Burr Books

I was disappointed with these books. They were cut and left no room to grow the characters and plots. This is the one Diana Palmer book that I would not recommend to others

This book was ok. I certianly liked Drew Morris's story out of all the others. It made me get teary eyed, laugh and just want to root for the couple. Tom Walker's story was ok, it did make me want to find out more about his sister, to see if she had a story or not. Jobe Dodd's story was my least favorite, it was good but I feel a little too short.

a book of 3 stories relating to jacobsville
a great read for any diana fan!

I LOVED ALL THREE OF THE STORIES
DIANA PALMER AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED IS ONE OF THE BEST WRITERS THAT I HAVE EVER READ
ALL THE STORIES THAT SHE WRITES ARE WONDERFUL AND I CAN HARDLY WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT ONE COMES OUT
I LAUGHED THROUGH ALL THREE STORIES

Each story in Long Tall Texan Summer was a little too short to reach the full potential that Ms. Palmer usually reaches. The romantic tension between the characters barely starts before it is over. Most Diana Palmer's novels are fantastic but I would reccomend passing on this book and choosing another by her.

A while ago, I happened to pick up three novels by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg, all featuring probation office Carolyn Sullivan. The first two, Sullivan's Law and Sullivan's Justice were so-so books, neither good nor bad, just passable diversions. Rosenberg breaks that pattern in the third book, Sullivan's Evidence, but not for the better: this book is really bad.

Actually, the novel starts out promisingly enough, leading me to initially believe that this would be the best of the three. When the chief forensics officer for Ventura County is found guilty of tampering with evidence, many of the cases he previously handled are called into question. One man, Carl Holden, is set free from prison. Carolyn knows he is a bad man, however, not merely guilty of the single murder he was originally convicted for, but a likely serial killer. When another dead body is found near Holden's original corpse-dumping site, Carolyn is certain that Holden's the murderer. Hunches, however, are not enough, and the search for evidence will lead in unexpected directions, some of which point to Carolyn's new boyfriend.

Done correctly, this could be an interesting story, but Rosenberg has botched things up this time. First of all, Carolyn, never bright when choosing the men in her life, has now become almost criminally idiotic. In particular, she makes one dumb choice that winds up almost getting her raped and murdered by Holden; even though she escapes that, her decision will also endanger her two children. Even then, given an opportunity to get help, she ignores the chance, further risking her life (and that of a police officer); the fact that she is able to get out of this middle-of-the-book crisis will be more the result of dumb luck than anything else. I suppose if this was a comic novel, such behavior could be acceptable, but Rosenberg seems to treat Carolyn as a heroine.

But among the flaws in this book, Carolyn Sullivan's character problems seem the least significant. What's worse? For starters, the plot goes from merely complex to overly muddled. Much of the story depends on pure coincidence, most significantly with Carolyn's love interest, Marcus Wright: what are the odds that she would have an auto accident and meet a man who would just happen to be involved in the case she is helping investigate? There are plenty of other coincidences that tie together story elements that should be completely separated. Maybe worst of all, the resolution of the story depends on one of the most tired cliches in suspense fiction, which I won't disclose here (but it is such a cliché that you hardly ever see it much nowadays, since most writers realize how stale it is).

Of course, Rosenberg has enough skills to keep the story moving relatively quickly, but there is little to recommend this story. If this were a first-time novel, I might give it a generous two stars, but Rosenberg, a supposed accomplished author with nearly a dozen published books, should be better than this and gets only one star. Either she just mailed this one in or she is simply overrated. This wasn't my first Rosenberg book, but it's very likely my last. Even if you're a Rosenberg fan, you should skip this clunker and find a better writer; there are many to choose from, and once you realize there are much better authors, you're unlikely to return.

Rosenberg's latest thriller is a sure-fire winner. The third in a series featuring parole office Carolyn Sullivan, SULLIVAN'S EVIDENCE has our leading lady tracking down a violent rapist amid a number of new murders. As in previous books, the well-developed story is dramatic, detailed and full of terrifying suspense. Keep them coming, Nancy! Another blood-tingling book I read recently that involved a fearless mother working to find a rapist/murderer was DEATH ANGEL by Martha Powers - also a 5-star read.

This is the latest release in the Caryolyn Sullivan series(see also SULLIVAN'S JUSTICE and SULLIVAN'S LAW, both highly recommended.) and I am eagerly waiting the next installment. I won't repeat the plot here, but suffice it to say this is an excellent look at the criminal justice system (not suprisingly, it's not always pretty). The plotting is excellent and fast-paced.

If you like this book, check out a new author I've recently discovered. I highly recommend Thirst by Dania Deschamps.

Generally I like series stories where the hero/heroine continues from one book to another. This was the third in this series, and I was greatly disappointed. The first book introduced the main character, and even though she was a little ditzy at times, I hoped for more excitement and less stupidity. The second book was more graphic and more action, however, the stupidity continued. But this third edition really sunk to the bottom of the cesspool. Not only is our sex-starved heroine getting mixed up with a perfect stranger, she is out running around trying to catch the bad guys. Two car accidents in one book??? Come on. The book has not been proofed, either. The main character drives an Infiniti, however at one point she gets into her BMW. In another chapter her daughter is cooking corn, but drains the peas. Still another episode has her friend supposedly dropping her off a block from her home where her car is supposed to be parked, but they sit in the driveway talking before she goes in. Her car is magically in the garage the next morning??????? And what's with the plot? I had this figured out halfway through the book. It takes the main character a long time to come up with the right information. No wonder California is a mess, if she is the best, so says her boss, then they are in deep muck, similar to what's around the lagoon.

It used to be that if I started a book I felt I had to finish it. Then I realized finishing a book that does not deserve to be read is a major waste of time. I found this book to be in the category of a major waste of time and I could not get past the halfway point. The characters are drawn too breathlessly with way too many adjectives. The lead character, Sullivan, who is billed as a savvy investigator with two children for whom she put her law school plans on hold, does some extremely stupid and unbelievable things. I guess this was meant to show how gutsy she was, but to my mind, the author has kind of run out of steam.

The author tries to gain our interest by including dark passages that intimate the murderer could possibly be her new love interest but the book couldn't hold my interest long enough for me to find out. I also couldn't figure out if there was more than one serial killer and I really was too bored to stick it out.

All in all, the book was lame.

the book was good, not really in sync with my law book, but it was interesting

This is an outstanding book that would be useful for students, lawyers and everyone interested in an entertainment career. Burr has an easy-to-read style and has great quotes from the players in the entertainment field. She's also great at explaining complicated topics. I would not go out to Hollywood without Burr's book in my suitcase!

I'm completing an independent study on entertainment law, and more specifically, copyright law and how it pertains to filmmaking. I got this book among several others, and was a little surprised at how poorly written this book is. First off, the editing is TERRIBLE: there are spelling and grammar mistakes ALL OVER the book! On some pages it's outright ridiculous. Honestly, who proofread this before publication?

Second, and most unforigvable, is some of the content. There are some bits of information which are simply WRONG. I haven't taken the time to go through and find them all, but to give an example, it incorrectly states the mandates of a certain copyright act (and I don't mean poorly states, I mean the information is contradictory to what the actual copyright act reads).

So I'm at a bit of a loss I guess. Honestly, I kinda wish I could get my money back. When you get past the bad english, it provides an interesting overview, but then you're always wondering "is this ACTUALLY how this law/fact is? or is this an error?", so you can't really feel like you can rely on it. One error alone was enough to make me question the entire integrity of the book as comprehensive resource.

Summary: might give you some direction on what to read further into, but not too much more than that.

Sorry, I can't agree with the previous rave review.

The book focuses mainly on the movie, TV and music industries. Sports, theater, and, for the most part publishing and electronic gaming are ignored (though of course some focus is to be expected in such a short book). The point of view tends to be that of an attorney representing talent, rather than representing a producer, a studio, an investor, etc.

Prof. Burr's choice of emphasis is odd in many places. For example, she spends 10 pages discussing the privileges and perils of celebrity. Aside from mentioning that Kobe Bryant, Robert Blake and others have been involved in criminal cases, there isn't any mention of legal issues; it's more like a rather tame piece of tabloid journalism. As a result, it seems as if chunks of her book are intended for a popular audience, rather than the typical Nutshell audience of law students or practicing attorneys.

The legal content is very haphazard. If you weren't aware of guild agreements or music performance rights societies, you can learn about them in this book. Prof. Burr introduces some collateral topics such as bankruptcy and trusts and estates law when discussing how entertainers squander their wealth (though to be accurate, she discusses celebrity bankruptcies, rather than bankruptcy law).

On the other hand, entertainment finance and the related securities and corporate law issues never are mentioned. Yet movie lawyers, at least in L.A., actually tend to be quite sophisticated about these topics. Completion bonds aren't discussed at all. TV syndication is mentioned only in passing.

The rights of publicity and privacy are discussed only in the context of celebrities - though they apply to ordinary folks too. If you're buying someone's "life rights", or want to shoot a documentary or publish an interview, you might not know from this text that you need to worry about these subjects.

(In addition, the description of the Eastwood v. Superior Court case (Calif. Court of Appeal 1983) concerning the "right of publicity" is slightly misleading. This right is characterized as a "property interest ... grounded in state staututes, common law, and the federal unfair competition act" (p. 288). In California, the common law right is a component of the right of privacy and is definitely NOT a property interest. Nor is the original California statutory right (Civil Code Sec. 3344) a property right, as the heirs of Bela Lugosi found in a famous case. After that decision, the California legislature passed Civil Code Sec. 3344.1, relating to knowing violations of the right of publicity of a deceased person; it is only this stautory right that is a property right.)

The chapter on entertainment contracts is especially scattered. The movie section has a good discussion of case law concerning "pay or play" provisions, but then jumps around. There's a long discussion of publishing contracts, though the publishing industry isn't mentioned anywhere else in the book. The concept of "turnaround" - one of the great IP inventions of entertainment lawyers - is mentioned only tangentially (as a writer's right of reacquisition) and in a different part of the book; you'll never find it in the scanty index. Generally, contracts are discussed in terms of case law, rather than in terms of the documentation customary in typical deals. This point of view may be helpful for litigators, but definitely isn't a deal lawyer perspective.

A last chapter on globalization mentions piracy in Thailand ca. 1992, but has nary a mention of China (book was written in 2004). Localization, local content requirements and international distribution issues aren't addressed at all.

The book is also marred by bad proofreading and bad editing, with chunks of text being repeated verbatim within a few pages of each other (e.g., compare p. 227 with p. 244, and p. 246 with p. 247). In lieu of this book, I'd recommend you consult a "legal issues for laypeople" type of book that focuses on the particular industry you're interested in, such as Mark Litwak's books or Erickson et al. for the movie business.

The Samuel Engle Burr (lateral decendent of Aaron Jr) account of the interview at weehawken is a dry, downplayed delivery of the duel. Mr. SE Burr's position is that the duel was a relatively small part of Aaron Burr's life, not worth all of the attention that it receives. This is stated because Burr had so many positive attributes that are neglected by history. SE Burr only wrote the book because it was demanded of him so many times, and he wrote it to set the story straight - which makes it feel as if he did not enjoy writing it. Most of the 50 pages in this book are not really dedicated to the duel at all, although background information on the participants is important to understanding. It is a brief, glossed over account lacking details. I expected and wanted some insight into the family's defence of AB's actions, but found little in regards to the duel and why it was fought. Some of SE Burr's statements in defence of the character of AB seem unsubstantial against the mountains of bad history and historian slanders. Other authors have done much more to analyze the historical situation and find justification for AB's actions in regards to the duel. The foot notes are interesting (verbal accounts of the family, handed down generation to generation).

Aaron Burr, in an essay on style he wrote at age 15, says, "...when a long and steady attention is required, we are tired and disgusted with every thing which increases our labor...A laboured style is a labour even to the hearer. A simple style, like simple food, preserves the appetite. But a profusion of ornament, like a profusion of sweets, palls the appetite and becomes disgusting."

Burr follows his own advice in all of his writing. His letters are always pithy, well written and amusing. This book, written by Burr's contemporary, Matthew Livingston Davis, includes biographical sketches of Aaron Burr, our 3rd vice president, and copies of much of his correspondance, up to the age of 44. The rest of Burr's writings are included in Volume II. Many of his letters are written to his wife and daughter and reveal a man who loved his family dearly, but also demanded much of them.

Burr's letters are interesting, and the book would be better if M.L. Davis had restrained himself and not injected his own opinions about Burr's conduct--particualary his relationships with women. I recommend this book to anyone who'd like to know more about American history.

If you are looking for text book that outlines native american mythology and categorizes it by region, this is the book for you. A word of caution though, it is extremely wordy and overly scholarly. It almost seems like the author had a thesaurus next him. Honestly, it took 30 pages before it I had to put it down or fall asleep. I never would have guessed that stories passed down through oral tradition could be worded so dull! The stories are outlines, with little to no background, and the author does nothing to put them into perspective. But again, if you are looking for a text book that outlines the mythologies and categorizes them by region or ethnicity, this is the book for you.
Unfortunately I bought this one thinking I was going to get the stories and how they related to the times and the people. I was obviously disappointed in that regard. If you are looking for a book that focuses on the stories and people, American Indian Myths and Legends by Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library is a little more up the alley.

We wait sooo very long for new books in this series that sometimes it's almost as though they were reads eons ago. I wanted this book to come out much more quickly than it did. But it literally took me a couple of years to read. I kept putting it down because I just couldn't get into it until after reading at least 100 pages. After that point I ravaged through it. Ms Auel could possibly have condensed this one somewhat. It hasn't deterred me from the next in the series. Whenever that comes along.

I agree with a lot of the other low reviews of this book. The only good thing about it is that I borrowed it from my local library (doing so in protest of how long it took the author to release the book!) so I didn't actually buy the thing! There was just too much borrowed content from the previous three books, almost as if the author ran out of ideas and took from the previous three in order to fill her quota for the publisher. As a fan of the previous three books, this rehashing was totally unnecessary for much of the borrowed material was hard to forget, even if you hadn't picked up and re-read any of the previous three books in that ten year span it took to finish the series. IF you're a fan of the series and haven't read this book yet but are dying to see how it all ends, I suggest you do what I did and BORROW the book from a library so you can give it back when you're finished!

Very disappointed with the content and wrap-up. With the time it took to write and research, it seems that Jeal Auel was quick to add content that took away from not only this book, but the entire collection. Maybe to add pages or get more readers - I was really put off by the, lets say, pornographic genre scenes scattered within the pages of what could have been a great follow-up to the Plains of Passage.

Absolutly riving - as good as all of her others. My only disappointment was coming to the end of the book!

While I am a BIG fan of the 'Earth's Children series and bought every volume, I was extremely disappointed in the final book 'Shelters of Stone'. Remove all the flowery scene descriptions and constant recapping of the previous 4 volumes and the book would have been no more than 100 pages. What a let down after such an incredible journey. I doubt a 6th volume would fill the void left by this blunder.

It has been quite awhile since I ordered this book and my understanding is that Clearbook has had some problems with someone who stole their identity. They did email me back and I gave them my name & address but still have not received the book. I believe I said I would wait but over a month is too long. I may ask them for a refund or at least send me my book. I know it is not their fault but I had to email them to find out the status. Otherwise all of the other books I ordered came in a timely manner. Louise Heyza

Admittedly, I'm a Coulter Fan and this book in the FBI series adds still another layer to the continuing saga of Sherlock & Savich. The whole cast of characters comes alive in this story of Savich's sister. And, of course, justice prevails. This was the only one of the FBI series that I hadn't read - because I couldn't find it. And in retrospect, by missing it I missed part of the layering of stories. A good excuse to re-read the stories. There is just the right amount of tension, humor and romance to entertain anyone who likes to read.

Her book are excellent. Hemlock Bay is of the same group as Impulse. Again, I would prefer she'd stay with this story line along with her on-going FBI series.

I really like Savich and Sherlock and reading about them. (I give it 3 stars just because it's about Savitch and Sherlock) I didn't care for this one as much as some of the others because so much was unrealistic. IF I wanted Science fiction I would read another author. THe whole Ghoulie thing was just ghoulish. :) Nothing real or realistic about that whole thing. THe FBI looked like bumbling idiots that they couldn't apprehend one one armed woman???? Then Lily takes her out. Good Grief! I have some problems also that Savitch and Sherlock both put themselves in harms way so often at the same time when they now have a son. Then there was Lily's story! At first I felt sorry for her. Then her chartacter turned into a smart mouth and put Simon down all the time. She kept trying to run everything. I just couldn't warm to her character even though she was Savith's sister. My criticism isn't so much about bad writing as the story line itself. As others have siad it left so many unanswered questions. I have read the series to this point and hope the next ones are better.

Dillion Savich is busy with a kidnapping case when he learns his sister Lily has driven her car into a tree. Catherine Coulter pours it on in this addition to her successful FBI series. HEMLOCK BAY adds another dimension as Tammy Tuttle reenters the picture seeking revenge.
The reading is fast paced with lots of thrills and chills as HEMLOCK BAY will keep the fans turning the pages long into the night. It isn't a question of "What happens next?" but "How soon!"
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS and QUALIFYING LAPS.

I just finished "The Edge", the 4th in the FBI Series. I liked it okay (if Savich and Sherlock are included, then it's worth the read). However, some of it was a bit unbelieveable and seemed like the ending left lots of questions. I got impatient with the 4 agents lost in the Jungle and finally skimmed to the point they wandered out of there but then things seemed to just tie up quickly and not what I was expecting. I didn't dislike it but just wasn't my favorite of the series do far. "The Maze" was my favorite and the rest haven't measured up to that so far.

The Edge is a good book. I enjoyed it. It was kind of slow but not too slow.
I received it in great shape.

Savich and Sherlock are back to help Ford MacDougal, who appeared in THE MAZE, find his missing sister who had driven off a cliff in Oregon.
Events are compelling, bazaar and fast paced but character development is static. At times it seems as if one is reading the same story over and over.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

The book was a slow read. There was just not enough action to keep things going. I have read other books by this author and I can see that this is not one of the best releases. Still I will continue to buy those written by Coulter as everyone has a "bad release" now and again.

I'm a big fan of Catherine Coulter's FBI Series. So far, I've read six books from the series and have loved all of them...except The Edge. While she does bring back her best characters (the husband and wife team of Savich and Sherlock), the other characters lack depth. The character of Laura (a DEA agent and main love interest) was predictable and I never thought that I found out enough about her. Also, I wasn't fond of the first person writing style she used in this one. While Mac (the first person) is a good character, there's just so much action going on in these books that I don't want to be limited to the view of one person.

As in the rest of the FBI Thrillers, the action was good. The storyline focused around the attempt to bust a plot involving the development of a dangerous new drug. But, some of storyline was a bit perverse to me. The effects of the drug seemed over the top and I never really thought of the two lead characters the same again after a particular scene involving a drugged-up Mac attempting to rape Laura while she was tied-up. I understand shock value, but this was a bit much for me. Plus, there doesn't seem to be a very good ending; there was really no closure.

If you're reading this to keep up with the series (as I was), be prepared to wonder where the magic of the other books went. It's not a bad read, but it definitely lacks some key elements.

Another great one in the FBI series. The characters are real and easily related to.

The plot: In this 8th book of Coulter's FBI thiller series, a young boy, Sam Kettering is kidnapped from his home and taken to a small cabin in the Tennessee mountains. During a storm he manages to escape and run into (fortuitously) the sheriff of the small town of Jessboro, Katie Benedict. Katie and her daughter, Keeley, had been driving along when they see Sam running out of the woods with his kidnappers in mad pursuit. Katie manages to pick up Sam, wound one of the kidnappers and get Sam away.

Sam's father is Miles Kettering a friend of series regulars Dillon Savith & Lacey Sherlock, two top FBI agents. Soon, Katie notifies them that Sam is safe and the FBI descend on the town. Soon is becomes clear that Sam was kidnapped for reasons other than money as the kidnappers continue to try to get at Sam even while he is surrounded by the sherriff, a slew of deputies and a bunch of FBI agents.

There is a B-plot surrounding a math teacher serial killer case that Savith and Sherlock are pursuing as well as a very, very (extremely superfluous) minor D-plot of a va-va-voomy gym-fly who keeps putting the moves on Savitch.

Also, since Coulter has her roots in romance, Miles and Katie end up getting together.
The reading: The audiobook was read ably by Sandra Burr. Ms. Burr has a beautiful voice, rich and nicely inflected. She does a pretty good job with distinguishing the various players through altering her voice. There are only two really off-putting "voices" for me. 1) the kids, when she does the high piping thing to signify Sam or Kelley speaking --- just sounds awkward and 2) Katie. Burr's voice is almost too feminine, too soft for my vision of Katie. In the book, Katie comes off as steely eyed and tough. The voice for Katie seems too soft, imo.

My review: I gave this three stars which I think it might be a bit generous. For the most part it is engaging and I did enjoy listening to it. However, I had some real plotting problems. For instance, the adults insisted on keeping Sam in the area where they knew the kidnappers and the danger still was because he had "bonded with Keeley" and they didn't want to separate the kids. Why not relocate him to a safe house far away from the threat? Take Keeley along if the bond was so deep (after just two days). Also, the ultimate motive for the kidnapping was just....lame. Okay, so we get why the person who wanted Sam orchestrated the kidnapping in the first place. What doesn't really wash is why the hired kidnappers insisted on continually going after Sam even while he was surrounded by so much law enforcement. The relentlessness of the kidnappers was seemingly all out of proportion to what they could expect as a reward for doing the dirty work. As hardened criminals, in the face of so much law, they should have (would have by all logic) cut and run. But they kept coming. And why? Well, my imaginings as the reader for why they were so determined to get Sam for the person who hired them were so much more dire and dangerous than the book eventually lays out. And finally, the bad guys were like the terminators...no matter how beat up, no matter how bashed up, no matter how incapacitated... they just manage to keep coming and keep escaping. One second they've been beaten into oblivion and then the next they are running spryly away. Or they've been knocked out by a car wreck but manage to wiggle out just before the car blows up (unseen by scads of watching law enforcement). Really, why not just let them dematerialize in front of everyone it would be just about as credible?

I truly enjoyed this book of the FBI series , but do fill that Dana Carver could have had more of a role in this . I think Eleventh Hour was a shade better since Carver has a little romantic role and was more active in that . This one the characters are mostly Salvage and wife that does the action . However it is still a great FBI suspence .

When I read "Blowout" I vowed I'd never read another Catherine Coulter novel, but I already owned "Blind Side" and decided I'd give it a go. The best thing I can say about it is that it isn't quite as bad as "Blowout." Still, it's well below average for the "thriller" genre, but apparently there is a market for really bad novels.

The plots involve a mysterious kidnapping without a ransom and a serial killer who only murders math teachers. There's nothing of special interest there, except for the fact that the denouements are absurd. But then I'm not fond of metaphysical explanations, expecially in mysteries.. FBI thriller, this is not, despite the blurb on the dust jacket. The FBI agents are in the mess briefly and have little or nothing to do with the outcome of the main plot. I would add further that one kidnapper is so elusive that it becomes funny. She should have put the cuffs on him when she had the chance.

The characters are not especially well-drawn or interesting: FBI agents, a small town Tennessee woman sheriff, a flinty eyed preacher and his submissive wife, a couple of loser kidnappers, cute kids, Dad of a cute kid, etc. The writing is clumsy to the extreme. For example, at one point the preacher is descirbed as wearing a "lovely white robe." I tried to picture that--and couldn't. The dialogue is also bad, and in the case of the children it is horrible. There's one lengthy exchange between the children that is like fingernails on a blackboard. The editor's job (I was once a book editor) is, among other things, to eliminate adjectives and adverbs that don't add anyting--and straighten out the dialogue. This book is full of meaningless modifiers and screechy exchanges.

This might have been a fairly good book, but the clumsy writing, inept dialogue, poor plotting and the shallow characterizations keep it from being recommended.

Savich and Sherlock do not belong in this story. They seem to be an after thought to fit into a popular series, which doesn't work. This is the eighth in a good series, but doesn't have the quality that expectations from previous stories lead the reader to expect. Maybe one shouldn't mix romance, suspense and mystery all in the same volume. Though this seems to be a current trend.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and QUALIFYING LAPS.