Contemporary Books

In her sophomore stand-alone novel, TROUBLE THE WATER, Nicole Seitz takes on the grim themes of terminal illness, divorce, alcoholism, suicide and sexual abuse, but leavens them with quirky characters in a story that will engage faith fiction fans.

Like her debut novel, THE SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS, Seitz sets TROUBLE THE WATER in the South Carolina low country --- this time, St. Anne's Isle. The book jumps back and forth in time, mostly between June and December of 2006 and includes several first-person points of view. It's an ambitious undertaking and can become confusing until you get used to it. But the characters are interesting enough to hook you.

Honor Maddox is an amateur painter in the grip of despair, trailing a string of broken relationships behind her. When her attempt to end her life is foiled by some Gullah nannies, she ends up bunking in a crumbling pink mansion with "Duchess," an elderly white woman who has problems of her own. (Gullah, for those unfamiliar with the term, refers to African-Americans of the low country of South Carolina and Georgia).

Duchess is a hilarious character. She has a passion for running around naked or donning only one or two pieces of apparel (a fur stole, for example). Honor wonders how she ended up with a crazy woman whose mansion is as filthy as she's ever seen. However, Honor finds purpose in cleaning it from top to bottom, symbolic perhaps for her own need to be free of a past full of shame and disappointment. For Duchess, Honor is "like a floating lifesaver sent from above to haul my flabby white rear back up on shore again." She has her own "dirty secrets" from the past and "stink might can be covered up, but it doesn't ever go away unless it's aired out proper."

Both the Duchess and Honor are mourning their pasts in different ways; together, they help each other heal. Soon, Honor is painting up a storm and discovering her natural talent. By helping Honor, Duchess pulls herself somewhat together (she still likes running around in the buff) and begins to socialize again.

Honor's beloved sister Alice wrecks her car, and it sets in motion a chain of events that spark a new realization of Honor's past and the tremendous load of guilt and shame Honor carries. Reading Honor's journals also causes Alice to face her own problems, especially an alcoholic, abusive husband, and determine what she wants to make of the rest of her life.

The frequent point of view shifts, as well as the aforementioned time jumps, are challenging for the reader. The characters are the strength of the novel, and keep things cooking. The storyline relies on the rather often-used breast cancer theme (a favorite of faith-fiction novelists) although of course, the issue of breast cancer is no less important for being used so much. I was disappointed, however, in the way Seitz tied up Duchess's storyline. It seems contrived and less believable than the rest of the plot. And the plethora of problems --- cancer, suicide, sexual abuse, alcoholism --- seemed excessive.

However, what works well is the relationship between Dutchess and Honor, and the portrayal of how the best emotional healing sometimes comes through helping someone else. As Honor reflects, "I knew for a fact that Duchess wasn't playing with a full deck, but this was my task...Like her or leave her." And as Duchess says, "...When you meet a true angel, you're never the same."

Seitz is an excellent writer, and her portrayals of the Gullah culture in the low country of South Carolina will engage readers unfamiliar with the area. I especially enjoyed how she wove healing techniques and traditions into the narrative. Painting your house blue, for example, helps keep the "haigs" (ghosts) out of your house. Propping brooms outside your doors mean that a "hag" (an old woman who can shed her skin at night) will have to stop and count every piece of straw before coming inside. Otherwise, a hag might ride on someone's chest all night "till they can't breathe anymore."

It's these sort of fascinating tidbits that enrich the story, and make TROUBLE THE WATER an interesting read.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

This is a book about the love of sisters. Honor is a free spirit that had gone through life and done things she wasn't proud of. Each chapter changes characters between Honor and her sister Alice, and the Duchess.
Duchess makes the story interesting with her strange ways. This is a very easy read, just not as gripping with emotion as I thought it would be. There were so many un-answered questions, like what did Alice do for living on the Island. If you are looking for a good book that is easy to read this for you.
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This book is unique, uplifting, and well-written. Both the characters and the story draw you in from page one. The author deftly switches among narrators, locations, and dates. A lesser writer would have lost the reader, but Seitz is able to enrich the story instead. I highly recommend it.

This was one of those stories where you just wanted to be there and talk to the characters! I began reading on a weekend morning (when I was supposed to be doing my chores) and ended up reading all day. Read a chapter (or two or three), do a chore, read a chapter..... Really excellent read all the way through!

Not only is this second novel a poignant, heartfelt tale; it is great fun to read. Living in the SC Lowcountry it "spoke to me" in many respects. But, for those living elsewhere it serves as an enticement to visit our beautiful shores and marshes and learn more about the Gullah. The author did a splendid job in portraying love between sisters, love between friends, illness, and the fact that no woman is an island.

I look forward to her next book.

Ms. Adrianne Byrd has done it again! Since discovering her romance novels I've had to back track and get copies of the books I've missed. I thoroughly enjoy the way she spins a tale. Although, the story starts out a little slow, as she takes time to develop her characters, Ms. Byrd does a excellent job in creating a very endearing romance with some hilarious and intriguing moments throughout. I'm so glad that she moved the romance along by letting the attraction build between Diana and Marcel. She didn't throw them into a physical relationship within the first few chapters. And the scenes at the masquerade ball simply wonderful. As the title states, this tale is an "UNFORGETTABLE" reminder of the power of true love and the quest for that fairy tale ending every hopeless romantic hopes to find. To date I have not been disappointed by this author.

I really enjoyed this book. Written in true "Byrd" style, this book was funny, touching, and thought-provoking. Handsome Marcel Taylor is finally tired of the "game". With the assistance of his best friend he's determinded to find the one. Diana, his ever faithful assistant has had a crush on Marcel for the longest time but, she never felt she had a chance against the bevy of beautiful women Marcel is normally seen with. With the assistance of her sick grandmother and her best friend she's determinded to have Marcel, if only for one night

Everything good has already been said about this book. I just loved this book! It's a definite keeper. Adrianne's characters were developed just the way a reader wants them to be. They were believeable, funny, sexy, romantic and you rooted for them. Not once did I feel that Diana and Marcel didn't belong together. Some other authors in the AA romantic genre could take lessons from Adrianne on character development. I'm so glad that she moved the story along by letting the attraction build between Diana and Marcel. She didn't throw them together physically within the first few chapters. The scenes at the masquerade ball were brilliant. Brava Andrianne!

This book is a classic. It's interesting how Adrianne chose to tell this story and even more interesting how she ended it. Diana and Marcel a.k.a Casanova Brown are truely a couple you won't soon forget. And let's not forget the lovesick Solomon and the sexy Ophelia. It's a wonderful begining to hopefully a great series. More!! More!!

Yall, Adrianne Byrd has entered the building and she's done it again. This time with a Cinderella-like tale, complete with a ball, prince and missing slipper- or should I say sandal in "Unforgettalbe." You will be intrigued by the witty characters and the great story-line. "Unforgettable" is a hilarious, entertaining, page-turner; and a all-around wonderful love story. She's even given us two more characters that we all fell in love with in "Unforgettable" with Ophelia and Soloman who's story will be just as good as this one. You will not be disappointed in this wonderful love story. If you are not reading Adrianne Byrd there is something wrong. You are not only depriving yourself of a wonderful author, but a wonderful story-teller also.

I've read many people give an account for why they believe what they believe. From atheists, I've read Russell, Sartre, Nietzsche, Sagan, Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, and Antony Flew (when he was an atheist). From Christians, I've read Craig, Zacharias, Sproul, Strobel, Pascal, Lewis, Blomberg, John Dickson, and Moreland. Although both lists of atheists and theists have good writers who can make vivid points, none is the teacher like Geisler.

Norman Geisler and Bocchino are not poets. They are straightforward and the powerful imagery of their book is using phrases by the authors mentioned above. However, they have packaged a very good text with a wide breathe of knowledge and connected the fact that beliefs have consequences. Those consequences will spill into all aspects of our lives no matter if we realize it or not. This book basically shows the logical sequence of philosophical premises with regards to major worldviews and how those worldviews, if honest and logically consistent, will play out in fields like science, law, morality, and education.

This is a good referance book for any Christian. Specially for College students. It will not get outdated soon. So buy it read it and keep it for future referance. It is very useful. LOTS of information there...

This book is a must read for all students in a secular environment, and for anyone seeking a reasonable defense of the Christian faith. Evolution and moral relativism are not satisfying answers logically or practically. Geisler does a masterful job of removing the scientific underpinnings of evolutionary faith and establishing a well reasoned defense of Intelligent Design. He further takes on issues such as justice and absolute moral standards vs. relativistic morality and judicial philosophy. THe last section of the book points to every man's need for Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord and establishes the Bible, as God's revelation, as the only proper epistemoligical starting point.

This book sat on my shelf collecting dust for nearly 6 years. It wasn't until I found myself as a first-year teacher needing a strategy to refute evolution and a darwinistic view of our world that I even felt compelled to pick it up. This book is an excellent resource...logical, methodical, and sound-minded in its application of reason to matters of faith. I highly recommend it just as strongly to one longing to worship the Lord God with all his mind, as to another who is still unsure of the intellectual credibility of the Christian faith. In terms of books that have changed my life, this title will rank with the best of them...only coming in behind the Bible itself, and C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.

For many years now, Christian apologetics has been a scattered, unorganized field, full of random facts that didn't really come together to form a coherent picture. As someone who is very skeptical and has struggled with whether or not to believe in the Christian worldivew, that was always very frustrating for me when attempting to do research. Unshakable Foundations has completely changed that, and has in a sense revolutionized Christian apologetics. Most of these ideas were always out there, but Bocchino and Geisler have given them structure, starting with no assumptions (one of the very first topics in the book is whether there is even such a thing as truth) to build an airtight case for Christianity that is just about impossible to get around. Jesus and the Bible are not even mentioned until near the end of the book, undercutting any charges of bias or unreasonable assumptions. It's just basic logic, pure and simple, and it is stunning how the authors take that logic to show how it can only lead to one conclusion. This is a great book for Christians and non-Christians alike, young and old, seekers and believers. For anyone who takes seriously questions about our existence, meaning, a higher power, etc., there is no better starting point than Unshakable Foundations.

The book arrived well on time and in excellent condition. The price was the best I'd seen from any of the online retailers I viewed.

It is an amazing and helpful book. It really is a guide to using contemporary Russian. The best book I purchased in 2007. I use it often. It is one of the five important books for learning Russian. What do I list as the five book? Wade's A Comprehensive Russian Grammar, Wade's Using Russian Synonyms, Beyer's Pronounce it Perfectly in Russian, a dictionary and this book.

If you want to master Russian as a secound language, this book is a major help.

There's not a whole lot I can say about this book that hasn't already been said. I noticed, however, that most of the reviews were written before the second edition of this book was published. Rest assured that Mr. Offord has made a great book on Russian even greater.

Perhaps the most useful part of the new edition is the section on computer and Internet terminology in Russian, a lexicon that is conspicuously absent from most of my other Russian books. Thanks to the revision, this volume is now every bit the contemporary usage guide its subtitle indicates. And if you want an idea of just how authoritative the book is, the Schaum's Outline of Russian Grammar (which has earned five stars practically across the board) lists "Using Russian" as its source for the entire chapter on Russian prepositions. And the prepositions section of "Using Russian" is only a tiny fraction of its rich repository.

The only drawback to this book is that it is a bit expensive, especially for a paperback, but it will reward you with a constant return on your investment. No serious Russian student's reference library should be without it.

I've always had my command of the Russian language complimented by native speakers. Not only do they praise the refineness of my speech, but also the varying degree of registers and different applications of style of my spoken Russian. My written Russian has gotten no less compliments; it has always been compared to that of an educated Russian - well-refined, very correct and very upscale, with a nice touch of colloquialism to spice up the writing. When chatting with Russians of my age (21), I will often resort to colloquial speech. As a result, what people compliment the most about my Russian is not only my command of the language (which does get its fair share of compliments), but also its 'flexibility.'

However, this is not a review on my fluency in Russian, but what has become of my Russian after reading and studying this book.

Not only does it take your command from advanced to proficient, it also covers different aspects, styles and registers of the Russian language; something which is often ignored in other conventional Russian textbooks. I have books of the same series focusing on different languages (i.e. Using German), and none of them was as in-depth as the Using Russian textbook. It even covers aspects of the Russkiy Mat - or Russian swear words, that other, more "politically correct" textbooks are often inclined to ignore. Russian swear words are an essential part of Russian colloquial speech, whether we like to admit it or not. This book, unlike other Russian textbooks, acknowledges this issue and dedicates a small, but detailed, section about the Russian swear words. That's only a small part of it.

While it does explain the grammar at some points, this book is primarily focused, as the book title suggests, on the APPLICATION of the language, and different circumstances that require different registers. It also gives the varying dialects and different words used across different styles (from colloquial to elevated) in order for the learner to add more flexibility to his command of the language.

In sum, I cannot say anything but agree with what every other review has said about this book. It is simply awesome and truly helpful to those learning Russian.

However, I would disagree with those who say that Using Russian substitues Wade's "A Comprehensive Russian Grammar" because both books are important and both books are invaluable to the Russian language learner. The only difference is that both books have two DIFFERENT FOCUSES, where one is more concerned with the grammar and fundamentals of the language, and the other is more concerned with the actual application of the language. Both books, in essence, compliment each other.

Mr. Offord has done an amazing thing by developing this book. I'm not exaggerating when I say it has clarified the language and helped me speak it more than did living for months in Russia -- or maybe the combination of the two was the trick. I can't wait to see what he's added for the 2nd edition.

The book -- and the others in the series (German, French, etc) -- will appeal especially to those who enjoy learning language using a formal approach, organizing topics into e.g. registers, augmentative suffixes, homographs, modal particles, etc. Don't be afraid! It all adds wonderful clarity. His English equivalents of words and phrases with subtle meanings are very well done.

After having studied it, I still enjoy picking it up and looking through a random section. Don't hesitate to get it if you enjoy Russian and are past the basics.

I was so happy to see that the publisher has opted to do a 3-book large format release for this excellent series by P.N. Elrod that even though I own all the books under the original mass market covers, I am buying them all again in the new editions.

I am also ecstatic to see that they have done a MUCH better job on the cover art than in the original mass market editions. If I had not been running a chain bookstore when the first one came out hadn't gotten a recommendation from one of my customers who loved the book, I would NEVER have picked it because the cover art was so tacky. I think a lot of good books go unnoticed because the publisher harms the book with bad art. Publishers: use a plain colored cover instead of something that makes the book look like tough-guy drivel or something else they are NOT! Good cover art sells books, BAD ART KILLS!

I recommend this series to readers who are interesed in how a 'normal' human might react to the circumstances created by being made vampire unexpectedly. Jack isn't a deliberate hero, and is no part of any 'brotherhood' or 'secret society'; he is instead a Joe Average hack journalist scrabbling to make a living in the depression, a likable guy who bumbles around trying to figure out what happened to him and feeling like he is up to his waist in the quicksand that has become his existence.

In many vampire fiction novels, becoming a 'creature of the night' magically solves a host of probelms and enables the hero to go on a crusade or gain lots of 'powers' which help to cope; this doesn't happen for Jack. He tries to do the best he can under the circumstances he's been handed, but finds himself becoming more at odds with the 1920's organized criminal empire he's become inadvertently pitted against, and finds himself relying more and more upon the few human friends he has who know what he is. His vulnarability is at times wrenching.

These books are enjoyable fiction which make you think about what it REALLY might be like to have the vampiric circumstance thrust upon you. No sturm and drang, no graphic sex scenes, but plenty of emotional response where the reader becomes invested in Jack, his friends, and the trials of his new existence.

I recommend these book Highly - watch out, though: they're hard to put down and you may face the hazard of staying up way too late to finsh and showing up for work the next day with dark circles under your eyes!

P.N. Elrod's Vampire Files are amazing. They take old-style detective fiction, set in post Al Capone Chicago, and merge it with the supernatural in the form of Jack Fleming, former reporter turned private investigator. Oh yeah, he's also a vampire.

Elrod's stories would be great reads on their own, but with the addition of Fleming's status as a bloodsucker, they are absolutely fantastic.

Wonderful settings, filled with exciting action and really cool characters, make these books seem to whiz by. Fortunately this volume includes the first three books of the series.

By the end of the last book, you'll be hooked. Be sure and pick up The Vampire Files Vol. II.

For those who like vicious gangsters, dapper detectives with a dark past, and smart, beautiful damsels in distress, The Vampire Files are a perfect fit. Get this one today!

Set in 1936, our hero finds himself on a shore with a man tyring to kill him. The series of books follow Jack's adventures to find out why someone whats to kill him and his search to find his lover Maureen. Excellent light reads 9/10

PN Elrod's "Jack Fleming, Vampire PI" series is a great read with humour and a fantastic setting in 1930s Chicago with film noir aspects. This collection of the first three stories is excellent value for money.

BLOODLIST
The story begins with "Bloodlist" where we meet Jack Fleming waking up having crawled out of the sea. No sooner has he staggered to the road when a passing driver clips him with his bumper - clearly on purpose. Jack finds himself in discussion with the car driver and discovers that he is supposed to be dead, killed because he wouldn't tell people where an important list was hidden.

Jack realises pretty quickly that he has become a vampire. Fortunately he knows about the vampire life, having had a vampire girlfriend previously, and he prepares his life accordingly (fetching some of his home earth, finding somewhere safe to sleep the day, feeding from the stockyards). Elrod gives her own particular selection of traits to vampires - garlic, crosses and invitations into rooms don't work, disappearing, extra strength and glamour do. What's fun about this story is that we learn about Jack's skills and nature as he does and because he's clearly not evil, just a pleasant and friendly ex-reporter who wants to get to the bottom of his own death.

Chicago is a city of gangsters and other dodgy types in this story and Jack falls foul of several of them. What's great about Jack as a character is that if he were fully human he would have died multiple times as he really isn't quite up to dealing with these characters. However his vampire nature gets him out of a lot of sticky situations and also enables him to have a great time scaring some of the people who were involved in his death. Assisted by the trusty Charles Escott, a brave private agent and sometime actor, the two of them try to find out why Jack was killed and what was on the list. In the course of their investigations Jack meets Bobbi, girlfriend to one of the gangsters and a surprisingly phlegmatic person who seems able to cope with his vampiric nature.

There are a lot of amusing jokes and allusions to various books and films which went over the head of this relatively young English reader but that didn't matter as the story was always enjoyable. The best parts are when Jack is 'haunting' his killers but the fun is interspersed with some serious moments as he slowly begins to remember all that they did to him and to come to terms with his new nature.

This is an excellent first story in the series and Jack is a great new character, both as a vampire and also as a slightly hapless investigator.

LIFEBLOOD
The second story, "Lifeblood", takes place just a few weeks after the first story finishes. Jack and Bobbi have settled into some kind of a relationship and Jack also spends some of his time helping Escott with his private investigations. However they soon decide that it would be wise for Jack to have some more of his home earth stored at Escott's place in case he has a problem with returning to his hotel room so Jack drives 'home' to Ohio to collect it. On the way he realises he is being followed and eventually has a showdown with the two people in the car - vampire hunters. They're obviously both rather loony and have read far too many vampire novels, thinking that they are safe from Jack with their garlic and crosses. He gives them a flat tyre and then continues on his way.

Once he's collected the earth he passes his parents' house to find the vampire hunters are there. He chases them off, then returns to Chicago but worried about his parents. Unfortunately he hasn't completely escaped the vampire hunters and they start to plague him in Chicago; he's worried about Bobbi and whether they will go after her. His attention is also taken by an old woman, Gaylen Dumont, who has responded to his adverts in the papers asking for Maureen to contact him (Maureen is his lost love and the vampire who made him). Gaylen is Maureen's sister, now 74 years old, and she gives Escott some information which might help him to find Maureen. However there's more to Gaylen than Jack initially realises and more danger to Bobbi than just from the vampire hunters. Jack is faced with an impossible situation, one that he realises Maureen found herself in, and it's only with the help of Escott his friend that he can survive at all.

This story is more gritty perhaps than the first as we have more emotional engagement from Jack. Being a vampire makes him mostly bombproof but it doesn't mean that he isn't extremely vulnerable because of the friendships he has made and because of his family. The story is always interesting with some great humorous touches and Jack as a character is always very appealing. I found that as a reader I really cared about what happened to him and wanted things to work out well for him. It's a great second book in the series and possibly could be read as a standalone book although it might seem rather complex. The ending leaves the question of Maureen still unresolved and this is dealt with more fully in the third book.

BLOODCIRCLE
The third story, "Bloodcircle", continues straight from where "Lifeblood" left off. Jack Fleming, vampire investigator, and his assistant/boss Charles Escott are still trying to find out what happened to Maureen Dumont, the female vampire that made Jack. She disappeared five years ago when realising her sister Gaylen was going to force her to make her a vampire. Jack and Charles have a small clue to follow about Maureen's disappearance so they set off on a trip to New York State to follow the clue.

Eventually their search takes them to a rich household of the reclusive lady Emily Francher whose mother died in strange circumstances. Jack goes to investigate and soon discovers that Emily's gigolo lover is rather more significant than he might seem. They follow more clues which culminate in Jack being seriously injured and with a very amusing scene where Charles appears to be a body snatcher. The unmasking of the villain and the explanation of what really happened five years before is no great surprise but is well written and enjoyable nonetheless.

In this episode of the Vampire PI series we learn more and more about Jack's personality, particularly with regard to his morals and his feelings. There are some really interesting little vignettes into his thoughts, for example when seeing coffins sized for children when he is in the funeral parlour. Jack's about as far from the traditional view of the evil vampire as it's possible to get and yet he also has to drink blood and carries out mind control on people. The scene where he's trying to find a meal in a farmyard is an amusing episode amongst some of the darker events of the story.

Again this is a great read, like the two previous stories, and it seems like P N Elrod has settled well into her characters and is slowly revealing more and more about them. It's a most enjoyable series and a welcome change from the usual overblown and sex-obsessed vampire genre tale.

This is a collection of books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series and contains entertaining supernatural stories which leaven the 'vampire' moments with the humanity of our bloodsucking protagonist, Jack. He's a great hero because he's fallible, seems to get shot and knocked out rather regularly, cares for his girlfriend Bobbi and his friend Charles Escott and tends to blunder around not being quite sure what he's doing a lot of the time. Perhaps his blundering and being shot may pall over time but at the moment it makes for a very different, and very likeable, hero.


ART IN THE BLOOD
"Art in the Blood" sees Jack coming to the rescue of a man at a party and then being sucked into problems within the art world. Alex Adrian was a famous artist but hasn't done anything since his wife committed suicide; Evan Robley and his sister Sandra are also artists and when more suspicious events start taking place, including a death for which Alex Adrian might be responsible, Jack and Escott have to unravel the plot and work out what's really going on. The Chicago underworld plays its part as usual with more dodgy characters who have it in for Jack and Escott.

This story gives us more of an insight into the relationship between Jack and Bobbi as well as Jack needing to use his powers of vampire hypnosis more and more, leading to more people finding out what he truly is. It's another great read with a lighthearted feel and yet sometimes a darker undertone.


FIRE IN THE BLOOD
The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.


BLOOD ON THE WATER
This story starts directly after "Fire In The Blood" and I think it would probably be rather difficult to understand everything that's going on, along with the fairly large cast of characters, without reading some of the previous books.

Jack Fleming, Vampire, had a bit of a shock in the last book when his vampiric nature got away from him and he nearly killed a woman. He's still struggling with the aftermath of those events in this story and is unwilling to use his hypnosis skills but equally doesn't want to talk about it to the rather perceptive Charles Escott, his partner.

The 'baddie', Vaughn Kyler, who we first met in the last book plays a significant role in the beginning of this story when he gives Jack the ultimatum to leave town or die. This gives Jack huge moral qualms - Jack knows that if he doesn't kill Kyler then neither Charles nor Bobbi will be safe, and yet how can he become a murderer? I think the way that the author showed Jack's fears about this was excellent.

In this story everyone is still chasing the bracelet from the last book and Jack enlists the help of Gordy, another local crime boss who's helped them in the past. Unfortunately a turf war seems to be breaking out with a new entrant, Angela Paco, playing her part as well. The three-sided war looks to be unstoppable and Jack has to decide on his actions with Kyler.

Once again, as in most of the other stories, Jack gets himself into various fixes and nearly dies. His physical limits are tested in a new way and there is more violence surrounding him. In the earlier books there was a lot of situation comedy where Jack was acting like a ghost and it happens again, very amusingly, in this book. However the turf war in this book lends it a darker feel and no doubt sets up for further instalments.

In short, it's another good read and we're getting further and further into Jack's character as the stories continue but this wouldn't be a good first book for a reader in this series.

Twenty-five years ago I read Franz Wright's father's poetry feverishly. Twenty-five years later I read the son even more feverishly. James Wright did do a good job no matter what the son says. Success comes in many different ways. Including loneliness, or "trying/to stay alive", even abandonment. "All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds." This is an odd place I can finally agree with Voltaire's satire in his famous novel Candide.

In the book of poems titled Walking to Martha's Vineyard, Franz Wright will surely ponder reader's minds everywhere. There is a constant theme involving spirituality throughout his poems. Often you will find his poetry calling out to a higher power or demanding faith through fear. He provides a sense of something that is hidden to the outside world that only he will ever fully understand. He keeps secrets from his audience. The spirituality woven throughout this collection of poems can be compared to Rainer Maria Rilke's poetry, although it is not as heavily demanding in the spiritual sense. Wright's actual prose can better be compared to Some Thing Black by Jacques Roubaud.

Franz Wright was born in Vienna in 1953, and grew up mostly in California. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Walking to Martha's Vineyard and was a also finalist for his work titled The Beforelife. He currently lives in Waltham, Massachusetts with his wife Elizabeth and works for the Center for Grieving Children and Teenagers.

His poems are all connected in an orderly fashion that slowly moves the poetry forward with a subtle taste of satisfaction. There is no set form to his free verse and he uses punctuation for a reason, never taking it lightly. In his poem "Fathers," Wright beautifully discusses and compares his own father and a higher power, or a heavenly father. He calls out to the creator of the stars to create a new heart in him. I believe the most beautiful stanza in the poem is right after this when he writes, "Homeless in Manhattan, the winter of your dying." It flows so beautifully on the page. There is a constant sense of wanting to belong and to be loved. The last line reads, "and how often I walked to the edge of the actual river to join you." It is so wonderful because it is so real. It is not known to whom he is calling out to. It could be his real father that passed away when he was a child, or the Heavenly Father. It could be both.

His poem titled "June Storm" speaks about a sad journey through life - always living with a question and never knowing any answers. He always ends his poems with a very solid statement that ties the entire poem together, but at the same time leaves the mind to wonder. In "June Storm" specifically he talks about how as a child and now as an adult he does not know the names of trees or birds or leaves. There is a sense of realization that comes with age and is also despised. He ends the poem in three lines saying, "I felt this as a child, and now I know it."

When reading this work of art, it is best to read it from beginning to end in order to obtain connections and meanings in their entirety. While one poem can inspire you, all of the poems can change you. Wright's poetry should be read by everyone, religious or not, because there is no damnation, only captivating secrets and questions among the pages.

It's a remarkable book, and his poems are so true. Look at the poems about his father; that should make the decision.

With this volume, I believe, Franz Wright finally, fully passed from beneath the shadow of his father, the famous poet James Wright. In fact, upon Walking to Martha's Vineyard being awarded the Pulitzer for poetry, James & Franz became the only father & son tandem awarded the Pulitzer Prize in the same category.

Like a number of critics, I felt much of Franz's earlier work got bogged down in issues relating to abuse and addiction - it seemed for a time he was destined to banish himself to a truncated audience by making himself into a single issue, thematic poet. However, in Walking to Martha's Vineyard, Franz Wright forcefully breaks free from simple categorizations - his poetry comes alive, embracing the whole of human experience, including of course genuine suffering and loss. This slender volume is somatic, visual and emotive - it reaches the reader on many levels. Also it's mastery of the line, the springboard of rhythm, is a wonderful balance of experiment & tradition.

I give Walking to Martha's Vineyard by Franz Wright 5 stars - something I rarely do. I think there is much here for almost all lovers of poetry to cherish. I believe you will find yourself, like I have, returning to its treasures over and over again, always wanting for more.

Franz Wright speaks to me, perhaps more so than any other modern poet, and he does so with an elegant, minimalistic style. He has a keen way of recognizing the common, often mundane aspects of our existence. Yet, when he captures them on paper and puts his characteristic spin on them, it's a thing of beauty.

Not to mention, Wright has lived. I mean really lived. This is an artist who has suffered from major depression, alcoholism, poverty and has come out on top. Although if you talked to him, I am sure he would say that everyday is a journey of new found meaning and sobriety. From interviews I've read, he is a class act!

This collection, as a whole, is about redemption and his new found idea of positive living. Everyone could learn from that.
The poems are never long, never tiresome or tedious and always interesting. He uses rhyme scheme sparingly and when he does, it's hardly noticeable. I also love his use of white space. In my opinion, no matter how great a poem is, if it's laid out poorly it becomes boring and its meaning lost. Wright understands that and has structured each poem to be its own work of art. Some of these poems could actually be framed.

Unlike other Pulitzer winners of the past, I feel that Wright definitely deserves the honor bestowed him.

Favorite poems and quotes from "Walking to Martha's Vineyard":

1. University of One- "And I've lost my fear/of death/here, what death/There is no such thing./There is only/mine,/or yours-/but the world/will be filled with the living."

2. Untitled- "Some say/the more you stray/the more you're/saved,/I wouldn't be surprised/....Set the mind/before the mirror of eternity/and everything will work."

3. Letter- "The humiliation I go through/when I think of my past/can only be described as grace./We are created by being destroyed."

Go out and buy this book. I promise it will speak to you...

With Every Breath is a tail spinning face pace novel that takes its readers on a cat and mouse chase that leads to two soul mates finding love.

Imani Maxwell swore off falling in love with any man who carried a weapon for a career but when she finds herself in danger and the man who is a part of the team that is sent to keep her safe becomes a temptation like none other. She realizes that fighting her feelings is not exactly so easy.

Garrison Wade was a man who knew what he wanted as well as knew that life the he led offered little to make his past go away. When Imani finds herself in a lot more danger then she realizes Garrison willingly protects her with his life however, the two did not realize the relationship had become red hot.

Maureen Smith writes an action pack romantic story that leaves the reader fully satisfied with a true romantic novel with a touch of suspense.

This was my first romantic suspense and it was a breath of fresh air. I love romance books, but was getting tired of the same plot: Boy meets girl, they fall in love. Even though this book still had that, it had a lot more going on. Once I started reading, I could not put it down and read all 426 pages in one day. The love Garrison and Imani had for each other was so strong I could feel it. This is the type of book that you would want to read over and over again because it's that good. I gave this book to my two sisters to read, and they loved it, and they never read, none the less romance. Till this day they are still talking about this book.

I tell you if this is not what all of us who love romance crave then I do not know what is....In nothing else but exemplary Mrs Smith's style she entwines so amny twists at the same time not deviating form the thrill of the two lovers who meet and instantly know each other's soul..She makes me believe in finding that perfect black man that is out there for me and of course black love is at its best here also. Maureen Smith always delivers.

Gotta roll my eyes in satisfaction. Another one I loved. Garrison Wade. Mmm. Mmmm. Mmmm. The book starts off with him chasing a criminal and from there just blooms. From the start, you get the feeling that he's not a man to trifle with. And then, we find out that he has an oral fixation. Goodness. Gotta catch my breath. gallant. Chivalrous. Demanding. Tall. Respectable. Gorgeous. Dependable. The list just goes on. Mrs. smith didn't give us another law woman,this time she gave us Imani Maxwell. A sassy professor, fighting her attraction to Special Agent Wade. Ms. Maxwell has her own hangs up, but manages to let them go and realize how perfect Garrsion is, meanwhile worry about a kidnapper whose grabbed one of her students.

WOW! I'm still trying to catch my breath. AWESOME read! Maureen Smith has yet to disappoint me, but this was far better than I could have ever imagined. Talk about catching you from the first page and keeping you turning the pages 'til the very end. The storyline was very well developed and kept you guessing until the very end. All the characters played a memorable roles within the novel, keeping you wondering who could have done it. The romance and heated attraction between Garrison and Imani was simply breathtaking. Could not put the book down, read all 426 pages in 1 1/2 days. You will not be disappointed if you pick this novel up!

I can't rate any particular book of the Yada Yada Prayer Group book series any higher than the others. I love the entire series. I think the story consistantly gets better as it goes along. This is definitely something I highly recommend to any woman out there who wants to read something fun, dramatic and meaningful.

Once again I've been so entertained by a wonderful book. It's so great to read and not have to worry about the content or the language and yet have a story line that gets you so involved you feel you know each character!
Can't wait till the new series (which will include some from this group of characters) comes out ;)
Book was packed well and in great condition. Arrived quickly
Thanks,
Connie from NC

I purchased one book, read it quick and went online and ordered all the remaining books I was so taken with the storyline. The writing is fast moving and catchy and keeps you wanting more. It was a much needed boost to my reading and spiritual apathy I was struggling with at the time. If you haven't treated yourself to a Yada book, do it NOW. You will be glad you did. Peggy Touchtone ShollyDown Home Delicious

I entitled this review "Treat Yourself" because meeting the ladies of the Yada Yada Prayer Group will bless you immensely. Mrs. Jackson's character development is absolutely amazing to me. You will love these ladies and you will see yourself, your friends and your church members in these characters. Every book in this series is a treat to read. I had to stop myself from reading them too fast, because I did not look forward to getting to the end of this series. Trust me, treat yourself. You will not be disappointed.

This is a great series about 12 women who serendipitously end up in a prayer group together. Through the series I have fallen in love with each and every woman in the group. I have laughed with them and cried with them, and they have taught me a little more about prayer and perseverance. A great book!

At a first glance, it would be easy for a reader to dismiss 8 DAYS, by Barri L. Bumgarner, as just another end-of-the-world, Armageddon or THE STAND rip-off. However, a reader would be shortchanging herself to do so; this book has so much more going for it than a similar plot as Stephen King's famous tome.

First and foremost are the characters, a collection of every day normal people like you and me, caught in a horrendous situation not of their creation but making the best of it and existing against monumental odds.

From the young husband and survivor Jake, in North Carolina who loses his wife to a release of the deadly chemical X-86, to DJ's Dusty and Melanie helping their listeners make it to safe zones throughout the country after an attack of X-86, to eight-year-old Jessie Bayker, the young girl who bikes hundreds of miles home after witnessing the death of her father in a hotel room to the lethal chemical, the reader cannot look away from the carnage on the pages and the survivors left behind to clean up after the fallout of a deadly chemical attack.

Even the four young scientists, the "villains" of the book, have enthralling stories to tell, that almost makes the reader sympathetic to their reasons for releasing their creation-X-86-on an unsuspecting world.

Ms. Bumgarner has penned a remarkable story of courage and hope rising from the ashes of despair and hatred. This is an excellent book with enough action, suspense and thrills to keep the reader on the edge of her seat, and an engrossing plot and complex, engaging characters that will have the reader turning pages until the very end.

8 DAYS is a frighteningly realistic and gripping sci-fi story, I highly recommend!

The premise and build-up are straight lifts from Stephen King's "The Stand". The characters are unidimensional and plastic. The ending is saccharine. Save your money, or spend it on the original and far superior version of this yarn.

8 Days is a journal documenting a period of eight days following the release of a deadly gas called X-86. Billions of people from all over the planet are affected by this deadly gas, most of them die but a select few survive. The survivors experience enhanced ESP capabilities as they are forced to watch friends, families and loved ones perish. Most of them wonder why they were spared this same fate but in the meantime a massive effort has begun to assemble the survivors in one place to determine the future of what remains of humanity.
We experience stories from different states in which we read about mad men and women roaming the streets while survivors avoid them. We read about small children loosing parents, husbands and wives widowed as a result of this gas and men in power with plans to exploit this tragedy for their own personal gains. One by one these individual stories become one story with diverse roles played out to a remarkable conclusion.
8 Days is written in an aggressive, truthful and shocking style. When you read these pages you live out nightmares that few of us ever want to experience. You are taken to emotional lows with your characters and you begin to hope that they rebuild their lives as the ones responsible receive their just punishment. From page one I found myself captivated by this book. The mental images of children forced to grow up too fast as they struggle to survive intertwine with images of people killing their loved ones in an act of violence or mercy.
This book has it all and its honesty and truth are brutal - but these aspects of this novel make the book the work of literary excellence. Ms. Bumgarner is indeed an exemplary writer (she teaches Reading/Writing in the morning and she writes in the afternoon) and I've found out that she is writing a prequel to 8 Days. This book is a "must read" in every aspect!

Tyrone Vincent Banks

WOW! I got so into it that I couldn't wait to see how it ended...all this from a person who is NOT into Sci-Fi. I loved it. Man, the connections I had. Besides the obvious ones with the Missouri connections, I was born in Nacogdoches, Tx and when I play my ipod in my car, I have to tune it to 92.5 for it to transmit. You did a great job and I can't wait for your next project. Keep it up.

We'll be hearing more from this lady! She strikes a resonant chord with a fast-paced look at all kinds of nightmare scenarios!
"8 Days" ought to be a movie!

I loved this book so much I have decided it is definitely a keeper. I will reread it over many times

Funny, touching, passionate. Make me laugh and then cry. There's no doubt, this book is the best novel i've ever read.
Read it more and more!

WHEW! HOT, STEAMY. he's a hunk but he is mean in the beginning this book will make you cry. It is Diana at her best.

I enjoy all of Diana Palmer's books, but this one is especially good - highly recommended.

Description from the book back cover:

It all started as a joke. Sabina Cane was only pretending to be engaged to her best friend, millionaire Al Thorndon. Al had talked her into this scheme as way to trick his older brother, Thorn. Al had no choice but to lie and make Sabina his accomplice, and she thought it would be for just one night. So when Thorn accused her of being a gold-digger, she just laughed it off. She didn't think of the repercussions - that Thorn would dig up her long-buried secrets. Revealing them now would destroy everything she'd worked so hard to put behind her. But she couldn't let her best friend down, could she?

Diana Palmer is so good! This is another one of her wonderful novels. Why is it that I always get so upset at the male leads and then fall head over heels for him? It must be because she expresses the male character so well, you can't help but understand his conflict and reactions. I became emotionally involved in this book and it satisfied me in every way!