Short Stories Books

It was OK, but I wouldn't really reccomend it.

This a great book! Sabrina Spellman breaks a mirror and thinks she will have 7 years of bad luck. But since she's a witch, she only gets 7 days. I think the 7 days were worse than 7 years. Sabrina makes the right choice for one of the spells and gets to see someone she hasn't seen for a long time. Read this book, it's one you'll never forget!

Eight short stories take the reader through a magic-packed, disaster-filled week in Sabrina's life. When a witch breaks a mirror it means seven days of bad luck, starting now! Just when Sabrina thinks she can handle the bad luck, her Quizmaster has picked this week to test her magic powers by sending seven temptations her way.

Poor Sabrina! She breaks a mirror and prepares herself for 7 years of bad luck...until the Quizmaster tells her otherwise. Witches get 7 days of bad luck-right now!

"Well, how bad could that be?" Sabrina wonders.

But soon Sabrina realizes this week, of all weeks, is not going to be what she expected. Something is at work here...something bigger than herself, her family...and her magic!

I love Sabrina and her series of books and this one is one of the best so far. The plot is clever, going throught seven days of bad luck like that and having different Sabrina author write the days up. It was a break from all the rest of the Sabrina novels, usually being so creeply short. No, this one was practically 300 pages long. But don't expect a extended, dragged out story about nothing. This is actually good (Oh, my God!) and interesting (NO!) except for "Smitten", which really didn't include much of a plot. But it is worth reading...

I loved all of these stories. They're so well-plotted and written, and Karin does such a great job of conveying laughter and tears. There was tenderness and anguish and just the whole range of emotions.

As a woman of increasing years, my favorite was "Hot Flash." Hate them during, but after...things can be good.

This wonderful book contains follow-up stories to Karin Kallmaker's first 10 novels and reads like a labor of love for all her readers, and probably the author too.

This book is worth the price of admission if only for one beautifully written story that I re-read on a regular basis. `Wild Things Are Free' is a jewel. It is the most perfect short story I have ever read (and I minored in English is college and have been reading for 30 years). Not to give any of the story away it takes place 5 years after the last page of `Wild Things'. Each paragraph and each sentence is perfect. The emotions are so strong it is as if the reader were in the bodies of the characters.

In Every Port's story starts 23 years after the novel ended and is a real delight, I picked up so many special moments when reading it a second time.

Touchwood is my favorite Kallmaker novel and the story takes up 5 months in Louisa and Rayann's most happy future.

Paperback Romance picks up 9 years after the novel ended , I enjoyed the short story more the second time I read it. I think I needed more Carolyn and Alison when I first read it.

Car Pool takes place 10 years later and gives a nice dose of the humor and love that is shared by Shay & Anthea.

Painted Moon picks up 8 years after the last page and gives the reader a nice POV from Lee.

Embrace in Motion takes place 3 months after that story closed and gives us all the payoff (laughs and all) that we knew these characters deserved.

Making Up for Lost Time's story I enjoyed reading more the second time, I don't know what my expectations were but the story was a surprise and I liked it tremendously when I read it again.

Watermark's story was terrific - a real WOW. It picks up one year after the close of the book and really packs a punch.

We get a double story for Unforgettable. Cinny and Natalie were very strong in my mind at the end of the novel. Their story is picked up from Natalie's POV and had tremendous impact for me. We also have Angel & Rett 2 years later showing how perfect they are for each other.

Sigh ... just a wonderful collection that can easily be read without re-reading the novels.

The stories are a delight and the prose wonderfully fulfilling, no surprise there, it had been like this at the first.

karin kallmaker could not have picked a more appropriate title. as a huge fan of hers this book just made me want to reread all her other wonderful books. if you are a fan of hers this book is a must have or must read.

For those of you out there who are fans of Kallmaker's, you MUST read this book. It's so much fun to see where your favorite characters end up. If you haven't read any of Kallmaker's books yet, read the other ones first and then get this one.

These stories are not really sequels, but continuations of and additions to all of Kallmaker's novels published to this point.

Most of them give more information about what happened to the lead characters in the novels. The first exception is Come Here
which expands on the characters of Judy and Dedric who are adjunct characters in Touchwood and Watermark. An excellent piece of erotica. The other is Unforgettable, That's What You Are which fills in and continues the stories of Cinny and Natalie from Unforgettable.

All of the stories give us information about events that follow the end of the novels.

A second piece of erotica (different from the well written sex scenes in most of the pieces) is Smudges which helps us explore the continuing physicality of the relationship between Lee and Jackie.

If you've ever wanted to know "What's next?" after you've finished a novel, this is a book for you.

I would compare this book to a box of chocolates, dark, light, sensuously innocent but rich enough to enjoy one story at a time. A wonderful "what if" and imaginative take on the female characters of Shakespeare's plays. I would recommend this to any young apprentice to Shakespeare or actor who is interested in finding new viewpoints on major and minor characters within the scripts. Berkman definitely goes beyond the stereotype female and cultivates a beautiful bouquet of realistic, emotional, and flesh bound women. Yes, I loved this book. I would also recommend it to readers from late teens to adults.

I am a fan of historical fiction and I really enjoyed this. It has smatterings of all the women in Shakespeare's lives ~~ starting from his mother to his wife, Anne, and friends, daughters, characters from his plays, and lastly, the Queen Bess.

This is a well-written book of short stories. I normally don't care for short stories but I do enjoy these! There is a chapter devoted to Lady MacBeth and you'd see where her love for her husband shines through as well as her ambition. There is Juliet's mother who is in love with Romeo's father. There are letters between the playwright and his daughters and wife.

The stories focus on different aspects of women and Shakespeare's muse seems to be all the women in his life. There is his wife, a lusty woman who he left behind. There is a friend whom he has fallen in love with but never touched improperly except once. There are his daughters. There is his landlord's daughter who adored him from afar. All these women and Shakespeare borrowed from them to write his famous plays to make each character human.

It is an interesting book ~~ and easily readable! I found this by accident and now I am looking forward to reading more of this author's books.

12-18-03

This is a great theme for a collection of short stories, I,m surprised it hasn,t been attempted before. Both fictitious and real life characters are featured here. We are given interesting new perspectives on well known figures eg a much more pro-active Ophelia than we,re used to seeing and a Lady Macbeth motivated by other than greed and ambition alone. We,re also given much insight into Will himself, a socially ambitious single-minded figure though kindly and well-intentioned; he fails to grasp that his family would rather have him around than live in Stratford,s finest house. All the tales were involving and moving but particularly the wealthy and educated Jennet,s struggle with childlessness and Judith Shakespeare,s love for a man her family dislike, these are timeless dilemmas.

Charming, inventive, and fun. The prose was beautiful. The characters were rich. I did not want it to end.

To read *Her Infinite Variety* is to be dazzled by Pamela Berkman's imaginative capacity. From story to story, she displays a rare ability to intuit the gaps in our knowledge of Shakespeare's women--the ones in his life as well as the ones in his art--and then to fill in those gaps with the delicate filigree of her fiction. Yet while these stories display a delicately rigorous structure, the language holding them together is as vibrant and sexy as the women they depict. If you have never enjoyed Shakespeare, buy this book. Berkman's tart-tongued Titania, her haunted Ophelia, and her utterly down-to-earth Bard (rescued, finally, from both scholars and souvenir-sellers) will make you reconsider.

I got this book because someone who reviewed my book HALLELUJAH, A CAT COMES BACK, said they liked it so much. I couldn't agree more. I almost like it as much as my own book. My grandchildren had to side with me of course, but they loved Jasper too. Not preachy, just perfect. A. B. Curtiss, author of HALLELUJAH, A CAT COMES BACK.

I agree with everyone here.. I now look at my cats twinkling eyes & know they are sending me eyes kisses.. This is up there with my favorite dog book Timbuktu : A Novel (Paperback)
-- a book from the dog's perspective

This is a good book for a young reader that loves cats. The story is entertaining and not violent but has a good storyline that holds the attention. It is not long so would be good reading for age group 8-12 and a good story for parents to read to young ones.

Jasper was a good book, but it was sort of sad. Me being a tad sensitive, I, er, bawled my eyes out(i like using that expression). I would have givin it 4 stars if it wasn't so sad. I still think it should have a sequel, but Michelle Groce, please don't make it so sad. It was a quick read, being 174 pages, but filled with emotions: sadness, fear, happiness, and surprise. I would recommend this book to people who are not sensitive, and have never cried reading any book.

P.S. I liked the warriors(READ THEM!!! They're about cats by erin hunter) better, but this was a good book to read while i waited for the new book to come out.

I have read all of the 10 reviews above and agree with every one of them! So, I just want to add my 5 stars to a beautiful, inciteful book which would be a wonderful gift to all animal lovers from 10 to 100 and beyond.

So much of what you read and hear about relationships is negative... "It nevers works out for anyone..." etc. This book was a refreshing change from the usual negativity. It left me with positive feelings about my chances of meeting someone special. Thank you Lois <3

I've read many memoirs, but this book which intertwines the author's own romantic experiences, as well as those of her family -- and eleven other great stories -- is by far the best of this genre. After I finished the chapter on her parents' love story, I immediately called my mother, asking for details about how she fell in love with my dad. This book reminded me that love comes in so many forms, and it should be celebrated and passed on from one generation to the next.

I have never written a review, but just started reading this book and had to tell others how great it is. It makes you feel so cozy and happy. I've been through some tough times in love recently and it reminded me to persevere. I have been learning lessons from each story. The book is so beautifully written and the stories so wonderful. If you're having a hard time or want to remember why you got married in the first place, or are thinking about marriage, or just want to read some heartwarming love stories, this is the book for you. I loved it! Thank you Lois Smith Brady for writing it!!!!

I've been reading Brady's column in the NYT for the past decade it seems, and this book even surpasses her columns, which are pure delight. No one can write about love like Brady; no one even comes close to having her sense of humour about it, or her sense of the glorious magic that fills us when we are in love.

This book was excellent! Lois Smith Brady is really a treat to read. I would highly recommend the book as a gift for newly engaged couples or for married couples. Inspiring stories for singles - many hopeful stories about finding love in the most unusual places. All of the stories are funny, insightful and touching in some way!

Wonderful book. A true page turner, I could not put it done

Adrianne Bryd tells a wonderful story of love, family, and the sometimes humorous ties that bind. This book is a good, quick read. Lincoln was a true friend to Flex and definitely a man that any woman would love to have in there life. Thumbs up to Ms. Byrd. I look forward to her next book about the Adams' family.

This is about Peyton and Linc... Linc is also friends with Peyton's (Gay) brother Flex... of course both Peyton and Linc are unaware of this, which leads to a whole bunch of misunderstandings which makes you laugh out loud! This was an enjoyable read, filled with just enough passion between Peyton and Linc and some nosey sisters. Just one more thing to add, I recommend all books by this author and Niobia Bryant!

I just loved the book. It had me laughing so hard it made me cry. I fill for Flex. I might have lied myself if I had family like that, who couldn't mine there on business. They had the brother on blind dates before he could heal and he felt his only way out was to move way. GOD BLESS HIS HEART. But, I guess sometimes you just have to face the truth and let what happens happen. You have to top this one.I want to know what happens with this crazy bunch.

Adrianne Byrd has crafted a uniquely interesting and humorous story in her new release "Measure of a man". Lincoln is a handsome and witty firefighter who is looking for new thrills in his personal and professional life. His coworker and friend Flex has a major crush on Lincoln, who is none-the-wiser about Flex's designs on him. Flex is recovering from a heartbreaking 10-year long romance and the opportunity to be with someone as fascinating and caring as Lincoln intrigues him - even though he's not sure Lincoln swings his way.

When Lincoln meets Flex's sister Peyton completely independently of his acquaintance with Flex, the self-proclaimed ladies man Lincoln falls for her hook, line, and sinker. Peyton, who is gun shy of relationships due to past failures and abuses, is less sure that embarking on a journey with Lincoln is in her immediate future.

The interesting departure from the normal "boy-meets-girl" routine comes when Flex is invited to a family gather both by the hopeful Flex and the quickly reconsidering Peyton. At times humorous, blatantly romantic and full of family drama thanks to Peyton and Flex's four other sisters, this book sucked me in for a thrilling ride from page 1! It was a ride I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm going to take a second look at some of Ms. Byrd's previous novels and hope dearly that I'll see some of the characters from this book again.

All I have to say is, Gadflye can't possibly know what good writing is if she/he thinks Mapson can't write. Trust me, she's an incredible writer. I teach writing. I know. THE OWL AND THE MOON CAFE is my new favorite Mapson book and I've recommended it to a bunch of friends. All agree. Normally, when I love a book, I pass it on to my sister, but this one I kept because I knew I would use it for examples in my writing classes. One of Mapson's strengths is characterization, and the four females who star in OWL AND MOON are terrific examples of how to write a fully-fleshed, totally sympathetic, fascinating character. I loved them all, but Lindsay was my favorite. That child just wormed her way into my heart and stayed there. I hated for the book to end because I felt like I was losing someone I wanted to continue knowing. Now I hope Mapson will write a sequel so we can find out what kind of adult Lindsay becomes. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

After reading all others,....bad girl...widler...i searched for this one and was again, loving every word. Like previous readers, I picked it up and read it all the way through... It is truly a wonderful read....can't wait until the next novel and can only hope they include all the Bad Girl Crreek women!!!

I enjoyed this book. The characters were good. I wish the author would have wrapped things up a little better at the end. I still had some questions that went unanswered. A good read but not a must read.

This is a wonderful book, so very well written and really strikes close to what real life is and can be like.I would recommend this book highly.I do not think it would be a disappointment to anyone who reads it.

I GET IT! I get the meaning of the name! Here we have four generations of women running The Owl & Moon Cafe. Gammy, the great-grandmother is religious and getting older. Allegra (Alice) is the hippie grandmother. Mariah is the over-anxious daughter who wants to know who her dad is and then there is her daughter Lindsay. Mariah loses her job at the college and has to move into the upstairs part of the cafe with her mom and grandma, with her daughter in tow. Allegra collapses one day to find out she has leukemia. Lindsay is an 8th-grader, very intelligent and curious about life.

This book has just the right amount of love, friendships and family. You won't want to put it down!

The Red Balloon is a wonderful story with an adorable little boy as the star character. I bought both the book and the DVD to give as a present to younger children (4 yrs old). I think they will enjoy if only for the visuals. The film is produced in French language but there is so little dialogue that not understanding the script doesn't affect the enjoyment of watching the film. Overall, it is a fun story with a good feel to it. There were only a couple of situations in the story that I thought might be a little sensitive or a bit scary to younger kids .. one being a group of boys chasing the little boy trying to take the balloon away from him. The other a very quick scene where a school headmaster is upset with the chaos going on and he puts the little boy in a room and locks the door. These are minor to the overall upbeat feel of the story but parents may want to review first to consider their own fast forward editing or explanations. In my case, the quality of the DVD was not great. It's an old film so perhaps the age is showing a bit in the reproductions.

Great story....grew up watching the short film and checking this same book out from our local library. Now that I'm a mom, I have introduced this video and book to my kids, and they're infatuated with everything about it. Great, well-made books with lively photos and storyline that holds little ones' attentions.

this book was written some decades ago but the excellence of the writing and the very skilful, thoughtful & sensitive photography which integrates very successfully with the story, are such that I believe this book will be deservedly popular with very many generations of children in the future. I believe that it is a masterpiece of children's literature and I strongly recommend it as a gift to be given by any parent - or grandparent.

I must have checked this book out a hundred times when I was in Elementary school as it was such a favorite. What a joy it was to find it still in print and telling it's charming story to future generations. This is a classic, and a book that I would recommend to all children and adults that want to hold a piece of their treasured childhood memories. This story was told in film on the International Children's Film Festival, hosted by Kookla, Fran and Olie, and further helps to bring this story to life.
Treat yourself and your children to the story of a boy and his friend, the red balloon.

The photographs, the text and presentation are remarkable. A piece that makes a good complement of the movie.

This book was very good. I liked just about all the characters in the book. Jenna the main character had a way of taking you off, i fealt realy bad for her in some parts of the story. The only thing that i dident quite like about the book was that after a "story" it then told you the truth behind it... It was sometimes a bit difficutlt to udnerstand or get through... But it was intersting... Now if only i can get a coppy of White Jenna to spur my minde a bit more....

I read the book about a year ago and still remember it in detail. A wonderful read!

This book was really cool. I liked the simpleness of it. I liked how she got to the point and didn't describe everylast detail. I also liked Pynt. She was my favorite character. She was mischivious, yet she had a loyal quality to her.

"Sister Light, Sister Dark" and its sequel, "White Jenna," hold places of honor on my bookshelves.

The story is about Jenna, a thrice-orphaned girl of the Dales (a fictional region) being raised by followers of Great Alta, the Goddess. These women--mostly unwanted daughters of local peasants--train for years to call up their "dark sisters." Jenna, who was born with completely white hair, may be the Anna foretold in prophecy.

Stuff happens.

Interspersed among the actual narrative chapters are ballads and myths of the Dales, as well as a pretentious contemporary historian's interpretation of the events of the story. Through his impeccable application of scientific method to historical research, he manages to get just about everything completely wrong. It's hilarious.

The third volume in this trilogy, "The One-Armed Queen," was a disappointment to me. While it was a good book in its own right, to me it didn't feel related to the other two--it worked on its own, but it was not part of the series. It concerns Jenna's one-armed adopted daughter Scillia, who seemed much less interesting than Jenna. Oh, well.

I highly recommend the first two books.

One of the best reprints produced by Starscape books has been the reissue of Jane Yolen's Alta trilogy, the first of which is "Sister Light, Sister Dark." While it takes awhile to get going, this unique and imaginative fantasy book introduces us to a fantasy story that's both familiar and innovative.

Jenna was orphaned three times: Her mother died in childbirth, the midwife died while taking her away, and the warrior woman who adopted her was also killed. She's taken in collectively by the follows of Great Alta, a benevolent goddess. They're somewhat Amazonian -- there are no men in their "hames," they are warriors, farmers, priestesses, and everything else that they need to be.

But Jenna is different from the rest. There's a prophecy that a white-haired child who lost three mothers is the Anna, a savior who will change everything. Events are set into motion when Jenna and her friend Pynt encounter teenage prince Carum in the woods, who is being hunted by a vicious warrior. Killing the warrior and saving Carum leads to destruction for Jenna's home and family...

Jane Yolen crafts a wonderful, believable place in the Dales. Not only is it very detailed and plausible-sounding, but she also sprinkles it with songs and historical studies. While the Alta series is often labelled "feminist fantasy," there's no preaching or two-dimensional male characters. Yolen simply shows us Jenna and Pynt operating on the same level as Carum, and leaves it at that.

Her writing is earthy and has plenty of detail without bogging itself down. The concept of "dark sisters" (sort of a nighttime-only spiritual twin) is an unusual and well-crafted one. The only problem is that it takes quite some time for the plot to get moving, and it's a jolt when it finally does; we go from no action to all-action in an instant.

Jenna is an excellent reluctant lead. Her mixed feelings (she both wants and doesn't want to be the Anna) are quite plausible, as are her strength and gutsiness. She's not some sort of supergirl; she cries, feels pain and loneliness like anyone else. Pynt is a good sidekick, with her mischievous attitude. And Carum is a strong counterpart (and romantic interest) to Jenna.

Since "Sister Light Sister Dark" ends on an unfinished note, readers will want to check out the second volume of the trilogy (also available from Starscape) "White Jenna." A unique epic fantasy.

I have about 5-10 books teetering on my bed at any one time, each one clamoring for attention, and I have to say this is the one I reached for in that precious half an hour of chill time before sleep every night. It was so refreshing to read a genuinely funny book that is NOT SNARKY (it's so easy to be a snark, harder to be funny and human). I really look forward to Mitchell's next book!

Kudos to Mary Mitchell for sharing Starting Out Sideways with all of us! Her first novel is both funny and heartwarming! Ms. Mitchell does a great job capturing the audience's attention by giving life to some wonderfully likeable characters. Her Long Island descriptions and characterizations were right on the mark and I loved the opportunity to see glimpses of many real life people that I've known in her characters. She weaves a delightful tale that is bound to make you smile!
Best of luck to you Ms. Mitchell! I look forward to what you might have in store for us next!

Mary e. Mitchell's novel `Starting out Sideways' is not just a fun book to read but a book that makes you think and wonder why things happen in your life. I could relate to this story, of love, anger, anxiety, confusion and humor. I read of towns I know and have lived in. Rosie Plow reminded me of me, even when it came to her weight problem. Her character development happens so easy that you don't know it's happening, until you say, "Well, son of a gun I didn't know that was going to happen." She has twists and turns with every chapter keeping the reader wondering and asking questions in their mind, then she ties those loose ends up toward the last quarter of the story.
Her way of handling the mentally challenged person is done with grace, comedy and deep down emotion. Thank you for reminding me what it's like to be in a `real' family. Kudos' to you Mary e. Mitchell. Hurry up, I want to read your next novel.
Rose Marie /rm Lamatt

Roseanna Plow is one of the wittiest, wisest, most enjoyable characters I have read in ages. With humor she tells her tale of her cheating husband leaving her for Inga, her best friend. Roseanna's Ma vexes her with the most hilarious antics that are to "aid" Rosie. Her clients, mentally disabled people being acclimated to life in the main stream, all provide hilarity as well as warmth. She discovers a very hidden secret that totally unnerves her and yet the book never bogs with "woe is me" ideology. The cast of characters that support Rosanna are truly just that....eccentrically funny characters.

This is such a wonderful read; if you need your attitude adjusted, need a good laugh and a solid lesson in accepting life, or if you just want to have a breezy time putting your life on the back burner, then this book is tailor-made to fit.

Wonderful story that you should treat yourself too.

How to describe this book?.....The characters are so diverse and all of their experiences so easy to relate to....as someone said, you feel that they are, or have been, a part of your life/neighborhood at some point in time.

Rosanna's "chosen" surname (Plow) was appropos, for she seemed to be "plowing" through her life, with all it's twists and turns, and yet, learned invaluable lessons along the way. Mary Mitchell dealt with common life issues (death, the mentally challenged, infidelity, divorce, conflicting family personalities, etc.) with UNcommon insight. The issues were deeply moving, but handled with the ability to see the humor in even the most difficult situation.

An easy, enjoyable read.