Arizona Books

Living in Australia, planning a road trip around the Southwest is not an easy consideration. I received this book and suddenly the Southwest was withing smelling distance. The reading is easy and expressive. I have a clear idea of where I will go and what I will do. No matter if I were travelling with children or on my own, I'd be clear about what is available to me. This will be the trip of a lifetime and this sensational book is a catalyst for my planning. Fully enjoyable, this book allows the magic of anticipation to grab me and give me colourful dreams.

This book was incredibly helpful to me. The maps are awesome. It's organized well. I hiked and did Route 66. The book was great for both. The table of contents is super accessible. Buy it and take it everywhere!

I have recently encountered poor Lonely Planet books, but this was not one of them. It is the good old LP at work.
The coverage of Las Vegas, however, was extremely poor. I spent there 24 hours and this book didn't have enough info for even that short of a trip. The rest is great.
The California LP had twice as much info on Las Vegas.

Does a very good job of covering a large area. This book exhibits the best of the Lonely Planet series: a combination of facts, interesting suggestions, opinion and background information. Good maps and graphics. I like that camping suggestions are included for many places.

I purchased this book before a recent visit to Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos. I lived in Albuquerque for 4 years about 6 years ago, but I hoped to find new insigts on places to eat, explore, etc. Basically the guidebook told me where not to go. It failed to mention some excellent restaurants in Albuquerque including The Dog House, Las Mananitas, Il Vicino, etc. In Santa Fe I attended a class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking which was a five star class - not mentioned in the guidebook. In Taos I visited a community of alternative homes constructed of tires and cement (earthships.com will explain more) - again not mentioned in the book. I did go to look at a ruin near Espanola that was recommended, but the reservation does not allow admittance.

I heard about this series on the Podcast "Security Now" with Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte. The book was a fun read - I appreciate how scientifically based it was; each aspect of space flight seemed well thought out and quite plausible. The story is also interesting and characters are fairly well developed.

McCollum does a very good job of telling a story. Has all the elements nessary to make you want to read it over and over.

I really enjoyed this book. This is straight science-fiction about the far future when humanity has colonized several star systems. There is some contact with an aggressive alien race. I enjoyed the fact that the book was more or less from the protagonists viewpoint and we did not get real insight into the Aliens. This made the aliens more... well... ALIEN!! The politics, the technology, the subplots were all believable, interesting, and enthralling. I couldn't put this book down!

I have found it hard to find good science fiction books. Ones that are more "hard science" than straight story telling, but still have an enjoyable story to tell. This is the second of McCollum's books I have read and they are both excellent. I found the concepts very interesting, and the story engrossing. In general, the book was very enjoyable to read. When I finished it, I couldn't stop myself from starting Antares Passage, despite the fact that it was 1:00am and I had to get up in the morning...

Antares Victory, the conclusion to the Antares Dawn/Antares Passage series was completed on July 4, 2002.

Michael McCollum
Sci Fi - Arizona

Diana Lively and the other characters are so real that this story could easily be a great comedy movie. Anyone who is looking for a fun, on the edge of your seat book will surely enjoy escaping into the humorous and poignant situations into which Diana falls.
Please write more about what happens to Diana and her family next...I feel as if I know them all so well. A sequel would be so welcome.
I can't wait for more from this author!

I've never posted a review before for any books, but I liked this book so much that I decided that this would have to be my first. The author develops the characters in the book so well that you feel like you know each one of them personally. The plot had tons of surprises and it kept me guessing right until the very end. I found this book in a bargain book store and I really didn't have high hopes for it, but once I started reading it, I was hooked!

Sheila writes in what some may call a new genre -- the fantasy novel...set in real-time her story is BIGGER THAN LIFE...Reminds this reviewer of a ver broad comedy-- kind or like HOLLYWOOD WIVES although this is a 'smaller' landscape. She moves from London to Arizona with her family and academic husband. He's a verbally abusive philanderer -- but she knew that already...what she doesn't know or doesn't 'feel' is that she is still a very talented architect and by a combo of circumstances and fates -- she's back in the limelight again. Her experience making doll-houses turns out to be valuable in helping to design a Medieval theme park in the desert....and the good news is that her fink husband gets his just desserts.....a lot outrageous, always fun and one of those great books to read if your man has done you wrong...GO GIRL...love to see a film made out of this...now who could play Diana??

I can't believe all these reviews. I think I'm on page 60-something, and I'm pretty sure I'll be putting this one down. Sheila Curran is a good writer, but the plot is stupid, and the characters I could care less about. I don't think I'll be wasting my time finishing this one.

I just finished this book and enjoyed it so much that I searched for more books by Curran! To my great disappointment, I found none.

I am an avid reader of all sorts of fiction but am really drawn to books about relationships, and especially the not-quite-right ones.

Specifically, what I most appreciated about this book was:

A) The author subtly revealed the true heart of each character, rather than make it glaringly obvious from page 1

B) The love the characters have for each other, which included sibling love & rivalry, but always loyalty

C) Sexual preferences which were not always what we assumed them to be and were treated with the utmost respect, not judgmentally

D) The way every "good" character in the book came upon information about the "bad" character bit by bit, but never passed on in a hurtful manner to the other "good" characters

E) How it all came together in the end, so that everyone really gets what they deserve.

I had to re-read the last several chapters because I flew through them so quickly the first time, impatient for more drama! I took the book once more and really took my time to get all the details which led to this book's most satisfying ending.

Good map,don't use it when you're lost and need detailed directions,but it gives good overview of the Grand Canyon and the hiking routes there.

Granted, most folks hiking in the GC will already be buying this, but I wanted to note that it's on a weird, thick, rubber-like paper that's waterproof. Very, very nice. I have no doubt that it will hold up well on the trail, which is more than I can say about some other maps I have.

This turned out to be a very useful map for planning our trip. I couldn't have asked for anything better, and so colorful and durable too.

This map is fantastic. I'm a visual person, and this map really makes Grand Canyon details clear. (I have two other top-selling Grand Canyon maps.) Only drawback: it is not like others in tough/tear-resistant aspect. I gave the map to my son for our hike to Grand Canyon, and he made a Kinko's color copy of it, then laminated the copy, thereby preserving the original. We used his copy constantly throughout our hike. Besides being a great map, this has tons of info packed into it.

I like this trail map. It's much better than National Geographic Road Guide to Grand Canyon National Park (NG Road Guides). This map is easier to read. There is a wealth of information on this map; it's almost a mini-guidebook.

What I like the best about the cartography it Kent Schulte's approach to 3D topo maps. Instead toe usual approach of using shading to light and shadow as if the sun were shining obliquely across the landscape, in this map they use shading to indicate elevation. In terrain as rugged as the Grand Canyon, this approach works better.

The book came and it was like new--maybe it was new. I thought it took a bit longer to get to me than usual, and, if so, it's no big deal

I look through thousands of books a year as a reseller, but I read about 2 books a year. This one got my attention because I have a son who is 1/2 Navajo. His mother suffered the same sort of fate as Yvette. "voluntarily" seperated from brothers and sisters at the age of 5, sent to Utah, a mom she has not met, alcohol, violence etc etc etc . . .

This book does a very good job of relating what rez life is really like, and gives a good insight into Navajo culture.

I am a classically stoic, but I had tears in my eyes all the way through this book. I encourage anyone who is interested in the journey of the Navajo to spend some time on the reservation. Drive around, meet the people. Western culture has a lot to learn from this society.

Read Ward Churchill's writings too, don't judge him by what the media has said about him.

This is an amazing and detailed story - and I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not read it - suffice it to say that 'discovering ones roots' is neither an easy nor a direct path to tread - the brave people who undertake this quest never cease to amaze me .......

Like many of the readers I couldn't put the book down until I read it from cover to cover. While reading the story I found out these people were my extended family! I know everyone mentioned in the book. As a youngster I remember the crusade of Aunt Desbah, Uncle John and others in finding the twins who were stolen as babies. I wept at the end when Yvette participated in the holy Hozhoji ceremony to be reunited with her birth place, family, culture, and environment. Very moving!

Aunt Betty, Yvette's biological mother lived a very brave life as she longed and searched everyday of her life wanting to be reunited with her twins. May God bless her soul.

Looking For Lost Bird:
A Jewish Woman Discovers Her Navajo Roots.
Yvette Melanson with Claire Safron
Bard Books. 233 pages. $22.00
By Elliot Fein

Looking For Lost Bird is a true story that is disturbing yet compelling. A Native American Navajo Indian woman gives birth on her reservation home in Arizona to twins, a girl and a boy. During their infancy, both children get sick. The mother takes the children to the nearest local hospital for a diagnosis.

Hospital staff members instruct her that they will need to keep the two children over night for observations. When the mother returns the next day, the children are gone. The hospital has no record that they were ever admitted.

The kidnapped infant children are each adopted in Florida by two different families. One of the families is a young Jewish couple that lives in a New York City suburb. Looking for Lost Bird is the story of the Navajo girl, Yvette Melanson, who is raised in that Jewish household.

As an adult, Melanson discovers her Navajo origins and searches for her family roots. She finds her family (minus her mother, who died of a broken heart grieving for two lost children) still living on the Navajo reservation in which she was born. At the age of forty-three, Melanson decides first to visit her birth family in Arizona, then to move there permanently with her husband and two children.

While adjusting to the reservation, Melanson learns and begins practicing the religion, culture, and way of life of her birth family. In this process, she abandons many of the Jewish cultural practices (but not necessarily Jewish values) in which she was raised.

Melanson's Jewish parents (particularly her mother) provide a loving and caring environment for their daughter. In Yvette's recollection of how she was raised, their warts do surface, particularly the shortcomings of her father. After her mother becomes ill and eventually dies during her teen years, the father changes into a different, less appealing character.

Melanson never reveals whether her Jewish parents knew about her Navajo origins. The reader is left to speculate whether the knowledge, if known by her Jewish parents that she was stolen from a Native American Indian family would have impacted their decision to adopt.

What is surprising in the telling of this life story is the absence of any form of anti-Semitism by the author. When Melanson writes critically about her mother and father, she writes about them as individuals. She does not associate her criticism of them with Judaism as a faith tradition.

On the reservation, when she begins taking on Native American Indian ways, Melanson naturally compares Navajo culture to Judaism. In this comparison, Melanson writes with respect, affection, and even admiration about the religious tradition in which she was raised.

Melanson tells her life story (with the help of Claire Safron) with compassion, humor, and eloquence.

I recently led a book club at my synagogue. A member of the club recommended that I read Looking for Lost Bird. After reading it, we immediately decided to include Looking for Lost Bird one of our featured selections. The book provides a great opportunity to learn about Navajo culture and to see how it compares to Judaism as a religious tradition. The book is also a true gift for adopted individuals, particularly native American Indians, seeking to uncover their past.

Elliot Fein teaches Jewish Studies in the Tarbut V'Torah School in Irvine.

In "Muisi's Story", an autobiography penned by Katsu Kiricho, the reader is treated to a glimpse of Tokugawa era Japan through the lens of a restless and rebellious samurai. This work reveals the other side of life in Edo (later Tokyo), which is far removed from the sanitized version found in history books and found on the pages of the sages and shogunate of that day. The fact that the country of Japan was in the midst of a prolonged period of peace and was united for over 200 years rendered the samurai dormant and lacking in enemies. So idleness became the enemy of some samurai and in this case the author Katsu.

In this setting, Katsu writes of his life and times. Living between the years of 1802 and 1850, Katsu was born into a samurai house, but at the age of seven was adopted into the home of another samurai family. And, from his earliest recollection, he exhibited a headstrong and confidently confrontational nature that would have served him well on the battlefield, but there were no battles to be fought. So, Katsu battled himself in an attempt to find meaning in life and to satisfy his insatiable appetite for adventure. And, in so doing, he broke from the traditional code of the samurai.

A contemporary of Katsu, Samurai Soshici composed a code for samurai to adhere to. In the code, he admonishes samurai to honor parents; honor superiors; maintain peace in the neighborhood; instruct descendants; be constant in your Way; and avoid bad behavior. Katsu broke all of these codes religiously. In fact, he stole from his family; disobeyed edicts; ran a protection racket; rarely mentioned his son; was never content in his Way; and frequented brothels like they were a Starbucks. Yet, somehow he seemed like a good guy.

And, in defense of his actions or a falling on his sword, Katsu reveals his rationale for his behavior and the purpose of his autobiography. Reflecting on his life, he argues in a thinly veiled fashion that although he was disenchanted with his achievements, it was not his fault, but instead he was merely a victim of his DNA. From his earliest recollections through his years of retirement, he was a man of action and adventure. Nevertheless, codes were broken and as a token of respect for these codes he changed his name in retirement from Katsu to Musui, which means, "besotted son." And, although he writes to admonish his grandchildren unto good behavior, more likely it was fashioned for the consumption of his son who was rising through the ranks.

In the last analysis, "Musui's Story" is an engaging view of the period and of the commonality of mankind. Moreover, the autobiography is an engaging glimpse of a man that is recognizable in his bold and restless ways. Even though we don't see this type of man often, they are the players that comprise urban legend.

Musui's Story is an autobiographical account of a low ranking samurai in the early 17th century and his station in life. Seen from the prologue and his after thoughts, he was sending a message "Live a better, more righteous life than mine. Learn from my mistakes and my experiences." The story was written from the perspective of a man who did not always do the right thing. If you are looking for a tale of a self-sacrificing, courageous, romanticized life of a great samurai warrior then this is not it. This is the life of a man who tried to survive by any means necessary in the Tokugawa period of Japan.

The life of a samurai is often considered a noble and respected one, but reading Musui's story will show you that there are always exceptions. This autobiography offers a unique glimpse into what would be a other wise unheard of life. Katsu Kokichi (Musui's younger name) wrote a biography of his life, but not as a work of literature. HE wrote this as a guide to his children, a guide on how not to live one's life. And considering how his son Rintaro turned out, it may have worked.

Early on in the book you get a sharp look at what kind of person Kokichi is. This made for a quite entertaining read due to the fact that Kokich led quite and interesting and perilous life. Hitting other kids with rocks, running away from home, and stealing money from family made up a substantial part of Kokich life.

It got so bad that at one point his family was forced to lock him in a cage for three years - some timeout. Aside from all the fighting and mischief, I found the most interesting part of this book was the times during which Kokich had run away from home. It was interesting to see the interaction Kokich had with the people he met during his travel and the measures that he took to stay alive and fed.

Overall I found the book enjoyable and easy to read. Being that it was an autobiography, I really enjoyed the perspective and insight on Kokichi's life that it offered.

Who writes an autobiography? Most people who write them are people of note, movers and shakers in their realms and time-periods, people with something to say. Rarely do we get to read the autobiography of a general loser, someone who is by no measure a good person, and someone completely beyond admiration. Welcome to Musui's world.

Musui, also know as Katsu Kokichi, was a low-ranking samurai and general good-for-nothing who never thought beyond his immediate needs, and did his best to attain something for nothing when ever possible. He started out bad, as a schoolyard bully who used his status as a samurai to push around lower-ranking kids. The older he got, the worse he got, and all means to control him or teach him respect failed, including his father locking him in a cage and forcing him to read classic military treatise. He was eventually adopted off into another family, which brought along with it a bride and a meager salary. It was never enough to keep up with his habit of visiting prostitutes in the Yoshiwara pleasure districts, so he was soon a leader amongst the black market, working with local extortionists and hoodlums, selling swords and working every possible kind of confidence racket.

Now, everything in this book should be taken with a grain of salt. Katsu was a grand liar with an enormous ego, who bluffed his way into money and out of trouble on a regular basis. His tales of his exemplary swordsmanship, his acts of kindness, his ability to drink bottle after bottle of sake without ever getting drunk, smacks as more wish-fulfillment than the true character of an unrepentant rouge. The translator, Teruko Craig, has added some notes on the accuracy of Katsu's tales, and surprisingly some of the most fantastic adventures are backed up by other sources. I suppose it is up to the reader to determine what is fact and what is fiction.

Teruko Craig has worked a minor miracle with this translation. Because of Katsu's sketchy literacy, and limited vocabulary, he has had to pull out all the stops in making a readable text that still maintains the flavor of Katsu's way of writing. The result is a very enjoyable, readable book that brings a nice balance to the world of the samurai. We have all read of the honor and integrity. It is nice to have some of the Low along with the High.

During the 1840s in Japan, Katsu Kokichi wrote his own life story in this book, which was translated into English by Teruko Craig. During the late period of the Tokugawa era, Katsu Kokichi came from a lower-class samurai family with a stipend of 100 koku of rice. Katsu became a rebel child during his earlier life and he has run into trouble numerous times throughout his lifetime. There are nine chapters in this book with the addition of Craig's introduction in which he gives the historical background of Katsu. Through the book, there is a moral insight on why samurai declined in the mid-1800s. By looking at Katsu's life and his surroundings in Tokugawa Japan, the role of samurai, how Katsu broke the code of samurai, why he behaved in dishonorable ways, and three small evidences for the decline of a samurai is analyzed.

The role model of a samurai was to be on his best behavior, not commit any acts of crimes which would disgrace his lord or his family, and to show his loyalty to his shogun and to his emperor. The samurai would set an example for his offspring or for his students in which they would soon become better samurai and honorable warriors. The son of a samurai would go to school to take lessons to be an educated swordsman and a skilled horse rider. In Katsu's book, the commoners or a fellow samurai had respected, honored, and treated Katsu family fairly as a samurai after he became known for helping out a few people in the critical situations, which was part of a samurai's honorable ways. But, whether samurai does something unwise or disgraceful in his own personal time, he not only dishonored himself but to his entire family house. This is what happened with Katsu when he broke the code.

With Katsu's lifestyle, breaking the code of a samurai is contemplated. Katsu's own lifestyle is different from other samurais because he had behaved badly and acts in an irresponsible way, as evident in this book. Judging from his actions and misdeeds, Katsu had cheated to get what he wanted. And, by judging his actions as a child would explained why he behaved in such dishonorable ways since he had shown that he does not want to learn his lessons at school and wanted to "have fun." Because he had issues at home and at school, Katsu developed a hatred and anger toward his fellow samurais and started getting into fights with them, which was not part of true lifestyle of a samurai. In some aspects of Katsu's behavior, he thought he was better than other samurais and became ignorant and shallow, which may have led to his failure of becoming a true honorable samurai and why he failed to hold government office post during his adult years.

Through Katsu's experiences in this book, there were three notable evidences which may have led the samurai class to decline in the mid-19th century. These evidences included he wealth of the samurai, the tax money, and the corruption between the samurai and the peasants. When one analyzed these evidences in this book, one would noticed why this is so.

The role of samurai, how Katsu broke the code of samurai, why he behaved in a dishonor ways, and the evidences of samurai's decline through Katsu's experiences is expressed very well in this book. The experiences of Katsu Kokcihi in "Musui's Story" were an interesting perspective of the lifestyle and the "feudal" culture in the Tokugawa Japan before the decline of samurai.

Such an insightful book, and it is to be recommended.

Just finished this book and couldn't put it down. Miller's style of writing is so cool to read. The character's are one's you will remember! Like that is a murder mystery and a love story.

I accidentally stumbled upon this trilogy and fell in love with Clare and Sonterra. I love the romance between the two of them, I love the supporting characters that fill their personal and professional lives and I love the sharply written plots that pull the whole thing together. The first two books of the trilogy were absolutely gripping while this one was more entertaining but still a great read nevertheless. When I saw the title though, my stomach fell because I'm not ready to say goodbye to Clare and Sonterra and their goofy friends. Please, Ms Miller, can't you write "One More Look"?!

I really enjoyed this book. The two leads had great chemistry. Clare made me laugh several times with her witty remarks. Tony really seemed to love her and was patient when her insecurities seemed to take over. Some of the action was over the top especially considering she is pregnant but I still enjoyed the story.

I don't want to reiterate everything that everyone else said already but here's my review nonetheless. Overall, I found the story pretty engaging (hence the 4 stars) and I found myself really admiring Miller's ability to convey how perceptive and intuitive Tony and Clare were. There were many nuances to their characters that made them seem like very real characters. Also, I admired Miller's ability to tie up loose ends in the story because there were quite a bit of secondary story lines that could have easily been forgotten about. (Miller must have a really good editor!! :-))However, I'm used to reading Miller's western novels (i.e. McKettrick Series) and this being my first contemporary romantic suspense novel written by her, I was struck by how different the writing style was in this book versus her other novels. It made me think-"Okay, which series is the REAL Linda Lael Miller and which one is her ghostwriter?". Also, I have to admit, I could relate to Clare's bullheadedness where she deliberately went against Tony's wishes several times in the story but after a while I was like, "Jeez, Lady, you really have no respect for your future husband's wishes at all." I guess Tony's character must have had more depth than I was reading in the novel because I really couldn't see why he would be so patient and loving towards a woman who continuously interfered with his professional interests and seemed so reluctant to walk down the aisle with him. On top of all that, there just seemed like one too many crises going on one after the other, ESPECIALLY for a pregnant woman. Clare only seemed cognizant of being pregnant when it seemed like her life was in danger (due to her own stupidity IMO). In real life, most women would have gone into pre-term labor or had some other complication from all the stress surrounding her series of crises, but, alas, this is a fiction novel and therefore I really tried to suspend my disbelief and just be entertained for a little while.

This is the first time I have read a novel by this author. It is listed as the third novel in a trilogy, but reads fine as a stand-alone novel. I am reviewing the novel based on its own merits (I review novels, not authors). Contrary to statements by other reviewers, I found little similarity between Clare Westbrook and Stephanie Plum (I have read all the Plum novels), and cannot fathom why anyone would think they are similar. OK, so they both have a man in their life, but there are no strange relatives, no second man competing for attention, etc.

Clare Westbrook in an attorney with independent financial means who does a lot of pro bono work. She understands the problems of the people, having come from a lower class background (spending time in foster homes, working as a waitress, etc.). She has moved to Dry Creek with her significant other when he took the job of Chief of Police. She is pregnant with his child. She is familiar with the town from when she was a teenager.

Clare becomes personally involved when she takes a job as an investigator with the sheriff's office. That allows her to carry a badge. The case involves abusive males, two legged coyotes (bringing illegal immigrants across the border from Mexico), and relationships of various kinds. There are a number of side plots intertwined with the main plot. I personally thought the story was well written, and it held my interest and kept me up late. The conclusion has some surprises. Contrary to what one reviewer claimed, I did not think it was predictable.

The novel has some explicit sexual content as well as some amount of violence. I would rate it as AO for Adult Only.

Mr. Momaday's voice in his collection of stories is priceless. He tells of the Kiowa's legends, follows them up with facts, and includes his own reflections on what it means to be Kiowa, Indian/Native American, human. The inclusion of his father's artwork makes this an even more impressive volume.

I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Momaday at a Western Writers Conference where he gave readings from this collection. And, not being a writer myself I felt out of place. It was Mr. Momaday's voice (think James Earl Jones), and his notice of me (the only other Indian/Native American in the auditorium) that mesmerized me. I've been a fan ever since.

Momaday spins together pieces of Kiowa myth and image interweaved with tales he heard as a boy. Poetic, tragic, unforgettable.

This book is deceptively short: it can be read in about an hour, but you find yourself going back and reading its various passages and thinking about them long afterwards. Momaday tells a story of the Kiowa Indians by tying in three aspects: folklore, actual historical events and his own family history. The book's format underscores this, with the first, folkloric item printed on one page, and the historical and personal reflections in separate paragraphs on the facing page, all set in different fonts. Not meant to be a comprehensive account of the Kiowas, it is rather an attempt to express the author's own feelings and his own view of his heritage. In this he largely succeeds, as he writes poetry in a simple yet powerful prose form. The only shortcoming for me were the illustrations (done by Momaday's father), which seemed to add little to the overall narrative. Otherwise, "The Way to Rainy Moutain" is a very unique and worthwhile book.

The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday; illustrated by Al Momaday. Highly recommended.

Rainy Mountain, a "single knoll [that] rises out of the plain in Oklahoma," is an old landmark for the Kiowa people. It is a land of bitter cold, searing heat, summer drought, and "great green and yellow grasshoppers." It is a land of loneliness, where the Kiowa were drawn after a long journey from the northwest through many types of lands.

The Way to Rainy Mountain is about the journey-in myth, in drawings by Momaday's father Al, in reminiscences, and in historical snippets. All reveal aspects of Kiowa culture, life, philosophy, outlook, spirituality, and sense of self-the beauty and the desolation, how the introduction of the horse revolutionized Kiowa life, the story of Tai-me, and the richness of the word and the past. It is a literal journey as well; Momaday, in Yellowstone, writes, "The Kiowas reckoned their stature by the distance they could see, and they were bent and blind in the wilderness."

This is a small gem of a book, beautifully written, illustrated, and designed. It has moments of insight, beauty, and sadness, as the ending of the Sun Dance, telling as the sun is at the heart of the Kiowa's soul-a soul that survives in every word and drawing of The Way to Rainy Mountain.

Diane L. Schirf, 3 March 2002.

In his writing, Momaday creates a vibrant sense of how stories are expressed through living words within vital communities. His brillant blending of mythology, folktales, oral history, historical descriptions, and personal reflections all connect in a fascinating story about finding one's way in life's journeys. The writing is so vivid and the book is so animated that patient readers will connect with what Momaday presents, provided that they choose to share in the reflective silence that he offers on the way to Rainy Mountain.

I loved this book. I have a voracious appetite for reading and I could not put this book down and didn't want it to end! I also like the characters.

I enjoyed this story, however, not as much as I did Deadly Gamble. Mojo's sister tended to get on my nerves in this story. I did enjoy the developments with Mojo and Tucker as well as the new friends that have "appeared".

Deadly Deceptions is number 2 in the Mojo Sheepshanks series by Linda Lael Miller, author of several other series such as the excellent "Look" series and various western themed romance books such as the "McKettrick" series.

Mojo is a somewhat unlikely heroine. In Deadly Gamble she discovered she can communicate with dead people, which isn't as macbre as it sounds. She sees them in order to get them justice, usually by solving their murders. They are not ghostly apparitions, but the closest I can describe them is living in a parallel universe, and have substance like a normal being.

Unravelling the mystery involves suspense, and can put you on the edge of your seat at times, but it does not make you squirm like a Patricia Cornwell. It is a lighter read than a Tami Hoag suspense, e.g. Dark Horse, Alibi Man, Dark Sky (which are all excellent books by the way).

This book centred around a little girl who is abducted and murdered on her way home from ballet class, but there were lots of sub-plots involving Mojo's adopted sisters and others including her cop boyfriend's children. The twist came near the end and I found it quite shocking when I realised why the person/persons did it. I don't want to reveal too much here!!

Mojo inherited a Biker Bar and lives in apartment above this, and not in a particularly great part of town. Read Deadly Gamble first for how this occurred, which is an interesting story regarding witness protection, etc. There are lots of interesting, and some really scary characters, one of which had me looking under my bed for several nights.

If you like animals, there are some great dogs in the book, and it was a very heart warming, but not syrupy ending. It is very well written and the dialogue and plots flowed very well.

I would definitely recommend buying this book or visiting your local library for a copy. I read it cover to cover and let the family order in Chinese for dinner because I just couldn't put it down. I have since lent it to two friends who also loved the book.

Definitely a keeper, but I'd suggest you buy it in conjunction with Deadly Gamble and read that first.

In this book we see the return of Mojo Sheepshanks from Deadly Gamble. Mojo is a PI (sort of) has an obsession with self help books and oh yeah she sees dead people. In this episode of Mojo's life she helps solve the murder of a 7year old girl who's ghost visits her. If that's not enough her sister is suspected of killing her cheating Dr. husband and her on again off again fling with HOT cop Tucker is really on again. This book made me cry and laugh and Mojo is a character that you can't help loving. It's definitely worth the read.

WONDERFUL!
If anyone is wishing they had a really good book to read over their summer vacation, DEADLY DECEPTIONS is it! Mojo Sheepshanks is wonderful! In this sequel to DEADLY GAME, Mojo, a PI who sees ghosts, is approached by the ghost of a 7-year-old deaf-mute girl, Gillian. Not knowing sign language, Mojo tries her hardest to solve the murder of this sweet little girl. However, Mojo's brother-in-law ends up dead as well, and she is off trying to solve this murder. When Greer, Mojo's sister becomes a prime suspect in her husband's brutal death, Mojo desperately tries to help in anyway her can. Tucker Darroch, a homicide cop and lover of Mojo, provides support and they find themselves engrossed in more then they can handle. Or have they? Linda Lael Miller has really out did herself in this series of stories. I found myself wishing that the story would go on and on. Don't miss this one for the summer!

This 2nd book of the trilogy is my favorite of all LLM books. The suspense was better in this one as to who was doing it and why. It is one I could read again and again.

I love all of Linda Lael Miller's novels. They are quick and fast paced with just enough spice to make them interesting.

As the second in the trilogy, I think I actually liked this one the best, but that doesn't say much.

Clare Westbrook has opened her new pro bono lawyers office after receiving a large inheritance from a father she didn't know. Unfortunately, Clare picked one of the worst parts of the city to set up shop. This leads to a slew of vandalism and murder attempts, as well as a crazy stalker after her.

As with her other novels, LLM spins several different plots throughout the story line. The only problem with her writing is that she never has enough red herrings making the reveal all that more obvious. The suspense is okay, but other than a curiosity for the Clare and Tony's on going relationship, the series falls short of being anything great. The serial stalker/killer in this particular novel makes for more interesting reading though compared to the other two in the series. The suspense is consistent throughout the novel as well keeping the reader turning pages until the very end.

Is it worth buying?

I hate to say this because I know the authors need the sales, but the series isn't worth retail value. It is okay as a check out from the library or on sale and this one novel is better than the others, but I still wouldn't want the series in my collection of great novels. It is just an average read at that.

I actually went searching for these book. Linda Lael Miller has never let me down, not with the historicals and not with the contemporary. Besides, Tony Santerra is too hot for me not to know what happened with them.

I cannot believe how this book ended. I finished it in November and the last book didn't arrive until January. I thought I would have a hissy fit. Linda Lael Miller really knows how to hold on to readers with this one. I really think she should have more Tony and Clare books.