One The Books

Have you ever wanted to read a good romance with a little tragdey mixed in that will knock your socks off? Well, "Reach for Tomorrow " will by Lurlene McDaniel does just that. The main character in this book is Katie O'Roark. Katie is a college student with an athletic scholarship. She has recentally had a heart transplant.Which has changed her life dramatically.During her summers she attends the Jenny House.The Jenny House is a camp for kids with medical problems to go relax and meet people with the same problems. One summer Katie recieved a letter from The Jenny House. She was thrilled to know she was choosen to be a counselor. Along with some of her friend from the former years she has attened The Jenny House. Last year The Jenny House was burned dwom due to a fire. Katie was excited to know it was being rebuilt. Katie's ex-boyfreind, Josh Martel also is going to be a counselor. Being around Josh brings back so many memories and emothions that Katie just can't handle.

This book revels flashback and realistic detail. Some of the flashbacks that are mentioned are of when Katie was in the hospital and when her and Josh was still together.The realistic detail is amazing. For example, when Eric and Meg go for a canoe ride together the author gives details on everyhting surrounding then and what they do exactly. Also, the author uses a lot of humor in the book. Such as whe nthey have a tug-a-war challenge and the girls lose.They get pulled into a mudd puddle and Lacey says, " I've always wandered what i'd look like as a brunette.

This book is a really good book to read. When I started reading this book I didn't want to put it down. It shows realationships and friendships. If I had'nt read this book and someone had just told me about it I would read it in a heartbeat. That says a lot because i'm not one to read that much. So therefore, this book is a great book for romance and tradgey.

I really loved thsi book. Especially how all the characters from the other stories get together. The scenes with Josh and Katie were heart-breaking and wonderful at the same time. And if you want to know what ahppens between Katie and Josh once the summer's over, you gotta read this book!

Ok.....i have read all of the One Last Wish books and this one by far is the greatest!! Katie and Josh's ending was fantastic...i think Lurlene McDaniel should write more of the OLW books about Katie and Josh's future together...and Lacey and Jeff and Meg and Morgan. The book does leave you at a loss with what happend to Meg and Morgan, Jeff and Lacey, Eric, and Chelsea..it would be great to find out what happens to eveyone. I loved all of the other OLW books too! I couldn't put any of these books down they were great. And Lurlene McDaniel should defiantly write more books about OLW and Jenny House!!!

I really like romance novels. The way Lurlene McDaniel explains the character's emotions is unbeliveable! My favorite book by Lurene McDaniel is "Reach for Tomorrow," the second in this McDaniel series. It is about a girl named Katie and she goes to a camp where sick kids go to have fun. Katie meets up with a bunch of friends including her ex-boyfriend,Josh. When they saw eachother, they freaked out. Then she found out that he has been in an accadent and they didn't know if he was going to live. She and all the campers are all worried. She goes down to the chapel and prays for him. A couple of weeks later they got married in the chapel. Katie's favorite camper,Sara, was supposed to be in the wedding but....If you want to know what happens, read "Reach for Tomarrow." I really like the book "Telling Christina Goodbye," also by Lurlene McDaniel.

in my opinion, Reach For Tomorrow is Lurlene McDaniel's best book.It was great how she put in Eric, Megan, Sarah, and Morgan from the other one last wish books. The only OWL character missing was Dani from Mourning Song. I hope Lurlene writes a sequel that describes what happens to Josh and katie now that they're married, if meg and morgan stay together, and what happens to the other characters. YOU GOTTA READ ABOUT THIS FABULOUS JENNY HOUSE REUNION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My father, a well-intentioned school teacher who never met any situation that couldn't be turned into an object lesson, gave me this book to read when I was 14. There was no preamble, just, "Here." To this day I remember several passages in horrific detail, so I can safely say that the writing was clear, effective, and moving.

I somehow doubt my Dad thought I was going to become a child abuser someday, but this book certainly fixed in my mind the horror that a child can endure at the hands of adults and I believe in my heart that I would never do anything like this to a child. I don't know if it could have that effect on everyone, but perhaps it should be assigned reading--it certainly couldn't hurt to try.

I'm in the Navy. I'm 32 years old with a 3-year-old girl. I think I read this book about a year ago and it touches me every day. I think about it all the time. I picture Ursula, I pray for her, I pray to God she's with him. I look at my little girl with her long, blond locks and think that in around two years she will be Ursula's age. It breaks my heart to know she is learning the alphabet as Ursula did. It causes me to cringe deep down to imagine such an innocent, lovely creature such as a small child would endure torture at the hands of those she was supposed to be loved by and who should have cared for her. The truth is that I finished it in spurts, crying and yelling at the bathroom ceiling when my husband was at work and my daughter at preschool, the only time I could find to devote to little Ursula's story. I see her picture in my mind's eye. I have a BS in Business Admin, and not in Social Work, but I hope to retire from the military someday and find my place in the world helping children instead of residing in the business world, as I had previously planned. I owe it to Ursula, and I owe it to my little girl so I can help her see that people should care for each other and try to make a difference.

How can you read this book and NOT feel compelled to help a child who is suffering...? Children can't protect themselves. Even as strict as our laws are, we need them to address, above all, crimes against children as the most heinous of our society. Protection of all children should be our #1 priority. It's the only way to make our future bright.

I read this book and it took me about a week!! Why??? Because everytime I started to read it the tears just started flowing! It is unthinkable what this poor child went through. I cannot even imagine what the mother was thinking or should I say "monster" because she is by NO means a mother! I can just feel for this little girl, she was so wanting to please her monster to no avail. Right up to the end thats all she wanted to do. HOW can people do THIS??? There is barely a day when I don't think about Ursula and wish SOMEONE had done SOMETHING to stop this! To me it's ridiculous how people can just ignore it or not see it. This world just gets worse day by day. For you URSULA I say the world is cruel. I love you!

I grew up and still live in Central Florida and when this book came out, it was required reading in high school. I will never forget how the book made me feel. It's a very hard book to read and has many emotions all wrapped up into such a small package. I highly recommend this book. It's basically the authors recreating the last days of this little girls life.

This book is the true story of a woman who allowed a live in boyfriend to abuse her child - to death. It shows also how many people the child tried to reach out to (next door neighbors) and how many people witnessed her suffering (doctors, teachers) and did not do anything. It is a horrifying account of a man's desire to control a child's behavior through evil and dehumanizing tactics. Children need to be understood. It is wrong to expect behaviors from children beyond their years, comprehension, abilities. This little girl was a normal child with normal behaviors, and unfortunately her mom chose someone to be with that was unable and unwilling to cope with having a little girl around. It is tragic. Please read it.

This is without a doubt the worst collection of science fiction stories - and the most wretchedly written - that I have ever encountered.

Who the hell are these people who have collectively given this book a five star rating? I suppose they must be members of the editor's extended family.

This book is an amazing read and a must for all sci-fi fans and a possible entry into the genre for the uninitiated. The stories were selected by the science fiction writers of America and represent the stories they feel have shaped science fiction from the 1920s-1960s. Some of these are classics that the average person may have come across in high school english class, like 'Flowers for Algernon', while others are relatively unknown to today's average sci-fi reader.
If you are a sci-fi fan and haven't read the stories contained in this book, then you owe it to yourself to either buy this book or borrow it from your library, because these stories have laid the foundation for all the sci-fi that has followed. If you want to get your teenager into reading, buy them this book...the stories are short, but they are extremely enjoyable which makes it great for teenagers.

This book, Volume 1, is well worth getting. The stories are the best and many are classics.

I was new to some of these stories. And I was sorry I had not read them years before.Since they date back to the 1950s in many cases, you would think they would seem dated. And some are...but there are so many gems that are worth reading, and reading again. They have aged well. What is a good yarn, written well, will never go out of style.

This is a great book, if you are a sci fi fan. The vendor was first rate. The book arrived quickly and in excellent condition. There are some true sci fi classics in this volume, and the authors from the "Golden Era" of Sci Fi are all represented here. I intend to keep this book on my shelf forever.
Myron

This book is better then we hoped for. We both enjoy taking turns reading it right before we go to bed and we end up discussing and laughing at the way this book is written. Instead of saying stuff like, int he begining of a relationship it says, as you step onto the playing field..
It also has alot of sport quizes...Just wonderful!

This book is an incredible reference tool for the single, dating and married crowd. It's a rare combination of celebrating your uniqueness and understanding your partner, date or just you and how you think, feel and act and why as well as what is behind the behavior.

This author has merged football (and I am one of the men who doesn't like football, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it doesn't go over the top and I didn't feel like someone was being condescending to me because I know nothing about football and neither does my wife, who by the way was the one who purchased the book for me to read and I had no intention of reading it at least while she was around. I did read it and I am glad that I made the effort because it was no effort.)

This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good book even if they aren't in need of relational help. The new, fresh and unique spin on what can be common sense and other ideas that were presented were utterly new to myself and my wife, are a great gift to the world. Enjoy, purchase and read you won't be sorry for the little time and little effort you put into this book. I would give this book 100 stars, but five is the highest.

Winning Points with the Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time by Jaci Rae is the best and only book I have ever seen that embraces men and does it with their interests in mind. I read this book cover to cover two times and found the information extremely useful and pertinent. It's fascinating and compelling, but most of all informative.

I got up early this morning and read the entire book before breakfast. Must say I was very impressed!!!! Jaci did a great job. The little "Fun Facts" were great. GOOD JOB!

Jaci's lived Love in a big way. She expresses her wisdom, experience & hope so that we can stay in the game - get back in the game! and play to win. Just like any game - Love comes with a team and rules of engagement. You've been doing it your way - are you up for a little conditioning - some big league coaching? Easy, clear, fun & constructive read. Thank you, Jaci!

I purchased the sandwich spreader and metal spatula. I paid twice what I would have paid anywhere else. They turned out to be junk. Both plastic handles separated from the metal parts within 9 months of the purchase.

I absolutely loved this book. Doris Christopher's ideas and humble beginnings are absolutely inspiring! She has built an amazing company and shares it for everyone to realize their own potential. Her basic no nonsense attitude towards life and her company are shared in this incredible story. I do not sell Pamperd Chef, but if I was not trying to build another direct sales business I know I would after reading this book!

I have been purchasing Pampered Chef products for over 16 years and my husband and I have always been huge fans. After many years of buying from someone else, I decided to give it a try and then so did my husband. . . yes, we are both consultants because we believe so much in the products.

I signed up as a consultant a few days after the book was released and read it in one night! After reading the book I was more of a fan than ever. The story is very inspiring to anyone who wants to take the leap of faith in themselves and try to start their own business.

Doris' vision of having a business to earn extra money and still have time to raise her family is very much alive today as it was 25 years ago. The book takes you through the 25 years of her dream from where she started the business in her basement with $3,000 to being the founder a of multi-million dollar company with thousands of women and men who work with The Pampered Chef as hobbyist, part- and full-time consultants.

A must read for anyone who wants to be inspired to start their own business.

An interview with the author and her daughter, who grew up in the culinary business, supplements The Pampered Chef, a story of Doris Christopher, a former teacher and home economist who returns to the work world with a vision of making cooking more convenient for families. Selling high-quality kitchen tools through demo groups and growing her business, The Pampered Chef, from a basement enterprise to a successful franchise. A story of personal success comes alive in audio.

In 1980 author Doris Christopher, former home economist and teacher, wanted to return to the workforce after raising her children: she began selling high-quality kitchen tools through cooking demonstrations and began her company, The Pampered Chef, from her basement. Twenty-five years later it's a corporation specializing in kitchen shows - and The Pampered Chef: The Story Of One Of America's Most Beloved Companies tells of how she became a culinary industry success. Insights on how the company expanded and handled its challenges provide entrepreneurs and cooks alike with much inspiration.

I have read many books on combat in Vietnam, but not one compares to Low Level Hell. Hugh Mills writes much like he talks -- with a rare combination of wit and wisdom that makes you want to say "tell me more!" I eagerly await his next book.

Very, very good book. Gave me a good idea as to what my father might have went through as a scout pilot flying the OH-6 with the 2/11th A.C.R. Blackhorse in Vietnam.

I recently read Low Level Hell, and I want to say it was one of the best books I've ever read!! Hugh does a great job of captivating the reader from the first chapter to the very end. Every chapter has you on the edge of your seat, taking you through the drama of fighting in Vietnam. I honestly felt as if I was flying with him! At times I was howling in laughter and others crying at the loss of fellow officers. Hugh's last chapter sent chills down my spine. I honestly cannot think of a better read on one man's experience in Vietnam. Great job Hugh!

Angie Chirnside

absolutely a must read if you love flying helicpoters and enjoy the action of combat flying in the nam....could not put it down...scout pilot flying in vietnam had to be the most intense and insane mission that one could imagine...loved every minute of this read.

I was a Crew Chief on an OH-6A and sat behind my pilot each and every time the aircraft left the ground. We flew many a mission for Captain Mills and you will not find a truer account of the life of an Aero Scout Pilot and his Crew Chief as you will in his book Low Level Hell. He was there, we were there, and when you read the book YOU will be there! An excellent account of what we went through in Vietnam.

The art style is ugly and (usually) unrealistic, but at least it's unique. This is a very original manga; the author obviously has a great gift for storytelling. It's worth the buy.

Monkey D. Luffy wants to be King of the Pirates. He has always had this dream, from when he was a kid, and now he is off on a small boat armed with a large heart and a rubber body. Yes, a rubber boy. You see, he ate the fruit of the gum-gum tree which turned him into a boy of rubber. And now he must go forth, fighting pirates and the law, to find the One Piece, the greatest treasure in the world. The problem is nobody knows where it it and he has no training in navigation.

Hehe... this is one of the most awsome mangas ever. Its about a little boy who wants to become a pirate. His hero is shanks and fights several enmey who are powerful... buggy, captain kuro, arlong, krieg, crocodile, mr 1-5, lucci, and enel...( i may have forgot some.) Anyways, he finds new abilities and funny ways to fight enemy pirates... BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

One piece is one of the most popular Shonen Jump mangas, and Eiichiro Oda is still managing to make new volumes of the series. After re-reading this volume, I have came to the conclusion that this is a series that I want to be a fan of. Everything was well plotted. Luffy reminds me a little bit of the young Goku of Dragon Ball. There is quite a bit of humor, but it didn't really make me laugh. It did, however, make the scenes better.

Luffy wants to be the king of pirates, and he has to get the treasure of One Piece. But first, he must get a crew. This is where Zoro comes in. A bounty hunter arrested for saving a little girl from Captain Morgan of the Navy's son's dogs. After Zoro joins the crew, Zoro saves a shipwrecked crew of Captain Buggy, who is also a rubber man. Did I mention that Luffy ate the devil's fruit and now he's like rubber? No? Whatever.

This is an excellent volume. It's one of the best Shonen Manga up to date, but probably not the best. The scenes are better than those dry, desert lands like Trigun. There is humor, and it moves pretty fast paced except when Luffy tries to rescue Zoro and does.

Eiichiro Oda, One Piece: Romance Dawn (ViZ, 1997)

Now, come on, what can be cooler than pirates? Oda kicks off his popular manga series in a way that kind of surprises me: we get the backstory of Monkey D. Luffy, King of the Pirates, before we actually get to the plot. (Well, okay, there's a page or two that sets up the hidden trasure for which the series is named.) A truly pleasant surprise, that-- a manga that actually goes in chronological order! Romance Dawn is the story of how Luffy became a pirate in the first place, his amusing beginnings with his first boat, and the recruiting of his first partner (Zoro). If you've been watching One Piece on Cartoon Network, it's definitely worth digging into the manga-- especially if you wandered in halfway through, like I did. *** ½

I'm writing this as the mother of an adopted Ethiopian child- I bought this book after a random search and it has been the most valuable book of our whole adoption journey. It's loaded with helpful background info on the AIDS & Orphan crises in Ethiopia, history of Ethiopia, insight into the cultural perceptions of adoption (especially by affluent, white Westerners!) and the very moving perspectives of the orphans themselves, and their Ethiopian caretakers. The heroine of this story is very real, and her character development was deep and insightful. I laid the book down several times to have a good laugh (or cry!) but could hardly keep from turning the pages. Whether you are adopting yourself, supporting someone who is, or just interested in learning more about Ethiopia and this heroine's story, I know you will come away inspired.

Author Melissa Fay Greene, who is the adoptive mother of two Ethiopian children, relates the story of Haregewoin Teferra, an Ethiopian mother who becomes the foster mother for a multitude of AIDS orphans during the height of the pandemic. Greene truthfully tells the tale without painting Teferra as a "modern day Mother Teresa," but rather as a very real and human woman who is asked by clerics to take in one abandoned orphan after another. A grieving mother whose adult daughter died from AIDS, Teferra discovers that helping the children provides her with a means of overcoming her grief. The individual stories of these "lost children" who arrive on Teferra's doorstep are riveting, as is Greene's account of the assimilation of her adoptive children into her family. Accompanying photos show children shortly after they arrived in very bad shape at Treferra's compound and then later with adoptive American families.
Greene spares no one as she rails against the pharmaceutical companies that withheld AIDS medications from third-world countries at the height of the pandemic, causing the loss of a whole generation of parents. Despite having no drugs to help the children, hit-or-miss medical care, and scarce food for all, Teferra does her best to feed, clothe, house, and educate the orphans put in her care. Although one might think that this book is a "downer," it is a very uplifting page-turner that relates the indominable spirit of one Ethiopian woman and her many foster children.

Melissa Faye Green is an excellent writer. She is a true artist painting a vivid picture of scenes, and weaving historical, political and social aspects of the deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is an incredibly powerful book. It is not easy to read due to the difficult emotional toll it can take on one, but I felt morally obligated to read it, so that I wasn't just shutting out the devastating misery suffered by so many millions. She portrays the human face of this awful disease with poignancy. It is an inspiring and human story of one woman's efforts to alleviate her own and others suffering. God bless Melissa for opening our eyes.

This was a wonderful book! Having myself been to Addis Ababa recently (July 07) with my daughter to pick up her adopted Ethiopian baby boy (4 months old), you can just imagine how this story of one woman's love for so many orphans resonated with me. The book is a quick read -- something interesting in every chapter. The author intertwined Haregewoin's up and down story with bits of Ethiopian history and the unwinding spread and theories of HIV-AIDs plus added her own experience with H. and the adoption her own Ethiopian children -- which made the reader come away with a true cultural experience. H. is truly a "Mother Theresa" figure and an inspiration to all women. Thank you, Melissa, for introducing us to her. I really enjoyed having the photos of many of the children and their adoptive families to relate to. I will be sure that my daughter reads this book and I have suggested it to my book club in Boulder, CO which will read it in the fall. -- Gayle Weiss

I like what the story is about, however the book has so much detail it is hard to get through the first chapters.

Ms. Johnson's book, The Alley of Wishes deserves five stars for her character development, story line and romantic drama and an additional five stars for her poetic writing style which totally engages the reader in this most poignant story of two people broken by war and life. I read Ms. Johnson's Grass Dance several years ago and hoped there would be more wonderful prose coming from this exceptionally talented writer. I wasn't disappointed and you won't be either.

It isn't often that readers fall in love with a book's protagonist before reading chapter one, but that was the case for me with Beck Sanow in THE ALLEY OF WISHES. The author's description in the book's dedication of how Beck came to be in her imagination was enough to establish a permanent place for him in my heart, and he never once disappointed me throughout the story.

The story of Beck and his wounded French songbird Cerise is written in Laurel Johnson's poetic style that reads like a sonnet to her readers. Theirs is a love that transcends the horrors of war, the savagery of evil men, and the debilitating sorrow of losing a piece of one's heart. The amazing thing is how the reader is left with an enduring sense of hope and joy even after enduring so much heartache with the characters, and that can be attributed to the author's gift for lyrical storytelling.

My only complaint is that Beck's parents and their own love story aren't introduced until near the book's end, because I wanted to experience it firsthand as I did their son's. I guess I'll have to hope for a prequel as well as a sequel to this unforgettable book.

The Alley Of Wishes is just one of those books you never want to end! I loved everything about this story and think most readers will agree with me! Buy it today. You'll be glad you did!

A friend gave me her copy of "The Alley of Wishes," to take along with me on my flight overseas. Reading this wonderful story made the long flight seems like only moments in the air. I loved this story and am thrilled to have found a new writer that I enjoy and will now go in search of more books by Ms. Johnson.

Laurel Johnson, is a beautiful woman as well as a beautiful writer...SUCH A TALENT! ~ I have been a fan of this fantastic writer since her first book, "Grass Dance." Ms. Johnson has a way with words that make her stories come alive...so alive in fact that the characters she writes about seem to jump out of the book and come to life in front of the readers eyes. "The Alley of Wishes," by super-writer Laurel Johnson is a book I know you won't want to miss...not in this lifetime anyway! (Highest Recommendation!)

V~

This book is absolutely hysterical, especially for teachers like me! Done paints the picture of what it is really like to be in our profession; it's truthful, yet inspiring. I found myself saying, "That is so true!" aloud almost every page. It's perfect to take to the pool or beach for a quick, entertaining read!

Phillip Done portrays life as a teacher in a humorous, enjoyable manner. His writing style is engaging and easy to read. As a teacher, it's easy to relate to many of the stories he shares. I enjoyed the book so much, I bought a copy to share with my co-workers. A fun, must-read for all teachers dedicated to the task of helping children build upon their self-esteem as well as grow academically.

As a third grade teacher I just want to say that Mr. Done has put my classroom into words-thank you, it makes me feel good to know that all third grade teachers are in the same boat, and enjoying the ride....most of the time.

If you want to laugh until you cry, then read this book! Phillip Done captures all the joys of teaching and expresses it in a way that is hilarious. As I tried to share passages with my family, I couldn't get it out because I was laughing so hard. Anyone who has taught or is starting their first year of teaching should definitely read this. You will be truly inspired!

If you teach, this is a MUST read!