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's relationship is mended. Even though this is a short and simple read, this book is great for any age. The emotion in this book was so well described and portrayed. I recommend this whole SERIES to anyone who has the faintest interest in Star Wars or good books in general.
-Murl

I am liking this series. I read the first 5 books last year, and started again just this week. I am a nut when it comes to reading a series in order, so I wanted to start with these books to see how Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon interact together before venturing into the prequels and follow-up novels to the movies.

This series is set towards young readers, but I find the story on an adult level. A good and easy read for someone wanting a short story.

Jude Watson brings to life the choices we face everyday. It shows how Obi-Wan Kenobi had to mkae one deceision between his home and when his friends on Melida/Daan needed him most.
When his friend is murdered and all his other friends, except two who remain loyal to him, turn into his enemies. He has no where to go and his former Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn isn't availible to protecthim, Obi-Wan must learn to be on his own with no one to help him.

Overall, I've greatly enjoyed the Jedi Apprentice series. It's not Harry Potter, but it gets the job done. Defenders of the Dead was a highlight, with an ending that left this jaded, cynical adult gasping with shock.

Unfortunately, The Uncertain Path leads to too much boredom. Obi-Wan mopes and Qui-Gon sulks, while the Youth on Melida/Daan regress into the children that they are. A few things salvage the book. Yoda giving Qui-Gon a chewing out (sorry, "Yoda a chewing out giving Qui-Gon, hmmmm?"), a touching scene with Cerasi's father, and the lack of quick resolution to the Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon conflict. Hope remains high for book 7.

The bloody civil war on the planet of Melida/Daan has ended with the Young the victors. Obi-Wan has left the Jedi order to stay with his friends Cerasi, Nield, and the rest of the Young to govern the planet. But instead of having peace after so much war, the Young is starting to break up. Everyone is fighting each other, dividing friends. Taking up the chance, the Elders of Melida and Daan begin to protest. Qui-Gon himself is having many problems. After returning Tahl back to the Temple, he still feels betrayed by Obi-Wan for abandoning him. He finds it hard to forgive Obi-Wan for hurting him, can he ever be able to forgive him? Then he discovers that a series of thefts have begun in the Temple. Could it be one of the Jedi students, or someone outside the Temple? Then Qui-Gon gets the shock of his life, Obi-Wan calls for help! Will Qui-Gon go back to his former apprentice to help?

A continuation from the previous book, "The Defenders of the Dead", the story really explores the characters of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan has left the Jedi order willingly, yet he begins to have doubts about his choice. Will he ever be one with the Force again? And will he ever get Qui-Gon back as his Master? Qui-Gon is also hurt and betrayed, finding it hard to forgive Obi-Wan. Together they must search their hearts to find out what is the correct path for them. A good ending though you'll probably be in suspense for what is going to happen next in "The Captive Temple". Jude Watson has certainly done an astounding job, the plot and story of the book is so unique and interesting and I couldn't put it down! I still enjoy reading the books as much as I did when they first started coming out in the summer of 1999.

This series explains a lot about how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan first meet. Their beginning is far from simple and all smooth-sailings, which would be pretty monotonous if it was. Though the books are said for ages 9-12, like many other reviewers I agree that the Jedi Apprentice Series are for anybody. Extremely well-written, the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of the main characters are very well put down into words. I also like the different array of humans and aliens which are portrayed, both good and bad; young Cerasi who has seen so much pain, Nield who strongly believes in the "Young's" cause, Tahl who though is almost dying has a strong will to live, and more.

The first Jedi Apprentice book is written by Dave Wolverton while all the rest (19 more books) are written by Jude Watson and are all very highly recommended from me. The books don't really 'end' at all, the books ends in either a cliffhanger or with a little glimpse into the future. Believe me, once you start reading them, you'll want to read the next one...

The Baby Signs Program is AWESOME!!! My 2 year old daughter has over 70 signs. I keep the flip guide on my refridgerator. My 6-year-old son is always taking it down and asking me what the signs are or how to say something. It serves as a constant reminder for me to sign during mealtimes. This progam is second to none -- HANDS DOWN!!! When you want the best, go to the original!!

We started using the Baby Signs Program with my son when he was 5 months old. He was signing back to us at 7 months, and by the time he was 15 months, he was doing about 20 signs. The DVD is great because you get to watch a video of someone actually doing the sign instead of just reading about it. The kids DVD really keeps the baby's attention.

For parents and caregivers who just want the basics of Why and How to get started and don't have the time to do a lot of reading, this makes a great introduction to the Baby Signs Programs. There are many other resources available from the Baby Signs Institute but this is the one kit you want to get for expectant and new parents - great baby shower or new baby gift. It's one for parents and babies to enjoy together. Parents can learn with the easy-to-follow guidebook and babies will love the little board books - just the right size for little hands - and DVD.

The 100-word video dictionary is really useful. I found I had been doing a sign wrong because it's sometimes a bit hard to tell from a picture. So you can just watch all 100 signs back to back, or just browse to the one you want to look up with your DVD remote.

Signs At A Glance flipper is cute and fun to flip through. It's so easy to find the sign you need - we have one on the fridge at home and also one at daycare. It is interspersed with tips on how to be successful.

This is also a good kit for daycares - the staff often don't want to spend too much time learning something new, so this shows them how easy it is. And they can then share these resources with the parents, too.

I do not recommend the Baby Signs program at all. As the mother of a special needs child with a delay in speech I was interested in teaching her some basic signs. The problem with the Baby Signs program is that it does not use the true American Standard Sign Language. I think the developers just decided to "make up" some signs of their own. If you are going to teach your child to sign then I think it should be done correctly so that anyone who knows sign language can understand it. I recommend the My Baby Can Talk program instead. It uses the true American Standard sign language and you can view their online video dictionary for free on their web page.

The Baby Signs Starter Kit is a great hit with my family and friends. The parents love receiving it because it gives them a good start with signing. My children love using signs with their babies, being a signing grandparents has really been enjoyable. Our family member and friends have requested the starter kit as a shower gift, and I enjoy giving such a great product!

This book focuses alot on Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan reuniting their kinship as Padawan and Master.

The Jedi Temple is under seige and only Qui-gon and Tahl can take measures to stop the traitor stealing artifacts from the temple.

I thought this book was a nice tie-in to the 2nd book in the series, mixing in the current story of Obi-Wan rejoining the Jedi Order, and continuing on into the 8th book which I am now reading.

These young adult books are quite fascinating. The stories are short and sweet, but they are not without action and suspense. They pack more than enough interest to keep me reading.

Its definetly the best in the series, and I would have preferred it to end here. The ending seemed as though it was FORCED to hint about the sequal. I have a feeling that Jude Watson didnt want to continue writing it, and then had to. Its a great book, to bad about the ending....

"The Captive Temple", written masterfully by Jude Watson, continues telling the story of young Obi-Wan Kenobi leaving the Jedi. He has left the guidance of his former master, Qui-Gon Jinn, and of the Jedi Council. But when the Jedi Temple and Master Yoda's life are both threatened, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan must work together to save the Jedi Temple from certain doom. Tahl, Bant, and several old friends -- welcomed and not -- return in this page-turning novel. Conflict after conflict arises: who is trying to destroy the Temple? Who would want to kill the inocent Yoda? But the most baffaling question is: will the Jedi Council allow Obi-Wan to come back, and if they do, will Qui-Gon accept him again? All of these questions will be answered in books number 7 and 8.

I keep thinking to myself that Jude Watson is no J.K. Rowling, but now I'm beginning to think that I'm deluding myself. The Captive Temple is, as we've come to expect from Watson, a fantastic read. Most remarkable of all is the way Watson is able to depict Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, twelve years before The Phantom Menace. What is masterful is that these both are and are not the characters we saw in the movie; they appear exactly as they must have been in their younger days. Remarkable.

The Captive Temple is also an improvement over the previous book. Obi-Wan is less mopey ("Mopey-Wan" . . . hmmm), and Qui-Gon less brooding. There are no quick fixes to their relationship, broken by Obi-Wan's betrayal of Qui-Gon in book 5, which is satisfyingly frustrating. Watson seems to have masterly paced the evolution of our Jedi heroes' relationship, giving us just enough development to keep us coming back for more.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has decided to return to the Temple after staying on Melida/Daan. But once he arrives at the Jedi Temple with his former Master Qui-Gon, he realizes that things might not go as well as he thought. The Jedi Council is harsh with him and Qui-Gon seems to ignore him. Can he ever regain the trust he had with the Council and Qui-Gon? Also, there's a threat within the Temple. Everyone is being under suspicion, everyone is in danger, and everyone is wary of others. Who could be behind these attacks? As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan try to solve the mystery, they discover that the attacker might be someone they know, someone they've already encountered...

In this story Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's relationships is being slowly healed though I must stress on the 'slow' part. I can't wait till their problems are resolved and they become the perfect team they become to be in Episode 1. Jude Watson has certainly done an astounding job, the plot and story of the book is so unique and interesting and I couldn't put it down!

This series explains a lot about how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan first meet. Their beginning is far from simple and all smooth-sailings, which would be pretty monotonous if it was. Though the books are said for ages 9-12, like many other reviewers I agree that the Jedi Apprentice Series are for anybody. Extremely well-written, the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of the main characters are very well put down into words. I also like the different array of humans and aliens which are portrayed, both good and bad; Obi-Wan's friend Bant with her wise ways, Tahl with her many disadvantages of being blind and many more advantages with having the Force, and TooJay, Tahl's annoying navigational droid.

The first Jedi Apprentice book is written by Dave Wolverton while all the rest (19 more books) are written by Jude Watson and are all very highly recommended from me. The books don't really 'end' at all, the books ends in either a cliffhanger or with a little glimpse into the future. Believe me, once you start reading them, you'll want to read the next one... then the next one... I can't wait for Jude Watson's next Star Wars series, The Jedi Quest Series with Obi-Wan Kenobi as the Jedi Master and Anakin Skywalker as the Padawan Apprentice.

Another Star Wars Series I recommend and like a lot are the Young Jedi Knights series. The stories are about Jacen and Jaina Solo (twins of Han and Leia Solo), and their friends as they journey on the road to becoming Jedi Knights. More on the teenager level of reading. For adult readings, a few selections I enjoy reading are "The Thrawn Trilogy", "Rogue Planet", "The Jedi Academy Trilogy", "The Corellian Trilogy", and "The Truce at Bakura".

Have you ever encountered a book for young readers so good that it gave you goose bumps? This is such a book.

Told through the viewpoint of a twelve-year-old Jewish immigrant from Russia living on the Lower East Side of New York City, we see the very real struggle of people who came to America to find a new life, but struggle over giving up the old. Despite the fact that this is a fictionalized diary, the author provides us with an intimate look into the sometimes painful personal experiences that make up our history as a whole.

No matter what your own family's history might be, we can learn from the experience of Lasky's incredible characters.

Dreams in the Golden Country: The Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl, New York City, 1903 (Dear America) is a book to be savored and cherished.

I thought the book was awsome. I couldn't put it down there was no part that was boring. I recccomend this book to every one. i read it so fast and i want to read it again

Life's Roads as a Jewish Girl

Zipporah Feldman (Zippy) comes to America with her Jewish family. They came from Zarichka. This book was the diary of Zipporah. After coming to America they all have found some sort of dream in this new country. What was it about America that makes you like this, having big hopes and dreams. Her beloved sister has gone away with the guy she loves, who is not a Jewish boy. Mama gets mad ands pretends top mourn over her daughter like she is dead. The family has fallen apart. Zippy is sad. Something happened to one of her friends. She wants to fly an airplane like the first two brothers did. Or be an actress. She had dreams to look up to.

I really liked this book. Because it was a diary. It was interesting and I liked it a lot. Because she wrote in it almost all the time, it was like a story of her life. Another good diary book that I enjoyed was The Diary of Patrick Seamus Flaherty. I like diary books because they are like a life story and very interesting. These books are different diary's and people. But both are excellent books to read!

Have you ever wondered how long and painful a trip across the Atlantic, would be? Leaving your home, your customs, your whole life, all left in the waves. In the book, Dreams in a Golden Country by Kathryn Lasky, a girl named Zipporah Feldman, mostly known as Zippy struggles to adjust to the American way of life. Zippy would not even have had to come to America, but in her small town in Russia Jews were being persecuted. Zippy has a father who decided to come to America first, who is becoming more American everyday. Zippy has a mother who refuses to leave her old ways, and two sisters, one named Tovah who is obsessed with politics, and the other, Miriam who falls in love with a Catholic firefighter. Zippy has to start in 1st grade, since she had never gone to an American school before, but she eventually gets to the grade she should be in. Zippy is the only family member who was allowed to go to school. I like this book because you get to see the easy and difficult times in an immigrant girl's life during the 1800's. I recommend this book to someone who like stories in diary entry form.

Zippoah is a jewish girl coming to America to meet her Father in New York City. They come to New York City from A small village in Russia. They come for a new life away from all the attacks that are going on in Russia. Zipporah starts a diary of what is going on in the new country she is in. SHe Starts school, Makes firends, and new ideas come to her family that they would have never dreamed of thinking about in Russia. Some thoughts are good & some are bad & some frighten her mother. Her mother is a person who likes to stick to old customs but she starts to add some new ones once she is more comfortable with the New country she is in.
Her father is a very nice man who played the violin very well and was a photographer. Zipporah has two sisters Meriam & Tovah. Tovah is a more seriouse and political person she is also the oldest of the three. Mariam is a very romantic girl, she is the middle child. Mariam ends up falling in love with a cathlic boy and her mother is furious when she finds out that they got secretly married.In Zipporah, or Zippy as her firends call her, has to learn how to read & write in english. At School Zipporah recites poems and learns many new things at school. Zippora's life gets better at some points and bad at some points. But let me ask you how would you feel in her shoes?

When Aidan had to move from his best friend in Maryland to live with his Grandpa in Colorado Aidan thought it would be the worst summer of his life, but he was wrong. While searching his grandpa's basement he found three ancient scrolls that, with the help of his grandpa, lead Aidan on the adventure of a life time.
Aidan entered the Realm and found that a city was endangered be the evil knight, Paragor. After Aidan became the 12th knight the Elder guard set of to save Mithegard.
This book is a great picture of the love of God for men and the hatred of those against him. This is a great book if you are into adventures and knights. I recommend this book to everyone who loves to reads books and to those who do not.

"Aidan was certain that before him stood The Door Within, and it was time to open it. Hands slightly trembling he grasped the silver ring and tugged it to open the door. It was difficult to budge, at first. But Aidan looked up at the graven image of the sun rising between the twin mountains. The image seemed go inject hope into Aidan's heart. Its all true, Aidan thought. And in that moment, the door came free and vegan to swing open. Brilliant golden light streamed out as if millions of stars were hiding behind it. Aidan released the ring and the door opened the rest of the way on its own.
Aidan shielded his eyes with both arms from the fierce, pure light.
He had a strange feeling that Grampin was watching him. Aidan smiled as he walked through The Door Within."
Aidan is a very artistic teenager and being barely overweight he was considered the "weird kid" who collected midieval figurines at his school, until his best friend, Robby Pierson, moved to his school. Robby Pierson was the "cool kid" and for some odd reason wanted to be Aidan's friend. Then his life turned around and became a lot better living in Maryland until he moved to California to take care of his grandfather, Grampin. Aidan hated his grandpa for that and wanted everything to get away from him until he found scrolls in the basement talking about the Kingdom of Allebe and the evil Paragory and how King Eliam was killed by Paragor to save his people. Aidan believed in the story, that it was real, but the only person who believed as well, was his grampin. Grampin showed Aidan the way to the door within where he went into another realm of knights, dragons, and glimpses who can travel in and out of the worlds. He then becomes a knight in training and must complete a mission with 11 other knights before he can return to his own world.
This fantacy fiction book teaches you that even in the hardest of times and the toughest problems God is always with you and all we need is to trust God. King Eliam is representing God for He died to save us. Wayne Thomas Batson adds exitement and suspence to this story by leaving readers to find out what will happen with Aidan and his quest to see where he is headed and the scary obsticals that lie ahead. I would recommend this book to readers who like fantacy with dragons and knights and also to people who love suspence and action. The Door Within was one of the greatest books I have read and I am eager to read his sequels to this book.

I just finished rereading "The Door Within" and discovered once again why I have become a HUGE Wayne Thomas Batson fan! From the very beginning of the book you are hooked into an amazing fantasy adventure! This book is filled with thrills and most importatly contains a very strong Christian message.

The Door Within was recommended as an advanced reading option to my son the summer after grade 4. We both read it, and then ordered the other three the complete the trilogy. The read was facinating, challenging and entertaining to both of us (ages 10 to 40). The only drawback was the shipping time which had my son RUNNING to the front door each day to see if the books had arrived.

If I could give the trilogy more than five stars, I would! The adventure was perfect to keep a boy's interest, and the storyline was an inspiration and helped put abstract concepts into a better perspective for our generation.

Long live the One True King!

"Aidan was certain that before him stood The Door Within, and it was time to open it. Hands slightly trembling he grasped the silver ring and tugged it to open the door. It was difficult to budge, at first. But Aidan looked up at the graven image of the sun rising between the twin mountains. The image seemed to inject hope into Aidan's heart. It's all true, Aidan thought. And in that moment, the door came free and began to swing open. Brilliant golden light streamed out as if millions of stars were hiding behind it. Aidan released the ring and the door opened the rest of the way on its own.
Aidan shielded his eyes with both arms from the fierce, pure light.
He had a strange feeling that Grampin was watching him. Aidan smiled as he walked through The Door Within."
Aidan is a very artistic teenager. He was considered the "weird kid" who collected medieval figurines at his school, until his best friend, Robby Pierson, moved to his school. Robby Pierson was the "cool kid" and for some odd reason wanted to be Aidan's friend. Then his life turned around until he moved from Maryland to California to take care of his grandfather, Grampin. Aidan hated his grandpa for that and wanted so much to get away from him until he found scrolls in the basement. They described the Kingdom of Allebe, the evil Paragory, and how King Eliam was killed by Paragor to save his people. Aidan believed the story was true. However, the only other person who believed was his grampin. Grampin showed Aidan the way to The Door Within where he traveled into another realm of knights, dragons, and glimpses who could travel in and out of the worlds. He then becomes a knight in training and must complete a mission with 11 other knights before he can return to his own world.
This fantasy fiction book teaches one that even during the most difficult times God is always with you and our only need is to trust God. King Eliam is representing God in that He gave His life to save us. Wayne Thomas Batson adds exitement and suspense to this story by leaving readers to find out what will happen with Aidan and his quest to see where he is headed and the scary obstacles that lie ahead. I would recommend this book to readers who like fantasy tales about dragons and knights, and also to people who love suspense and action. The Door Within was one of the greatest books I have read, and I am eager to read his sequels to this book.

I loved these books as a boy, and I still enjoy them now. Yes, the science is a bit dated in a few places, and yes a few of the stories don't stand the test of time quite as well as others. However, the fact remains that these books mix fun, curiosity and scientific exploration in a way that is still very appealing. Get these books for your kids and for yourself!

It was so cool to re-read these stories! I first read these in 6th Grade in the 1960s, and the idea of a lake monster stayed with me all these years. Just the kind of stuff I used to love to daydream about when I was a boy. I even bought an extra copy for my nephew.

My son has a thing for Kids Next Door, so I was immediatly reminded about these books. I loved them when I was a kid (8 or 10ish). I ordered the series so that I can read them to him (he's almost 6) and then he can read them when he gets older. I can't wait, plus this will get him more into reading (which he does more than he wants to admit) and less into tv and visual things. I'm sure he will love them as much as I did. Will post another when they come, but I distinctly remember a mini submarine, a baloon, and a flying saucer entering into the capers/stories (of this and other books).

I first read this book when I was about 11 and loved it. I thought it was so cool these guys had all these great ideas and equipment to pull them off. The book now reminds me of a simpler time when kids knew how to have fun with their imagination instead of a $400 video game.
I was so glad when I found the book available again. I look forward to when I can give it to my nephew and hope to instill in him the same sense of wonder books such as these instilled in me.

I first owned the Mad Scientist Club through Scholastic Book Club. I think I was in the [...]and the book cost me $.35. Anyway, the book is good clean fun. There is nothing in the adventures of these young men that would embarass a parent. Actually, I always wanted to form my own chapter of the club. What they did seemed so much more interesting than holding a video game controller... which is what most kids are doing with their free time these days.

Grahambo

My title review is SO!!!! true. Although this book does put ALOT of pressure on Amy it's the best EVER!!!!. Romantically speaking Amy,Ty,Ben and Soraya were all invited to the Grant's every year christmas party that is the most popular.Ashley Grant only invites them because she likes Ben and because she knows that Ben won't go without them.During that party Matt tries to make a move on Amy since he likes her but she automatically backs off and repeats the message that she only wants to be friends then AMY and Ty get alone on the dance floor and ty sends the message that he in turn likes Amy. At the end the second last page of that lovely book is when finally ty KISSES amy and she is so shocked and confused because she has looked at him as a brother all her life and is afraid that the relationship they had before ty had feelings for her might change and so asks him to give her some more time.And also in other parts grandpa gets pneumonia and gets terribly sick and Lou travels to England in search of her father because of her desperate need to contact him.

I apsolutely LOVED THIS BOOK! I think it's the best book I have read out of the Heartland series I own! Ty and Amy belong together and I love their relationship!!!!! I give this book 5 stars!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a GREAT book!!! It was the first Heartland book i read after that I couldent stosp! And like the person before me I go CRAZY when i Dont have a Heartland book!!!!(I dont have one now but im DIYING to get book 15!)

This book was AWESOME!!! Ashley invites Matt, Soraya, Ben, Amy and Ty to her christmas party becuase Ashley likes Ben. Matt tries to have Amy as a girlfriend but Amy just wants to be friends. Jack gets sick and it's sad but he gets better. Lou went to England to find their dad. The part I loved the most was when Ty and Amy KISSED in the end. I read it over and over again. They do go out in other books(#10). They make a perfect couple!

I discovered this book series in dec. 04' I bought the vol. 1 edition(and saved tons of money by doing so I recomed doing that)and LOVED it I read all 3 of the books in vol.1 in 3 days!
If that gives you any idea of how additing it can be! It made me cry when pegaus died:( Well anyhow I bought vol. 2 just the other day and have now finished the book! "one day you'll know" is the best one yet! Now I know how the web sites say ages 8-12
well im 13 and I think it just a little bit to "invloved" with the kissing and all(which was really cool I read it over and over agin)for 8&9 year olds no offense to you at all. The party at the Grant's was one of the best parts esepally when Matt tryed to make a move on Amy but she said they were only friends. than Amy danced with Ty (who really hot on the cover! I dont see why amy didn't like him before!)and Matt got mad and started dating Ashley(that was mean!). Then Jack got sick and lue went to londen and Daybreak being stubern and got sick too!
the drama never ends! But thats why Im so hooked! and as a final note read this sereies from the begining even though every book fills you in you miss a lot of drama! This series sould never end well I dont want it to be like the throghbred books there bad and they just keep comen' there's like 82 of them! After you finish heartland I suggest you read the phamtom stallion books there good too! But heartland will alway be the best ever!!!!!!!!!!

I really liked this book. It was hard to put down. Robin Jones Gunn writes with such nice imagery and detail about the different locations in this book and the whole series. Since I live in California I know nearly every place she talks about in the Christy Miller series and it brings back memories when I read them. This college series starts in Europe and I found myself longing to go to Europe to see all these interesting places she talks about! I want to twirl and dance on a German hilltop just like Katie did.

I found the spiritual discussions in this book very refreshing and not trite at all. Often Christian fiction seems to add a Bible verse in here and there just to have one. RJG ties the spiritual truths and lessons into the story plot and I actually learned a lot just reading this fiction book!

For example, Christy's life direction revelation really hit me hard because I am going through a similar situation as a college student. Katie's comparison problem also really applied to my life and taught me some valuable Bible verses to remember in times of low self esteem.

Like other reviewers said, the one "weakness" (makes it hard to read anyway, not bad writing) is Christy's selfishness. I found myself feeling guilty reading about Christy's whining about camping and messing up plans since I am also very much a girly-girl who doesn't like to get dirty and I like to have everything organized and planned. But when Christy started her internal rants at Katie for just being there when she wanted to have alone time with Todd, I got angry at her. It was Katie's vacation too! Just because Christy wanted time to spend with Todd doesn't mean she had to blame it on Katie and be so cruel (at least in her thoughts). If I was Katie, I would feel really hurt if I knew what Christie was thinking about me!

Anyhow, this was a great book aside from Christy's selfishness and if you liked the Christy Miller series then I recommend it highly~! I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Robin Gunn does a great job of speaking to young people through fiction.
The College Years wrap up all Christy and Todd have gone through and grown in age and spiritually, since they meet in high school.

Great Stories.

Donna

I remember being in high school and being addicted to trashy romance novels. It was a time before I knew Christ and I didnt have much faith in him or anything else. Now, in my mid-twenties, I happened to pick this up at a used book store and read it in one day. It is the kind of lasting romance I was looking for when I was younger and I found that even now, married and having a relationship with Christ, I was able to learn some things from the book. It quoted scripture, put it into perspective and provided me with a romance that could only be conveyed in paper. I am going to pass it on to a young woman in my church and hopefully she'll enjoy it as fully as I did.

The reason for the low rating is that Christy's whiny, infantile attitude and behavior overshadows what could have otherwise been an memorable trek around Europe. As Christy's character progresses throughout the series--my view may not be popular there--it is evident that for portraying herself as a strong Christian, her immature behavior proves otherwise. She's just not a likable young woman. Her "poor me" demeanor and overly possessive attitude of Todd is enough to try your patience! I prefer truly strong Christian role models for girls like Christy's friend Katie Weldon (who has the patience of a saint to put up with Christy's nonsense all those years) and Sierra Jensen. I'd go on a trip with Katie and Sierra any day, even one minute with Christy Miller is enough to require a sedative Another thing, prominent throughout the series is Christy's constant disregard for her parents and family; not to mention taking them for granted. If she is as strong a Christian as she claims, she's forgetting one of God's most important commandments: Honor your father and your mother.

Alright people, this is a review for the entire Christy Series..... which was a serious letdown. Christy obviously has some issues. She likes some boy who after several months of no communication sends her a coconut. I'm still trying to figure that one out. If some boy did that he'd get a swift whack across the face. Also... Every time Christy seems to grow in God, all of a sudden she starts whining again. After 3 books of this you get sick of it. Every time Todd does something with another girl she freaks out big time. (Though Todd is kind of a flirt). She needs to get a life. She's a slight spaz. Every time something happens to her that is out of the box, or her routine, she has a hernia. In Europe, Wow. Camping for her was definitely a disaster. Skip these books and read some Bad Girls of the Bible, Linda Chaikin, Liz Curtis Higgs, Linda Windsor etc.

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".