Contemporary Books

I did like this book but I am not quite sure why she was so hard on Molly. Why all the characters were really pretty cold to her. She didn't know he was married right? So ease up already! I wish she had a little more backbone and stood up for herself. Keegan should have apologized for his behavior!

I loved the McKettrick's, every book I have picked up I cant put it down until I have read through, and cant wait till he next.

I love Miller's McKettricks series... she is such a brilliant writer... this one was so sexy... I loved the plot and the characters. Molly was independent, and strong, she practically carried the weight of her world on her shoulders... Keegan was sexy and manly... I loved their chemistry in this book. Psyche was so understanding and she even pulled a trick on them, despite the fact that she was dying from terminal cancer. To me, she was a sweet character, and I was glad to see some of the other characters in there, such as Jesse, and Rance...

Another excellent addition to the McKettrick series. Premise was very unusual and caught my interest right away. Both Molly and Keegan are fractured but honorable people. The family aspect is very good. Jesse, Rance and Travis play important rolls in this issue.

Sensuality is an 8. But it also involves a tearjerker of a story. Keep a tissue handy. I enjoyed this story and all of its characters immensely.

LLM has a good story plot but the hero in this book is a Class A Jerk from day one. He proceeds to make life miserable for the heroine.
I did not like this character. However, it is good reading material and
worth the time it took to read it. Get your hankies ready because it is
a tearjerker

Many insights to bring you a turn around in a small business. Written in an engaging fiction-style, many insights are taught to help you recognise the valuable resource you have in your small business and make the most out of it, and bring it to its potential for profit and success without going more deeply into debt or pouring money into forms of advertising that don't work. It gives great hope to business owners who have been discouraged by heavy adversity.

As I have said elsewhere, I think Steve Chandler is among the wittiest and most intelligent guys around. His writing is a lovely combination of autobiography, insight, humor and analysis. His "self-help" books are among the finest I've read.

I'm guessing I've read a few more novels than the folks who poured out the 5 star reviews. Because this is a very bad novel, revealing the flaws of those who think that fiction writing is easy and who have access to a publisher. Any editor would have prevented this dog from being published as is.

Here's one sentence emblematic of the many things wrong with this book:

Jonathan looked around for a while before seating himself at a quiet table by the window and waited until a large, overweight gentleman who looked to be anywhere between 50 and 70 came to the table with a menu and a pitcher of water.

If you like that, you might enjoy this book. If you find it a bit of a run-on, with sloppy redundancies, irrelevant detail, an endless parade of prepositional phrases (a guaranteed murderer of snappy prose) and poorly chosen modifiers, as I did, then you will stop now.

As another reviewer suggests, read their non-fiction. It works. This doesn't. Well, at least it was brief.

I stumbled across Steve Chandler's writings as I was meandering one day through the local bookstore. I was frustrated and disillusioned by my small business and wondering if I should continue it. I accidentally (if you believe in accidents) found his book, "9 Lies That are Holding Your Business Back...", co-authored by Sam Beckford. The first chapter deeply offended me; so I knew that I needed to buy it. These guys knew way more than I did about business and I wanted to learn every bit.

This discovery led me to other Steve Chandler treasures and I promptly purchased this book, The Small Business Millionaire. First of all, we meet our hero, Jonathan. I was shocked to discover his obsession with the hit show Magnum P.I., because I currently am watching the entire series via DVD with my husband.

Jonathan's character obviously has a 'wealth mentality' and he assists his friends, Jennifer and her father Frank in their restaurant business. Anyone who has ever owned a business will see their thoughts mirrored in Frank's comments throughout the book. Anyone who hasn't lost hope in their business will eat up every word uttered by Jonathan. Jonathan obviously has a good heart with an excellent business mind; the challenge for us is not only to listen, but to be brave enough to follow his advice.

My small business has improved dramatically in the short timespan that I have read this book. I'd like to see where I am in a year from now, as I apply these techniques to my everyday life. This book is worth every penny, along with "9 Lies" and "Reinventing Yourself". Thanks Steve:)

Annie Bathgate

Yesterday was a long day. Up at 4:30AM for a flight down to LA. A day of meetings then back on a plane to get home by 10:30PM. Too wired to sleep and nothing on TV but people talking about Michael Vick. Time to grab a book.

I figured that I would read a couple of chapters then off to bed. A couple of hours later and the book was finished. It is not a surprise that it only took a couple of hours, the book is barely over 120 pages. The surprise is I finished it before going to bed. I was that tired and it was that good.

This is an easy book to read, and it is a good story, but at 120 pages, I do not think it will teach you how to run a business. It does make you think about the business side of business.

There are two really good things in this book, you have to love business nearly as much as you love the business you are in and don't waste money on advertising.

The author's depiction of advertising sales people is classic. "Of course this Ad will help your business, you just have to keep advertising until people recognize your name." Right, but do you guarantee this will bring in customers? "We can't do that, of course. How do we know why someone came in? But, just keep running the ad and I'm sure it will work." I have been there often.

The danger after reading it is that you may conclude that you should never advertise. Not true. Advertising may or may not be great for your business. Maybe the kind of advertising you are doing is not right.

I ran a business where we were spending $15,000 a month on ads. How did we know what ads worked? We asked. We kept track of which ads worked and which didn't. We changed what the ads said. We changed where they ran. We changed when they ran. And, we asked customers how they found us and noted how much they spent. All of this data helped show that the $5000 we were spending a month in yellow page ads was wasting lots of money and the $3000 a month we spent in Val Pak coupons was bringing in 50% of our business. The other 50% came from repeat, word of mouth, and the rest of the $15000 we spent on other types of ads.

Because we asked, we started running much smaller ads in Yellow Pages and moving that money to send out more Val Pak ads. Sales increased. We then set aside some of the budget to experiment with. We used it to try all kinds of things. Those that worked earned the right to continue, those that didn't, well let's just say Edison had a lot of failures too.

There are many good books on advertising out there, Much thicker than this wonderful novel. I like Dan Kennedy's stuff for how to test and write copy. The guerrilla marketing series is also very good.

So why 5 stars? Because this book does a great job at what it does. It is not trying to be a complete business book. It does a great job in showing you that there is a difference between having a hobby that you are good at and turning it into a business. The difference is you have to spend as much or more time doing the business stuff, as you spend on the fun stuff. And if you do not excel at the business side, there will be a lot of pain.

Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (1/07)

"The Small Business Millionaire" is about a mysterious patron of a failing restaurant who aids the owners in restoring their business. The cook/owner of the restaurant, Frank, just wants to cook. He really does not want to run the business. His daughter Jennifer was just a college student who worked in the restaurant. She then, inspired by the annoyingly mysterious coach, Jonathan, quits college and starts managing the restaurant. She sees it as means to saving the restaurant and increasing her practical business knowledge. This brazen move worries her father. Is Jennifer making a foolish decision?

There are only 121 pages in "The Small Business Millionaire." I thought it would be concise and to the point. This is not the case.

When I began to read "The Small Business Millionaire," I was surprised to see that it was a novel, not a textbook-like guide to getting rich quickly. I read through the first half of the book, hoping that the degrading preaching would end, and the exciting novel would begin. No such luck.

I felt hostage in one of those get-rich-quick seminars. It was as if the doors were locked or the television could not be turned off. The coach in the book would not answer a question in a straight-forward manner. Everything had to be in riddle form.

I am sure that there were many great lessons to learn from "The Small Business Millionaire," but I could not get past the fact that the book was written for the lowest common denominator. Why insult your readers by dumbing down the material?

Regardless of how poorly written, "The Small Business Millionaire," Chandler and Beckford are superb coaches. To learn from Steve Chandler and Sam Beckford, skip reading "The Small Business Millionaire." Read "9 Lies that are Holding Your Business Back." You will learn so much more. I also recommend visiting their website.

Things are starting to get even more interesting. Ed's relationship with Heather is heating up; Heather broke up with Sam. And Gaia remains unaware about Loki's true identity...

Another great book in a great series.

Really, all of the Fearless books stink, but this one stinks the most....what does it smell like? BORING! I can't believe I started reading these books.....what ever you do DO NOT READ THIS BOOK! You'll hate it! TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!

Seventeen-year-old Gaia Moore has never really trusted anyone in her life. And it's pretty obvious why. Her father killed her mother - supposedly - then ran off into the night never to be seen again, and she's living with George and Ella, foster parents who aren't the greatest. Especially Ella, considering she's doing everything in her power to ruin Gaia's life, first by sleeping with Sam, and now by beating Gaia to a pulp - but Gaia got some good punches in as well. But now Uncle Oliver has come into the picture. Gaia's true Uncle. Sure, he may look like her father - after all, they are identical twins - but he's different. Gaia feels that she can truly trust him. Especially after he offers her an offer she can't refuse - freedom from George and Ella and the opportunity to travel the world with her Uncle, without school to bog her down. But maybe it's too good to be true...

As always, Francine Pascal has done a fabulous job of weaving another story starring Gaia Moore together perfectly. Gaia is her usual snippy, karate kid, complete with witty comebacks and enough crazy family members to make anyone's head spin. Readers will be excited to see how Gaia's relationship unfolds with Uncle Oliver - aka Loki - and will find themselves begging for the next installment in the series, KILLER. A must read book for all series fans.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

trust is the perfect name for this book. about every character that we have come to know starts reexaming their relationships and their lives. breakups and new relationships start. then gaia
and ella have a fight and low and behold she actually can fight.
of course this gets back to loki in an most unexpected way and
he is seeing red. this book was really good. not as good as number 9, but it comes in a close second. highly recomend.

"Trust" is the eleventh instalment in Francine Pascal's Fearless series. Gaia Moore, the girl without the ability to feel fear, is struggling to come to terms with the relationship between her thirty-something foster mother Ella and Sam Moon, the boy Gaia secretly loves. After a fight with Ella results in a shock defeat for the martial-arts expert, Gaia is soon wondering who her seemingly pathetic foster mother really is. With her friend Ed now involved with her worst enemy Heather Gannis, Gaia has no one to turn to but her mysterious `Uncle Oliver'. His offers of freedom and escape are extremely tempting, but are her Uncle's intentions really as innocent as they claim to be?

This was a fast-past, action-packed story that was both entertaining and exciting and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. I would recommend this book to any fans of the Fearless series. I also appreciated being allowed to glimpse a more naïve side to Gaia. The characters' relationships grow more and more complex with every book and as questions are answered, still more arise. I read #7 - Rebel and wasn't sure I really liked the Fearless books, but after reading Trust I've decided I love them. Gaia is such a complex, fascinating character although I initially dismissed her as cold and not very likeable. I can wait to read the remaining books in the series.

This was my first (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James) novel. I thought it was very well written and had an interesting plot. Jemma and Duncan make a very likeable team, and they are surrounded by interesting family and friends. While I certainly had questions about some of the relationships, I felt this book could definitely stand on its own. It made me want to go out and read the books at the beginning of the series. I read a lot of mystery's, and I liked the fact that this story was to the point. Sometimes you get an extra 50 pages or more which are not necessary to the story line. Some of the book flashes between the past and the present of one of the central characters. Debra Crombie does this in an accomplished manner, as we are witness to a truly hateful time in history.

The appearance of a long-lost precious brooch at an auction house in London sets off a wide-ranging investigation by Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid, protagonists in this popular series of mysteries. Coupled with flashbacks to Jewish refugees fleeing to England just before the start of World War II, and Gemma's personal problems--her mother's illness and her own insecurity with regard to her relationship with Kincaid--set the tone for a highly emotional and poignant story.

The author, a Texan with a penchant for the English procedural, travels at least twice in each novel to London to research the places in which the tales take place. A charming map highlighting the locations and characters adorns the inside cover of the meticulously researched book. However, there is one error: the Hagganah as a terrorist group (it was the Irgun that performed such deeds against the English).

The alternating descriptions of the past and present keep the reader on edge virtually till the end of the book. The characters are deep and the interplay of emotions and relationships telling. The author's sensitivity to the plight of German Jews under the Nazis are moving and touching. A very good read, and one which is recommended.

American author Deborah Crombie scored another hit with her latest novel with the crime-fighting duo Duncan and Gemma. We learned more about the family and their dedication to police work. I haven't been to England but feel like I took a trip there. The places were very real and I am sure accurately portrayed. The story had good action and keep me guessing until the very end.

Kristin Cahill works at an auction house in London. She still lives with her folks, is harassed at work by her boss, stalked by a co-worker and is in love with a "posh" guy who constantly stands her up. When she is offered an art-deco a broach for sale (where her commission will be three or four thousand pounds) she feels her life has turned a corner. More than she knows. The broach was involved in a war crime during WW2 and is involved in a series of murders...including hers.

Gemma and Kincaid get to work on this mystery together, just like old times. But it's not appreciated by either of their assistants. Gemma's assistant is efficient and competent but she's got a secret history (maybe her family is royalty) and Kincaid's resents his place being usurped by Gemma.

Add to the mix, that the broach was designed by the father of an old friend of Gemma's who was killed by the Nazis, but lost during her escape from Germany, her friend's dead husband, an unsolved murder (actually two) from fifty years ago, a rich widow, her junkie son, her ex-lover. Oh, did I mention that Gemma's mum has leukemia and you have the makings of a wonderful mystery.

As always, Crombie does a great job of tying all the disparate people together into a nice solid ending. Plus we are left with ongoing questions that can only be answered in the next novel. Great story.

Zeb Kantrowitz

A marvelous diamond brooch is the catalyst for the action in this Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novel. Its appearance in the catalog of an auction house sets into motion events that have their roots in the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany and in the investigation of a fifty-year-old murder. When Detective Inspector Gemma James gets a distressed late-night call from her old friend Erika Rosenthal, who had been a refugee from Hitler's regime, asking her to look into the re-appearance of her diamond brooch, it precipitates a series of crimes which ultimately involve people in very high places. Gemma's partner, Duncan Kincaid, is soon involved and at the same time, Gemma must cope with stresses within her own family.

No one does better than Ms. Crombie the trick of involving the reader new to her series (and reminding the reader familiar with her work) without a lot of detail and without a lot of maneuvering to avoid spoilers. "Where Memories Lie" has quite a bit of cutting from various times in the past to the current investigation, which could be very confusing, and this too is very well handled. While a few of the characters border on the unbelievable, most of them are compelling and in some cases, truly touching. (Some readers may hear echoes of "The Manchurian Candidate.") The resolution of Gemma's family situation is a little too pat, but much about it is appealing.

Definitely recommended.

I renewed the library's copy of 500 Beaded Objects so often that my library card was getting friction burns. I'm very fussy about what I add to my collection of beading reference but this was an absolute "must." We all hit times when the Muse doesn't talk to us and that's just when you should pull this book out. No matter what your skill level is, the fabulous and varied work in this book will inspire you to try different techniques, push yourself, and think outside the box. It's an absolute jewel of a book and I couldn't be without it.
If you need help with technique, this is not the item - but there are many other fine books to assist you there. This is the book that will uplift you when the thread tangles, the beads scatter on the floor and your shoulders have gone into permanent hunch mode from beading for too many hours.

This is the most amazing book for anyone who is fascinated with beads, whether you actually work with them or not! I actually spent 2 1/2 days studying every entry --- my husband thought I was nuts, until I reminded him of the amount of time he spends with new Jeep magazines each month! Anyway, this book is worth any amount of money and is the only bead book of all that I have that sits on my coffee table.

Wonderfully done, clear beautiful photos on every page of all kinds of beadart, arranged in a flowing manner, like items together moving fluidly through all genres of current bead art. SO inspiring!

A delightful book showing the range of these remarkable artists from whimsical figures to gorgeous necklaces to abstracted portraits ala Chuck Close. The pieces are time intensive, some took three years to make. These are artists of remarkable invention and sublime taste. More than worth your time.

This is truly a beautiful collection of "beadwork". Not only is it wonderfully diverse in the inspiration department, but the photographs are stellar, too. I got this book for my daughter who works with beads on the same artistic level, but having sent it to her I knew that I needed to have these wonderful images for myself, too. So I have bought two copies so far and will probably by more as gifts for my other art-minded friends. A treasure trove of imaginative art. I highly recommend this book .

i haven't read a lot of colleen coble because i don't particularly like suspense books. But, i liked this one surprisingly!! i thought i had figured it out half way through but ended up being wrong. i'm not saying it's one of my favorite books but i really did enjoy reading it and would reccommend it to anyone considering reading it.

Colleen Coble's books are difficult to put down. I have read the Rock Harbor series and am half way through the Aloha series along with Alaska Twilight in 1 and 1/2 months time. Needless to say, I will probably order the remainder of Coble's books. I traveled to Alaska in July and could relate to many parts of this book, especially the bears.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down. The end of each chapter kept me wanting more. Great ending and very unexpected. I went out and bought Colleens entire Rock harbor series after reading this book. You gotta get this book!!

Awesome. Couldn't put it down. The romance, suspense, murders, grizzlie bears, Alaskan wilderness...loved it all. Next book please?

I'm a big fan of Dee Henderson's O'Malley Series and this was even more exciting. You won't be able to put it down.

Colleen Coble has woven a fabulous, suspense-filled tale of bears and the Alaskan wilderness into a most enjoyable read. Haley Walsh, city girl and photographer extraordinaire, has a prosthesis and significant emotional baggage. She's one spunky heroine who will grab your heart. Tank Lassiter is a famous wildlife biologist who works with the Alaskan bear and has his own baggage including his dead wife's twin sister who wants custody of his young daughter. Haley and Tank have some growing to do before they can be the perfectly matched pair.

Coble's skill with the narrative and description has you right there in the wilderness of Alaska with Tank and Haley, their problems, and those scary bears. You'll find the inspirational thread skillfully and unobtrusively, blended throughout and the plot twists and turns will keep you guessing and turning the pages. My first Coble novel, and I'm hooked.

I was so disappointed in the quality of the paper and print that I returned this book. A big part of the enjoyment of a new book for me is the physical quality of the product. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's other works and was disappointed not to read this one.

All the Live Little Things began the golden era of Wallace Stegner's writing career. Finding the right voice in a first person narrative, he followed this beautiful novel with Angle of Repose, The Spectator Bird and Crossing to Safety; all are highly acclaimed.
In All the Live Little Things Stegner brings to the page a great deal of raw material from his life. The character of Marian was a composite of friends who had died of cancer, Peck was a composite of the 60s "beatnik", which in real life caused Stegner to retire from teaching and devote his time fully to writing. The callousness of Dave Weld's bulldozing on virgin land reflected the author's long term concern for the environment. His beautiful description of nature throughout the novel, and use of nature as a learning tool, expressed his life-long love and dedication to the American West. Even Joe and Ruth Allston were drawn from the real life marriage of Wallace and Mary Stegner. This matrimonial understanding and bliss is reflected in the opening page of the recently published "Selected Letters of Wallace Stegner":
What does more to stay us and keep our backbones stiff while the
world reels than the sense that we are linked with someone who
listens and understand and so in some way completes us?

All the Live Little Things flows beautifully. It has rich, well written characters that keep the novel moving towards a bittersweet conclusion. I did not believe the plot was forced or took unnatural turns; rather it followed the characters as they thrashed about with their struggles, sins and destinies, all seen through the eyes of the flawed but wise Joe Allston. As the character says near the story's conclusion: "There is no way to step off the treadmill. It is all treadmill."

Stegner once wrote that "In fiction I think we should have no agenda but to tell the truth." All the Live Little Things does draw heavily from the truths of Stegner's life in the 1960s, but it also holds its own as a thoughtfully written fictitious story of pain, hope, resignation, acceptance, and other qualities that mark the human condition.

just a note for everyone
the hippie in the book was actually based on Ken Kesey

Reading this novel was often like looking at an impressionist's painting. It's incredibly rich in scenic description, character nuances and, most importantly, mood setting tone. Wallace Stegner lives on through his writing and we shall all be richer for this reading experience. This novel, while focused on a socially turbulent era (late 1960s), is timeless. Generational and political conflict, as well as the matters of preservation and development, life and death, and the persistence of human crisis will always be relevant topics.

And so we have the characters portrayed in All the Little Live Things. Joe Allston, the narrator, is much like a diarist recording his keen and colorful observations from his five-acre hideout in glorious California. With his wife Ruth at this side, together they grieve the loss of their 37-year-old son, and try to fit in as key players in their new community. Meanwhile, a freethinking, anti-establishment sort named Jim Peck squats on Allston's property--first with permission--however, Peck takes extreme liberties. Joe's distain for him (and his beard!) is the focus of much of the novel, and it leads him to come to terms with his feelings toward his son. Meanwhile, there's another neighbor, a young woman named Marian, who helps enable Joe to come to terms with his feelings about both life and death.

This is the most beautifully written novel I've read all year. Highly recommend for those who appreciate fine, sensory-based literature.

Michele Cozzens is the author of It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club.

This is my third Stegner novel including Angle of Repose and Crossing to Safety. All the Little Live Things has a more 'elemental' style than the other 2 novels. It is compact and extremely logical. There is not a throwaway sentence in the book. For anyone looking for deeper, relevant background reading - I suggest these pre-requisities prior to reading Little Live Things: Shakespears 'The Tempest' - where the literarary figures of 'Calaban (i.e., Peck)' and 'Prospero' are introduced. I would have been quite lost without having first read Tempest. Another great book that I think provides the 'mythological basis' for Little Live Things is Joseph Campbell's 'Pathways to Bliss'. In Campbell's book I learned the basic philosohpy of Jainism - which is the foundation for Marian Catlin's character as well as the title of the book. You get a better sense of the Joe Allison's heroic struggle as he confront his personal demons (personified by Peck)living deep in the gully across the 'spritual bridge' that he cannot bring himself to go across. Quite a hero's journey indeed.

Bought as a gift for a 21st birthday. Will be a memory that he can keep for a long time with a personal message on the inside front cover.

Great gift idea! Would highly recommend

My daughter is 24 years old and she is an aspiring artist. Andy Warhol is her very favorite. I got her this book for Christmas and it is her most favorite thing. She says that the detail that it has is facinating and compelling. One word of advice though...it is one HEAVY book so make sure that you are in a comfortable place to support it while you are reading.

This is a real great (and large ;-) ) book with beatiful reproductions of Andy Warhol. My children love to go through it. It was also for sale on the Warhol exhibition in the "Stedelijk Museum" in Amsterdam last year.

Definitely worth the money!

I've recently got into andy warhol and this is the second book i have by him. The book has stunning portraits/photographs/art thats what i love about andy warhol everything is unique and different.I wasn't sure what to expect with this book however i'm glad that I purchased it.

You also might want to check out "Men - Andy Warhol"

Fantastic pictorial book...worth every penny. If you are a fan of Warhol, this is the book to own. Great prints of Andy's work from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s - including rare prints. You won't be disappointed - it is all here. The dimensions are impressive at 17" x 13" x 2 1/2", and it makes for a beautiful coffee table book that you will be proud to display. The pictures are sharp, both in color and b&w, and many are full-page, including pics of Andy and Edie. Outstanding!

Even tho I enjoyed Unforgettable more, this is still a good story on the 'best friends become lovers (at last)' plot.
For some reason I never empathised with the heroine I thought she could not see the obvious and the hero well what took him so long? But as always it all worked out in the end. There were some funny characters Selma, Uncle Willy and Jonas, (hope he hooks up with Toni Wright), deserve their own stories.

Ms. Byrd has done it, AGAIN! "The Beautiful Ones" is a brilliantly written sequel to "Unforgettable". I can't believe Solomon loved Ophelia for 25 years and she NEVER knew how he felt, talk about an unrequited love! Solomon learns of Ophelia's engagement to Jonas Hilton, another wonderful man, but is he the "Right Man"?!!!. As her lifelong friend, Solomon should be happy for her, but, how can he be happy when the ONLY woman he's ever loved is marrying another? Solomon wishes desperately that he had revealed his feelings for Ophelia long ago, but now he fears it is too late. And Ophelia should be thrilled, she is engaged to a wonderful man. So, why can't she stop thinking about Solomon? Does his feelings for her run deeper than friendship? More importantly, does hers? I thought Jonas was a good man and he was truly in love with Ophelia, but could he compete with her so-called best friend, Solomon?!!!! A wonderful love story.

The story of Ophelia and Simon is heartwrenching and real. How many people has this happened to? Sometimes the best things are right there in front of us and it takes almost losing them to realize what they truly mean.

The Beautiful Ones is Ophelia and Solomon's story. In this brilliantly written sequel to Unforgettable, Solomon learns of Ophelia's engagement to Jonas Hilton. As her lifelong friend, he should be happy for her. Yet, how can he be happy when the woman he loves is marrying another? Solomon wishes desperately that he had revealed his feelings for Ophelia, but now fears it is too late.

Ophelia should be thrilled. She is engaged to a wonderful man. Why can't she stop thinking about Solomon? Do his feelings for her run deeper than friendship? More importantly, do hers?

I highly recommend The Beautiful Ones. Adrianne Byrd has delicately woven a moving and compelling story. It is breathtaking, and leaves us to remember that you sometimes find love where you least expect it... right in front of you.

I absolutely love this author's writing style. I laughed, I cried, and I laughed some more. This is an emotionally charged love story about two friends who nearly miss out on a love of a lifetime to stick to what's safe. Bravo, Ms. Byrd.

I found this book very intreguing. I have read The Chronicles of Narnia completely several times as an adult and this book is right up there with it. The story was spell binding allegory. The princess, a prophecy, a secret, everything about it kept me reading. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of his sequel, The Devil's Mouth, so that I can continue my journey into the seven kingdoms.

Thomas Williams is truly talented! This book got me from the first page till the last and I neglected much work while reading it as I couldn't put it down.Set in medievil times around two kingdoms and an awsome forrest it's fast paced , exiting and full of adventure.It has strong characters and a fantastic story line that I wished would never end. It will make you believe in love and honour and think about your own morals and strive to be better.I loved every word!

This book has wonderful allegory that compels one to be noble and pure. It is a page turner (especially the last half)that is in ways comparable to Tolkien's works. It has extensive characters which come to life and plot that is quite enjoyable.

I am excited about Tom Williams' new book, "The Crown of Eden," for several reasons. First, for those who enjoy medieval tales of brave knights and fair ladies and enchanted forests, Tom's story will thoroughly delight. The adventures of Princess Volanna and the gallant knight Aradon are woven together in twisting episodes of romance, terror, tragedy and triumph. The story begins by bringing the reader up to date concerning the great empire of Perivale whose victorious battle with the evil Morgultha united seven kingdoms. But Perivale disappears mysteriously and an ancient sage appears out of the enchanged Braegan's Wood to foretells the breakup of Perivale's empire. He delivers also a hopeful yet cryptic prophecy concerning the eventual restoration of Perivale's glory through an heir who will one day take the throne, reunite the kingdoms and reign over days even more glorious than those of his father. "The Crown of Eden" is the exciting story of the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The best thing one can say about "The Crown of Eden" is that it is a wonderfully told story. The chapters are short, revealing just enough surprises in the unfolding story that it is difficult to stop. More than once, as the reader is gaining speed toward some seemingly inevitable conclusion, Tom inserts an unexpected turn in the plot which leaves the reader delightfully off balance. And though one senses near the end of the story how it might end, the twists and turns keep coming even to the last few pages.

Tom has created dozens of wonderful characters in the story including the noble King Tallis, the loyal servants Kalley and Olstan, and the pathetically evil prince Lomar.but the story centers around two main characters, Princess Volanna and the commoner Aradon. Through these two characters Tom is able to not only tell a great story, but teach profound lessons in an effective and unintrusive way. Which is the next best thing about "The Crown of Eden." It does more than just tell a good story.

Interwoven amidst jousting festivals, harrowing escapes through murky swamps, rescues from dark and foreboding castles, there are scenes and conversations which allow Tom's characters to give articulate expression to various truths. King Tallis expounds on the puzzle of balancing God's sovereignty and man's freedom. Father Lucidis eloquently expounds on the virtues of pleasure, delight and ecstasy. Lord Aldemar wrestles with the tension of obedience to law and loving his country. Bogard gives some of the best advice to be found on choosing one's life mate.

Best of all, we find in Volanna and Aradon the embodiment of what it means to be a womand and a man. Tom is at his best when he describes the beauty of Volanna, a beauty that does not inflame illicit passion, but awakens the legitimate passions which lie all too dormant within us. If there is a weakness in "The Crown of Eden," it is that these "philosophical moments" in the story may linger a bit too long and distract at times from the story.

One last observation which made the book enjoyable was the way Tom has blended his own fantasy with the history of scripture. These characters and their kingdoms exist only in our minds, yet they are christians and as such often look to biblical stories to make meaning our of their own experience. The most intriguing example of this is the use of the strange biblical story of King Jephthah and his daughter which finds in "The Crown of Eden" a narrative commentary.

This tale, which hopefully will be the first of many in the The Seven Kingdom Chronicles, is a wonderful addition to the rapidly growing genre of Christian fantasy and as enjoyable as such established authors as Terry Brooks (of recent Star Wars fame.) Though Tom's single story does not merit comparisons with his literary mentors, Lewis and Tolkein, clearly his writing exhibits the best of their influence and the tales of the Seven Kingdoms certainly deserve to be on the same shelves alongside the tales of Narnia and
Middle-earth.

Tom Williams has a marvelous way of telling a story. You will actually fall in love with the main characters--and right along with them--feel their hurts, fears, disappointments, as well as their ultimate joy and exhilaration. There are profound lessons woven into the story, but they emerge from the characters' wrestling with decisions and their actions rather than tedious, preachy dialogs and monologs. Williams addresses some knotty theological questions, such as how the free will of men and women fits into an unfailing providence revealed in prophecy. But not to the detriment of a beautiful love story.

This book is masterpiece. It comes in second to none, including the works of George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkein, and C. S. Lewis.