Series Books

Lieutenant Hornblower occurs second in the series by internal chronology, though it was the seventh-written book. Unlike every other book in the series, this one is related from the point of view of Lieutenant William Bush. This alternate point of view allows Hornblower to be presented as a legitimately heroic figure, though it does deprive the reader of the internal thought process of the series' protagonist. The text provides solid background on Hornblower's early career as a lieutenant. Written as a novel, it paces well and has an authentic texture. Indeed, the small-scale combat action is so gripping that in many ways the book eclipses volumes in the series which deal with Hornblower's later career.

Plot Summary (with spoilers):
The novel takes place from May 1800 to March 1803 aboard a cruise of HMS Renown, a 74-gun frigate. The ship's captain, Sawyer, is dangerously paranoid and believes the lieutenants and warrant officers are plotting mutiny against him. To circumvent their putative desire, Sawyer panders to the crew, encouraging them to be lazy and insolent, and issues additional rations of grog. The situation becomes untenable as Renown reaches its cruising grounds near Haiti. Even so, nobody will take the decision action of attempting to remove Sawyer from command.

Fortunately, Sawyer falls down a hatchway and receives a serious injury. There is intrigue surrounding his fall, but no actual witnesses to the accident. Upon Sawyer's physical recovery it is evident his mind is gone--he sobs hysterically and cringes away from everyone. Buckland, the senior lieutenant, takes ostensible command. The unimaginative Buckland botches the ship's primary mission, but disaster is averted when Hornblower proposes an audacious recovery.

From that point forward, it is Hornblower who guides the ship as he influences Buckland subtly but correctly. Indeed, the theme of Hornblower leading his superior officers is a dominant thread in the narrative. The ship carries out other duties with great success until Hornblower is placed aboard a prize--whereupon Renown is almost seized by prisoners. Hornblower once again comes to the rescue and recaptures the ship. The novel ends with Hornblower losing his job because of the Peace of Amiens. He takes up lodging in a public house, makes a meager living by playing whist, develops his friendship with Bush, and meets the young Marie Mason.

Forester's key book on the times...the made-for-tv series episode parallels this book very closely. And I am very picky when it comes to sea books. Definitely at the same level as the Bolitho series!

This is the sixth Hornblower book I've read, although it's only the second in terms of the chronology of Hornblower's naval career. And I must say, it's one of the better books. CS Forester could be a compelling writer, but some of the Hornblower novels feel a little disjointed. Not this one.

Lieutenant Hornblower is written from the point of view of Lieutenant Bush, whom Hornblower meets in this book. The result is that Hornblower is a more interesting character. It also, unlike some of the other books in the series, primarily covers a single plotline dealing with Hornblower's last mission as a lieutenant, so it hangs together very well. The result is a book that I had trouble putting down until I had read the whole thing. I wholeheartedly recommend this installment of the Hornblower series.

This is arguably the best book as "literary work" in the "Hornblower" series (although my personal favorite is the collection of short stories called "Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies.") This story has two aspects that make it unique:

1) it is told from the viewpoint of Hornblower's comrade Bush (who is senior to Hornblower) and provides a completely different view of Forester's diffident hero.

2) It shows how Hornblower functions and succeeds as subordinate while working through some thorny ethical dilemmas that stump Bush and the rest of the characters.

The story line is terrific, as always, with dramatic action "drawn from the files" of the Napoleonic Naval Gazette providing the backdrop to life at sea.

Like Forester's other books, this can be read by adults but it is for young male teens, and suitable for even younger ages. If you like Hornblower, and want a similar story by the same author, read the stand alone novel "The Captain from Connecticutt" which looks at the naval war of 1812 from the American point of view and, as a book, is better than most of the Hornblower series.

C.S. Forester created a superb naval drama that gave me an inside look at the life of a sailor serving in the Royal Navy on the wooden war ship Renown. With Hornblower, and his companion Bush dealing with their befuddled Captain and fighting off the attacks by the Spanish this book kept me reading page after page. I believe this is one of the best books in the Hornblower series and I would encourage anyone with an eye for historical novels to check this series out.

This series is FANTASIC! I highly recommend it. Very compelling, you won't want to put it down.

This books is so, so, so good! Rain Tairen Soul has spent 1000 years suffering from the negative effects of something he did when his heart mate was killed during a big war. He is desperate because his people & their creature/companions are dying out so he consults a crystal that shows him that their only hope for survival rests on his true mate, Elysetta. He has to convince a shy, mortal girl that she is his true mate & queen, get her to acknowledge her powers & role in his culture. He's a real hottie, she's nice (although her innocence gets rather annoying at times), and the adventures going on throughout the book are addictive. Can't say enough good things about it!

I, like a few others, do not normally read paranormal/fantasy romances. I purchased both Lord of the Fading Lands and Lady of Light and Shadows. I'm so glad I did because once Lord was over I couldn't wait to jump in to Lady.

I LOVED the language you created. "Ver reisa ku'chae. Kem surah, shei'tani." This author took a few words and made me think of them long after I put the book down. I'm my opinion, that's creative genius!

Thank you for taking me into the world you created and leaving the bonds of my very average world behind. I'm anxiously awaiting the next 2 books in the series.

Everyone- buy these books!

I just finished reading Lord of the Fading Lands, and I have to say the only word that comes to my mind is disappointment. I seem to be in the minority, but I still wanted to post my review to voice some of the negatives I found. I was really looking forward to reading this book after finishing the Warlands Chronicles by Elizabeth Vaughan, as it was highly recommended by her readers. I was enthralled by the story of Ellie and Rain from multiple reviews and ran to my local book store to pick up my own copy. I was at once captivated, but as the book progressed regret seeped in, since my high expectations were not met. Here's why.

1. I was surprised to see quite a few similarities to one of my favorite fantasy series' The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. My amazement had to do with the fact that this book is a romantic fantasy novel while WoT is epic fantasy, but there were parallels nonetheless. For example the death of Rain's mate triggered his rage and subsequent insanity which resulted in deaths of thousands of people. In WoT, Lews Therin Telamon went insane and broke the world after finding his Elyena dead. Also Rain is tairen (winged feline), while Lews Therin Telamon is the dragon - somewhat similar. Ellie is a poor woodcrafter's daughter, while Rand (the protagonist of WoT) is a poor shepherd. There is the light and the dark lord which is pretty much identical to the WoT, and the main similarity is the magic - five powers being wielded by the fey, which is exactly the same magic used by Channelers in the WoT. I'm not saying that these points are identical, just akin to one another.

I would be greatly surprised if C.L. Wilson never read the WoT, since there are too many likenesses between the two. That in itself is not what bothered me, since most of the fantasy writers draw from their favorite authors, legends, myths, religions, etc. What I didn't like though is the fact that even those attributes that I absolutely loved in the WoT fell flat for me in this book. Everything felt rushed, the heroes revealed too much too soon.

2. This brings me to my second point. Right from the start we are thrown into Celierian court intrigue, Feyan politics, Elden mage machinations, on top of Ellie's forced betrothal to Dan, family issues, new status as the Feyan Queen, her soul bond to Rain, search for her origin, and a number of other threads. This all happens in the first half of the book, when we are still trying to learn the characters and get used to the new world. It's like the author had all these ideas and tried to cram them into a less then 400 page book, and then tried to confuse the reader even further by adding words/sentences from a Fey language (for which no dictionary was provided by the way). I think the author could've served her readers better by concentrating on a few of the threads and leading them through to a culminating conclusion, versus trying to pack all of her ideas into one small book with no real ending.

3. I found characterization lacking for the most part. Rain killed thousands in his madness and even though I understand why he was left to live, the fact that he is arrogant enough to demand complete obedience from everyone is just ridiculous. The other Fey treat him as a close friend/companion, completely disregarding the madness that visited him before. Is it really gone? Why do they all believe that he is completely sane? How can they trust with such utter devotion when not too long ago by Feyan age he went berserk and almost killed everyone in the world? Marissya calms him down half of the time pointing out his mistakes in losing his tempter, but never have I seen her doubt \ his sanity. Also Rain apologizes to Ellie throughout the book. Either he is continuously aroused, for which he apologizes; or he snaps at her in rage, for which he once again apologizes. Or he forgets to compliment her, for which he apologizes still; or Ellie gets hurt and he nevertheless apologizes yet again for something that was completely out of his control. I found that some of these traits took away from what could've been a great protagonist.

Then there is Ellie, who is a naïve coward at heart with low self esteem. She lets her family put her in a compromising position which results in a forced betrothal, but still holds no grudge against her very unlikeable mother. That alone would be fine with me since it shows her meek acceptance due an unmarried girl of that time. But then in a couple of chapters she snaps at a queen's provocations about her height. So she seems to possess a backbone when mildly insulted by her queen, but when she is being force into marriage to an abusive brute all she can do is cry in her room. Her behavior throughout the book makes no sense, since those unexpected outbursts of spirit come randomly. I also couldn't feel her growth and development since they were baffling and sporadic.

This review is getting too long, so I think I'll try to finish it up. My main complaint about the book was the lack of magic that happens when a captivating story comes alive. I didn't feel it. The idea for the book was great and the cast of characters was well selected, but it lacked development, structure and suspense. Nothing in this book captivated my interest and I felt cheated since I expected so much more.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Rain Tairen Soul is the king of the Fading Lands, still suffering from the loss of his mate in a battle a millennium ago. In his agony at the loss, he scorched all the land with the fiery breath of his Tairen Soul, and he still suffers the consequences. The end of his people is near, unless he can overcome his past and save them from their enemies. When he comes out of his self imposed exile to re-enter the world he finds a shocking discovery.... His truemate, the other half of his being is close by, living with the humans. How can a Tairen have a non-Fae mate?

Ellysetta "Ellie" Baristani has never quite fit in with the others in her village, Celieria. From her flaming red hair to her perception of others, everyone besides her adoptive family finds her a bit odd. Den Brodson, butcher's son, has realized however that being different can be a good thing, and he wants Ellysetta for that elusive something that sets her apart. However when Rain flies into town, he knows Ellie is meant for him and too bad for anyone who gets in his way.

When ancient enemies of the Fey, the mages of Eld, seem to be rallying their forces for a new war, Rain needs the calm Ellie would bring as his mate to defeat them. She must accept the bond willingly or Rain will go insane. As Rain tries to find a way to legally break Ellie's unwanted betrothal to Den, more enemies enter into the fray and Rain and Ellie must bond completely or be destroyed at the hands of their enemies. Love conquers all, but only if it is accepted in time...

There is so much story to the Tairen Soul that it doesn't surprise me Lord of the Fading Lands is just the start to a series. We had a lot of ground to cover here as CL Wilson builds her world and introduces us to the rules of the societies there. The foundation of the mythology tends to bog the story down here and there, but to the author's credit, there's really no way to stop that from happening once in a while with as much as we need to know to understand the story behind Rain. However, even with all the history I still found myself having a hard time keeping all the differences straight in my mind between all the different kinds of magic wielders, good or evil. This is likely an aftereffect of information overload since so much world building needs to be done.

Ellie is dedicated to her family and will do almost anything in her power to see them safe and happy. Almost, being that she refuses to allow herself to be bartered off as a bride to a man she loathes. When Rain shows interest in her, she can't understand why he wants her at the same time she is drawn to him. Her history is quite the mystery until Rain and company come to town and start to unravel the mystery. While the reason she is so different from the rest of her town is no great surprise (I knew exactly what her origins were almost immediately) it was interesting to follow the trails with the other characters to see how they figured out who she is.

I liked the magical spin on the story as to who has what abilities and how those abilities work. Each one of the Fey has a special affinity for a specific kind of elemental magic whereas Rain has mastery of all of them due to his being a rare Tairen (shape shifts into a giant flying black cat with lavender eyes and the ability to breathe fire). In addition to the Fey who are elemental magicians, we have Lady Marissya the Truthspeaker, who has the ability to determine if someone lies merely by touching them.

While I know this has nothing to do with the author's story and is something she has no control over, I find I have to comment anyhow since it seriously affected my reading of the book. What is up with that font size, Dorchester? The font is so incredibly small I had an extremely hard time reading the book! I was actually getting headaches and as a result it took me twice as long to read the book. I've got pretty good eyes and this is the first time I ever had to struggle so much to read a book. I feel sorry for folks who already have a hard time with font size. I noticed book 2 in the series is no better, which means I'm going to have to wait a while before starting it to give my eyes a break! Dorchester if you're paying attention, please have a care in typesetting your books and don't make it so difficult for us to read them!

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2008. All rights reserved.

I LOVE Jan Brett's books! I buy them anytime I see them whether on sale, old ones on Amazon as remainders, or new.. They make great gifts. I have a backup of many to give to children, particularly my granddaughters. The illustrations in this one are so beautiful it is really a keepsake to save as well as enjoy. Give it as a gift and you will make some child very happy and a parent happy,too.

Beautiful illustrations reprinted from over 40 sources. All illustrations are credited on last page. Book measures 9"X11.5" Only down side was that the price changes by the day. One day it's almost $11 another it's $8.97. But that's just the way Amazon works; something to be aware of. (It's worked in my favor often while shopping at midnight--price suddenly went down!)

it's a classic, so of course you can't go wrong, but as far as the best one being out there... well, I'm sure there are much better illustrated ones out there than this one

I bought this for my grandchildren last Christmas. The wording is traditional, and the illustrations are wonderful! This has become a part of the Christmas Eve tradition at my daughter's house.

These illustrations are the best ever for The Night Before Christmas...Stunning even! A worthy heirloom Christmas Book. The illustrations cover both sides of the page for a large panoramic view seldom seen in other books...

Although I think it may be a bit advanced for my 9 yr. old, I'm still glad I purchased this book for my most recent book club choice. A gentle book that flows easily, and the characters change for the better in wonderful ways. The one thing that bugged me was Mrs. Shaw and her smelling salts. It almost seemed to me that Polly Milton was the better 'mother' to the Shaw family. All in all, this is truly a memorable classic.

This book started off a bit slow, but if you read more than a page or two at a time, I think you will like it. This story is about a girl from the country who goes to visit her cousins in New York. Polly's cousin, Fanny, and her friends find Polly "coutrified" and "old fashioned". Everyone falls in love with her because of her quiet manner along with the fact that she dresses and acts her age. Although their are multiple hardships along the way, you couldn't have wanted the book to end any other way. I recomend that you don't read the book until you are at least 11 or 12 because some of the wording is odd because it was writtedn so long ago. Happy Reading!

Alas. In my opinion, both "An Old-Fashioned Girl" and "Eight Cousins" audio versions would benefit by having a much younger narrator. Despite her long and illustrious career in audio, Flo Gibson is now too old to bring these novels to life. They are books about young girls, and they are obviously being read by a grandmother. Rather than illustrating the timeless quality of these fine books, an elderly reader makes the books simply sound old and out-of-date. What were the publishers thinking?---CaroJ11

An Old Fashioned Girl begins with a teenage girl, Polly who visits her cousins in the city. There, she realises that they are exactly the opposite of the old fashioned girl that she is, and this causes some distress on both sides. Being a modern woman, I expected that this book would be a wonderful read but the initial chapters where Polly was a teenager were hard to take in. Alcott created what she felt to be the "perfect" teenage model in Polly, but I found myself wishing that this "perfect teenage model" would loosen up a bit and do something for herself instead of serving everybody else, which was the "proper thing to do." Ironically, Alcott herself wrote in the book "excessive virtue doesn't last long ...except with little prigs in the goody storybooks." She should have taken herself more seriously because her main character came very close to becoming exactly that! Compared to other classics like Tom Sawyer, The Secret Garden and The Railway Children, the teenagers in the book were very unrealistic, I dare say even for that time. Alcott wrote too much of what she wanted children or teenagers to be, opposed what they actually were, which can get exasperating. However, that is less than half the book, which follows into young adulthood. In here the characters become more realistic, and Polly begins to be truly affected by her poverty and to long to be different. To avoid spoilers, it morphed from an exasperating read into a very good read. Overall, the valuable lessons in the book make it good addition to any collection, especially for children.

Do you ever feel like you are tied up in our times? Worrying too much about cell phones, fashions, and the latest whatevers? This book can set you straight. It gives you a peace of mind and fills you with simple pleasures.

The stories main character, Polly, we meet at the age of 14. She has come to stay with rich friends for a while. THey do everything so differently from she. The family has two daughters. One that is two years older than Polly called Fan, who cares for fashion, balls, and beaus. The author daughter is six and she is fixed onoo having her own way about everything. THe young man in the family Tom is a trouble maker, who no matter how hard he tries can't seem to stay out of trouble very long.

Polly is a gentle, kind, loving, caring, selfless, practical, and sensible girl. SHe becomes a great service to this family, touching each of them in a special way. She moves in the same town six years later and gives piano lessons. The family needs her more than ever and she helps them all in the end. This book has heart, romance, and realness to it that we can all relate to, rich or poor, young or old. It will make you feel warm fuzzies. Read on a rainy day underneath a flanel blanket!

I'll admit that I haven't finished reading this novel yet, and I'm going to try to grit my teeth and get through it. However, I'm finding that Ivy is getting on my nerves, and I'm at about the middle of the book. At first, her childlike observations were appropriate because she was . . . well, a child. However, this gets to be ridiculous as she grows older. I mean, she's starting to seem like a simpleton. I know she doesn't have much education, but even with that in mind, she wouldn't be so child-like. Ater having gotten pregnant once out of wedlock, she starts an affair with another man. Where was her concern about getting pregnant again??? Also, what's starting to annoy me is that she keeps referring to herself as "ruined," but there is barely any outside societal manifestation of this. She is not shunned by anyone, and the man that she grew up with and eventually marries doesn't seem to think anything of marrying a woman who had a child out of wedlock and openly carried on an affair with some hot shot in town. I do not think it would be acceptable during that time for a young woman to openly carry on a sexual relationships like Ivy did. I'm not saying that women didn't have pre-marital sex, but I'm saying that it wasn't done so openly. I hate when authors put contemporary mindsets on people in historical novels.

Overall, this book is engaging at times, but I've started to dislike the protagonist more and more as I continue reading.

Update 6/28/08 - I finished reading this, and overall, I do think that its a worthwhile read. Also, I think the author is talented. I must say, though, that the novel was depressing. It is definitely one that will make you cry at the end, not because of any specific tragedy. It's sad because it so clearly shows us how swiftly life passes. This book is good, but in a way, I wish I hadn't read it because it is not uplifting (I guess you just have to be in the mood for this kind of novel).

This is just an excellent novel by a fine writer. In all honesty I'm sort of at a loss here so I'll just say that you should read this book. You'll thank all of us who have recommended it to you.

Oh, I heard Lee Smith interviewed and she's really worth hearing. She's funny, self-effacing and smart.

_Fair and Tender Ladies_ tells the secrets of the soul of Appalachia. Tracing the life of Ivy Rowe from youth to old age through her letters, the book is an Appalachian masterpiece. Ms. Smith was supposedly inspired to write this book after coming across a bundle of letters at a yard sale. She claims not to have read the letters (after all, they were private!), but she felt a story like this should be told.
Here, Lee Smith tells the story of Ivy Rowe, rural Appalachia, the impact big business coal mining, love, hope, and life. If you know nothing of Appalachia, let this be your introduction. If you live there, let it be your celebration. If you are alive, let this story draw you along, softly whispering the story of your own humanity to you--one letter at a time.

I love Ivy Rowe; especially the child Ivy whose words and observations make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud.
While I know some readers find adjusting to the letter-style of this book a little difficult, I found it a compelling read from the first page. I wrote lots of letters as a child, so perhaps that is why this style seems so natural to me.
I was most impressed with Ivy's words and style of speaking - this is exactly what Ivy does; she speaks through her letters because they are written exactly the way an Ivy Rowe would speak. It was very interesting to see how there are subtle changes in Ivy's words, phrases and spelings as she gets older and reads more.
I cried when Ivy hears the bell for the last time: I rarely cry when reading and I read a lot.

How I hated for this book to end! I LOVE Lee Smith's writings. She is truly one of THE BEST authors of our time. If you have not read her, PLEASE DO. She NEVER EVER disappoints.

This wondeful book is written in the form of letters by one Miss Ivy Rowe. The letters span the lifetime of Ivy. She LOVES to write letters and writes to friends, family, acquaintances. Ivy chronicles her entire life from a young teenager to her death (SOB!! -- yes, SOB!!) in these letters.

Ivy lives and dies in the Appalachian Mountain area. She lives through World Wars, ups and downs, feast and famine, good times, bad times, pain, sorrow, joy, happiness. Her letters tell all and tell all very, very well. You meet her family and friends all through her letters to various people. She is outspoken, kind, tough, sweet, loving, caring. Ivy's life was never easy, yet she handles every hurdle with common sense and humor.

At first it was a little slow going reading this book as her letters are written in true form of someone who lived in the early 1900's with very, very little education. However, Ivy is one of the lucky people who can read and write and loves to do both.

Her spunk, wit, and just IVY will make this one of your favorite books of all time. I loved the format of the book, it is different than any other book I have ever read. I know this is one book that I will not soon forget. Ms. Lee Smith has the outstanding talent of making her characters so life-like and totally people you believe in. How sad I was when this wonderful tale ended. This book also contained much history of our country and I believe I learned a great deal -- in a fun and interesting way -- about our country's colorful history.

Do yourself a favor and read this book and then read all of the other treasures that Ms. Smith has waiting for you. You will not be sorry.

Thanks!

Pam

This book is great! My best friend told me to read this and I think it is her favorite too. The whole series is about the same town and the same people so when you read the first book you will have to read all of them. I also recommend anything by Terri Blackstock.

I'm a new Terri Blackstock fan, but she has me hooked now! I love the way she manages to get the message of Christ into each book. And the suspense in this kept me on the edge of my chair. I like to read anyway, but I literally could not put this one down until I had finished it. I hope she writes more Newpointe 911 novels!

This novel focuses on the firemen in Newpointe and their wives. First one wife is murdered--and then another! It soon becomes obvious that a killer is stalking the firemen's wives. Mark Branning is determined to keep his wife safe, but that is difficult to do because she kicked him out of the house for a suspected affair. But they each love the other, and they are Christians, so they reach out to God for help. And we know that the Holy Spirit is always there with us, regardless of what happens. It is definitely an exciting and fulfilling read!

I am reading the "Cape Refuge" series and love it. Now she has scored another homerun with the first installment of the "911" series. I love Christian mystery and Terri Blackstock does it better than any author I have found.

Having just finished the Cape Refuge series, I moved on to another by starting Private Justice, the 1st book in the Newpointe 911 series. (Subsequent books, in order, are: Shadow of Doubt, Word of Honor, Trial by Fire, and Line of Duty.)

I would agree that the premise of this book may be somewhat far-fetched, but suspension of disbelief is part of the enjoyment. Everything doesn't have to be so totally realistic.

As in the Cape Refuge series, Newpointe 911 introduces us to characters we grow to care about. Assuming they continue throughout the series...have only read this 1st one so far.

I will admit I grew a little tired of the "misunderstanding" between Mark and Allie about Mark's supposed straying from the marriage vows. She jumps to conclusions after walking in on Mark hugging a female colleague and he gives in and moves out way too meekly. As his devotion to her proves itself over and over, she steadfastly continues to be angry. It takes a near fatal injury to bring them both around....too formulaic? Maybe, but I say overlook it and just enjoy the book.

Terri Blackstock had me hooked by the second chapter of her amazing book. Me being an avid reader of hers, I had expectations that were met by the first half of the book, love, suspense, and mystery. She writes with such ease, she lures you in. I fell in love with the two main characters, Mark and Allie, and hoped taht some fire would spark between them. But the story within the book, was Dan and Jill. Reading the first two books, I've realized their love story is a basis for the whole series. I would recommend this book to an avid reader of suspense. It will not get your hopes hope!

"Beautiful Joe" is a wonderful story. It was given to me in the late 50's when I was about 10 years old, and I think I read it three times. It's always amazed me that so few others know of it. But it is a beautiful and enriching story especially suitable for a 9-12 year old child who loves dogs. It is very sad (and distrubing) in the beginning, however, so I would never recommend it for a young child.

I read this book countless times when I was a child in the 1950s; I was delighted to find it still in print and even more delighted to find that it is as moving and meaningful as ever. Today's children may find the language somewhat formal and will need to broaden their vocabularies, but they and their parents will find the small effort well worth it.

I love this book. Everyone should read it young or old. Beautiful Joe and the rest of the animals will touch your heart. I have never read this book without crying at the end.

I am not reviewing the edition but rather the book...and it is...of utmost excellence. Although written for its time period, it is something one can read now and enjoy...Beautiful Joe captures your heart, makes you share his opinions, memories and feelings...then leaves you wanting more.

Just thought I should say something. =)

I first read this story as a Whitman abridged edition when I was about eight years old. It was hard for me to believe that some people were so cruel to animals, but I loved the book's old-fashioned narration and of the adventures of and lessons learned by Miss Laura and her family in raising Joe. The moment I learned what the word "abridged" meant, I went looking for the complete story; it took me a long time to find this Applewood Books edition that included three of the farm chapters that were missing from the supposedly complete version I later purchased, and oddly, the Applewood edition is missing the chapter about the crow that is in some other editions. (I believe this is because the Applewood volume is a reprint of the original story and the chapter about the crow was added in a revised edition.) The story is full of memorable characters, both animal--Joe, Jim the spaniel, Billy the fox-terrier, Bella the parrot--and human--Miss Laura, Ned, Willie, Jack, and Cousin Harry. If you are tender of heart, you may find many scenes heart-rending, but it reminds us too that we have much to still work on in the area of animal cruelty.

I'm not going 2 write a long drawn out review b/c anyone who's read Mrs. Santiago's work knows how she get down. This book is great. I read "Little Ghetto Girl" first and have been hooked on Mrs. Santiago's work every sense. Grindin is an excellent read and kind of a continuation from "Little Ghetto Girl" it gives past readers a chance 2 revisit Kisa Kane. If you haven't read any of her books, pick this one up, I promise you'll love it.

Meet Kennedy, she's beautiful, multi-talented, family oriented, and a hustler. She's out there on the grind trying to take care of her family and secure her future. She faces a lost that sends her life into another direction, and she's forced to grind harder.

As she gets deeper into her hustle, she unexpectedly meets Chaz. Chaz is a man who will forever change her life. He understands her grinding mentality and together they have an unmistakenable chemistry. They find themselves falling head over heels for one another.

In between their evolving relationship, chaos tries to drive a wedge between them. Chaz's crazy baby mama tries to stake her claim on him, but Kennedy's not having that. His baby mama underestimates her, and Kennedy let's her know what's up. A wound from an earlier lost opens up and is linked to a current situation that Kennedy hides for everyone.

Take a ride with Kennedy and you'll witness the true meaning of gridin for the sake of loyalty, trust, and family. Danielle Santiago gives you a well illustrated portait of the definition of grindin.

I was highly disappointed with Little Ghetto Girl,but this one was much better.I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm actually looking forward to the next one.

I was sleeping on this book for a very long time, this book was so good, I could not believe there wasn't one dull moment in the book, the plot was thought out and flowed smoothly, characters were described and developed well, and the story had a unique grind of it's own. Danielle Santiago you deserve those 5 stars, because you know you was Grindin when you wrote this one, and I'm get on my grind and anxiously wait for the next one!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH, SO OFTEN WHEN WOMEN WRITE ABOUT GANSTA GIRLZ, THEY OVER DO IT. THIS BOOK SHOWED THAT KEN-KEN WAS A STRONG SISTA,FROM VERY STRONG FAMILY BACKGROUND,YET SHE HAD AND WASN'T ASHAMED TO SAY SHE HAD ALOT OF INSECURITIES. THE GIRL WENT THROUGH SOME THANGS,ANYONE WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR MARBLES AS WELL!! MS SANTIAGO I DIDN'T HAVE GREAT EXPECTATION FOR THIS BOOK ,YET I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY AT HOW WELL THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN!!!! MAY U CONTINUE TO PROSPER SPIRITUALLY AS WELL AS FINACIALLY!!!GOD BLESS U MUCH!!!!!!!

Susan is stuck and depressed. She can't take one more argument between her kids. Her husband, Mark, decides to build her a getaway in the attic--a space where no one but her is allowed, where she can journal and pray and read to her heart's delight. But God had a different getaway in mind. Falling through a portal, she comes upon a nation threatened by war on the outside and by forgetting their identity on the inside. She learns that God sent her as their Restorer.

It's entertaining, and it has a good message. She does a good job with setting and descriptions and an excellent job with characterization. I knew these characters. The book also motivated me to memorize Scripture. We used to do this as kids, but at some point, it stopped seeming important. After all, I have 3,258 Bibles in my house. I can look anything up. Why memorize? But Sharon depicted both the power of lies to poison our thinking and lives and the power of Scripture to combat those lies.

For mothers out there struggling with their purpose now that their lives are consumed with laundry and dishes and snotty noses, this book that God has work for each one of us, including mothers, work for His kingdom. Susan finds out that her identity isn't wrapped up in her kids.

I liked it. I liked that the main character in the fantasy is a woman. To be honest, though, it felt more like an allegory than a true fantasy. More like Hinds Feet on High Places. Almost a long parable. A lot of one-to-one corollations. Lies poison the mind with physical devastation. The nation represent Israel (people that follow the Verses; they even have 2 lost tribes, sorry, clans). It was more like an Hans Christian Anderson story with a morality at the end than a Grimm's Fairy Tale. This is not a bad thing. It has its own power. Like I said, I found it both entertaining and it challenged me to memorize Scripture again. I just tend to prefer non-allegorical books.

As a responsible adult and ever-vigilant protector of all that is good and true, I feel it imperative that I issue a stern warning about The Restorer by Sharon Hinke.

This is a very dangerous book. Reading this book will upset your place in the time-space continuum. It will suck you into its pages like a portal into another reality, and then drop you back into our world hours later, potentially leaving entire days unaccounted for. And, if you are given to reading in the bathtub, be warned: it is nearly impossible to put this book down long enough to towel off, and you may find yourself trapped in a tub of room-temperature bathwater with more pruney wrinkles than a bulldog.

Established CBA Mom-Lit author Sharon Hinke has accomplished something incredible in The Restorer-a successful fusion of Mom-Lit and Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Allegory genres. Like any fusion of extremes, hard-core advocates of either genre will have to adjust a little. The hard-core Mom-Lit fans may find it challenging at first to get their heads around the alternate universe that burned-out soccer mom Susan Mitchell falls into; portals into alternate realities aren't exactly the norm in Mom-Lit. Likewise, hard-core Fantasy readers may be challenged by the interpretation of that alternate reality through the eyes of a suburban soccer-mom. However, those who have the creative vision to see this fusion for what it is and approach without presumption will find The Restorer to be a wondrous journey with a truly unique twist or two and more than a few surprises as soccer-mom Susan grows into her calling in the alternate reality, and in the process rediscovers herself.

Be warned that once you open this book and start reading, you might slip through the portal right behind Susan. I did, and I want to go back. It's a good thing this is the first of three (and who knows, maybe more) in the Sword of Lyric series. I'll soon make the return trip with "The Restorer's Son."

D.

I loved this book! It reminded me of Narnia, which I love and can't wait for the new movie :) I wish they'd make a movie out of this; it would be so great! I could totally relate to Susan, being an almost forty mother of many. I loved how Sharon paralleled fantasy and reality and how she kept the book so clean that I could hand it to my 16 year old son without wishing I could edit some pages. I would recommend this book to anyone and am looking forward to reading The Restorer's Son.

Two absolute favorite quotes from this book: Chapter 27 "As far as dramatic entrances go, I thought it was very effective." and Chapter 33 "Warmth surged through me. He was right. The role of the Restorer wasn't all that different from the roles I had in my own world. In both worlds I felt discouraged by my weakness and very small against the needs and battles I faced. yet, even weak or small, I wasn't on the road alone."

When I agreed to read The Restorer for review, I was fairly excited about it. I had seen the book in a bookstore and almost had purchased it then. The cover completely intrigued me with a woman in normal khaki and sweater attire while holding a medieval sword. Upon receiving the task to read and review The Restorer's Journey, the third book in the series I knew I had to read all three in order, especially since I had heard so many good things about the creativeness of author Sharon Hinck's mind. I'm new to read the sci-fi/fantasy/speculative fiction Christian world and I am loving it. There are so many things that I do not have a basis for imagery, but just giving myself a brief image I am fully learning to use the capabilities of my imagination again.

The Restorer takes a normal, average woman and throws her into an alternate world and as I reader you think she might be dreaming or just plain crazy, but as each chapter and page reveals itself you stop caring about the reason why she is where she is and about what she will do next, and how she can survive. Hinck has performed an incredible task with her writing to really make the reader understand and feel what is going on in the life of our main character Susan. She doesn't just pick up a sword and become a super-hero, she goes through doubt and fear and through a realistic turn of events crazy and wonderful and terrifying things happen.

This story gives a reader an escape from reality, everything that Susan needed at the time. But it does so in a fashion that brings you back stronger and more optimistic about what really needs to be accomplished in reality. (Confused yet? Don't be, because that is not what is important.) There are so many things in our lives that are overwhelming and we just sometimes want to run away inside ourselves. It is possible and we are capable of doing just that, but that will not solve anything and really make life harder on the people we care about around us. It is when we realize that we need God, the One, and use His strength that we can accomplish any and all things that we are meant to do. The Bible, the Verses, are a gift to man from God. He has given us this gift of power for strength. When we know various scriptures and verses that can help in various situations, we can avoid the doubt and depression that comes on and move forward in His love. This book fully encourages me to go and memorize scripture for all I'm worth. When I think about my life I can remember times when scripture has helped me, or I knew the right thing to say to a friend to help. But so many times I have gotten caught up in the world around me and let doubt and the lack of time take over. In a sense I was being "poisoned" and did not realize it.

Part of me feels like if only we could live in a world that is framed around the Biblical scriptures and have everyone believe it would be so much easier, but at the same time. I realize that it wouldn't fix everything. There are still the random leader who seeks power for corruption and people can be fooled by man-altered documents. Prayer and time spent with the Lord and time thought over his verses of scripture personally is the only way to be as strong as you can be. Nobody else can do it for you. Wow, what an inspirational book. I never thought I'd be this impressed, but I am.

I cannot stress how much I LOVED this book! I picked it up and couldn't put it down. It took twists and turns I didn't expect. Sharon is a talented writer who seems to have a full understanding of the Word of God. Her story parallels so much of what's in the Bible: good vs. evil - and not in a corny "seen that before" scenario - but in a way that was real and thought-provoking and was something I could relate to. Those who count God as their best buddy will appreciate the struggles these characters go through and recognize faith symbols that are so eloquently weaved into the story.
When I originally got this book I didn't know whether or not I'd read it. I was never much of a fiction reader let alone a fantasy fiction reader. The cover of the book intrigued me and so I took that first step in following Susan (the main character) into an unknown world. It peaked my interest and, not only did it not disappoint, but it made me a fan of both Christian fantasy and Sharon Hinck.

Definitely Scarry's best work and one of the few books I vividly remember from my childhood. It is a great introduction to geography and world cultures. At 3, my son was able to identify shapes of countries, flags and traditional clothing from around the world.

Very fun anthology of numerous 2-page stories from around the world. Charming detailed pictures, culturally relevant backdrops.

Publishers: Please renew licenses for this and reprint it! I've bought "busy, busy town" and "mother goose" as gifts only because this one is out of print.

Wow! I can't belive this book is not in print. I loved it as a kid and was hoping to get one for my new baby. My sisters and I loved reading this stories. It's too bad we don't have our old copy. Publishers, please bring this book back!!

This is my Favorite book from when I was a child. I still have my torn up copy at home and when I feel really sick I make my Dad read it to me.

Still reading my childhood copy to my 3 kids. The 10 year old, all full of attitude and desire for adult fare, just said the other day, "That's still one of my favorite books." The 4 year old could read it every night.

Amazingly, I don't remember knowing who Couscous was in the street scene until reading it to them and noticing the clue in the next scene.

I have an original copy of this book, which my children, esp. the youngest, LOVED. His daughter is turning one year old and they've asked everyone to pick out a favorite book for a gift (as they are inundated w/more clothes, toys, etc. than they will ever need).
His wife asked him if he had a favorite book as a child, and this was it!
Despite it's being read SO many times, it's in really good condition and is the 1965 edition, which I now know is long out of print.
So, this will be a gift for her from grandma & grandpa... though she likely won't handle it herself for a while!