Attractions Books

Tired of complaining about life? Sonia Ricotti explains how to apply eleven simple steps to increase happiness, from the basics of deciding what you want and how to get it to choosing thoughts, connecting mind and body, and attracting into our lives what we put out into the universe. An invigorating, enlightening guide to living life more fully.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I have read quite a few books on Law of Attraction starting from Abraham-Hicks' books and going on to The Secret and Michael Losier's book. When I first got the book, I felt that it was too small and too simple but as I began reading I found it to be just right! Sonia Ricotti's book is easy to read and apply. The information is provided in bite-sized pieces (chapters) that help the reader assimilate one lesson at a time. I found the book well presented and useful. It also showed to me that things can be presented simply and yet be immensely useful. How useful you find the book depends on how committed you are to do the exercises in each chapter by the way - this is a book that you should not read passively if you want the most out of it. If you have not read anything else on the LoA, this book is all you need. And if you have read other books on the topic, this reinforces the messages in a simple way.

Great suppliment to the other books in the market. Easy to read and has great "pointers" on how to reach your goals.

One of the best books of all time. I am able to use the Law of Attraction to attract many things, from getting a parking spot everytime I go into town, to attracting money at the right time. Thank you Sonia Ricotti for helping me master it. I am still learning!
Leah
Bermuda

Brief overview of the Law of Attraction - This book is good for beginners. For those who have been studying or intentionally applying the law for many years, it might be a good review.

Being an author in constant communication with the non-physical I cannot recommend more highly the work of Esther and Jerry Hicks. If you are not familiar with their work, go to the library today or order a book now, because this is truly one of the greatest teachings ever put into words.

These books are wonderful! I love the teachings in them. They are very user friendly and not too "new-agey" as some books can be. As far as the law of attraction goes, I'd say that this author explains it the best and the clearest. I saw The Secret and read a bunch of books about it, but I never really got it until I read this series. The boxed set is really cheap compared to buying each book separately. Highly recommended!!

I love this nice set. Although I do prefer to listen to their workshop cds nowdays. Want to be happy most of the time independently of what other people say or do? Do you want to be happy from within? Then you have to read or to listen to Abraham-Hicks stuff. It rocks!

I have studied for eight years the teachings of Abraham (non-physical beings who channel their wisdom through Esther and Jerry Hicks. Before that I read and studied many metaphysical teachings, along the same route many seekers travel: Science of the Mind, Napoleon Hill, Catherine Ponder, Neville Goddard, Norman Vincent Peale, Joseph Murphy, Shakti Gawain, Louise Hay, Seth, Orrin and DaBen, Eckankar, and WAY MANY MORE.


Of them all, Abraham gives me most joy and the best practical applications for living a blissful life. Bottom line of the teachings: thoughts are things and determine feelings, which in turn create our future. There is no death. Our only job is to feel good. When we feel good we are our best selves. But we humans have developed bad habits about thinking, so Abraham gives us game plans. When we follow them we win. When we don't we lose. But we never REALLY lose, because life is eternal, and we always get another chance.

Our best chances today are with Abraham, and those of us "lucky" enough (We earned it!) to have discovered them and to resonate with their powerful wisdom as given to us through Esther and Jerry Hicks, are living pretty wonderful lives because we have learned that they speak Truth.

I already owned the books in this set, in paperback. Those paperbacks are heavily highlighted with asides, marking fave passages. This three-set volume is my "pretty set" the one I have by my side to pull out and choose a page when I want a boost. And, they're my backup for when the paperbacks fall apart from so much handling.

If you're lucky enough to start with the fancy hardbound three-volume set, good for you! (This set cost me less than the three original paperbacks.) Mark them up at will. Reading, studying and being with Abraham's teachings WILL be good for you. Even better things come your way when you DO the recommended exercises and activities!

Would I recommend this set? With my whole heart. Would I recommend any of the teachings of Abraham? With my whole heart. If you are ready for these teachings your life is about to get a whole lot better! Lucky, lucky you.

I am probably going to get some flack about the title of my review, but y'know what...who cares? Every day, I find myself getting less and less concerned about what others might think of me. I am reminded of what the late-great Timothy Leary said in one of his last interviews when asked how he felt about being remembered. He said, "The Timothy Leary people get, is the Timothy Leary people deserve..." I really liked that statement and made me realize that I really can't please everyone and even if I could, why would I want to?

Which brings me to the review at hand, the hardcover boxed set of The Teachings of Abraham. I call it a Holy Trinity. Maybe that sounds a little bit blasphemous...maybe that pushes your buttons...and maybe our buttons need to be pushed to help us go beyond what we think or feel is right. Even though this set is boxed, the ideas presented in this remarkable set will help you go beyond any boxes you may have put yourself in.

I have all three books but I bought them separately but I did end up buying the collection for a good friend of mine who is a "recovering fundamentalist"...her words, not mine. Personally, I don't like the word "recovering" because it implies that maybe one is attempting to put yet another cover on oneself and the human species needs another covering
like we need another Bush in the White House...ooops..did I just say that?

What we need is to not "recover" ourselves, what we need to do is unveil ourselves and the teachings in this book help us to remember how to do just that. Before I even read any of these "Law of Attraction" books, I can remember very vividly as a youndg kid of about 12 or 13 years of age just laying in my bed and thinking to myself what kind of day I wanted to have. I was a pretty funny kid and I really liked making people laugh and so even before I knew what the word 'visualization' meant, I would lie in bed just imagining myself making my friends laugh their heads off and I could see them in my mind smiling and laughing, I could hear them saying, "Oh, man...you're soooo funny, John..." I could feel them patting me on the back and "giving me five" - now I'm just dating myself - but guess what, I'd go to school and the scenes would play out just like they did in my mind. Now I didn't apply these same principles to getting good grades, or avoid being placed on detention for disrupting the class, or being halfway decent in sports, or saved from getting my butt kicked after school after spouting off the the school bully, but I'd go to bed at night thinking to myself, "Wow...I really made 'em laugh today. Tomorrow is going to be even better..."

If you want a better tomorrow, get this set today. No, I haven't won the Lotto using these principles, I don't have a huge house with a 14k gold toilet, I don't have "clients galore" desiring to reap the benefits of my services ---- yet; but what I do have is a good life...a life that feels centered and grounded and happy and the happier I feel, the more I invite beautiful experiences into my life.

This would be a marvelous present to give to yourself. It would be a gift of remembering that you are here to create a wonderful life for yourself and when you create good things for yourself you are actually helping to create a consciousness of abundance for all. The reason why we're in the financial messes that we are now going through as a country is not because of an "abundance consciousness" but because of a "lack consciousness". When you really believe there is enough good for all, you don't have to be greedy or stingy or try and rip people off...nor would you even try...you would want all people to experience what you are experiencing because there really is more than enough for all concerned.

I invite you to go outside your comfort zones and start thinking bigger about yourself and your life. The Divine Spirit created us in Its Image and Likeness - not the other way around - we are ALREADY infinite, abundant, joyful, and powerful and all we have to do is remember...realign with our Original Self and when we do that, good and more good comes to us because good and more good is now flowiung through us!

Peace and Blessings,
john, 'the Light Coach'

I ordered this book in a fit of enthusiasm after my first return visit to Disneyland as an adult (the enthusiasm persists, incidentally.) I was looking for something to fill me in on the history of the Magic Kingdom and satisfy grown-up curiosity about things I didn't think all that much about when I was a kid. This book was exactly what I was looking for: there's a wonderful lot of information, delivered in a manner which is to-the-point but not at all dry. I enjoyed both looking up individual entries, and then reading through the book straight through. Best of all, while the book has a lot for the grown-up visitor to Disneyland, it almost never interferes with the magic of the place. The book will tell you all about Disneyland, without spoiling it all and telling you how it works.

Oh my God! i cant believe i just found this amazing book, tells me everyhting i want to know about the park...you need this right away...you wont get bored, its interesting,fresh and very very complete...just what fans and non fans need!!!

If you love Disneyland then you will love this book. It covers just about every shop, ride and exhibit that ever occupied the park. The only real problem is that everything is listed out by location and the land it is in, but there is no real chronological listing and you have to look up the dates in each description, listed alphabetically. Although, I enjoyed the book there are several glaring omissions. The author includes a website to point these out but don't bother, you will get back a nicely worded letter about editors and space.

I am a lifelong Disneyland freak. On my first visit, 10 months after it first opened, I saw Walt from a keelboat on the Frontierland river. I grew up living close enough to see the fireworks, and used to ride my bike there and home again back before you needed to take out a home loan to get in.

This book passed my major test, within 5 pages, it told me something I did not already know. I soon found that, instead of just looking stuff up and consulting it, I was reading it cover-to-cover. An excellent, informative, exhaustive catalogue of all things and people Disneylandish.

From A to Z, this book accomplishes what I have been searching for for years! A guide/history/trivia book describing every land, attraction, shop, show, and restaurant in Disneyland. Not just the current ones mind you, but EVERY SINGLE ONE that the author could find to have existed in the parks 50+ year history. As a Disneyland fan since I was a kid it was a fond look back at some of the attractions I grew up with, and a good history lesson on all the rides that came before I first visited "The Happiest Place On Earth". Each item is listed alphabetically, with the biggest attractions and lands getting the most coverage. While most of the trivia and information has been written elsewhere before, it is nice to find it all in one place wrapped up with a bow! Some exciting extras include bonus lists and pictures, such as a list of every attraction to have a poster in the entrance tunnel. Its the extra touches like this that make me love this one more than other Disneyland guides I have read. While it CAN become tedious at times reading about every fruit cart, special event and other small details, it just goes to show how thorough and well done this "Encyclopedia" truly is! I doubt there is another park book out there for DL fans as satisfying a read as "The Disneyland Encyclopedia". I don't think it is possible to top this one!

I have the 2000 edition of "Interstate Exit Authority" and found it very helpful during my Summer of 2000 road trip to and from California. The book is detailed yet easy to read and use- it covers every exit on every interstate and major highway. Before the road trip, the book saved me time and resources during the planning stages. During the road trip, looking up information was fast and easy. The book was a huge 600+ pages, yet easy to carry and handle, and overall very durable. I'd like to see it back on the market, with new editions every 12 months.

We travel often during the year to NASCAR races and pull a 24ft trailer. The eXitSource is a MUST to find stores, gas stations, RV parts stores and ESPECIALLY where the to dump the bathroom and water tanks. There are many states where the dump stations are not provided so to find one ahead of time is important in the planning. We have used the Exit books for years and would not be without it.

Have found alot of missing businesses, book needs updating. Is there a 2005 coming?

I had previously posted a review and provided incorrect information concerning the listing RV dump stations in the eXit Source, they are in fact listed in the Trailer Life Directory which is another must for any travelers with RV's. Trailer Life is great for looking for Camp Sites ahead of travelling.

We have traveled to Florida and to Yellowstone this year. The Exit Authority was the most helpful book for traveling I have ever used. We were able to plan all our stops, get gas, find a restaurant, pick a campsite, you name it Exit Authority has it listed. I wouldn't go on any trip without it. Only one problem and it isn't with the book, I live in Pa and we still don't have the correct numbers on our exits. We had the most trouble right in our own state. Otherwise, buy it and enjoy your trip!

I received this book very quickly and gathered some important information for my trip to Italy.

What a great book! I have tabbed sections, highlighted information, and written notes in the margins. If you are looking for any information about the history of this great culture to where to eat in Rome, this is the book for you.

What I liked...super concise review of Italian history, nice "top 10" lists at the end; good basic information.

What I didn't like...this particular book was kind of a disappointment in comparison to other "Dummies" travel books I have used. I found the London and Paris "Dummies" books absolutely invaluable. Perhaps because this book covers an entire country, rather than an individual city, did I find it to be much too general. I also found the English/Italian dictionary at the end to be really lacking. I did not expect it to be by any means extensive; however, the 2-page listing in a "Time Out" guide that I bought was much more meaningful in the choice of helpful words.

Perhaps it is because I have done a bit more traveling, much of the basic information just seemed to be that...much too basic. What might be nice is if the "Dummies" series had just a book on "travel tips for Dummies," and then omitted a lot of that very basic content from these location guides. It would allow room to make the location guide much more comprehensive and meaningful.

If this is your first trip to Europe, then by all means, this is a great book. But if you have been to Europe before and are comfortable with your basic travel know-how, you might want to look elsewhere.

We found Italy for Dummies to be invaluable to our trip planning and in use on the trip. It was full of useful advice generally, and specifically, the maps and hotel and restaurant recommendations were apt and accurate. The Amazon online access was especially valuable, both because I was able to cut and paste (and print) custom maps specific to our plans before our trip, AND ON the trip because my fiance left the book on the kitchen table when we left. A best buy all round!

ITALY FOR DUMMIES is so helpful. It's arranged so you can easily find famous sites, art, night spots, restaurants, discos and pubs, shopping, as well as practical how-to-get-where information for all the major tourist destinations and maps of many of the major cities. There are even sections to help you negotiate an upscale Italian menu as well as a pizza menu, which, believe me, is very useful to those of us who don't speak Italian. The excellent sidebar on Italian ice cream (which is probably the best ice cream in the world) recommends some of the most popular flavors, including my favorites bacio (hazelnut chocolate) and stracciatella (chocolate chip)! Try a dip of two or three flavors on your cone-that's the Italian way. Believe me, you'll walk it off. The book even tells you how to toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain Italian style. I highly recommend ITALY FOR DUMMIES, whether you are a first time traveler to Italy, or you've been there a half dozen times as I have. The book is great at telling you where all the great art is (some of the major works at each museum), how to get tickets and how long the lines will probably be. The book's weakness is that it doesn't help you understand the art--it's 5-word to 1-sentence descriptions of paintings and sculptures don't really do the job. It would be great if they offered a book called Italian Art for Dummies. They don't, so I got the next best thing, ART HISTORY FOR DUMMIES. I highly recommend the chapter on Ancient Rome, which is great for helping you understand the whole span of Roman art, architecture and history (and really fun and interesting to read!) and of course the Early and High Renaissance chapter, which is magnificent, the Mannerism chapter (which tells about one of the truly great off the beaten-path art sites, Palazzo Te in Mantova, aka Mantua, which isn't mentioned at all in Italy for Dummies), the Italian Baroque, and the really lively section on the Italian Futurists (who were around during the early 20th century). I packed both ART HISTORY FOR DUMMIES and ITALY FOR DUMMIES in my suitcase when I went to Venice, Florence, Rome and Mantua for ten days over the Christmas Holidays. Both of these books made my trip so much richer and more interesting than my previous five Italian adventures. I never saw so much of Italy in so short a time--I don't mean in terms of quantity but quality. These books help you to get inside the Italian experience much more deeply.

although i don't do a lot of travelling, i find this handy volume a compleat source of all the information most essential to successful rv camping

I bought this as a gift and it looks like the phone pages. Waste of money for us but would probably be great if I was a truck driver instead of a mom looking for fun places to go camping with the family!

I ordered this for a friend's birthday and hoped it was right. He told me that it was exactly what he wanted and that there is a tremendous amount of valuable information contained in this guide. It was a perfect gift. Excellent and informative guide for Campers and travellers.

Excellent book, sometimes the woodalls ratings are quite my opinion but otherwise a great source.

This is the first book we bought about anything related to camping and we brought it with us on our second trip. It was a life saver. We wanted to stop somewhere else on our way home and were able to find all the information we needed. The size of our space is important to us along with privacy and distance to local attractions. We found a lot of that information at each areas listing, along with a map of each state. Every camper needs a directory.

I am a recovering alcoholic and have just begun my spiritual quest. I read The Secret earlier this year and my spirit totally rejected it. I wondered how I could be right when this book was so popular. When I just happened to see Burying the Secret, I was thrilled. This book validated my feelings. I was disturbed that in The Secret there was no mention of soul and spirit and God's will. I had tried for years to dictate to God what was best for me---and when he didn't answer to my standards, I blamed him and thought he hated me. That led me to a devastating bottom--which Carol touches on in this book (she has a great understanding of the pain an addict or alcoholic must go through to live). I found many spiritual angles in her book--some made my spirit sing, because it validated what I thought, some made me think, and some made me go "huh?" But that gives me food for thought, and I know I will respond to the things I need to know when I need to know them.
Overall, the book was awesome. I read it in a short time. I couldn't put it down. It definitely deserves another read to pick up the things I missed.

I am a full supporter and believer in The Law of Attraction, as well as all the universal laws. I've read The Secret, watched the video, and practiced the law. However, as with anything in this universe and as logical humans, we tend to question. I'm one that questions.

I'm so glad Carol Rutter had the courage to write this book. I was sure I wasn't the only one with questions and obviously I'm not. I don't think Carol left anything out when she wrote this book because she certainly dispelled any questioning thoughts I had. She writes with vigor, understanding, and truthism. I encourage anyone wanting more understanding to read this book. I promise, you will be enlightened and you will be able to move on, knowing The Law of Attraction does work, IF there is Karmic flow involved.

Rutter exposes many flaws in Byrne's The Secret using her personal experiences in the context of Western mystical/metaphysical tradition & psychology--a non-fictional critique of a fictional (fantasy) work--e.g. Byrne's book p. 181 nonsensically says: "100% human potential is the result of proper education". The Nature vs. Nurture argument is silly--both are important--Rutter incorporates both; Byrne does not (e.g. the Phila. Saving Fund Society's motto: "Wishing won't do it, saving will," Henry Ford's 1% inspiration/99% perspiration, & The Ugly Duckling). Rutter calls Byrne's work: p. 31: "snake oil at its finest...an expensively produced infomercial"--noting its contributors' financial motivation, magical thinking, & sense of entitlement [a deadly duo IMHO]. It reminds me of "space cadets" who join spiritual groups & soon begin to teach others from their limited understanding/naivety. But, Rutter states p. 175: "Seasoned metaphysical readers will recognize this as merely an introduction, so I leave it to the reader to study further." Thus, she provides basic metaphysical teachings, an extensive bibliography & a useful psychological exercise vs. Byrne's saying p. 179--"feel good...the greatest part of the secret."

I esp. liked Rutter's integration of Jungian principles--synchronicity (see The Tao of Psychology: Synchronicity and Self) & introjection & her explication of p. 65: the Pendulum Principle (see Knowledge management and information technology: Know-IT encyclopedia). But "Burying" is not for everyone; p. 172: "it speaks to us at the time we are ready for it...our present state of receptivity. If it seems almost like it is written in a foreign language then our consciousness is not welcoming at this point."

If it's elementary for you (or you're turned off by the anthropomorphic language), read Wisdom of the Mystic Masters--the Rosicrucian "law of attraction" is much more comprehensive than "The Secret" which is deficient in details & ignores limitations. Certain Buddhist sects (e.g. Nicheren chanting, Mahayana Bodhichitta, & Vajrayana deity/guru yoga) use it as well, but not as a stand-alone technique. For a more erudite Western treatment of such laws, read Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece (one of few books I retain permanently) or study Kabbalistic kavannah (Kabbalah (Meridian)).

I do take issue with Rutter's "pre-birth contract" (it only applies to advanced individuals), & her bookkeeping view of karma (only a metaphor), see Mansions of the Soul), but she implies she's a tyro. Please read past the initial critique chapters to the informative, later ones. I'd also add a few things--"The Secret's" approach can be likened to hypnosis or "whack-a-mole"--effortlessly eliminating a want or problem often causes another to appear. Further, science, not placebos, solves medical problems, & attributing causation to some unstructured instances is how superstitions develop. In a Lord Dunsany story, Jorkens claims he lost a lottery by paying two different psychics to ensure a win--when the lottery accidentally drew two tickets (both Jorkens' no doubt!), they just drew again. Dunsany wrote just in fun; if you read "The Secret" do it just in fun. The Collected Jorkens, Vol. 1: The Travel Tales of Mr. Joseph Jorkens and Jorkens Remembers Africa

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/08)

In "Burying the Secret," Carol Rutter shares her story with us of how the Law of Attraction did not work for her. For years, she adhered to this idea, but things got worse and worse for her. When she started researching psychology, mysticism and Eastern thought, she realized that not all prayers are to be answered for a variety of reasons. She states, "The Secret" fails to acknowledge that unanswered petitions are the norm because fulfillment of the most dramatic or life-changing prayers usually conflict with our karmic standing and/or purpose in life..."

This really makes a lot of sense to me, especially after reading her book. She extensively researches the other areas mentioned above and references them so that you can further review her discussion. In her writings you discover why bad things happen to good people and you see good things happening to bad people. She really makes a lot of sense.

I enjoyed "The Secret" to the point that I read it, watched it, and went to a conference on it. Even though, I am a fan of "The Secret," I had a lot of questions in my mind; that she addresses. These questions and thoughts were lurking in the back of my mind, because I was afraid if I verbalized them, then I would be cancelling the Law of Attraction. After reading, "Burying the Secret," I feel like I have a greater understanding of how things really work.

I highly recommend "Burying the Secret" to people who are familiar or interested in "The Secret" or the Law of Attraction. It will help provide some balanced ideas to people who are on their spiritual quest. It will definitely help you understand why karmic law and/or prayer, does not always allow our prayers to be answered. Reading this book made me feel so much more positive about the path that I am on.

I was intrigued by Carol Rutter's Burying the Secret, because I have read works on esoteric and mystical spirituality. First in studying intuition to enhance jazz improvisation, then as a means of evolving along my Christian pathway.

I had time to read this carefully as I recovered from surgery and reflected upon the circumstances in my life.

While, ostensibly, this book is an indictment of a pop psychology/light metaphysics light book, The Secret, the far-ranging work became much more to me.

I benefited from in depth treatments of the psychological aspects of parent child relations, a general treatment of Jungian psychology, particularly the collective unconscious, a short, but effective synopsis of Caroline Myss's work on recovering from wounds and intriguing sections later in the book on universal laws as she discerned them.
I also found her biographical sections on her life's lessons, how difficult it was to learn them and why "The Secret" was not effective for her to ring true and hold inspiration for me.

While I am not ready to embrace her more esoteric ideas, such as the Akashic records, definitive treatments of pre-birth activities, the fact is, I got plenty of inspiration from her words.

For example, Karmic debts and releases seems the same thing that the Bible describes as "whatever a man sows, this he will also reap". The human condition is to evolve. Whether the lessons are sent by a benevolent universe, as she believes, or all part of God's plan, as I believe, the individual must accept responsibility for their human and spiritual evolution and discerning and acting upon their purpose in life. Like Ms. Rutter and myself, people who do not want to learn life's lessons will be given repeat opportunities to learn them.

I do not believe that one book can an all-purpose spiritual and evolutionary guide, except maybe the Bible. However, one idea can inspire an individual to critically examine beliefs and behavior and make a change. There were many such ideas in this book. I received plenty of helpful inspiration and I can enthusiastically recommend this book.

I also want to say that there is a marvelous exercise in self understanding in an appendix near the end of the book.

This is a wonderful book, that when applied, brings life changing results! I would reccomend this book to anyone!

Leslie did a great job using the scriptures to show how God wants each of us to be successful and happy. You can get what you want out of life by following the laws of success, the natural laws of the universe. You can't help but be uplifted, motivated and inspired by the words in this book.

Fear of God is used in scripture, and I have wondered about translation issues, but whether we see it as 'respect' 'fear' or acknowledging that 'God is perfect' in how he blesses us and withdraws blessings, the bottom line is our acceptance of our Creator and the laws he has given us. This is Love of God. Householder has touched beautifully on an element of faith. Whether an agnostic, atheist, antagonist or protagonist, a reader will find something a little new in this book that will address faith in God, in the Universe, in themselves. I give it a 5 star. C.Robertson

Leslie Householder is Bob Proctor unenlighten. Householder, has such a backward old religious way of thinking I don't know how she can stand herself. She makes the statement if you are a (God fearing Christian) many times, like fearing God is normal? Leslie, why do you need to fear the All Loving? Have you ever thought of what you are saying? Do you really think your going to hell if you don't do what the book of Mormons instructs you? Do you really think that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will save you from hell when you die. Listening to this CD is like stepping into time tunnel, going back to the dark ages when religions fanatic's ruled by torture and making the general populous fear everything even God.

D. Dore has missed the meaning of the term "god-fearing." It does not mean to "fear" the All loving. It is a term that is defined, as stated in thefreedictionary.com as:

Adj. 1. god-fearing - deeply religious; "a god-fearing and law-abiding people" H.L.Mencken.
devout.
religious - having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity; "a religious man"; "religious attitude"

Furthermore, the author of Hidden Treasures never states in the book nor the CD that one must be a member of her church to be "saved." On the contrary, she goes out of her way to make sure the reader understands that the principles of success work no matter what one's religious persuasion may be. The mention of her religion in the beginning was to help the reader understand the fears and mindset that she personally had to overcome in order to see the principles of success work for her.

Let's take a look at the section of the book to which Dore referred. It comes from pages xvi and xvii of the Introduction:

"My first idea for the book was to gather all supporting literature from all the major religions of the world for a landmark project that could improve the lives of all God-fearing people across the globe. [This statement offends D Dore? Remember, "god-fearing" doesn't mean "fear god," it means "deeply religious," or "having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity."] The wider the market, the better, I was told. but in a way, that's what Bob [Proctor] is already doing. Besides, I realized there is so much written about it, it would have been insane to try to pull off my original idea. In fact, the work is so filled with this wisdom taught from so many angles that it is a wonder how I had been blind to it before. The principles governing prosperity may be some of the most fundamental doctrines to be shared by all major religious sects. After all, truth is truth, and truth seekers will cling to truth no matter where they find it. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a Mormon), I saw a pressing need among my friends and family to take these ideas and bring them together from my personal point of view. I was simply a mother of young children who wanted to stay home and raise her family, and who successfully applied the laws of though to achieve a few of her objectives.

"Note: you do not have to embrace my religion to see the principles of prosperity work for you. Simply put, God's power permeates the Universe and as we live in harmony with His laws connected to prosperity, we are blessed with the miracles of the abundant life. In fact, many people of all religions live in harmony with these laws unknowingly and thus prosper, not even understanding the real reason why. Anyway, the following information seems true to me. It has borne good fruit in my life and I'm pleased to share a few of the good seeds with you now. I invite you to bring your faith, great or small, and let me see if I can help increase it."

Leslie's audience is very specific: the book is written to people who are concerned that the Law of Attraction may conflict with their religious tradition, whatever it may be. Since this apparently is not D Dore's concern, this book/cd provided answers to questions he wasn't asking.

You'll find countless other books that take a generic spiritual approach, or a quantum physics approach. This is one of the few that speaks to people who are committed to following their religion. It is written to "God-Fearing" [devout] people. Mormons will relate to her experiences better than others, perhaps, simply because of her orientation. But anyone who is concerned about living God's law and simultaneously seeking financial peace of mind will certainly benefit from her message.

Sophie Katz is a bit of an original. She is half Eastern European White Jewish and half African American, which leads to some interesting hair. She is a famous author and a divorcee who has no desire to ever see her ex, unless it is under a truck somewhere. She has a cast of friends from sex toy shop owner Deena, to former college professor Melanie. It is Melanie who calls Sophie for help when she thinks her husband is cheating. Since Melanie knows that Sophie hasn't met her husband she is the perfect woman to see if she can entice her husband. Sophie reluctantly agrees. After meeting him and determining that he may be concerned about something but cheating on his wife isn't it. Unfortunately for Sophie, this is when the troubles begin. He is killed in a drive by attack seconds after leaving her.

Now she is going to figure out what the real story was behind his death for Melanie. She reluctantly agrees to have Anatoly work with her (ok she decides to use him and his PI skills) so that she can keep an eye on him. When Melanie turns up dead and Sophie starts to get phone calls and threatening notes from characters (pink panthers, koala bears etc.) suddenly they both believe Melanie's husband might not be the victim of a drive by shooting anymore.

In the spirit of Stephanie Plum (by Janet Evanovich) or Sophie Metropolis (by Tori Carrington), Sophie Katz is a character you will come to love.

I love Sophie Katz and in Obsession, Deceit and Really Dark Chocolate I have to say Ms. Davis has outdone herself. Not only is Sophie again in the middle of a murder mystery but also the sexy, dark Anatoly is back. Will she be able to explain that when she said she wanted a boyfriend that she meant a "Tim Robbins to her Susan Sarandon" not marriage? This will play out throughout the story. I absolutely loved the scene where Deena has to explain "plushies" and "furries" to Sophie. Add to the story the hot interactions between Anatoly and Sophie and you have a winner. I am a recent discoverer of Ms. Davis's talents and this will not be the last I read by her. If you don't want to pick up Obsession, Deceit and Really Dark Chocolate just due to the title then take my recommendation as it is one of my June Joyfully Recommended reads. I only have one question now, when is the next one?

Tanya
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Sophie Katz is back at it again. Doing all she can to annoy Anatoli, solve a murder, and make it through a day in her life. She will meet new friends and even deal with some of her past in this book. All the favorite characters are back in this one and it does not dissapoint. I have to say I am with her in the addiction to Starbucks Frappachino and I love how Anatoli discribes one that he gets her. She is as head strong and full steam ahead, ignoring threats etc., as usual. If you like a murder mystery, laughting out loud, a little romance and a bit of the odd then this is the book for you.

WOW! A third Sophie Katz book and it was GREAT!!! As much as I should have been shocked by the talk of plushys and furrys, I remember watching a CSI episode on such groups. It's interesting what you learn from great stories!!!

This is another great chick lit mystery that I couldn't put down for a second. Kyra Davis has reinstated the hope that one day I can one day write an entertaining and original novel someday. Her writing is light, fun, and uplifting....while keeping you on the edge of your seat. Who can say no to dark chocolate anyway?

If you want a good read that is quick and yet intriguing....read this one. I thought I had it figured out half way through the book, but Kyra Davis throws in twists and keeps her readers guessing!

I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out! Keep your eyes out for this outstanding author and READ THIS SERIES!!!

Sophie Katz was surprised when her former English teacher and creative writing mentor contacts her for a favor, but she was never prepared for what Melanie O'Reilly would ask of her. But Sophie owes Melanie bigtime since her help got Sophie's writing career started--so what else can she say but yes?

Melanie thought her husband, Eugene, was cheating on her and since Sophie was the only friend who had not met Eugene--Melanie wanted her to try and seduce him to prove it.

Of course, there's good news and bad news. The good news is that Eugene was too much of a straight arrow to cheat on his wife. The bad news is that someone shot him right after his meeting with Sophie.

Again, Sophie can't refuse when Melanie asks her to investigate Eugene's death. Enter Sophie's ex-boyfriend, Russian private detective Anatoly Darinsky and the sparks between the two fly.

The story takes us on a tour of opposing political camps in a heated US Congressional race to San Francisco's furry underside. This is an interesting and sometimes witty cosy mystery with some serious romantic undertones. Characterization was fairly weak for an established series. I expected to see a bit more 'show' in the relationships of the long-standing friends than we got. In addition, the book was very slow in the middle. The best part were the quotes from Sophie's book "C'est La Mort" at the beginning of each chapter.

First, be careful with these reviews, because some of the reviews appearing on this page are for a book called "GUILTY FEET." There is is no "Jo" or "Dan" in this book.

Fortunately for us, this book is all about Sophie and Anatoly. I am so glad Kyra Davis is still writing, and I hope she keeps it up! I really like Sophie's adventures, and I love reading about a multicultural heroine -- I need a break from the blond-haired, thin protagonist. I get enough of that on TV.

If you are looking for a spicy, funny murder mystery, with an unexpected heroine (African American and Jewish!), pick up some Kyra Davis.

There is so much valuable information in this small book! It is well worth the time to read it. I highly recomend it to anyone.

Prentice Mulford wrote this book in 1889, long before more well-known, contemporary authors began writing about the power of thought. Despite being over 100 years old, this is a powerful book on thought.

Mulford explains we have, in effect, two minds: the mind of the body and the mind of the spirit. The mind of the body is limited and fights change. It thinks things must always be the way they've always been. The mind of the spirit trusts in the Supreme Power which made all things and knows that anything is possible if you believe.

Long before the law of attraction became widely known, Mulford talked about the fact that what we talk about and think about is what we attract to ourselves. He explains that if a group of people talk about disease or suffering, they will eventually bring disease and suffering to themselves in some form. He also notes that the surest way for a woman to become ugly is to be discontented, cross, complaining and envious of others. He therefore encourages the reader to call on the help of the Supreme Power to get into the thought current of things that are healthy, natural, strong and beautiful, and leave the negative thinking behind.

While the book talks about many aspects of the power of thought that will be familiar to today's readers, he also covers some topics you don't hear discussed as much today. One of my favorite chapters is the one on cultivating courage. He notes that courage and presence of mind mean the same thing; and cowardice and lack of mental control mean about the same thing. He notes that courage comes from discipline regarding so-called little or trivial things. It means focusing on whatever you're doing at the moment, rather than allowing your thoughts to scatter in many directions. This focus allows you to have the presence of mind to do what needs to be done, rather than to panic.

A great example of courage he gives is: "It was this electric vigilance and mind watchfulness that gave an American officer during the Revolution, who, in the confusion of battle, suddenly found himself in front of a British regiment, the deliberation to ask, 'What troops are these?' 'The Royal Scots,' was the reply. 'Royal Scots remain as you are,' was his answer, and he rode off to his own lines. That man had a mind trained to give him time to think."

I have not read another book on thought quite like this one, and would encourage anyone interested in better understanding the power of thought to give this book a try!

This book may be a little advanced unless you are really into the "Law of Attraction". If you don't connect with it now, you probably will in the future. I will read it many times, I'm sure. You also have to remember that it was originally written 140 years ago. It is a little book that says a lot..well worth the study of it!!

This book is timeless and immediately relevant. Anyone in pursuit of answers about how life works and/or is seeking a practical spiritual framework, Prentice Mulford resonates beautifully.

I believe that we all read books for the same reason, it is a search for truth. I've been an avid and voracious reader for 18 years and often wondered if I would find my "Holy Grail" of a book, a book that would literally change my life. At long last, I've found it. This book is so full of wisdom and insight that I will continue reading over and over again. The insights are so mind blowing that I often find myself re-reading sentences and/or paragraphs 5 or 6 times. This is the kind of wisdom that I have never found anywhere else. This is the best kept secret.