Butterflies Books

This book was a definite page-turner for me; It had me saying I want a Westmoreland man; Just like the other books I have in this series.

"Cole's Red-Hot Pursuit" is another story of the Westmoreland clan. This time it is Cole - Clint's broter's turn. Cole, Clint and Cassey are triplets. Like Clint, Cole is also an ex-Texas Ranger, who has decided to go in partnership with his cousins. Cole decided to visit his sister, Cassey and her husband, McKinnon, who will also be Clint's and Durango's business partner. Before Cole can arrive at their home, a snow storm develops and Cole runs off the road. He is rescued by Dr. Patrina Forman, who is not a stranger to Cole. Patrina caught Cole's fancy over a year ago when he attended Cassey's wedding. Patrina made such an impression until Cole never forgot her. However, it was not just Cole who remembered, but also Patrina, a widower of three years who also remembered their chance meeting and the flame that sparked between them. Nonetheless, Patrina has vowed never to become involved with a lawman again because her husband was a Sheriff who was killed in the line of duty.

Cole was never a man to have a woman turn away from him and Patrina's actions did not sit well with him. Cole was determined to change Patrina's mind-set and get her to realize that she was still a live, breathing woman with desires. After all her efforts and determination, while caring for Cole those few days they were snow-bound in her home, Patrina had to face the fact that her efforts were all for naught and she could not smother the feelings that Cole had awakened in her. Some of the feelings were new to her -- ones she did not know were lying dormant inside her just waiting for Cole with his "red-hot pursuit" to stroke the flames and ignite the fire into a raging inferno.

"Cole's Red-Hot Pursuit" is a passionate love story of will power, determination, but most of all -- the love of a man and a woman.

Ms. Jackson has done it once again. The Westmoreland Family is a great family of loving, caring men and women. I look forward to Quade's story.

Cole Red Hot Pursuit is a passionate and erotic full novel with a family feel as well as two very passionate characters.

Cole Westermoreland was a man who was nothing but a confirmed bachelor his passion was pleasing women and nothing more. When he finds himself face to face with Patricia Foreman after she saves his life after a snowstorm causes him to have an accident he knows he wants Patricia in the most intimate way ever. Patricia Foreman has a thing against lawman due to her late husband but she had never met a man who shows more persistence then Cole. She finds herself intrigued with the way he causes his body to respond to hers but she also finds herself falling in love when she does not want to.

Brenda Jackson writes strong passionate pieces however, the story line feels like a repeat from her other novels as well as it was rushed. In this novel, Cole pushes and pushes until he finally gets Patricia to do what he wants while I enjoy a strong determined man it is as if he comes off as controlling which is not a passionate or romantic feature. Many readers are use to reading romance novels and thinking of that perfect man while looks, wealth, and sexuality that are what Cole brings to the table it just seems his character simply lacked a part of that romance formula.

Brenda, were you too busy to write this book? I know you've been pumping out books pretty quickly lately, but did your deadline for Cole's Red-Hot Pursuit cause you to use a ghost writer? The character came across as an egotistical a-hole. It didn't matter what Petrina thought or wanted, Cole knew what was best for her and that's all that mattered. Petrina's character was supposed to be highly educated, but she came across as a dim-wit who didn't know her own mind and allowed a man to talk her into doing what he wanted. Worse yet, they had unprotected sex their first few times having sex (after 24 hours of truly meeting for the first time). This would be a good book for teenager girls (minus the explicitly sexual language) to read so they know what NOT to do. If you don't want to have sex, go ahead a do it if they boy (man) is good looking and says the right thing, forget what you want. The boy (man) knows better. I know this sounds sexist, but this book seems like it was written by a man and one who'd never written before. I love Brenda Jackson's work, but this one was a TOTAL diappointment. If I didn't pay under $4 for this book, I'd ask for a refund. Don't worry, I'm still a Brenda Jackson fan. I'll just forget this book was ever written.

I love Brenda Jackson and all I can say is that this is yet another great book. I felt like I was there in the room when I was reading this book. Outstanding.

I love this book and story. The book was more worn than I expected, so I was somewhat disappointed with the quality, but I am happy I made the purchase.

I was absolutely appalled to see this disrespectful book. I would not allow my children to read it. As a published children's book illustrator, I was attracted to the whimsical cover and illustrations. I picked it up, and I started to read. I could not believe my eyes! As a Christian, I find this book to be one of the most demoralizing depictions of God that I have seen available to young people. Certainly, children need to learn that God is not a respecter of persons or races, and God is for everyone, and He does have a sense of humor, but I do not approve of God being brought down to a human level. He is Divine. The book depicts God as having a wife, which is not found anywhere in the Bible. Some may say, "Relax. It's only fiction." I don't think we should fictionalize God. To add to this, the dialogue in the book is improper grammar. God is perfect. Humans are not. Does it make sense that a perfect God would use slang language??? The other characters in the book use extremely casual dialogue when conversing with God. To cite an example, "Yo, Deity! What's going on?" "Yo, Deity," how disrespectful can you get? I am not intending to sound "holier-than-thou," but I am truly ashamed of What A Truly Cool World represents. The bits of humor and witty viewpoints of creation would have been cute, if used in more appropriate context. The way I see it is that the disrepectful view toward a holy God outweighs the cuteness.

I regret that the rating system for this book does not have an option of "0" stars because this book is not worth 1 star. My daughter checked this book out of her public school library and I stopped reading after the first page. I continued to read it myself and was totally offended. We are a christian family who believe that God deserves more respect than what is shown in this book. God is not like us and we should not allow ourselves to think we are equals. Many people applauded the book that it put God on their level like He was one of them. He is not one of us. He is the creator of our world. The way the characters spoke to God was disrespectful and disgusting. Some reviews said it was easy to read. Some of it's not even written in complete sentences people! Bruce tells his wife, "Don't wait dinner." and "Look what you done done." WHAT!!!! Are you kidding me? This is in our library and teaching our kids what? That God has a wife, that He actually needs help in creating the world, that you don't have to be respectful and you don't have to use correct English. I would not recommend this book to ANYONE. It is very confusing for children and offensive. DO NOT BUY IT!!!!

A wonderful book for your kids, to read aloud at children's time on Sunday morning, or just to chuckle at by yourself. Julius Lester imagines God in his own way in the Jewish tradition of midrash, and humor and insight are the result. My favorite character is Shaniqua, the Angel in Charge of Everybody's Business. Children will see that their picture of God is not the only picture that exists, and also learn to revel in the joy and beauty of Creation. A must have for any thinking Christian family.

Lucifer was the angel of light; however, his goal was to distract everyone from worshipping the God of Truth.

The pictures are bright and vivid as more color is added to the world. Unfortunately, that is the only positive comment that I have for the book. Oh, the spine seems nicely sewn.

One of our children got this book as a gift, but we screen all books for content and this one didn't make the cut. In short, this book is nothing but pure sacrilege including: the idea that God would need help to make this beautiful world, the contradiction of scripture that states that He made this world in six days, and that God would have such a deep relationship with a woman (albeit an angel) who was not His wife (that's a subtle one).

One reviewer states "Children will see that their picture of God is not the only picture that exists...." There is one God and He is presented in the Bible as an all-powerful one who is to be revered. The second commandment is that we should not create any false gods--especially an imperfect god who could not complete the creation alone. Doing so undermines the basis of our faith.

Another reviewer states "I can't think of a better way to encourage them to have a prayerful relationship with God." This book does not encourage prayer or relationship. Our relationship with God should be based on his sovereignty. I suggest that reading scripture and actually praying with your child might help.

Regardless of your race or ethnicity [I'm African-American], true Christians should strive to find literature that enhances the biblical depiction of God. Consider for contrast James Weldon Johnson's well-known poem "The Creation" (http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15589). While many would argue whether God could ever truly be lonely, the poem presents an awesome and powerful God and does so without blasphemously contradicting the creation account in the Bible.

My biggest problem with the book is that it contradicts the Bible in so many ways. It doesn't suggest possible gap fillers or new insight behind different scriptures. It simply presents a different creation story. But if your argument is that you like to consider alternative views of the creation "myth" presented in the first chapters of Genesis, then should we also consider alternative views of Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, and 10:9? That is, are there alternative views of salvation? If we get to make it up as we go along, what is the Bible good for anyway?

The author did not play fair with her readers! There was no way one could have figured out who the killer was because Martinez threw him in within the last 30 pages! How in the HELL did this book get published???? It started out very strong then deteriorated into babble until she decided to throw in a killer. Part of the reason I like reading mysteries is so I can try and figure out whodunit. In this book it was impossible! It's the first and LAST book of Martinez I'll ever read.

Cover-Up by Michele Martinez-4
Another winner. 7/11/07

I've read the first three books about Melanie Vargas and they're all very good. As was this one.

After a brutal slaying of a TV reporter Melanie and boyfriend/lover/FBI agent Dan begin the search for a killer. Unfortunately, the killer becomes Melanie's stalker. It's a definite thriller with nice development on the personal front.

Why did I give it a four?
One: Terrible editing which seems to be the norm with books anymore.
Two: Implausibility's Ex: Witness Dave Harris, who had been in the military in Israel: "He had, like, this harness on his head with what looked like binoculars attached to it." Since he had been a soldier why didn't he recognize night vision goggles?
Three: Melanie's' father had cheated on her mom, Melanie had been cheated on by her ex, Dan had been cheated on by his ex. Dan expected Melanie to tell him every contact she had with her ex, even if it was by email. With all this history and trust issues why would Dan pull what he did with his ex without telling Melanie about it? Just doesn't sound like something he would do nor was it necessary as a plot device.

Would I read this book again which is my personal book "rater". Yes, in a heartbeat.

Michele Martinez's Cover- Up delivers everything you can ask for in a mystery- suspense, a strong protagonist, a thriller of a plot with some very intriguing twists, violence and enough gory scenes that will keep you awake at night.

The novel's plot unfolds when New York federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas who along with her boyfriend, FBI agent Dan O'Reilly, are called to the scene of an horrendous crime wherein a well-known tabloid television personality Suzanne Shepard was viciously raped and murdered. Shepard was a dog hound for sniffing out some very interesting scandals and was fearless when it came to reporting her findings.

Vargas is an up-and -coming prosecutor and she wants this case badly even though she knows it isn't going to be a cakewalk. To make matters even more interesting where a conflict of interest may be involved was that Shepard was investigating a sex scandal involving a future New York mayoralty candidate, Clyde Williams whose son Joe is a co-worker with Vargas.

As the plot thickens we learn about a plastic surgeon, Benedict Welch, who is mixed up in selling drugs to his patients and another character, Miles Ortiz, who is supplying him with the drugs. Just prior to Shepard's murder, her apartment was burglarized by Ortiz and a file pertaining to Welch was stolen which, as we later learn, contained some very interesting press clips concerning the murder of a stripper in Los Angles that had taken place several years before the Shepard murder. Could the two be related? We also learn some very interesting revelations pertaining to Welch's past and someone connected to Welch who had served time in prison and who was now out.

While the investigation is proceeding, Vargas receives a series of very disturbing emails from someone who apparently seems to be stalking her and has threatened to kill her in the same way Shepard was brutally murdered.

The twisting plot, the deception, and the frantic dash to try and capture a ruthless killer on the loose in New York before he kills someone else including Vargas will keep you reading long into the night.

For eight years Martinez was a federal prosecutor in New York City and her intimate knowledge of the workings of the criminal justice system come shouting through as she builds up a strong narrative momentum. Moreover, Martinez has an excellent grasp of storytelling structure with her effective use of rhythm, pacing, and the development of plot. In mystery writing, plot is everything, and here is where Martinez shines.

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures

I read Most Wanted, and thought it was better than alot of mysteries today, while there were some unrealistic/cliche/annoying parts of it. Finishing school had less of the cliche/annoying, but it wasn't as good as Most Wanted. Cover up, was bad.

For one, we get it, you/melanie vargas is half puerto rican!!!! I think you mentioned it 100+ times in the first book. Second, I wish she'd stop using cliche's and fads. Fads, like gold teeth, that had really gotten old about 4 years ago, and we don't need to know what they're called. Cliche things being like, "glocks and tec-9's"(most wanted), other than in movies, I've never seen a criminal with a glock, tec-9's yes, but they were discontinued in the 90's, so they aren't around much anymore. More like hi-points and ap-9's, if you want to be realistic.

and unrealistic things like all the criminals talking black. Puerto ricans do that alot, but like the salvadorian guy in finishing school, most of them are like mexicans and have their own culture/pride in that culture and dont talk like that. Slice was a realistic puerto rican, but having an ese, talking black doesn't make any sense.

Other than that, "notorious" is going to be about a rap star. She was good at first, and had potential, but Michele Martinez has had it. Cover up was the worst so far, because of the mention of fads, and not really building up the bad guy like before (he's a complete stranger until the end) wich I have to admit is a fairly clever ending. I won't be buying "notorious" or any other books until she can write an entire book without mentioning that the character is half puerto rican, and without ideas she got from rap videos.

Michele Martinez initiates a very subtle change of direction in COVER-UP, her third Melanie Vargas novel. MOST WANTED and THE FINISHING SCHOOL, the first two books in the series, introduced not only Vargas but also a plethora of secondary characters that included several members of Vargas's personal family and circle of co-workers. In COVER-UP, Martinez moves a majority of the characters (Vargas's mother, sister and boss, among others) to the side --- if not off the board entirely --- giving a freshly-divorced Vargas and her blossoming relationship with Dan O'Reilly the opportunity to sparkle.

COVER-UP begins with Assistant U.S. District Attorney Vargas being pulled reluctantly into the lead of the investigation of the savage murder of Suzanne Shepard, a television reporter who has a high Q rating with the viewing public but receives low marks from her prospective targets. Vargas has no shortage of suspects, who range from a celebrity personal trainer to a Park Avenue nip/tuck surgeon to --- most significantly of all --- Clyde Williams, a New York City councilman with designs on the mayor chair who also happens to be the father of one of Vargas's best friends in the office. When Vargas does not immediately bring charges against Williams, Shepard's network screams cover-up, which does not help Vargas's investigation.

Meanwhile, FBI Agent O'Reilly is his usual competent self --- both on the job and between the sheets (functions that, as readers shall see, he sometimes performs simultaneously), though his increasingly frequent nighttime disappearances are giving Vargas pause. To make matters worse, it appears that the killer is now tracking Vargas to the extent that he knows her every move despite her own best efforts.

Suspects are ruled in and then out, making COVER-UP a classic and suspenseful whodunit, even as Vargas races to a fateful and climactic apprehension in a noisy and dangerous Times Square video arcade. There, Vargas engages in the ultimate role-playing game, as she matches wits with a brilliant and deranged killer while time runs out for one of them.

This is by far the best in an already top-notch series whose expectations have been exceeded since the publication of MOST WANTED. Martinez continues to fine-tune her character both personally and professionally, walking a fine line between the familiar and the unexpected. COVER-UP is one more reason to add, and keep, Martinez on your must-read list.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

She did a book report on the monkees and got a A+ on it.Her teacher he love it.Thank You.

This is a very fascinating book to have around and read. It's very interesting and again it's very informative. It has everything you want to know about all four monkees. It has nice interesting pictures as well. And also a very collectble book.

This book told the story of how the Monkees started out of being a fake band and then turning into one of the most popular bands in the 60's. It's a good book to read if making of bands is your thing.

I BOUGHT THIS BOOK WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT, WITH A DIFFERENT COVER TO IT, ITS VERY GOOD, I DIDN'T GET THE NEW ONE, SINCE I'VE YET TO COMPARE IT TO THE OLD ONE THAT I PUT AWAY, BUT ITS THE SAME AUTHOR, SO I'M PRETTY SURE THIS BOOK IS AS GREAT AS THE OLD ONE, PICS AND ALL.

IS THIS THE SAME BOOK?

Kudos to Baker for writing a book about The Monkees, the most misunderstood group of rock history. They still tour and are still popular (and still damned good). But, aside from some decent photos and a fairly interesting pace, there's a ton of misrepresentations here, old rumours that noone bothered to check up on and just plain old errors. In dates, personal lives, etc.--just about every element is distorted at least somewhat. I'm not saying intentionally, but still... Which while it doesn't really stop you from reading, it gets pretty annoying. Come to think of it, of all the books published about The Monkees, there is no one single definitive tome available and there never has been. Maybe one day a serious literary endeavour will emerge to tell the whole story accurately, but then The Monkees story is not yet over.

Midnight Butterfly was a reading experience of joy. You just fell into the characters lives. Not sappy or love storyish. I enjoyed the book so much I lent it to a friend who passed it on and I had to buy a 2nd copy to replace it so I could read it again and again.

The writing is excellent, the sex scenes highly erotic without falling into the trap of needing to be more and more outre in order to avoid repetition, the characters (mostly) believable and sympathetic.

I would have been happier with it if it didn't bring in semi-divine intervention in order to accomplish what doesn't, truly, require divine intervention. Had the main character learned to shed her inhibitions without the aid of a "guardian angel" ghost of a former call girl, and had the overly cutesy good and bad angels ("Angela" and "Lucy" -- please!!!) been left out, this would have been a five-star story. As it is, it was still interesting, but not as good as it could have been.

Maybe I'm lacking in imagination but the premise of a ghostly prostitute teaching Ellen the art of sensuality and showing her how to become a wine connoisseur hard to take. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. There were a few episodes that were good but overall I thought this book was boring and I had no trouble putting it down. I bought this book because I enjoyed Black Satin also written by this author. Read Black Satin.

When I read erotic novels, I often let the lyrical and sensuous language take me to ecstatic proportions. Midnight Butterfly is one of said novels.

When Ellen Howard, a thirty-year-old aspiring artist, flies to New York City to work on her craft, she hadn't imagined that the journey she'd take would be one of steamy and uninhibited passion. Shy and insecure, Ellen is reluctant to enter a world she'd never fathomed. However, the aforementioned world opens doors to great possibilities...

Sensuous and imaginative, Midnight Butterfly will awake your senses as well as your mind. I highly recommend it.

I was concerned when I read that 30'ish something Ellen moved out of her little Northern town to the Big Apple after winning the lottery! The thought that it will take nothing less than a nuclear explosion for this girl to make her next move scared me, but, now, after finishing the book my worst fears were realized.

I guess if you like books about common people continuing to do somewhat common things, even after they win the lottery, then you'd probably like this book. The absolutely tantalizing thing about erotic stories is the illicitness of sex, the sin of it, and the delicious chase, seduction and final submission. This book skips those things, and dumps any real spontinaity as we are continuoulsy reminded that Ellen practices ONLY safe sex as we are treated to very vanilla like couplings.

Cute

I seldom take the trouble to review unsatisfactory books, but I feel potential buyers should be alerted to this one. I slogged through the first fifty pages of A Very Private Gentleman in search of a story and gave up. (My wife gave up even sooner than I did, and she almost never puts aside a book she has begun.) There is not only not a story begun in the first fifth of this book, there is no hint that a story is soon to begin. What's there is a lot of very literary prose, and if that's your dish, you'll be sated. If it's not-if what you're after is a thriller-you're likely to be bored out of your mind.

I thought highly of two other Martin Booth novels: Industry of Souls and Islands of Silence. Perhaps I wasn't patient enough, but I found Booth in this novel too self consciously trying to create a fascinaing character, whom I found only boring. I am writing this review only because I couldn't find another negative review.

Come into Signor Farfalla's world as his past comes back to haunt him.
Where beauty & death cohabit quite comfortably.
Where anonymity is tantamount.
Where subterfuge & almost-truths are the language of the day.
Where contacts are made via convoluted means, goods are contracted for large sums of cash, projects are accomplished under cover...& a tranquil bright summer in a charming Italian river valley town is suddenly darkened by the arrival of the shadow-walkers...whose intentions he must fathom.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends A VERY PRIVATE GENTLEMAN as a very good read! Martin Booth's writing is tasty, smooth & piquant, like ripe peaches plucked from the tree; chilled with frissons of suspense, like perfect Italian icecream.

Could not put it down!

I read Lawrence Bloch's Hitman series and I though this would be the European version, but was I wrong! The Bloch books focused in more on the witty comments and action between Keller and his handler.

Booth's book is focused on a previously unknown aspect of a high profile assissination (I won't spoil it for you) that no one really thinks about before.

The main character, Mr. Buttefly, is well written and complex as is the plot. I never could guess where the next chapter would lead, much less the book. The other supporting cast are equally enthralling and layered.

This book reminds of a cross between A Year in Provence and A John LeCarre spy novel.

As a writer I have a intense love for books. I picked this book up at the library. The title interest me only because it contrasted the illustration of the book. When viewing the title I thought it immediately would be a love story. However, I immediately realize that a man was holding a gun and only part of his face could be shown. I begin reading the book. I came to love Mr. Butterfly. He seemed so complicated. At first it seems he is content with not having a true identity or noone with whom he can trust. However, the longer he stays in the Italian countryside the longer he realized that he wants something more. He finally got the chance to see what life would be like if he just settled. He could paint butterflies, sit at the bar with trustworthy neighbors, have intimate talks with his friend the priest, and fall in love with the beautiful young woman. Though his past and most important one of his "mistakes" ends up threatening his future. I have read too many books and realized how story like this end. What happens to the character. Time again I asked myself why am I still reading this. When I got to the end I realized the answer. Booth's language captivated me. Page by Page I waited for the inevitable yet hoping it would not happen. I loved this book, even in the the last sentence he leaves you wanting more. Not only for the story, but also for the character. I was intrugued by how the character was formed and most importantly his profession.

Being "Revised & Expanded" I hoped would give extra info on the Game..
If you've ever purchased any Sims Guide for the Newer Expansion Packs, you basically have all this in the first half of the guide.

Prima assumes that you just bought The Sims & The Expansion Pack that you are buying the Prima guide for..

If no more expansion packs for Sims 1 are coming out, I would appreciate a large one volume Prima Guide, Instead of wasting paper on the first half of the guide, book after book after book...

I ordered this book expecting something comparable to Prima's strategy guide for SimCity 3KU (which is huge, rich, and utterly indispensible). Not even remotely. I knew I was in trouble when the table of contents did not match the pagination of the book (and it was way off -- not just by a page or two).

Most of this too-slim-for-the-price volume is pure filler: a grainy B&W photo catalog of all the objects Sims can buy (information which is readily accessible within the game, and of little strategic value anyhow), and way, way too many tedious B&W screenshots of the author's own gameplay, supposedly for illustration.

It contains a few bits of useful information -- such as detailed tables of the Careers (jobs, hours, salary, promotion criteria) -- all of which and more is available on the Web.

It also contains enough glaring falsehoods (e.g., that Sim kids can't use dishwashers) to suggest that the author played the game just long enough to crank out this piece of softbound kindling .

If you're really interested in getting the most out of the game, do yourself a favor: give this book a miss and head for one of the thousands of fan sites and BBSs instead.

If you want this book - and you have any of the add on packs - buy The Sims: 5 Complete Strategy Guides, it is cheaper than buying any 2 of the other packs together, and you can get them special with sims unleashed(lets all see how long that lasts). But this book alone is a great buy, even with an add on pack.

This book isn't a very good guide. much of the stuff in it you can work out yourself. it is good for a first time player perhaps, but it can be boring with small print, lots of tables and charts, and only small black & white pictures. if youre an experienced player, give it a miss

cool stuff, but how much of this isn't available free, online, if you bothered to look ?? A great purchase for the lazy (and Newbies - Bob or otherwise) but if you have the slightest motivation Google has cleared it all up for you already.

Easy to use, with beautiful color pictures of real butterflies. Small enough to take with you butterfly watching.

Teensy-weentsy photographs (of which there are few) and tiny drawings do not an identification tool make. Often, the verbal descriptions given for a butterfly do not match, nay, directly contradict the photograph or drawing included! The practice of providing a textual description on one page, a range map (if there even is one) on another, and yet a third page for the descriptive drawing make this a page-turning nightmare.

In short, take this book from your public library - don't waste your money on a very poorly done work.

While the author doubtless put a lot of work into this work I did not feel it came up to the standards of other Peterson handbooks. Perhaps it was the wrong book for what I wanted but I would have liked to see more on the larval and pupal forms of the butterflies than there was. Also I felt the organization of the book was a bit confusing and hard to use.

Richard Sallee

I got this from my son who needed a field guide to take to the park and forests. He loves it and so do I. Before we had borrowed our local libraries' 1950 edition of butterfly field guild. What an improvement! Unlike some people we just love it. The pictures are easy to use in the open where you can just notice a few things before whats being observed takes off flying. Opler is very good at listing the most obvious ID factors for each species. And it fits great in a back pack!

Unlike some other reviewers I have always liked the Peterson guides best and this is no exception. The emphasis of the book is not simply on sight identification (which can be difficult at best) but also on a rounded education about the world of butterflies.

The first several chapters cover butterfly habitat, life history, behavior and other things helpful for the collector or student. The main chapters are divided by common names with each sub-heading giving both common and scientific names. The butterflies are described according to range, size, and habitat, and there is typically some discussion of the insects' identifying peculiarities.

This isn't the best guide for someone wanting to identity bugs in their garden - other guides have much better and many more photos - but for the general student this is the best.

I had read this book for school, and by the first page I knew it was going to be a painful experience. The first fifty pages weren't so bad, after that, everything went downhill. I was never less interested in butterflies in my life. At first, the topic of the story was clear- going to a convention in Mexico about saving the monarchs. After that, nothing made sense- the storyline no longer had any real point. The author jumped around from date to date in no particular order. At one point, I wasn't sure if continuing the book would get me any further than I was before I strarted. Unless you have an extreme love of monarch butterflies and being extremely bored and confused, do not buy this book.

This wonderful little book has opened my eyes to so much more than I ever expected. I have just returned from Mexico and the Monarchs. Sue Halpern's book was like my road map into this magical, mystical and transformational experience

I liked this book because of the facts it includes and the connections it makes between science and human feelings. Over the ages many people have been amazed by the monarch butterfly's migration every year; however very few are interested enough to understand their complexity. Sue Halpern is one of the few who is interested enough to attempt to solve the mystery. In her book Four Wings and a Prayer: Caught in the Mystery of the Monarch Butterfly she reports her findings, in a fast-paced interesting research narrative. Halpern gives the reader a plethora of information while telling her story of how she became fascinated with the Monarch Butterfly. Even though she was not a biologist, the story she told of her adventures was chronologically organized and seemed like a field journal that a biologist would have written. Her field journal (the book), was filled with scientific facts, interviews, personal experiences, and the special feature of maps to trace the monarch migration. In addition to facts, she pours out her feelings about the issue of conserving the monarchs and the importance of their survival. Connecting human feelings to science is one of the strong points of Mrs. Halpern's writing. This is one of the strongest points of the book. Another related point that Halpern makes is that passion and science lay hand in hand. Halpern reminisces, "As a child I collected rocks. . . I did remember the single mindedness through which I picked through the woods behind my house, and the pure joy of finding something . . . It seemed reasonable to call this passion, and to think of myself - and everyone else - as a collection of passions" (9). This is one of many of the comparisons Halpern makes between passion and science. Passion plays an important role in the world of science because it drives scientists to continue looking, just like Halpern continued to look for her rocks. This book is strong in communicating the connection between science and human feelings. I hope this review was helpful to you in choosing a book.

I read a brief review of this book in the NYT Book Review and it sounded exciting and enlightening . . . alas, it's quite dull and offers surprisingly little information whether or not you're a butterfly fancier. To tell the truth, I read the second half of the book just to find out what in the world she could possibly fill all those pages with! There are a few neat facts about monarchs, and intriguing portraits of a few eccentric lepidopterists, but the rest is statements like "we really don't know [fill in blank] about these butterflies" and vague, unsatifying rhapsodizing by the author about her seemingly inexplicable passion for winged creatures--not to mention rather unremarkable mutterings about the nature of passion itself. This type of nonfiction can really sing--"The Orchid Thief," for example, though it definitely has its flaws, is nevertheless a fascinating read. Diane Ackerman's "Natural History of the Senses" is totally engaging as well. Or on a slightly different note, Judith Hooper's "Of Moths and Men" is a riveting portrayal of the controversy and scientific backbiting surrounding the peppered moth and Darwin's theory of natural selection. Contemporary nonfiction has come a long way, but "Four Wings" just falls flat.

I suppose if you are extremely interested in monarch butterflies you will find this book fascinating. I must admit I read only 100 pages. I enjoyed the beginning, when Halpern traveled to Mexico, but after page 100 the book was too academic, filled with the points of view of various monarch afficionados. Pretty dull stuff. I didn't think the writing was all that great, either. I suppose it was an academic success, but it didn't draw me in to the adventure.

This book will make you laugh, cry and more importantly, think about what African-Americans go through daily in their work environments. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thoughtful approach at dealing with the racial divide in the workplace.

I already knew the book was going to be controversial from the title, but I embrace controversy. I like to learn about different perspectives and being a black woman in a fairly-white working environment, I was intrigued by the plot. Unfortunately, that's where it ends. The structure and the dialogue of the story was well-written and sadly, very realistic. I've dealt with quite a few situations like this in college instead of work though.
But the main character in this story is still stuck in the same clueless arrogance that she started with. The same way she says white co-workers judge her style of music, dress, dance, and vocabulary, she judges her black subordinates. She pointed out more than a few times that she wears Banana Republic and seems to think Phat Farm and Fubu are ridiculous (along with hip-hop). Black people supporting black businesses is one of the few healthy ways we survive as a unit and I didn't appreciate her looking down on this group of people. The main character had the audacity to actually embrace the n-word at the end of the book, regardless of how offended she was by race jokes.
I completely didn't understand why she was so offended by the "ask-axe" clarification. If she embraced Ebonics so much, then why be embarassed of embracing other black stereotypes (i.e. being the best dancer at the Halloween party). The main character was stuck-up but wanted to be "down". Throwing in a "y'all" but saying you don't like rap EVEN THOUGH she danced to rap music shows me just how confused this woman is. This type of attitude is why black people have such a hard time in the workplace. If she stopped paying so much attention to what she'd never be (white) and stopped downgrading what she wouldn't be(hip, black, and confident), she'd find her day goes by much faster and way less stressful. I thought this author had some really good points, but sentences like "I am n-word" show me nothing was learned. I thought Craig and Derrick were two of the strongest characters, but they were barely mentioned. Embracing your race but insulting it with racial slurs makes the main character just as bad as Lisa and Amy.

If choosing a title for a first novel is any indication of how well the novel plays into society - then 40 Hours and an Unwritten Rule should be at the top of the best sellers list - if for no other reason, for the "Racey" title. The title caught me instantly, as I'm sure if has or will with many others. And I was very happy to say that the contents were very true to the implied message...overcoming the stereo-types of a particular race and/or culture and standing your ground in the process while trying to stay true to "self". I know that so many people struggle with the issues that Racey put out there and it was refreshing to have a young, African-American women come to comfortable terms with herself in the end. Kim William's first novel was a thoughtful, true, fun and quick read. I guarantee that anyone who's attention is caught by the clever, catchy title will open the book to find situations that may be pages in their diary as well. Wonderful!

I read this book and I knew it would be contraversial. I read a few of the other reviews and some did not seem to go as deep as the author intended. The author is not a hero trying to be white. She is a hero striving not to be judged by the stereotypes that have grouped African Americans for centuries.

She makes comments to other characters in the book, such as I don't listen to rap music because not all African American people listen to rap music, and she refuses to be characterized by what society has deemed normal for her people. Not all African Americans are ghetto fabulous, nor are all of them trying to be down for some non-existent cause.

Racey is a courages African American woman who dares to challenge her superiors in the workplace. She dares to question their motives and ask them questions (without actually asking the questions) who are you to tell me how to speak or ask.

When she is faced with counterparts in the work place, she realizes they are courageous enough to be themselves and act like no one else in the workplace. This is very uncomfortable for her. She wants to know how could you let them see us this way. They already think all of us steal (my own conclusions). But in the end, she realizes that it is ok to be who she is and not worry about what anyne else thinks and feels about it anyway.

This was a very good book and a very good read. Go just a little deeper and get the symbolism and irony in the book.

Racy Thomas is a woman on a mission in Kim Williams', 40 Hours and an Unwritten Rule: The Diary of a Nigger, Negro, Colored, Black, African-American Woman.

After leaving home to go to college, Racy is determined to prove that her mother, Uncle Ray-Ray and a host of other family members are wrong. For the majority of her life, Racy's family has warned her about the funny ways of "the white folks." Convinced that her family cannot possibly be right, Racy decides against going to a historically black college and instead opts for a more culturally diverse campus. It is there that she receives her wake-up call and realizes that her family may not be wrong after all. After graduating, Racy leaves her college experience behind and walks into her first job with thoughts of
being treated as an equal. Once again -- she receives a wake-up call. It is then that she grows from what she describes as a nigger child trying to fit in, into a self-confident, African-American woman, that could care less what Caucasians think about her.

As an African-American woman, I found this book to be wonderfully hilarious. From coming into work and having to answer numerous questions about my braids, to eating leftovers in the break room and having to explain what I'm eating, to the occasional insensitive joke - I have experienced it all. Williams definitely has her finger on the pulse of Caucasian/African-American relations in the office.

If you are an African-American woman I definitely recommend this book. While it does not solve the world's problems on race-relations, it definitely confirms something that we should all know -- it is okay to be ourselves.

T. RHYTHM KNIGHT
APOOO BookClub