Women Books

Well written, with really interesting vignettes of Eleanor's life. I found this to be one of the most (personally) motivational books I've read in a long time. It's a story of overcoming the odds, and bucking the social norms of her day, to voice her passion for particular social issues. I also appreciated the tie-in to current leadership theory and thinking...with great examples of her approach to people and problems.

This is the only nonfiction book I've ever read and completed voluntarily. In fact it is the only "self-help" book...which I think it fits in that category...that I have read past the first chapter. It is extremely compellingly written. I don't know whether it's the subject matter, or Dr. Gerber's style, but I started the book on an airplane, and was unable to put it down. It is for sure the only nonfiction book I have ever read that made me cry. Dr. Gerber makes points about leadership..what makes good leaders, the special role that women have in nuturing families, and how that is completely unrecognized in our society as having any value in preparring women for professional positions...how the simple concept of having passion for the cause you are leading is essential for effective leadership.....she makes these points in a deceptively casual conversational manner where you don't feel like she's teaching you, but in the end you realize you have learned a great deal...about life, about leading, and about yourself. Where I cried was where she said you have to be authentic in what you are leading.....meaning (I think) that you have to BELIEVE in it, which is different from having passion. Such a simple concept, but so true. How many leaders do you see, that truly believe in what they are doing? vs how many chairmen of departments do you see that appear to be there for the accrutriments?
This book literally changed my life. sounds ridiculous, but it did. Made me do a LOT of soulsearching.
I urge anyone, male or female, wondering whether you are leading as effectively as you can, or wondering whether you should be taking on a leadership position, to read this.

After reading about Colin Powel's style, Bush's War and Guiliani's book on Leadership, it was a nice break to read about one of history's greatest first ladies--Eleanor Roosevelt. It also served as a checkpoint for myself to have a peek at the early 20th century and the beginnings of the UN in light of recent events. This book was written by Robin Gerber who is a senior scholar at the Academy of Leadership which is part of the University of Maryland. Not only a biography of Eleanor, it's also a how-to on leadership and includes side information about how other women implement Eleanor's style in their lives today.
Key Takeaways:
Give Voice to Your Leadership--ER did not start out a brilliant and inspiring public speaker, she had to practice at it. She eventually managed to be an effective communicator through both speech and her writing in columns. She held press conferences at the White House for women reporters only--she identified an audience she could reach and began speaking to them.
Embrace Risk--despite many folks including herself being unsure of her and her role, at Truman's request ER took on a role within the formation of the UN and went on to be a leading proponant of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She took this on shortly after the death of FDR--a time when she could have retired. Instead she started on a second life.
Never Stop Learning--this keeps coming up in the lives of leaders--they have an interest in the world and learning about it. ER traveled extensively in the latter part of her life and took a good deal of interest in learning about the world and the various cultures enhabiting it. She traveled throughout the middle east and India. She also used her columns, and speeches as a tool to educate others.

At 46, I found the book both affirming and inspiring. Ms. Gerber shows, through the life of the great ER, how painful life experiences can enhance both self awareness and empathy, and even more amazingly, how suffering a betrayal can be liberating. Her discussion on the special leadership skills developed through motherhood make clear the public interest in cultivating women leaders. The book is both a very accesible, good read and an effective step-by-step leadership guide.

At 46, I found the book both affirming and inspiring. Ms. Gerber shows, through the life of the great ER, how painful life experiences can enhance both self awareness and empathy, and even more amazingly, how suffering a betrayal can be liberating. Her discussion on the special leadership skills developed through motherhood make clear the public interest in cultivating women leaders. The book is both a very accesible, good read and an effective step-by-step leadership guide.

I normally don't read first person books, but I read this one, and am glad I did! Marthe Arends makes the characters come alive. I felt I was there among the suffragettes. The heroine was spunky and believable.

I am a great fan of Katie MacAlister and discovering that she also wrote under another name I discovered this out of print earlier novel. Cassandra Whitney is the charming and feisty heroine who has joined the suffrage movement to gain woman the freedom to vote. She is a die-hard feminist of her age and has landed herself in some pretty amusing (or would be, if not for the serious nature of the movement) circumstances that have landed her in jail. It was one of these situations that she would meet the explorer, Griffin St. John - brother of the Earl of Sherringham who was one of the staunchest opposers against the movement. While Griffin was not impressed with the suffrage movement - he was impressed with the lovely Cassandra Whitney. They would come into contact with one another on more than one occasion before their mutual attraction would be noticed and force a heinous plot placing them both in the thick of an intrigue of madness and greed.

The heroine is an interestingly feisty character who manages to get herself into quite a few messes but thanks to an unconventional childhood friend (one who taught her to plant `facers' and pick locks) she does quite well with extricating herself from some dangerous situations and nefarious plots. The story has its lighter moments as well as some cute romantic encounters (i.e. ...after a very passionate kiss she decided that she and Mr. St. Johns should definitely be on a first name basis) showing the more humorous side of the author that writes as Katie MacAlister. Griffin is not as finely drawn out as our heroine is and could have used a bit more background.

For the historical value as a chronicle of what these brave suffrage woman suffered for their ideals, I do applaud the author for writing about this area of history I only took for granted. While I am not in any way a feminist - I do value the freedoms that women in this day and age, and country enjoy and will recommend this book more for the historical aspect than for the romance. The romance was light and cute but not in anyway sensual or explicit in content. I did find it interesting and the mystery was tense and difficult to figure out until the very end. Bottom line - interesting and enjoyable.

The Lion's Shadow is that rare kind of book where you relish every sentence. Romance, mystery and historical background are perfectly balanced. Cassandra is a marvelous heroine - strong-willed and resourceful, with a unique touch of humor.

Arends' keen sense of pacing grips the reader from the first page, and ensures that he or she won't be able to set the book down (willingly, at any rate!) until the end.

Set against a beautifully detailed turn-of-the-century London, this romantic adventure is certain to captivate your attention, warm your heart, and tickle your funny bone.

I'll be re-reading 'The Lion's Shadow' for many years to come.

This is successful romance writer Katie Macalister's real first book, or is that successful Teen Lit writer Katie Maxwell's first book? Whatever...lol, they are both correct! And this early novel shows just what a talent she was from the start. It's a wickedly funny read (PSSSSSSSST!!!!!! I have heard it will be rewritten and release in the near future! So you might want to snatch a copy if you can just to compare her growth as a writer.)

At the turn of the century, when the women's demands for rights and the vote was just gathering steam, you meet Cassandra Whitney, beautiful, intelligent and with a mind of her own, to be sure. She is a sign-carrying rebel who is determined to carry the day. When she meets up with Helena St. Johns, she sees in her a friend and protégé. However, Cassandra soon finds out Helena's handsome and arrogant brother, Griffin, does not care for his sister being a militant woman's righter. Despite their being at loggerheads on this issue, attraction sizzles.

Katie, um...Marte brings alive this period with amazing detail, giving you the Ton, the tight strictures on the women, customs, fashions and the fermenting political crisis on the horizon. The intrigue that eventually pulls Griffin and Cassandra together, finding the two stubborn people at odds and in love, is just so brilliantly done!

It's not a period often addressed in Historical Romance, so I am very eagerly awaiting the brushed up presentation of the new and improved version!

This is a beautifully written and often moving memoir of a woman whose life and career spans several continents, intersects with history at many points, and settles in the profession of medicine in the Midwest, especially the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She was born in pre-Communist China to a foreign service officer in the national government of Chiang Kaishek; grew up in several Chinese cities and spent four childhood years in Cuba; barely escaped the Japanese invasion of Nanjing; and ended up attending college at Mount Holyoke, and medical school at the University of Michigan. After major stops in Detroit, Dublin, and Minneapolis, she landed at the Mayo Clinic, as a staff physician in rheumatology. The book is finely observed and carefully written from first to last, with detailed evocations especially of her childhood in China and Cuba, and as a teenager at the Blackstone School for Girls in Blackstone, Virginia in the segregated South in the early 1940's. (Once she was told by a bus driver to sit in the back of the bus. "But I'm not black, I'm Chinese," she said. After scrutinizing her, the bus driver relented and let her sit in the front.) Interwoven through these travels is the emotional biography of an exile finding a home in place after place, trying to make sense of new customs, new ideas, and new people each step of the way. Describing her studies of Christianity, Buddhism, Tai Chi and Yoga in book's last chapters, the author shows how adventurous travel can cross not only geographical but spiritual boundaries.

Living Medicine by Victoria Beckett is not only informative and inspiring, but an entertaining and fun read. In it she demonstrates that her desire and passion to succeed as a physician and healer can be achieved regardless of the difficulties and setbacks life sometimes throws at us. A very enjoyable book.

Living Medicine is a beautifully written story that exemplifies the passion Dr. Beckett had for her career as a physician and for the Mayo Clinic, one of the world's finest medical institutions. It is also a story of courage and inspiration. Dr. Beckett overcomes many tragedies, but yet continually exercises her mind and body in pursuit of new opportunities and adventures.

LIVING MEDICINE: Memoir Snapshots by Vicky Beckett, M.D. is the story of a remarkable intellectual Chinese woman whose capacity to overcome family tragedies reveals an indomitable courage. It is the charming account of a girl, born and raised in a landlord family, who, after immigrating to the United States, sought and achieved excellence in clinical medicine.

What a find! Nearly the whole history of twentieth century relations between China and the USA encapsulated in the story of the life of a Chinese-American woman doctor at the matchless Mayo Clinic. Her fine character pays homage to the efforts of the Protestant missionaries who were so active in China before the Communists took over. Her earnest goodness shines through her writing as she meets struggle and tragedy and ultimate mastery of life. Her devotion to medicine is an inspiration. Highly recommended.

This is probably one of the best lesbian characters ever written. The problem is we haven't had a Micky Knight fix in years. Where oh where are you JM??....Please give us more Micky Knight and Cordelia!!!

I have all of the Mickey Knight series and i am hungry for more. As an avid reader of true crime, authors like Ann Rule, Roy Hazelwood etc, i was surprised at how well written these books were. I couldnt put them down.
Come on Ms Redman when is the next one coming out ???
Mickey Knight is brilliant. The storyline typical of the deep south and its age old mystery and the book seems to drag you willingly into the depths of its darkened corridors. The women appear real, not wishy washy like most lesbian heroines. The plot seems to easily weave its way through the book yet it keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see just what is about to happen next. I have spent many a sleepless night reading these books. I just couldnt put them down once i started reading them. Oh for the tardis to take me to New orleans.

I only recently discovered Micky and have devoured all 4 novels over a span of 3 weeks. I adore hard-nosed Micky with all her foibles and weaknesses. Add to that an amazing cast of characters and you can't go wrong with this book or any of the previously published in the series. I recommend them all! I only pray that Ms Redmann keeps churning out more Micky Knight adventures. I, for one, am hooked! Bravo!

Finally this book is back in print. I read a friend's hardback copy, thinking the paperback would be out in a year or two. That was over five years ago. I was introduced to Micky Knight when
I picked up a mass market copy of THE INTERSECTION OF LAW AND DESIRE about ten years ago and looked for more books. Since the first two books were out of print, I waited for the next book in the series.
This excellent book about mothers and daughters kept me reading until my eyes wouldn't stay open. I finished it the following morning. Micky Knight has been described as "hard-boiled" by some reviewers, but I think that tough-veneered is a better description. In fact, she is extremely vulnerable. what I like most about Micky is that she doesn't just tackle ordinary crimes and shoot people and kick butt. Yes she does shoot a time or two, but it is usually not an easy thing for her and is almost always in self-defense and when she kicks butt, she doesn't bother to take names. Without giving away the plot, let me say this book is about daughters looking for their mothers -- including Micky.
Redmann writes complex plots and well-developed characters. There is a cast of friends beginning with Micky's lover Cordelia, and her ex-lover assistant DA Danielle Clayton (and her life-partner, Elly) Police Sargent Joanne Ranson and her life-partner Alex, Micky's cousin drag-queen Torbin and his life-mate Andy. We were introduced to them in the first of four mysteries and we learn a little more about them as the series progresses. There are some less likeable recurring characters, especially Micky's Aunt Greta and her despised cousin Bayard.
Micky Knight is a complex, usually likeable woman who cares deeply about others. If you haven't already read this book,do so. And read the three other Micky Knight books.

and it's a crying shame that they are not kept affordably in print--for one thing, it deprives Redmann of some very well earned revenue. In many ways, this 4th installment of Micky's adventures reads like the natural conclusion to the cycle of investigations opened by the first volume in the series, when we were introduced to a tough and beautiful lesbian babe-magnet with a smart mouth and endless compassion for those in trouble. She's physical (and even promiscuous--but the series is about how she gets tamed), she's achingly vulnerable, she's noble, she's got demons. Only in Lost Daughters do we meet her settled into a proper relationship, so the angst quotient is considerably lower than in the other books. Still, the conclusion to her search for her mother is unbelievably touching, and handled with just the right measure of reserve. Much as I'd love to see more of her, I wonder whether Redmann (whose website, ominously, appears to have vanished from cyberspace) is finished with her adventures. If she is, I just pray that she has another heroine in reserve for us to cheer on. Like the Meg Darcy books, with their lovingly depicted St. Louis locales, the Mickey Knight stories set us in a believable New Orleans, with its social strata, its weather, its flavors and smells.

This book is Biblically sound and has great applications for daily life whether you are young or old, married or single. It's vital for women to understand how significant they are in God's eyes, and what better way to find that out than to see how He works in the lives of women from Eve to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and beyond to the Biblical account of Paul's interactions with the women of Philippi. Discover how a woman like Tamar could be called righteous! Men also need to understand this book's message. Christian husbands and all men, especially those in church leadership, will gain much by understanding God's multifaceted roles for women.

I lead a women's bible study for 20 women. Lost Women of the Bible is a wonderful study filled with thought provoking ideas and questions for reflection. After every chapter we enjoy vibrant discussions of the study and the women in it. It has given us a new perspective on the role God has set forth for us.

This is an absolutely wonderful encouraging book for anyone. Women, to enhance their christian walk and men to see what the womens walk is & was!!!

Carolyn Custis James' book offers hope to women who don't fit the traditional Christian woman mould (wife and mother and support to husband's ministry). She herself found that marriage and motherhood came very late and consequently she wrestled with her position and value within the church as a single woman; but these are not modern problems, she found many examples in the Bible of women who couldn't fit into those roles and yet had great value.

The author features women from both Old and New Testaments - Eve, Mrs Noah, Sarah, Hagar, Tamar, Hannah, Esther, Mary of Nazareth, Mary Magdalene and the women of Philippi - who have different stories of their contribution to God's plans. These stories also show the failures of the women as well as their successes and some, such as Tamar, are partially rehabilitated through a fresh look at the story. Many of these women struggled against cultural situations that are no longer relevant to our Western society and yet the underlying themes were all valid.

The book is well-written in a light and readable style with good scholarship underlying the historical settings. Each chapter has a study guide at the end so I imagine this book might work well for a women's group. The overall conclusion of so many of these stories is that women don't have to just be meek, mild, pure homemakers but can be strong warriors for God alongside their husbands, if they have them, or on their own. Definitely an encouraging read for any women who want to make a difference for God.

Having been a feminist Evangelical Christian for many years (yes, such creatures do exist!), I've read plenty of books on women and the Bible, women in the Bible, and what the Bible says about women. Having had a long break on this subject, I decided to jump back in with this book.

One of the greatest strengths of this book is the author's look at a variety of women and attempting to flesh out their lives. I appreciate her perspective as someone who truly longed to have her life fit the traditional wife and mother role, yet found herself disappointed and confused when that didn't happen. Although my personal path has been different -- I'm ambivalent on the idea of perhaps someday having a husband and kids (and having worked with kids for a few years I find myself even more convinced that they're great for awhile, but then I'm ready to send them home); this was in fact one of the reasons I became a feminist (I got so frustrated with people telling me that I must LONG to be married and have kids when I did not in fact have this desire, and felt God calling me in other directions, at least for the time being) -- I could appreciate the hard questions she asked herself. Furthermore, I appreciated some of her responses. Throughout history, countless women have ended up living their whole lives without ever becoming a wife or mother. Some longed to but never received that joy; others felt no particular interest or knew they were called in other directions. Many of those women were genuine Christians trying to follow God. Logically, if these two paths were God's only calling for women, why did some never get that chance? And why were many of the women who never did get the chance still considered holy followers of God?

I also enjoyed the women she looked at. Some of the women -- Sarah, Esther, and the two Marys, among others -- are frequently written about or discussed. Others get more scant mention. I think my favorite chapter was about Hagar. I have long loved her, and loved the way that God turned His gaze towards a lowly slave considered just property by her owners. The chapter on Tamar was also good, although a part of me was a bit surprised. I hadn't heard many comments about her, and although at one point in time I had thought she hadn't acted well I eventually came to the conclusion that she was acting in the most righteous way she could see (note that she doesn't pretend to be a prostitute until years of waiting have shown her she has no other option, and she doesn't linger to find a few more customers just in case she didn't get pregnant from Judah; she very deliberately enticed one of two men -- the other being Judah's third son -- that was legally required to provide what she had to get by tricking him). It surprised me to hear that Tamar had such a bad reputation in many Christian circles. Be that as it may, I felt like the author did a good job of drawing out the specific circumstances in her life and pointing out that although her exact methods might no longer be appropriate, her desires and ultimate motives do provide a positive example.

I only had one major criticism of the book (well, two, but the second is merely a matter of personal taste). Much of her fleshing out of the biblical characters came from logical consideration of both the text and of the way that humans usually act. None of her conclusions and guesses were far-fetched. Sometimes, however, she forgot that they were guesses and called them facts. For example, she wrote that "Hannah always felt the enormity of her sacrifice, as any mother would." Or about Mary Magdalene that, "Mary wasn't seeking Jesus.... Mary was a demoniac... [who] wanted Jesus to go away." Or that, "No matter what happened afterward [i.e., after the Crucifixion], Mary never erased those horrifying images from her memory." Now, none of these surmises are false; in fact, I'm guessing they're true. Hannah undoubtedly felt Samuel's loss all her life. As the author points out, demoniacs in the Bible never sought Jesus out, and Mary probably didn't either. And I can't imagine being able to forget seeing one of your dearest friends tortured as Jesus was. None of these are bad assumptions. Assumptions, however, is the correct name for them. Had the author been more careful about this I would have been happier with the book (this is the reason for the 4 stars).

The other detail that I wished were changed was the women she dealt with. I had no problems with the ones she picked; I just wish she would have picked more! (this is probably a good sign about the quality of the book) As I read it, I kept making a list of other women I would like to have her include in "Lost Women of the Bible II". Some of them included: Rebeckah (sp?), Leah, Rachel, Dinah, the two Hebrew midwives, Miriam, Rahab, the murdered concumbine from Judges (along with Lot's daughters, actually; they could have their own chapter), Deborah (how could she have left out DEBORAH???), Abigail, Bathsheba, Priscilla, Tabitha/Dorcas, the woman at the well, and so on. I would even have liked a look at some of the REAL "bad girls" such as Delilah, Jezebel, or Israel's one reigning queen (Athaliah, I think); a look at their lives, their strengths, and how they used those strengths in sinful ways not intended by God (plus a look at the ways they've been used throughout the ages against women, and any positive lessons we can learn from them) would be interesting reading.

In general, I would highly recommend this book (I was spending most of my reading trying to figure out which friend I was going to loan it to first). It gives cause for thoughtful contemplation of women in the Bible, and what it means to be both a woman following her true God-given calling (which may include marriage and children, both good things given as gifts by God, but may not) and a man encouraging and being encouraged by women doing these things.

This second-hand copy of "The Madness of a Seduced Woman" sat on my book shelf for a number of years before I finally pulled it out. After looking at the cover I thought to myself that it really didn't appear to be the style of book I usually enjoy and considered tossing it or trading it back in for something else. However, hating to give up on any book, I decided to read a few pages and give it a chance. What a great decision that was! I was drawn into the story of Agnes Dempster, her unusual family, and her tragic love story, from the first beautifully written page to the very last. From her unhappy childhood, her turbulent and violent youth, her sad journey through depression and mental illness, to her somewhat calmer and more stable maturity, you will travel with Agnes from birth to the grave and she is someone you will not soon forget.

This is a book to be treasured and will remain in my personal library along with other all-time favorites such as "Gone With the Wind" and "How Green was My Valley." I'm now planning on reading "Anya" by the same author with the hope that it will come somewhere close to the perfection of this one.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If ten stars were available in the rating system it would certainly deserve every one of them.

"The Madness of a Seduced Woman" is the story of Agnes Dempster, who enters life with a strong legacy from either side of her family. From her father's side she has inherited wealth and from her mother's, beauty, yet people in each of her parents' families have exhibited mental instability in recent generations. As with her mother and grandmother before her, Agnes' dissatisfaction with life leads her to believe that there must be something more for her if she can leave her home town and escape the influence of her family. After the death of her grandmother, Agnes leaves her family's farm at the young age of 16 to live and work in a nearby city.

Agnes meets Frank Holt, a young stonecutter who lives in the same boarding house as her, and they begin a relationship. In her naiveté and immaturity, Agnes believes Frank to be all that she has been looking for in her search for a meaningful life. Their romance begins normally, but over the course of time is tested by a series of difficulties and Agnes' increasing dependence on and obsession with Frank. When Frank realizes that he cannot love Agnes in the same, all-encompassing way in which she loves him, he begins to cool off the relationship. This leads Agnes to a decision that will affect her and those around her for the rest of their lives.

This is one of my favorite S.F. Schaeffer books, even though it is a very dark one. This is definitely not a light read for the beach, and the description of a home abortion is not for you if you are at all squeamish. What the book does is capture what I like about Susan Fromberg Schaeffer's writing - her ability to transport the reader into the times and places of her stories. I am also impressed by the timelessness of the subject - obsessive desire is something very common to hear and read about, but the twist to "The Madness... " is the period in which it takes place (the 1890's). This book is a study on all that can go wrong with life if one is dependent on others and their happiness in order to feel fulfillment themselves.

This book is my absolute favorite and I've read it several times. It is the story of how an extremely beautiful woman's obsession takes hold, grows, and eventually takes over her life.
The story follows Agnes Dempster through her late teens, early twenties as she discovers men and relationships. Her first relationship is with the perfect "nice" man who completely falls for her. She had to work so hard for her father's love that she feels any love easily given isn't worth it,s o she quickly becomes tired of his doting. Suddenly the untouchable man, the one our mother's warned us about, seems to reach out to her and she completely falls for him and, it would seem, vice versa.
This dark, heartbreaking story is so intense, so real, so incredibly moving that at one point I had to put the book aside to wipe my tears. At another point I found myself holding my breath. I could feel her obsession growing while knowing that he was using her and leading her on, and yet, Agnes is still drawn to him. He repeatedly gave her just enough attention to draw her in and give her reason to believe; and then he was gone again.
This protrayal of obsession was so intricate and detailed that the web was spun around me as I read what seemed to be a love story. The abortion is so real that I felt her pain and shame, yet understood her sense of duty. The field scene at the end is so well described that I feel like I was there. The court scene is so well written that I found myself gripping the book tightly.
This book is for every woman who has ever loved and lost or loved and obsessed or loved and borderline obsessed, and I think that covers every woman alive. We've all been there.

This author does a fabulous job of conveying the main character's madness in a way that comes across as a dream sequence. One seldom finds an author who can write a well-rounded story that truly involves the reader. By the end of the book, Agnes comes shining through -- with all her shortcomings. Read this book! "...a woman scorned..."

This is a novel that springs from an amazing imagination. It is as if the author tapped into a dream vision of Agnes to creat a haunting and memorable charcter in an ethralling narrative. The story is gothic in its imagry, and brings the reader deep into the spooky farm country of New England, and enchants us with a kind of psychological mystery. There are some flaws, though- because this book obviously stems from the author's fantasy, rather than real life experience, there are obvious inconsitencies. For instance,the novel purports to describe a rich farming family, but at one point the narrative asserts that girls in the family were out working in the field as soon as they were old enough. I don't think the daughters of the area's most wealthy family would be "working in the fields." Also, there are weird little problems like descriptions of apple blossoms... in the wrong season. If you can swallow the little editing problems,this is a wonerful and entertaining read.

This was a great story. There were so much information about that period of time. The book was very well done. A must read for anyone.

I have read many of Mrs. Blackwell books. As with all of the others, this one is hard to put down! I can't wait for the next one!

Too often, so many Christian novels seem to become simply retellings of the same "girl meets boy" story. However Lawana Blackwell has delivered a unique and beautiful story that is unlike any other I've read. It is set in Victorian England, a rare setting you don't see often in Christian fiction. Her cast of characters, ranging from the "upstairs" gentry to the "downstairs" staff could easily become nondescript, but instead Miss Blackwell gives them interesting, smaller stories that intertwine with the main character Sarah's own. Next, the true "romance" part does not come in until Sarah is of age. I enjoyed not being knocked over the head with romance in the beginning and being allowed to experience growing with Sarah as she is brought suddenly into opulence and learning to grow in her new surroundings. Only after she comes of age does the romantic story set in, and then it it's very sweet because you have grown with the characters and can root for Sarah and her future beau to get together since the reader knows them by now. If you want a change of pace from the typical, I highly recommend this book!

I really enjoyed this book. It reveals some injustices and hypocracies of Victorian society. People were shunned or kept at a distance because of their birth, religion, social standing or, as in Sarah's case, physical appearance. I wanted to strangle Mrs. Blake's snooty friends and Mrs. Blake too, at times, for her own snobbery. A very winning scene is that in which Sarah reproaches her guardian for her anti-Semitic views. Prejudice works two ways in this book; as another viewer stated, people automatically assume Ethan Knight (his name is very ironic) is a good man because he is going to take holy orders. This book encourages looking beyond the surface and getting to know people and accept them in spite of their background and mistakes,

I deduct one star because of a personal pet peeve. I didn't like Blackwell's characterization of Sarah's natural mother. Since I don't want to spoil things by revealing too much, you will have to read the book. I thought Sarah deserved better.

I bought this book because someone told me that Lawana Blackwell is a great author of inspirational/historical novels. Judging by The Maiden of Mayfair, I'd say my friend is right on the money. The Maiden of Mayfair is the first book in a Victorian series called Tales of London and it tells the story of a little orphan girl with a deformed hand and her sudden move from a seedy orphanage to a prestigious house in the Mayfair district. Dorothea Blake wants to mend her past mistakes by becoming her late son's daughter's guardian. Sarah is the product of her rogue son's indiscretion with a scullery maid. The woman was forced to abandon the baby in front of a church. Dorothea takes her in when she is thirteen and has no idea what to make of the girl at first, but it doesn't take much time to grow to love her. It matters little to her if the people in society shun her for taking in a grandchild who was born out of wedlock. The happiness that she gains with the presence of her granddaughter makes up for everything. However, there are secrets and deceptions that will come to light as the story progresses, things that could jeopardize Sarah's stability and happiness in her new home. There are various twists throughout the novel.

This is one of the most beautiful inspirational novels I have read. I love this story and the heartwarming and palatable way it's developed. And I love the characters! Naomi, Sarah, William, Stanley, Marie, Daniel and Dorothea are such wonderful, three-dimensional characters with flaws as well as virtues and I loved the warmth and familiarity between all of them. The servants are treated as family and you can feel the love come out of the pages. I wish I could read more about these characters, but I think the next installment will focus on a completely different story with its own characters. Ah, well. One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel is the subplot centered on the curator Ethan and his corrupt, conning ways. I like how everyone assumes he is a good man because he is training to become a vicar. What a realistic storyline! I loved the whole story and I couldn't put this book down. Lawana Blackwell is a wonderful storyteller and I look forward to reading more of her inspirational historicals. In the meantime, I recommend The Maiden of Mayfair and I cannot wait to give Catherine's Heart, the second book in the Tales of London series a whirl.

This book is a safe place. As I began reading, the author was immediately a friend who understood and spoke the language of my heart. You, too, will find acceptance regardless of your life experiences - past, present, or still to come - and hope brimming over the pages of this book. In thirty days, you will feel re-hydrated, like one of my houseplants when I finally remember to water it and it springs back to robust health. As I read, I became more and more thirsty for the Living Water Virelle doled out each day - and I had not realized I was parched! You will love Virelle's sit-across-the-kitchen-table writing style. Finally, you can have a personal life coach for only $13.99 - she's an incredible bargain! I can't wait to come back to the book in a few months and read it again to re-water my soul.

When an exhausted girlfriend took Virelle Kidder's book to bed for a day of refreshment, coming away with raving reviews, I decided to do the same. I would be "Queen for a Day." Ha! It became abundantly clear that this book wasn't the typical, fluffy devotional, that are a dime a dozen in the bookstores. No, this was authentic, powerful, and life-changing. Deep, yet I found myself laughing out loud at times, along with the transparent sharing of Kidder. By the way, Kidder isn't just any author. She's earned her stripes as an effective communicator--former host of her own radio show in NY, a convention speaker to thousands of women, an author. My plan for staying in bed to read the whole book got interrupted by the realities of life, but I was hooked, like an addict. I must confess I have carried this little book with me, sneaking in ten minutes here, ten minutes there, to read a chapter. You'll get hooked too...I promise. It would also be a great gift for anyone who is hurting, anyone who is great at taking care of everyone in the world except themselves, and workaholics like me, who can't spend a whole day in bed.

This book came to me at just the right time. I felt like I was about to smother and I was wearing so many hats in tending to my family. I felt hopeless and everything was so out of control with one in the nursing home, one dying, one recently died, trying to enjoy grandchildren and help with them some, be a decent mother (even if my daughter is grown), somewhat of a so-so wife, and deal with a chronic illness myself!

I heard the author on the radio one day talking about her book and it was like she wrote it just for me! After listening to her for a bit, I realized she wrote it from her own hectic situation. It was good for me to know that there are so many of us out there trying to do the same thing.

Anyway, I love this book. I have given it as a gift to others in hopes they will gain a blessing as I did.

This book was recommended to me by a friend who knew that I did not particularly enjoy reading devotional material - I am glad that I listened to her. The reader is touched emotionally as Mrs. Kidder uses Scripture to discribe challenging days in her own life - she is transparent and thoughtful. Easy and enjoyable to read. Not "preachy." For anyone who is facing struggles in life - and needing a soothing lesson from Scripture.

This review was written by my wife, Shirley Murphey:

Virelle Kidder's book Meet Me at the Well is a must read for women. She is honest about every part of her life, admitting to bouts of depression, doubts, and extreme stress; yet as we identify ourselves with her problems, she lovingly leads us to Christ, the living water of life.

The illustrations are written from a woman's point of view, but spiritually thirsty men will also enjoy a drink at the well.

Virelle admits to "down" times in her daily walk with the Lord, but as she has been lifted to higher places she carries readers with her to "up" times when the walk changes to a happy skip. She offers Scripture passages for spiritual uplifting in a daily section titled "Living Water."

After quenching our thirst, we're encouraged to do something tangible: write in a journal; share the experience with a group of friends; search our hearts for needed changes; make an encouraging phone call; write out a prayer of commitment; or even just spend a few minutes resting and relaxing.

Although the book is written as a devotional guide to be read and acted on each day in a month, I found that some chapters kept me enthralled for two or three days, not because of lack of time to read, but the need to reread meaningful passages and let the deep waters drench my special thirst.

MENOPAUSE PINK offers wisdom and inspiration to those of us who are going through perimenopause or menopause itself. It is nice to hear the good things that happen and not just the bad. During this time of life when physical and mental discomforts seem to take over our lives it is helpful to have books like this one to give us hope and realize we are not alone.

My personal favorite is the story by the 85 year old man about what he would do if he had a second chance at life.

Menopause Pink is a book of chuckling aphorisms, cartoons, quotes & stories by & about women passing through the time of their lives & coming out the other end happier, funnier & full of wisdom, vim & vigor!

Terri Malucci's message is timely, lighthearted & heart felt - menopause can be a new beginning. Her visions, candor & humor along with those of many other women, are much needed now so let them lead you laughing on your latest journey of self discovery.

An amusing & thoughtful gift to give your friends when they make the Big 50!

Terri Malucci lends a refreshing humor to the subject of menopause. Laughing at the experiences related in this book will make it easier to laugh at yourself.

It makes a great gift for the friend who is reaching that time of life!

Terri Malucci was unable to find any book about menopause that would help her feel optimistic about entering middle age. During her search she did find clinical data describing the health issues involved with menopause, often focused on health risks, disease, physical deterioration, and the downside of being menopausal. After talking with her mother, grandmother, friends and strangers about their menopausal experiences, she wrote her own book about being in "The Change Of Life". Menopause Pink is the perfect, optimistic, even inspiring introduction to the menopausal experience and highly recommended reading for all women who are anticipating menopause, entering menopause, menopausal -- and their husbands who love them.

What a wonderful book it is. It has really given me great insight into the problems of menopause and the wonderful way that the women in our (men's) lives handle this chemical change in their bodies. I laughed and cried while reading it, and I suspect there are other men who did the same. There may be two important times in a woman's life: birth and menopause, and this book really went a long way towards helping me understand the latter.

I have seen her website and think that it truly expresses the beauty and humor of her book.

Great job!

The fifth graders had just come back from their tour of the middle school they will be attending next year when I asked for volunteers to read this book. The book was a hit with the girls, although the a few boys read it because of the format. The girls wanted to hear about middle school...the joys and the sorrows. The coverage of the different topics: dad killed by drunk driver, single parent mom, rebellious older brother, kind grampa, and mom getting remarried, interested the readers at different levels. The girls were particularly excited about the format....little text but a lot of information. Good book for light reading. Good book to use when talking about and experimenting with differing formats.

I purchased this book for my 5th grade sister who abhors reading. She fights any book any tries to place in front of her. I first heard about this book at a Young Adult Literature Conference for teachers and librarians. It sounded interesting, so I purchased it from Amazon and had it shipped to my sister. She loved the book! She shared it with her teacher and class, too. I highly recommend this book for middle school reluctant readers. It's full of pictures and graphics to help hold the attention of all readers.

This just in: Middle school is HARD. It's bad enough that you have to deal with changing classrooms, let alone changing for P.E. in the locker room in front of classmates. You have to navigate your way between classes and through the cafeteria without losing your cool or your lunch. You have more schoolwork and homework to do than you did in elementary school. Your moods may suddenly shift, and your friends, siblings, and parents might suddenly seem like foreign life forms.

Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm, with artwork and illustrations by Elicia Castaldi, is a unique look at one girl's seventh grade experience. It relays all of the fears and concerns of a typical middle school student, but in a very cool format. It really is told through Ginny's stuff: her to-do lists (she likes scratching out tasks as she completes them), her tests and essays, notes to and from her mom, her grandfather, and her teachers, her older brother's hand-drawn comics, even her report cards and bank statements (she makes money baby-sitting, then spends it and ends up with the same balance every month).

The concept is executed wonderfully. Holm and Castaldi have given Ginny a definite life and personality, just through her stuff. Castaldi's artwork is beautiful. News clippings, greetings cards, and store receipts all look authentic. It brought to mind The Baby-Sitters Club Chain Letter book from many years ago. Though the BSC book actually had letters you could unfold, cards you could open, and other trinkets readers could keep, I liked that Middle School was all right here on the page, so nothing could get torn or out of place.

Every single thing written, drawn, or otherwise included on the page is a part of the story. When Ginny dyes her hair against her mom's wishes, we see the receipt from the store where she bought the dye and other items, then the receipt from the hair salon where Ginny's mother takes her to fix her hair. When her mother remarries, a newspaper clipping describes the affair. When Ginny's older brother gets in trouble, he draws her comic strips to show what he did and to express his remorse. The comics are rendered by Holm's real-life brother, Matthew, who also works with her on the fun graphic novel series Babymouse.

A complete story is told here, just through one girl's stuff. Not only is this contemporary and appealing to kids currently in middle school, but it won't feel dated in five years because it is based on fairly timeless themes. It's not about having stuff - meaning it's not about the desire to have material items - but rather it's what your stuff says about you.

If you haven't seen this book, please go find it. Get Holm's previous works while you're at it!

Jennifer L. Holm's MIDDLE SCHOOL IS WORSE THAN MEATLOAF is an exceptionally fun book for middle school readers and tells of Ginny, who has ten items on her to-do list for seventh grade. Unfortunately she keeps getting in trouble - none of which is on her list - and her fun story is told in a series of color facing pages of notes and experiences along with memos and easy eye-catching illustrations.

As I scrabbled through my purse to find the receipt the other day, the flotsam and jetsam of my life floated out too. There was a post-it note with a phone number I needed, a receipt for the dog's visit to the vet, a class schedule, a flash drive and various other artifacts and odd bits of life that really do tell the story of my daily existence.

As I picked up Jennifer Holm's book, Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff and began to read, my purse's contents flashed through my mind. Using notes, programs, hair salon receipts, report cards, post-it notes, greeting cards and newspaper clippings, Holm tells us the story of Ginny Davis.

As the school year begins, Ginny thinks the worst thing she is facing in seventh grade is the cafeteria meatloaf. By reading her instant messages to friends and teacher comments on school papers we begin learn about her family. We learn that she loves ballet and hopes her mother will remarry. We understand that her older brother is having problems and makes his family's life difficult. When her mom remarries, Ginny could not be happier but when her stepfather makes an unfortunate mistake, it puts her into an emotional and academic tail spin as her family life gets crazier.

I do not want to give away too much of this story because the humor and emotion build with each artifact on the page and it would not be fair to the story to spoil the surprises. I became deeply involved in this story and when I saw the image of Ginny's ballet recital program, I gasped.

Jennifer Holm has a gift for creating characters that readers care deeply about. May Amelia, Penny, Babymouse and now Ginny are girls that stay with me even after I finish their stories.

Elicia Castaldi has created the look and feel of real items in an actual scrapbook. She has designed and positioned each item so the story flows naturally. Matt Holm has an illustrator-cameo, contributing some cartoon panels dealing with Ginny's brother.

This novel is very very accessible for readers of all levels and strengths. I would start waving copies of this book ASAP at reading specialists and teachers. Since the story is told in short bursts of information, it would build reading confidence and help readers "see" the story in their imagination as it plays out.

This is a sweet story, cleverly told, that will find an eager audience. Get it on the shelf and stand back. This is going to be a hit.