Women Books

It's really amazing book. Another new bestseller which I highly recommend - The Exclusive Layguide: When Dating and Having Sex with Incredibly Hot Women is No Longer Mirage Even If You Don't Look Like a Model or Don't Make a Fortune

This book will take you to the top of your game in finding, meeting and dating a beautiful woman. You will develop nerves of steel with the confindence that will rock her world. You are encouraged to keep trying until you succeed and are satisfied with whom you want to spend your dating life with. No beautiful woman can resist a man who really wants her. This book will make you believe that you can obtain the impossible. The opportunity is now for you rise above to the next level of dating. You will get her attention and beable to hold it from reading this book. Make your dreams come true and allow this book to make it possible to have the beautiful woman of your dreams.

This is definitely a good book to read, it gives lot of good tips that you can use in life.. The author is trying to make the readers "Happy" Lovers and not just become someone who is good at finding the dates.

This book covers almost every stage of dating relationship with a woman, starting from how to identify what kind of girl you would want to have in your life/making sure if that's the right package for you, approaching her, breaking ice with her, to actually how to maintain the same level of excitement in the relationship once you are with this beautiful lady.

The language is extremely simple and the flow of thoughts is very smooth, I would recommend this book not just because it might help you meet and be with a beautiful woman but the book as such has so many good tips which if you try to follow you would definitely become a gentleman, which people will notice...

I have taken away one star from the 5 star rating because i personally feel that women are over rated in this book, Although I feel that the information given in this book is 99% true when it comes to the practical situations.

-Sm
(Santa Monica)

Mr. Lott has given us average guys an extremely useful guide to the dating of beauthiful women. Inside, I was amazed to find conscise information about how to present myself to these ladies and how to go about dating them. It is a different ballgame, after all, if you want these types of women, so be forewarned that it might entail a bit more work. I highly recommend this book [...]

Caution!! Avoid listening to the critics of dating. They can't pick up beautiful women and hope that you can't. You can go to Moscow, Russia where it is perfectly customary to meet and pick up beautiful women while their walking down the street. If your molded into the man that this book will turn you into. Then you can find, meet and date beautiful women anywhere,anyplace in the world. A word to the wise is to march to the beat of your own drum and not listen to the critics of doom.

I purchased this book because I am a fan of the tv show "The Game". I heard that the tv shows' plot closely mirrors that of this book, and there is a lawsuit pending. I wanted to see for myself. What I found was a book with extremely similiar characters, some with the exact same names and likeness. If the rumors are true regarding a lawsuit, it will be very interesting. That being said it was hard to judge the book because those similarities left me in that likable zone that previosly existed in my mind. I can't like something more than I already do. The author's writing didn't leave me holding on to my chair. Ms. Robinson did an excellent job in developing the characters and storyline, however her writing style was humdrum and mediocre in getting the story across.

I love the TV show The Game, so when I found out that there was a book that the show is more than likely based on, I had to read it! I love the way Robinson explores how easy it is to lose yourself in the world of someone else. I have to agree with C. Ross in that the ending seemed kind of rushed. I like to think that the ending is an opening for another novel to pick up where Interceptions left off. Regardless, it is a VERY VERY VERY good story and an easy read.

The characters in this book really resonated with me. Ms. Robinson's style of writing made me feel as if I personally knew some of the characters! I finished the book in one weekend and was left craving more. What a debut for Staci Robinson!! I can't wait for more of her writing! Buy it, you won't be able to put it down!

I finished this book in about 5 hours. I liked it a lot, and the plot definitely keeps you interested. I thought the ending was on fast forward. I feel like we got a lot of details through the first 3/4, and then the ending was rushed. I really would have liked to see/read more, so that's the only reason for the 4 stars rather than 5. I think Staci Robinson has an amazing "voice". It really didn't feel like reading; the dialogue makes you feel like you're in it rather than just an outsider, which makes for a really easy read. But at the same time, the characters all had layers that she slowly peeled away. I definitely recommend this!

I was given Interceptions by my wife because I am a football fan. I literally couldn't put it down, the book is very well written and sheds insight into one of the darker sides of college and pro sports. It is an often told story of golddiggers vs. upstanding women compellingly composed. An excellent read for any sports fan.

As a Christian Counselor I use many books in my work including this one and "The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His! 2" (the second book by this same author. I also like the new book A Forever Love Story Surviving Trials in Marriage These books are useful in showing how a Christian marriage should be. They are great "instruction manuals" on doing marriage right that goes well with the Bible. I would certainly recommend all of these books to any couple wishing to better their marriage.

This book is very informative and helpful in the age old conflict between husbands and wives. Joel is to be commended for his eye opening stand on issues that have for too long kept women in mental outlooks of defeat, especially when it comes to a troubled marriage. Joel and Kathy have taken a position of determination to help people realize their responsibilties in contributing to the foundation of trusting love and wholesomeness between a couple. For me, this book has been invaluable for supporting and even encouraging regaining hope that was lost and a renewed self image. That, in itself, is healing. I appreciated the emphasis on men recognizing their God-given responsibilty to lay down their own interests in life, as the head of the home, for the good of their wives. I have always believed that good would come back to them in abundance, if they caught hold of that vision. Love and respect is the main theme throughout this book. What better platform can you speak from then what God has already declared to be His design in the first place.
Hats off to Joel and Kathy! And prayerfully, may this type of writing/ministry be a forerunner to many ministries and counselors who seek to help in the marriage arena. Here is "hole" in our society that needs to be addressed and fixed. I would recommend this book to anyone who is married or even thinking about getting married!! Full of common sense.

This book is awesome and powerful. Joel and Kathy are truly amazing and hit the nail right on the head in every area of how to have the marriage of your dreams!!

Made in Heaven!

When it comes to communicating how struggling marriages can be healed, God has done a mighty work in authors, Joel and Kathy Davisson. And the good news is they have shared what they learned in not one, but two of the most innovative marriage books around.

Book I, The Man of Her Dreams, The Woman of His, tells how their relationship was restored, using sound biblical principals, after the sins of adultery and abuse had taken a huge toll on their marriage.

In Book II, The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His 2 - Livin' It and Lovin' It! (Volume 2) Joel and Kathy continue to share the insight God has given them which has produced the "outrageously happy marriage" they now enjoy. Such ideas as the husband as initiator in the relationship--the husband sets the tone of the marriage--he is the leader in that sense. They also champion submission--not as it has traditionally been taught, but MUTUAL submission, wherein the wife submits to the husband AND the husband submits to the wife. As in Book I, men are called to "become the man God is calling you to be by being the husband your wife needs you to be."

In both of their books, Joel and Kathy teach tried and true concepts gleaned from the Bible that they have applied to their own once struggling, now very successful marriage. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to have or help others to have a marriage (literally) made in heaven!

Kay Sons

This book, along with using scripture, can help couples identify and address marital problems and remedy them so that their marriages can be blessed and happy. As each spouse is overflowing with the love of God, then their marriage will be happy and blessed. The church and society at large will benefit as happily married christian couples bring God's kingdom into this world.

Just as God's grace is multifaceted, I believe that solutions in life will be as well. There are many good marriage books. I just read an unflattering book review by the couple that wrote this book (which is how I got here), and I am concerned on a variety of levels. The following statements are from the bible and should be lived out. Christians are to submit to God first and then to one another. Christians are to love other christians and non-christians. Husbands are are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Wives are told to submit/obey their husbands. The weight of emphasis is what Joel has an issue with. He expresses frustration with the emphasis that if wives would only submit, husbands would love. I agree with him. But God's order and design for marriage should not be dismissed. I need to love my enemies, regardless if they deserve it. Husbands and wives have responsibilities in marriage whether the spouses deserve it or not.

It is astounding to me that Joel would publicly denounce another book on the same subject matter in a book review on Amazon. He never finished reading the book he criticized. He claims that the bible teaching of women having to submit to their husbands is based on one LONELY scripture and is actually the reason that the church's teaching on marriage has been 'upside down' for 45 years. He purports that his book teaches something inspired by God and corrects the generally accepted church marriage paradigm. On this topic, Joel claims to be prophetic.

He also claimed in his review that his greatest need as a man "is for me to learn what it means to lay my life down for my wife and love her as Christ loves the church," not to be respected by his wife. These are not analogous. Actually, one is his responsibility/obligation (dying for his wife and loving her), the other is a reference to a desired response from his wife (respect). The author of "Love and Respect" (the critically reviewed book) makes that distinction. Husbands and wives are responsible to behave as the Bible teaches, regardless of the number of scriptures that support a behavior (for instance - being a living sacrifice). Respect is something I appreciate from others, especially my wife.

Another strong statement in the review is "I do not want my wife to feel like she is supposed to "respect" me simply because I am her husband or because the bible tells her to respect me. Yes, every man would like to feel respect - but does a Christlike man want his wife to respect him just because he is a male whom she is married to? No. A real man wants to live a life that is worthy of respect and wants to be respected because of the life that he lives." He obviously was not worthy of her respect for many years in their marriage. In fact, his behavior while being a pastor was bad enough to disqualify him from ministry. We as christians should be living lives that please God which will engender the responses of respect and love in return. I would like to illustrate this from a wife's perspective, using Joel's quote, "I do not want my husband to feel like he is supposed to "love" me simply because I am his wife or because the bible tells him to love me. Yes, every woman would like to feel love - but does a Christlike woman want her husband to respect her just because she is a female whom he is married to? No. A real woman wants to live a life that is worthy of love and wants to be loved because of the life that she lives"? I would hope so. We should live what the bible says, even if others are not living the way they are supposed to be living. Proverbs 31 exhorts women to be virtuous. Men and women, regardless of being spouses, are called to be holy and loving.

Joel was a pastor when he was guilty of abusing his wife emotionally, physically, and spiritually. He eventually committed adultery. Interestingly, his parents were involved with pastoring as well, and his father had also committed adultery and left the family. It makes one wonder when a family of pastors can behave so badly. Joel, as the egregious offender, he needed to change, and not blame his wife. But what about when a wife commits adultery? Is it the husband's fault? As David proclaimed, I have sinned against the Lord. Good marriage counseling addresses spousal accountabilities, thoughts and behaviors that are inconsistent with them, and strategies to help change the marriage for the better. Rarely is a bad marriage one spouse's fault.

Before Joel's book was written in 2004, many wonderful helpful biblical marriage books were already written. And if he had read those books, he may have avoided or shortened the length of the abuse and adultery that he was guilty of. A book that balances a husband's responsibility in marriage and a wife's responsibility in marriage is called "The Way of Agape" by Nancy Missler, written in 1995. Her marriage was in shambles as well, but she fought to preserve her marriage just like Joel's wife fought to preserve theirs. Another book that was written from the perspective that a husband's behavior alone could turn a marriage around is called "Rekindled, How to Keep the Warmth in Marriage" by Pat Williams, also written in 1995. Both books take different approaches, but the end result was the same - a saved, vibrant, restored marriage.

Hopefully, in the spirit of Christian love and humility, Joel will refrain from writing additional poor book reviews on marital topics, while promoting his own books. The love he promotes in this book for his wife comes from the Holy Spirit. The same source should influence Joel to be less critical of other marriage books.

This is a Phenomenal book! It's a great book for all women of color to read. Each chapter alerted all of my emotions and thoughts. I am learning everyday how to attack any negative energy surrounding me and follow the gift of intution. Learning to love yourself in the midst of everything.

Yes, I already gave it five stars, because I read one of her other books "Tapping The Power Within...." When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I was in a afterschool class, and the instructor gave us each a copy of "Acts of Faith." The title of the book was very powerful to me, and I tried to read it then, but I was not ready. See, thats the thing about most self help books like these, you must be READY to read them. I actually got "Tapping the Power Within..." last month from my counselor, thats when I realized I still had two of her other books. My aunt also bought me one of her books when I was of the age 14, because I was going through a tough time. The book was called "Don't Give it Away." Which I am now in my THIRD YEAR OF COLLEGE... YAYY ME, and I passed the book down to my sister. (Also, I wanted to leave this portion of my message for a poster on here named Tigress "JD": Do not feel stupid for buying a collection of her books. Actually, I had just did the same thing. I am about to buy more of her books).Its quite hard choosing which books to read. I am currently reading the "Acts fo Faith" day by day, and I have finished reading "Tapping The Power Within" Which is helping me a lot. The following books I already have purchased was already shipped to me is "Faith in the Valley," "Living Through the Meantime," (which I started to read, but I was not sure if I was ready, after reading a couple of pages through)"One Day My Soul Just Opened Up (which I am debating with "Living Through the Meantime"), and "Yesterday I Cried." So I have about seven of her books. I am going to purchase more right now. I hope you all remain strong, and I hope the books will help you all a lot. (sorry for all the typos its 3:12am in the morning in NYC and I could not help it, but to get back online and purchase some more books, plus I cannot fall asleep).

This book is great not only for black women, but for all women. It helps one to understand life better, and to love ones self better.

I am a big fan of motivational and self-help books. I have read many in my lifetime. Mostly good, some so-so. It is important to read a book relevant to what one is going through at that time to get the full scope of things from the book we read I believe. Iyanla's books are one of them and one of my favourite authors. The first book I got from Iyanla's collection was "Yesterday I Cried" and that had helped me through the ditch I was going through at that time. A friend of mine recommended a book of hers "One day My Soul Just Opened Up" which at that time I had already knew about her and went on to search on amazon her other publications and purchased the whole series of her books. Yeh - crazy me! But hey, she's good! I like her approach in the way she writes and conveys her message. It's real. I can relate to her. I have almost the whole collection of her books that she has published and reading them one by one as I go through my life's ups and downs. For the past few months I've been going through many valleys, I started reading "The Value In The Valley" which has given me many insights into my own valleys that I am going through and have gone through and approach life and my valleys in a different light. I have just purchased the Audio CD version of it to listen while I drive or at home. Can't wait to get it and the rest of the motivational goodies I just got from other authors. :) Thumbs up to this book as well as Iyanla's other books. Thank you Iyanla for all the insights your book has given me. :)

I saw a lot of me in reading this book. It really helped me to realize somethings about myself and why I do the things that I do. It was great. I would recommend it to anyone who needs clarity on themselves and their lives.

I see this book as a motion piture movieon the big screen.she has captured people and places which some has tend to forget.if you read the first five to ten pages,trust(any race)will not put the street novel down.its a number one best seller.every urban person should have a copy its a great present when you think you can't make it thru.stay tuned to see kalico host the number one underground video show(east&west coast).kalico welcome to the spot.tv family spottv network,spottv music,dr fashion-kj fashion,dr manangement

kalico jones is a wonderfull women.we are cut from the same cloth.she sets forth a great rendision of the streets and the entertainment lifestyle.so far shes the only author that can make you see those tuff times,good and bad experinces.im so proud to work with kalico and comtinue to support her joint ventures.sister get rid of all those in your life that does not not help you in your future plans.stay focused spottv staff-queen.v,dadrich,t`roy,kalico,djconspircy,p.r

Kalico, this has to be one of the best books I've ever read. I finished the book in one day. Life has thrown a lot at you. A lot of hurt, a lot of pain, a lot of sadness, a lot of anger. The list goes on. In this book, you're able to tell the truth about the way things were, and thats good because that helps you to become a stronger and healthier human being. I'm glad you and your mother are best of friends and I hope that continues to get better and better everyday. It's wonderful to hear that you have a fantastic relationship with your father, and I bet you are his favorite (girl). Just joking, I'm sure he loves all thirteen of you the same. It really would be a great day when you and your sisters and brothers be united AT THE SAME TIME. This is truly a great book. Kalico jones, I applaud you. GOD BLESS

I have had the pleasure of meeting Kalico a few years ago, and I can say she is truly living life on life terms and that is what makes her book, unique and very special and its own little way.

I give the book 2 thumbs up, Cant wait for the sequal........... (smile)

Kalico Jones candidly recounts trials, tribulations, obstacles, pitfalls, and personal growth, in her novel, When Gucci Came First: True Tales of a Tramp. From the first page, she connects with the reader by using inviting dialogue that flows smoothly, laying the foundation for a wild journey with a suprise ending that will make you rejoice with her and breathe a sign of much-needed relief. You will almost feel as if you are snooping in a private journal that is kept under lock and key and hidden in a bottom dresser drawer. Her fresh delivery remains consistent, until you turn the last page. At that point, you miss her and want to know more about the woman behind the story.

Expect to finish this book in one sitting because you will crave the next event that your eyes will discover. When she is obviously in pain, you root for her to recover. And when she is off track, you feel like admonishing her for losing her way, almost wanting to shout, "Stop the madness, Kalico! Not again!" This emotional battle continues and often increases in intesity, just when you thought nothing more could shake you up.

The character's innermost thoughts are frank, uncensored, and truly telling of how she is thinking in any and all circumstances. Her delivery is laced with honesty that many wish we could have, but will probably never manage to have the courage to expose. The type of secrets she tells are the type which most of us will take to our graves...deep, hurtful, frightening tales that will bring you to tears and add to your understanding of human frailty.

At times, you will be left stunned and ponder if she'll continuing walking down a dangerous path, or abruptly change her direction and get herself together. If you feel tempted to judge her behavior, you will regret it and ultimately feel ashamed for rushing to judgement. By the end of her work, she reveals why she is anything but a tramp, rather a diamond in the rough waiting to shine for all the world to see. Her strength and determination to win a war is so evident, it stands up on its own and looks you in the face.

I applaud the author for a corageous and successful attempt to explain why Gucci ever came first, in her life. With that said, please do yourself a favor and read this unforgettable tale. Chances are, you will learn something new about yourself, or be able to better understand someone who may be struggling to overcome personal demons, by the time you put it on your bookshelf for a second, third, and fourth read. Hooray for Kalico Jones for sharing her story with the world. I am looking forward to this new author's next book.

This is a fabulous little book. It's a series of fifty very short advisory essays all about how to love yourself when you hate yourself. Specifically, Roth's work deals with compulsive eating, and this is her focus here too, but unlike some of her other work, this book is clearly meant to be more broadly applicable to any and all situations in which one might find oneself swimming in a sea of self-hatred. Roth is a humorous writer. She has a similar sort of wit as Anne Lamott, who has written the introduction to this book. Overall I found this book hilarious and moving. I stayed up all night to read it.

No matter how many times it happens, I'm always amazed when I find that there are other people in the world who go through some of the same things as me. This book really did it, it really showed me that I'm not alone in the frightening world of body-image. By the time I finished the second chapter, I had decided that I was going to get this book for my best friend for her birthday, and by the time I had finished the sixth chapter, I realized that I was going to buy it for every single one of my girlfriends for their birthdays.
This is a really amazing book, and the author really knows how to talk to women who are in need of reassurance as well as a little shove (or a big one) in the right direction.
I suggest it for women of all ages who struggle with any sort of body/self-image, no matter how long that struggle has been going on.

I originally checked this book out of the library. I loved it so much I bought a copy and am reading it again. I also purchased two copies to give to good friends. This book may or may not help me to loose weight, however, it is so uplifting and encouraging it has really helped to change my attitude towards food and not to be so self-loathing.

as a person on the way from recovery from anorexia, this book offered helpful advice in a fun demeanor. would definitely recommend this book to everyone--on either sides of the spectrum.

I read a few books by Geneen Roth, including this one, in the beginning of 2003. After reading them, I gave myself permission to stop "dieting", and allowed myself to eat the food I like, thinking that if I didn't feel deprived that I would eat less and lose weight. I also kept away from the scale. The result was I gained 30 pounds in 9 months, before stopping myself from this upward climb. Its taken over 4 years to lose those 30 pounds. To this day I still regret reading those books. While I don't think its healthy to obsess about food and counting calories and body image, I do think we need to be careful about what we eat.

Hi, how are you all? Well I know this book is wonderful! Acually i never read the book charmed but i did read the book so little time, which is by the same author. That was a very good book. So if that was a good book that she wote then this should be good also. The book is very intersting and tells you alot of information and some good heads up and tips. Kids my age would like the book, i would belive..... I might not be giving alot of information right now but the more information you want is right inside the book. So i would suggest to read the book and i think you will injoy it! I also think Charmed is a good book to read too.!.!.!.!.! Well i hope i at least helped you out a little bit. And i hope you read BOTH books because reading is good for you , and just enjoy them! Thank you for taking your time out to read this.

I have a penchant for time-travel stories, as they are striking, interesting, not to mention compelling. This book is inevitably one of them. Phoebe being abducted into past by a time-demon during the times of the Salem Witch Trials was huge (amazing)!! I'm not going to reveal details of the story, but what I don't get is that how on earth could the Charmed Ones use their powers in the past, and how the Law of no coincidences is oblivious to the author.


But as this is not the tv show, I suppose authors are able to use their imagination freely. My fave bit of this book is how Piper and Prue was under the evil influence of the root tea Prudence drank, given by Hugh, and they acquired amazing powers, which included being "evil" themselves and coming in handy to rescue their sister. I especially like the fact that Prudence did not succumb to the tainted root tea to nearly kill her own descendant, as the power of good always prevails!!! Also, its nice to involve the Charmed Ones' ancestor to this book, as readers somewhat know more about certain witches from the Warren line. Rosalind Noonan did a good job portraying each sister's characters, and how all their different and unique personalities combined together can pack a huge wallop. True to the series, with dry humour added and the Power of Three situation makes Whispers from the Past all the more enjoyable. And the fact that poor Phoebe, despite "stuck playing cinderella", she was determined to stay focused on the path to solving the problem, is also rather warmth-evoking.

In a nutshell: If you like Charmed, there's no doubt you will like this book. Not as excellent as Soul of the Bride, but close. One of my all-time faves. Well worth it!!!

Finally, a Phoebe episode [well book] that any Charmed fan can get behind. It's a time travel piece and a family get-together. Need I say more?

Fantastic addition to the Charmed series :) Not as good as 'Soul of the Bride' but up there with the best of the books.

I always love a good time-travel story if it's: 1) Well-Written, 2) Believeable. This book gets it on both counts.

The evil piper/prue angle was kinda amusing *ducks* The new powers they got were awesome too (though Piper's was kind of an extension on her stopping tme power)

This book does have a couple errors (Girls using their powers in the past to get home) but considering these books aren't written as fast as the series is ('least most of them seem that way)... we need to give the author's a break. We can't expect them to keep up with the pace/storylines of the show.

Considering SOME of the storylines 'Charmed' has taken, maybe the creators should look to some of these books for plot ideas.

I hope Miss Noonan puts in another contribution to the Charmed series again sometime.

This was the very first Charmed book I read and it was solid. I have now watched every episode of every season and there were no holes in it. I love all episodes that the sisters go back in time or forward or relive memories etc. If you are like me, then you will love this book too!

Anfra,

This book has changed my life. As I read this book I was tremendously blessed. God definitely spoke to me through you as some of the information in your book helped me to understand myself more clearly. I've got alot of work to do!!

I loved how you ended each section with "Think about it, sisters"!! That phrase caused me to pause and think about what I had just read in depth.

Your writing style was easy to understand, funny, informative and inspirational. I'm thankful that my sister Andrea, gave me this book because it has changed my life.

Thank you for promoting sisterhood and helping me to grow more spiritually. I have been encouraged, enlightened and empowered.

Anfra, express her views on life's many embers: AIDS, sex, politics, spiritual, how to raise your children, meditation and more.

I especially like "A Tribute To African-American Authors" where she uses the titles of various author books to get her point across.

A great reality check book.

I was searching through the bookstore looking for more books by Juanita Bynum. The store clerk recommended You Are My Sister by a new author that I never heard of. I must say I was skeptical at first. I liked the cover and the synopsis on the back and needlees to say I was drawn in. What? A book about why women date married men. Woow, I was intrigued and what I found on the inside pages made me call the book store up and ask if they had any more books by Anfra.

Write on my sista, write on! Please write on.

A new fan, Gwynn in Detroit, MI

I could not put this book down. A friend of mine was reading it at work and suggested that I get a copy and I did. I didn't know that I was in for a treat of refreshing and uplifting words from a powerful sister.

Words can't express how enlightening this book is. You Are My Sister should become an anthem for women. I loved the Sisterhood Creed in the front.

Thanks Anfra for those encouraging words of wisdom.

You Are My Sister - An Inspirational Book That Promotes Sisterhood and Spiritual Growth by Anfra is a definite must read. I really enjoyed this book. This is indeed a winner.

You Are My Sister by Anfra takes you on a wonderful spiritual journey of reflections and self-upliftment that humbly reminds us that we are somebody. I was very inspired and it really eased a lot of my inner stress that I had while reading the book. I feel not everyone can produce writings for inspiration and spiritual growth; it's something that has to come natural to the writer. Anfra not only captures and reflects that definition, but she naturally does "encourage, enlighten and empower" with her writings.

Although I had many favorites, a few elevated themselves to me as being my inspiration. "What's Blocking Your Blessings?" was a rude awakening to me and I humbly enjoyed her writing. It is a compelling reminder that we tend to overlook stress related issues that can impact the blocking of your blessings.

Another of my favorites was "Weight Problems." I realized from that passage that we have to stop, think, and come to terms of what is actually weighing us down. We have to realize that it's not always about the physical, that it's about the religious, mental, and spiritual growth and development that we must acquire within ourselves to survive the heavy burdens that we unconsciously put on ourselves.

I also enjoyed Anfra's poetry section. Three of my favorites were "Someone Else's Eyes" A Message From An Unborn Child" and "I Got It." All three including her other collections had me nodding my head up and down and side-to-side. They were definitely on time.

Finally, the last section was what I consider a serious grand finale because this section was about YOU doing a self-inventory. The title alone is self-explanatory - "To Thine Own Self Be True" You Are My Sister-Personal Inventory. Anfra provides you with an opportunity to now examine yourself with various questions, and exercises that can only do one thing and that is encourage you to take charge of your life.

Although I could go and on about my favorites, I think words would be well spent if you get the book yourself and enjoy a magnificent collection of her writings, poems, reflections, and inspirations, that I know will do more then "encourage, enlighten, and empower" but will bring a humble "amen" "wow" and "thank you" to Anfra for sharing her spirituality and inspiration with us. You will truly enjoy this book and will want to keep it nearby for those pick me up days. I give it a rating of 5.

Reviewed by Kalaani

This book really engrossed me. I don't know the first thing about skating, and I'm a mediocre runner at best, but I'm an avid armchair traveller, and I loved hearing about what the author went through. It was a nice structure for the book to see her grow up and go from young skater to disillusioned older skater to fulfilled triathelete. Good job! Can't wait to read the next one!

An absolutely amazing story of a strong athletic girl with amazing talent forced to weaken herself in the name of show. Here we have a beautiful, very talented figure skater with--gasp--muscles of all things! Not anything like a female body builder or such, but a beautiful streamlined athleticism that anyone would envy. Unfortunately, in order to skate professionally, she was forced to lose her muscles, her strength, and dignity as a athlete in order to fit into the preconceived notions that female ice 'professionals' should look like pre-pubescent sticks on skates, pretty much by starving themselves..and to match a specific weight far too low for the performers. Nevertheless, our heroine (with the help of 'Captain Graceful') overcomes the inconceivable tortures that her mind and body had to overcome to become one of the strongest female athletes today. This behind the scenes look at the beautiful/ugly world of professional skating is an absolute must for those who skate, or parents of little girls wishing to fulfill the ice princess dream. Only Kathryn Bertine could tell such a horrowing story, while keeping you laughing. Thank you, Ms. Bertine, for sharing this with us!

Delving into more than just figure skating, All the Sundays Yet to Come poignantly portrays the story of a woman coming to terms with her inner demons as she discovers the type of person she wants to be. Her story demonstrates that things are not as great as they seem when she is accepted into a professional skating tour, her childhood dream. Skaters are not judged by their ability, but rather by their looks. Ms. Bertine's height and muscular build are looked down upon, which spurs her into the dark depths of eating disorders and low self-esteem. She carries you from a world of despair and unhappiness into a world of self-fulfillment and happiness. Anyone who has had a mental disorder of any kind can easily relate to her struggle, and can experience hope for themselves by witnessing her triumphant recovery. Her writing is mixed charmingly with a unique humor as she pokes fun at herself as well as life, keeping the story from becoming too dark. Ms. Bertine shows you that even when one dream dies, another comes to life, and a fulfilling existence is always within reach. Considering her successes in writing and triathalons since her professional skating career, she has made a very wonderful life for herself.

Kathryn Bertine's book about life as a professional ice skater is both humorous and heartbreaking. Written in an engaging style that makes you feel like she's sitting across the table from you, sharing a cup of coffee, and giving you the inside scoop on the world of ice skating, ALL THE SUNDAYS YET TO COME, is an honestly written memoir that strips the sugar-coating from a sport that appears to be all beauty and grace and sequins and spandex--and allows us to glimpse how it can be ugly...the constant weigh-ins that force healthy young women to starve themselves so they can look like stick figures, the behind-the-scenes addictions to drugs and sex, the physical violence that happens between couples and is ignored by management. Ms. Bertine doesn't hold back, allowing us to see the beauty and the ugliness, even as she struggles with her own self-esteem which is stripped away by management and their weekly weigh-ins. You'll laugh and you'll cry as you read this amazing book--and you'll never look at the sport of figure skating in the same way you did before.

I enjoy good sports writing, but I never thought I would be reading a sports book about skating. However, I have been reading Kathryn Bertine's blogs posted on espn.com about her attempts at making the olympics, and I enjoyed her humorous, somewhat self deprecating style, so I figured I'd check out her book. I was glad to find her book was just as well written, and an interesting read (especially considering I knew virtually nothing about the subject beforehand). I would reccomend it.

I read this book because I liked the first one enough to want to know more. Abby is an intriguing character and her being a psychic gives the whole mystery novel thing a good twist but this book was just kind of boring.
I was hoping for Abby to become more dimensional in this book. For Laurie to explore the character, but Abby didn't grow at all in this book and for a 30 something year old she seemed immature. The story line was also kind of passe, the first book was all about Abby and Dutch ( a detective she fell for) and their tango into love but at the beginning of this book you learn that Dutch is going to be MIA for most of the book and even when he is present all you want to do is hit him. And then two story lines are weaved together (not too convincingly) for a predictable but way too contrived ending. And Abby seems to have varying levels of psychic abilities throughout the book. I get that sometimes a psychic is on and sometimes they aren't but the differences in her abilities seemed a bit too extreme for that excuse.

However, I do still like the idea of the character and I can see potential in the writer. The skills need to be honed and the style needs to be a bit cleaner but in the future I might give one of her stories a read again.

I would pass on this book... Give the third one a try maybe, I've heard that Abby starts to round out at some point.

Better Read Than Dead is book 2 in the Psychic Eye series by Victoria Laurie. I pretty much think of this story as "When Everything Goes Kablooey."

In this book, Abby ends up catching the attention of a mob boss, and although she tries to turn down his request to read for him...well, we all know how well saying no to mafia can go. Let's add to that a case she's helping the police investigate, plus a peppering of issues with her dolt of a boyfriend, Dutch, and we have ourselves Abby's blender of a life on a setting of puree.

I really felt for this character's hell in this story. Her realities tapped into a few of my own fears, which made it more tense to read. After reading this, I'm no longer much of a fan for Dutch. I'll be curious to see in future books whether or not he adequately redeems himself. I'm really not so sure though...being embarrassed about Abby's career choice is a mighty big hurdle. I also really don't care for Kendell...sheesh...there's one she could do without.

On the new age side of things, I found it interesting to read Kendell's explanation of how to read tarot cards and what the symbolism means. I was surprised when he explained that pentacles represent winter. Interesting. Sure, sometimes your intuition tells you something different than the symbolism in the card depicts, but if that his explanation is the case then why do most decks I've worked with use more Fall-like imagery for that suit. It was with way with all the suits, really. But then I have to remind myself that this is fiction....

However, I did enjoy it when Cat tried to read tarot cards by memorizing a book on them. You know the sort...the Death card always means somebody's gonna die type. My oh my oh my.

Overall I enjoyed this story. Great tense moments, albeit over-the-top moments sometimes too. Most of all, I just like Abby and am enjoying reading about her a lot. :)

Better Read than Dead is an incredible read. Somehow while reading Victoria Laurie's novels I am sucked into another world where I block out everything else until I finish the book in one day.

Abby finds herself yet again caught up in another mystery. While a rapist is prowling her streets, Milo has asked her to help the police out in trying to track him down while her boyfriend, Dutch is working a case for the FBI. But then while helping a friend out with a wedding gig, she discovers that it is a mafia wedding and they leave early angering the father of the bride. Big Mistake!

Now the the father harrasses Abby until she agrees to work a case for him. He wants to find his wife that he beleives to have disappeared 20 years ago, but Abby discovers otherwise. Then peices of the puzzle start to connect, she discovers the case that Dutch is working on connects to hers and that rapist is also connected to the mafia. Once again Abby's life is put into danger and you have to read page after page to find out how she will get herself out of this mess.

Overall a terrific read like all of Laurie's books!!

Although I enjoy this series and will probably continue to buy the books, I can't help thinking that Abby is incredibly immature. The whole scene with Dutch's new partner was straight out of junior high. And this continues into the next books. As soon as someone tells Abby not to do something, she goes out and does it just to spite them, even if it means putting herself in danger. At 30 something, I would think she'd be a little more grown up. Also, Cat is just plain annoying.

I'm sorry. I hate to disparage anything, but I would enjoy this series a great deal more if Abby could mature a little.

This was a somewhat entertaining read. However I couldn't really get into it because I was unable to suspend my disbelief while I read the story. *spoiler*
For example, the mob was portrayed as being brutal, but rather stupid. Like why wasn't someone tailing Abby when she went to find the Boss's wife? If they really wanted Abby's cooperation, all they had to do was threaten Abby's sister.

Then the FBI assigns Dutch on a sting operation against a mob family that is based out of the same city where Dutch was a police officer. Oh what brilliance! Like the FBI hasn't heard of a mob family having police officers on the take...

Also, the way Abby orchestrated the conclusion was way over the top, and it should have resulted in the mob killing her the next day.

I won't be reading any more books by this author.