Leigh Books

I must admit, this book is outside my preferred genre. I am not a fan of Patterson-Baldacci-Grisham. I prefer historical fiction (Jeff Shaara) or fantasy (George R.R. Martin). This book left me very unsatisfied. The protagonist is flawed to the point of being unlikeable. The ending felt like a weak cop-out. I chose this book to read because I was travelling and needed a "thin" book that was easy to carry. Reading Harry Potter with my 8 year old was more rewarding than 'The Monsters of Gramercy Park'.

The Monsters of Gramercy Park by Danny Leigh draws the reader into a haunting tale of need and a struggle for power between two determined personalities. Wilson Velez, the convicted felon and leader of the Sacred Incan Royals, needs a reason to live after years of the harshest segregation known in the American prison system. Lizbeth Greene, the celebrated novelist known for the extreme violence that has haunted her life, is looking for her next book. The coming together of these two to create a true recounting of Wilson's life sets in motion a train of events leading to a truly horrific outcome.

While not your typical blood and gore thriller, this book is perfect for the reader who likes to be kept guessing. Throughout, manipulation and tension keep shifting the foundation upon which the novel is set. Many time I felt the rug pulled out from under my feet as what I believed to be true was ripped away.

Leigh does a great job in fleshing out his characters. Just when you think you know who they are, knowledge is turned on its head and you are left scrambling for a foothold. While Wilson and Lizbeth were not characters I liked, I was compelled to keep reading their story. Several times I found myself ranting out loud at Lizbeth, something I haven't been caused to do by a book in years.

This is a novel that will leaving the reader thinking and second-guessing for days to come. Highly recommended for readers who don't want their endings tied up in a box with a pretty bow.

The Monsters of Gramercy Park by Danny Leigh draws the reader into a haunting tale of need and a struggle for power between two determined personalities. Wilson Velez, the convicted felon and leader of the Sacred Incan Royals, needs a reason to live after years of the harshest segregation known in the American prison system. Lizbeth Greene, the celebrated novelist known for the extreme violence that has haunted her life, is looking for her next book. The coming together of these two to create a true recounting of Wilson's life sets in motion a train of events leading to a truly horrific outcome.

While not your typical blood and gore thriller, this book is perfect for the reader who likes to be kept guessing. Throughout, manipulation and tension keep shifting the foundation upon which the novel is set. Many time I felt the rug pulled out from under my feet as what I believed to be true was ripped away.

Leigh does a great job in fleshing out his characters. Just when you think you know who they are, knowledge is turned on its head and you are left scrambling for a foothold. While Wilson and Lizbeth were not characters I liked, I was compelled to keep reading their story. Several times I found myself ranting out loud at Lizbeth, something I haven't been caused to do by a book in years.

This is a novel that will leaving the reader thinking and second-guessing for days to come. Highly recommended for readers who don't want their endings tied up in a box with a pretty bow.

The idea of this book was fascinating and does bring back intensity of the 'Silence of the Lambs' interaction - and it is as effective in this wonderful read.
Wilson Velez is a prisoner who formed an ultra-violent gang who is in a high security prison and has a given a new court review to moderate his life at the prison - Lisbeth was a popular serial writer, whose subject has gotten worn, and failing sales - She decides to interview Wilson and maybe get herself writing again.
The 'dance' between writer Lisbeth and Wilson is mesmerizing - and soon you get so caught up you wonder who is really telling the true story - who is the manipulator - is Wilson a visionary or is he still the ultra-violent gang leader still operating in this high security prison?
The ending and its events that proceed it are thought provoking and will haunt you after you close the book.
Well worth the hardback price.

I'm not sure whether to describe Monsters of Gramercy Park as a thriller with the style of a literary novel, or a literary novel with the momentum of a thriller. All I can say is that you'll want to buy two copies: one to keep and one to gift. It's that good.

On the surface Monster's a thriller, but really it's the tale of the codependent relationship and power play that develops between a failing writer (Lizbeth) and Latino gang lord (Velez). Leigh's keen ear for dialogue and deft prose kept me guessing until the very end.

Monsters takes its name from an eponymous story-within-the-story, which could easily stand on its own as a Gothic children's book.

Leigh recently shared a Time Out London cover with Zadie Smith and Ian McEwan, among others. Well, if he keeps going at this rate, Zadie and Ian best watch their backs. Leigh's talents are undeniable. Read this before Hollywood gets its grubby hands on it, then you're stuck buying the version with the "NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE" cover.

I just loved this easy style of reading both the books and cards. Deborah being a most passionate and dedicated author of this divination method of playing cards. It's the easiest playing card method that I have come across. As well as her professional expertise on relationships of all kinds. I certainly recommend this book, if anyone would like to get a solid foundation on reading playing cards.

Lucille

I had never tried anything like this before, so was I ever amazed at how easy it was to connect with my own intuitiveness
just by learning the method described in this book. Deborah keeps it amazingly simple (even the more complex stuff) and the tone is very down to earth. You'd swear she's right there talking to you. And the material is so easy to pick up that you are reading playing cards almost immediately. Everything I've seen in the cards about myself and my friends thus far has all been true. It was the best money I ever spent on a book.

If you're looking for a book that will teach you something you'll never forget and really make you think about how much control you actually have over your life, this is it.

This is a very good book for learning to read playing cards, but for me, it was very hard to use your intuition with playing cards after having used tarot. I am more of a visual person and get a more intuitive reading using the symbols in tarot than using cartomancy. The author assures you that with practice, it WILL come, but it is harder work doing readings with playing cards. Also, the author also stated that you need to trust wholeheartedly what the prophesy of the cards say and not doubt it. I don't really agree with that. I feel that readings should be used as a guide. I think I will just stick with Tarot, but if you are interested in learning cartomancy, then this is the book.

Personal Prophecy is an interesting book that could be utilised by anybody that has a plain old deck of playing cards. So you don't need any fancy or expensive equipment (or knowledge) to get the most out of this book.

The author, Deborah Leigh (I haven't figured out who Elizabeth Rose is yet), has been reading ordinary playing cards for 20 years and learnt about this method of understanding life situations from her grandmother. She has taught others around the world to read playing cards and hopes to empower others through this skill.

In reviewing this book I realised that I would have to split my thoughts about it into two sections - content and presentation.

The basic information required to have a go at doing your first reading is all there, and written in a way that is easy to understand... not technical language and pretty down to earth. The meanings of the cards are presented individually in the various suites. For example, there was a chapter on the general meaning of `Hearts', following by individual interpretations for each of the cards.

Now, on to presentation... this is difficult to begin. As mentioned above, the actual content is very interesting and usable by anyone, you don't need any previous knowledge or fancy tools to use the information.

One of the downfalls of this book is its presentation. The formatting was inconsistent and would have benefited from being professionally edited. This would have kept the information flowing in a coherent way; it would have also made it easier to find the information required when attempting a complicated reading. It seemed to me that the chapters would have been better organised by keeping all of the interpretative text together, rather than having it spread through various parts of the book.

In summary, even though the presentation could have been better, I found this book a bit on the addictive side and would recommend it to the beginner who is interested in learning more about reading everyday playing cards. The language isn't complicated, and there are examples given for interpretations. After reading this book, I don't think you'll play a card game again without trying to look at the hidden meaning in your friends' (and your own) cards!

Rebeccasreads recommends PERSONAL PROPHESY -- it offers quite a different way of looking at playing cards which are usually associated with gambling, evil & debt!

PERSONAL PROPHESY will give hours of interest, teach you how to hone your intuition (find it if you haven't already), how to look at relationships from an historical point of view, & it is actually, quite informative & entertaining! & no, you don't have to agree with everything Deborah Leigh says, you will however, learn a lot more about the cards you've been dealt!

This is a book that is bound to improve the psychotherapeutic skills of practitioners who read it. For those unfamiliar with recent developments in the dynamic short-term therapy movement, it convincingly dispels the concept of "non-specific factors" in treatment outcome. For those more familiar with the authors it reveals the pivotal foci to which they attend while using disparate appearing techniques in their treatments. Surprisingly, the reader would be hard pressed to find another volume that similarly stresses the importance of developing therapy techniques to fit one's personality instead of one's theoretical orientation. Michael Alpert's system focuses on the therapist's affection for the patient and the patient's response. Robert J. Neborsky presents Habib Davanloo's method of accessing defended impulses and feelings. Leigh McCullough's approach is to desensitize "affect phobia" (an expression becoming standard in the lexicon of psychotherapy). Marion F. Solomon has incorporated short-term theories and techniques for use in couples therapy. Francine Shapiro, whose eye movement desensitization techniques resulted in what initially appeared to be an almost purely behavioral treatment, here acknowledges the dynamic aspects of this method, recognizing that the significance of the trauma being desensitized is directly related to trauma suffered in early life attachments. There is frequent reference to the short-term work of Freud, Alexander and French, and others, putting this state of the art presentation in a clear historical perspective. The book concludes with a delightful chapter by David Malan, a pioneer in the short-term movement. His statistical references are fascinating rather than dry, citing study after study supporting the results of the dynamic short-term models. He directs the reader on how to make immediate use of the critical factors discussed by the authors. Practitioners of many different theoretical orientations stand to benefit from Short-Term Therapy for Long-Term Change. It directs therapists' attention to critical moments in treatment and provides various techniques for making the best use of these opportunities. The final goal of all the authors is to free patients or their debilitating symptoms thus allowing them to trust and experience their true feelings and impulses. This ultimately leads to a richer, enhanced ability to relate to the other important people in their lives.

The recent no-name reviewer from Atlanta who attacked Short-Term Therapy for Long-Term Change's lack of research must have bought some bootleg copy that omitted its hundreds of endnotes and citations. Its dozens of pages of transcribed therapy sessions will hardly be dismissed as "anecdotes" by any mindful reader. The book's six contributors are tops in their fields. Calling them "cheerleaders," as no-name does, is a whooper bordering on delusion. This book is the best available overview of the latest breakthroughs in short-term psychotherapy available.

As a practicing psychologist, I am always looking for ways to improve the efficiency of psychotherapy. Not to satisfy managed care, but to alleviate the pain of my clients. All of us in clinical practice have encountered "difficult clients", those with whom what is helpful to many of our other clients just is not helpful. What does one do when traditional cognitive therapy is not helpful? In my experience, this is when a psychodynamic perspective is most useful. Such a perspective does not necessarily mean that years of psychoanalysis is required. Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP)offers an alternative. The authors of this book provide the reader with an array of STPPs, varying from the more confrontive style originated by Davenloo, through "softer" modifications (but still focused), including one with a focus almost exclusively on conveying empathic understanding to the client (the first I had heard of what might be thought of as short-term Kohutian therapy). What I found most interesting was the inclusion in this volume of a chapter by Francine Shapiro on EMDR, which uniquely (but accurately, IMO) places EMDR in the short-term psychodynamic camp. I consider it a positive step to recognize that EMDR is the most non-intrusive (meaning non-interpretational) of the STPPs. Shapiro's language of "large T and small t traumas" fits in seamlessly with the primary theoretical underpinnings of these STPPs; namely, attachment theory and the developing infant/child.
Among other highlights in the book are chapters by David Malan, the pioneer in outcome research for STPP, and a fascinating chapter by Neborsky and Soloman offering the "missing link" in attachment theory (the "PASO", or primitive aggressive self organization). I would like to see more research demonstrating the ubiquity of the PASO, with it's emphasis on helping the client to experience repressed primitive rage in the therapy. It seems to be the shared opinion of several of the authors (though not necessarily Shapiro) that it is the reexperiencing of the anger component of the PASO that is necessary for optimal therapy outcome.
Nonetheless,I highly recommend this book to all practicing psychotherapists interested in increasing their effectiveness with their clients. By providing an alternative to Davanloo's confrontive style of STPP, the authors perform the valuable service of broadening both the clients and the therapists for whom STPP is indicated.

I found this book to be a remarkable and consise description of a complicated topic. The authors summarized the state of the field of short term dynamic therapy. They held no information back and identified the areas of controversy, particularly conflicting opinions and data on the use of confrontation in the Davanloo approach versus the approach preferred by McCullough and Alpert. Furthermore, the inclusion of EMDR as a dynamic treatment was inovative and exciting. Neborsky and Solomon's chapter on "Changing the Love Imprint" explained how EMDR and the STDP's may have a common therapeutic action, which was helpful to me as was their integration of attachment theory. Finally, David Malan's chapter on the science of outcome evaluation and what we might learn from his career was an inspiration to read. I hope this group continues to write and create more material for clinicians like this!

The problem with using advoates as authors is that you only get one side of the story. In the case of EMDR, for instance, there is research that says a) the eye movements are unnecessary and b) its effects do not last as long as Cognitive-Behavior Therapy based exposure procedures. This really undercuts the second part of the title of this book "for Long-Term Change". Stories and anecdotes are often entertaining but for true treatment help see a professional who reads the scientific research and is not a cheerleader for every fad that comes along.

I have been a long time fan of AWARD winning author Gayle Wilson. I have all of her books and even duplicate copies of my favorites! "Prisoner of the Tower" was a wonderful tale! I was able to read it in one sitting and enjoyed every moment. If you love Gayle Wilson's historical's and love falling in love with her hero's you will love this story. I purchased "The Wedding Chase" because of Gayle Wilson's "Prisoner of the Tower." Her writing never disappoints. If you are an avid fan of Gayle Wilson and appreciate her skill as an award winning published author, you will love this story. Thanks Gayle for another hero for us to fall in love with!

I have been a long time fan of AWARD winning author Gayle Wilson. I have all of her books and even duplicate copies of my favorites! "Prisoner of the Tower" was a wonderful tale! I was able to read it in one sitting and enjoyed every moment. If you love Gayle Wilson's historical's and love falling in love with her hero's you will love this story. I purchased "The Wedding Chase" because of Gayle Wilson's "Prisoner of the Tower." Her writing never disappoints. If you are an avid fan of Gayle Wilson and appreciate her skill as an award winning published author, you will love this story. Thanks Gayle for another hero for us to fall in love with!

Inside cover description: IN HIS LORDSHIP'S BED/KASEY MICHAELS
In a twist of fate, an innocent young lady and a handsome rogue were caught in bed together. But before their unavoidable marriage could begin, they found themselves facing an altogether unexpected challenge...love!
PRISONER OF THE TOWER/GAYLE WILSON. After twelve long years, a widow and a faded earl were reunited against all odds. But as the past threatened to destroy their newfound happiness, would love be enough to save this battle-scarred man from a lifetime of loneliness?
WORD OF A GENTLEMAN/LYN STONE. In order to collect her inheritance, a daring debutante needed a husband. Could she convince her childhood sweetheart--now a penniless ex-soldier--to elope with her in exchange for a share of her fortune?

Good book for the beach. Quick and easy stories by known authors, no surprises, but likable characters and well known plots that work OK.

I admire Gayle Wilson very much and have read nearly all of her books and particularly like her historical novels. Despite Wilson's "Prisoner of the Tower" contribution to this anthology, I simply cannot recommend it.

Kasey Michaels was new to me. This will be the last of her books/stories, however, as it was rather one-dimensional peopled with over-drawn and unsympathetic characters in a plot that defied belief. Just for starters, it was never and is not now legal to get married in England on the spur of the moment, without banns or license and in an inn! What was the author thinking of here? Sadly, this effort was juvenile, unpolished and stretched credibility too far for me.

Lyn Stone is also new to me and, again, I won't be seeking out anything further from her either. Her contribution was boring, stilted, contained credulous dialogue and action and the characters had nothing to cause me to give them a second thought. I struggled to finish it.

Gayle Wilson has a certain speciality which her fans will recognise and most probably relish. She creates flawed, imperfect heros who, despite this, are strong alpha men who don't let a disability stand in their way; instead it becomes a positive attraction to them! However, this time in her contribution, she has created a hero who milks his flaw (scarred face) far beyond anything acceptable and thus his actions are really unbelievably silly. If he is meant to be strong and heroic, he certainly does not behave that way. Wilson's "My Darling Echo" contribution to the anthology "Bride by Arrangement" was so superior to this effort that it makes this one quite insipid. Sorry to be so negative about a writer I always enjoy but in all honesty, I don't understand why she allowed this one to get published. It was not at all up to her usual standards.

So, we have a good author's dubious effort here, sandwiched between two totally forgettable stories. The end result - a sandwich not worth tasting. I'm hugely disappointed!

I absolutely loved this book. It was wonderful to read about the whole man, from his childhood to his young years, his family, his marriage and finally his travels and climbs to Everest and of course the times in which this happened. The title is so poetic and wonderfully fitting. He was not an obsessed loner but someone who shared many interests with other great women and men of his time. As a mother of children who are just starting out in school, I was surprised and interested in his teaching methods and musings about education and schooling. Some of his thoughts are mine exactly and this is almost 100 years later. He was a great writer and reading his letters is a pleasure in itself. I wish there would be a publication of all this writings. While his homosexual exploration certainly belongs to a full bio, I find the whole sexuality discussion rather unnecessary. I think his marriage and more so his and Ruth's relationship in itself is proof - at least to me - that George Leigh Mallory was not homosexual. I feel very sad for Ruth as her life turned out to be one of suffering. She lost her mother so early, then her husband and finally, just when she found happiness again, she does not get to live it out.

I am puzzled by how easily the authors dismiss Mallory's technical abilities as insufficient for having made it to the top. While these first climbers may have certainly been inadequately dressed for the environment, I don't believe for a minute that these men were not fit or accomplished enough compared to today's climbers. Weeks on a boat, then travelling essentially on foot and horses made them fit enough (probably also by being able to acclimatize themselves for a much longer period than today)for any crack at the summit. This is a book about a man who dared to live his wildest dream against - finally - all odds and this story is worth being told.

The subtitle bills this book as "THE" Biography of Mallory, implying that it's intended to be definitive, and it is. The authors are especially thorough in their discussion of Mallory's sexuality, a subject that other biographies either ignore (like the proverbial elephant in the living room) or equivocate on. Their study of letters of the Bloomsbury set (including Mallory's own) pretty much settles the issue: the cover photograph is perhaps a hint of the revelations to come. The book concentrates on Mallory's personal life more than on the details of his last climb (readers interested in the vexed debate over whether he made the summit or not will be better served by Anker and Robert's or Hemmleb's books), but one couldn't ask for a better treatment of Mallory's character. One oddity: the index entries relating to pages 20-40 are jumbled (see, e.g. the entry for Graham Irving), perhaps indicating that major changes were made in this section after the book was in page proof? A puzzlement!

This biography of George Mallory written by Peter and Leni Gillman is excellent. It is exactly what it claims to be, so while climbing must be a part of any book about Mr. Mallory, this really is about the person who was a climber. This book ranges over his whole life; this is not an "Everest Book". The book does extensively document an enormous number of climbs he made, the first ascents, and of course the years he spent in his attempt to conquer Everest. The book does explore the question of whether or not he and his climbing partner Sandy Irvine were the first to Summit Everest, however like all other positions, the final proof is lacking and may or may not ever be found.

If you are looking for a great book on its own, or as a companion to this work, "Ghosts of Everest: The Search For Mallory And Irvine", is excellent. This second book is a documentary of the expedition for the answers to the fate of the two climbers, and it is extremely well done. "The Wildest Dream" also does much to clarify the rock climbing abilities of Mr. Mallory, which some historians have called into question, and have used as a basis for their position he never made it. Both these books (for this non-climber) put this issue to rest.

This book explores Mr. Mallory as a Family man, a Father, a Soldier, as well as the skills for which History remembers him. The Biography explored the vast differences between climbing as a sport today, and climbing as an activity dominated by a class system, that at times increased the danger of their activities. With any comparison today, the equipment, the risks that were taken, and the weather they survived with their primitive clothing, is nearly beyond belief. That Mallory, Irvine, and others reached such heights on Everest is nothing short of a type, effort, and endurance that put one in awe of these men.

The book also deals with those who coped with the extremely long absences these attempts required. Mallory's Wife and Family played a large if intermittent role in his shortened life, they stood by and waited for him through World War I, and his Mountaineering. We gain insight into Mallory the Professor, and other aspects of his life that were unknown to me.

After all the reading I have done it has become less an issue for me of whether the final piece of that last climb was completed. It is likely we may never know. But what Mallory and his friends did was so extraordinary, and so many years prior to the summit being reached, in many ways the final mystery may be more of a curiosity for the ages. For I believe what they did do, secures their place in History as extraordinary people.

An extremely interesting, and well-documented Biography.

I could not have been more disappointed. I have read many books on Mt Everest and other mountains. I love the subject. I also love the legends and stories of the early explorers and the more recent adventures on this mountain.

For this reason, I could not have been more disappointed with this book. The author goes to great lengths to try to prove that Mallory was a homosexual or Bisexual. Page upon page is devoted to this issue and just when you think, "okay we got that out of the way, now can we read more about the man and his experiences" the author launches into yet another episode that "proves" Mallory had sex with men. I just kept thinking, "okay, who cares about that," can we get past that.

I finally got so sick of the whole thing, probably because I was so excited to read about Mallory's mountain climbing life, that I gave up.

Don't waist your money on this book unless you want to read all about Mallory's relationships with other men that just might prove he was gay....and then again, maybe he was just a guy who had some male friends.

PS. I am not a homophone, just not interested in dwelling on the issue.

Being someone with no interest in rock climbing, I doubted that I'd enjoy this book. Thank goodness I took the plunge anyway. Even if you have never seen a rock, this biography on George Mallory is a riviting read. Much emphasis is given to his early life as a school teacher, feminist, and friend to such luminaries as Duncan Grant, Robert Frost and Maynard Keynes. I cannot say enough about this lovely book.

I really love Lora Leigh's books. I loved all the Breeds book, the magick books, and most of the others. So I'm really sorry to have to say that this book was not good. Really not good. I couldn't even finish it, it was that bad. But here are my thoughts on the first half, which I struggled through.

Basically, it's set in the future, when a man's brain can be downloaded into an android's body. But said download can be incomplete, leaving said man confused enough to show up on the doorstep of a woman he barely knows, acting like an alpha male in love. This isn't a bad idea. But nothing that happens makes any sense, and the way that the characters act doesn't make any sense.

For example, this hot guy breaks into the heroine's house and naturally, she thinks he's going to rob her or something. So far it makes sense. Then five minutes later she's offering him food and a place to sleep for the night. And she's just shrugging off (literally) the fact that he broke into her house. Then five minutes after that, they are bickering like an old married couple, and he's sort of moved in with her. He's telling her she's all his and getting all jealous, and still she doesn't find this strange. These people have no history together, and the heroine just shrugs all this weirdness off (including the fact the hot guy has amnesia) with all the concern of a woman signing for a UPS package. It just didn't make sense.

Also, it's incredibly self-indulgent. The heroine is a writer of romantic erotica, and she has a shelf of "great literature" that includes Julie Garwood and Nora Roberts.

Mac, the hero, is some kind of super powerful super rich famous guy, who for some reason knows that a writer of erotic romance is alive. I am glad erotic romance writers exist, but portraying this writer as some kind of threat to the social order and worthy of political concern is ludicrous. And like I said, self-indulgent.

And there's the annoying little fact that Mac is Scottish. I know it's picky, but there wasn't a point to him being Scottish, except that it gave the authors a chance to write dialog in a sexy Scottish brogue, and that was just a little too obvious.

Because the characters were so unbelievable and the dialog and interactions between them didn't progress in a way that made any sense, the love scenes were boring. The whole thing was just unconvincing. After a while I couldn't take it anymore and just put it down.

With the world at peace in the year 2375, technology is taking a new direction. Instead of machines of war, scientists are free to develop B.O.B's...Battery Operated Boyfriend's. These cybernetic creations appear human and are fully programmed to provide intense sexual pleasure. Sex toys have come a LONG way!

Cyber-Tronics leader and creator of the B.O.B., "Mac" MacDougal, is the nemesis of erotic romance author, Elyiana Richards. Elyiana finds Mac incredibly irritating and infinitely arousing. In fact, she has based many of her heroes on Mac and he regularly stars in her sexual fantasies.

But Elyiana never dreams she'll ever have the opportunity to experience the pleasure of a B.O.B. or Mac. So when a man that closely resembles Mac climbs through her window, Elyiana believes him to be a MacDougal relative. An attractive, sensual and arousing relative...

Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick have created a richly textured, believable, futuristic world in B.O.B.'s Fall. With this wonderful backdrop, I easily immersed myself in Mac and Elyiana's world and their delicious love story. I am especially fond of heroines that are feisty and Elyiana is spirited! Mac has met his match. And as for Mac...he is truly drool-worthy! The accent alone is enough to make me pant but add his Alpha demeanor to the mix and I just gurgle with lust!

With mystery, romance and amazingly erotic sex, B.O.B.'s Fall will keep you turning those pages and make you hot for more! Ms. Leigh and Ms. Chadwick's collaboration is a rousing success. I can't wait for more from these two and am desperately wanting Amareth's story!

This is in response to the review, "I read it last week and don't recall it now."

I RATE THE BOOK FIVE STARS! A MUST READ!
Bob's Fall is a terrific example on how a book should be written. Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick weave a tale of suspense, action and lots of hot sex.

From page 1, the book draws you in, leaving the reader engrossed in the plot. The action steams up the pages, and has the reader wishing this would turn into a movie. These two fabulous sisters have done it again, weaving hot fiery sex between the two main characters.

I have read all of Veronica's and Lora's work, and can't wait what these two EXTRAORDINARY WRITERS come up with next.

don't waste your time.

From the back cover:

Holiday stranger?

She was beautiful, aloof...and the only thing Sawyer recognized since the accident that had stolen his memory. Instinctively he knew they weren't strangers--not when his emotions reacted so strongly, and not when he could almost feel being intimately close to her. But what was Dr. Rebecca Morehouse hiding from him?

Rebecca was denying she'd ever seen Sawyer before--and was frantic to keep the incredibly appealing Navy SEAL out of her life. Because even if Sawyer's memories had been taken, her own were all too real. After all, she had her own reminder of their very passionate encounter!

And my review:

First off, I should probaby state that I've never read any of the other books in the "Men of the Double C Ranch" series, so that might have influenced my decision a bit. Not that A CHILD FOR CHRISTMAS doesn't work as a stand-alone (it does), but as with most linked books, you always feel like you're missing a little something when you haven't read the rest of the series.

But that wasn't really my complaint with the book. First off, I have a hard time enjoying the "hidden baby" plot, since I find it really hard to respect a woman who would purposely keep a child a secret from his father. It always colors my opinion of the heroine, and the author has to work extra hard to make me like her. And while I won't blast this book for using an extremely overused plot device (amnesia), I will say that I've read books that handle it better.

My main problem was with the hero. I couldn't stand the way he immediately hit on the heroine, and continued to do so, even when she made it clear that she wasn't interested. His ham-handed attempts at gaining her favor came across as sleazy rather than sexy or romantic. I kind of felt like he was just looking for some cheap sex, and maybe to jog his memory, then that he was acting out of any real interest for the heroine. And guys--when a woman says no, it means no! Trying to force her to date you is not romantic, it's creepy.

The hero turned me off so much that I quit reading the book less than half of the way through. I would only recommend this if you are already a fan of the author, and/or you want to complete the series. Otherwise, if you're looking at this because it's a Christmas romance, don't bother. There are better ones out there.

I feel a little guilty giving this book less than a five point rating, because it was a good book. However in keeping with the Men Of the Double C series, as a huge fan of this author and this awesome series I came away a little disapointed with the story of Sawyer Clay. I found that it simply lacked the since of family and also the passion that the other 3 books in the series had. Yes it still mentions the other members of the family, but it just didn't seem the same. However, it still had some great moments which are characteristic of all Allison Leigh books. I can't wait to read Tristan's story and as I have said in my reviews of the other books, I hate to see this series come to an end.

If this book doesn't seem to have the sense of family that the other books prior to it that's probably because the character that it focuses on, Sawyer, has amnesia. He feels very disconnected with his family and as a result they're not going to be in the story as much. Who he does feel connected to in a very powerful way is the only woman he has ever loved, which is a hallmark of the "Men of the Double C" series. This is affirmed at the end when Sawyer sees Rebecca looking at him the same way that his sister-in-laws look at his brother.

The biggest difference in this story is you are dragged more into a darker side of things than you were in the other books. Particularly the shattering loneliness that Sawyer feels in his live. Ms. Leigh does a fantastic job of illustrating this. What makes Rebecca and Sawyer's reunion so satifisfying in the end is that we have been there with Sawyer in his loneliness.

Like the other stories in this series it's a great one. I, too, am sorry that the series ended with Tristan's story, but I suspect that the town of Weaver still has some more stories to tell. Besides, we still don't know what happened to the FIRST Sawyer now do we?

I loved the Navy Seal story with Sawyer and the Dr. in his life and hearing more about the Clay brothers and their families. I am anxious to read about Tristan but do not want the series to end.

The only thing I got from this book was that ultimately the person with the eating disorder is the person responsible for their own recovery. No matter how much the mother cared and tried to fix the problem, it was up to the daughter to decide to apply what she had learned, but no tips were shared on what she learned or found helpful. I have a son with an eating disorder and was looking for suggestions on what to look for in a treatment program, what works etc. None of this was addressed. It never really explained what made the daughter decide to recover and what treatment/tips she used to get to the recovery process. They did list some treatment facilities at the back of the book.

But it is a true, honest glimpse at recovery from an eating disorder. We learn that recovery is not easy, and it does not occur without relapse. We learn that recovery only happens when the person wants it, is ready for it, and will work hard at obtaining it. In this true story we learn that this daughter is the only one responsible for her recovery, her mother (and family) can play a supporting role, but the mom will travel on her journey as her daughter finally recovers from her eating disorder.

The book that was written by Lorri and Taryn could have been written by my own family. The perfect child in the perfect family, living the perfect life. Accomplishment, performance, and achievement defining the family and its dynamic. Until something went horribly wrong.

Lorri and Taryn accurately captured the horror that is an eating disorder and the depths that it can take a family to.

What I particularly enjoyed about their book was that it captured Lorri's world so very well. Most books on this topic tend to focus on the clinical aspects of the disease.

As another perfectionist mother, I saw in Lorri, what I ultimately learned to see in myself during my daughter's recovery...that my "plans" and my "fixes" would not be the source of my daughter's recovery. That the healing that needed to happen in her heart would ultimately be the source of her strength. And for us, like for their family, a more genuine relationship with one another and our faith, and a great faith-based treatment team helped us walk out of this dark, dark place.

For those of you with daughters on the brink of this horrible disease, I encourage you to read this book, understanding that this is a realistic portrayal of the way that this disease can progress. It is not a horror story. It is honest. If you're not ready to face these facts, you are not ready to help your child get well.

Definitely read this book if you are the mother of a highly gifted daughter who suffers an Eating Disorder. Lorri's journey may save you some time in the recovery process for your own child.

This was a very compelling story of a mothers true love and struggle to help her daughter overcome her eating disorder, and a daughters fight to break free of her disorder. I truly enjoyed reading this story from both of their views.

Taryn grew from a young and insecure girl into a strong focused woman who realized she could beat this disorder. And Lorri's fight to keep her daughter well and her family whole. My heart ached at times for both of them. I found myself not wanting to put this book down. Great reading!

Feng Shui is an ancient way of shaping a beneficial life force, called "chi" which is believed to permeate all things and is created by the continuous balance of complementary forces called yin and yang. This ancient Asian belief taps into the benefits of the flow of nurturing energy around us and helps us link to the rhythms and cycles of nature.

This book is a good introduction to the topic, although I would like to have seen a bibliography or reading list to help those who might want to delve further into the subject. It helped me to understand that much of Feng Shui shares a great deal with the basic principles of garden design. There is an emphasis on balance and proportion, on taking time to plan, harmonizing with nature and on creating a unity where each aspect of the garden complements the others. Words like "harmony" and "flow" occur often and I found that Feng Shui agrees with my own personal belief that a garden is no place for straight lines and square corners. I had never thought of "chi" being made harmful by straight lines, or gentle curves enhancing the flow of beneficial energy but it's as good an explanation as any.

The writer has produced a readable book that seems to be well researched. It has lots of pleasant colour photographs, but these don't relate particularly well to the text. Most look like stock photographs that were trotted out for the occasion. But if you're looking for an overview of a topic that's still a bit trendy this book should do it.

This book presents general principles of Feng Shui. It is illustrated by the most beautiful pictures that inspire and provide ideas for westerners wanting to improve the flow of chi and the feel of their gardens. The level of technical information is perfect, allowing one to take advantage of this ancient Chinese wisdom without the frustrations. I compared the pictures in this book with pictures of Japanese-style gardens and decided to proceed with a feng shui garden, even though I am a Zen Buddhist. I immensely enjoyed this book and heartily recommend it.

Feng Shui is an ancient way of shaping a beneficial life force, called "chi" which is believed to permeate all things and is created by the continuous balance of complementary forces called yin and yang. This ancient Asian belief taps into the benefits of the flow of nurturing energy around us and helps us link to the rhythms and cycles of nature.

This book is a good introduction to the topic, although I would like to have seen a bibliography or reading list to help those who might want to delve further into the subject. It helped me to understand that much of Feng Shui shares a great deal with the basic principles of garden design. There is an emphasis on balance and proportion, on taking time to plan, harmonizing with nature and on creating a unity where each aspect of the garden complements the others. Words like "harmony" and "flow" occur often and I found that Feng Shui agrees with my own personal belief that a garden is no place for straight lines and square corners. I had never thought of "chi" being made harmful by straight lines, or gentle curves enhancing the flow of beneficial energy but it's as good an explanation as any.

The writer has produced a readable book that seems to be well researched. It has lots of pleasant colour photographs, but these don't relate particularly well to the text. Most look like stock photographs that were trotted out for the occasion. But if you're looking for an overview of a topic that's still a bit trendy this book should do it.

This book is excellent. It is "applied" feng shui -- the book is well designed, with high quality photos and illustrations to help you overlay the bagua, and feng shui principles throughout your whole outside environment. She addresses landscape design (feng shui) using color, lighting, material choices, water features, etc., and placement very logically -- using ancient concepts. This book is one of the best of many feng shui books I've read, and after breezing through the book I was able to sketch our house and property to scale, using the bagua overlay, to analyze and plan our landscape design with confidence.

So far I pretty disappointed in this book. After reading the other three reviews, I decided to take another stab at it and not throw it out today.

however, the recopies are not simple, and require a ton of ingredients. Everything is cooked on a chicken stock and mixed fats. I think the recipies are quite outdated and not 'hip'. The time to cook them and commitment to the kitchen is excessive.

I bought this book because I'm one of those guys that wants to be like MacGyver in the kitchen. Need to make something for a nice dinner with friends but all you have in the kitchen is beer, cereal and some leftovers? That's what I want.

To an extent, this book provides those recipes. You can make french toast with Cap'n Crunch cereal, onion rings with Corn Chex, and a chicken pot pie with a fine brew from the fridge. Many of these recipes, as advertised, are not only extremely tasty but also fairly simple to make.

But certainly not all of them. For example, I bought all the ingredients for the french toast mentioned above, and my wife and I woke up Sunday morning with french toast on our minds. I pull everything out and get ready, then I read the recipe more closely. You have to start this recipe the NIGHT BEFORE!! Not too cool for a guy like me. Nevertheless, I made it the following weekend and it was great (VERY sweet, but great).

The blueberry pancakes are so good (and fairly simple after making a few times) that my wife requests them practically every weekend.

Some of the recipes not only call for a lot of ingredients and long prep times, but also require spices and other things you may not readily have on hand, and may not ever need again until the next time you make the same dish. I'm not saying this is entirely bad, or even different from other cookbooks, but it does run somewhat contrary to the gist of this cookbook.

Overall, do I recommend the book? Absolutely! Despite its flaws, it had me at the Hot Fudge Salsa...

What a fantastic book for guys AND girls! Great recipes written with a great sense of humor...

This is one of the most useful cookbooks ever. Tucker Shaw breaks it all down in an engaging, no-nonsense style that makes the recipes easy to follow, appealing, and simple enough for even the most clumsy cooks to turn out really good eats. Shaw avoids fancy hard-to-find ingredients; you can get everything you need at a regular old supermarket. Shaw also provides level-headed advice about how to outfit your kitchen so you can do all the basics. But Shaw proves that the basics don't have to be boring. Whether it's adding Cheerios to your health shake (don't knock it till you try it!) or concocting a surefire hangover cure, Shaw's recipes are clever without being complicated and tasty without being time-consuming. This book is perfect for guys on the go who want to expand their horizons beyond the frozen food aisle. But it's not just for guys. This book is for anyone who likes good food without the fuss.