Short Stories Books

I have been reading this book as part of a research project. The essence of the book is a play by play of the development of the LOTR through multiple drafts. If someone is looking for a continuation of the entertaining series, I would suggest first The Silmarillion, then Lost Tales, Lays of Beleriand, or Unfinished Tales. For the serious Tolkien fan who wants to understand the origins, the book does a good job of organizing the multiple drafts and highlighting significant shifts in Tolkien's thought.

For those of us who enjoy taking Tolkien's vision and expanding upon it, this book and the "History of Middle Earth" series is a must as a reference source.

This book and the whole series expounds on Tolkien's vision and desire for his characters. Often nuggets of data not found in the primary books (LotR, The Hobbitt, etc.) can be uncovered within the HoME.

I would only recommend this book to a hard core Tolkien fan. A great source of information on the development of LOTR, but can be a bit tedious to get through.

`Sauron Defeated' is the last of a four volume series (`The History of the Lord of the Rings') within a series, (volume IX of `The History of Middle Earth') edited by Christopher Tolkien, from the unpublished writings of his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, most famous as the author of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings' (LotR).

The most important thing to realize about this book is that only about a third of its pages deal with `The History of The Lord of the Rings'. The remaining two-thirds deals with a subject which harks back to `The Lost Road' and the wager taken up between the two `Inklings' (an Oxford literary and social society), Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.

The LotR story in this book covers the last few days of Sam and Frodo in Mordor, as they painfully make their way to the Cracks of Doom on Orodruin in order to finally destroy the `One Ring'. This takes a very few pages, after which we are left with the notes on the long and slow road home, to one of to me the most interesting episodes in the whole LotR, `The Scouring of the Shire'. I can easily understand why Peter Jackson left this episode and the events involving Tom Bombadil from his films (ten hours is surely long enough for even a cinematic event of these proportions), but they still remain my favorite events.

The middle third of the book is taken up with `The Notion Club Papers', which appears to be a fictional account of the goings-on at the real live `Inkling' meetings at Oxford. There is a lot of playful parodying here, especially on some of C. S. Lewis' works. These drafts also use a conceit most famously used by Robert Graves in his `I, Claudius' and `Claudius The God' novels, where it is made out that these papers were discovered among discarded papers in the year 2012 (about 60 years after they were actually written.) The final third of this volume is filled with additional versions of Tolkien's Atlantis myth, entitled `The Drowning of Anadune', the events which lead the Numenorean ancestors to flee to Middle Earth and become the Dunedain.

The primary relevance of these materials to LotR lie in the fact that Tolkien seems to have put aside work on LotR to do these things, until his erstwhile publisher, Stanley Unwin gently prodded him into returning to completing LotR.

The LotR fanatic, these `The Notion Club Papers' have much less interest than LotR notes or even the Numenor myths, but there they are, certainly useful for any study of the times and doings of Oxford during the real war raging just on the other side of the channel.

Pending my review of the last three books of `The History of Middle Earth', I suspect these four are easily the most interesting to fans of Tolkien's published works.

So maybe you didn't fly through the last 3 books like the first five, but get ready to put your seatbelt on for this ride. The start of this book finished off the evolution of the lord, and also gives a pretty cool story where sam is answering his kids questions of what happened in the war of the ring.

The second part is back to the stuff that I love. I have reread the wierd inklings fictiot piece a number odf times, and it gets more interesting every time. My first time reading it, it was very hard for me to understand.

The third part of the book is certainly one of the coolest things that I have ever read. It is a totally superior version to the silmarillion of the fall of numenor. Anybody looking to go into the mind of sauron a little deeper, this is a MUST BUY for you!!!!!!!!!!

The last part of this book will go over most peoples heads(at least I hope so, cause it went way over mine.), it is a GREAT writing about the language of Adunic? I don't really speak any of tolkien's languages, but still like to read his essay-type papers on his languages. Though not as interesting as the lost tales and stuff like that, I still found all of them fun to read, and this one on the Adunic language I thought was the best out of them all.

OVERALL ONE HELL OF AN ADDITION TO THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE EARTH SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The subject matter of these short stories is compelling. It is indeed interesting to see a snapshot of Middle America that is told in such a frank manner. The theme of 7 days and 7 sins, works well for a collection of stories.

However, I felt that a lot of the tales were cliche. In addition, Angela's character and position as supposed narrator is a forced thread to tie these stories together that is not only unnecessary, but detracts from the book. It would have been a better book had the author left her out and not explained how the stories were gathered.

You will not want to put this down. I spent every spare second of my time trying to read this book and was very sad to finish. I read many female authors and am very happy to say that Pamela Ditchoff is one of the best. I understand she is working on a new novel at the moment and I cannot wait for it to be published. Buy this book, you won't be disappointed!

I gave this book 5 stars because I think it is a very different idea and thought it was refreshing.

I loved the way each story tied into the next one. It was almost like using a telescope and peeping into other people's private life. It was amusing and interesting to see the skeltons that are in everyone's houses.

The book is about a young girl looking into every house on her street and examining the life situations that go on, at different occasions. It is like the "fictional" version of
24/7 Life in America the book that looks into thousands of lives and what people across America are doing on a specific day. This is the same book " sort of" just fictional, and on one street in average America.

Fun Read- reads quickly.

Ellen

This was an amazing, refreshing read. It's so nice to read something that's not just a great story, but great to read. I read that Pamela is also an accomplished poet, and it shows in her writing. I found myselft drawn into her stories by her magnificent characters and amazing prose. This is not just a great book, but a work of art!

This is the best book I've read in a long time! Each story is so interesting that I found myself wishing there were more than 7 days in a week and more than 7 sins, just so I could read more!

This volume contains genuinely creepy tales from various parts of the world. The writing is atmospheric and Katherine Coville's illustrations are well-crafted. This would be an ideal choice for anyone looking for a spooky book to read to classes at Halloween, around the camp-fire, or just for their own entertainment. And really, who could resist a book with memorable monsters like the Tailypo, the Cegua, the Golem, and the Loup-Garou?

This book is a well put together collection of folktales and true ghost stories from all over the world . i enjoyed it very much.
There is a nice diverse mix of stories, but no matter where they are from, all are relatable because fear is a universal human emotion.
Beautifully done illustrations set the mood of the book off perfectly.

Short and Shivery

Do you like reading ghost stories that leave you afraid to turn out the lights at night? Short and Shivery by Robert D. San Sousi has many haunted stories that are really creepy.
In the story of "The Haunted Inn" a guy named Wei along with a couple of his friends were driving around. All of a sudden a storm appeared. Because of the violent storm they had to stop and stay at an inn. They were greeted warmly by the innkeeper and his wife. I felt one of the best parts in "The Haunted Inn" was when the group went up in front of Wei's friend's face. The reason I mentioned both both of these incidents in the stories is because they were the creepiest.
In another story, "The Duppy"the protagonist, a boy named Jubal Lescot had an aunt that died when he was six. He told us she had been mean and evil. He overheard his neighbor talking about a duppy, or a ghost. A few weeks later he went to the graveyard to spy on the duppy, but instead, the duppy spotted him! One of the best parts in "The Duppy" was when Jubal came running from the duppy and ran into his father. His father said, "In the morning we will put the duppy to rest." They were going to kill!
If you didn't enjoy the last book you read, you shouldn't wait to read this. This book has many different stories, and each will excite you. Go and buy it now! These stories will creep you out.

My sons, ages 8 and 5, absolutely LOVE these stories! They are just scary enough without going overboard, and have great plots that keep their attention the whole time. We will definitely be buying more in this series.

This book was great because it had so many scary folk tales and tall tales. I liked that it had short stories. I liked this book more because of all the scary stories that they have in this book. The one I like the most was "The Water Fall of the Living Ghost".

With a good rhythm and a simple text, Gilles Tibo introduces us to the worries of the little Simon who sees his beloved moon disappearing... Will he be able to save the moon? The young ones will love this book which translates so well the emotional turmoils of a 3 to 4 years old boy.
The text is simple and short and thus readable by young readers.
The illustrations are beautiful and translate the story really well. The graphic evolution of the moon is obvious throughout the book and shows well the moon cycle, a good pedagogic opportunity.
In its French version, this is also an excellent book to use in French as a foreign language classes. The illustrations are good support material that can be accompanied by the acting of a parent or of an instructor. The intervention of Pierrot is also a good opportunity to introduce, if it's not already done, his very popular song "Au clair de la Lune, mon ami Pierrot..."

With a good rhythm and a simple text, Gilles Tibo introduces us to the worries of the little Simon who sees his beloved moon disappearing... Will he be able to save the moon? The young ones will love this book which translates so well the emotional turmoils of a 3 to 4 years old boy.
The text is simple and short and thus readable by young readers.
The illustrations are beautiful and translate the story really well. The graphic evolution of the moon is obvious throughout the book and shows well the moon cycle, a good pedagogic opportunity. This is also an excellent book to use in English as a foreign language classes. The illustrations are good support material that can be accompanied by the acting of a parent or of an instructor.
The intervention of Pierrot is also a good opportunity to introduce, if it's not already done, his very popular song "Au clair de la Lune, mon ami Pierrot..."

Avec un texte simple et bien rythmé, Gilles Tibo nous fait découvrir les soucis du petit Simon qui voit sa lune adorée disparaître... Va-t-il réussir à la sauver ?
Les jeunes enfants adoreront ce livre qui traduit si bien les tourments émotionnels d'un jeune garçon de 3 à 4 ans.
Le texte est suffisamment simple et court pour que de jeunes lecteurs puissent le lire par eux-mêmes.
Les illustrations sont superbes et traduisent très bien l'histoire. L'évolution graphique de la lune est très visible au cours du livre et illustre bien le cycle lunaire (une occasion pédagogique à ne pas rater).
C'est également un excellent livre à utiliser pour des classes d'anglais langue étrangère. Les illustrations apportent un support important qui peut-être accompagné par l'animation d'un parent ou d'un enseignant. L'intervention de Pierrot est aussi une bonne occasion d'introduire, si cela ne l'a pas déjà était fait, sa chanson très populaire "Au clair de la Lune, mon ami Pierrot..."

Avec un texte simple et bien rythmé, Gilles Tibo nous fait découvrir les soucis du petit Simon qui voit sa lune adorée disparaître... Va-t-il réussir à la sauver ?
Les jeunes enfants adoreront ce livre qui traduit si bien les tourments émotionnels d'un jeune garçon de 3 à 4 ans.
Le texte est suffisamment simple et court pour que de jeunes lecteurs puissent le lire par eux-mêmes.
Les illustrations sont superbes et traduisent très bien l'histoire. L'évolution graphique de la lune est très visible au cours du livre et illustre bien le cycle lunaire (une occasion pédagogique à ne pas rater).
C'est également un excellent livre à utiliser pour des classes d'anglais langue étrangère. Les illustrations apportent un support important qui peut-être accompagné par l'animation d'un parent ou d'un enseignant. L'intervention de Pierrot est aussi une bonne occasion d'introduire, si cela ne l'a pas déjà était fait, sa chanson très populaire "Au clair de la Lune, mon ami Pierrot..."

With a good rhythm and a simple text, Gilles Tibo introduces us to the worries of the little Simon who sees his beloved moon disappearing... Will he be able to save the moon? The young ones will love this book which translates so well the emotional turmoils of a 3 to 4 years old boy.
The text is simple and short and thus readable by young readers.
The illustrations are beautiful and translate the story really well. The graphic evolution of the moon is obvious throughout the book and shows well the moon cycle, a good pedagogic opportunity. This is also an excellent book to use in English as a foreign language classes. The illustrations are good support material that can be accompanied by the acting of a parent or of an instructor.
The intervention of Pierrot is also a good opportunity to introduce, if it's not already done, his very popular song "Au clair de la Lune, mon ami Pierrot..."

Unlike most of the current "Southern Belle" books, this one shows a darker side. It took me by surprise and made a deep impression, especially since all of the stories are based on true incidents. But don't expect cutsie women secretly manipulating their men, or recipes for hush puppies. The stories in this book will stay with you for a long time.

Southern Fried Women is a fun and heart-felt book. I look forward to more from this author!

A very well written book. Very easy to follow. Her explanations and details make it easy to "see" what each character is doing and going through. They are short stories, so its a great book for people who do no have a lot time during the day to read. But each story will pull you in and you will not want to put it down. There are several stories in there that I wish were books in and of themselves. She is a fantastic writer.
I am pleased to have been able to meet this author recently. She is every bit as honest and passionate in person as she is her book. A true Southern Bell with a great talent. If you have not bought this book yet, you really ought to give it a try. I can't wait for the next book to come out!

Southern Fried Women is a beautifully written piece of literature. I savored each and every page and really hated to see the end of the book. I wasn't insulted by silly stories with juvenile plots and situations. It was mature writing that made me think she is a person who has experienced life and has become better, stronger and more resilient as a result. I was so inspired that she shared her wisdom with the world in such a moving and touching way! Her characters reminded me of Steel Magnolias and the women of the old south in Gone With the Wind. I can't wait to see future works from this wonderful, southern fried author. She's a keeper!

Yes, what a wonderful ride! There may be people who do not care for the use of photos at the beginning of each chapter - they are obviously wrong to think so. Sometimes I found myself studying the photos, even after I had begun reading the story - often going back and looking again - imagining how this story might truly have wrapped itself around the people and places in the photographs.

Also, the use of simile and metaphor is filled with imagery and life; painting with words what most people can only hold in their imaginations. "Cry" is so full of painful reality and "Coal Dust on my Feet" broke my heart. "Beach Babies" is probably my favorite - Bertie is a tragic character, but one that has so much to teach us.

Thank you, Pamela, for sharing your gift with the public. Sometimes as I read your words, I heard my own voice. We share many of the same beliefs, attitudes, joys, and heartaches in our observations of the world. Reading your book was like sitting down and spending an afternoon with you in conversation. Thank you.

Debra Thomas

I like the way the author brought the Jordan and Starris together. The love between the two was evident for eveyone to see. The story was well written with enough drama and romance to keep you turning the pages.

This book is great. I have read it over and over again. This is one of my favorite books.

I am a true romance reader and I consider this book a wonderful addition to my collection. Subtle Secrets by Wanda Y. Thomas is a nice read with a light taste of mystery added to the mix. Starris Gilmore is looking for steady employment so she can adopt Danielle Kathryn Carter, a beautiful little girl who was left on the doorsteps of an orphanage when she was just an infant. After leaving behind a verbal abusive marriage, Starris feels she has truly found peace and love with Danielle, which she affectionately calls Dani. Starris interviews for a position with ROBY headed by Jordan Banks, but is turned down. Though she is perfect for the job, she is left with seeking employment elsewhere to ensure that nothing stands in her way of adopting Dani.

Jordan Banks is executive director of ROBY, a mentoring and job opportunity program for young males from the inner city. Jordan is still recovering from a marriage gone bad from the very beginning. His ex-wife is found murdered by an unknown suspect, and he soon learns he has a daughter who was left in a home for children in Atlanta. After bringing his daughter Jolie Kathryn Banks home, he vows to himself that he will never love or trust another woman again. Starris and Jordan become more aware of each other when they both find out that their daughters are best friends. The sparks begin to fly and the girls begin plotting ways to bring their parents together. What stands out is the fact that the girls not only get along well as if they are sisters, but they look similar in features.

Leaving the suspense right there, you are in for a wonderful romantic and intense story about people who are afraid to love again; afraid to face their "demons" and move on; afraid to forgive and forget, and afraid to love each other. As Starris and Jordan soon learn and reveal through a plotting siniser employee working for ROBY, and who holds a key connection to the girls' past, their love is finally tested.

Ms. Thomas does a wonderful job of staging every detail of emotion that anyone could endure after being hurt and so afraid to try again. I especially enjoyed her character development of Jolie and Dani, they will make you relate and smile several times throughout the story. As that famous saying goes "out of the mouth of babes comes much wisdom." I also recommend that you read the author's note in the back of the book. You will learn that this storyline is very dear to Ms. Thomas. Thank you for making us understand and the continued awareness of parentless children needing to love and be loved. I highly recommend this for the romantic reader, you will not be disappointed. I applaud Ms. Thomas and graciously give Subtle Secrets a rating of 4.

Reviewed by Kalaani

I loved it! This was my first book written by Wanda Thomas, but it will definitely not be my last!! Ms. Thomas has not only been added to my book list, but her books have become some of the top priorities. "Subtle Secrets" is not only about the love of a man and woman, Jordan Banks and Starris Gilmore, but it is about love of family. Life has dealt some hard blows to both Jordan and Starris, but each has been blessed with the love of a child -- Jolie Kathryn Banks and Danielle "Dani" Kathryn Carter. Ironically their lives are entwined in more ways than one.
Starris first encounters Jordan at her friend's home. Then, later meets face to face when Starris applies for a much needed job at ROBY, where Jordan is the director. From there, they discover that their daughters are best friends. Starris and Jordan's relationship at first is bumpy, but soon the bumps began to smooth out as they are constantly thrown together and can no longer deny their mutual feelings.
"Subtle Secrets" also gives the reader insight into the welfare adoption system. Dani may not be Starris' biological daughter, but Starris has all the love for Dani that a natural mother would have for her child. Dani's and Jolie's lives are entwined with similarities that cannot be ignored. They both were abandoned as infants at an orphanage. However, Jolie was blessed with the love of her father, Jordan, and his wonderful family. Dani was not so blessed until Starris came into her life, then all the love that Dani has kept bottled inside came pouring out to the only mother she had ever known - Starris.
"Subtle Secrets" is a touching, heartwarming, loving story about family, faith, trust, and caring. It's also about overcoming lack of trust and the old hurts from the past. Not only are the adults affected, but the children are also embroiled in old wounds from the past. However, true love will outweigh all ills and bring new joy.
Great read and I look forward to reading the other books written by Ms. Thomas. My next one to read will be Shelby's and Nelson's story, "Truly Inseparable."

This is my second book by the author Wanda Thomas. I love the way she writes a love story and also inform you about life matters. Her latest novel involves Starris Gilmore and Jordan Banks.

Starris has come from a terrible marriage and believes that she is unlovable to a man. Her ex-husband got a kick out of abusing her emotionally in front of their guest. In the process of healing she volunteered to help children. This is where she met a little girl that she now wants to adopt. In order to adopt she must have stable employment.

When Starris walks into Jordan's office for a job interview he knew that he could not hire her because he was sexually attracted to her.

Jordan has also come through a bad marriage. Jordan learns of a daughter that he didn't know he had until after his ex-wife is murdered. He vows never to give his love to another woman again. But once his path crosses with Starris, he vow is tested.

Will they get together? I love the way the author has all the characters playing a big part in telling this story. The girls were very funny in their schemes to get their parents together.

You will truly love this page turning story. I hope to see a story on Jordan's sister.

John Gardner wrote many good works, the Sunlight Dialogues being by far the best. In it he captures the range of hope and anxiety that made the 1960s such a thrilling and tormenting time to be alive. Using the small town of Batavia, New York, Gardner plunges the reader into the life of a prodigal son of the most prestigious family in town and that of the dedicated police chief. And do the intellectural sparks fly! The illustrations by John Napper are reminescent of those from the Yellow Book in the 1890s, by Aubrey Beardsley. There is a lot of subtle humor ("take a gun of, say, x caliber...") as well as dead-on observation of what makes people do outrageous things for perfectly logical reasons.
It's a roller coaster of a novel, so hang on and enjoy the ride. You might even want to go back for a second trip. I did.

The Sunlight Dialogues_ is truly John Gardner's magnum opus, equaling and perhaps overshadowing _Grendel_, the book for which he is best known.

Grossly over-simplified, it is about the tide of discontent and change that came about in the 1960s, exemplified in the stories of a handful of people who live in the small New York town of Batavia. All of these characters' stories occur at roughly the same moment, and to a certain degree overlap each other; they all come into contact with one another at some point during the novel, and may even influence each other, but every member of the book's huge cast has his or her own story and denouement.

The primary one of these stories is the one that concerns Police Chief Fred Clumly and a haggard, maniacal drifter known as "the Sunlight Man", and the happenings of this particular storyline are the catalysts for the rest of the stories. "The Sunlight Man", whom we later find out is Taggert Hodge, the black sheep of the wealthy and powerful family the members of whom comprise roughly half the other characters in the novel, is the one who sets all of these denouements into motion with his seminal return to his hometown as a magician, hippie, murderer, and poet. His has been a life of disillusionment, loss, betrayal and unattainable wants, and he returns to Batavia to set into motion a sort of romantically juvenile plot to take revenge on the world and to mewl out his disappointment with the way things are, the latter of which he does through Fred Clumly(thus is the origin of the title.)

Gardner is remarkably adept at character development; Taggert Hodge, Walter Benson and Fred Clumly are among the best painted characters of fiction I know of. The author has a gift for articulating neuroses and flaws of characters, from miniscule ticks in their everyday behavior to major personality faults. And with a cast of roughly eleven major characters, making each and every one entirely unique in their drives and hamartias is no task to be scoffed at. However, the ability of John Gardner's I perhaps envy the most is that of taking a very normal, even pretty environmental setting, and turning it nightmarish and haunting. In the novel, the dense forests and century-old barns of Batavia are made into artifacts and ruins of an almost Lovecraftian caliber of queerness, and yet it does not serve to displace the small New York town from the realm of believable reality, but rather forces you to evaluate your reality on the same dark and weird basis as his authorial voice.

The sheer scope of the novel (that of several stories cycloning around a unifying theme and plot catalyst) at times threatens to tear it apart, however; the reader at times is left wondering why the author has switched point of views when the scenario he was describing previously had yet to be resolved. This is a mere annoyance, however, and is not really something for which I believe the novel should be faulted, for the rewards of its pages are vast ones.

Due perhaps to its relatively young age, it has yet to receive the proper "classic" status it so rightly deserves, and, sadly, it may never, for "Grendel" seems to be John Gardner's only remembered and widely read work, and is perpetually overshadowing the rest of the author's material, most of which are just as powerful and memorable as tale of Beowulf's tragic nemesis. In fact, some may even be better, as I propose The Sunlight Dialogues is, but until the higher-ups at Norton and the like get around to looking at this master of fiction as a master should, I advise any and all of the people reading this to purchase this book from whatever obscure publisher it has currently been tossed to.

Back in the 70s, I became fascinated with John Gardner, starting with The Wreckage of Agathon and Grendel. When The Sunlight Dialogues came out, I was hooked. I picked up a paperback copy and just fell into the story. After that, each new Gardner was purchased in hardcover, which I could ill afford back then.

About 10 years ago, I tracked down a fine condition copy of TSG and re-read it. Bad move, though, donating the paperback to the library.

I welcomed the arrival of a new trade paperback edition of the novel, and of one or two others by Gardner until I actually had the opportunity to hold them. The reprints were done without the original illustrations, which are integral to the books. Unbelievable!

For old times sake, I bought a used Ballantine paperback copy and am re-reading it. I have no intention of buying this new edition.

So, five stars for Gardner and the book, with a one-star demerit for this compromised reprint. The new introduction doesn't add much to the book.

I recently met a recent graduate of the State University of New York: Binghamton, an English major. He had never heard of John Gardner, author of the one American post WWII novel that stands comparision in scope and quality, if not import, with Middlemarch.

This novel is unabashedly symbolic, it's many characters each representing the dichotomies of order/chaos, love/hatefulness, light/darkness. But don't think that the work is heavy handed or didactic because of the obviously metaphorical quality. Rather, it is like other great metafiction, the reading of which is akin to entering a complex microcosm, and best of all, having a bird's eye view into the lives and minds of all the many characters. The multiplicity of narratives, some dramatic, others hilariously banal, is nearly perfectly balanced so that when one character might get tiresome, we are transported into another new and fascinating life. Most impressively, all these narratives are eventually woven together in perfect and beautiful harmony. Once you enter this work, you will not want to stop. I don't advice reading this unless you have some free time, otherwise all your other responsibilities will suffer.

This book show individuals that we are all rich, even in the most ordinary ways.

This book brings tears to my eyes. It reminds me of the benefits of living surrounded by nature and does it in a fun way (through a child's eyes while she's learning the monetary "value" of her life from her parents). I gave this as a gift to several close friends because the message is truly beautiful.

The young girl in this story doesn't notice that her family is rich. I think her family is rich because they get to sit under the stars so shiney at night and there is always a shining start of the day in the morning and they get to watch nature grow and on having a family right there for her. And that's how I think she is rich.
Malia... age9

I love this book. It was an amazing story. I liked how they called the girl Mountain Girl. But the one thing that I didn't understand is how the parents thought they were rich. But then at the end of the story I understood. It was nature that made them rich. It was priceless...and that made them all special people sitting at their table.
Samantha Morgans..age 10...Parker colo.

The Table Where Rich People Sit touched my heart. It made me realize that I have more riches than I knew. Simple riches like the colors of Autumn. Mountain Girl didn't understand about her riches either. But by the end of the story she knew that nature and family were the best kind of riches. Read this book so you can realize what your riches are, too.
Brielle age 9 parker, colo.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a compilation of many stories that have to do with a girl named Nancy in the land of Cunburra. I was completely astonished that the characters were so well developed. The author introduces various characters separately and uses them in different stories, allowing you to actually visualize them in your mind and really get to know them. She has such a way with words that her book is both enjoyable and spiritual. I could barely put the book down, wanting to know more about Cunburra and the people living there and their dilemmas concerning the battles between good and evil (God and Satan). One aspect my children enjoyed was the animals in the story. They have a human-like quality to them. Nancy always seems to take care of them and treat them with kindness. This is a good lesson for any children who read this book. The author's imagination is quite active and completely captivates the reader, leaving you wanting to know more about each character. I would definitely recommend purchasing this book to anyone, regardless of their age.

This book is great for anyone who loves exciting adventures. I have read this book all the way through and re-read my favorite stories several times. Up On Shadow Hill is about two horses who are love but they get separated and go through lots of adventures before they find each other again. I recommend this book for all ages

I couldn't belive it was Kara writing this book. It seemed as though some older author had wrote it. That was how good it was. I loved it!!!!!

Great book. I just bought a second one as a gift for a cousin who has gone through similar life experiences as the author.

As a member of the same home-school group as Kara, I was able to buy a copy from Kara herself and have it autographed . I admired Kara for surviving extensive cancer in her arm, but my admiration grew steadily after I read her book. Being a fan of fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories. The symbolism is remarkable and very in-depth considering how old she was when she wrote it. The characters are well-developed and each chapter you read increases your amazement that one so young could write so well. The book is also full of Kara's illustrations, which add a visual to the already extensively developed character. Overall, I would highly recommend Tales Of Cunburra And Other Stories to anyone of any age. Younger children especially will enjoy the tales, and adults will love Kara's deep insight in her other stories.

The book held me in suspense the entire time I was reading it!
I could not put the book down because I awaited the next day until I again read without any interruptions. When I finally reached the end of the book, I was pleasentely surprised and was delighted with the ending. I can not wait until this local author publishes another great story!!

Tavern Tales is an engaging book filled with fantasies that take you away from the realities of modern life. All were enjoyable, but The Wraith's Forest by Judith Leger by far my favorite. Through her smooth writing style, Judith made Keely's sheer terror palpable and turned her fear into compassion.

Tavern Tales has some very good stories in it about fantasy. Some of them are hard to read. The Wraith's Forest on the other hand was a very good story. Judith Leger drew you into the story with the first few paragraphs and held you there until the last word. The was a story I could not put down I had to continue reading to find out what was going to happen next. The only regret I have about the story is that I did not want it to end.

So beautifully described with every intricate detail I felt as if it were me and not "Keely" who crept throughout the woods trying to outstep the Wraith in the opening pages of "The Wraith's Forest" by Judith Leger.
As we may all at times bear resentment to tasks and responsibilities, Keely soon learns that such sour thoughts seal the fate of the harvest and thereby affecting so many lives all around her.....including her very own.

What's in a name? Thorugh events in the story Keely is taken into the Wraith's intimate circle where she not only learns of his given name "Seth" but also that he was forsaken by his father for the betterment of his people and somewhere along the way forgotten...To sacrifice for so many and recieve not an ounce of recognition is a difficult path to follow even when one has no choice....the author expertly lays out how sadness turns to resentment resulting in isolation for the one protector of the tree while creatively using her heroine's character to set this troubled soul free through a tiltilating climax while also saving her village.
Touched by his curse and driven by unknown feelings, Keely helps Seth to put an end to his life of imprisonment as well as setting her own heart free.
As with the entire story, the last few pages of this entry were so creatively written I could hear the gates rising and smell the fresh coat of white paint as it was revealed through the author's vision.

Judith Leger wrote a terrific story. It holds your attention from the first word to the last word. You feel drawn in to the characters, you can feel for them and the conflicts they are going through.