Warner Books

Stephanie Grant has gone to New Orleans to find her missing sister Tina. The last time she heard from Tina, she had been dumped by her boyfriend and had decided to become a high-priced escort. Worried that she hasn't heard from Tina, Stephanie decides to pretend to be a high-priced escort to find Tina. She goes to Chez Sophia's and asks around to see if anyone has seen Tina.

Jake is a bartender at Chez Sophia's. Once a cop, he's turned his back on his previous life following a tragedy. He recognizes that Stephanie isn't a high-priced escort. He doesn't want to get involved - with her or with anyone - but he's drawn to her and finds himself helping her.

In Your Wildest Dreams is a wonderful read. A terrific romance with a dash of mystery. Yes, it sizzles with hot love scenes, but it's more than just that. You actually care about the characters. Stephanie is strong yet vulnerable. And Jake. Sigh. I just loved reading about him, yet ached for his heartbreak. Together they're one couple you can see being together.

This was my first book by Toni Blake but definitely not my last. Though I borrowed this book from the library, I'm off to buy it so that I can read it again and again.

Just one side note, for those reading this book today, note that it was published just before Hurricane Katrina, so there are many mentions of areas in New Orleans that were sadly ruined.

Stephanie Grant is on the hunt. The hunt for her missing little sister, Tina. Her journey takes her into the heart of New Orleans and the seedy side of prostitutes and high priced call girls. On her first venture into Chez Sophia, one of New Orleans prominent clubs where rich, powerful men go for beautiful, pricey women, Stephanie realizes that she is way out of her element. Despite feeling like a fish out of water, Stephanie will do what she must to find her sister. When she meets Jake Broussard, the cop turned bartender offers to help her find Tina. Now they are on more than a journey for a missing person. Jake also helps Stephanie let go of her inhibitions and repressed desires to feel passion once again. Stephanie soon finds that she is developing strong feelings for Jake. Will he return those feelings? Can he love her back? Now she has to find her sister and keep the man she loves.

Jake Broussard is a man haunted by sinfully erotic dreams. He needs a woman, and the new call girl Stephanie Grant looks like a good choice. Stephanie is not a call girl at all, so for her own protection Jake takes her under his wing. Jake is haunted by ghosts from his past and would like nothing more than to battle them in peace, while at the same time find his wife's killer. The Good Samaritan in him doesn't agree and he continues to offer his help, finding himself emotionally drawn in. No one draws him in as much as Stephanie does. She deserves so much more than what he can give her. But, before Jake can love again, he must first solve his wife's murder.

I love Stephanie's strong willed character. I also admire Stephanie's loyalty to her sister and her willingness to go anywhere and do anything to find Tina. Stephanie is strong, capable and competent, but when she gets around Jake, her vulnerability starts to show itself. Jake is protective, caring and handsome. His need to care for those around him make him a very attractive hero.

In Your Wildest Dreams is a hot read. The sexual tension between Stephanie and Jake is as sultry as the New Orleans night air. I love the way this couple fight how they feel for each other when together, but when they are apart, they yearn the other. Together they are a very explosive couple.

Jake's helping Stephanie overcome her sexual hurdles left me breathless and panting for more. Jake's intensely erotic dreams had nothing to do with his skill in helping Stephanie, but they sure were hot to read!! They gave me a few hot dreams of my own! Jake and Stephanie make the pages sizzle and my blood boil. Get a copy of In Your Wildest Dreams today because it's wilder than you can imagine!


Dee
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Stephanie's sister has disappeared in the brothels of New Orleans. When she reports this to the police, she is met with indifference, so she goes about investigating the crime on her own. At a high class club for working girls she meets a bartender - Jake, who is also a former cop. He pegs her as a novice and decides to try to help her.

Along the way, they embark on a passionate affair. Jake tries to resist anything more than a sexual relationship as he is fighting the demons that led to the loss of his wife, while Stephanie is finding herself falling deeper in love with a man who cannot commit. Their search for sister Tina results in the seamier side of New Orleans, and may have ties to other cases in Jake's past.

Meanwhile, Jake has taken pit on a street kid, Shondra. He allows her to bunk on his couch and generally looks out for her, while trying to encourage her to return to her family.

It is a very interesting storyline, and the lead characters have so much chemistry dripping off the page. But the plot surrounding Shondra is kinda clunky and does not really add much to the storyline (other than to make Jake even more of a hero). Overall, the story was a bit predictable, but still enjoyable.

This is hot romance at its finest! A definite keeper. Jake Broussard is the kind of heart melting hero everyone adores.

A terrific read! Stephanie and Jake light up the New Orleans night (and days too!) with the kind of sizzling love scenes you can always count on in a novel from Ms. Blake. Best of all, she manages to deliver yet another book that's more than just a super-sexy romance... it's a story with real heart. You'll be cheering for Stephanie and Jake - and the supporting cast too - every step of the way.

It's easy to lose yourself in this beautifully written medieval. This is a family saga based primarily on Fulke Fitzwarin and his struggles to regain the family homestead. From the very beginning, the reader realizes that he is a very honorable character and has all the qualities of a good leader. He is balanced by the self-centered and conniving anti-hero, Prince John. There are some heart-wrenching moments and E.C. is not afraid to have the hero and heroine make mistakes and be separated for awhile, but then there are tender love scenes throughout. The historical portions are made interesting through this story - never boring.

Absolutely love it. This book was bought for me as a gift by a very dear friend, and having read it I feel very loved to have been given such treasure! This book is nothing short of phenominal. ********** 10 stars from me!

This year, I'm steadily working my way through the novels of British author Elizabeth Chadwick. If I allow myself one novel a month, I should be able to last until October, when she has several books being released at the same time, without any serious pangs of withdrawal. Since the early 1990's, Elizabeth Chadwick has been writing novels set in the England and France of the 12th and 13th centuries, full of people who actually lived, and looking not just at the great events of the time, such as wars and crusades, but also at the lives of people who were of the minor nobility and gentry, giving new life to stories of chivalry.

In The Lords of the White Castle, she continues the story begun in Shadows and Strongholds, telling more of the FitzWarin family. A generation has passed, with Fulke le Brun, and his Hawise having raised up a brood of six sons. The eldest, also named Fulke, has been given a place in the household of Theobald Walter, a great landowner, and brother of a bishop. It's a place where he rubs shoulders with royalty and gains not just fighting skills, but also gains some of the finer social arts. Unfortunately, in young Fulke's case, things go awry during a chess game with King Henry's son, John, that results in a violent fight between the pair and a mutual loathing that will affect the FitzWarins for decades to come.

For during the early part of the reign of King Henry II, the FitzWarins had to give up the estate of Whittington in exchange for a lesser one. That loss has tormented the FitzWarins, and only the knowledge that there would be terrible repercussions has kept them from starting a bloody and private war between themselves, and the current owners of Whittington, the FitzRoger family. When King Richard grants that Whittington be returned to the FitzWarins, the FitzRogers refuse to give it up -- and just as it seems that Fulke le Brun is going to see justice done, King Richard dies, and a tragedy strikes the family.

His son, Fulke FitzWarin, is raw over the loss of his father, the continued presence of Morys FitzRoger at Whittington, and when the new king, John, refuses to honor the return of his family's estate, Fulke turns to outlawry. But he's not the only one who has been wronged by the new king.

King John seems to have a desire to stir up trouble everywhere now that he has his heart's desire of being king of England. Theobald Walter has married a young heiress, Maude la Vavasour, and while he is old enough to be her father twice over, it is a marriage of strong loyalty and devotion on both sides. While there's tension between Fulke and Maude, their own sense of personal honour keep them straying to anything physical between them. Theobald, a loyal subject of the king, is pushed to near rebellion when John accosts Maude, and she fights him off.

Other characters in Angevin English history appear as well. Ms. Chadwick's depiction of Isobel of Angouleme, John's twelve year old bride, is particularly on target.

Readers of Shadows and Strongholds will want to read this one, as it takes up the story of Brunin and Hawise's son, Fulke FitzWarin.

What I really enjoyed was that this story is based in fact. There was a lengthy ballad created about Fulke FitzWarin and his troubles with King John, and yes, he did take to the roads and woods as an outlaw with his brothers, seeking to wreck as much havoc as he could for King John. If this sounds very familiar to a famous story, it's very likely that Fulke was the inspiration for that outlaw. Along the way I get the usual standard of excellence that marks a novel by Elizabeth Chadwick -- smart characters, terrific depictions of daily life without anachronisms that scream to be noticed, and a real understanding of medieval culture and why people did what they did. It's that ability to create a very believable world, populate it with people who act and behave in the real world, and do it all with a sure hand is what keeps me returning to Elizabeth Chadwick's books, and trying to hold on during the times between new releases.

Unfortunately, there isn't an American publisher yet for Ms. Chadwick's novels, so for those readers who want to get their hands on her work, it's necessary to either check the local library and hope that they can get a copy through interlibrary loan, find a used copy on-line, or get a new copy through a British bookseller.

Four and a half stars, rounded up to five. Happily recommended.

Lords of the White Castle is a romanticized account of the life of Fulke FitzWarin, a real man who was a contemporary and lifelong minor antagonist of King John.

Author Elizabeth Chadwick is a member of a medieval reenactment group which emphasizes period accuracy, and she is most successful in Lords of the White Castle in depicting daily life. She does an outstanding job of creating realistic, sympathetic characters in richly described--though never excessively detailed--places and situations.

Chadwick's work draws a natural comparison to that of Sharon Kay Penman. Both authors write lovely novels that fill in gaps between known facts in medieval British history with plausible conjecture. In Lords, Chadwick injects her own variety of romantic notions into the FitzWarin lifestory. The result is a compellingly fast paced, romantic, historical novel.

This book tells the tale of outlaw Fulke FitzWarin, whose family had won (or so they claimed) important land - Whittington castle - on the Welsh border when Henry I invaded Wales. Ownership of the land apparently was in constant dispute for many years from 1100 to the opening of this story, which begins in 1184. Chadwick launches the tale with FitzWarin's father's final and failed attempt to win it back through legal means.

Meanwhile, FitzWarin serves Prince John, and the two mix as well as oil and water. When FitzWarin's father dies, the young Fulke turns outlaw over further disputes over the land, but also for personal reasons - the increasing animosity between he and John.

While the author never mentions this, some historians believe FitzWarin is the basis for the Robin Hood legend. Certainly, she relates the life of an outlaw during these times very well.

Later, FitzWarin meets and marries Maude le Vavasour. Contemporary accounts, upon which Chadwick bases their story, tell a spirited, romantic tale. Whether or not this is true, no one really knows. But it makes for a great love story.

The book ends following the Magna Carta rebellion, the death of King John, the signing of the Magna Carta, and sadly, the death of Maude.

Chadwick stays true to what is relatively certain concerning the history. She enlightens readers at the end with an explanatory note on the history.

If you like Sharon Kay Penman, you should enjoy this book. Moreover, if you have read HERE BE DRAGONS, you'll relate to several references to Llywelyn and the Welsh border struggles throughout the book.

Chadwick's SHADOWS AND STRONGHOLDS tells the story of the struggle for the disputed land.

I loved this book. It has a lot of info on old fashion home making and natural cleaning tips. If you long to hear information on the good old days you will love this book. My children love the part on what a lady should and should not be and what a gentleman should be and should not be.
This book has a place to keep your family history and such. A treasure to be passed down to your daughters or daughters-in-law.

I know this may sound dumb, but I thought Mrs. Dunwoody was a real person. But, she is a fictional compilation. The advice is real, however, and some of it is very useful. It is not AS useful as I was hoping, although I do like the book. The layout and look of the book is very nice, indeed.

athe information in the book is good and sound but it jump around a lot and is hard to find thing quickly.

Yes, you must get a copy of this book, it deserves to be classic.
Yes, it is heartwarming and touching in places and it made me stop and really think about what home means to me. That fact alone makes it stand out against all of the "hints and tips" and "how to" books currently on the market.

In fact, I've started my very own "receipt" book for my niece separately and am fashioning it along the lines of Mrs. Dunwoody's tome. Of course, when I present my niece with it (in a few years) a copy of "Mrs. Dunwoody" will accompany it.

It is the best book to come along in along time. Thank you Ms. Lukken for such a quietly inspirational classic. In fact, I know I will have to order another copy soon as my copy is wearing out from constant reading.

I'm 27, picked up this book at B&N on a whim becuase I like old fashioned things and thought I'd just browse through it. But turns out I read it from cover to cover and enjoyed every bit! A few things are out of date but who cares! - it was so enjoyable to read! If you have those natural "wifely" instincts of wanting to make your house a home you will like this book!

I HAVE BEEN A BIG FAN OF OLTL FOR 25 YEARS. THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING I COULD WANT IN COVERING MY FAVORITE SOAP OPERA. THE INTERVIEWS, PHOTOS, RESEARCH DONE MR. WARNER IS OUTSTANDING. IT BROUGHT BACK SOME GREAT MEMORIES FROM THE PAST 25 YEARS. ALL FANS OF ONE LIFE TO LIVE AND SOAPS SHOULD OWN THIS GREAT PIECE OF WORK. A WONDERFUL BOOK DEDICATED TO A WONDERFUL SHOW THAT FILLED MANY OF MY AFTERNOONS. A MUST READ.

I heard ABC WILL cancel ONE LIFE TO LIVE as of JULY 16. The press of daytime soap operas is not telling viewers and put the information about it in the Magazines. Write to ABC DAYTIME in New York please!

The other 2 reviews were right about ABC daytime canceling ONE LIFE TO LIVE in July 16,1999!,to make room for a new soap opera, PACIFIC CITY.Please right to ABC DAYTIME about this, they aren't going to tell the public 'til OLTL is cancelled. Don't let this happen, like what happened to NBC SOAP ANOTHER WORLD. Write to ABC DAYTIME about this, why?

This book has all that any fan of 'One Life To Live' would want. You can relive the storylines through all of the recaps. The book features listings of every character to ever appear on the show, along with many pictures of past and present greats from the show. It is definitely a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
The book did a wonderful job of cramming 30 years into something that is totally enjoyable. I really can't think of anything that was missed.

This book is a wonderful historical memoir of one of the most daring and well-written shows on daytime.

Not only does it chronicle the show's rich history, it includes wonderfully bright and vivid color photos of many of the most-loved actors/actresses/characters that have been on the show.

I highly recommend this book to all fans of OLTL!

Stephen King did a good thing by writing this book.The charcters and cast
are wonderful, This is one of my all time favorite, what goes on behind the walls of a prision.

After reading 85 novels, I finally read a Stephen King story. My friend who encouraged me to start reading had been after me to read him for awhile. I am really glad that I did. He is a great story teller and kept me in the story even when I wasn't reading it. As I have said before, a good writer is someone who can paint a vivid picture in the reader's mind's eye. This is done here in painting a picture of life in Shawshank Prison, Maine. This a great story of one man's strength to survive against all odds; we can all learn from this. It certainly should be told to all those who would think of breaking the law.

"Stand by me" - this is the most important sentence in the novel The Body written by Stephen King. The novel is about the natural and deep sense of friendship. Four boys are keen on experience an adventure, they take a long way to see a dead body in the forests of Maine. Alone on the way of excitement and fear, they are between childhood and adulthood. The story is easy to read and also to understand.

Reta hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, was a great short story by stephen king. I enjoyed reading this book and even watching the movie. I was suprised how much the book grabed my attention and how I didn't ever put it down.

I recently watched both "The Shawshank Redemption" (with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) and "Stand By Me" (with River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton and Corey Feldman) and this prompted me to dig out my old copy of Different Seasons. Most people are surprised when they learn that those movies were based on novellas by horror master, Stephen King, but he shows that he's not just into scaring the heck out of you.

The story cycle bases one novella per season, and each follows characters on a journey, whether it's one of hope, descent into corruption, coming of age, or life through offspring.

"Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" takes place over decades, as a prison inmate retains his spirit and soul, while breathing life into a dark institution, and whose patient nature finally leads him to freedom. The story is told in first person from the point of view of old Red, the guy who can get you things, about Andy Dufresne, a young banker jailed for the murder of his wife and her lover.

One of King�s great strengths is creating a believable voice for his characters, and as you read this tale, it is like Red is talking to you. Other King strengths are providing back story and creating a world in which these characters live, one with a past, present and future, and it makes them three dimensional. One of King�s flaws is going off on tangents and digressions a bit too often, but he always comes back to the story.

�The Body� (basis for �Stand By Me�) is a coming of age story about four small town boys on the cusp of entering Junior High School. On the Friday before Labor Day, they set off to find the body of a missing boy. One of the four boys, Vern Tessio, overheard his brother talking to a friend about the dead body.

The characters fall into several categories: Gordon LaChance, who narrates the story as an adult, is the dreamer/writer whose older brother died earlier that year. Chris Chambers is athletic, tough but smart. wise beyond his years and the white sheep in a family of black sheep. Teddy Duchamp is the psycho wiseguy who wears thick glasses and hearing aids as the result of his war veteran father putting his head to a stove. Vern Tessio is the least intelligent, but plays a key symbolic part as the one tells the others about the body and also is the first to spot it.

Along their journey, the boys encounter adventures, such as Milo Pressman the junkyard operator and his dog, Chopper. There is a run across a high trestle as a train bears down on them, a swim in a culvert full of leeches, and a night in the dark woods with screaming wild animals. When they eventually reach the boys, they have a run in with a group of teenage hoods from their town. A major difference from the movie, is that this story details the aftermath of the confrontation after the boys return to town.

King does a nice balancing act with his adult narrative and pre-adolescent dialogue, making each voice unique and fleshing out each boy�s character to make them multi-dimensional. All four experience growth, but Gordon and Chris take this growth with them as they get older. Don�t let people drag you down. There�s a lot more to this story than just kids looking for a dead body.
My bumps here are again that King goes off on tangents and digressions, some to fill in background and history for the characters, but sometimes really straying far from the course. At one point he takes nearly a page to say that someone is dead, where �The kid was dead. The kid wasn�t sick, the kid wasn�t sleeping.� Would probably have sufficed.

I won�t go into a lot of detail about the other two stories. �Apt Pupil� is about a boy who discovers a Nazi war criminal living in his town, and blackmails the old man into telling him stories about the war in exchange for not blowing the whistle on him. The stories the boy hears slowly lead him into senseless acts of violence. In �The Breathing Woman� a �disgraced woman is determined to triumph over death.�

These four stories combine to make an interesting cycle, and demonstrate that Stephen King has writing talents that stretch beyond his horror work.

#9 of the Deborah Knott series- The "carny" comes to town and with it a murder. Deborah is the one to find the victim. A long lost relative appears in this one as well. This book is a turning point for Deborah and the series. A surprise to the reader! I am starting to really enjoy this series. It took several of them to get there but I am glad I did not give up. The most notable aspect of this series is the author's way of highlighting something distinct about North Carolina in every book and weaving a mystery along with it.

I really liked this one. It was clear that Maron had fun writing it.

i really like this book! it's great to discover a new mystery author.

this is a great book! i'm glad that i discovered margaret maron.

Cozy mysteries are really of two types: Novels in the traditional cozy style whose main emphasis is a mystery and its resolution (e.g., Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers) and novels in the more modern cozy format, whose main emphasis is on social interactions (primarily between family, friends, and coworkers) with the mystery being a smaller component of the exposition. This is definitely a cozy in the latter form. Remove the additional social interactions, and this mystery could be presented in a novella or even a short story, although not as interestingly.

If you find modern cozies appealing, you will certainly find this an interesting book. Here, self-assured Judge Deborah Knott finds a dead worker while visiting the annual Harvest Festival Carnival. The reason for this death and the identity of the killer is the primary mystery. The preface provides a family tree of the Knott family, which is absolutely needed, as the Knotts are a large family, many of whom are presented in this novel. Readers will find themselves frequently referencing this chart to keep track of Knott family members. Fortunately, the number of carnival workers and additional characters is relatively small, but it may still pay to keep some brief notes of who they are as you read. There is also an informative addendum with a glossary of carnival terms, e.g., "cutting up jackpots", "plush", "rake `em and scrape `em" that are used in the novel.

I felt the story started somewhat slowly, but it quickly caught my interest, and as events unfolded it became harder to put down. Although the story is told in the first person, in terms that will probably appeal mostly to female readers, and there are probably more descriptions of Judge Knott's clothing choices than would interest male readers, this novel should none-the-less appeal to both sexes.

The novel reads quickly and easily, and provides a very enjoyable way to relax.

Jennie Bishop tells a delightful tale about a young boy who has recently become a squire in The Squire and the Scroll (make sure the title is in italics). The king has sent the squire, along with a knight, on a quest to retrieve the Lantern of Purest Light, which has been stolen. Many other knights have been sent to rescue the lantern, but none have returned.

Before his journey begins, the squire's mother and father give him a copy of a scroll. It has five rules on it by which the squire and his family have patterned their lives. The knight and squire encounter many dangers and temptations on their quest for the lantern. Each time, the squire remembers a rule from the scroll and uses it to guide his path.

Although the word God is used only once in the story, this tale is appropriate for a Christian audience as the rules of the scroll are Biblical in nature. One example is: "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you." This verse comes from Psalms 4:25 [NIV]. Another rule, "Listen only to words that are pure," is similar to a verse from Psalm 119:9 [NIV] that reads, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word." The author cites this verse at the end of the book.

The illustrations by Preston McDaniels are vivid, life-like paintings, full of color and charm; they lend much to the tale.

What I Like: Everything, but especially the language. The writing is so smooth and lyrical it's almost like reading poetry.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: The publisher suggests 4-8 as the targeted age group, but I think that although this age group would enjoy the story, the language is more appropriate for an older audience, more like 9-12. Adults will enjoy it, too!

Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review

A beautiful portrait of purity in a story little boys and girls alike can understand and love.

I bought this online hoping that it was well written and had a good point. What a pleasant surprise, it is wonderful! I love how it the book progresses without feeling like something has been left out. The Squire is tempted but yields to the scroll (God's Word), since we are scripture training from Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman, it shows how God's Word can and will help you keep your focus on what is important. What a gem!

While I appreciate the author's attempt to use allegory to encourage and assist parents in teaching that purity is important to their children, the author does not appear to have the theological skill of Lewis in writing allegory without unintentionally muddying the theological waters.

The representation of Christ as Aslan by CS Lewis is of a different nature than the angle of the Lantern that I see in the story line. In no way did Lewis ever compromise the nature of Christ. If in some way the Lantern is representing Christ, then He certainly doesn't need our protection - it's the opposite, we require His protection. If the Lantern is representing purity, then that is not something to be served...but something that serves us. (See the quotes I have pasted below pulled directly from the book "The Squire and the Scroll").

There is quite of bit of theological muddiness here - it's not as simple as if the Lantern represented Christ...which it can't, because we cannot have Christ stolen from us if we are believers. We dod not have to rescue Christ from the Dragon's lair, for Christ put all things under His feet. He is the victor. So if the Lantern represents Christ (as in a line quote below the Lantern shows the way), then what exactly is going on here? If we are talking about the Lantern representing Purity (which can and should be guarded), we have other issues.... Christ brings peace and joy, not being good. Christ should be honored as opposed to a quality (purity - see again the quoted lines below). The Pharisees honored "being good" (legalism) and were completely missing the mark. The story also talks about *obeying* the Lantern. If the Lantern is Christ, fine, He is honored by obeying the Scroll (Bible); however, if the Lantern is not Christ, but is Purity...then we are honoring "being good," which again, is like the Pharisees. (And in the story line, the characters are rescuing the Lantern which is then to be honored and served. Hmmmm).

So...is the Lantern representing Christ? If so, it's not being done as Lewis did with Aslan - instead, it becomes a idol with a tenuous hold on things that can easily be captured away (as in Old Testament idols). If it represents Purity, then is the idea of "being good brings peace and joy, shows the way, etc" the idea we want to bring across? Are we wanting to say that "acts of righteousness" will show the way?

Some quotes from the story:

It was this good man's charge to guard the Lantern of Purest Light, the lamp that brought peace and joy to his kingdom.

His kind parents were not people of great position, but they had clean hearts and honored the Lantern of Purest Light as the people of the kingdom did.
And the boy promised to honor his parents and the Lantern by living his life by the five truths in the scroll
.
and he honored the Lantern by obedience to the scroll in all that he did. The words of the scroll had seen him through many a temptation. But the knight did not remember the words of the scroll.
"For the Lantern and the scroll!" shouted the squire, and he plunged the sword into the dragon's body.

And when the travelers came to the tunnel, it was open, and the Lantern showed the way

"Because of his bravery and his devotion to the Lantern and to the scroll, he will have my daughter for a wife and rule my kingdom one day. For who better would guard the Lantern of Purest Light than one with a heart kept pure?"

A shout went up from the people, for they were in agreement with their king.
Beyond knighting the young squire, the king instituted a new order of protectors; the Knights of the Lantern. The knight who had trained the young squire became its captain. These men dedicated themselves to the words of the scroll and to the defense of the Lantern

And when the two were gifted with a son, the knight taught him from the scroll so that he would one day be ready to defend the kingdom and the Lantern.

Alittle yeast leavens the whole lump. I just can't help worrying about the murkiness of this, especially when teaching impressionable children is involved.

AS a mother of 3 boys ages 2.5- 5 years old this is great book. They consistenly ask for it to be read at least twice a day. Filled with knights, dragons and a king, this keeps their interest yet gives them clear idea that being virtuous is that which should be rewarded. Great book, highly reccommend. My boys are always trying to be the squire who brings the bad dragon down.

This was actually the first Daniel Steele book I ever read. It was wonderful the story so well developed and the characters so full of life. In fact I have now read this book at least 3 times maybe even 4, truly a classic. Everyone should have this on their shelf to read when you get tired of just seeing words on a page that take you nowhere.

Audry is SUCH a great character! Her love of adventure and for her man, but her loyalty to her family is what really pulled the story together. Very enjoyable book!

I have read many of Danielle Steel's books. This has to be one of her best. It is about a young woman named Audrey who has been caretaker to her grandfather and younger sister. Then, she has this need to do some traveling, and see the world. She does so, first going to New York City (she lived in San Francisco). She meets two people named James and Violet, and she becomes a travel companion for the two. In England, she meets Charles, whom becomes her one true love, and they travel the world together, and no matter what threatens to break them up, they never give up on each other.

This is not as formulaic as many of Danielle Steel novels, but it is still wonderful and one of her best.

This book is so cool...it takes you so many places, you most likely have never been to. It's so fun to put yourself in this characters shoes & see what it's like. I love to read about countries I haven't been to...classic DS

I have been reading Danielle Steel for over 15 years and own all her books and this is one of my favourites - one I can read over and over again and still enjoy the story.
I was transported back to the 1930's and admired the bravery of Audrey travelling to China when it was probably a dangerous (and not "proper") for a young single woman to do so. This one made me laugh, cry and wish that all would go well for Audrey.
If you are a Danielle Steel fan you will love this one. Her earlier novels (like this one) are so much better than her later books. If you are new to Danielle Steel - this one is highly recommended. Enjoy!

Usually, the authors don't stick in my memory, and especially not exercise book authors, but Joyce did. I really loved this book. Got it a few years ago and I want to keep it, and infact am looking to collect and follow more of Joyce's books. I kind of let go and did not weight train for a good while, and now I want to get back to doing it, and am reaching out for her book again, and not some other book. Somehow, I connected with her (or rather she connects with us) and her exercises. They were so convenient. No gym required. A chair, and the 3lb weights is all I needed. I loved the simplicity. 1 or 2 of them were a bit challenging to do for me though and I had some questions on the correct technique but I bet with more practice & patience I can do them just right. Challenge is a good sign. It helps us reach higher. Overall, they were veyr much do-able, I enjoyed them and I certainly felt a difference in my posture, in my strength, and in my entire mind-set after doing these for a time period. I would rate her super. If you are patient in doing the exercises, and consistent (very important), you will 100% reap the benefits. All the best and enjoy!

Though this book was published in 1989, its substance was recycled in other forms, spreading the same confusing message.

The author is unsettled on the duration of daily workout from 12 minutes, 15 minutes, and then 20 minutes. In this book, the author proposes 7 days a week of weight training. In others, she proposes working out twice a week. She talks about "total body building", "supercuts", and "fat burning" without having the slightest clue on the basic physical facts about their scientific origin.

Here are some absurd errors you will find in this book:

1) The book claims the "you can shape up in no time if you do not have time to shape up" which is a lie.
2) Page 32, "the trapezius muscle is labeled as the latissimus dorsi. Then on Page 112-113, she describes "shoulder press with dumbbells" as "lateral pulldown" and claims to workout the latissimus dorsii. Thus, she confuses pulling for pushing. Though the book is introduced by a medical doctor (Jude T. Barbea) and written by an author with Ph.D. in English literature, the book completely misrepresents basic weight training teaching.
3) Page 139, "Eggs help raise beneficial HDL, break up cholesterol deposits and carry them away from blood vessels". So, how many eggs do you need to completely get rid of atherosclerosis?????
4) Page 139, "fibers help eliminate 10% of fat intake since they (fibers) pass through unregistered". She does not know how the fat is digested in the intestine and assumes that fat elimination is simply "sliding through" with fibers.

Here is her list of books that demonstrate the mad zeal of recycling simplistic and misleading information:

1. 12-Minute Total-Body Workout
2. Bone-Building/Body-Shaping Workout: Strength, Health, Beauty, in Just 16 Minutes a Day
3. Bottoms Up!
4. College Dorm Workout
5. Definition: Shape Without Bulk in 15 Minutes a Day
6. Gut Busters: The 15-Minute-A-Day, 12-Week Plan
7. Hard Bodies Express Workout: The Twice-A-Week Fitness Program That Really Work

8. Now or Never: Keep Your Body Young, Fit and Firm with the Weight Training Program That Works Even as You
9. Supercut
10. The Bathing Suit Workout
11. The Fat-Burning Workout: From Fat to Firm in 24 Days
12. Toning for Teens: The 20-Minute Workout that Makes You Look Good and Feel Great!
13. Top Shape: 12 Weeks to Your Ideal Physique
14. Weight Training Made Easy: Transform Your Body in Four Simple Steps

When I browsed through similar books that claim to achieve magic fitness results in about 15 minutes or so, I stumbled on a general trend. Whether the author is a man or a woman, those books clearly show narcissistic authors, with simplistic views who claim to lead the world to perfection. All share fond of their bodily outlook, neurotic, and impatient in acquiring knowledge, or adapting to new trends in modern exercise teaching.

The simplest rule of staying fit is "simple counting of Calories". One Calorie per minute worth of work will amount to 60 calories per hour and 1440 Calories per day. If you try to condense that in 15 or 20 minutes, you will need to expend energy at a rate of 72 Calories per minute, which is impossible even by swimming in cold water or cycling at top speed.

This book has a very do-able routine for anyone with limited space and limited budget. All you need are two 3-lb. dumbbells and a chair.

She does have a written cheat sheet at the back of the book, but the only quibble I have is that there should be a photo cheat sheet as well--the names of the exercises don't immediately bring them to mind.

There is good variety in the exercises, and you can use them to supplement any of the exercises in Slow Burn and Power of 10. Her explanations of Isometric Exercise and Dynamic Tension fit perfectly in with the super slow weightlifting concept.

Great workout for body toning. I loved it but I believe that in addition to her 12 minute workout, some cardiovascular exercise is necessary to be truly fit. Also, it is necessary to watch what you eat of course. I have personally seen and felt great results in a short period of time. I still struggle with some of the ab exercises and I did feel sore in my abs, legs and glutes for a while.

At age 20, I had already been through 3 surgeries due to bowel obstructions and Crohn's Disease (chronic inflammation of the intestinal lining). Suffering with the disease kept me fairly slim through out my 20's, but completely inactive. My well known "coke bottle shape" has always looked fine in clothes but, over the years I have lost A LOT of muscle tone and definition.

At 30 I had my son, and thankfully, my Crohn's Disease took a dive...but as a result my weight shot up. I only gained 12 lbs. during my pregnancy with my son, but after having him, I found it difficult to control the amount of food I was eating. 4 years later, I found myself at an all time high of 206 lbs. I went on a reduced carb-calorie counting diet and lost 27 lbs, but was still unhappy with the way my body looked ...and I was at a plateau. Even with my 1300-1400 calorie a day diet (I'm 5'7"), and briskly walking 3-4 times a day for 15 min, I couldn't get anymore weight off. I searched the web for a solution. I came to the realization that I needed to rebuild my muscles to boost my metabolism and reclaim my body shape... without the fat and cellulite.

I stumbled across Dr. Vedral's book while looking for a weight-training program that wouldn't impact the already limited time in my day and would cut out going to the gym (I hate the gym!). After two weeks of continuing my own diet, following her exercises and cutting my wallks down to 2 a day, I have lost 4.5 lbs! Her program is direct and well spelled out. I wake up a few minutes earlier in the morning to complete the exercises. It does take me a little more than 12 min a day, simply because I find that I need to do some stretching before and after, which she doesn't really require in this program. My only gripe would be that some of the pictured illustrations are more "cutesy" posed, than the true form that you need to start at, but the written word for the start position clarifies it for you. All and all, I couldn't be a happier. I can FEEL it working and feel confident that within a few weeks I will SEE results of more muscle tone and definition. All of my muscles have a "good" soreness they haven't felt in years and it feels great!!

Because of the light weights and basic movements I think 12 Minute Total Body Workout is a great book for those who are desiring to boost your personal fitness program, no matter were you're starting point is. Thanks, Dr. Vedral!! I love this book!!

KANE

The Mystic Swordsman becomes the living link with the awesome power of a vanished super race.

In the dark swamp where toadmen croak and cower, slumbers a secret telic of the days when creatures from the stars ruled the Earth. In the booty captured in a savage raid, Kane discovers a ring, a bloodstone, which is key to the power that lies buried, inactive but not dead, within the forest.

Now Kane, whose bloody sword has slashed and killed for the glory of other rulers, can scheme to rule the Earth - himself!

The best thing about this book is that throughout the story you're never really sure which side Kane is playing for, and the fact that he's a barbarian and smarter than everyone else in the book at the same time makes him all the more interesting.

1) I label this is dark fantasy. The main character is not a good guy and thus does things that most "protaganists" won't do.

2) I got hooked on Kane from the Wagner book Dark Crusade. Kane as a character does carry the entire story because he is so good at everything...and believably so.

3) I like how this book reveals a little about Kane whereas Dark Crusade didn't say much of anything. Kane's mystery still stands even after this read making you want more in order to truely understand who he is and where he comes from.

Fun read. Wagner is great with action scenes and creates a wonderfully likeable "bad guy" type character here.

When a strange bloodstone ring is accidentally unearthed from where it has lain for countless centuries, it marks the reawakening of an evil of elder Earth. And when that ring falls into the hands of the mystic warrior Kane, it marks a dark day for all of mankind. Kane, with his vast experience, is playing a game, a game that only he sees the end of, and even he might just have miscalculated.

Karl Edward Wagner (1945-94) was an American author of some of the finest horror and fantasy literature to have been written, and one of his most interesting creations was the man Kane, an undying warrior and scholar. Overall, I found this book to be a positively gripping read. I found the setting to be quite interesting, and the characters to be absolutely fascinating. If you like such fantasy literature as Robert E. Howard's Conan, then you will love this book. I know I did. I highly recommend this book.

Karl Edward Wagner's character Kane is a great blending of Moorcock's tragic hero Elric, with his sorcerous powers, and Robert E. Howard's Conan, with his enormous physical strenght and skilled swordsmanship... Kane is a great hero, with some of the best sci-fi stories I've ever read- and I've read just about all of 'em... Give Kane a try- especially Bloodstone, Night Winds and Death Angel's Shadow...