Audio Books

I enjoyed this story, and the sequels, as a young girl. Wrede creates a magical world that has a unique feel while incorporating common elements from fairytales. I've read in several times since and still enjoy it. Dealing with Dragons is very much a girl power book - almost all of the good main characters are female, Princess Cimerone rejects the staid life society thrusts upon her and charts her own course, and the King of the Dragons ends up being a female (King is just the title of the job, designating nothing about gender). It is well written, something that can certainly not be said of all fantasy novels written for this age group, and the story is fun and engaging.

An excellent book for young children that enjoy fantasy with an odd twist. Highly recommended.

I loved this series in middle school and would highly recommend it as a fun leisure read for children in that age bracket.

Princess Cimorene is tired of embroidery, etiquette, and protocol classes. She wants to take Latin, fencing, magic, and cooking lessons instead. But, that's just "not done." So to avoid a betrothal to a handsome and charming (but not particularly bright) prince, she runs away to become housekeeper for a dragon. As a dragon's princess, Cimorene gets the freedom to cook and clean and to organize libraries and treasure rooms. She also has to fend off persistent knights who come to rescue her, and investigate the actions of a couple of sneaky wizards.

Patricia C. Wrede's Dealing with Dragons is a refreshing change from some of the more recent fantasy epics aimed at teenage girls. It's light, fun, and often hilarious as it pokes fun at several fairy tales and fantasy clichés. The plot moves rapidly and the writing is clear and precise. The dialogue is particularly good.

I listened to Dealing With Dragons on audiobook. Listening Library does an excellent job recording this with a full cast of actors; I highly recommend this format. --FanLit.net

The book is extremely entertaining. Cimorene is certainly the kind of princess you don't often see in fantasy. And Kazul is not the typical dragon either. The book is really funny and is guaranteed to make you laugh

This was a nice one, a fast, easy, interesting read that I got to after reading a few heavy, slow-moving books. When it's taken me a week to read each of the last two books, I really need a one-day read as a pick-me-up, and that's what this was. The House of the Scorpion is a very interesting little dystopia: the drug lords of Mexico, led by one Matteo Alacran, managed to swing a deal with the US and Mexico whereby they were given the area around the border between the two countries as their own sovereign territory; in exchange, they agreed to stop completely the flow of illegal immigrants, and also promised not to sell their drugs in either nation, but go to Europe, Asia, and Africa with their product. So now, 100 years later, Matteo Alacran is still alive, owing to the fact that he keeps growing new clones of himself in order to harvest their organs. He's not unique in this, the other drug lords do the same, but what is unique is that Alacran allows his clones to retain their minds, to learn and experience life until he needs to cut them open and take their still-beating heart, so to speak. The novel is the story of the last of these clones, who goes by Matt.

The author does a nice job of portraying life as the complete outsider. She also created excellent characters for El Patron, who is the original Alacran, and Tam Lin, the IRA terrorist-cum-bodyguard who befriends little Matt. It's a nice little idea that Alacran gets his security personnel from other countries, since, as he tells Matt, that means it's harder for them to plot against him; his most recent hiring was a group of English soccer hooligans. There's also a nice idea of how the country turns the captured illegal immigrants into mindless slaves to work the fields, and I love the depiction of the Alacran family and its infighting and scandal and hatred of themselves and pretty much everyone else.

The problem, if there was any, was in the last part of the book; it's a nice little chapter in the story and it has a good resolution, but the only problem with it is that it has no connection to the rest of the book: the last section is about Communist oppression and government corruption, and the first parts of the book are not. It disappoints because the themes in the first section are so strong, so immediate -- drug cartels, illegal immigrants, cloning; it is about what makes one a human being, what makes people into a family, and also gets deep into the purpose of a nation and a government. These were all explored, all fascinating, all done with an adept touch as the book never got too profound or preachy -- and then they were all abandoned as the setting shifts. I suppose we could see the last section as offering an alternative to the nation of Opium, and trying to show that every nation has its problems, but that is rather a different idea, and not one that connects well with the other main points.

Despite my henpecking, however, the ending of the book was fine, and the first three-quarters of the book were excellent. This is a great recommendation -- especially for boys who aren't big readers, as it was recommended to me by one such. It's science fiction and action, but both are thoughtful, and neither is overwhelming.

I'll start by saying that I am about two thirds through this book. I am reading it because it has been assigned as summer reading to my 9th grader. It is a rare book that I can't get excited about, and this happens to be one of them. So far, the story has been long-winded and convoluted. The concept of cloning should be intriguing, but I'm finding that I have no interest in any of the characters...not even the main one. I'm sure that the author could have thought of a better name than furball for the dog! :-)

I'm simply dreading the summer of trying to get my daughter to wade through this long boring story. I can't for the life of me understand all these glowing reviews of this book. There are any number of fantastic and exciting books they could have picked for summer reading; why this one?

This book is simply amazing--fluidly well told, with none of the typical "coming of age" tawdry sexualization, no offensive language, just an interesting take on contemporary issues. The realistic characters and well-paced story make this book worthy of all the awards it garnered. Buy your kid this book--then read it yourself!

I found the storyline in this book to be very bizarre to the point where at times it gave me the creeps. Yet, I could not put it down. The characters were compelling as were their struggles in life. The book was packed with moralistic sub stories and character twists that all seemed to come together to make this book a fantastic effort from the author. Highly recommended.

A real page turner, I can see why its now on many schools summer reading lists.

I don't know what it was about this book that made me want to read it over and over again. It didn't have any colosal {I don't know if I spelled that right} battles or anything. I guess it was just the amazing storyline! The adventure was fantastic, but I honestly like whats going on with the woodlanders better than Martin the warriors journy, more action happens with them. In all, this is one of the best Redwall books, complete with an awesome one on one battle at the end. Read this book!

This is about Martin the Warrior , a heroic mouse, the self-appointed Prince of Mousetheives (and best friend to Martin), Gonff, the totally evil wildcat Tsarmina, and sundry other animal characters. The plot is that (1) Martin is (after a sidetracked problem) questing for Salamandastron, (2) the woodlanders defending themselves from Tsarmina until Martin returns, and (3) what's happening in Kotir, the moldy, falling-down castle where Tsarmina and her horde of vermin (stoats, rats, foxes, weasels and so on). This is a good series because it never ends on a cliffhanger at the very end. Mr. Jacques is a wonderful author, and I've read all his books except Eulalia!, because it isn't out yet. :(

The Redwall series was recommended to me by my own readers, who recognized a similarity between the writing style, animorphism, and medieval setting of my own debut novel "The Other Side of Yore" and of Brian Jaques' famous books. As I learned more about the books, I was amazed that the books had escaped my attention for so long. Sure I had heard the name in passing, but I really didn't know what the books were about, and had probably passed them over as too child-oriented when I was a young blossoming fan of fantasy. Boy, had I been missing out!
Mossflower may be the best YA fantasy book I've read since "The Hobbit," maybe even surpassing "The Chronicles of Narnia" for imagination, superb writing skill, literary worth, and sheer reading enjoyment!
Far from being just a book for young adults, I am well over thirty and highly critical of most fiction books, and was unable to put the book down. Not only does Jaques write in an incredibly skillful and beautiful style, but his plots and subplots are nothing short of genious. The character developement of the animorphed creatures is far superior to even the average bestselling book of fiction starring realistic human characters. Jaques is a master of dialogue and dialect, and I especially enjoyed the strange coloquial mole-speech;
"Hurr, Oi be liken it moiself better'n any deeper-n'-ever pie oive et, stan' on moi hole!"
The triumphs, determinations, and gallant speeches of Martin the Warrior actually brought tears to my eyes a few times during the tale, and the antics and humorous songs and poems of Gonff made me laugh out loud more than once.
What's more, Jaques created a complex villian to be copied by fantasy authors for centuries to come in the characterization of the wicked cat Tsarmina, and painted a thoroughly believable array of personalities and attitudes in the various soldiers of her army.
Like Tolkien's work, Jaques has also done his homework thoroughly, and has created a vast history to support his tales, which I think is a trait missing from many of the more fly-by-night and commercial fantasies of today.
By the end of this novel, you will have forgotten that mice can't talk and that badgers don't wield swords, having become intimately familiar with some of the most realistic personalities ever to grace the pages of literature. I cannot recommend this book enough, and am sure that the others in the series will be equally delightful!
J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

"Mossflower" is the epic prequel to "Redwall". Written by Brian Jacques, it is a book full of adventure and surprise.
The peaceful woodland creatures of Mossflower are forced to live under the tyrannical rule of the evil wildcat queen, Tsarmina. That is until the coming of Martin the Warrior. Martin brings hope and promise to the animals of Mossflower. With the help of a mighty weapon, the habitants of Mossflower will ban together to take back what is rightfully theirs and put an end to the evil reign of Tsarmina.
I highly recommend this book. It is full of action that draws the reader in and keeps him/her reading.

It is all you want in a good book.It has just the right amount of action,
peril,valor,and humor. If you want a book that is good for everyone, you just found one!

Rust in Peace is one of those albums where everything comes together: songwriting, performance and recording. This is by far the best Megadeth has to offer. I've heard every Megadeth album multiple times, but I always find myself coming back to this one.

First, the playing here is top-notch. The addition of Friedman gives Megadeth a completely new dimension in terms of sound. From his modal guitar solos to his mechanic speed-picking, this album cooks from first to last note.

Second, the songwriting and lyrics. Great and...great. Song structures are tight, lyrics are melodic and have meaning, really not a bad song on the entire album. No fillers here.

Lastly, the recording is so clear and crisp, you would never know that is was recorded in 1990. A great sonic achievement.

In closing, if you are just getting into Megadeth, this is the album to start with. Great thrash, unbelievable playing, and one of the best sounding metal records of all time.

Favorite Tracks: Holy Wars, Hangar 18, and Rust in Peace.

Ah,the album that defines Megadeth to this day.
The album that all technical metal is measured against.
This was the album that finally brought Megadeth out from under Metallica's shadow. Rust is Megadeth's Master of Puppets/Reign in Blood.
Yes, it's good enough to stand along those two and is a music changing masterpiece.
If you own only one Megadeth disc, then this is the one to get.
Too bad Megadeth fell down and went boom after this release and they have yet to recover.

After buying the whole Megadeth collection in the last few weeks I thought I would write my first review.
After listening to music for the last 30 years, I'm 38 now, I got into Thrash metal about a year ago after getting into all the early Metallica albums which I love. I had to try the next biggest metal selling band.
I made the mistake of buying Rust in Peace - Remastered which didn't really grab me. Luckily I gave Peace Sells a try and loved it.
After buying all Megadeth albums I realized how great they were. I know a lot of fans prefer their 80s work the best, but I don't think they have made one bad album. By bad I mean Metallica "St Anger" bad which I can't even listen to.
I finally got a copy of the original Rust in Peace and it blew me away. The 1st 2 songs are incredible. The pace and musicianship are mindblowing. From the 3rd song down the pace slows but the songs are still catchy. I wouldn't say it's my favourite Deth album as I like them all but do yourself a favour if you like this type of music, just buy it.
It is one of the best Heavy metal albums of all time.
I hope my review helped.

Gotta get this if you don't already have it. Ranks up there with Metallica's '...And Justice For All' album as being one of the greatest metal albums of all time! Considering that the two records came out around the same time, they certainly complement each other.

Dave Mustaine had the best lineup here, and carried it through the next few albums. Marty Friedman is a GOD on guitar, and a blessing to Megadeth fans everywhere!

Every song is listenable (unlike most of the music released today; bound to be a few duds in the bunch) and every song just kicks major [...]!! From the beginning to the end, this album will keep thrashing you against the walls until you feel like you're gonna explode.

My personal favorites are `Holy Wars ... The Punishment Due' and `Rust In Peace ... Polaris' though any of them could really turn me on, depending on my mood.

My only gripe is that Mustaine had to go and remaster the album a few years ago. I don't have that version, and will unlikely get it (unless my original copy gets toasted somehow). I think this is a cheap gimmick by the artist to boost profits and get people to buy all their old albums all over again. Iron Maiden did this and I haven't forgiven them yet.

Overall, you can't go wrong with this album. I really don't know what the hell's wrong with these people giving the album anything less than 5 stars. This album is just killer!

Total monster , it's great how the rhythem guitar is so intense ,
Kind of the way Jazz guys admire Harris of IM . You can't deny what lurks in the brain of the mighnty Mustaine
This CD upped the ante of what metal is .Much the way Ozzy and Rhoades did .The Sound is State of the art The crunch guitars and Bass stay out of each others frequency ranges , the drum parts are as intense as the guitar riffs .The songs are well crafted . The lead guitar has an interesting tension .It's alot of fun .
It should be intersting to see where mustaine goes now after 2 albums ripping the U.S. government a 3ed A-hole , mabey he will get more into other topics like Maiden does ,Lore, myths , urban myths , scary movies, classic novels , how bout Phantasm portholes , or a concept album about a different planet where everything is cool and energy is created by generators that recharge thier own batteries so everything is cheaper!

The book itself was a winner - a gift for my husband. He "devoured" it. The only disappointment was how cheaply and poorly-bound the paperback was. Even with extreme care, it fell apart within the first 70 pages. The replacement nearly made it to the end, but not quite. Buy and read this book, but go for a better-bound version unless you like handling it in pieces.

Author David McCullough gives us an in-depth look into the life of President Truman. He shows how he evolved from a simple farmer to become the President of the United States. McCullough pulls no punches in his biography, and yet, Mr. Truman comes through as a simple man who rose to the challenge of becoming a true statesman and world leader. A Very compelling read.

This is one of those rare biographies which pulls you in from the beginning and never lets go. It is an excellent look at one of the truly under-appreciated presidents. Truman was an amazing man and an incredible public servant. The sense of history that this biography brings makes it a must-read for anyone interested in American history and/or American politics.

An absolutely fantastic biography. McCullough not only gives us an incredibly in-depth account of Truman's role in such momentous events as the decision to drop the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Potsdam Conference (Truman's only face-to-face meeting with Stalin or Uncle Joe as he called him), the Truman Doctrine, The Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, the firing of General MacArthur and so on, but he also succeeds wonderfully in injecting joviality into this rather thick tome through his unsurpassed ability to recount the human side of Truman, the quirkiness, the common trials and errors of a human being and the like.

I am not an American, but I always tell my friends that if I were Truman would be my favorite president. This book only serves to reinforce my view. Overall, one of the best biographies I've read. If I ever became famous one day, I'd really love someone of McCullough's caliber to write my biography. Highly recommended.

I have read most of McCullough's books, and so I knew that after reading this I would understand Harry S. Truman more deeply than I ever had. What I didn't know what was that I would learn so much about 20th century American history. McCullough is a great story-teller. His use of historical details to recreate the man and the times is magnificent. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

If you ever want to get to know a true artist, why not embrace a writer like Dickey. The characters in this book are so relatable that it is almost like your inside the book. There is a play on this book as well same tittle and I strongly suggest you read this book. You can't say your a true book reader without obtaining this novel.

I read this book in 2006 but recently read it again...and I just simply love it. EJD really goes down deep in the soul with Debra, that made me cry!!! I love this book sooo much, it was well developed and the characters realllyyy had some depth to them...this is one of my favs besides 'liars game' and 'the other woman'!!! If you are just becoming a fan of EJD, you need to read this and then move on to others...lovedddddd it!

I have just complete this book and I must say I totally enjoyed it. Dickey captures the reality of relationships in a way that is sooo deep. The petty nuisances, the fights, the lovemaking, the distractions. He also connects on a deeper level by addresing issues which affect us in relationships (childhood experiences, past relationships) that come back to haunt us when we least expect it.

The one thing that was a little off was his time scheme where Debra was only approx 6mths pregnant when tragedy struck which made me wonder if the story was months old or years old. The time lapses needed to be a little clearer. Butttt it was a great read and I could not put it down (completed in two days flat).

I have read this book 6 times and counting (because I will definitely read it again). I just purchased the play last week and it's just as good. The way the story unfolds has you wanting everyone to win. Don't want to give it away but if you are sentimental you will cry, trust me. I am a fan of EJD's books and I knew this would be my favorite one before I read any other ones. A great buy that will not disappoint.

I have had this book for a while but just felt compelled to write a review on it. I have read this book so many times I have lost count. It is a timeless romance that would appeal to black and white, man or woman. This book is just an all around good read. I used to not enjoy reading at all & it was EJD's books that started me into the world of reading. Like a previous reviewer said it is not your ordinary happy ending romance but by the time you get to the end it is well worth the ride. You will laugh, you will cry, you will identify with the characters. If you ever wanted or needed to believe in love, and finding happiness against all odds then this is the book for you. Honestly....JUST DO YOURSELF A FAVOR & READ THIS BOOK!!!

I read this before I read the other series (Song of the Lioness)so I really had no background info on the setting. The plot is intriguing and the details back it worthwhile.

Daine is a young girl, newly orphaned who applies for work at a horse fair. The horse trainer, Onua doesn't want to take on such a young girl but gives her a chance and sets her in among the horses she has already purchased. It's not a problem for Daine that those horses are wild, untamed and unruly because Daine has wild magic and can speak to the animals.

Onua takes her on and they set off for the capital of Tortall because Onua is the horse-mistress of the Queen's Riders. Daine makes herself invaluable on the way by keeping the horses in line and fighting off immortals.

She meets Numair who plays a huge role as her teacher in the rest of the series. Numair is 27 at the start of the series and Daine is 13 so there is a huge age gap there.

Daine's magic grows leaps and bounds under Numairs tutelage and Daine's wild magic becomes instrumental in saving Tortall from Carthaki invaders.

Daine is probably my favorite character in the Tamora Pierce world of Tortall. She's got this natural thing with animals that I would love to have... She's not overly stubborn (like Alanna) or boring (like Kel - she was my least favorite heroine) or mischievous (like Aly, who is my second favorite (^_^) ) or even determined (like Pierce's newest heroine Bekka). Daine is just nice and has a lot of common sense and is brave.

This is the most disappointing thing I have ever bought online. Actually, I don't know because it hasn't come yet. I ordered it over a week and a half ago and it still hasn't come. Why sell when you don't deliver?

Wild Magic, a book by Tomora Pierce and the first book in the series The Immortals, is about a girl named Daine. Daine was always good with animals. Then she leaves her home and realizes she is more than good with animals; she has magic. Her magic allows her to talk to them and they obey her. Her magic is about to run away with her when her new job sets her in the company of a kind mage named Numair. Numair helps her learn how to control and use her magic.
My favorite part was when all the birds in the story help Daine fight off several Stormwings. Even though they all die, Daine's powers seep out and bring the birds back to life, fix broken wings, and heal their wounds. This book would be great for anyone in to fantasy and fiction books, more for someone in 6th too 8th grade. I don't really know, older groups of people might like it as well. I give this book a 10 on a scale of 1:10.
This book has sparked my imagination. I am always thinking about how life would be if we had magical powers. This book is very entertaning and keeps the adventure going. I hope you read the other books in the Immortals series. This book captivated me. I hope you enjoy/ enjoyed it as much as I have.
-- Skylar Rowan

This is an excellent book. Tamora Pierce is a great author. I just bought another copy of this book because I misplaced my first copy.

I purchased this book for my daughter. She read and finished the book and told me that it was well written and that it was very interesting reading. I didn't read it so I would be hesitant to recommend.

I loved this book! My heart goes out to Sharon Rocha and the rest of Laci's family.

I was pregnant with my 3rd son when Laci went missing and was so devastated to hear how she went missing. As time went on, and I looked at Scott on TV, I could tell he was guilty. He was blank, cold, and detached looking. I felt so sad for Laci and her son. She was so beautiful and looked to be like such a sweet loving woman. I was drawn to the story, and waited for her mother to write a book about her. I realized it might not happen, but was happy when she finally wrote this book. I read the book by Scott's half sister, and really enjoyed that book. I also read this book and cried like a baby at certain parts. I was confused how Laci could have been so trusting of Scott, as most women (or at least I thought) have women's intuition that would tell them something was wrong. I am happy that her mother wrote this book. I always wondered what went on with Laci's side of the family during this whole tragedy. Even though I cried many tears while reading this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

When the story of Laci broke news, I thought it wouldn't be as sensational as it turned out to be, I mean how many people go missing, or are murdered;my husband thought the same way. I began reading the books about Laci and the investigation, which covered forensic, and mental health issues, but no emotional feelings until I read Sharon's book. It's powerful in its own right. A must read!

This is a compelling book which reads very quickly, as it is hard to put down. Sharon Rocha paints a lovely portrait of her daughter Laci. You can't help be empathetic as evil moves in around her. I have an incredible amount of respect for her and the search-and-rescue fund/foundation she created. This tugs at heartstrings and elicits tears. I can't help but cry.

We bought this book for our daughter graduating high school. We wanted her to know that the sky was the limit for her. This says it all.

I've always appreciated the way Dr. Suess can speak to adults. This is a classic graduation book, and that's where I got my copy.

But it's still very much kid-friendly and just as inspirational to them as to anyone.

This is a story about chane and going for it, with a healthy dose of realism that reminds us that the world is not a fairy tale and that bad things will happen but that they are still no reason to give up.

The products on Amazon are amazing, however, the shipping cost are OUTRAGEOUS! That why I will not purchase fom Amazon again. I will now shop locally only.

I purchased two books for a total of about $25 and it cost $13 to ship! That is almost 50% shippping cost - which in OUTRAGEOUS!

This wonderful Dr. Seuss book is our favorite gift for graduates from High School. It is simple in its language, but very thoughtful in its message. It discusses successes as well as bumps in the road, which is a true picture of life. It is encouraging, and fun, the artwork is delightful. Read it from cover to cover, enjoy it, and think.

I bought a bunch of these as graduation gifts for high school kids. The book is yet another great Dr. Suess book and is a perfect book for any kind of grad (or just for a child to read too!).

This book is an essential Daily Reference. The chapters are broken down into concise explanations with Action points to improve a particular aspect of your own Success Formula. Each section has a Specific goal to prepare you for Success. Fundamentals, Transformation, Team, Relationships, Money and more. This book does not read like a self-help tome that you have to read all the way through to get anything out of it. Rather, the five page chapters can be reread while you're drinking coffee, waiting in line during an errand, etc, In that way, you can integrate these elements into your daily routine to give greater power to your efforts.

This comprehensive book is an encyclopedia of success principles unfolded in a logical sequence that will give anyone willing to put in the effort a blueprint for success. Canfield guides you through the 64 principles with plenty of examples, exercises, and real-life success stories that he is so good at telling.

The formula he uses is an effective teaching method. A success principle is presented, then a story about how someone applied the principle, or an example of an application, and then an instruction for applying the principle by the reader.

Many of the ideas I have read before but Canfield puts them altogether in one volume. He credits much of the material to his mentor, W. Clement Stone, as well as his coaches, including Dan Sullivan. And he quotes many famous successful people throughout the book.

Some of the book's principles that really resonate with me are "Take 100% responsibility for your life", "Reject rejection", "Ask for what you want", "Transcend your limiting beliefs", and "Make a 100% commitment".

I think the material in this book is as valuable for the CEO of a big corporation as it is for a mother with a home-based business. Reading and applying the principles is like taking a course in self-development, success fundamentals, team building, money management, and motivational therapy, all rolled into one. My recommendation is to not only read and study the book, but also keep it on hand as a reference book, especially for the times when you feel stuck or challenged. It will pull you through the down times.

And it wouldn't hurt to use this book as a textbook for high-school seniors. If they read this before embarking on their life journey, it would be a lot easier and more fun.

If you're short on time and tend to prefer small books, don't let the size of this book keep you from reading it. Flip through the table of contents and let your inner wisdom help you choose where to start. "The Success Principles" is packed with so many gems. It's like a dozen of the best personal development books in one. Jack Canfield is a master manifestor and so inspiring. Enjoy!
Divine Wisdom at Work: 10 Universal Principles for Enlightened Entrepreneurs

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R23IKODSDSGP6W This book was instrumental in my personal transformation! I highly recommend it to anyone who is ready to take their life to the next level. It's packed full of great information and empowers you to go after your dreams! --Adair Cates, Speaker and Author of Live with Intention: Ten Steps to Creating the Life of Your Dreams

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R13M5ME38MHOZN This video outlines why I love this book - and the particular ideas and excerpts that have made a difference to me. A definite addition to any self-development library!