Texas Books

Tales of a Texas Boy
All reviews on this edition apply to the Kindle version, too.

Tales of a Texas Boy took me home. I grew up in Texas on a large chicken farm with a grandmother who told me stories of the 'good ol days'. Marva captured for me a sense of peace and a longing for how things use to be. This is a great book for children of all ages. Marva, Hon would be proud.
Sarah--Utah

Tales of A Texas Boy is a funny, charming, and bittersweet vision of a vanished time. Its host of characters include a jack mule from Georgia named Samson, a grandfather who fought in the Argonne, and (unbeknownst to Eddie) Mae West, encountered in a roadside café. The stories, narrated in Eddie's West Texas accent, perfectly capture his childlike perceptiveness. The sense of place is wonderful, whether we are passing the evening on horseback across the prairie, bone-hunting in the dry washes or watching Sophie the bear roll up to the county fair sitting in the back seat of a Studebaker. What a pleasure it must be to spend a day with the man behind these stories!

Ms. Dasef wrote a marvelous portrayal of America's history through stories told by a young Texan. She takes the reader into events such as World War I and The Great Depression. The photos add to the depth of this most enjoyable book!

Ms. Dasef has captured the essence of her father's life on the Texas prairies. These folksy, heartwarming stories bring to life endearing characters who were real, flesh and blood people struggling to farm the priaire lands of the Texas panhandle.

The stories are enchanting, humorous and often contain a sort of morality tale. I especially liked the one about the grandfather taking on a hired hand he could not really afford simply because even though his family had little, the hired hand's family "had nothing."

In this day of callousness and cynicism, Tales of a Texas Boy resonates with echoes of the real America. Kudos to Ms. Dasef and to her remarkable family. A great read for all ages.

Barry Yelton,
Author of Scarecrow in Gray, a Civil War Novel

This is by far the best book I have come across pertaining to snakes - specifically Texas snakes. Great bk. for any herp. enthusiast or just a regular person wanting to know what's what. This bk. has plenty to offer. There is detailed scientific info. including range, habitat, reproduction, behavior, etc. of species. The pictures are amazing & thorough for easy identification. I particularly like the range maps.

I highly recommend this bk. to anyone who wants a great reference bk. on snakes. This book will not disappoint you.

Terrific photos and scientifically up-to-date. Easy to use guide for herpetology student or the causually interested.

This is easily the most complete and best book on Texas Snakes available. There is an ample amount of photographs with numerous pictures of some species and also rare to see pictures such as Western Diamondback's fighting and a couple pages of leusistic/albino snakes. Each snakes description tells just about everything you'd want to know and then some, enough to satisfy both amateurs and experts. This is an excellent book to keep at home for reference and to study up on Texas Snakes. This book also has more species of snakes in it than other books on Texas Snakes I have read which is a bonus since the others may be excluding something you could run into in the field.

I've encountered numerous books about herps, and this one is one of the best of them all--it is certainly the best book pertaining to the snakes of Texas specifically.
The species descriptions are accurate; detailed species information is given with each species. Behaviour, range, habitat, diet, reproduction, are all covered in a fair degree of depth for each species.
Despite on reviewers comments, I have no complaint with either the common or scientific names; it uses common names I've heard frequently. In most cases, it will write them in a grammatically corret fashion; Yellow bellied water snake as opposed to yellowbelly water snake, say, but that merely makes the work appear more professional and read much better. The latin names...well taxonomy is always under debate anyway, and I would personally agree with most of thier decisions (although I'm a mere hobbyist).
The photos are incredibly well done; I particularly like that the authors saw fit to provide mulitiple photos with locality information for highly variable species (i.e. western coachwhip, bullsnakes, etc.).

This is a wonderful book on Texas snakes. As one who recently had a (noninjurious) run-in with a western diamondback rattler, I can attest that the photography is stunning. This is almost an artwork. This book provides a wealth of information that is easily accessible to the nonspecialist on each species--range, specific habitats within that range, generalized behavior traits, likely reactions upon encountering humans, diet, mating habits, etc. The only real criticisms I have of the book are minor. It would have been nice if the color plates had been interspersed with each species covered, rather being placed all together. As it is now, one reads up on the snake and has to thumb through the book to find the picture. Also, as many of us buy this book to be able to identify snakes we are likely to encounter in normal activities, more information pertaining to where one is likely to encounter each species (e.g. in leaf litter, under rocks, inside ranch buildings) would have been helpful. This is a book that every Texan who wanders outside should have, as well as those interested in herpetology or snakes. As a librarian I have encountered numerous books on Texas snakes. This one is far and away the best.

In When A Sistah's Fed Up, Faith Henry has everything a successful woman could possibly want. As the wife of her college sweetheart, mother of two "seemingly" perfect children and the first African American Mayor of Ulysses, Texas, Faith doesn't know whether she is coming or going with her busy schedule. At the very beginning, she's almost killed by a sniper's bullet. But her family seems to be interested in her accident for only a moment. They are all too involved with their own lives to worry about Faith. Her husband, Preston, feels that his wife's place is to take care of her home and not the entire city. Sloan, her self-centered daughter in college, is involved in a secret relationship with a man twice her age. Trey, her teenage son, is suffering from an identity crisis and wanting teenage girls. Things heat up when Faith secretly falls in love with Raymond, her male administrative assistant. Then, a personal decision that she made years ago comes back to haunt her. Now up for re-election, Faith has no choice but to come to grips with her past, as well as her future. She's fed up!

I recently met "Dr. Moe" at a writer's conference in Dallas, and I asked her why was a dentist writing a book? She told me that dentistry was her profession and writing was her passion. After reading her debut novel, I understand exactly what she meant. She is a passionate writer with a flair for writing with elegance, style, and humor. I loved this book and every well-developed character that emerged throughout the storyline.

The two main characters, Faith, and her once-loving husband, Preston, are on the last leg of their marriage. When her run for re-election as mayor turns ugly, Faith turns to her very attentive administrative assistant, Raymond Hart, who's not as fine as her husband, but he is certainly more supportive. As time passes and secrets are revealed, Preston tries to save his failing marriage, but is he too late? This book had all the makings of a superbly written novel by a well-seasoned author including: drama, romance, intrique, mystery, suspense, and politics.

If you're "fed up" with other books that don't "measure up" to your expectations, then there ain't nothing you can do about it except read "When A Sistah's Fed Up." Believe me, you won't be disappointed with this hot book that has made the Essence Best Selling List. Relax with your favorite drink and be prepared to be thoroughly entertained with this fast paced book with a surpising twist in each chapter. This read deserves five stars plus five more to be honest with you. I don't normally like reading series, but I'm definitely hoping that a sequel is in the making for this one. Congratulations, Dr. Moe on all of your accomplishments as a self-published author. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this one gets picked up and reprinted by a major publisher. In fact, I predict that it will...

Barbara Joe-Williams, author of Dancing with Temptation

Faith Henry is an African-American superwoman, who, one day decides that part of being "super" is knowing when to say "Sho Nuff E Nuff!" She is the 1st black female mayor of Ulysses Texas: a beautiful, sleek, modern Houston suburb, a chocolate drop of an oasis of the well-to-do. She is married to her husband, Preston of 27 years, once a rising star of a real estate agent who has since stumbled on the fast track. They have a daughter, Sloane, a child in a woman's body, and a son, Trey, a young man in a whole lot of women's bodies. The story opens with Faith being the target of a clumsily executed assassination attempt, and revolves around her attempts to unravel the mystery. Along the way we meet Raymond, her ever protective and able assistant; Junior, her savvy and misunderstood brother-in-law; and Reverend Leroy, Preston's best friend and the conscience he never seems to have developed. Faith is essentially a woman who `has it all' and gives just as much to keep it. We trace her journey, professionally, personally, and emotionally as she finally learns to start living life on her own terms, including taking stock of what she needs.

My hat (and my wig if I had one!), go off to Dr. Anderson. She has created an engaging family that I found myself wanting to know better. No doubt that having read this, we may all look at successful black women askance, wondering perhaps, how fed up is she? Dr. Anderson has done her homework, and although she covers influence of real estate, the fireworks of local politics, and the intricacies of church and family drama, the reader is never left wandering through too much explanation. She also manages to draw each character fully without jumbling people together. She clearly has a direction and focus for each main character, and each character remains faithful to that throughout the book. The surprises come from plot devices, not odd changes in direction or personality.

When I received this book, I admit a slight reluctance to read it, stemming from my experience with urban fiction. I have never been so pleasantly disappointed. The story is ultimately about growth and grace under pressure. The hallmark of good manners and scruples is graciousness to those who have none, and Faith is more than up to the task. Dr. Anderson has created a viable, successful, charming, realistic, admirable heroine in Faith Henry, and made her accessible enough that we want to see her prevail, because we as readers have so much emotional investment in her success. I eagerly await the sequel. Let me repeat that: I am waiting for the sequel! Dr. Anderson, with graceful aplomb and enthusiasm, listed an impressive 2 pages of acknowledgments, and I sincerely hope that those she mentions appreciate her more than worthy effort. I can only offer my highest recommendation.
Reviewed By: Angela T. Hailey, Black Butterfly Review

When a Sistah's Fed Up, by Monica Frazier Anderson, is an attention-grabber from the start. By the end of the first chapter, I was caught up in the whirlwind of suspense and conflict that is a constant throughout the story.

Faith Henry is an African-American woman who is the incumbent in the upcoming mayoral election. To the outside world, she seems to have it all. But, inside, she is unhappy. Faced with an assassination attempt on her life, children who have secrets to hide, a husband, Preston, who seems to not love her anymore, along with growing romantic feelings for her assistant, Raymond, Faith finds herself in a maze of seemingly never-ending conflicts.

Faith's world is turned upside down and her popularity in her mayoral campaign comes to a crash, when a devastating secret from her past is unveiled and she tries to figure out who is out to destroy her. She knows that her political nemesis, JD Person, the former mayor, has some nasty tricks up his sleeve, but would he go so far as to try and have her killed? Or is it her husband who seems jealous of her ambitions in life and who seemingly does not love her as he did earlier in their marriage? Who can she trust?

Faith has to deal with the issue of her heart becoming full of love for her assistant, Raymond, who supports her in ways that her non-supportive husband refuses to. Yet, guilt tears at her heart and she has to make a decision on whether or not pursuing this relationship is the way to go.

Twists, turns, love, hate; many emotions are felt throughout the story and make this a hard read to put down. The readers see Faith transform into a woman who truly takes it upon herself to seek and find what makes her happy and complete within.

A definite must read. I give this one two thumbs up. I would love to see a prequel or sequel that would dig deeper into the dynamics of some of the conflicting issues of other characters in the story such as Reverend Leroy and Preston Henry. This is a well-written debut from author, "Dr. Moe" Anderson.

Reviewed by RaTasha(Coulee Eidos)
APOOO BookClub

As a wife, mother and mayor of Ulysses, Texas, Faith Henry doesn't know whether she's coming or going. For starters--she's almost killed by a sniper's bullet. Her husband feels a woman's place is to take care of home, her daughter is involved in a secret relationship and her son is suffering from an identity crisis. Making matters worse, Faith falls in love with her administrative assistant and a decision she made years ago has come back to haunt her. Now up for re-election, Faith has no choice but to come to grips with her past as well as her future.

Monica "Dr. Moe" Anderson has written a novel portraying the ins and outs of politics. Readers will be entertained with the abundance of shady underhanded dealings as well as the heated little deeds going on behind closed doors. The storyline was excellent and the plot was so wonderful that it left me wanting more...talk about a sistah fed up. Dr. Moe is to be commended on a job well done. Readers will enjoy WHEN A SISTAH'S FED UP for years to come because it is a compelling fictional story detailing the gritty, grimy and seedy side of local government.

Reviewed by Pamela Bolden
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Marjorie Meyer Arsht's literary gem of a book takes its reader on a journey of time and places with vivid details, invoking emotions from laughter to tears as the reader takes the challenging, personal journeys right alongside Marjorie. Her writing style makes for an enjoyable reading experience. I recommend it for everyone's personal library regardless of where they live, what their political or religious affiliation. My only complaint is that I wasn't ready for it to end when I came to the last page!

Marjorie's account shows just how much a gifted, caring person can
accomplish with the mind set of overcoming all obstacles of foes, families, and deterrants on the path of making this a better world for having been blessed by such wisdom and perseverance inspired to
improve the lives of others less capable of doing it for themselves.
Alliene and Wylie W. Vale

Yoakum's loss was our gain. This is an exceedingly well-written memoir of a remarkable life. It is the rare memorist who can not only tell her story, but make the reader feel he is right there along with her. I'm ready for her next chapters.

My mother, Elaine Kuper, and I enjoyed the book from our different perspectives---hers, from her active involvement at Beth Israel having taught Sunday School for 25 years (and my grandmother, Lorraine Hofeller having taught for 40 years!) My family's membership of Temple Beth Israel goes back to 1934--My interest focused on the amazing history of Texas politics! This book truly underscores the fact that one person can make a difference!

"All The Way From Yoakum" is a marvelous book about an extraordinary woman. It is an historical document as well--about Jewish life in small-town Texas, the rise of the Texas Republican Party and the evolution of race relations in the South. By any standard, Marjorie Arsht is an unforgettable person and this book brings her vividly alive.
Allan Brownfeld

Savoured the book from start to finish. It took me 2 weeks to read the last 20 pages because I did not want it to end. I am looking forward to reading the next Gillian adventure.

Everyone loves an adventure (or at least reading of one) and most of us will never take a boat from China to America. Envious of this one, I curled up by my fireplace and read Mr. Ding's Chicken Feet with a taste for the fascinating journey of a Caucasian woman on a boat full of Asian men. I was not disappointed.

The author sets sail on an ocean of cultural difference and wins over the hearts of the crew - a rough and salty bunch who sit spellbound by her in English class.

Because of the obvious vast expanse of ocean to cross, you know that the author is going to have to face a few things she has probably never had to before, and deal with them. There is, after all, no escape on a small boat in the middle of the ocean.

Kendall reveals the color of the crew over the course of the journey as if she were polishing up tarnished brass. It was great fun to read about the men as they blossom at the hand of their teacher...though the revelations were not one-sided.

Not surprisingly, I felt the poignancy at the sight of land, which meant having to say goodbye.

Kendall writes with an unpretentious clarity, humor and heart. I definitely recommend it.

Ji Lians book very good. Makes me laugh. Have to laugh and wake up husband to read good part. I like this book. I like especially page where I am mention. I am Li. I am beautiful asian/american. Not Chinese. I too, don't like chicken feet.

In Mr Ding's Chicken Feet, the author, Gillian Kendall, comes across at first as maybe a little naive and unwary. She is a risk-taker. Her apparent lack of serious doubt about the whole enterprise, her trust in her fellow human beings not to harm her and her faith that it would all work out made me a little nervous on her behalf. But she is vindicated by the experience and it is her empathy and geniality that are the keys to her success. Observing Kendall's openness to life and her willingness to reach out across cultures became one of the pleasures of reading the book. A cynical reader such as I am found it instructive to watch her interest in humanity unfold and be repaid.

Her story really takes off once the ship leaves shore. Then it leaves behind any experience I and probably most readers have had. Shipboard life with a completely male crew who mostly speak very fractured English seems so weird and challenging that you half expect the book to be a story of failure -- perhaps noble failure but depressing nonetheless. So it's very satisfying that she actually makes a difference to the sailors' English and lives. She is inventive in her methods and determined to give her employers their money's worth and thereby wins the crew's respect and affection.

Kendall can write -- just see her description of the terrible storm at sea. It had me rigid with tension. Shades of Conrad in Typhoon. She has a distinctive and likable tone of voice. The book tells an optimistic story in an unpretentious way and gives you faith in the power of empathic teachers (and English!).

I spent the academic year of 1999/2000 teaching English in Shenzhen. I spoke no Chinese, at the time, and had no formal teaching experience. So I could definitely relate to Gillian's frustrations, culture shock, and malentendus. It's 1991 and Gillian is a grad student in Galveston, TX. The semester is coming to a close and she spies an ad on the bulletin board for an ESL teacher aboard a ship sailing from Shanghai to Galveston. After a hard sell Gillian manages to land the job aboard the all male ship. The company flies her to Shanghai where she boards the ship. The reader witnesses her feelings about being the only woman on the ship; loneliness and some sexual harassment egged on by the only other American on board. She experiences a Sapphic awakening as she realizes in her state of isolation that she doesn't have any romantic feelings for her boyfriend. She manages to break through the cultural, gender, and language barriers to form some attachments to her students and especially Mr. Ding, the cook. The book is riddled with faux pas but the funniest part, I would say, is when she saves Mr. Ding by hurling the violent Panamanian vendor into the Canal.

THIS STORY WAS REAL BEAUTIFUL
AND IT FEELS SO REAL.
THE STORY HAS MANY TWISTS
LOVE,PAIN,LAUGH AND TEARS...I STRONGLY RECOOMMEND
THIS BOOK FOR ANYONE WHO
APPRECIATES HEART TOUCHING LOVE NOVELS.

This is NOT your typical "romance". This is not sentimental fluff without substance. It will make you laugh and leave you crying.

Gil and Sunny's love for each other is one which is often viewed as scandalous, taboo, and yet absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching... They are first cousins.

This is certainly nothing new. Cousin romances have existed since the beginning of time, and are not all that uncommon, even in today's world. However, the subject is one that few authors have the courage to write about. Cindy Bonner handles a difficult subject with grace, compassion, sensitivity, and realism.

Set in the early 1900's, Sunny and Gil face tremendous prejudices against them. Yet love is something that can not be denied, and is worth sacrificing everything for. The couple overcomes every obstacle imaginable, and their love endures through the best and worst of circumstances.

Never has a story touched my heart like this one, and never has one echoed the thousands of voices of cousins who find themselves in similar situations so clearly.

I am writing this review because very few books and movies can leave me in tears. From the first page I was drawn in. I read this book in a day and a half and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it or dreaming about it. You know a book is good when the characters continue to haunt you long after the last page. All through this book I felt the same happiness, sorrow, anger, frustration and a slew of other emotions Sunny and Gil went through. This book was brillant and if you're looking to read a love story that will move you and make you feel as if you are experiencing the same emotions as the characters and not just watching from the sidelines this is the book for you.

I thought that this book was incredibly well written, and very original. I picked it up in the library never having heard of the author, and I didn't put it down until I finished the entire book in one day. In a day where it is hard to find something new and fresh, this book meets those expectations. I highly reccomend this book, and it's author to anyone looking for a fresh mind!

This story of forbidden love between first cousins was so tragically beautiful. Although Sunny and Gil tried to go their separate ways, they always came back to each other, leaving a trail of hurt and pain behind. So many years wasted...I only wish they would have had more years together in the end.

The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales is a novel about a young girl named Sofia and her journy to get into Saint Luke's Epscopal School in Austin. Sofia lives with her mother her father and her sister Lucy. She lives across the road from her cousin Berta. Sofia is at the top of her lass academacly but she is not at the top in her social life. She always has to sit at the other end aof the caffateria because she brings tacos everday, while she wants to bring a sandwich to fit in. She enjoys playing soccer and she is very happy when she finds out that her new school has a good soccer team. Her family has great Mexican culture and they take there religion very seriously. Sofia is somewhat emberresed of her culture once she sees what it is like on the other side of her town. She goes trick or treating and sees how much nicer the other houses are. They have heat and they are made of nice white brick. Sofia gets a invite to a good school but her and her family have to come up with 400 dollars. This is a lot of money for her family but she wants to go to experience something new and see what the world has to offer. I personaly liked this book. It was full of funny stories and it kept me entertaind while i was reading it. It helped pass the time when i needed something to do. The book was 199 pages long so it wasn't to long but it wasn't to short. I usually like action books but this book related a lot to real life. It was about a girl about my age, it portrayed her family as a middle class, it showed how kids can be outcast just because of how they look, and how a girl can want what she doesn't have. It also gave me alot more information about the Mexican culture. It showed me how they celebrated there holidays differently than us. For example for haloween the families she went to in her comunity gave her vegitables and other random items while we americans give out candy.
I gave this book a four out of five because even though i would rather a book with action this book kept me entertained the whole time i was reading it. It had some good backround information to set the mood of the story. It also was broken up into good chapters and it told the story of Sofia well. It showed that even a girl from a middle class, almost lower class can make it and get into a good school, and then later get a good education and job. I would recomend this book to a person if they would want to learn about the Mexican culture or if they just want a good book they can read that relates to there everyday life. Also i wouldn't recomend this book to a younger child. They may pick this book out because the cover looks like a little kids book, but it is acutally a little hard to understand all of the information given about the hispanic culture, and the catholic religion. If i had the choice I would deffinality read this book again, and i may even use it as a recource for a school report on the hispanic culture.

This is one of the best books I have read in quite some time. Having grown up in South Texas, I had many Mexican-American friends and I can relate to many of the stories told in this book.

Sofia is coming of age in a very traditional Mexican-American family. The reader will learn about many of these traditions, such as the quinceanera, comadres, cascarones, canicula, and the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos).

This is a very heartwarming book that anyone would enjoy reading.

This story is truly woven rather than written! Canales brings readers into the world of a teenage Mexican-American girl, Sophia, growing up in the barrio with a "mule-kicking" spirit that seems to both imprison her and help her to transcend life's obstacles simultaneously. Sophia is a very intelligent young lady with big dreams of going to Harvard. Her family roots are firmly and deeply entrenched in tradition ~ the reader instantly sympathizes with Sophia's desire to be a "typical" American teen and her quest to both embrace her roots while living in the mainstream.

Sophia blossoms in this book from a teen to a woman intellectually and perhaps most gracefully ~ spiritually. I highly recommend this book for students in grades 6-8. It will expose students to a phenomenal multicultural novel that instantly brings the setting and culture alive while endearing the reader to a character that is steeped in the complexities of coming-of-age.

The Tequila Worm tells the story of a young and intelligent Mexican American schoolgirl, Sofia, growing up in McAllen, Texas. Sofia comes from a close family with many traditions- from making Easter cascarones to celebrating quinceañeras. Sofia is accepted to a boarding school in Austin, Texas, three hundred and fifty miles away from her home, but she struggles to leave her family even though she longs to go this new school.
I enjoyed this book very much. This book was both amusing and touching. For example, Sofia tells the story of Easter celebration with all her relatives. As part of the celebration they all find hidden cascarones (hollowed eggs that had been decorated and stuffed with things such as confetti) and smash them on each other's heads. Sofia saves a special egg for her cousin, Berta, which she has filled with flour. Berta also has a special egg for her cousin, an egg filled with mustard. Little does Berta know, but Sofia's younger sister Lucy also has a special egg.

As I kicked the air and swiped at the yellow gobs on my hair, face, and stinging eyes, I could hear Berta's big fat laugh.
Then- silence! There was Berta with real egg running down her hair and face, mixing with the flour. She was spitting and glaring at someone.
I turned to see Lucy smiling from ear to ear, no longer holding her secret egg. (Canales 25)

From this book I learned more about Mexican- American traditions and culture. Some aspects of Mexican- American culture that this book touches on are celebrating Día de los Muertos, quinceañeras (the American equivalent of a "Sweet Sixteen" only it is celebrated when a girl is fifteen), religion, and Mexican- American cuisine.
This is a terrific book, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get a glimpse at Mexican- American culture or just a good read. (Viola Canales uses simplistic language so it is not a very strenuous novel or difficult to read.)

Sofia, a Mexican-American girl from the Rio Grande Valley town of McAllen, Texas, studies while her best friend dreams of her quinceanera. To achieve her dream of attending the private academy that has awarded her a scholarship, Sofia needs $400, five new dresses, and her mother's permission. Although each of these tasks seem individually insoluble to her, through their accomplishment, she learns the value of having good comadres-and being one.

The reader will follow the story of a young Sofia and cousin Berta from first communion, to Day of the Dead celebrations, and finally to Berta's quinceanera, after which Sofia exits for her private school and new experiences there. The charm, though is in the details of the quiet moments depicted with Sofia's family--telling stories from the storyteller's bag, cleaning pinto beans, and discussing the problems of the day at the sobremesa-and the excellent characterization. The reader can't help but smile at Tia Petra and her penchant for plastic, or at Sofia's bafflement of Berta's newfound enjoyment of sappy charro movies, but mild amusement is not the only emotion that will be provoked during the course of this read. Tequila Worm touches on the reality of death at various points of the story at different levels of reaction, and the reader should not be surprised to learn that this is a build-up to the climax and greatest lesson of the novel as a whole.

The loosely woven chapters of The Tequila Worm are chronological, but can stand alone with their individual lessons of life with family and friends in the small Texas town of McAllen. Canales shows off excellent story-telling skills in this almost-autobiography. Sofia and the other characters feel authentic, and fresh, presenting a neighborhood life that may rarely exist outside of fiction for many of the target audience of grades six to nine. Although holding special appeal for readers of Mexican-American descent, this book has the capacity to entertain and teach a lesson in understanding one's own self to many readers, regardless of their previous experience with Mexican traditions.

Katie Parker returns in this third book in the Katie Parker Production Series. Jenny B. Jones has once again written an entertaining story of youth, trials, faith, and forgiveness. Sometime when you get to the third book in a series, the story has weakened and the characters lost some charm. This is not the case with The Big Picture. You will welcome the opportunity to become involved in Katie Parker's life again.

She settles into life in her foster home, and then her mother gets out of rehab and reclaims custody. Katie must move back to her mother's home and start again. She leaves her best friend and her boyfriend, who appears to be more focused on his ex than her. As she starts over in the new location her newfound faith struggles to understand God's plan. Katie makes friends with another young man who never questions her background, but always manages to be by her side when she needs help.

When the situation with her mother changes for the worse and becomes dangerous, Katie's life seems condemned much like the local drive-in, The Big Picture. As she and her friends, both new and old, work to save the local landmark, Katie faces destruction in her world. Her mother returns to the old criminal ways. Can one lonely teenage girl find a happy ever after in a life is tough world?

The Big Picture is an excellent book which I highly recommend. The final book in the Katie Parker series leaves you hoping maybe someday to return to the small town of In Between. Jenny B. Jones has a creative way of writing from the point of view of a teenage girl trying to find her way in a lost world. You will laugh, cry, and sigh with contentment as you read this book. I also recommend the first two books in the series, In Between and On the Loose.

Like usual, my seventeen-year-old snatched Jenny's book before I could get my hands on it. That's when the torture began--hooting and guffawing erupting from the other room for hours while Her Royal Highness refused to tell me a single joke!
When my turn to read The Big Picture finally came, I laughed at Jenny's snarky humor till I cried. Katie Parker and her wacky foster grandma, Maxine, walked off the page and into my kitchen till I fed them pizza with the rest of the teen fixtures around here. When Jenny's next book comes out, I'm buying two copies--make that six--one for me, one for Her Royal Highness, and the rest for the kids who have pizza smudged my whole series.

This is the third in the Katie Parker Series, which is about a teenage girl in foster care because her mom is in prison for drug dealing. In this book Katie's mom wants to take her back, and Katie feels torn between her mom and her foster family and friends. How can Katie show her druggie mom the love of Jesus when her mom does not want to change?

I think this series is awesome! I don't like to read, but this story pulled me in right away and has showed me that reading can be fun. I like how the author mixed humor with sad situations. I found myself crying sometimes but I laughed a lot.

~~by Erin, age 14

I really enjoyed reading the 3rd book in the Katie Parker series! I caught myself laughing out loud throughout the book. I'll never understand how authors can be this funny and come up with this stuff, it is pure talent! Katie Parker is a character that you continue to love throughout the series. She goes through REAL challenges and learns big lessons. The series would be a great present for teenage girls!

Katie Parker is a riot! A realistic, relatable, sarcastic, hilarious girl on the verge of adulthood and all the issues that come with. The best part about Katie is EVERYONE gets her - young teens, college students, moms, middle-aged women, even grannies can relate to something in Katie's life. In fact, one of my favorite characters was Mad Maxine, Katie's crazy foster grandma who gets into more trouble than Katie herself.

I would recommend this series (please, go back and read them in order!) to any teen girl. They're fresh, fun, and full of inspiring themes that don't preach, but rather give subtle undertones of faith. Katie is real - it was hard to put this last book in the series down. I want to save them and let my daughter read them one day. (Okay, so she'll have to wait about 12 years, but hey!) =)

This is one of the best action adventure books I have ever read. The story takes off from page one and the action never stops. I think the Texas Rangers are great.

This book is a well written, well researched story about a Texas Ranger and his family during the Civil War and post Civil War Texas. From first page to last, I couldn't put "Call To Glory, The Life and Times of a Texas Ranger" down and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading western and Civil War stories. The realistic dialogue brings the characters to life and takes the reader back to an exciting era in American History.

Reading "Call To Glory" must be done slowly and deliberately to feel the full impact of the story. I read the story slowly so that I could absorb and truly feel the emotions felt by the main characters in the story.

There are no punches pulled. It is very graphic in the description of the cruelness in fighting a war or Indians, and how men are reduced to the level of animal cunning in an effort to survive.

The sadness and loneliness felt by the women left behind compounded the problems for the men who left for war or Ranger duty. The women were struggling to operate a farm and care for a family while the men struggled to survive the daily challenges with the constant worry of the welfare of the family back home.

The authors brought out the qualities and strong fibers of the main characters which helped them endure the calamities of life and setting a gauge for others to follow.

"Call To Glory" should be made into a movie as it ranks in quality with "Gone With The Wind" and "Lonesome Dove."

Ramiro "Ray" Martinez
Retired Sergeant Texas Rangers Co. "D"

Reading "Call To Glory" must be done slowly and deliberately to feel the full impact of the story. I read the story slowly so that I could absorb and truly feel the emotions felt by the main characters in the story.

There are no punches pulled. It is very graphic in the description of the cruelness in fighting a war or Indians, and how men are reduced to the level of animal cunning in an effort to survive.

The sadness and loneliness felt by the women left behind compounded the problems for the men who left for war or Ranger duty. The women were struggling to operate a farm and care for a family while the men struggled to survive the daily challenges with the constant worry of the welfare of the family back home.

The authors brought out the qualities and strong fibers of the main characters which helped them endure the calamities of life and setting a gauge for others to follow.

"Call To Glory" should be made into a movie as it ranks in quality with "Gone With The Wind" and "Lonesome Dove."

Ramiro "Ray" Martinez
Retired Sergeant Texas Rangers Co. "D"

Call To Glory: The Life And Times Of A Texas Ranger collaborative written by Michael and Marilyn Gilhuly is an emphatic, gripping historical fiction novel of bravery, heroism, sacrifice, and a proud way of life. Three brothers must fight, first in the civil war and later putting on the silver badge of a Ranger to protect the innocent against the perils of the frontier. Call To Glory is an exciting Texas western from first page to last!

Having decided to leave her husband, take over her late brother's private investigation business, and move into a new home, Sidra Smart discovers that it's the latter that may be the most disrupting to her new life. That's definitely a surprise for Sidra, considering that an act of charity just had her attempting to return a lost dog to his owner only to discover the old woman's dead body. However, that tragedy has the positive affect of Sidra adopting the dog and keeping her interfering but dog-disliking aunt from pestering Sidra to move in with her. Sidra's career continues to look up when she is hired to investigate a double homicide that was closed when the killer committed suicide by throwing himself under a train. The father of the suspect believes that his son was innocent and is willing to pay Sidra to prove it.
Although still a little unsure of her skills, Sidra throws herself into the investigation. As the former wife of a minister, though, residual bitterness towards the church and religion may be influencing her when she decides that one of the victims was overly involved in a fringe church led by a charismatic reverend. It's a viewpoint that is further enforced when Reverent Blue's wife comes to Sidra looking for a sympathetic ear to share her secret of infidelity. Sidra is less than receptive to the distraught woman who flees only to find herself in more trouble than she ever could have imagined.
The sequel to Dance on His Grave, Smith reveals her skills in the progression of Sidra's independent spirit and sense of self. What is most remarkably different from the first in this series is the strong element of paranormal elements as ghosts make themselves known in Sidra's new home. What both novels do share is a dramatic and shockingly violent conclusion. The sudden inclusion of the reverend's secretary and her conversion to Sidra's side is jarring, but Smith creates a satisfying resolution to Sidra's dilemma over a man that began in the previous novel. This is an enjoyable and well-written series by a new author who shows promise with her unique and increasingly strong leading lady.

The atmosphere and setting is wonderful it kept me spellbound riveted to the story. Sid is a feisty broad with gumption that doesn't let life pass her by because her life has changed dramatically it gives all of us old broads hope.
I just can't imagine myself deviling deep into the mystery of murder and it helped to know Sid had her own doubts. The tenacity in her won't let her give up and it gives all women hope.
Ah, it would be wonderful to see a television series made of Sidra Smart PI and her adventures into solving murders most fowl.
Joan

DEADLY SINS DEADLY SECRETS, the second installment of Sylvia Dickey Smith's Sidra Smart series, is a tale of how small town secrets and small-minded attitudes seldom mix with pleasant results.

Sid is desperately trying to keep the private investigation business she inherited from her brother open while living in a ghost active house with her overly-involved aunt and her overly-indulged feline, as well as a dog Sid saved from going to the pound when his owner died. Sid's love life and her professional life seem to be at odds with one another and with her past as the wife of a Baptist minister. To add another helping onto her already full plate, Sid is hired by a "tobacco-spitting, chair-rocking old codger more interested in the shine on his shoes than the dust on his furniture" to clear his dead son's name after he was accused of a double murder. After all, just because he happened to have been spotted at the scene around the time of the crime and just because his fingerprints were on the murder weapon does not automatically mean he was guilty of the crime. But try convincing the local sheriff of that--especially when the prime suspect is no longer able to mount a defense to the charges.

Sid must trudge deep into the swamp and even deeper into the past in order to solve this case. As if that isn't bad enough, her preacher ex-husband shows up in the middle of her date with a new man and the ghost who haunts her aunt's house refuses to allow Sid a good night's rest. This ghost is a long dead relative of her new client and former owner of that same house. Scrappy Kate, as she was known in life, has vital information for Sid about the present, her new case and the people involved in it.

Sylvia Dickey Smith is a master storyteller who weaves a tale tighter than a hangman's noose. Her characters resonate with a down-home true feeling found in small towns all across America. They come alive on the page. This is a book I could not put down and highly recommend.

This second book is every way as good as the first. Sidra is growing in spirit as well as PI knowledge. She fumbles/mumbles/succeeds like any and all of us would if we were following a dream.

Good writing, good character, freeing spirit make for good books.

Keep up the good work.

If being an expert on crawling in windows is a requirement for a detective, Sidra Smart meets that requirement. She is the owner of The 3rd Eye Detective Agency with one solved case under her belt. In her former life as a minister's wife, Sidra would not have been caught dead crawling in a window-but Sidra is not the same woman as she was then.

When Dempsey Durwood contacts Sidra about hiring her to clear his son's name, Sidra feels compelled to take the case. Ned Durwood was hit and killed while trying to cross the railroad tracks behind the home of Abe and Cherrie Collins. Abe and Cherrie were later found murdered and the murder weapon had Ned's fingerprints on the handle of the knife. Dempsey states that his son had gone to the Collins residence about some work that the Collins couple wanted him to do. Dempsey is ready to spend his savings to prove Ned's innocence. Sidra takes the case but is uncertain if she can prove Ned's innocence.

Sid has just moved in with her Aunt Annie in a house that has the reputation of being haunted. Soon Sid begins to believe that there really is a ghost that only she can see. Her inquiries regarding the Collins case are taking her no place and the ghost is keeping her awake at night.

A man that Sidra has questioned is found dead on the porch of Annie's home. The office of the detective agency suffers an arson fire. Sidra discovers a secret about the wife of the local pastor. The more events unfold, the more determined Sidra is to find out what has happened in her town in the past that is now having a very adverse effect.

Deadly Sins Deadly Secrets is an exciting book that is full of surprises. I look forward to reading more about Sidra Smart, a spunky lady. I also very much enjoyed Slider, the dog that Sidra rescued early in the book.

I haven't read Dance On His Grave, the first Sidra book, but I intend to do so soon.

Armchair Interviews says: Sylvia is also a columnist for Southern Life and Style Magazine