Rock Books

I really enjoyed Vintage. Many of the other reviews talk about the paranormal aspects of the novel, but it was the mundane that really made an impression on me. Berman manages to capture how vital friendship is when you're a teenager, how important it is to have someone on your side, especially when you find yourself embroiled in an unhealthy relationship.

Trace reminds me of the friends I had when I was a teenager. They weren't in the cool clique, but they were cool just the same. It made it easy to slip into the main character's shoes. Even though the main character is a young gay man, his problems and strengths were universal. I recommend it.

Vintage by Steve Berman is perhaps the most unusual gay teen coming out story I have ever read. A sometimes frightening, atmospheric ghost story that captivates the reader from page one, it is also very well-written with interesting and likable main characters. One of my 10 favourite reads of 2007.

Vintage is more than simply a ghost story, but I'll start my review there anyway, because I appreciate books that can truly take me away from my everyday world. The story follows a young man who has been estranged from his family who finds himself face-to-face with an ability he had only jokingly considered in the past. These newfound abilities lead him to progressively darker corners, and it is at these moments that I am completely sucked into the story and thrust into the chillingly real world of the main character. I found myself pulling the covers around myself tighter as I read, and several times fearful to read on.

But beyond the ghost story lies so much more. This is a tale about trying to find one's place in a world that is not always understanding of you; a tale about trying to find your match, not just in love, but in friendship; a tale about understanding and acceptance: of yourself and those around you.

Vintage is not just a ghost story. It's not just a love story. It's not just a coming of age story. It's all three, and Steve Berman does an excellent job of towing the line between all three.

What would be more difficult to tell your friends and family: that you are gay or that you can see ghosts?

Late one night, a teenage boy encounters a ghost while walking along a dark stretch of road. The ghost is that of a handsome high school athlete who was killed on that same road in 1957. Now the main character finds himself drawn into an obsessive relationship with the ghost. One that seems to get more dangerous with every encounter.

In addition to his troubled love life, the narrator is in the midst of a family and emotional crisis. While learning to accept his sexual orientation, without exactly "coming out," he has found himself rejected by his own parents. He now lives with his Aunt Jan, who is loving and generous, but will she accept him if she knows he is gay?

With the help of his best friend, Trace, he sets out to help the spirits find peace while trying to find a bit of peace for himself.

Steve Berman has created a clever mix of urban myth, Goth, and ghost story while also tackling the confusing issues as a teen deals with his sexual orientation. VINTAGE is a clever and haunting story with some delightfully creepy scenes.

Reviewed by: JodiG.

On the front of my copy of "Vintage" is a quote from a review, "More than a ghost story." Those few words perfectly describe what this book is about. It's a ghost story, a mystery, a coming-of-age story, a love story; but for me as a parent, it's a powerful story about being different. I was raised by a grandmother who taught me it was perfectly *normal* to "march to the beat of a different drummer," because that was what made us unique. I raised my son according and watched him struggle through school, alienated and harassed; because he didn't fit someone's definition of "normal."

"Vintage" is the story of a young man shunned and feared by his family because of his unique individuality and sexual orientation. He has found acceptance and a home with his aunt, but still feels the need to hide who he is, fearing the same rejection from his aunt that he received from his parents. His best friend Trace, is your normal (there's that word again!) type of best friend; sharing his secrets, his dreams and his fears. Trace is a person more comfortable with herself, happy and open; but her family is overshadowed by the disappearance of her older brother. My favorite character is Trace's younger brother, Second Mike (named after his missing, assumed dead, older brother). Second Mike is a sweet and gentle young man; different in his own way. Josh, the ghost who is possessively attracted to the narrator, is an interesting character whose story twists and turns throughout the book.

Berman has written a story that will appeal to all ages, a story with a message for all ages and a story that will send chills down your spine. If you don't want to read a story with a "message" (just give me the ghosts), that's cool; because as a ghost story the book delivers! The story kept me up late, anxiously turning the pages, looking over my shoulder at my bedroom shadows until the very last page.

IT IS AN INTERESTING BOOK, AN IT IS VERY CHEAP.
I COULD READ ALL THE BIOGRAPHY ABOUT MY FAVORITE GROUP AND I THINK THAT I FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM.
THE BEST PHOTOGRAPH IS WHERE THEY ARE TOGETHER IN A CONCERT.
THEY ARE VERY GOOD-LOOKING

i love the pic's in this book, when i read this book it told me some thing i didn't know, but some parts iretate me cause i know they are wrong,but i think i was well written it made me laugh many times,i love most the pic's on nick, as i have all the books on bsb i find this one of the best i have!!!!!!!!! it's a must!!!!!!!!!!

Horrible book, because it deals with a horrible "band" which is fooling millions of people around the globe...

I LIKE THIS BOOK CAUSE THE PICTURES INSIDE IT LOOK SO GOOD ESPECIALLY AJ MCLEAN AND HOWIE D AND THOSE ARE MY FAVORITES IN THE GROUP AND I ALSO LIKE BRIANL.BECAUSE HE IS SO FINE AND THE BOYS GOT IT GOING ON ALL THE TIME.

It was great! I love the Backstreet Boys (especially Brian) and I loved this book. It had great info on each of the guys, good stuff about how they got together, and really hot pictures. If you love the Backstreet Boys, get this book!

I just got a FREE copy with my Cheerios box! I LOVE this book! I laughed with my 10 year old as we read it, and I will make my 13 year old son read it and we shall reflect on our rock hunting days of old in our beloved Tennessee creeks... :) I want a hardback of this book!

Thank You Byrd Baylor. I teach a class of adults in recovery. This book has a wonderful message. Everybody in the class chose a rock that appealed to them, a discussion presented inspiring feedback, that was meaningful. Nature has a way of touching our hearts. Nature has a way of growing our spirit.

Under the guise of giving ten rules for choosing one's "special rock", the author advises kids (and adults who read to them), to connect with nature and to act with deliberation. The line drawings are muted in color yet evocative and filled with imagination, and will be of interest to kids who have seen only traditional artwork.

I bought this book for use in an early childhood classroom for 3 to 5 year old children, and the children and I just love it! It's a relaxing story to use and lends itself well to a variety of themes and activities. I wish I had this one when my own children were small. They would have LOVED it!

I teach 6th grade and one of the things we learn about is rocks. I bought this book based on the reviews, but after reading it I felt compelled to write one too. I try to get my students excited about rock collecting. This book is so simple, yet so inspiring. It begins by saying "I'm sorry for kids who only have tricycles, bicycles, horses, elephants, goldfish, three-room playhouses, fire engines, wind-up dragons and things like that - if they don't have a rock for a friend." It then goes on to list 10 simple rules for finding your rock...not just any rock. A rock that you will keep forever. The rules include where to find your rock and remember "You should choose your rock when everything is quiet. Don't let dogs bark at you or bees buzz at you." The book concedes, "Don't get a rock that is too big. You'll always be sorry. It won't fit in your right hand and it won't fit in your pocket. A rock as big as an apple is too big. A rock as big as a horse is MUCH too big." This is the perfect book to get your rock collectors started and excited about geology.

I noticed that no African American entertainers or producers were interviewed for this book. Maybe Michele doesn't know any black folks - hmmm. HOWEVER, I do recommend this book for anyone interested in an entertainment career. It gives an important slant on how to find work in the industry. It approaches the subject from both a metaphysical and practical viewpoint. The interviews from people working in the field were insightful and valuable. I would have given the book a 5 if there had been more diversity. I believe the experiences of successful "minority" entertainers would have given the book greater value.

I've spent countless hours and money pursuing my acting career before I running into this book at http://www.SuccessInActing.com I've overlooked many of the facts written about which could have saved me frustration, wasted effort, and money if I would have read this book first.

Michele Blood has written a magnificent book with all the ingridients to inspire you, educate you and put you on the right track to manifest the life of your dreams. Highly recomended!

I learned these techniques from Rock last year and have attended his amazing seminars where industry insiders speak frankly about how the BUSINESS of acting operates. I have been in this industry longer than some of the other seminar attendees have been alive, and I have never heard anyone speak these eye-opening truths before. What a gift for any actor! Michele Blood is a beautiful little whirlwind of enthusiasm, bubbling over with love for the world. Both of these people are inspiring, uplifting and genuinely interested in helping people succeed. Among an industry famous for its charlatans, they prove that at the heart of Hollywood are beautiful people. If you can't attend their seminars - or even if you can - this book is a must-have. Oh, and I want to mention that in the last two weeks I have scheduled 5 auditions and one callback, and I am currently cast in four films which are in various degrees of development. God bless you, Rock and Michele.

I'm a metaphysical fiction and screenplay writer with a daughter who graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts some years ago. How I wish this book had been available to her. The succinct, straightforward and highly useful advice in this book wasn't available then nor is it available elsewhere now. It approaches success in Hollywood, or in any business or life endeavor at all, from the two most important fundamental aspects - the outside and the inside - workable, useable business advice by Rock Riddle, and practical, amazing techniques for continually keeping your spirit and personal action pointed in the right direction by Michele Blood. What a terrific team! This book is a complete package, underscored by meaningful interviews with successful individuals who have intuitively put these principles into practice in their lives. The compilation of information in this book is truly astounding and shouldn't be missed by anyone.

This book is great.I have every single spice girl book,poster,cd,magezine that has come out since the spice girls started.I even have all the spice girl merchandise.I am a spice girl die-hard fan.This book I would rate one of the better spice girl books.I even have the spice girl book that is out of stock.It was really good also (because the spice girls wrote it themselves).

just realy good

I THOUGHT THE BOOK WAS PRETTY GOOD IT GAVE ALOT OF INFO. BUT IT ALSO TELLS ALOT OF HISTORY ABOUT ENGLAND.BUT I GUESS I WOULD RECOMEND THIS BOOK!

It had tons of detail and cool pictures!If you liked those other phony Spice books you'll love this REAL book about the coolest band today,THE SPICE GIRLS!!!

this book was not that good, it was just the same old stuff I allready know (nothing new) why can't someone make a book that doesn't borr you to death! I can write a better book! You know what I think i will, thanks for the idea!

I was a rock critic back in the day and I bought "Marty Thau's 2X5" when it came out and was immediately struck by "Shadow Line." Sometimes when you hear a song, you can immediately envision a band on stage charging through it. It blew me away. Hmm. Who are these tones of flesh color?

When I spotted the EP "Up Front," I could hardly get it home, get the shrink wrap off and get the platter on a turntable fast enough. Only five songs, but three were absolute knockouts: "Girl from Baltimore," "Cold, Cold Shoes" and "Vindicators." In fact, whenever I would put "Shoes" on at a party, everybody would hit the dance floor, shouting "Whoa! Who's This?" To this day, I consider it one of the greatest rock and roll dance songs ever written.

Then came "Roman Gods" with more powerhouse stuff, including the title track which has one of the greatest use of horns in rock song I've ever heard.

I have only seen them once, at a small club in Philadelphia. Great show.

It not only puzzles me, it angers me that such great talent has not been met with the reward it deserves. It is absolutely infernal that it has taken the French, who adore them, to keep their fortunes afloat.

It is rare to hear a rock band whose taste in music seems to come out of your own head, like they were reading your thoughts. To me, the Fleshtones are that band. Some contenders are Jonathan Richman, Neil Young and the Feelies.

I think one problem could be their name. It's semi-comical instead of abstract and "cool." Maybe it shoulda just been Flesh.

Anyway, thanks, Joe Bonomo, for giving us the truth and the legend about these enduring, underappreciated rock and roll geniuses.

I just finished the book--WOW, What a great read! This book is MUST READ for any Fleshtones fan and a highly recommended read for anyone interested in the 1970's-80's NYC punk/new wave/garage rock music scene. The Fleshtones have always been one of my all-time favorite bands and they have always seemed very cool every time I've interacted with them at their shows. After reading their bio, I feel like I have a whole new appreciation and respect for the band. So glad the Fleshtones are still preaching their SUPERROCK to the masses!! I am very much looking forward to reading "Sweat, Pt. 2" in another 30 years :)

Joe Bonomo's book is a great journey with the most fabulous live band of the last decades.

From about 1985 onward, I've been a steady fan of the mighty Fleshtones, although I confess that by about 1993 I sort of stopped keeping up with them. But if for no other reason than to understand why "Roman Gods" and "Hexbreaker" have never been reissued on CD, I bought this book. Little did I know how insane the story of the Fleshtones really is.

In a nutshell, "Sweat" reveals that despite the jolly, party-time atmosphere that is the essence of the Fleshtones, the band and its individual members have truly been through hell along the way. The well-documented drug use by this band is nothing short of legendary, and at least one member, Marek Pakulski, ultimately had to leave the group do to his uncontrollable heroin addiction. Other members, particularly Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer, are probably lucky to be alive considering the amount of alcohol they've consumed. As for Peter Zaremba, it's surprising his body didn't just blast off into orbit, with the amount of speed he was taking!

Funny personal story - I saw the Fleshtones in Boston back around 1988, and got a chance to meet them before the show. I'd brought along the cover of my "Fleshtones vs. Reality" CD and Keith, Bill and Peter all cheerfully signed it. But Peter was irked by the fact that the label, Roadrunner, had included one of those anti-drug public service messages inside it. So Peter scribbled over the message and wrote underneath, "Do what thou willst! A.C." (An Aleister Crowley quote) I had no idea at the time just how serious he was!

And then of course there's the most notorious Fleshtone of all, Gordon Spaeth (R.I.P.). Who would have thought that a member of the Fleshtones served several years in prison after killing a man in a drunken fight?!

Author Joe Bonomo does a fantastic job of tracing the band's history over more than 30 years. From the young hipsters prowling lower Manhattan at the dawn of the punk era, through the 80's where at least Europe embraced the band and they enjoyed some celebrity, and on through the 90's to the present, as the bandmates have continued to make music on their own terms, even as material success has eluded them, "Sweat" spares no detail and offers compelling proof that the Fleshtones, albeit on a small scale, are true living legends.

And by the way, why won't I.R.S. allow those classic early albums to be reissued? You guessed it - it's all about money. As much as any band in history, the Fleshtones are a prime example of why major labels suck.

This book is essential for any Fleshtones fan, and even someone who never heard of them should still find "Sweat" to be one hell of a good read.

(p.s. The Fleshtones' brand-new album "Take A Good Look" is their best album ever.)

R&R is not defined by its stars. Although undoubtedly R&R in their hey days Elvis, the Stones or Springsteen do not define the genre. The may make up for its aspirations, but they are not at the core of what R&R is. At its heart R&R is literally thousands of bands busting their chops in the garages and sordid basements all over the world, dreaming to make it in the big league one day. The Fleshtones have been at this game for about 30 years now, never escaping the basement. In a sense they are the text book example of R&R. Joe Bonomo's book "Sweat" captures their ongoing search for ever elusive fame perfectly. Anybody familiar with the band couldn't have thought of a better tittle to this autobiography. The Fleshtones have been guaranteed to give the best R&R show around for as long as they've been together. Yet the subtitle to sweat, "30 Years, 2.000 Shows, 1.000 Blue Whales, No Hits, No Sleep" gives the perfect summary of what to expect when reading "Sweat".

The Fleshtones story starts in a basement in Queens. Much to the dismay of the neighbors, some of the key members of what later would become the Fleshtones, throw legendary Blue Whale parties while churning out raggedy R&R, barely being able to master their instruments. A Blue Whale apparently is quite the toxic mix of various kinds of alcohol, preferably served in big barrels. That loud and lethal mix of three chord R&R would be a constant in the band's bumpy career. It would get them kicked out of their apartments, make them lose record companies, would find them in bloody brawls, turn them in the gutter but would also make living legends out of them. Although there are way to little people to recognize them. For the lucky few who fell under their spell, they are R&R best hidden deities. For the lucky few who stumbled onto their albums the Fleshtones have come to symbolize sweat drenched good times at their shows, roaring saxophones, screeching farfisa organs, rambling guitar riffs, raggedy soul crooning and pure and simple R&R.

The Fleshtones came smashed between the burgeoning Punk scene of NY city in the late seventies and back to basic superstars such as Bruce Springsteen. Like the latter the Fleshtones went back to the core of R&R. They found their inspiration in a time when 45 was king. The core of the Fleshtones, Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng found themselves in their love for the format. Swapping obscure 7" records filled with R&R, ranging from Hank Ballard and the Midnighters to the Strangeloves. At the time when Punk and Springsteen were about to burst wide open, R&R had strayed from its true path. The scene was marred by various horrific super groups, making guitar based intellectual drivel that had very little to do with R&R. Both Punk and Springsteen were a counter reaction to that drivel. The Ramones brought R&R back to its (barely) three minute essence in a loud cartoon like mess. Blondie did much the same, giving R&R a new sense of ice cold cool. Building on the foundations Punk's god fathers, the MC5 and the Stooges, had built, NY busted R&R wide open again.

"Sweat" unravels the mystery why the Fleshtones, despite a killer live reputation and rave reviews, never managed to reap the benefits of that movement. In a sense R&R was the Fleshtones final destination. Though you couldn't accuse the Fleshtones of being a retro act, the strand of R&R they tapped into just didn't gel with the all too self conscious Punk movement, especially in NY where Punk was as much high fashion as it was a new form of musical rebellion. The Fleshtones simply didn't thunder down the same tracks the Punk movement lays down. In Bonomo's excellent write up of that scene it soon becomes clear that the Fleshtones' brand of good times and party hard R&R "danced" to a different beat than the Punk movement where shaking it up was branded out of style. Punk rebelled against the drivel of the day, but wasn't about to put the fun back in R&R. The very fuel that kept the Fleshtones running.

At the same time the Fleshtones never made R&R any grander than it was. Unlike Springsteen who infused his brand of R&R with big dreams and a lingering sense of melancholy. Where R&R was the door to ultra coolness for the Punks, to Springsteen it was the door to something bigger, an escape for his small town background. R&R as a means, R&R as a promise, not an end. To the Fleshtones R&R was the final stop. They live to recreate the exitement on the records of Larry Williams, The Kingsmen, Lee Dorsey and Link Wray. The Fleshtones never aspired to anything bigger, be it a fleeting sense of cool or the realization of bigger dreams. The Fleshtones simply wanted to be R&R and indulge themselves in the accompanying lifestyle of sweaty parties deep into the night, raving live shows, sex & drugs.

It's not that the Fleshtones never dreamed of making it bigger. Bonomo's book is drenched with frustration. The Fleshtones were chasing that same all to elusive dream of R&R stardom. Save for in Paris, where they were treated like R&R royalty throughout the years, they would find that dream always more than an arm's length out of reach. Although their career seemed to be off on a promising start when they got signed at Punk legend's Marty Thau's Red Star label in 1978, the band soon hit that brick wall they would ram in to on various occasions throughout their career. Red Star folded after the recording sessions, the Fleshtones' "American Beat" single fell of radar and their debut album never properly saw light of day.

The Fleshtones would be forever stuck in the basement their story is defined by bad business decisions, botched album preparations, odd production decisions and sometimes disastrous tours drenched in and caused by a haze of alcohol and drugs. Although "Sweat" is superbly written, Joe's subject is what makes the book hard to stomach at times. I don't think that there are a lot of R&R biographies out there that are as honest and confrontational as "Sweat". Even though Joe is clearly a fan, he doesn't spare the band. Peter's and Keith's erratic moods are thrown right in their faces, they come off as troopers of R&R yet seldom as heroes. Through out the book you keep waiting for that release of success and career highs that are trade mark to most R&R biographies. That release never comes. Instead there's this uneasy sense of "what if.......". You can't help but escape the notion that with a little more luck and discipline the Fleshtones would have been inducted in the R&R Hall of fame by now, doing high priced reunion tours. In stead the Flsehtones stumble their way through their career, seemingly forever one step behind or beyond the zeit geist. Never really fitting into the Punk movement, too raggedy to go up against the super stars of the eighties, too upbeat for the chronically depressed Grunge movement and finally too old for the recent Garage revival.

Yet despite all the hard knocks and set backs the Fleshtones have managed to keep that train rolling down the track. They are still living it up on the road, albeit with moderate amounts of drugs and alcohol these days, garanteed to give you one of the best R&R shows you'll ever witness. They seem to have found a stable record deal at Yep-Records, issuing some of the best albums in their career. A new Fleshtones album is slated for early next year. I don't think it will make any dents in the charts. Meaning that quite a few people will deny themselves some of the finest R&R there is to find.

If you are in a group of hardcore U2 fans, and you say, "the U2 bible" or "the Pimm book", they will all know which book you mean. For collectors, bootleggers, and general fans, this is THE book. While Pimm has sadly passed away, well known U2 insider Caroline Von B. has taken over and kept this tradition alive. This is the U2 book that the U2 crew take on the road. Need I say more?

This is the ultimate compendium for the true U2 fan. Not only does it document every single show they've ever played but it gives a lot of background and behind the scenes info on the albums. When I found out this updated version of the book was coming out I got excited and now that I've received it I was not disappointed!

This is the updated version. The first book that came out covered U2 from their earliest stages up through to the beginnings of the Popmart tour. This one carries us through the Popmart tour right through to the end of the Elevation tour. Pretty much every U2 show ever played is covered to some extent, whether it's just with a setlist or a lengthy review. Each tour has a page or so dedicated to an overview and then each show is detailed to some extent. If you're just a fan of the band you'll get a kick out of many of the shows details (the pizza order/delivery from 1992 being fantastic). If you're a collector of shows this book is to U2 fans what Deadbase or those Tapers Compendium books are to Grateful Dead fans. It's either a lot of fun to read or a rich source of information. Just a blast.

On a side note most of the book is written by Pimm Jal de la Parra. I'm not sure if it says it anywhere but apparently he had passed away during the creation of this updated version. A few people had gotten together to finish it off for him. They most certainly did him proud.

Hands-down the best book for collectors, fans, completists and trivia buffs. Compiled from thousands of sources by devoted but objective fans, this book is a good read, reference book and very interesting look inside each tour. As a long time collector, I have always heard that if a setlist exists in this book, there is a recording of that show, somewhere in the world.

This book is hard to put down! Every U2 gig is detailed from setlists to attendance. Lots of photographs, some that have never been seen before. I love it!

I thoroughly enjoy the family gatherings around Virgin River and Grass Valley - All I can say is more - more please.

Mike "Miquel" Valenzuela, 37 has shown up next in the trilogy - he is from LAPD of the gangs division.
Brie Sheridan [must be after the divorce]31, is Jack's baby sister who was married to Brad, a cop. Brie herself being a proscuting attorney.
Brad doesn't know what he lost.

She lost her case in proscuting Powell, a seriel rapist. Then he nailed her leaving Brie traumitized. When he is caught Brad tries to use the information to his advantage. He wants Brie back. Sucker!

We get a very close glimpse of Preacher and Paige - and his outspokenness with his Marine buddies. What a chuckle.

Hope offers Mike a job, that of being an investigative lawman for Virgin River - It also intails his calling the County Sheriff in case of a serious crime.

Mel ends up with a couple of girls who she suspects are victims of a date rape drug and reports this to Mike who starts to narrow the list of suspects. Sue & Doug Carpenter's daughter, Brenda, 16, was pregnant and couldn't remember it happening.

You should hear Mel start to sputter when she finds out she is pregnant again, apparently David wasn't just a miracle baby, but the beginning of fertility. [her "snip, snips" were totally uncalled for, he! he!] Jack was just doing his job. Ah, but now he will offer Mel a surprise - he calls Paul Haggerty, his fellow Marine, down from Oregon to hurry up and finish off the new house.

Paul was the best man at Matt Rutledge's marriage to Vanessa Booth.
Van was very much pregnant - she has moved in with her father and brother, Walt, a retired 3 Star Army General and Tom. Walt had purchased a ranch for his and Tom's horses.
Tom is still in high school and being the new kid on the block, he struck up a friendship with Jordan Whitley, who was a partying guy.

Tom also met Brenda and started dating her. Zack Hadley, a teacher was questioned by Mike and they became friendly with a common cause.

Now here is Walt Booth with a terminally ill younger sister, Midge who is being taken care of by her daughter, Shelby living in Bodega Bay. Now I am thinking - hey, here is a woman for Paul - that was before everything went to pot. I was also expecting Dan to show up - ah well, he was a no-show.

What a great third book to the Virgin River Trilogy -- It will be hard to wait for the November "Virgin River Christmas".
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -m - Definitely a keeper for my shelves.

This three part series was the first I read of Carr. Enjoyed all three.

This was a very good book. I did not like it as well as the first two, but feel it is definitely worth reading. I hope Ms. Carr decides to continue the series. I loved reading about Virgin River and all it's inhabitants.

I started reading the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr at the suggestion of others and believe me, I am glad I did! This is the last so far in the series, and her other series, Grace Valley, will be reissued in August. I cannot wait to read that series also. There isn't a character in these series whom you would not like; they are all so likeable, friendly and caring in this small town that you would want to move there.

In this book, the main characters are Brie, who is Jack's youngest sister, and his friend, Mike. She was brutally raped and beaten and Mike came to her aid and they fell in love.

I could go on and on, but I would love for you to read the series, Virgin River, Shelter Mountain and Whispering Rock. You will get to love the characters of Mel and Jack, Paige and Preacher, and Brie and Mike. I highly recommend this book and others in the series. Happy Reading!

The Virgin River Series:

Virgin River

Shelter Mountain

Whispering Rock

A Virgin River Christmas (Nov 2008)


"Whispering Rock" is the third book in an ongoing series. Although Amazon refers to the series as a "trilogy", there are more sequels on the way.

This, the third book in the series, is the most powerful yet. When characters were lost, I felt as if I'd lost a friend of my own. When babies were born, I was right there feeling the joy in the birthing room.
The first book, "Virgin River", introduces you to a lot of the characters for the rest of the series. There are a couple of important characters who are newly introduced in the sequels, but the majority are already in your heart from the first book.

So... if you haven't read "Virgin River" yet, don't ruin this book by reading it first. Become a part of the Virgin River family with book 1, then continue from there.
Here are the links to the first and second books in the series:
Virgin River (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 1)

Shelter Mountain (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 2)



For those whom have already read the first two books:

The residents of Virgin River are facing a year of great miracles and devastating tragedies. Jack and Mel Sheridan are back to see their friends and family through it all. Their own miracle, David, is growing and becoming a son to the entire town. A surprise is coming for the Sheridan family. It will cause Jack to prove to Mel that his devotion is as strong as ever. There is nothing he won't do to bring a smile to her face.

Preacher is on a mission. He and Paige want a baby. He'll follow any advice Mel can give them to make it happen. To Paige's chagrin, her shy husband is not the least bit bashful about sharing this info with his marine buddies. Before long, the whole town is taking interest in Preacher's quest. To Preacher, "Ovulation Day" is better than Christmas.

Mike Valenzuela has found a home in Virgin River. His body is finally reaching nearly 100% recovery. His heart, however, is nearly 100% lost. Mike's feelings for Brie Sheridan are growing by the day. Their phone conversations are his favorite part of each afternoon. When he learns that Brie has been assaulted and raped, the only thing that matters to him is getting to her side. A victim of violent crime himself, he has the knowledge, patience, and understanding Brie needs to help her heal. Knowing he may never win her heart, he'll still give Brie all of his attention and affection to make her grow strong again.

Brie is afraid. Afraid to leave her father's house, afraid to close her eyes at night, afraid of the dark, of public places, and most afraid that she has died inside. She believes she may never be able to feel love and joy again. Living with her dad, Brie is several hours away from Mike. To her surprise, he shows up on the doorstep one day. With her dad's encouragement, she agrees to leave the house with Mike for an hour or two. Lunch, a short walk, any means Mike can find to get Brie to start living again, he'll be there to provide the support. Slowly, over months of patient devotion, Mike is giving Brie a reason to feel hope for a future of love and passion.


Aside from these stories, a new family moves to the Virgin River area. Without ever knowing them from prior books, this family became as close to my heart as many of the original characters. My heart bled for all they endured and all they achieved. Robyn Carr struck gold here. I finished the book last night, but I still feel the impact. An amazing story that left me haunted. How on earth did Carr do that with a character that we barely met?

We get a little bit more of Rick's story. I'm looking forward to seeing his future unfold. Also, Lilly (baby Chloe's mom), will have you reaching for the Kleenex.

The next edition of this series won't be released until Nov 2008. It's going to be HARD to wait that long. This series has become one of my favorites. Hook, line, and sinker.



Love to read extremely emotional romance novels? Here are some that rocked my soul:

Marsha Canham's two- book Scottish historical series. Holy cow, your heart will cry during the last 100 pages of "Blood of Roses".
The Pride of Lions

Blood of Roses


Another Scottish historical that had a true impact for readers:
Scotsman


First book in Gaelen Foley's long- running series. The whole series is terrific, but the first really grabs your heart:
The Duke
To continue the series from there:
Lord of Fire
Lord of Ice: A Novel
Lady of Desire
Devil Takes a Bride
One Night of Sin: A Novel
His Wicked Kiss: A Novel

Very comprehensive. Lots of photos, very good history. It did come out a while ago so doesn't have anything about Entwistle's death. But it's a great history of the Who!

The definitive book to have on The Who. Loaded & re-loaded with amazing photographs & anecdotes from a friend of the band who isn't afraid to point out the bad in addition to the good.

I bought this book on its original release back in the 1980's; the updated section to review the years 1983-96 is most welcome. Hopefully, Richard Barnes will release yet another edition that takes into account the years 1997 to the present.

If you're a Who junkie, this book is a must. If you're a new fan, this volume is a fantastic primer into the history of the greatest band there ever was.

This book is an excellent resource for all fans of the classic rock band, The Who. Telling the band's story from their earliest days, the reader will find plenty of detail, interviews, and wonderful photographs to enhance this "amazing journey". The author takes a relatively unbiased stance, leaving out personal opinion in favor of simply stating "the facts".

If you are a fan of The Who, this is certainly a book that deserves a place in your library.

This book is really a great overview of the WHO's career. Starting out when the band started to meet as teenagers and spannig all the way to a few years after Keith's death, this book covers every single recording the WHO did.

Aside from just following the WHO through their career, this book is also jam-packed with those crazy Keith Moon anecdotes and interesting picures.

I really enjoyed this book, and enjoyed seein what one of my favorite bands was really like. I would definately recommend it to anyone who loves the WHO.

As a HUGE Who fan, I first picked up "Maximum R&B" in the late 80's, and recently dug into the updated version.

Richard Barnes was an old art school friend of Pete Townshend's, and remained close to him and the band over the decades. His history of the Who is detailed, mixed with intimiate remembrances, especially of the early days of the band.

Barnes for the most part tells the story with a straight-forward, unbiased eye. He details the tulmultuous relationship between the band members, especially Townshend and Roger Daltrey, and draws on numerous interviews and press articles (the press materials are classic--some very early pix of a very young Detours lineup are among the entertaining bits).

Barnes also examines the Mod movement of the 60's, which was so critical to exposing the Who (for a while the High Numbers) to a hardcore audience.

For Who fans like myself, you may find some minor errors, and Barnes doesn't go too deep into some of the band member's personal lives, except where he seems to have an in. Among these would be Townshend's fascination with Meher Baba, his later drug and alcohol problems, and his later struggles with trying to deal with the Who while establishing himself as a solo artist.

In any case, a fantastic document of the history of one of rock's greatest and most talented bands.

this book is great.You know My auntie just sent me this book and just handled it.You know i can't buy books about backstreetboys,(but maybe i do,but it's hard for me to find one because i'm from the philippines) but luckily i've had a nice auntie in the U.S. who've sent me this book.But you know i'm really worried 'coz my auntie sent it through mail,so i'm afraid it won't come because some BAD people(philippines) just get it if they found it beutiful for them,so i kept on praying and hoping that the book will be sent to me,and luckily i did. I really recommend this G-R-E-A-T B-O-O-K

this book is the best book on the Backstreet Boys that i have ever read. there is a bio on each of the guys, LOTS of hott pics-including younger pics and shirtless pics- and behind the scenes stuff. there are also stories of the pranks that they play on each other and of accidents and funny stuff that happened onstage. every BSB fan should have this book. it is worth every cent and worth getting! i love Brian soo much, he is soo hott and soo sweet! keep the Backstreet pride alive ya'll!

This book is the best!!! I'm a AJ fan and all of the pictures of him are great!!! A must have for any BSB fan!!!!!!!!

i love this book as i said, i realy love the pic's on nick they are soooo beautiful and i love the info, and the pic's on the others of coures but nick most, you must get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the best book i have ever read.It tells you everything you need to know about Backstreet. It also gives you their biography,and some of their secerts.So if you haven't read it you better get it=)