Carr Books

First of all. The most telling information in this book was that some people stop reading it in the middle because they know that if they finish it they will quit smoking. Or they were given the book and didn't read it for a long time and wished after reading it that they had read it right away.

I have been smoking a pack or more a day for 10 years. I have tried to quit several times either on my own or with the patch. I always failed. Now I know why. This is the easy way. I have only had a couple of bad days and when I say bad, I mean, I though about buying cigs for a bit on the way home from work and then laughed and just didn't do it.

One more great suggestion in this book is to after quitting, go to a party or somewhere that you usually smoke at. I didn't wait until after my final cigarette. I just went to a party and didn't smoke and I noticed how uncomfortable that made the "smokers". I didn't brag or even talk about quitting. (I had said a month ago that I was quitting before my 50th birthday). I just had a great time without smoking and I truly didn't miss it. I think that helped me most of all to get to that final cigarette and keep it final.

This is the book for you if you are finally ready like I was!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that is thinking of quitting smoking. I quit many moons ago for 8 years and did the "will power" way. I was miserable, I changed my life completely to stay away from all my triggers, was grumpy and almost lost my best friend. Oh, and gained 20 lbs. I had been smoking again for about 8 years (yes, ridiculous!) and tried several times to quit (will power, hypnosis, anti-depressants, you name it) but eventually started back up again. I can't even describe how different it is this time quitting with the guidance of this book. I have no doubt I'm done for good and feel fabulous!

I also bought a copy for all my close friends that still smoke and the 1 that has finished the book has also quit and feels great about it.

My Hubby and I both quit after reading this book. We had tried hypnosis, gum, patches, Wellbutrin, Chantix, herbs etc in the past.
I did not know that stopping smoking could be so easy and I can say with
confidence I will never smoke again.

Think maybe you're different? That YOUR smoking addiction is unique, and that's why other people can quit, but you can't? And that nobody but you can understand that?

Uh huh - been there. Done that. That's why I smoked every day for 46 years.

The day after reading Allen Carr's book, I quit and stayed quit. Nuf said.

Get it the book and do what he says, simple as it is! It works!

Purchased this book for myself. I liked it so well I bought 3 more to give to my smoking friends. It took me awhile to read it; I would read small sections at a time (the book actually deals with that same head game we smokers play). But once I resolved to actually read it, by the time I was finished with the book, I was finished with cigarettes. This book cost under $15 and it worked for me. All the other "Quit Smoking" gimmicks and drugs cost way more than that. This book was written by a 5 pack a day smoker. There is no excuse or "reason" for smoking that he hasn't thought of already. He pretty much nails every one of them on the head. If you truly want to get away from this habit, purchase this book. It was the best money I've spent in ages.

This is my favorite deck. It is beautifully illustraited. It works so well for me I absolutely love it. I would highly recommend this deck. The accompianing book that comes with is so helpful in understanding one's spiritual path.

This deck is truly a joy! The imagery is spiritual, beautiful and visually well adapted to both new and experienced tarot readers. The non-traditional representations of several cards MAY be confusing to those not familiar with Wicca or Druidic entities but once you read the documentation the interpretations make perfect sense.

For those who care about such things, several cards present their concepts using nudity but I recently purchased a deck which has much more gratuitous and unimaginative nakedness!

The book which accompanies the deck is clearly illustrated (sepia rather than full color as the deck is) and the information is presented in an easy to absorb format. The author chose to present the minor arcana first and rather than presenting the information by suit, the courts are grouped by type and pips are grouped by number. The relationships between the major arcana are well explained as well.

The courts represent two entities as male (king-mature and prince-immature) and two as female (queen-mature and princess-immature). Perhaps this is non traditional but the concept touched me as being more in tune with nature.

The cards are very easy to read, one does not even need the book to accompany them. The images are very creative and at the same time very close to the original images. The cards meanings are depicted in Druid theme images and scenes. Some images significantly differ from original Raider-White deck but in the way that the original meaning is preserved. It's hard to explain, one has to see it.
The book is also great. I've been reading tarot cards for years and I found the meanings in the book to be very similar to the meanings I've come to know from practice. Those cards grow on you: since I got this deck I hardly use anymore my other decks.

In addition to the card meanings the book also has a little bit of info on tarot history as well as sample spreads. Both the deck and the book are totally worth it

I ENJOY USING THIS TAROT DECK AND SO DOES MY FUTURE HUSBAND. THIS IS HIS FIRST DECK AND HE FINDS IT VERY EASY TO FOLLOW. THE CARDS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND THE MEANINGS SEEM TO BE MORE DESCRIPTIVE AND EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAN SEVERAL DECKS OUT THERE. I ALSO LIKED PAIRING THIS WITH THE "POWER TAROT" BOOK. THE DECK IS A LARGER DECK WHICH IS GREAT FOR LARGER HANDS AND FITS A MAN PERFECTLY!

This is an easy to use deck that is a delight to the hand. Beautiful imagery and an easy to use book.

I have tried to stop smoking many times. I have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for over 25 years. Each time I have stoped, I continued to crave cigarettes. Alan Carr's method for stoping smoking worked for me, I do not smoke now. I stopped in November of 2007. I dont crave it, I can hardly belive I ever smoked at all. This Method works so well, I have recommended it to many of my friends. Several have purchased the program and have also stopped. This was the best money I ever spent.

As a 15-year smoker, I have tried to quit many times, and have had partial success twice with the nicotine patch, quitting for 8-12 months before succumbing to nicotine again and starting back. I was very skeptical that anything short of a medically-prescribed shot or drugs could cure me of my addiction, much less a book. I tried Mr. Carr's book anyway based on the positive reviews here.

What I first considered a negative, was that Mr. Carr is not a doctor and has no professional training. I subconsciously assumed he was if he was writing a book about quitting smoking. He is just a man who used to be a chronic smoker who was able to quit. Several months after writing this review, I realized that this was a positive, since it seems that much of the medical community advocates Nicotine Replacement Therapy, and doesn't understand the true addictive properties of nicotine. This sounds like a ridiculous assertion to say that a doctor doesn't understand addiction, and I thought Mr. Carr was being pompous when he first made the same claim in his book, but given how many physicians smoke, and how many advocate replacing nicotine with nicotine, it is not so far-fetched. The second negative I initially gave this book was the minor annoyances at reading the book due to some of phrasing in it and how many times Carr repeats the same phrases and ideas. After reading it twice however, I realized that this is done on purpose to drill certain concepts into your head.

Carr's method is really just a mind set and a new way of thinking about smoking that makes it easy to quit. He doesn't focus on describing the dangers of smoking to you or try to scare you into quitting. The entire method revolves mainly around coming to the realization that you don't really like smoking, and that the only reason you do it is because you are a) addicted to nicotine b) brainwashed by social stigma. I have only been a non-smoker for a month but I am completely confident that I will never smoke a cigarette again. I am not worried about cravings, peer pressure, or the influence of drinking and being at a bar (my main problem in the past). Carr's method is different than what he calls the "willpower method," where you quit cold-turkey and see how long you can go. His book has completely changed my viewpoint on cigarettes and after 15 years, I finally realize how powerful nicotine is and how dependent I was on it. What's more, you don't even have to quit smoking while reading it. Carr actually recommends against this, and the book is so effective that by the time you finish it, you will want to quit smoking rather than be forced to.

After reading this book twice, the strongest advice I can give anyone is to FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS. If you haven't already (I had), do not quit smoking until you reach the end of the book. I can't stress this enough.

I strongly suggest anyone who is serious about quitting smoking to read this book, and then read it a second time to full understand it. It costs less than a carton of cigarettes, is a quick read, and likely will save your life.

As to the Audio CD Edition:

I previously read an earlier edition of "Easy Way" from the library, and have found that this 2005 edition is somewhat improved over the previous edition. I definitely recommend anyone considering this book to purchase the 2005 edition over an older one. I purchased this Audio CD edition because I wanted every single resource I could use to help me quit. It comes with two CDs, with about 70 minutes worth of material that they could have fit on one. The CDs are pretty worthless. 80% of them repeat the concepts in the book. That's it. Track 2 on the second CD does contain some new information that I found somewhat useful. It explains mainly how to deal with other smokers after you have quit, and how to deal with drinking after you have quit. Unless you are very addicted and think you really need it, I don't recommend the audio cd edition and would advise people to purchase The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-Smokers Using Allen Carr's Easyway Method instead, as it has everything you need.

I thought this book was very informative,and yet unusual. He reverses your brain by opening our minds to the the brain-washing we were programmed from many years ago.I thought this book is quite incredible. I would recommed this book and Allan Carrs book on How to Quit Drinking as well to anyone who is considering quitting.It's a MUST HAVE!He is an inspiration and genius!

I don't usually write reviews but all the positive reviews about this book helped me make the decision to purchase it and gave me hope. So I hope this helps you.
I ordered this book out of curiosity and was very skeptic about the outcome. It took me over a month to finish it and I doubted myself the whole time. Yet after I finished reading, I put out the last cigarette and felt immediate relief. The first couple of days were a little strange, because I used to plan my whole day around smoking, but it turned out OK.I have more energy, feel better and even endure the company of smokers easily, without being tempted. This book is about putting your thinking in a different perspective, adopting a non-smoker's frame of mind.
Try it even if you're skeptic about it. You have nothing to loose and so much to gain!
I am getting it as a Christmas gift for all my smoking friends.

...and I am still free from cigarette smoking.

The writing style took a little getting used to, but I allowed myself to believe what it is saying, and I found that I was freed from my previously-held beliefs about smoking. "Cured" sounds far-fetched, but that's how I feel now. I smoked for 16 years, and of the many times I attempted to quit, this was the only successful method.

Try it, even if you don't feel ready to. After all, you can keep smoking while you read the book (indeed, the book instructs you to do so).

I found this gem of a book while searching for another title. I read the positive reviews and thought that I should order the book. Why was I searching for a "diet" book? I lost about 55 pounds with an international (points driven) weight-loss plan and promptly begin gaining the weight back (about 25lbs to be exact). Wanting to avoid the lose-weight/gain weight back cycle, I realized that the program I was on did not really teach me how to eat. I could easily count points but the program did not teach me how to resolve my emotional eating issues. I needed a better solution. Hence my search and subsequent purchase of this wonderful book.

The book is easy to read and I will have it finished within a week. I applied the skills as I learned about them and have already lost 5lbs during my first reading. The book explains how to eat and each chapter focuses also on eating healthy (without telling you what to eat) and exercise. It is a comprehensive program that is different than any other "diet" book I have read prior.

While waiting for the book to be delivered to my home, I thought about returning to the "points" program but decided to wait until I receive this book in the mail. I am glad I did because now I feel asthough I can begin to live my life to the fullest because food no longer controls me because "Am I Hungry" puts ME in charge and not a set of rules from an outside authority.

What I hated most about overeating is that the habit caused me to be "out of myself" because my mind was occupied with thoughts about feeling uncomfortable in my clothes, guilt over what I just eat, thinking about what I was going to eat next and mentally beating myself up because I hadn't exercised in weeks. The "real me" couldn't shine forth because of my pre-occupation with eating, losing weight and hoping that no one was noticing the pounds I was packing back on. What a waste of time and energy !! Chapter 8 of the book, "Where Does My Energy Go?" resonated with me and is worth the price of the book alone. Consequently, my thoughts are freed-up because I am longer thinking about food all the time and I am able to devote my "full self" to other areas of my life. This IS freedom!!!

I have been blessed to find this book and also work with someone that is a Instinctive Eater. I often wondered how my co-worker could eat only part of the company paid lunch and leave the rest while I has devouring everything in sight. As I read, "Am I Hungry", I totally understand how and WHY he does it!!!

This book as been very liberating for me and I have read other diet books that claim to be the "only diet book you'll need", well "Am I Hungry" truely is the last "diet" book that any overeater or restrictive eater will need. In fact, it really isn't a diet book at all. Purchasing "Am I Hungry" is money well spent!

My doctor suggested this book, and this non-diet approach and I am grateful that he did. This book changed my life. It has not only helped me improve my relationship with food, it's improved my relationship with myself and with others. It has improved the over-all quality of my life. I will never diet again. This book easily explains the reasons why diets don't work from real-life perspectives. I was able to relate so well to the people who shared their experiences. The journey has been amazing. If you have struggled with food or eating disorders this book can change your life as well. It's probably the best purchase I have ever made.

Okay, sorry, maybe the title of my review was a little extreme but that was how I was starting to feel last year. For the last 23 years of my life I had been in a never ending battle with my weight and food. Every extra ounce of energy went into planning my next meal, wondering when I could eat again, dreaming and longing for the foods I wasn't "allowed" to eat and worrying about how many calories I'd consumed.

After losing and gaining the same 80 pounds twice, I lost 80 pounds again and was well on my way to gaining them all back for the third time. The thought of having to go on another diet filled me with despair and dread; I just knew I couldn't do it again. And, then by some small (or maybe big) miracle, Dr Michelle May and the "Am I Hungry?" program was introduced into my life.

Have you ever watched a baby eat? When they are done eating there is no way, no how you can make them eat without forcing them and in a similar manner, they will let you know EXACTLY when they are hungry and need to eat. As adults, we still have that inner wisdom in us - the little voice that tells us when to eat and when to stop when we've had enough. But, for me, years of dieting had beat that out of me. I could no longer tell when I was hungry and I sure as heck could not tell when I was full.

Let me tell you, when you can't feel or hear your own body's hunger and satiety signals, it sure makes it hard to stop eating when you've had enough!! As a result, I was constantly starving myself to lose weight and then overeating my way (because I couldn't hear my body tell me when to stop) back into weight gain. Am I Hungry? explained why diets never have and never will work as a long term solution. Am I Hungry? helped me get back in touch with my internal hunger cues and helped me learn how to tune back into that inner wisdom my body has about how much, what and when to eat. When you listen to your body, it will tell you EXACTLY what it needs!

So far I've lost a little weight and it continues to come off slowly. But, that is okay with me because I have found a way to eat and a way to live that I know will last me for a lifetime!

I have been waiting my entire life for this book! I have been on many diets and read many diet and nutrution books. This book teaches you what all those thin people naturally do. It explains why diets don't work and how they set us up to flucuate between restrictive eating and over eating by depriving us and how that messes up our metabolism setting us up for failure. It teaches that All Foods Fit and how to live an Active Lifestyle with out punishing ourselves with food and exercise. It even touches on how to cope with Emotional Eating however, I do still believe that there are deeper psychological reasons why we emotionally overeat and some may need further work in this area with a professional. I did find the nuturitional and exercise information news that I already knew, but she helps clarify some misconceptions around some of the diets out there. I highly recommend taking the 8 week teleclass on their website - It helps incorporate all of the tools in this book and is definately worth the money -(After all aren't you worth it?). I highly recommend this book over any other diet/nutrition book out there! I will be getting rid of all of my other diet books on my shelf and incorporating all of the tools for life.

This book is one of those best kept secrets. I was amazed at the amount of info in this book. For anyone who has ever dieted and lost, this book is for you -- I mean it really is. I have battled weight gain for many years, and this is the first book that told me to master my hunger cravings. I am one of those people who often goes all day without eating, because as soon as I do, I cannot stop. Something kicks in and then I become a eating machine. This book stops that cycle permanently, and frees oneself of the curse.

Judged from a man's point of view, Mistress of Mellyn succeeds on a number of levels, most of them tied in with the "whodunnit" factor of the book.

It is almost as though Victoria Holt gave REBECCA a good read and then thought to herself, "Gee, I could take that same plot and make it much, much better." So some elements of the famous Daphne Du Maurier story repeat themselves here--the forbidding mansion, the sexy master of the house, the elderly servant mumbling gloomy, doleful advice like a Cornish version of Maria Ouspenskaya. You'd think that she (Holt) would have changed the setting a wee bit though, I mean move it away from the cliffs of Cornwall, for heaven's sake, you're just asking for comparisons!

And yet think of how different REBECCA would have been had Rebecca and Max de Winter had a little daughter! Which is pretty much what happens here. Little Alvean is sort of like Miles and Flora in Henry James' THE TURN OF THE SCREW, and Martha Leigh is a bit like the governess who worried about her charges so in James' 1890 novelette. When "Marty" first meets her and tries to find out what her lessons should be, the little girl is rude, disrespectful, and totally spoiled by having been allowed to run free. Plus her father's aristocratic snobbery towards the middle class has infected young Alvean so she feels no compunction about telling Martha that she doesn't have to listen to her.

The whodunnit aspect comes towards the end of a long and suspenseful story. The very last person in the world who you would suspect, turns out to be the killer, a mad monster whose actions seem incalculably cruel. Only later do you begin to piece it together and to feel even a little sympathy for the murderer, who was coming from a very tough place which Victoria Holt sketches out pretty well. Anyhow, I liked it, but I can see how if you read 50 of these books they would all start to seem the same.

Martha Leigh is the central female character of this delightful story. The tale is told, mainly in the first person, with added dialogue.
After the death of their father, 20 year old Martha and her 18 year old sister Phillida, are taken to London by their aunt Adelaide, for 'a season'. At the end of that season Phillida had married, but after four years of living with her aunt, Martha still had not found a husband.
"There are two courses open to a gentlewoman when she finds herself in penurious circumstances ...." aunt Adelaide had said. "One is to marry, and the other to find a post in keeping with her gentility."
Thus, one of aunt Adelaide's friends suggests that Martha should become governess to Connan TreMellyn's daughter, Alvean.
Martha arrives at the house, Mount Mellyn, to find her employer is a cold imposing man, and his daughter is resentful towards her. The house itself is a 'cold brooding house on the Cornish cliffs'.
It was only Martha's growing love for Alvean and an unwilling attraction to Alvean's father that made her stay on and try to solve the mysteries which shrouded their lives.
What eventuates between Martha and Connan TreMellyn is a little predictable, however the journey towards the outcome is a delightful read; and, there is a wickedly surprising 'twist' at the end of the book (which I'm not going to spoil for you).
The book is very well written, and I found the characters very interesting.
The author of my copy of this title was Victoria Holt. This was one of the pseudonyms of Eleanor Alice Burford. After marrying she became Eleanor Alice Hibbert. Others she wrote under included Jean Plaidy, Ellalice Tate, Kathleen Kellow, Elbur Ford, Philippa Carr. She wrote almost 200 books under these names!

Her books are VERY addictive!

Sadly, most of her books are out of print at the date of this review. Some can be purchased on the Internet or from second-hand bookshops.

This is the first Victoria Holt book that I read, and I think it was where I should have started. I have always liked the stories of Jane Eyre and Rebecca, so this one sounded interesting. It lived up to expectations. It is about a governess that finds out she is in much more than she bargained for. The house she is living in is filled with history and mystery. Her employer, with whom she falls in love, is very much the same. With twists and turns, and a huge surprize ending, this book is one you will remember for years to come.

Don't listen the O'Brien review above, this book is far from "campy" (a pretentious term pretentious people use to justify reading romance and popular novels)...yes, this book does owe a lot to Jane Eyre I suppose but the vivid characters, chilling suspense and romance make this a treat you won't forget. Miss Holt proves herself to be a writer of enduring power and imagination. Nothing "campy" about that!

What happened to Alice, mistress of Mellyn? Was she just a high-class skank who ran off with philandering neighbor Geoffrey? And what is the mystery of the leper's squint?

This is a fine combination of "Jane Eyre" crossed with a dash of Du Maurier's "Rebecca." For a romance novel, a genre that I normally despise, this is quite a fine read. Victoria Holt (aka Jean Plaidy) knows how to keep her plots moving swiftly and her surprises juicy.

Single Black Female is a twisted tale of a woman, Cinnamon Brown, on the hunt for Mr. Right. It is this quest that leads her down a forbidden path riddled with deception.

Ms. Carr has given a new flavor to this age-old theme. You won't soon forget the main character or the secondary characters.

Congratulations to Carrie Carr for writing a delicious debut novel.

Queen Publications

A page turner...I could not put it down. I enjoyed it better than "Disappearing Acts" (one of my favorite books)...Cinnamon Brown had something "Zora Banks" did not have...and that was "options". Ms. Carr has made finding love, funny, intense and enjoyable. The characters at times seem to "jump off the page"...I was truely feeling them. I've had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Carr in person, and I can truely say that she has managed to put her own personal "zest and zeal" for life all up in this book. A Great book...waiting for Part II.

I salute you, Ms. Carr. Single Black Female is an excellent read. The characters were captivating, believable and humorous. Reading the book was like sitting down with old friends sharing your deepest intimacies; been there - done that! Looking forward to your next book!

Hi Carrie! Read your book in one sitting. couldn't put it down. It's well written, right on the money and very thought provoking. WOW!!!!!!!!! WHAT A READ. LINDA R KING

I got this book from my niece. After reading the title I was a little hesitate. I am a single black female so I know the story. After picking it up I could not put it down. The characters were interesting. Its a great read. Can't wait for Carrie Carr's next book.

I had read this book before and misplaced it, so I was happy to find another copy to read again. This is a great book. Victoria Holt combines historical accuracy with a bit of fiction, and the result is a book that is informative as well as interesting.

I've yet to find a Victoria Holt book that I don't like. This was a great historical biographical novel. The historical research was accurate. This book made the triangle between Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley and LetticeDudley come alive. Highly recommended.

This is, by far, one of the best books, if not the best, I have ever, ever read. Victoria Holt really did her research on this book, and it is a pleasure to read both from the fiction-lover's viewpoint, and from the biographers. Be forewarned, however, that if you are not already in love with Robert Dudley and Elizabeth I, you will be no later than halfway through the book.

Interesting read, I was fascinated to learn more about Lettice Knowles. From previous books I have read about the period, I had heard Lettice's name occasionally, and knew there was some speculation about whether or not Henry VIII fathered her mother during his affair with Mary Boleyn. We'll never know.

All in all an enjoyable read - not the greatest in the historical fiction genre, but worthwhile to learn more about the secondary players in the times of Elizabeth I.

I have to say, it's kind of sad that history has all but forgotten Lettice Knollys. She was, according to this book, one of the most vibrant and influential people of the day. But she also made a terrible enemy of her queen, perhaps explaining why more people don't know about her.

Everyone who knows something about Queen Elizabeth I knows that she loved a man named Robert Dudley, a man she gave great honors to and had known all her life. Some historians even believe that he killed her wife so he could marry the queen, and that they may have had a son together. But Elizabeth remained unmarried all her days (and supposedly a virgin) while Dudley had two wives in his life.

The second was Lettice. She was the Queen's cousin and possible her niece as her mother was popularly believed to be Henry VIII's daughter through Mary Boleyn. She came to court when Elizabeth came to the crown and soon fell in love with Robert Dudley. Later they would become lovers and eventually marry. But always it was a relationship of three people, the Queen, Robert and Lettice. Later on, the Queen would give her son from her a previous marriage great honors, and eventually was forced to behead him when he led an uprising against the crown. In that relationship too was the Queen, Lettice's son the earl of Essex, and Lettice.

This book is her story. It's a little dry at times, being a supposed memoir Lettice writes before her death at the age of ninety six, but overall not bad. I do like to think of Robert Dudley as an entirely different person as described in this book, but hey, this was the authors vision and if she saw him as grabbing for power (which he was, true) and not truly loving Elizabeth for herself not just for the crown, that's her choice.

The only bad thing about this book is the most annoying way Lettice constantly says how beautiful she is and how she's so much prettier than the queen and all men love her and bla bla bla. It gets old fast. But hey, a vain women would probably write her life story like that.

Other than that, I just like to view Elizabeth and Dudley in a more romantic way then this book does. Possibly I'm deluding myself. But if you're like me, then read this, because its not a story I was familiar with and I bet most people aren't either, and then read the secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, for the very sweet scenes between Elizabeth and Dudley (part of the book takes place right after Elizabeth becomes Queen).

Ahhh Marie Antoinette. By now most people know she really did not utter the phrase "let them eat cake" in response to the raising bread shortage. During her and her husband's reign, the country was very unstable. There was a famine, a huge deficit, and finally, the Bastille and Reign of Terror.

The book begins with her at 14, and just about to be married to the Dauphin of France. With get a look at what it must have been like to be her, a child bride, and completely unaware of what is in store for her. the famous line when they became the reigning king and queen" we are too young to govern" was probably true.

We see her slowly mature and see through her eyes the country falling apart. What noone realized at the time was it really wasn't all her doing.

Written as though she herself wrote it while awaiting exeuction, we feel sorry for her and that is truly the mark of a great book and a great writer.

I read the whole book on a flight from Houston to Sacramento! I love this book! This is my favorite Holt book ever!

I read this book in 1973!? It was so wonderful that I planned my trip to Paris around Marie Antoinette's homes - the Grand and Petit Trianon at Versailles for one stop. The author writes historical fiction so beautifully that you can't help wishing to run to Europe and experience the lives of the queens you've read about!! I'll never orget this book - and others by Victoria Holt!

This was my first book by Victoria Holt, and also my first book on Marie Antoinette. I knew a little about her from my college history class, but that was all. This story provided more information than class, and moved along quickly. It was very exciting at times, and written in a way that was very believable. The book contained real quotations from various sources, which was also interesting. It would be helpful for the reader to have *some* background information on the time period and/or Marie Antoinette in order to make reading the story a little smoother. There are a TON of names and places mentioned, which can make it confusing... but not enough dates. Dates are mentioned only here and then. My one complaint is that several times all French sentences were used with no translation... so since I don't speak French, they detracted from the story. I would have liked to have known the translations to those.

This book actually should be under one of Victoria Holt's other pen names, Jean Plaidy. Plaidy writes about actual historical figures.

The Queen's Confession is told by Marie Antoinette herself. Well, not actually, but how she would have written it. She grows up in the Austrian court under the guidance of her mother, the Empress Maria Therese. She marries the Dauphin of France and deals with the "uncrowned queen", Madame du Barry. Finally, she becomes queen and started the beginning of the end of the French monarchy. Scandal, intrigue, and flamboyancy were never as great, and the consequences are even greater.

This book was wonderful! I actually learned a lot about her (I thought I knew everything!). Also, it is a good book to read if you are in for a good cry.

I thoroughly enjoy the family gatherings around Virgin River and Grass Valley - All I can say is more - more please.

Mike "Miquel" Valenzuela, 37 has shown up next in the trilogy - he is from LAPD of the gangs division.
Brie Sheridan [must be after the divorce]31, is Jack's baby sister who was married to Brad, a cop. Brie herself being a proscuting attorney.
Brad doesn't know what he lost.

She lost her case in proscuting Powell, a seriel rapist. Then he nailed her leaving Brie traumitized. When he is caught Brad tries to use the information to his advantage. He wants Brie back. Sucker!

We get a very close glimpse of Preacher and Paige - and his outspokenness with his Marine buddies. What a chuckle.

Hope offers Mike a job, that of being an investigative lawman for Virgin River - It also intails his calling the County Sheriff in case of a serious crime.

Mel ends up with a couple of girls who she suspects are victims of a date rape drug and reports this to Mike who starts to narrow the list of suspects. Sue & Doug Carpenter's daughter, Brenda, 16, was pregnant and couldn't remember it happening.

You should hear Mel start to sputter when she finds out she is pregnant again, apparently David wasn't just a miracle baby, but the beginning of fertility. [her "snip, snips" were totally uncalled for, he! he!] Jack was just doing his job. Ah, but now he will offer Mel a surprise - he calls Paul Haggerty, his fellow Marine, down from Oregon to hurry up and finish off the new house.

Paul was the best man at Matt Rutledge's marriage to Vanessa Booth.
Van was very much pregnant - she has moved in with her father and brother, Walt, a retired 3 Star Army General and Tom. Walt had purchased a ranch for his and Tom's horses.
Tom is still in high school and being the new kid on the block, he struck up a friendship with Jordan Whitley, who was a partying guy.

Tom also met Brenda and started dating her. Zack Hadley, a teacher was questioned by Mike and they became friendly with a common cause.

Now here is Walt Booth with a terminally ill younger sister, Midge who is being taken care of by her daughter, Shelby living in Bodega Bay. Now I am thinking - hey, here is a woman for Paul - that was before everything went to pot. I was also expecting Dan to show up - ah well, he was a no-show.

What a great third book to the Virgin River Trilogy -- It will be hard to wait for the November "Virgin River Christmas".
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -m - Definitely a keeper for my shelves.

This three part series was the first I read of Carr. Enjoyed all three.

This was a very good book. I did not like it as well as the first two, but feel it is definitely worth reading. I hope Ms. Carr decides to continue the series. I loved reading about Virgin River and all it's inhabitants.

I started reading the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr at the suggestion of others and believe me, I am glad I did! This is the last so far in the series, and her other series, Grace Valley, will be reissued in August. I cannot wait to read that series also. There isn't a character in these series whom you would not like; they are all so likeable, friendly and caring in this small town that you would want to move there.

In this book, the main characters are Brie, who is Jack's youngest sister, and his friend, Mike. She was brutally raped and beaten and Mike came to her aid and they fell in love.

I could go on and on, but I would love for you to read the series, Virgin River, Shelter Mountain and Whispering Rock. You will get to love the characters of Mel and Jack, Paige and Preacher, and Brie and Mike. I highly recommend this book and others in the series. Happy Reading!

The Virgin River Series:

Virgin River

Shelter Mountain

Whispering Rock

A Virgin River Christmas (Nov 2008)


"Whispering Rock" is the third book in an ongoing series. Although Amazon refers to the series as a "trilogy", there are more sequels on the way.

This, the third book in the series, is the most powerful yet. When characters were lost, I felt as if I'd lost a friend of my own. When babies were born, I was right there feeling the joy in the birthing room.
The first book, "Virgin River", introduces you to a lot of the characters for the rest of the series. There are a couple of important characters who are newly introduced in the sequels, but the majority are already in your heart from the first book.

So... if you haven't read "Virgin River" yet, don't ruin this book by reading it first. Become a part of the Virgin River family with book 1, then continue from there.
Here are the links to the first and second books in the series:
Virgin River (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 1)

Shelter Mountain (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 2)



For those whom have already read the first two books:

The residents of Virgin River are facing a year of great miracles and devastating tragedies. Jack and Mel Sheridan are back to see their friends and family through it all. Their own miracle, David, is growing and becoming a son to the entire town. A surprise is coming for the Sheridan family. It will cause Jack to prove to Mel that his devotion is as strong as ever. There is nothing he won't do to bring a smile to her face.

Preacher is on a mission. He and Paige want a baby. He'll follow any advice Mel can give them to make it happen. To Paige's chagrin, her shy husband is not the least bit bashful about sharing this info with his marine buddies. Before long, the whole town is taking interest in Preacher's quest. To Preacher, "Ovulation Day" is better than Christmas.

Mike Valenzuela has found a home in Virgin River. His body is finally reaching nearly 100% recovery. His heart, however, is nearly 100% lost. Mike's feelings for Brie Sheridan are growing by the day. Their phone conversations are his favorite part of each afternoon. When he learns that Brie has been assaulted and raped, the only thing that matters to him is getting to her side. A victim of violent crime himself, he has the knowledge, patience, and understanding Brie needs to help her heal. Knowing he may never win her heart, he'll still give Brie all of his attention and affection to make her grow strong again.

Brie is afraid. Afraid to leave her father's house, afraid to close her eyes at night, afraid of the dark, of public places, and most afraid that she has died inside. She believes she may never be able to feel love and joy again. Living with her dad, Brie is several hours away from Mike. To her surprise, he shows up on the doorstep one day. With her dad's encouragement, she agrees to leave the house with Mike for an hour or two. Lunch, a short walk, any means Mike can find to get Brie to start living again, he'll be there to provide the support. Slowly, over months of patient devotion, Mike is giving Brie a reason to feel hope for a future of love and passion.


Aside from these stories, a new family moves to the Virgin River area. Without ever knowing them from prior books, this family became as close to my heart as many of the original characters. My heart bled for all they endured and all they achieved. Robyn Carr struck gold here. I finished the book last night, but I still feel the impact. An amazing story that left me haunted. How on earth did Carr do that with a character that we barely met?

We get a little bit more of Rick's story. I'm looking forward to seeing his future unfold. Also, Lilly (baby Chloe's mom), will have you reaching for the Kleenex.

The next edition of this series won't be released until Nov 2008. It's going to be HARD to wait that long. This series has become one of my favorites. Hook, line, and sinker.



Love to read extremely emotional romance novels? Here are some that rocked my soul:

Marsha Canham's two- book Scottish historical series. Holy cow, your heart will cry during the last 100 pages of "Blood of Roses".
The Pride of Lions

Blood of Roses


Another Scottish historical that had a true impact for readers:
Scotsman


First book in Gaelen Foley's long- running series. The whole series is terrific, but the first really grabs your heart:
The Duke
To continue the series from there:
Lord of Fire
Lord of Ice: A Novel
Lady of Desire
Devil Takes a Bride
One Night of Sin: A Novel
His Wicked Kiss: A Novel

It is quite rare for anyone to write a successful sequel to someone else's work. But Carr and Green have written a brilliant continuation to H Beam Piper's book "Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen."

H Beam Piper's book was one of his "Paratime" books. Back when he was writing, the idea of an empire built on travel between alternative worlds was a comparatively unusual one: until recently only Piper and Keith Laumer (Worlds of the Imperium et. seq.) had done anything like this. Recently the genre has expanded enormously with Barnes's "Closers" series, Harry Turtledove (Crosstime Traffic) and David Weber (Gates of Hell) amongst those getting in on the act. If you've read and enjoyed any of those, H Beam Piper's Paratime books were the original.

In Piper's book "Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen," Calvin Morrison, a state trooper from our world or one like it, is accidentally transported to another timeline where Gunpowder is controlled by a corrupt church of the "Gunpowder God", Stryphon. He breaks the church monopoly and helps a kingdom which the church was about to crush to survive.

Green and Carr's sequel is about the major war which follows when "Stryphon's House" comes back for revenge.

I strongly recommend this book, but agree that to get the most out of it, read "Lord Kalvan of otherwhen" first.

H. Beam Piper (1904-64) was one of the premier science-fiction authors of the 1960s, and should rightly be considered one of the all-time greats in that field. Among the wonderful books that Mr. Piper published during his all-too-short career was Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen. In that book, a Pennsylvania State Trooper name Calvin Morrison is accidentally lifted out of his own space-time continuum, and deposited on a parallel Earth, where some of the Aryans went east, across the Pacific and into North America. Dropped into the midst of a war of conquest, directed by a religion that holds a monopoly on gunpowder, Calvin must use his knowledge of military history to save himself and his new friends.

In this 1985 sequel, Piper fans John F. Carr and Roland Green take us back to the world of Lord Kalvan. Having saved his new nation of Hos-Hastigos from destruction only last year, Calvin Morrison (now Lord Kalvan) now finds a new campaigning season upon him. But, the House of Styphon is not about to see this new force put an end to their gunpowder wealth and authority. And now, Kalvan must prepare to meet an even greater threat, and once more use his knowledge of military history to save a seemingly impossible situation.

Now, I am a massive H. Beam Piper fan, so I went into this book with a little trepidation. I mean, can anyone write a book in Piper's universe with anything like the right feel to it? Well, in fact this is an excellent book - well written and a worthy sequel to the original. All of the characters are here, but they have grown and changed, just like you would expect real people to do. The action is almost non-stop with some excellent battle scenes and tons of action and adventure.

So, if you are a fan of H. Beam Piper, or just his Lord Kalvan story, then you should get this book. It's great.

Also, if you are a fan of alternate-reality science fiction, then this book is something you should consider - but definitely read Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen first.

H. Bean Piper wrote Lord Kalvan Of Otherwhen and then passed on before he could finish the story. In "Great King's War" John Carr and Roland Green have continued the story and in the process expanded the Piper Universe. This is an outstanding book, well worth any military science fiction/alternate history fan's attention. The paperback from Ace is getting hard to find in good or better condition, but a hardback edition can be purchased from Mr. Carr at Hostigos.com. It is well worth your time and money. Mr. Carr has also published two additional volumes in the Kalvan saga; Kalvan Kingmaker and Seige Of Tarr-Hostigos. If you enjoyed Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen, I think you will enjoy the follow on books.

A copy of this book is now available in electronic format from Baen on its Baen Free Library webscriptions site.

In the top 5 of military sci fic/fantasy books I've ever read! I stumbled across this book years ago and could not believe it was so faithful to the orginal story by H Beam Piper (Lord Kalvin of Otherwhen) Its a fascinating period of Terran history grafted onto a realistic alternate world and done with style and swerve! I have written both Mr Carr & Green about the followup but it seems stalled. Both of them did their research on this one however and it shows. No miracles from the "real" world to help, tons of political intrigue, realistic characters etc etc. For anyone who likes good deep stories and hard realistic fighting will enjoy this read. You can actually smell the gunpowder and hear the thunder crash of steel on steel!

(Aug 2006 update) This book has been expanded with the addition of some 100 or more pages. The expanded version is really worth the purchase price(from Pequod Press) It explains more of the political situations Kalvin is facing and the internal wrangling of the opposing Styphon's House and its allies. Even the battle scenes get some additional work and unlike some of Carr's work this time he does a good job of illustrating the complexities of the fighting. We also see the character and background of mercenary captain Philidestro get more mention. There is alot more insight into the Paratime home culture and it's politcal ramifactions in Kalvin's timeline. Though either version is a must read, this new edition is the better money spent! Mr. Carr has done some excellent work here!