Software Books

Many years ago I needed to learn ASP/ADO. I saw a lot of learning in front of me. But I was thrilled to find this book. It gave me the simple, clear explanations I needed to get rolling with ADO in short order. It's still one I keep handy, even thought I now use this technology to make my living. I have several big/thick ADO books, but this one is a quick reference that I still turn to often, as well as highly recommend to ADO (database connectivity) newbies for both web and Microsoft Office linking.

An excellent reference for the novise to advanced programmer. If you need a good overview of how to connect to a SQL Server or Access DB using VB, then you have got to get this book!

This was a very good book but it was not perfect. The code contained some coding errors, but what was worst was that I could not establish an internet connection to Rob's SQL server. Due to the connection problem I could not run those examples, which comprised about a third of the book. I e-mailed Rob, but Rob apparently is too good for his readers to reply back to. I would have given the book 5 stars if it weren't for these problems. The book certainly was not for beginners as it rightly claims. I actually had to read it twice. Any coding errors I was able to solve with some work. The book does offer a lot to learn though.

I bought this book looking for an introduction to ADO and DB programming in general with no prior ADO experience. I read the first 4 chapters for an introduction, and I have used the rest of the book for information on how to complete specific tasks. I have successfully created ADO applications using VB, Access, and ASP, using this book and online help as references. This is probably not the most complete book available for ADO programming, but if you have not used ADO in the past, you will not find a better introduction than this book!

This book is genuinely about ADO Programming without self promotion. Rob starts his book with the basic elements that lead up to ADO technology and steps up to very sophisticated programming procedures/techniques using ADO with Sql Server, MS Access 2000, Excel 2000, ASP and the Web in a very efficient and easy to understand manner. Of the features which set this book apart from others are the numerous runtime examples on Rob's website of procedures using ADO within VB/ASP scripts, and also the companion cd which includes all the of the programming code for each of the ADO examples on the website and all of the examples in the book. The information contained in this book has significantly enhanced my understanding of and coding abilities with ADO in a very short period of time, particularly in the web environment. I would highly recommend this book to any serious developer of data processing applications using ADO technology; especially for web applications.

I finally come across a very good ADO.NET textbook. The author has done an excellent job explaning everything that ADO.NET 3.5 has to offer. I really like the textbook structure. The problem/solution approch is awesome. that book is fully loaded with code sample, in which you face with a problem, and the next thing you know is your problem is solved. I highly recommend this book for any developers who need to deepen their knowledge of this great Data Access technology from Microsoft(ADO.NET). Thank you Sir.

[Also posted on my blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/luisabreu/archive/2008/06/11/book-review-ado-net-3-5-cookbook.aspx]
After several days, I've finally finished reading this book. This is really a very complete book wit lots and lots (and lots!) of examples. It's fair to say that it covers most (if not all) ADO.NET related scenarios (I'm an SQL Server user but if you're into Oracle then it also has several examples that show how to use ADO.NET and Oracle).

I do have one complaint though: chapter 8. Currently, I'll personally "hurt" anyone that is working on the same project as me and that uses ADO.NET objects on window forms or ASP.NET front ents! Ok, I'm not violent, so I wouldn't really hurt anyone :) serioulsy, don't use ADO.NET objects on your UI.

Having said this, I still recommend it (specially if you're working with ADO.NET).

The 'ADO.NET 3.5 Cookbook' is a great resource for every .NET database developer out in the world. With 950+ pages of content you will not be reading thin, as this goodies book comes with 222 tidbits of information that will help you in your everyday work.

Subjects covered include:

- connecting to a variety of data sources
- working with disconnected data objects (datasets)
- querying data
- executing functions and stored procedures
- using LINQ
- searching and filtering data
- adding and updating data
- copying/transferring data
- database integrity
- binding data to web forms
- XML data
- optimizing .NET data access
- debugging stored procedures
- doing batch updates
- enumerating SQL servers
- SQL Server CLR integration

I feel that is an outstanding companion book for .NET database developers that are looking for a resource that specifically outlines tasks into a neat, organized manner. Instead of thumbing through a book to figure out a particular way to do something, these common tasks and questions are broken up for ease of use and efficiency. If you are a .NET DB developer you definitely owe it to yourself to add this great book to your collection of technical books immediately.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

(Full Disclosure: I was a tech reviewer for this book and received a free copy)

I've been using the various incarnations of Microsoft data access technologies for quite some time and have been using ADO.NET for a few years, so I wondered whether I was going to learn anything new from this book. It covers all of the territory to get started (connection strings, basic usage of ADO.NET classes, etc.), but what I really appreciated was that it topics that advanced ADO.NET users would find useful and I certainly learned a few new tricks.

The topic on writing provider and database independent code (Section 10.22) which covers how to do it right if you are targeting .NET 1.1 (which we do) was particularly useful to me. Chapter 10 (Optimizing .NET Data Access) is just generally a good chapter no matter what your level and covers asynchronous SQL calls (executing and cancelling), ASP.NET data caching, paging queries, SQL Server stored procedure debugging and more.

Since my job was to actually run every code snippet, I can vouch for their quality. Most are built off the AdventureWorks sample database that comes with SQL Server Express, so they are ready to run. The rest come with full DDL to create what you need (databases, stored procedures, etc), and the code and SQL is available online so you don't have to type it in.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a review by a "technical expert". I really liked how the book was laid out with a problem-solution-reasoning approach (known as a recipe). Each one was generally useful for those unaware of how to do things in ADO.NET. The examples were short and too the point. The topics were quite varied so just about everyone will find something in this book. In particular the recipes on getting schema information programmatically will really benefit a lot of people because it is neither common nor easy.

I had only a few complaints about the book. The first complaint is with the title. It says ADO.NET v3.5 but in reality almost all the recipes cover any version of ADO.NET from v2 on. This might cause some people to shy away from the book. This book is really for anybody using ADO.NET.

This leads me to the second complaint. There really was no 3.5 content mentioned. LINQ and SQL 2008 were mentioned a few times but they aren't specific to ADO.NET v3.5. LINQ itself seemed out of place for the topic.

The final complaint I had was that the recipes are mostly designed to be copy and pasted into working code. The code samples don't really follow what I would consider an appropriate pattern for professional code. Therefore simply copy/paste will cause more problems than not. It really would have required no additional lines of code and would not have complicated things to have "done it right". Still this seems to be standard practice for most technical books so I can't harp too much.

Overall I recommend this book for anyone who works with (or will) ADO.NET of any version.

An excellent book, particularly helpful in discovering the new nooks and crannies of the CS line. It's definitely a book I wish I had sooner. It shed a lot of light on the Bridge as well as Version Cue that I just wasn't getting before.

I am familiar with George's style of writing and this book is no exception, to his casual yet informative tone.

"100 Essential Techniques" solved at least a half dozen situations right off the bat. George's writing style is clear and concise and his selection of techniques are those that you need to be aware of. Having flipped through the book several times reading what was intriguing, I am reading from front to back. I found that I could read this book on my comute and remember the simple steps on how to impliment the techniques when I was in front of the computer. Real sweet, what's next George?

Clear but concise explanations of many of the features and functions you may already be marginally aware of, but may not understand how to use. These features are generally only mentioned in other books, but are more clearly explained here. I teach the Adobe suite, and feel pretty comfortable using these applications, but most of what I know has come from books because I live in an isolated area. Whenever a book comes along that helps me to understand features I haven't been using, I really appreciate it. Short on glamour, it is just black text on white pages; the techniques are most often presented in two page layouts with screen captures as needed. The book is small enough to hold on your lap or have next to the computer as you work. Reading and using one technique a day might be a great way to go through the book as opposed to just reading. Some tips will be of interest to new users, while others are aimed at the intermediate or advanced level, which is exactly how it's noted on the back cover. Easy reading, chapter headings make it simple to find what you need, but there's also a good index. I find the organization very helpful. There are general tips presented first, regarding the use of Bridge, and setting up preferences to work with the suite more interactively. Then techniques for individual application components are presented and I appreciate the inclusion of GoLive here since I use it. I know everyone else uses DW, but our school chose to go with the Adobe Suite way back when. I have been responsible for the extensive dept. web site and I found GoLive up to the task. And last, tips having to do with the use of Acrobat and Version Cue. I've been using Acrobat for years, but on a fairly rudimentary level and I didn't understand Version Cue at all, so this book has provided some terrific information there. All in all, I think this book is a bargain, excellent, much needed information presented in a simple format. Some tips may be over your head if you're just beginning, but later on you'll be glad they're here. Especially useful: tips on using Bridge more fully, the most useful and least understood aspects of Photoshop and Illustrator, using Master Pages and Frames in InDesign as well as creating books (something I need to do right now), CSS in GoLive (a special thank you for that), time-saving batch processing techniques, and Acrobat and Version Cue techniques that wrap up the final needed tips. This book is definitely not a rehash of anything you've seen elsewhere. It's all the information I was hoping to find in other books and didn't. This book is an excellent resource and I'll keep it handy. There isn't one thing in here I would consider filler. The subtitle is 100 essential techniques and that seems to fit the content perfectly.

This book was super helpful getting me up to speed when I did an upgrade from the pre-CS product line. It covers the basics, but also gets you into some of the more advanced time savers. There's a website for it too, which has been updated with a couple of new tips.

Thank goodness! Finally, a resource that's quick access, a quick fix to my problems and helpful, succinct answers to my questions. A must-have for anyone using the new CS2.

Don't let the "for Dummies" title fool you. This book is designed to teach the most important parts of the Adobe Flex framework in a clear, efficient manner.

Maybe this unparalleled clarity and quality is because one of the authors is part of the Adobe Flex team or maybe it is just because the other author is one of the most prolific, dynamic, sought after Adobe Flex developers. Either way, this book will get you up to speed on Adobe Flex development.

The book develops in a clear, uncluttered style for which the Dummies franchise is known. Also, scattered through the writings at appropriate times are callouts for Tips, Points to Remember, Technical Details and Warnings. These features will help you retain important parts of the teachings by reinforcing the principles.

My top two favorite parts of this book were Part 5 "Exploring Advanced Flex Topics" and Part 6 "The Power of Tens". This book is worth the cover price if only for those two chapters.

In short, if you want to learn to program using the Adobe Flex framework, or want to be more proficient at programming with the Adobe Flex framework, order this book.

When I found out Doug and Deepa were writing the Flex book for Dummies, I'll admit I was shocked. These two people could easily write the most advanced book on Flex, but a book that by default of its expert level would have been accessible by few.

With so much Flex knowledge in their heads, can this really be a book for dummies? Yes, it can. I'll prove it with a quote from the book. In Chapter 16 (Custom Components and Component Architecture), Doug and Deepa explain how to make a custom component in MXML, not ActionScript. You'll find this little gem in the "Choosing between MXML and ActionScript" section:

"Because creating ActionScript components is an advanced topic (we could write a book on it!), we cover only MXML components in this chapter."

They know their audience and thankfully take it easy on them. The writers gives a taste of Flex's greatness, without getting too deep into all the complex magic that happens behind the scenes.

Anyone looking to get up to speed on Flex would do good to pick this up. After you get comfortable with the basics, go check out the authors individual blogs for more advanced information.

I took my copy of the book into the office, where it was rather quickly "borrowed" by a coworker. I'll likely have to buy another copy just to have at home, where no one can "borrow" it. :)

I want to be clear that I know Doug and Deepa on a personal level. They speak at my conferences and participate in my user group. Does this make my review biased? No. Instead, it gives me insight into their personalities. It helps me understand why they spent so much of their precious time to make life easier for those just getting started with Flex vs those advanced enough to find their own way. Although, I say they still should write an advanced book. If they get started now, it should be done when the buyers of this book are ready for something a bit more advanced.

Doug and Deepa are incredible! They're superstars in the Flex development world, and experts in the field!

They break Flex down into manageable bits and very clearly explain it. I can't imagine anyone better to learn Flex from than these two!

The authors have done a superb job creating Flex for Dummies 3.0. It will be a great asset for beginning Flex developers. The book can be read from front to back - giving an over view of all that Flex has to offer - or as a desk reference to be used while working. I particularly appreciate the 'Remember' and 'Warning' sections, since they point out some of the nuances of working with such a powerful language.

While most likely regarded as a beginners book, there is probably plenty here for a moderately experienced developer to work with. Chapter 16, on Custom Components and Component Architecture has been invaluable while trying to build more complex components.

As Flex grows in popularity, there are more and more resources popping up. While this is great, it is also becoming more difficult for developers to sift through it all and find the answers to their questions - Flex 3.0 for Dummies can provide many of these answers... on your REAL desktop.

As one of the Product Managers for Flex at Adobe, I am often asked for pointers to resources to learn Flex. Flex is admittedly a complex set of tools, and even with our excellent documentation and resources it can be a bit overwhelming. Adobe Flex 3.0 for Dummies is a great resource for those looking for a one-stop shop to get started. The basic underpinnings of the languages are explained, the basics of using Flex Builder are right up front, and you get a really great high-level overview of everything Flex can do.

If you've been intimidated in getting started with Flex, I highly recommend this book.

This book was exactly what I needed to get quickly up to speed on web design and construction. I last built a site in 1997. For my new site I had designed an easy to use, but complicated to build site. I had no real idea how to build it. This book taught me how. It was easy to read and had hands on (my favorite) exercises. The best part was that it focuses on the preparation stage as well as the site production stage. I needed to learn all I could about slicing images and rollovers. This book covers them very well. It shows you how to shave off download seconds. I didn't really know what to do with ImageReady before. Now I am using it to its full potential! Unfortunately, I'll have to learn Flash to really speed up my site.

I found this book extremely easy to use and very helpful. The lessons were quick and easy to understand. I wish they would have gone into more complicated applications. For getting a handle on how to use Photoshop and ImageReady it was wonderful.

I received this book about 1 1/2 weeks ago and I just tore thru it! Linda Weinman and Tanya Staples did an outstanding job in covering and teaching me what I needed to know about Photoshop CS. It beat out Photoshop class room in a book by a mile!

To bad I can't take it back!{

This has revolutionized the way I design websites for my realtor clients at realtors-image com

Thank you Lynda, Tanya and special thanks to Garo Green....what an amazing trainer he is. I made the move from Frontpage to Dreamweaver MX with his training manual.

The field of Graphic/ Web Design is wide open if you just follow these manuals from Lynda Weinmans HOT Manuals,

Thank you all and god bless!

This is the first time that I've tried learning through the Hands on Training (H.O.T) books and after reading & practicing with the CD that comes along with the book, I think this is a great training book! The book was very well written and the having the CD with the practice files to train with really helps you learn. I am in no way new to Photoshop, but I'd never used ImageReady before. With this book, I literally was able to understand and learn ImageReady CS in one day, and I also learned a lot of useful tips in Photoshop CS that I had never used before. Plus, with the way the book is written, anytime you have a question or problem, you can skip to a certain page or chapter that should help you. I am very satisfied with this purchase and plan on using H.O.T exclusively to train on any other softwere that I need to learn.

The book description refers to the book as "this full-color volume" in error. The update from Photoshop/Imageready 7 to CS has added 220 pages of content, but to hold the same price point, it was necessary to produce the book in black and white. I really miss the color. I occasionally purchase a Photoshop book that is not in color, but with one exception (Deke McClelland's Look and Learn Photoshop 6), they always end up being returned.

Don't let me discourage you from buying the book -- it's still a great resource, even more so since Ben Willmore's Photoshop CS Studio Techniques no longer discusses web/Imageready topics -- but please be aware that it's not "in full color."

This book is one of the most information-dense Photoshop books I've seen. It specifically addresses selecting, layers, masks and channels, and is loaded with examples that are very pertinent to the material.

I consider myself an advanced amature with Photoshop CS2. I knew I needed to learn about Paths/Layers/Masks but was intimidated and confused (especially paths, masks, and channels).

This book is so well written that just into page 51, so many things just started clicking into place. Understanding what these things actually do, how and why made it seem much less confusing. I can hardly wait to sit down at my computer and start experimenting!

The only "negative" thing I can think of to say is the print in the book is just a tad on the small side ;).

I agree with the other reviewer in that this book tells you the how and the why not just a here is how you do it step by step with no explainations. I have several photoshop books; if I had to get rid of all but two, this is one of the two I would keep.

Though I havent finished yet it is i can say of a good value.
Easy to understand so i can recommend it for people who want to complete their existing knowledge with something else.

I've used both online and printed tutorials for Photoshop in the past, but French's Photoshop Unmasked is easily the easiest to understand and, most important, most helpful. Practical advice on real-world solutions, offered in clear, hands-on lessons with files stored on his personal website. After years of hobbyist use for amateur photography and web design, I finally feel like I'm unlocking the full power of Photoshop. The bibles are good for reference and some of the more arcane uses of Photoshop, but if you want a solid explanation of how to perform the actions you'll need to know regardless of how you use Photoshop personally, this is the only book you should need.

Selections options often trip up the novice Photoshop user. Nigel make this look easy. His style is easy to follow for novices and masters alike. Knowing what to do when is the key to an efficient working environment. For imaging forensics, having the what to do when discussion of selection and masking techniques here in book form helps you prepare for an intense cross.

This one should be on everyone's shelf.

Jim Hoerricks
http://forensicphotoshop.blogspot.com
Author of Forensic Photoshop - a comprehensive imaging workflow for forensic professionals

This book meets the needs of many people who are happy with the best-selling Adobe Classroom-in-a- book series, but found their content to be more appropriate to novices. Using the same tutorial approach with concise, well-illustrated and clear explanations, this book is a must for web designers and any digital-era artist.

Ok, this is a good book. A very good book. It is well written, clear and easy to follow. And the projects are, for the most part, more useful in real-world than the basic classroom in a book series.

I just think the title is misleading. This is NOT a book of ADVANCED techniques. It is NOT "Bert Monroy" advanced techniques or "Photoshop channel chops" advanced techniques.

What this book actually is, is the NEXT STEP UP from PS & Illustrator basic classrooms in a book. And if that is where you are in your level of knowledge of PS & Illustrator, then put your money on the table and get this book because you will learn A LOT.

Maybe my problem is that I expect more from the people at Adobe. Every week they post these "showcases" at Adobe.com showing these amazing images that were created using their software. I for one wish they would start showing us HOW to create them instead of WHO is creating them. Anyway, I digress.

Here's some usefull information on this book.

Chapter 1; PREPARING IMAGES FOR PRINT OR THE WEB. (yawn) You got this in the basic CIAB.

Chapter 2; SHADING & BLENDING. Been there, done that. Nothing new.

Chapter 3; ACQUIRING DIGITAL IMAGES. Scanning, Photo CD, etc. (I kid you not).

Chapter 4; ADVANCED MASKING. O.K., now you're starting to learn something. A nice chapter on some neat masking tricks in both PS & Illustrator.

Chapter 5; ADVANCED COMPOSITING. Nice chapter on blending with layer masks, layer modes, etc.

Chapter 6; COLOR MANAGEMENT & DISTRIBUTION. Hey, you at Adobe... quite with the chapters on "optimizing web-art". WE GET THE POINT, already...Low resolution & Primary colors. Jeez.

Chapter 7; ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY AND LAYOUT. Always useful, always overlooked. Great stuff.

Chapter 8; MASTERING THE PEN TOOL. If you didn't get the hang of it in the basic CIAB, this info isn't going to help.

Chapter 9; TWO COLOR PRINT PROJECTS. Art on a budget. Actually, this chapter does have some nice info on getting good results with spot color.

Chapters 10 & 11; Throw away stuff used to fill pages (animated Web Ad Banner, etc).

Well, thats it. It's your call. If you need to bone up on some of the techniques listed above, they are well presented and you WILL learn from this book. It IS very well done.

If you are looking for REAL ACTUAL EARTH SHATTERING GURU advanced stuff on PS & Illustrator, save your money. You should buy "Photoshop Channel Chops" & Bert Monroy's "Photorealistic Techniques with PhotoShop & Illustrator". Now THAT book will put hair on your chest.

As with the rest of the "Classroom in a Book" series, this is probably the best way to learn Adobe Products. This is a great tutorial for intermediate-advanced users of Illustrator and Photoshop to fill in the gaps of their knowledge especially for anyone who doesn't understand the synergy that exists when these two products are combined.

I really hope more tutorial books using multiple software packages to complete projects are released.

The Adobe staff's training workbook Photoshop 5.5 And Illustrator 8.0 provides advanced users with a series of training lessons developed by experts and tested in classes and computer labs. Projects use both applications and include plenty of tips for preparing and editing Web graphics, animation, and skills already learned by the user. Ownership of these programs is a 'must' for users, with some prior background lending to these books' easy instructions.

Adobe Press finally gets it right with this in-depth look at Photoshop and Illustrator. If you use both of these products (and who doesn't?), you'll find this book the perfect blend of the two, contrasting and comparing the products and providing numerous workflow examples.

If you like this book, be sure to pick up Wendy Crumpler's Photoshop, Painter, and Illustrator book.

Hey they are right; it covers Oracle 7 perfectly but there is Oracle 8 and now Oracle 8i. But for the basics, well this is a great starter. It will explain how to tune Oracle and why; after that get another and explore

When I used to work at Oracle, these books were our bibles. I had to learn a great deal about Oracle in a very short time (I knew extremely little about technology, and didn't know a database from a ring ding). These books are remarkably thorough, and go into a lot of detail. The added benefit is that they are extremely widely read by Oracle developers (both working for Oracle and not), that they get TONS of feedback, so any inaccuracies, development or new ideas/tricks get back to the publisher and often get incorporated in new editions. The Oracle series is general is a great foundation to start with for Oracle knowledge. The thick white Oracle PL/SQL guide is also extremely good, and comes with the server software. I believe that it is more easily available in soft copy, as Oracle is trying to limit the documentation that they distribute with their software.

This book offered a complete look at high performance computing for an Oracle7 database. It covers everything about Oracle7 server and hardware tuning. It the best high performance Oracle database book I've ever seen. I've used this book quite frequently when dealing and planning for performance issues. If an Oracle8 version of this book comes out - I will be one of the first to buy it.

No DBA's bookshelf is complete without this book. The authors covered some of the most important topics in oracle tuning and administration. This book gives the most complete and up to date information about underlying concepts and practical ways of using those theoritical concepts in day to day operations in oracle database tuning and administration.

The book is aimed at those interested in DBA issues however I recommend developers to shell out for the book just for the chapters on EXPLAIN PLAN and SQL Tuning Tips. My investment quickly paid back when I put the info to use recently for a major client.

The book came very quickly and was described well in the ad. I was very pleased with the timeliness of the delivery

"The African American Odyssey" just got better with the release of the 3rd edition. Updated accounts, in-depth coverage, a broadened focus (the American West, and beyond America), and the wonderfully helpful enclosed CD which allows for additional research, all make this a comprehensive volume for any and all students of African American history.

The blending of the famous and the unknown, men and women, North and South, slave and free, provides for a tapestry that weaves together both the terror and the triumph of the African American experience which enabled them to move beyond the suffering to a place of healing hope. The faith-basis for so much of the African American triumph could have been covered more comprehensively, though it is more than hinted at in the original sources covered.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction .

I received this order on time and in excellent condition. I will do business with again.

"The African American Odyssey" just got better with the release of the 3rd edition. Updated accounts, in-depth coverage, a broadened focus (the American West, and beyond America), and the wonderfully helpful enclosed CD which allows for additional research, all make this a comprehensive volume for any and all students of African American history.

The blending of the famous and the unknown, men and women, North and South, slave and free, provides for a tapestry that weaves together both the terror and the triumph of the African American experience which enabled them to move beyond the suffering to a place of healing hope. The faith-basis for so much of the African American triumph could have been covered more comprehensively, though it is more than hinted at in the original sources covered.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.

An effective book, which the young new generation of African Americans can really gain their sense of knowledge from.

Kyle Preston brought joy to numerous kids' lives during the Christmas season. He loved the job of Santa but he definitely wasn't prepared for a precocious little girl to ask him for a daddy and a present for her mother in the form of a husband to help around the house. Yet luck had it's way when Kristen's mom forgot to turn off the headlights before going Christmas shopping. And who better to come to the rescue? Why Santa, of course. Kristen's mom, Lauren Alexander, was a single parent who had survived years on her own caring for the two of them without the help of her parents. Although she wanted contact, it was out of the question. So when a man decided he wanted to make them a part of his life, Lauren did the only thing acceptable. She pushed him away. Would she see reason when her parents enter the picture? Or will their relationship be totally destroyed? Christmas is a special time of year. One of renewing old friendships and finding some new. Ms. Mondello has created a moving tale destined to brighten the Christmas spirit in everyone who reads All I Want For Christmas Is You.

When she waddled across the stage to receive her diploma, Lauren Alexander's family was mortified by her pregnancy. Arranging for an adoption, her family hopes Lauren can attend college and survive the family scandal. However, the young mother could not bring herself to sign those adoption papers, leaving town with only her savings and her daughter cradled in her arms. Now Kristen is six, and Lauren struggles to provide all the things her daughter needs. Unfortunately, there's not much left for things like Christmas.

Kyle Preston remembers standing in court at the age of twelve when his father gave him to the state. Foster homes didn't seem to want the boy as much as the check, until his adoptive parents gave him the love he needed. Now Kyle is an affluent real estate developer playing Santa Claus in his own mall. When little Kristen gives her a letter, his heart can't help being touched. Rather than doll houses or easy-bake ovens, little Kristen only wants a daddy to help her momma. With Christmas three weeks away, Kyle finds himself sidestepping the promise.

But Christmas is the time of magic, touching hearts and bringing them together. Perhaps a dead battery can be a blessing if two hearts can be led to find one another. And author Lisa Mondello certainly knows how to bring magic together with love. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS proves a charming novel whether the time be Christmas or summer. With warm characters, a enduring child, and house full of wonderful secondary characters, ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS comes highly recommended.

This book is a warm and tender Christmas story. The lives and struggles of Lauren and Kyle touched my heart and had me cheering for them. A must read for anyone who is looking for a good holiday story.

All I Want for Christmas Is You is a gem of a book. Kristen wants a daddy for christmas and she's picked Kyle. While Kyle struggles to convince Lauren that he is the answer to her hearts dreams, he must also come to terms with ghosts of his own. Lauren can't give into to anything less than true love, it wouldn't be fair to her daughter or her heart. Can Kristen's Santa Claus come through with the daddy she wants, the man her mother wants and the family Kyle wants? From the moment Kristen sits on Santa's lap until she gets her Christmas wish, theis book is one page after another of emotion, love, and good clean fun. Lisa Mondello has made her debut a sparkling one. All I Wnat For Christmas Is You is not to be missed, no matter what time of year it is.

Lisa Mondello has written a warm and wonderful story that's full of Christmas charm. Rich characters and a great romance make this perfect reading for those blustery winter days. Excellent!