Donovan Books

I don't know what book the other reviewers read but it wasn't the same one I just finished. It was such a task getting through it, the only reason it got 1 star is because it had an interesting premise. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to the premise, like an idea that never gets shared. There wasn't an ounce of warmth, let alone heat, between the main characters. Their attraction was totally unbelievable as was the entire story. As a matter of fact, the whole book was completely void of any emotions. It was like the romance was injected as an afterthought, and with no thought. No sex appeal for any of the characters. And what mystery? It was such a convoluted story, trying to throw you off with all these red herrings, but anyone who has every read a decent romantic thriller before will not be fooled for a moment. This was a first-time Sophmoric essay that was 250 pages too long. Don't waste your time or your money.

SPOILER ALERTS COMING....

!!!!!!!BIG SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, please, give me a break, after thinking their dad was dead for 5 years they're gonna pause, look stunned, and then throw themselves into his arms without a tear, a heartfelt speech, anger over the betrayal --- nothing? His excuses are totally implausible but they don't call him on it. Then they find out the bad guy killed their mom, instead of it being an accident, and her daughters show no feelings nor does it motivate them to act? Or what about the heroine being faced with her nemisis after hating and wanting revenge on him for 5 years - and she barely gets upset? Yech!

I loved following the story of 2 sisters: Brie and Shelby.

Brie comes out of hiding in the witness protection program when her sister Shelby disappears on her romantic romp with her new boyfriend. Brie turns to the security company her dad worked for to help her track them down.

The twists in this story kept me glued to the pages hoping all would end well. You'll love it!

I give it a 5 + for an excellently executed plot - great characters with much human realism but am disappointed with the common barnyard language. I suggest you use a nice black ink pen to get rid of the tripe. Does D. think we run with the common herd?

Suddenly faced with her "mission" in jeapordy, Brie is starting to worry about her sister, Shelby's disappearance. Is it really a romantic get-a-way? Who is Johnny Miller? Why did he move from Breezie to Shelby? Who is John Derringer? Where does he fit into the organization?

Sabrina Sullivan just waltzes into Theo Howell's Monterey estate and causes an upset with Zack Lansing, the head of Perimeter. Nobody checked her out.

The twist and turns of the plot keep you on your toes as we try to find some logic in all the strange happenings.

Pluto Zenner, an assassin, hit on one of Perimeter's clients. Sully Sullivan, seemingly already a legend, takes out Pluto.
Now Adonis Zenner must take out Sullivan to keep face and threatens the whole family.

Uncle Theo is more than willing to save the two Sullivan daughters and send them under cover. And keeps tabs on them.

Apparently Zack knows about them and so does Connor and the crew. Yet Connor lets Johnny make contact with the girls.

Well now we are all on the hunt for Shelby with Brianna and Zack yet there is something fishy going on. Breezie has this feeling that she is missing out on something but she just can't connect the problems.

And when the arrogance of two people clash there are lies and subterfuges and a bit of humor. Zack and Sabrina just about top each other with their investigations. Yet someone is out-smarting them.

With the two girls ideas that they can cope with any eventuallity, well, Shelby sure gets suckered in. Sabrina is not too far behind in letting her loyalities color her thinking.


It is a great story but we sure could do without the barnyard language - must we suffer the common degrading foul usage of the common herd? It is an insult to our maturity! What ever happened to "Hell!" at this point, it is much more manly.

The story itself, is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED but with a black-out.

Sabrina and Michelle Sullivan are sent into hiding by their "Uncle" Theo after their father is killed in action by an assassin's revenge-laced bullet who plans to take out the rest of the Sullivan family. Five years later, Sabrina/Brianna comes out of witness protection to confront Theo and the spook agency her father worked and died for to get help locating her sister who disappeared with a new lover. Sabrina learns more than she wanted about the family's checkered past and falls for Zack, the sexy security agent working for Theo.

Zack joins her as she investigates Michelle/Shelby's disappearance, and the two clash at first, then find themselves falling for each other. But Sabrina is never really sure who she can trust, as the men around her seem to have a hidden agenda and something to hide. And just when she thinks she has it all figured out... she is hit with yet another surprise.

This is a typical suspense romance from the Bombshell line, but unlike most of the offerings, Donovan has created compelling characters without sacrificing plot and character development. Though the baddie was a little too obvious, I still found it to be an interesting story.

Ms. Donovan has penned a read with enough twists, turns, and possible bad guys that even the most jaded reader should find value in this read!

Sabrina "Breezie" Sullivan and her sister Michelle have been put into a witness protection situation after the bombing death of their father by a known terrorist Adonis Zenner. His promise, to kill the rest of the Sullivan family before he rests! For five years "Briana" and "Shelby" live life as best they can until Shelby leaves with a new boyfriend, and doesn't contact Briana after she says she will. Briana (Sabrina) takes matter into her own hands and goes back to "Uncle Theo" her father's best friend to see if he can help her by running a background check on Shelby's new beaux. This opens a door to the past that was left ajar. Now Sabrina doesn't know who to trust, where her sister is and must stay one step ahead of a killer that has now found her. Will she be able to survive and save her sister before everything is said and done?

Two sisters, two guys, multiple lies, and one bad guy. This was an amazing story that Ms. Donovan managed to flesh out without leaving any details out! Zack, Johnny, Uncle Theo, Connor...even Adonis... who do they trust? This is a read that is complex and a perfect example of what can happen once the ball gets rolling. Sabrina is a great heroine that thinks for herself. She leaves no stone unturned and is smart when it comes to her heart and her situation. Readers will be left guessing who Sabrina and Michelle should trust, and the ending will statisfy. Ms. Donovan manages to pack a big punch into a small amount of print. The end result...a fast-paced read that is smart and won't insult readers intelligence, but at the same time entertain.

Official Reviewer for Romance Designs

I highly anticipated this books publication, and I was only mildly disappointed. I abhor planescape and thankfully this book has a reduced amount of it..easilly thrown where it belongs(the trash). The rest of the adventure is adaptable and the ideas are good. Overall a worthy module.

For Duty and Deity is an AD&D (2nd edition) Forgotten Realms/Planescape adventure module for six to eight characters of level ten to twelve. That is to say, this module can either begin on Toril, or in Sigil. Anyway, during the Time of Troubles, the goddess Waukeen attempted to return to her plane of origin, but was captured by the Abyssal lord Graz'zt. And now, the temple of Waukeen is looking for a few good adventurers to release her from her imprisonment. But, if you thought that walking into the Abyss and snatching an important prisoner out from under the nose of a major tanar'ri was going to be easy, then you'd better think again!

This is a fun and exciting adventure module that is also a great way to introduce your players to the concept of planar travel. The authors have penned a great adventure, complete with a fascinating setting, and some really wild non-player characters. As an added bonus there is a new priest spell included, and some new monsters.

Yes, my players and I enjoyed this module, finding it to be the most exotic one we've played so far. We highly recommend this product to you.

All right, let's be honest. Anytime player characters have a change to go and save a deity, there's some serious magic in the air. I don't think it's possible to have that be dull. But it is possible for it to become a combat free-for-all, especially while in the Abyss. With that in its corner, For Duty and Deity does a great job of keeping players on the edges of their seats while at the same time not demeaning the game with pointless combat. When I was DM for this adventure, my players were quite formidable high-level (12th level) planar characters, mainly because we were using many rules from the player's option set. Now, to me the adventure went well but seemed drab, simply because I knew that with their high-stats and weapons mastery not much would be a challenge for them. But just due to the nature of their mission-contesting an Abyssal lord to save a Power-the intensity held for the players regardless. And so that is the adventure's strength: the plot and setting. The weaknesses, however, are few, but notable. First, there are plenty of ways in which the whole party can die. Now while that does make sense realistically, it isn't good for role-playing sakes. Basically, the book tells you that no one can storm the palace of an Abyssal lord and live. Well, obviously, but that doesn't stop players from trying. The book gives the DM no options in how to steer players clear of this or simply how to offer them an escape route if they do enter. I personally don't like my players dying unless they really deserve it, and as far as eliminating the entire party, even if they're foolish? To me that just doesn't have the ingredients for a good campaign. The whole group doesn't have to die to teach the players a lesson. I think the entire book could have been improved with the addition of more detail. The key city's are described fairly well, but only down to the tavern and inn level. I got the feeling that my characters only slept or drank the entire adventure. All in all, though, it is a fun play. With some personal DM tweaking, it's definitely worth checking out. It works well both for Realms and Planescape players. But a word to the writers: stick with normal English. When they tried to write the Plane's cant...well, it just didn't work. :)

I was expecting a grand adventure, after all the party was supposed to save a goddess.

Perhaps its because of "under the dark fist", "bloodstone" or even "dead gods". But this module did not even apporach the fascination and pure power portrayed by the above modules. Heck even the "desert of desolation" was better because it had a storyline that made railroading the pcs seem less obvious.

Frankly from the appearence of wakeen, which comes only very very close to the end, i would not be surprised if the party attempted to sell her back to what's his name.

Basically you had no possibility of even going through what's his name's palace.The only way to save wakeen was by the method "suggested" in the module and the straw that broke the camel's back was that the goddess would be saved no matter what. Even if you failed, some nameless npcs would save her.

So the best way to describe this module is "DUH"

In For Duty & Deity, an adventure suitable for both Forgotten Realms and Planescape campaigns, characters descend into the Abyss at the behest of the church of the goddess of wealth. While there is the ultimate promise of golden gains, there is also the problem that demons are involved ...

For Duty & Deity is a fast-paced adventure that begins on Toril with the mystery of the missing Faerunian goddess of trade and wealth, Waukeen, whose place has been assumed by the goddess Lliira, acting as "regent" to Waukeen's powers since the Time of Troubles. The Holycoin, high priest of Waukeen, wishes to solve the mystery, calling on your party of adventurers for a quest that will eventually take them to the Abyss itself.

This tale incorporates the concept of the Infinite Staircase through the Planes of existence, linking it to the independent adventure anthology Tales from the Infinite Staircase (Planescape), which may be used along with Duty for either Forgotten Realms or Planescape, or alone in any campaign with a DM wishing to take the good fight out onto the Planes. Detailed notes are provided in each book for weaving either Duty into a Planescape campaign, or any of the eight adventures in Tales into Duty or any Prime Material Plane campaign.

The writing is very clean and concise, with all statistics for creatures and individuals provided nicely and conveniently arranged. Ownership of any of the Planescape products is not necessary, though some DMs may like to have the Planescape Monstrous Appendix I & II books for more creature background. Those curious for more on the Abyss itself may want the Planescape Planes of Chaos boxed set, but there is more than enough here to be able to complete the Duty adventure without it. Rules changes for magic in the Abyss are also included. There are two page numbers omitted in references in our review copy: help is provided above for those with such errors in their copies.

This adventure is intended for a well-balanced party of high level characters of good alignment. The companion volume of Tales from the Infinite Staircase is intended for 3rd to 5th level Planescape characters, but as an inherently planar set of adventures could be easily interwoven into Duty for the same high level party (possible adjustments for difficulty level are included in each book).

A worthwhile journey, For Duty & Deity is a must for any Forgotten Realms campaign.

--Sharon Daugherty for Skirmisher Online Gaming Magazine

Just ignore that Jerry Guy's review he is a nob

The Mercy Seat is the best Thriller Debut this year

John Wiffler

As a non-stop hard hitting, realistic, and action packed thriller set in present day England, this is probably hard to beat. A really burnt out, even suicidal, ex-newsman becomes involved with about every crooked low life type that one may imagine, from bad cops to child molesters, and sadistic killers. Great descriptions of England's seamy urban side, and a really motley assortment of personages, mostly bad, make this a solid US debut! Thankfully, most of the gruesomeness and perversions are not described in detail, another feather in the cap of the author. Only four stars because, some of the characters and situations become almost cartoon-like, and an editor could have cut down on some repetitive phrases like "He Smiled", which are way over-done.

Martyn Waites' The Mercy Seat is a thrillingly ugly portrayal of a big city's underbelly--full of crime, abandoned children, thugs, lawyers, etc. A 14-year-old rent boy steals a mini-disc player; and when he listens to the mini-disc that happened to be inside the player, he realizes he's stumbled onto something very important. Some people are dying over the contents of this disc, and some good guys are trying to figure out the who, what, and why of the crimes described on the disc.

Yes, some of the characters are a bit formulaic. Yes, there's a lot of sick violence. But it really lends verisimilitude to the bleak landscape Waites want us to believe is real. I was convinced!

The story is a little too long; but the author has put enough thought into the subplots and supporting characters so that they do not sink the story. They may weigh it down a bit, but you won't be sorry you picked up this scary and sometimes horrifying thriller. I will definitely read any other of Martyn Waites' novels I can get my hands on.

This was my first book by Martyn Waites. It's part of the popular Joe Donavan series and the book starts by coaxing Joe out of retirement. From the first few pages the book picks you up, throws you into the seat, and tells you to stay there. The book takes you on an intercity rollercoaster journey between Newcastle (incidently my home town)and London and introduces characters so believable that I'm convinced I've met a few of them. The story is first class and keeps you hanging on until you find out what happened to our hero's kidnapped son. (No I'm not gonna spoil it for you.)

But hey, Martyn! Newcastle aint that bad!

Noir is supposed to be "crime fiction featuring hard-boiled cynical characters and bleak sleazy settings". Neo-noir is defined as " the modern trend of incorporating aspects of film noir into films of other genres," with the note that "the term can be applied to other works of fiction that incorporate these elements".

The dustjacket proclaims Martyn Waites as "one of the major talents in neo-noir." I'd argue both the designation as a major talent and that his work is neo-noir. At page 174 of this 421 page yawner, I asked myself why I continued to read it. It is dull, cliched and becomes increasingly predictable.

Author Waites obviously believes that if he makes his characters hardboiled and cynical and sets them in sleazy surroundings, all will be well. Forgotten in this formulation is that the characters have to be interesting and, ideally, believable and the plot has to be capable of involving the reader.

Waites fails on both counts here and more.

The book opens with the torture of Tosher in a dark, dirt-streaked warehouse. Three men are torturing Tosher, one of them having a "muscle-pumped, steroid-assisted" body. He likes driving nails through limbs using his fist as a hammer. Oh my. Then Tosher is lost to us for 300 or so pages.

Everything in "The Mercy Seat" is formulaic. Each character has a tortured past that they can barely cope with. Joe Donovan, once a crack investigative reporter, is a broken man a few years after his six year old son was kidnapped and he lapsed into semi-alcoholism, his marriage and career consigned to the ash heap of history. Maria Bennett, his old editor, calls him back into harness to follow a story that she feels only Donovan can do. Jamal, a 14 year old male prostitute of mixed race, is a drug user and has a background that would make a social worker weep. One after another in an incredibly boring parade, Waites introduces us to his characters. Father Jack, a crook who claims to run a settlement house of some kind is actually a pimp and sexual molester. You could have predicted he would be described as enormously fat as well. Jeta Knight, a former police officer, now runs a private detective agency. Of course, because she is a woman and her partner an Asian homosexual male, their business is failing so they, on their own initiative, stake out Father Jack's brothel (which is, of course, protected by police and politicians) because the fame of their expose will make their security firm rich and famous. Huh?

Waites' cast of characters is lengthy, seemingly a rival to that of "War & Peace." Every one of them has enough problems to keep a Freudian therapist happy for decades. And not a one of them is actually interesting, much less believable.

All this is set in Newcastle, England . . . or at least in the sleazier parts of Newcastle. Guess that makes it noir. Lots of rain. Lots of dark shadows.

The story has Jamal stealing a mini-disc that contains a conversation between a reporter (who shows up dead) and a missing scientist. Donovan, his editor and the newspaper's lawyer try to get the mini-disc from Jamal. Father Jack has other plans. Jeta and Amar join the team. Blood and violence ensue. A corrupt cop has big plans. So does a saintly ex-convict, wrongly convicted of murder, and now compromised by the corrupt cop. And the sadist who likes to hammer nails with his fists is always running around hurting people, when he doesn't simply murder them.

Overall, there's really nothing interesting here. Not the characters. Not the plot. Sure the make-believe people who populate this novel are cynical and hard-boiled. But in a cliched way. The plot is like an all-stop commuter train: you'll know you'll get to the end of the line . . . eventually. It just seems like forever.

Martyn Waites should have shown mercy to the reader in "The Mercy Seat" by creating interesting characters and a believable plot. He didn't, so you can show mercy to yourself and not bother with this.

Jerry

About the Author: Cheryl Lacey-Donovan, has spent over 20 of her years as a health care provider and educator. In those years Cheryl has helped women learn to overcome and deal with many issues that arise from their many daily challenges as women.
Cheryl's insight through God's word and the bible has proven to be her stronghold in her life. Finding herself with a child in her early teen years has given Cheryl without realizing it, a reason to turn completely towards God for her foundation of strength. Cheryl has two sons and a husband of 13 years. They are members of the Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas.
Cheryl Lacey-Donovan is a true Virtuous Woman!

About the Book: "Women, What the Hell are You Thinking
An Inspirational Guide To Becoming a Virtuous Woman of God",
A Virtuous Woman is: a protector of her spiritual beliefs upright, strong, loving, forgiving, patient, courageous, faithful, wise, kind, owns self-respect, guards her dignity, and will turn away from anything or any one that would dare tear down her self-worth or self-esteem. This Virtuous woman is what the book, "Women What the Hell are You Thinking" is written about. In this book the author teaches women lessons through her words and through the use words of biblical references. The lessons that you will read in this book are meant to reach your most inner self and help you become more aware of your self-esteem, your self-acceptance and your spiritual self. You will also learn the importance of a no-acceptance policy to allow failure in your life.
"Women What the Hell are You Thinking", is a book for women of all ages. It is well written and easily understood through the author, Cheryl Lacey-Donovan's interpretations. This book will wake up many of your most hidden thoughts and fears in regards to how you are living today.
Through its very inspiring biblical references you will be faced with a very important question such as, are you a VIRTUOUS WOMAN? This question alone will take you through this book page after page, challenging you to look hard at how you think and feel as a woman today. You will also begin to look at how YOU are allowing others to treat you, through every type of relationship. It will unfold many strong feelings, some that you may have never felt before. These feelings are renewed spiritual awakenings which will help you to take a stand for your right as a virtuous woman.
[...]. highly recommends, "Women, What the Hell are You Thinking" for all women. All women that face daily challenges ranging from abuse, poverty, racism, addictions and parent-teen problems, just to name a few. These challenges play the Devils advocate in many of our lives, causing so much emotional confusion. This book will help you, the reader to be more aware of your enemy.

With this non-fiction piece, Cheryl Donovan has made herself available to young women and women in general. This guide runs a good raise right next door to several of Juanita Bynum's self-help/inspirational pieces. I enjoyed every minute of this read honestly because she talks on a level where we can all understand. Cheryl breaks life down with words of wisdom, leaves you wanting to hear her speak the words right to your ears! This guide lets you know that there is much more than what the world has to offer!

Author Cheryl Lacey-Donovan leaves no stone unturned in Women What the Hell are You Thinking. Skillfully, Lacey-Donovan pills away superficial layers of issues and excuses that prevent every woman from being the virtuous woman God has called her to be. With relevant scripture references, you'll be challenged to examine motives and choices.

The content of this inspirational guide is awesome and I look forward to more work from this author. However, for future work, I would encourage the author to seek quality editing and typesetting services.

Reviewed by Wanda B. Campbell
For The Culture Clique Book Club

There's an old saying that goes: "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down"; however, if your doctor is Cheryl Lacey-Donovan, all bets are off...

Women, What The Hell Are You Thinking is an invaluable self-help guide designed to empower women of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences, all united by one common thread: a shortage of substantial moral fiber. Donovan pulls no punches in conveying hard truths that are often uncomfortable to hear, yet bear repeating if true, positive change will ever be achieved in the lives of those still bound by such afflictions as poverty, depression, addiction, and low self-esteem.

Donovan's powerful affirmations target women involved in everything from abuse to single motherhood to carrying on affairs with married men. Backed by a plethora of sound scriptural support, she offers profound insight on every imaginable challenge confronting women in contemporary times, drawing parallels with similar events/times in history, as well as from the wealth of experience in her own past. Donovan even performs meticulous analysis of biblical parables, highlighting the hidden value of the undying wisdom contained therein. Detailed, straightforward, and unchecked, Donovan's personal testimony of strength and conviction is articulate, passionate, and very necessary.

A motivational speaker to boot, Cheryl Lacey-Donovan is more than familiar with the perils of walking the fine line between critique and criticism, and she displays just such discernment in Women, What The Hell Are You Thinking. She has truly mastered the ability to "break one down in order to build one up," much like a master subtly shaping the hearts and minds of unwitting students.

Women, What The Hell Are You Thinking should be required reading not just for women's groups, but also for Sunday Schools, battered women's shelters, and marriage counseling sessions everywhere. Highly recommended.

Author Cheryl Lacey-Donovan penned a very relevant guide for women from all walks of life and lifestyles. From the Independent Sister, to Sisters Dating Married Men, the Single Mother and the Wife of a Good Husband, Author Lacey-Donovan addresses each issue while offering pertinent advice as it pertains to living and the Word of God.

By book's end, women will be enlightened and encouraged to seek God for deliverance from whatever situation they may be in that is contrary to God's Word. Women will find themselves on a path to healing in order to find themselves in the place to be loved, respected and honored.

I recommend this book to women of all ages regardless of where they find themselves in life. "Women What the Hell Are You Thinking" will speak to your situation and point you directly to the The Deliverer.


Reviewed by Sharel E. Gordon-Love
Apooo BookClub

The US Military Academies have published several excellent books on military history, and this one follows the same path of excellence. I deducted one star because all the maps are in another book which makes it hard to follow the campaigns at times and it increases the price of the "book" substantially when the maps are purchased. Plus, I have found other books with better maps; however, they do not match up with the text of this book; thus, the reader may feel they have to buy both the book and the map book thereby more than doubling the cost.

I like this overview of the Civil War because it mostly leaves politics behind and concentrates on the battles themselves and the military considerations going into these battles. I have read The Battle Cry of Freedom (excellent book), Bruce Canton's series, and Shelby Foot's series on the Civil War as well as other tombs; however, here I learned how difficult it was for the American staffs of both armies to adjust to the demands of the large and total war. It became clear why, in the early stages of the war, maneuvers failed. The staff could not effectively carry out the orders they were given by the generals. It also became clear that the CSA under Lee made great strides at improving its staff work and it showed as the battles in the east progressed. Lee's army could respond to his orders quickly and effectively while the Union armies were still struggling with the process of command and control.

This book also points out how the organization of artillery (for example) made a large difference in the battles. It was much more than the type of artillery, the organization of the artillery made a big difference. The same holds true for the unit organizations. The South was not using Corps organizations early on and it made the coordination of attacks more difficult.

Over and over again, this book shows the reader how the somewhat obscure parts of the military profession made very large contributions to victory or defeat for the two sides.

If you want to explore the causes of the Civil War, or the personalities behind the conflict, or if you want to delve deeply into the weaponry this is not the book you will want to buy. If you want the war from an almost pure military perspective this is a must read.

AD

Sorry. This is OK as a textook for students of Civil War battles, but wouldn't interest most people. Not for me.

This book gives a good insight in the military operations during the american civil war. The books helps a lot to get a clear understanding of the decisions wich where taken by the military and civil leaders. A strongly recommend to buy also the Atlas.

The West Point series consists of an excellent group of works, and "the American Civil War" is no exception. The text is easy enough for almost anyone to understand, which makes it ideal for students doing research. In fact, I first used this book in a high school class! However, the series also contains enough detail and information to be taken seriously by the experienced historian.

Overall it is an excellent resource as well as an enjoyable read.

(The only bad point is that because the text is such a large book for a softcover the pages have a regrettable tendancy to come loose and fall out if the book is used often. Be gentle and they should stay in place

I have decided to go to pastry school and wanted to know what other option there are instead of working in a kitchen. This book give every career imagineable for the cooking industry. It give the pros and cons of going into that field. I have been greatly enlighten.

Much of the growth in the culinary arts has taken place without notice. Most people still associate the role of the chef in the kitchen as the only outlet for someone who has a passion for food. They are unaware of the many possibilities that exist from research and development to writing about food. Mary Donovan's Careers for Gourmets and Others Who Relish Food is an essential culinary resource, allowing people with a passion for food to determine the best path to follow in the culinary industry.

She presents the culinary arts in a straight-ahead manner that helps to dispel many commonly held notions. The public's perception of the cook is gained from the TV chefs who never sweat on camera and never seem to be under any stress. Instead the first chapter explains in detail the rigors and the demands that this industry will place upon a person's life. The long hours, poor initial pay and high stress levels are rarely discussed with those entering the industry through culinary schools.

In a segment entitled "Do you have what it takes?" she asks the reader to reflect upon individual characteristics that determine whether a person is suited for cooking in a kitchen. With questions such as "Will you be happy working with food every single day" to "How do you feel about working holidays" the reader is able to gage their own strengths and weaknesses. These questions are not intended to discourage those who do not possess the mentality for production cooking. Instead these people are encouraged to look for jobs in other sectors of the food business.

The first half of the book looks at the different positions in the classical kitchen brigade and how they interact in a normal business day in three different kitchen types. From the managerial tasks of the executive chef to the hands-on production of the station cooks each station's good and bad points are discussed.

After the production kitchen roles are presented some of the more unusual niches in the culinary industry are uncovered. The entire spectrum from personal chefs and chefs who own their own lunch carts to jobs in research and development and food photography. In each of these jobs the key to success was only to have a passion for food.

The final section of this book is devoted to helping the hopeful culinarian to navigate the interview process. From personal experience, I found the list of sample questions to be in line with what the average employer will ask. Perhaps the best piece of advice in the entire book is the section on networking. This is a tactic that involves creating a series of working relationships. This is a good way not only find other jobs but also to exchange in new ideas and perspectives.

One of the main drawbacks of this book is that it does not contain a chapter devoted to the expanding role of computers in the culinary arts. With the advent of computerized point-of-sale systems and software designed to make ordering easier the need for people with industry experience combined with computer skills has never been higher. I would hope to see another chapter added to the next revision of this text.

Careers for Gourmets should be in the reference section of every culinary school. This book helps to make sense of all the new possibilities in the culinary arts and educates the novice culinarian who believes that the culinary profession might be right for them. The best feature is helping to focus the reader's skills by asking tough questions and looking at every niche in the culinary industry. After reading this book I feel that my own culinary skills have been focused and I know where best to direct my energies to have a fulfilling and satisfying career.

This was an excellent book for the person that wants to become a chef. I want to become a chef and this book was very helpful to me. I enjoyed this book very much. Thank you for publishing a book that is this informative.

I'd size this book up as one small step beyond a 'welcome to the wonderful world of the dining/wine business' pamphlet you'd pick up at an employment agency or something. An inconclusive introduction at best.

I bought this book because I have trained as a chef, and because I have a passion for food, but I don't aspire to the life of a chef. I wanted insight into how to break into alternative divisions of the industry, such as wine, gourmet food, small business ideas, etc. Such information is not to be found in any useful degree here. Rather, this book rarely spends more than a half page paragraph under any one heading, for instance, in describing the various posts within a typical restaurant kitchen, or going into possibilities beyond the restaurant kitchen.

It strikes me that there is virtually nothing in this book that cannot be determined simply by using common sense in thinking about the industry. So unless you literally know nothing about it, I cannot recommend this book for anyone looking for new ideas or real insight into the food/gourmet genre.

This book does not teach anybody anything. I listen to the reviews and thought it was a book to teach. It is only filled whith quiz after quiz. It is a WORK BOOK like it says. It is a test or quiz book. There is probubly an instruction book out there that complements this book. I don't think so though.
Don't buy this book if you want to learn anything. Only buy this book if you want to test you knowledge. Don't make the same mistake I made.

If you are planning on joining the "Chef Ranks", then this is a must have book for you. I have been a Chef for 40 years and I have used this book as a training tool for new Chef that I have training. You will find it up-to-day and comprehensive in content.

This book gives great information on preparing and handling food properly and of course the most important is how to store food before and after cooking. This book was a requirement for class but another book I purchase was not a requirement but I thought was extremely helpful was The Study Guide for the National Servsafe Exam. This book had very similar questions to what's in class and on the exam and it help me pass with high grades. Thank you Dr. Leonardi and Ms. Heilman

This book is required for the Culinary school that I attend and I have found it extremely helpful. As its title implies, it is for the serious student and a good reference book to keep because it identifies foods, explains proper handling, storage, and preparation tecnique, and also includes recipes. If you just want to throw together a recipe, buy a Betty Crocker cookbook. If you want to do it the professional way, buy this book.

This is an excellent western story. The plot and dialogue are so engaging, you won't be tempted to skim. There are no detailed descriptions of topography and environment, and no flowery language as in older novels of the days when authors were paid according to the number of words they wrote. The story is both action-driven and character-driven. The characters are explored in-depth, but not to the point of distracting the reader from the storyline. Kelton's books are not for any particular age group, so you could pass this one on to your teenage son or daughter with no worries. Every Kelton book I have read has been as wholesome as an episode of Gun Smoke. There is something of a love story here. Your teenage daughter might like this as much as your teenage son.

Elmer Kelton somehow continues to come up with great western cowboy stories; particularly about Texas. This one would make a wonderful movie of the same caliber as his "Good Old Boys".

Donovan is dead-or so it is assumed by the inhabitants of tat part of Texas where the notorious outlaw once operated .He was shot while escaping from gaol the night before he was due to be hung for rustling .The man who killed him by discharging a shotgun at the fleeing outlaw was Joe Vickers.
Years pass since that night, when a new outbreak of rustling occurs along with rumours that Donovan has been seen in the area
Soon Vickers is shot and other people connected with the arrest and trial of Donovan receive warning notes that they are marked for death.Chief amomg these are the local judge and the Sheriff of the town ,Webb Matlock .
Matlock assembles a possse to track Donovan down but having strayed into Mexico they are turned back by a corrupt Army officer ,Armendariz ,who is hand in glove with Donovan .
A second posse is assembled to sneak into Mexico and root out Donovan and this one is guided by Donovan's wife ,Ellie .There they make a suprise discovery to do with the identity of the new threat to their range .
There is a sub-plot involving Matlock's clashes with Sandy his impulsive younger brother and the activities of an unscrupulous rancher Bronc Tomlin both of which adroitly feed into the main story .
This is a brisk formula Western which is docked a point only because some of the key action is related " off screen " rather than at first hand and this seves to slighly vitiate the tension and narrative drive .
It is still a good read and one that shows a symapthy with the Mexican population by no means typical of its era .
I would strongly endorse this book to lovers of the Western genre since it is sharply characterised and propulsively written
by a leading light of the Western novel

DONOVAN is a solid actioner from this very dependable Western writer. Clabe Donovan, an outlaw thought long dead, may be alive and killing the citizens of Dry Fork. Sheriff Webb Matlock must journey to Mexico to find Donovan and bring him back to face justice. Complicating matters is Webb's love for Donovan's widow Ellie. Most of the book is a chase, but Kelton has the ability to write tender moments too, and draws all his characters in fine economical prose.
If you like DONOVAN, check out GOOD OLD BOYS, a lamentation for the passing of the Old West. Recommended....

Maybe if I started at the beginning and read all the Donovan books I'd accept some of the things that, having read only this one, seem a little too good to be true. For instance, that his wife is studying for the bar while being a black belt in Karote and raising a three-year-old disabled child. And that Donovan is the perfect dad and husband. I also thought most of what the three-year-old son did and said was more appropriate for a very smart five-year-old. (I have a four-year-old, highly verbal grandson, so I know whereof I speak.)

Anyhow, I liked the plot, the NY/Brooklyn color, the relationship between Donovan and his partner Mosko, although again, Mosko was a bit larger than life and a bit too good to be true.

Oh well, I read this for fun and fun it was.

There is nothing better than a Michael Jahn Donovan mystery. When I finish one, I'm a little surprised to realize I'm sitting at the beach in Massachusetts and not somewhere in NYC. His characters, his plots, his descriptions all just take me to places I've never been before. And his dialog is just perfect. I've read every one of his novels twice. I'm sure I'll read them again. I can't get enough of this man. And in several books I wonder if he's a little psychic. He creates a NYC mayor who might run for president, and characters from the Middle East before 9/11 who are all too real. He's just an amazing writer.

This mystery falls short because it just doesn't quite have
the ability to engage the reader and make us feel part of the investigation. The characters seem a little shallow, and they
aren't quite fleshed out enough to seem real. The reader will
not quite be able to identify with any of them.

The publisher makes much of the fact that this author is a native of NYC, but that is apparent without being reminded.
The writing uses a lot of "inside" references that most readers
will not fully understand, especially when presenting information relating to streets and businesses.

The story's frequent use of incomplete information, that only a
NYC native would get, will makes most readers feel like an outsider.

The basic story here is that a body is found in the basement of
a local store on Coney Island, and the hero, a police captain,
happens to be nearby, and he is able to insert himself into the
investigation and take it over. The man killed inside the little store turns out to be a rich real estate developer, and
no one can figure why he would be in the basement of a small, uninteresting store in the first place, let alone why anyone would want to kill him.

It turns out the guy is cheating on his wife with a young "starlet," so the motives begin to unfold. His real estate speculations have angered many local residents, and
the suspects multiply. Plus, the captain begins to wonder if there is any connection between the present crime and the FBI
shooting of a terrorist suspect nearby a couple weeks earlier.

The plot and story are interesting, and this is readable, but
many readers will find it difficult to really get into these
characters and their story.

It is nine months since the tragic events of September 11th and Captain Bill Donovan, head of Special Investigations, is depressed, because he isn't part of the World Trade Center investigation. To cheer him up, his wife Marcy arranges a family outing at Coney Island that includes their three-year-old son Daniel. While waiting on a line at Nathan's to buy a "world famous", he hears police sirens and decides to go to the nearby crime scene.

Business mogul James Victor is found murdered in the basement of a candy store and the owner has no idea how he got there or why he would even be in the basement. The storeowner was suing the victim who wanted to tear down the block and build an expensive housing resort. Donovan doesn't really suspect him because everything is too pat and there are plenty of other suspects who wanted the man dead. Imagine Donovan's surprise when the killing is tied to the September 11th attack, and the captain is able to contribute to the bigger inquiry while trying to nab the killer.

Every time Michael Jahn writes a police procedural starring Captain Bill Donovan it turns out to be an exciting page-turner and MURDER ON CONEY ISLAND is no exception. The author humanizes the protagonist by escorting the audience into his personal life and showing how the World Trade Center disaster hurt him personally and makes him want to be a part of the war on terrorism. The interesting twists that the plot takes will keep readers interested to the point that they finish this electrifying novel in one sitting.

Harriet Klausner

The characer's in this book, while entertaining, leave nothing to the imagination. Most of the other Athena Academy or Athena Force novels tend to let the story build and make things interesting by pulling you into the story... Like my other least favorite Athena Force novel, Moving Target, this story was a space keeper to help me gain information and get to the next story in the series... At least most of the facts were on point.

I was very disturbed to see/hear/read Allison Grayson give away so much information face to face. It was also quite telling to have the Mafia Princess (a mob informant) have an FBI agent visit her private home, and she his. Like that would, should or could ever happen...

Too much information relayed to the reader and other characters. Too much happening too fast (unbelievable)... Nothing seemed to go wrong for her...

I think it was an excellent story idea, the characters were good and well thought out, but the "meat in the middle" didn't let the story flow well for me...

Athena Academy graduate and FBI agent Sasha Bracciali is undercover using her vocation as a fashion designer and her heritage as the daughter of Chicago Mafia Don "Big Frankie" to hide her efforts to rescue an Athena student Teal Arnett being held by the new Kestonian dictator. Apparently this Eastern Europe despot is aware of Teal's special skills.

Accompanying Sasha on the rescue attempt is her FBI handler special agent Jeff Crossman, who recently has become her lover. However, inside the Kestonian compound, Sasha operates alone as she must seduce the megalomaniac in order to save the child. However, as she gets closer to mission successfully accomplished, Sasha unravels shocking information that leaves her trusting no one especially Jeff.

Country name aside (Kestonia vs. Estonia?) The third Athena Force tale since the reincarnation from the Bombshell days (see THE GOOD THIEF by Judith Leon and LINE OF SIGHT by Rachel Caine) is an excellent fast-paced thriller. Sasha is terrific as an Athena graduate trying to save a current academy student while quickly finding she is alone with no one she can trust or rely on. Readers will appreciate Kate Donovan's entry as CHARADE is a superb action-packed romantic suspense.

Harriet Klausner

Sasha Bracciali is leading a double life. On one hand, she's the daughter of Big Frankie, an active member of the Mafia. On the other hand, she's an informant for the FBI, trying to help bring down others in the world she grew up in. Now the Athena Academy needs all of her skills, as one of their students is being held in the country of Kestonia and Sasha may be the only one would can get access. Will Sasha be able to pull this one off? What secrets will she uncover in the process? And what about her attraction to her FBI handler, Jeff Crossman?

I must admit that the whole idea of a Mafia princess had me repeatedly putting this book aside in favor of others. What a mistake! The action is nonstop but doesn't overwhelm the character development. In fact, the back history about the death of Sasha's mom and her consequently strained relationship with her father truly makes this story. I couldn't help but admire Sasha's spunkiness as she travels in worlds completely foreign to me and yet she retains her own sense of self and purpose.

CHARADE is part of the Athena Force continuity series. It can easily be read as a stand alone as Kate Donovan fills readers in on the situation with Teal's kidnapping. However, this series is best appreciated when read in order as you see the underlying threads developing and get a true sense of just how well each book follows the next. This is particularly notable since each book is written by a different author.

Kate Donovan's entry into the Athena Force series is an impressive one. Ms. Donovan's skill at creating a likeable character and fantastic story is to be commended. After all, the thought of reading a story about a Mafia princess held little initial appeal and yet this story is superb. Highly recommended!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES