Contemporary Books


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Literature-->Short Stories-->Contemporary-->8
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Contemporary Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Contemporary
Secret Love (Arabesque)
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Kimani Press (2000-01-01)
Author: Brenda Jackson
List price: $5.99
New price: $99.95
Used price: $33.86
Collectible price: $44.88

Average review score:

Secret Love by Brenda Jackson
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-14
I recently read Secret Love based solely on the fact that it was a Madaris Family novel. I have read all the others in the series except one, Fire and Desire. I really enjoy this story line and the fabulous way that Ms. Jackson has put it together. I have decided to read the entire saga in order even though it will mean re-reading some of them. The characters are positive, strong and interesting. And reading the stories in the order that they were written, just make you want more. The only story I haven't read is Fire and Desire, the first book. I knew that they were being re-released and I just pre-ordered a copy. If you haven't read about the Madaris Family you are in for a treat. Thank You Brenda Jackson for providing several hours of enjoyable reading entertainment.

Old love
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-24
Not oe of her best, but not one of her worst. Cute story. MY thing is, that they were entirly too proper and sophidticated for with each other. I'm young, so I like ebonics. l0l.No, really. It's a good book.

What a book.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-14
I loved the book and all of the sexy romantic scenes.

Jake a rancher loses a bet with his best friend Sterling Hamilton and the pay off is to have Diamond Swain stay with Jake on his ranch for some much needed rest.

Once they see each other for the first time sparks fly. Although, they try not to give into each others attraction, they end up falling in love.

They also have to fight to keep their lifestyles in tacked by not having the other loose themselves in the others career.

This book was my favorite out of all of the Madaris books and I read it more than once.

Secrets come to life
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-14
Another great Madris story. Jake a handsome successful rancher married actress Diamond Swain in secret. After a madman begins to stalk Diamond she runs for cover and safety on her husbands ranch "Whispering Pines". Deciedeing she's ready to come out of the closet about her secret marriage to Jake, they hold a press conference. The madman doesn't like this and sets out to kill Jake if he doesn't leave Diamond alone. Jake not wanting Diamond to know refuses to tell her of the madman. When Diamond finds out she feels she's been betrayed by her husbands secret, will their love be enough to save their marriage?

Brenda Jackson out did her self
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-17
Such a wonderful read. I can honestly say that I read this book in one sitting. The words flowed off the page, a peice of literary art. I know that this is sad but this the first book that I read of hers and as soon as I finished I went and bought as many of her books as possible. And since I was on vacation I read them all. Dont we all want men like Jacob..

Contemporary
True Devotion (Uncommon Heroes, Book 1)
Published in Paperback by Multnomah Books (2000-06-01)
Author: Dee Henderson
List price: $6.99
New price: $3.75
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Good books
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-04
My sister-in-law recommended this book. At first I was skeptical, because other "Chiristian" fiction I've read was pretty watered down and sappy, but this is a really good story with real life applications. Not preachy, or syrupy.

Good, but get a new editor
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-23
I'm definitely a fan of Dee Henderson books, and this one is a good read, too. My only complaint is twice at least in the first half of the book a comment was made something like "the tension in the air was palatable". It's supposed to be palpable. Palatable means something tastes good. I enjoy the story, but such glaring errors like this make it hard to concentrate on it. I hope she's no longer using the same editors as the ones that checked this book.

An Excellent Book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-27
When Kelly says a delirious "I love you" to her deceased husband's best friend and Navy SEAL Commander, Bear, neither of them can ignore the words to avoid the consequences. Kelly wakes up in the hospital after Bear rescues her from drowning only to realize what a horrible mistake she's made in revealing her feelings. Neither character seems anxious to acknowledge Kelly's declaration because they don't want to hurt the friendship they have. Bear's active duty status doesn't help matters, either. But what else can you do when you are both so crazy for each other?

This novel contains the best, most extravagant first date I have ever heard of! There are also flashbacks of military operations that add depth to the story. The suspense plotline is very well prepared. But the true gems that warm your heart are displayed in less flamboyant sequences where everyday life happens: painting the kitchen, SEALs coming home to a fridge with food in it. This is a superb book!

True Devotion (Uncommon Heroes, Book 1)
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-15
A wonderful story and great dedication to our service men and women.

An Intriguing Book Without Garbage
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-30
Dee Henderson has once again written a fascinating book. It is well written, absorbing, and fast-paced, yet contains none of the lurid details less skilled authors use to attract readers. It realistically shows the struggles Christians face when dealing with adversity.

Contemporary
Between Friends
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Mira (2003-04-01)
Author: Debbie Macomber
List price: $7.50
New price: $1.00
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Read it!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-29
A beautiful story about how friendship can endure despite time, distance, and life's circumstances. I could see pieces of myself in each of the main characters. I bought this four years ago, and , sadly, let it sit on the shelf all these years. Although I haven't been able to find the time to read a book all the way through in the past 4 years, I read this one from cover to cover in 2 days! I highly recommend it! I'm now sending it to my best friend who lives several states away.

Enjoyable story of a friendship spanning across several decades of American history
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-22
Between Friends centers around friends Jillian Lawton and Lesley Adamski. The two girls are born in the same town, Jillian to wealthy older parents who have long-awaited their first child, and Lesley as a result of an unplanned teenage pregnancy; despite the differences in their backgrounds, the girls become fast friends. Rather than tell their story through traditional narrative means, author Debbie Macomber draws from alternate sources, namely letters that Jillian and Lesley write to each other but also their journals, news clippings, and other correspondence. I enjoyed this unique format, which lends itself particularly well to quick and easy reading.

Jillian and Lesley were both born in 1948, and so they were teenagers in the 1960s, when they struggled to make sense of issues going in their world going on at that time, namely Vietnam. Throughout the book, Macomber does a nice job of working in historical events. Vietnam figures heavily into the plot, but other events, such as the American Legion convention and the advent of the computer age, affect the characters as well. Sometimes these inclusions were a bit predictable or even contrived (eg, one letter contained the postscript "my land, what is the world coming to that people are tainting headache pills with cyanide?"), but even so, they added interest to the story.

This was the first book I read by Debbie Macomber, but it won't be the last. Although this book is likely to appeal mainly to women, Macomber injects a genuineness and warmth into her story that goes beyond "chick lit," and I look forward to discovering what else she has to offer.

LOVED LOVED LOVED This book!!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-16
There isn't any thing about this book that I didn't like. It grabbed my interest from the very beginning and had me reading it until the wee hours of the night, I just could not put it down. I fell in love with the characters and felt as though I were a part of their friendship. I especially loved the format of this book: journal entries, letters, etc.
I highly recommend this book!

An Enjoyable Story of the Value of Friendship
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-31
Between Friends is the story of 2 girls that became friends at the age of 5 and remained best friends all their lives. The entire book was written in the format of letters, journal entries, and newspaper clippings. It was a strange format, and yet it seemed to give us a deeper glimpse into the lives of these 2 very different women.

Lesley grew up the oldest of 6 kids in a working class family. Her dad spent more time out of work than he did employeed, and her mom had to learn to live with him and all his faults. Jillian, the only child of Judge and his wife, grew up in the lap of luxary. And yet, through time and completely different circumstances, they stayed friends. This book encompasses decades in the lives of the 2 friends, through marriage, children, divorce, death and war. At times a little sappy and at times very touching, I found this book very enjoyable.

Incredible Story
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-10
I absolutely loved this book. This author is so very talented and this particular book truly showcases her talents for capturing life and friendship.

Contemporary
Childish Things
Published in Paperback by Vanilla Heart Publishing (2009-01-01)
Author: Brian Naranjo
List price: $13.95
New price: $13.95

Average review score:

What goes through the mind of every new recruit...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-30
Childish Things by Brian Naranjo portrays the thoughts and memories of what goes through every kid's head that is about to depart the civilian world and enter the demanding duties of the military. While reading this book all I could think about was how well I could relate to the main character, Kevin, and what exactly he was going through in his hotel. And even to Eugene, Kevin's cousin and best friend, and the all the crazy plots he thought of.

If you enjoy books that make you laugh, gasp, and even make you tear up, I highly suggest this book to you. It is one of those books that you pick up, and never put down. And once you finish it you want to read it again.

Wonderful book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-10
I absolutely loved the book. I couldn't stop reading it. I loved the story, it made me feel like I was a kid again along with the characters in all their adventures. I highly recommend this book.

Wonderful
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-04
Once I got home with the book I couldn't put it down. Although it's supposed to be fiction, the author's emotions come through loud and clear and I believe he is writing from the heart. The book is so descriptive of young boys lives and the deep bond that exist between them. Tremendous effort for a first time author. Highly recommend the book to everyone.

Page Turner
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-04
What a great book.! This book is a real page turner. You will not want to put it down once you begin reading it. I could actually see with my minds eye, all of fun, trouble, and pranks they were doing. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to laugh or cry tears of happiness. Thank you Brian, for sharing your cousin's life events with us.

God Bless you as you continue your career in the U.S. Navy.

The best first novel I've ever read
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-18
Simply put, I think this is the best first novel I've ever read.

I don't know just how autobiographical the book is, but it certainly matches what I and a lot of men went through at one time in our young lives. Even though Mr. Naranjo is young enough to be my kid, I had the same feelings, the same thoughts, the same fears.

It's a coming of age story. Specifically it's the story of a young man who is leaving home for essentially the first time and going off to Navy.

As I've grown older I recognize just how well the military understands young men. Of course they've been working on the problem since the Greeks invented the phalanx a couple of thousand years ago.

This story is not about military training, it's about young men. The author understands them as well as does the military, and he writes with clarity and understanding that the military does not.

Highly recommended.

Contemporary
Interceptions
Published in Paperback by Cold Tree Press (2007-08-15)
Author: Staci Robinson
List price: $14.95
New price: $11.96
Used price: $10.74

Average review score:

A Must Read!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-22
I read this book in two days. It is a must read in my opinion, and I read allot of books. Staci is a gifted writer with a bright future. I cant wait to read her next one. So sit back relax and enjoy this one from cover to cover. Growing up in the streets of Los Angeles gave me a real appreciation for how men and women are in the city of milk and honey. When I was a freshman, I lived on campus with two starting football players for the USC Trojans back in 1984-86, so I can relate to much of the truths about athletes in her book. Enjoy.

Michael

interceptions by staci robinson
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-07
I purchased this book because I am a fan of the tv show "The Game". I heard that the tv shows' plot closely mirrors that of this book, and there is a lawsuit pending. I wanted to see for myself. What I found was a book with extremely similiar characters, some with the exact same names and likeness. If the rumors are true regarding a lawsuit, it will be very interesting. That being said it was hard to judge the book because those similarities left me in that likable zone that previosly existed in my mind. I can't like something more than I already do. The author's writing didn't leave me holding on to my chair. Ms. Robinson did an excellent job in developing the characters and storyline, however her writing style was humdrum and mediocre in getting the story across.

Couldn't put it down!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-14
I love the TV show The Game, so when I found out that there was a book that the show is more than likely based on, I had to read it! I love the way Robinson explores how easy it is to lose yourself in the world of someone else. I have to agree with C. Ross in that the ending seemed kind of rushed. I like to think that the ending is an opening for another novel to pick up where Interceptions left off. Regardless, it is a VERY VERY VERY good story and an easy read.

Very Good Read!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-03
The characters in this book really resonated with me. Ms. Robinson's style of writing made me feel as if I personally knew some of the characters! I finished the book in one weekend and was left craving more. What a debut for Staci Robinson!! I can't wait for more of her writing! Buy it, you won't be able to put it down!

football fan
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-29
I was given Interceptions by my wife because I am a football fan. I literally couldn't put it down, the book is very well written and sheds insight into one of the darker sides of college and pro sports. It is an often told story of golddiggers vs. upstanding women compellingly composed. An excellent read for any sports fan.

Contemporary
Kiss of God: The Wisdom of a Silent Child
Published in Paperback by Health Communications (1999-09-01)
Author: Marshall Stewart Ball
List price: $9.95
New price: $0.15
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Easily the most inspiring book I've ever read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-24
Words cannot express how completely awesome and spine-tingling this book is. I saw Marshall Ball on the Oprah show several years ago and was so in awe of him that as soon as the show ended I got in the car and drove to the bookstore to buy the book. It will make you smile, cry and laugh; it really left me with the lessons of 'miracles do happen' and 'you never know what someone can do until you give them a chance'. It's a definite must read.

Listen To The Children
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-04-19
Marshall Ball is exquisite. With the simplicity of a child and the wisdom of the ages, he speaks with a profound understanding that could only be Divine. Marshall cannot speak, so he uses an alphabet board to point to each letter. This is a painstakingly long process. He was born with a disease that keeps him confined to a wheelchair. At age nine, he was evaluated at school with a twelfth-grade reading level. I was pleasantly inspired by Marshall and eagerly await more writings from him. My favorite quote from Marshall is: "Can we free the world to think perfectly about the listening and marvelous children?" I highly recommend this book.

A great book for a spiritual journey!!
Helpful Votes: 27 out of 28 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-20
Recommendation:
A great book for traveling on a journey with a special child. If you have a special child, get this book, because you may learn more about your child, and their own journey and thoughts. If you don't have an special child, then get this book and learn about the blessings that come with the pain and challenges of the journeys that parents of special children travel.

Book Review
Marshall writes, with physical assistance, of things we cannot see, or imagine in our busy and cluttered lives. Yet, these are the important, and permanent things that life is determined on, not the urgent and unimportant.

His poems are very good (fantastic considering his age and issues) and offer a mature, yet spiritually innocent viewpoint that remains objective and not caught up with our worldly challenges.

Marshall is here and suffers in order to fulfill God's purpose of helping us, and those who need spiritual assistance.

How Marshall Helped Us Learn of Our Daughter's Thoughts, and Experiences:
We have a daughter with severe cerebral palsy who cannot speak or walk an had just finished two weeks of therapy in Chicago and were catching a plane for the ride home. This was two years ago, so she was four at the time. By accident, I packed her reading books, so we stopped in the book store to find a book to read. We accidently came across Marshall's book and I explained to my daughter that Marshall was like her, and could not speak or walk, and was just a few years older. Then, I asked her if she wanted to get Marshall's book, she got very excited (happy).

On the plane we read the first few pages and came across this part of Marshall's poem...

Even though my individuality finds
sweet knowing perfection, I listen
for the answers to wishes from above.

So, I asked my daughter if God spoke to her about her wishes and prayers. She just about jumped out of her skin!!! It was like finally!!!! Someone knows my secrets!!!! Yes, I speak to God and He speaks to me!!!!

I was startled, and asked her some poorly developed questions. After a couple of months, I thought about the questions I asked and also her answers, and I realized that I really did not learn what I thought I had learned. (We have to ask her questions, with two or three answers for her to choose from, then ask additional questions to further determine her correct and precise answers).

Because I only want the truth, regardless of the issues, I spent some time to relaly think about the questions, and alternative answers that could be gleaned from my technique, then began to ask her more precise questions to nail down her responses.

What I found is that she did speak to and hear from God every night. That she did remember her personal journey (died at birth for 35 minutes), and remembered seeing God when she died. She did not remember being in the hospital, being taken off life support, or anything else.

But, when she died, she went to heaven, and was not given a choice, but was told to return to her Mommy and Daddy (which she wanted); and she was told that her purpose was to help a lot of children who were in need. (...) She came back to us - obviously - and now is a bright 6 year old who goes to full inclusion school, has many friends and lots of fun. Yet, she cannot speak, or walk, yet. (But is making great progress!)

Without reading Marshall's book, I would never have thought to ask these questions, and would have never have learned my daughter's secrets.

A flower of consciousness appears among us
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-12
As heralded by such masters as Eckhart Tolle and Don Miguel Ruiz the earth at this time is graced by a number of awakened divine flowers of consciousness which grace us with their tremendous healing power and gentility. Marshall Ball is no doubt one such light in our world. His healing gift is through the power of his words. In these important documents of our time [Kiss of God & A Good Kiss] Marshall Ball uses his gentle and seemingly simple use of the English language to incite a healing effect that evokes deep emotions and directly effects the heart. Short of a miracle, both of Marshall Ball's books are a collection of communications poetically expressed and clearly echo teachings from A Course in Miracles, Eckhart Tolle's Power of Now and Stillness Speaks, and the Conversations with God books, none of which have been a source of study for this young man of 17. It seems Truth is spoken again by another source of pure love, but here, with heavenly gentleness and a poetic voice that can lift and heal the coldest of hearts. I highly recommend reading and studying both "Kiss of God" and "A Good Kiss" as material for spiritual study and personal growth. May this gentle heavenly force continue to grace us with his divine wisdom and healing voice.

If you will listen real quietly you can hear God talk to you
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-14
This book will touch you. There is a simplicity and purity of thought, but there are deeper more profound meanings there for you to discover on your own. Marshall is a special child of God, as we all are in our own way. Love and listening are prevalent themes in Marshall's short poems and prose. I am a grown man with grown children, and I am not prone to tears, but many of Marshall's words brought tears to my eyes. I know God talks through Marshall. Share this book with your friends and family.

Contemporary
Monster Hunter International
Published in Paperback by Infinity Publishing (2007-12-20)
Author: Larry Correia
List price: $21.95
Used price: $339.64

Average review score:

Great book, flawed only by a few errors
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-10
Good:
This book has an amazingly solid plot, written by someone who ascribes regular human emotion and behavior to his characters. Every character in the book is relatable, gives the reader much more to care about in the story.

Larry has the technical stuff down pat. He should-- the guy owns a machine gun shop, and is probably the most knowledgeable guy in Utah on what he does.

The bad:
Lots of syntactical and grammatical errors. I know this was guerilla published, but a lot of syntactical errors should not have made it through. There were two errors that cropped up quite frequently:
1) Misplaced commas; and
2) Usage of "their" as a gender-neuter possessive. A sample would be: "If a person does this action, then their right to drive is revoked." A 'person' is singular, 'their' is for plural.

I'm not one to let bad grammar get in the way of a good story though. I'll buy the sequel when it comes out, and I'll recommend this book as well.

MHI
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-28
I recommend starting to read this book on a Friday - or some day when you don't have to do anything the next day. That way, when you can't put it down and have to stay up all night to finish it, you'll be able to sleep in...

Pure Entertainment
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-27
This is a fun, fast paced read that is very hard to put down. I enjoyed all the charactors and the references to "real life" movies, people, and events. There is enough weapon info to keep the gun people happy, but not so much that those of us who don't care about the differences get bored or frusterated. The ending was predictable, but not exactly. There were still a few surprises. Thoroughly enjoyable with lots of monsters-this would make a great action movie.

Fast Moving Yarn
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-06
I recently read Monster Hunter International by Larry Corriea. I have to tell you I waffled on buying this book. I mean I had this fear of Night of the Living Dead, Zombie Apocolypse stuff that was poorly written and didn't fit into anything that interested me. But, I read some of the reviews and I picked up on Larry's website and I thought I would take a shot at it. So, I duly brought up my Amazon account, and ordered the book. At the same time, I was ordering a bunch of other stuff so I thought of it as kind of a impulse buy.

Best impulse buy that I ever made. The book is a page turner, and one I had a hard time putting down. There is little or no, slow spots in the read. From the first few pages this thing moves the plot along quickly and efficiently, introducing characters as necessary and providing just the right level of detail to set the visuals of the situation.

Is the plot predictable? Maybe at times but for the most part it twists and turns, and just when you think it is going to go straight on for a bit, it pulls a wild left turn and zig zags all over the place.

Larry pulls in aspects of many different historical cultures and weaves them almost seamlessly into the story telling . Sorry Larry, there were a couple of abrupt points so you don't get the full seamless comment. However, I think that they abruptness may have been appropriate to the scene on occasion.

I wish I could write a story that is half as entertaining, and half as well written.

This is a damn fine book that you need to go out and read.

Great book, problems with editing hurt though
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-10
Loved the book. It was funny, action packed, and I have recommended it to quite a few friends, some of whom have already started to recommended it to their friends. All of us agree, a superb book.

However, most of us were very annoyed by the typographical errors. Bad comma use got to me, and at least twice quotation marks were used when no one was speaking. Hope the author keeps writing, it was completely worth it.

Contemporary
Riders
Published in Paperback by Corgi (2008-06-17)
Author: Jilly Cooper
List price:
New price: $11.46
Used price: $23.98

Average review score:

A guilty pleasure
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-02
Riders is a definite guilty pleasure. I bought it because of the rave reviews and they are well deserved. Although a bit dated, this combination of horses, ugly duckling fairy tale and celebrity gossip/sleeze fest is irresistable. The characters are surprisingly well drawn. The ones you start out hating develop some redeeming qualities and the ones you start out loving reveal flaws. No cardboard cut outs here. And if you think that riders have nerves of steel as they jump those terrifying course,guess again.

GREAT book for an equestrian with a sense of humor!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-24
Oh man! Let me just start by saying Jilly Cooper NAILED it with this one! Sure, it's kind of trashy. And yes, some of the characters will make you cringe and seethe and want to strangle them. But this book has EVERYTHING it takes to be a real page-turner! Between scandalous moments, raunchy scenes, totally heartless characters and incredibly well-written equestrian scenes, this book is worth every star it can get.
Sure, Cooper's writing is not necessarily for your granny, and yes, some pages will make you blush...but if you have the sense of humor required to read this book you will love every page!

I loved it, but...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-17
I read Jilly Cooper's books backwards. I started with Wicked, then The man who made husbands jealous (not that great btw!), then score, then rivals, then riders, and now am reading polo.

I was in love with Rubert from the first time i read Wicked, but when i read about him in Riders I just couldn't believe his character, it was so inconsistent!! One moment he's so tender, and the next he's involved in a rape-like group sex with a very reluctant female!! eew!!! That scene was VERY disturbing!!

but what disturbed me even more was a the stereotypical way in which Mrs Cooper addresses animal treatment in the middle east!! I've been raised in a horse-loving family and we treat our horses right!! we love them as much as we love our family, if not more and Sheikhs don't sell their horses or beat them just because one of their kids can't cope with them.

It was so tiring reading about that in this novel and i kept telling myself that this was in the 80's and people didn't know much at that time, but in the end it really did ruin the novel for me. I just kept skipping pages to get done with it.

fun read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-23
a fun read..the author researched her story well. The characters are well developed, as is the story. I've read this boook many times, enjoying it every time.

Read It & Re-read a few more times!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-12
For years I began the summer by re-reading this book. It's a beach read, and a fun read. It comes the closest to any book to capturing the effort involved in showing horses on the international circuit. It's not all fun and glamour, but hard work and effort, with a few rich people thrown in for good measure. The characters are multi-dimensional and engaging. And it's more than just a little bit naughty. Hang on for a wild ride!

Contemporary
Live From Jordan: Letters Home From My Journey Through the Middle East
Published in Hardcover by AMACOM (2007-04-30)
Author: Benjamin Orbach
List price: $22.00
New price: $3.76
Used price: $3.52
Collectible price: $22.00

Average review score:

Exceptionally well written
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-21
Exceptionally well written book. It would make a great travel companion for anyone embarking on a trip around the region, but could also serve to provide some great insight and information about the "Arab East".

Highly recommended.

Street Cred
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-20
Benjamin Orbach takes a total immersion approach to living in and understanding Jordan. He learns the language, befriends neighbors, and in a quest to understand, becomes a relentless listener/communicator to those he encounters along the way.
This excellent book deconstructs myths and sterotypes about the Arab East in a way that is both analytical and personal. The author's insights evolve from real life experiences far removed from academia and the often sterile think tanks upon which many Westerners depend for information about the Arab world.



Live From Jordan
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-10
I highly recommend Live from Jordan. This book has really opened my eyes and has helped me realized how important it is to look at issues from all perspectives. Reading this book has also been a good way to learn about the Arab East. I realize now how complicated and long term the problems in the middle east are. Thank you for writing such a thoughtful and intelligent book.

Resfreshing Insight on a Critical Region
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-23
Benjamin Orbach has turned his year in Amman and Cairo (with quick jaunts to Turkey and Syria) into an insightful and eye-opening narrative. All too often we only hear about the Middle East through video clips of angry anti-American protests. Orbach's knowledge of Arabic allowed him to dig much deeper and present a more complex and complete picture of the intricate nature of Middle Eastern culture and politics. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to get beyond the sound bites and find out what is really happening in this critical region of the world.

Not a False Note to Be Found
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18
Benjamin Orbach did something just a few months after the events of 9-11 that few Americans dared to do. Just when most Americans were purposely avoiding travel to the Middle East (or had left the area for good), Orbach decided to move to Jordan on his own so that he could study Arabic as it is spoken on the street. He wanted to learn everyday Arabic slang and ways of expressing himself in the language that would allow him to communicate with Arabic speakers at the deepest level. Immersing himself into the culture of Amman, and living there without the usual security surrounding most Americans in that part of the world, he learned much more about himself and the people he met than he could have reasonably expected to come away with going into the experience.

Orbach's language skills and obvious respect for the culture and people he lived among made it possible for him to fit into his Amman neighborhood so well that he formed lasting friendships with the people he saw there everyday, his barber, his grocer, students at his university, his language teachers, restaurant owners and his landlady, among them. Unlike most Americans, and probably most Westerners, he came to see them as individuals with the same hopes and desires that we all have, rather than as interchangeable parts in a single Arab culture dominated by a religion bent on destroying the West and claiming the world for Islam. Anyone who reads Live from Jordan will be able to rid themselves of that stereotypical viewpoint forever and that makes it an important book.

When I started reading Live from Jordan I wondered whether or not Benjamin Orbach's personal experiences would be similar the ones I had while working in Algeria from late 1992 until early 2002. As it turns out, they definitely were. I am not an Arabic speaker but in Algeria French is the business language of choice and most Algerians are at least somewhat fluent in the language. That allowed me to have rather detailed and intimate discussions with my Algerian co-workers and friends about our differences and, more importantly, about our similarities. Much as I suspect that Orbach will always treasure his days in Jordan and Egypt, I will be forever grateful for the friendship and trust that was offered to me by those Algerians who welcomed me into their world as an individual rather than exclude me as an "American."

I mention my years in that part of the world only to emphasize how "true" this book read to me. I did not find a false note in it anywhere and would love to see its message spread as widely as possible.


Contemporary
The Truth Seeker (O'Malley #3)
Published in Paperback by Multnomah Books (2001-06-30)
Author: Dee Henderson
List price: $12.99
New price: $0.99
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $12.99

Average review score:

Enjoyable listening.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-14
The Truth Seeker as CD audio book I received as a present. Due to ill health I now can't read very much for very long. For someone who has been a bookworm all her life this was very difficult, but audio books have come to my rescue. Mum listens to them while she is doing housework, and my sister has them on in the car during her 40 minute commute to work, & back.
Dee Henderson is a favourite author in our house & we particularly like her O'Malley Series, of which this is number 3.
It has been abridged fairly well & Matilda Novak is a good narrator - a big plus for me where audio books are concerned! Also there is music in lots of places to give atmosphere; & sound effects - fire blazing, sirens, airport tannoy, doorbell tone, phone ringing to name a few - which help to bring the story alive. Enjoyable to listen to over & over again!

Vintage Dee Henderson
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-30
Book three in Henderson's O'Malley series. Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist. Quinn Diamond is a U.S. Marshal. They find their lives intersecting both personally and professionally as they investigate related murder cases. The mystery element is juxtaposed against the real-life touches of humor and family. Lisa's journey to Christ and her romance with Quinn form intriguing supblots.

Good Suspense story.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-13
Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist who has a difficult time with Jesus' resurrection. Quinn Diamond is Marcus O'Malley's partner in the U.S. Marshal's Service. He's been trying to get Lisa to go out with him. Unfortunately, pursuing Lisa is going to be almost impossible because he's already asked out her other sisters!

Their paths cross when the cases they are investigating become intertwined. I love how we get to continue to follow the O'Malleys we already know and how we are able to get to know the others before we read their stories. I wish my family was as close as theirs is.

The other O'Malley novels are: The Negotiator, The Guardian, The Truth Seeker, The Protector, The Healer, The Rescuer. Each is a wonderful read!

Love this series!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-11
I loved this series! I wasn't sure about reading a Christian Romance but this is so much more. Dee Henderson has a way of making you feel as though they are the real deal and you are right there with the O'Malley's. You'll laugh, cry, and everything in between. Enjoy!!

Book 3 in the O'Malley series
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-18
Women are missing.

Amy Ireland disappeared twenty years ago without a trace. For U.S. Marshal Quinn Diamond, it's a case that has never closed. He's still searching--determined to learn the truth.

They are turning up dead.

Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist; mysteries are her domain. She has worked crime scenes in Chicago for years. Examining a sea of evidence, the connections between victims are so faint they they fade into ill-defined wisps as she searchs for a pattern.

Lisa O'Malley is running out of time.

The threads are pulling Lisa's and Quinn's cases together. And where they intersect there's a killer who will stop at nothing to see his secret remain buried.

And now she's missing, too...

Quinn wanted Lisa's help. He never planned to put her in danger. She didn't expect him to invade her heart...or his God to change her life. And while Lisa understands death and darkness all too well, she's about to discover love and the Resurrection.


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Literature-->Short Stories-->Contemporary-->8
Related Subjects: Chandra, Anil Englander, Nathan Krouse, Erika
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