Vacations Books

Did you ever want to go to a place with your grandma just the two of you and you realize that someone who you don't know will be there too? This is exactly what happened to a girl named Abby in the book. Abby Hayes is ten years old has a little brother and two older twins. She loves the color purple, calendars, and her most prized possession is her journal and her pen. She loves going to school and her favorite subject is creative writing.
One day she gets home from school and finds a letter from her grandma asking her if she wants to go and spend spring break and her birthday with her over her house. She yells and at the same time jumps up and down saying, "I am going to Grandmas," and her parents look at her as if she was crazy. So the next thing she did was run to the kitchen where her mom and dad were. The next thing she knows her mom says no and dad says yes. Eventually she goes to her grandmas and when she gets there her grandma Abby is bored and asks what are they waiting for her grandma Said " a who not a what". What Abby replied? I never get it when my grandma says weird things Abby thought in her head
Wow when I picked up the book Abby Hayes I said to myself this is a really little book I can finish this book really fast. So I picked it up and went back to my seat and stared reading it and it got more and more interesting I could not put it down. Then when I arrived at home I picked up my backpack and opened it and starting reading it .I finished the book so I took out my notebook and started to write more notes when I looked down at my notes. I realized how awesome this book was and how it helped me. I thought in my head that this could happen in real life. Like in the book between the two cousins really come to life. In the book there is a scene where Abby and her cousin Cleo have a contest of who could unfinished packing the fastest. But their was a prize for the winner witch was that they could choose the movie that they wanted to see. But unexpectedly Cleo won the challenge. The book Abby Hayes at first might look boring but it is not it is really just about a girl and her time at her grandmas at spring break. I forgot to tell you that when she is at her grandmas she will spend her birthday there.
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes is a wonderful book for us kids with problems. People who think that they are not love at all. It teaches us that everybody has a problem and that there is always a way of fixing it. All you really need to solve a problem are the people and the situation. It might look hard to do but it really isn't this teaches you that there is an answer for everything. People just need some time and a lot of patience to understand how to solve a problem.
So the reason why I choose to read the Amazing Days of Abby Hayes is because it is a good book. I found out that the book taught me that life should not be about a competition especially with your cousin. You should be who you are and be proud of that. So this is the reason why I choose this book and I encourage you to read this book.

Did you ever want to go to a place with your grandma just the two of you and you realize that someone who you don't know will be there too? This is exactly what happened to a girl named Abby in the book. Abby Hayes is ten years old has a little brother and two older twins. She loves the color purple, calendars, and her most prized possession is her journal and her pen. She loves going to school and her favorite subject is creative writing.
One day she gets home from school and finds a letter from her grandma asking her if she wants to go and spend spring break and her birthday with her over her house. She yells and at the same time jumps up and down saying, "I am going to Grandmas," and her parents look at her as if she was crazy. So the next thing she did was run to the kitchen where her mom and dad were. The next thing she knows her mom says no and dad says yes. Eventually she goes to her grandmas and when she gets there her grandma Abby is bored and asks what are they waiting for her grandma Said " a who not a what". What Abby replied? I never get it when my grandma says weird things Abby thought in her head
Wow when I picked up the book Abby Hayes I said to myself this is a really little book I can finish this book really fast. So I picked it up and went back to my seat and stared reading it and it got more and more interesting I could not put it down. Then when I arrived at home I picked up my backpack and opened it and starting reading it .I finished the book so I took out my notebook and started to write more notes when I looked down at my notes. I realized how awesome this book was and how it helped me. I thought in my head that this could happen in real life. Like in the book between the two cousins really come to life. In the book there is a scene where Abby and her cousin Cleo have a contest of who could unfinished packing the fastest. But their was a prize for the winner witch was that they could choose the movie that they wanted to see. But unexpectedly Cleo won the challenge. The book Abby Hayes at first might look boring but it is not it is really just about a girl and her time at her grandmas at spring break. I forgot to tell you that when she is at her grandmas she will spend her birthday there.
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes is a wonderful book for us kids with problems. People who think that they are not love at all. It teaches us that everybody has a problem and that there is always a way of fixing it. All you really need to solve a problem are the people and the situation. It might look hard to do but it really isn't this teaches you that there is an answer for everything. People just need some time and a lot of patience to understand how to solve a problem.
So the reason why I choose to read the Amazing Days of Abby Hayes is because it is a good book. I found out that the book taught me that life should not be about a competition especially with your cousin. You should be who you are and be proud of that. So this is the reason why I choose this book and I encourage you to read this book.

THIS BOOK ROCKS! Grandma Emma invites Abby to her place. Oh, but Cleo Wayne is invited too! Cleo is not like Abby but they become partners to write a story together. They disagree to write together so they each write their own! I especially like the journal entries that Abby makes in the book - they are so awesome! I recommend this book for 2nd-5th grade.

I thought this book was very interesting.
Parts of it were funny and really good. But
it wasn't my favorite Abby Hayes book of the series.

I love this book.Especially the part where Cleo and Abby became friends. And I also like the part where they drew the hideous pictures, didn't I laugh till tears came out!The surprise party was awsome. In here Hong Kong, only little kids have parties, they also have it with their family --- not their friends.If you asked for a party, people will think that you're weird.

A Review by Mike

Jackie, the main character, is on his summer vacation. He wants to write a novel but his mom, dad, and friends keep on interrupting him. He wants to be alone so he can finish his novels. Jackie doesn't know what his friend Nick is up too. Nick, his best friend, is trying to get him a girl friend. He did get him a date. The girl, Jackie, and his best friend and his girl went out on a date. Jackie's parents also try to make Jackie go to camp every summer, but not this time. His parents wanted him to go to computer camp this summer, but he didn't go.

I liked the story How I Survived My Summer Vacation. It was a great book for kids that are writing novels. They could learn how hard it is to write. Jackie, the main character, wasn't all that funny, but you could learn a lot from him. Jackie in the story he gives some good ideas to write about. Things I didn't like about the story are his mom and dad didn't seem all that funny or weren't talked about as much as Jackie was. They seemed like a boring couple of parents. When they said they were going to send Jackie to computer camp, I would have gone because they said if he went they would buy him his own computer to play with. I would have gone for it but he had to finish his novels.

I would recommend this book for people that have a good thinking skill. Plus for people who like novels or like writing novels. This book for starting up the year was awesome. What I mean is it was easy to read and follow in the story. It might also give you some ideas about the summer.

Jackie Monterey, and his struggle to write a novel over his summer vacation, but can't seem to get past the opening line. Jackie's friends are no help. Nick and Garus, are always trying to get Jackie to do stupid adventures with them. Nick, is always checking out the ladies. Garus, (Gary) is trying to copy Nicks slick moves to get the ladies, and trying to perfect his "English Accent." Mallory is a theme park fanatic. She is trying to write a essay to win five tickets to "Kingdom of Magic" ( a famous theme park). Jackie's parents are reporters and tell Jackie to write what he knows. Jackie's parents, are very weaird and cautious on what they eat. Jackie reminds me of a real life kid. He has trouble with girls, his parents are weaird, and he wants to write a novel. So, if you like a book where you can relate to the character's, "How I Survived My Summer Vacation and Lived To Write The Story" is the book for you.

How I Survived My Summer Vacation, and Lived to Write the Story, by Robin Friedman was one of the best books I have ever read. The plot revolved around a boy named Jackie Montery, who wanted to write a novel over his summer vacation. Each time he sat down to write, he was disrupted by his immature friends who wanted to fool around.
One immature thing they wanted to do was join the swim team. The main reason for this was to look at girls in bikinis. Another immature thing they did was crawl through a sewer and see where they would end up. Probably the most immature things they did were swear into a tape recorder and then replayed it and looked for a Playboy in the woods. The only one they found was one with its pictures cut out.
There were three main characters in this book, Jackie, Garus and Nick. Garus and Nick were Jackie's best friends who liked to do stupid things. Garus was always with Nick. He looked up to him also. He admired his way with the ladies. Nick was the brains behind all of the stupid ideas. Jackie always wanted to lock him self in his room and type.
The setting of the book took place in a town called Frog Hollow. It was a small town like Catskill, where everyone knew each other.
The mood of this book was kind of funny. I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys humor, especially for teens ages 13-14. My favorite part of the book was when they tried to crawl through the sewer.

Jackie Monterey had always thought of himself as a writer, and so he had vowed on the lives of his fish-Mark Twain, Dashiell Hammett, and Isaac Asimov-to finish a novel during his summer vacation. However, he never got past the opening line of his novel. In addition, he was convinced by his friends-Mallory, Nick, and Garus-to join the swim team. From there on, Jackie found everything going wrong; his coach¡¦s beautiful daughter seemed to like him, Garus began to disobey Nick, whom he had always admired, Nick started dating a dog-lover etc. Even his weird parents were making big money from their crazy, unfashionable health products. It wasn¡¦t until the last few days of his summer vacation that Jackie had found out what was wrong. He needed to have an open mind, a more accepting mind, and not see everything his way. With that in mind, Jackie wrote a winning essay about his summer that won five other people and him a trip to the Kingdom of Magic.
To me, this is just a typical contemporary fiction that talks about the problems of a teenager. It isn¡¦t really such an exciting story. The events that take place in this story rarely get my interests. Nevertheless, all these not exciting events accumulate to make a pretty good conflict. As a result, the climax turns out to be wonderful and the resolution was satisfying. It seems like the author suppressed all the good stuff throughout the book and released them on the last twenty pages.
My favorite part of this story is when Jackie is in the swim meet. The swim team from Frog Hollow has never beaten the swim team from Brewster before. But this year, the swim coach of Frog Hollow is confident in winning, in Jackie¡¦s talents. Jackie has never known of his swimming talents until he joined the swim team. He was trained for hours at a time by his coach and he was ready for the meet. When it was his turn to swim, Jackie just jumped into the swimming pool and swam naturally. He was calm and relaxed. When he finished his laps, he turned around and saw his opponent still struggling to finish his.

Jack Monterey is trying to write a novel before school starts up again in the fall. His zany friends, New Age Publishing house parents, and some totally unexpected experiences are complicating his literary efforts no end! This hilarious novel for young readers ages 12 and up revolves around adolescent writer's black and the distractions of summer. How I Survived My Summer Vacation: And Lived To Write The Story is a unique, totally engaging, thoroughly entertaining, superbly written novel that will prove an instant favorite for any kid who has ever aspired to write a story of his or her own!

Right when i began this book i was mesmorized from begging to end, This book was funny, exciting and intersting.

Amy nelson only wanted to have a normal summer vacation but what she got was a trip to israel to visit her grandmother and family.
Leaving her new boy freind and best freind back in the suburb's.Many would think going to israel would be a very exciting experience, but not for Amy.Not when there are wars going on and going to israel with the sprem donor (a.k.a her father) doesnt seem like the ideal vacation.
Thinking her mother would surely not alow it her mother instead is all up for it and Amy is on her way to Israel. Nothing can be worse then this or can it, Every where she goes there are soldiers and gaurds.At least she'll be able to sleep in a nice homely hotel at least thats what she thought ,Instead shes staying in a small house with seven family members she has never met before, all in one house, sharing one small bathroom. Then there's her cousin Osnat who hate's Amy the minute she meet's her. Then she meet's a rude but very cute jerk, Avi, whom she see's every where she look's.Even though he's not the ideal nice guy she would ever be interested in she cant seem to get him out of her mind. Amy finally talks to her aba/grandmother and realizes the connection they have with each other.

Amy is now in a country/home with family who she does not know, a father who she dislikes and a rude but hot boy who has a secret that will lead Amy to finding out the real deal behind Avi

How to ruin a summer vacation is Funny, Exciting, and Amy will have you laughing and smiling all threw the book

I would recomened this book to any one who wants to read a book that is not only senseible but fun to.=)

Sixteen-year-old Amy Nelson is looking forward to her summer vacation until her absent father calls with news her grandmother in Israel is sick. He sends Amy a plane ticket and in no time she has left her priviledged American life behind to discover another culture.

At the beginning, Amy does not believe she can spend three months with family she's never met and a dad she barely knows. She rebels and is quite angry, but her father and family are persistent, and slowly she adapts to her surroundings.

Since Amy has such a new relationship with her father, and is in a country with family who are strangers, it's almost like the reader is discovering herself and her life at the same time she is.

Amy is a strong, opinionated, and outspoken teenage character. She is compelled to speak her mind, and sometimes her big mouth gets her into trouble and hurts the ones she loves most. Despite this, she has a good heart and her thoughts only come from the frustration of her chaotic life, and the feelings she experiences are justified given her circumstances.

Some parts felt a little forced, and the emotional scenes didn't connect me to the characters as much as they could have. I saw the potential though, and where the book was heading.

How To Ruin a Summer Vacation is a worthwhile read that touches on themes like finding yourself, new love, and accepting change. Fans will have fun seeing what kind of trouble Amy gets into next in the sequel, How to Ruin My Teenage Life.

There are some nicely done reviews here so I won't recap on what the story was about. I just wanted to add my comment about the book in general. Firstly, I enjoyed the premise of the book, it's witty and I was laughing. The author does a great job of centering a story on an unusual topic - spending the summer in Iraq! There are enjoyable situations that Amy finds herself caught in and I could definitely see movie material... for the first part of the book anyway.

Unfortunately, I felt like the book started to unravel a bit about half way through, and as the previous reviewer noted, the book is a bit rough in places. I felt like the roughness was due to not enough story development. For instance, I didn't feel the emotion when Amy had connecting moments with her Dad, or even with Avi and Osnat: those moments just sort of came out of the blue for me, and I felt unsettled, okay, a bit cheated, because I really wanted to make that connection but couldn't. I wished the author had taken some time to develop the story a little because it's a great story.

With that said, it's a good book, and I'll certainly read the sequels. The reason I rated the book a little low was mainly because of the rough places that pulled me away from enjoying the story as much.

All Amy Nelson wanted was to have a regular summer. To spend time with her best friend, Jessica, and her new boyfriend. But that won't happen for Amy by a long shot. It seems that her estranged father wants her to go back to Israel with him to visit her grandmother. Sure, going to Israel may seem exciting to most people, but not for Amy. Not when there are wars going on and the fact that she has to go with a man that she hardly knows. The one good thing that may come from this is the coolest fashions that her best friend is always telling her about.

Before she knows it, Amy's mother makes her go and she's on the next plane to Israel. Things couldn't get any worse for Amy at this point; well, actually they can. When she arrives, Amy sees something totally different then what she would see at home in Chicago. There seems to be soldiers and guards at every corner. Not only that, but Amy just discovered that she isn't sleeping in a fancy hotel, but more like an old house, with one bathroom and seven other people that she's never met. Then there's her cousin Snotty, I mean Osnat, who seems to hate Amy the moment she sees her, and the no-shirt cute-jerk, Avi, who Amy happens to see everywhere she turns. If only she could just get him out of her mind. There's also her aba, or grandmother, that for someone she hardly knows, Amy discovers there's a deep connection between the two of them.

With an entirely new family and obnoxious people in a totally different country, it seems like this might be the craziest summer yet for Amy.

HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION, no doubt, was the greatest book I've read in a long time. Not only does the basis of the book pull you in, but the cast of characters all charm their way into your heart. Even though Amy may be a little bratty at times, every obstacle she goes through and every awkward situation for her makes reading the book worthwhile. Simone Elkeles eliminates all the myths we had about Israel and introduces a completely new culture that I, for one, hardly knew anything about. Not only will you begin to appreciate Amy's new culture, but you'll also think about your own culture and how unique it is. The sequel to this book, How to Ruin My Teenage Life, will release on June 1, 2007.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

Based on the title, I thought this was going to be typical, annoying, chick-lit. It's definitely not. The main character, Amy, does some serious soul searching in a war-torn country, and eventually finds a part of herself that she didn't know existed. The plot and pacing were rough in a few places, and the characters were typical for chick-lit. But, overall, this is a good read, and had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.

Caitlin Ross's mother believes that Caitlin and her younger brother, Luke, need a change of scenery. That the lavish, free life they live has gone to their head, and that they need something to help change their attitude. Why wouldn't she feel that way, since Caitlin's dad divorced her and now the family is even more messed up than before? Caitlin is still seeing her rocker boyfriend, Ian, who doesn't really seem to care that much about her, and Luke is speaking like a rap song.

So mom decides to take them to North Carolina's outer banks for the summer, ruining Caitlin's plans. But of course Caitlin's dad will save her from her mother's summer plans. That is, until she finds out that her father, the one person that had always backed her up, has already agreed to her mother's travel plans. Goodbye, singing in her boyfriend's band and all the partying - hello to an island that she has never heard of.

Yet who knew that Caitlin's ordinary teenage life would be replaced with Nancy Drew's. Caitlin just so happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when she accidentally witnesses a murder right in front of her eyes. And these supposedly new friends she has made are at the top of her suspect list. Now all she needs is a little help. The only problem is that staying on a stormy, isolated island isn't much help in solving a murder mystery when the weather just so happens to cut off all ties to the mainland. So it's up to Caitlin to save the day, or at least her life.

LOST SUMMER is just another one of Alex McAulay's awesome books that should be on everyone's to-read list. Caitlin's adventure is just so gripping and suspenseful that you wish you had her life; well, maybe not really. It is the perfect book to have with you on the beach, during the summer, to take your mind off all the drama - if you have any. Another great novel in the MTV line of books.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

After reading Lost Summer by Alex McAulay, I was at a loss for words. This book was amazing! It captured me with its words. It kept me hanging off the edge of my seat. And some scenes were so descriptive, I actually thought I was there. The genre is teen fiction, making it perfect to read for students like me.
This book was about a 16-year-old girl named Caitlin, her deranged brother Luke, who was always getting into mischief, and her drug-addicted mother. After her dad left, her mother decides to take Caitlin and Like to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, far from their mansion in La Jolla. During a long trip, Caitlin finds out this trip was not meant for a family vacation. It was actually an attempt for her mom to rekindle a high school fling she had with Bill Collins, the owner of The Pirate's Lodge (and the only place on the island for them to stay). Meeting new friends, staying clear of Bill, and trying to occupy herself on a deserted island is all Caitlin can look forward to this summer. Until a new group of friends changes her life, dramatically.
Caitlin would have to be my favorite character. She's my favorite because she has to deal with her family, her boyfriend, and new friends on the island and she somehow makes things work. When Caitlin confided in her mother about Bill, and she refused to believe her, I couldn't believe her nonchalant reaction. I would have totally lost if my mother didn't listen, but she kept it together.
Having read Lost Summer, I have a new perspective about the importance of family. I would recommend this book to teenaged girls who enjoy dramas and horrors. But my strongest reason for recommending this book, is that after you have read it you will have a better understanding of how to make the most of a bad situation.

i picked this book up because i fell in love with mcaulays 1st book Bad Girls two years ago. Lost Summer exceeded my expectations! The characters are very realistic (trust me, I live in San Diego, I know all about the spoiled rich kids here b/c i am one (La Jolla is a small township in san diego) Luke is a perfect replica of what can happen to unsupervised, neglected rich kids out here! or probably anywhere!)

this book was also very informative about the Outer Banks region in North Carolina. I believe the island they stay on is modeled after Ocracoke but i could be wrong. I do want to visit the OBX one day and when I do I'll definitely bring this book along to re-read!

what is the book about? bascially caitlin's mom is a refugee from the valley of the dolls, shes so cracked out on perscription pills shes lost complete touch with reality. apparently she gets in touch with an old b/f from high school and decides to drag 16 year old caitlin and 11 year old luke cross country to the outer banks in North Carolina which are a set of islands. theyre not like the hamptons or the caribbean, theyre barely populated! the biggest one has maybe 1000 people in it total! they dont even have a movie theater. it's really horrifying for someone who is used to the luxuries a city has to offer (i mean they dont even have a starbucks!!!) and worst of all you can only get to the island by ferry or helicopter or you are trapped! oh... and did i mention hurricane season??? (for contrast just imagine la jolla as laguna beach but wealthier, way more cosmopolitan and way more stuff to do)

so yeah, caitlin and luke are miserable. but ill leave it there, you find out for yourself what happens next!!!

one thing that bugs me though... why were the filipinos speaking SPANISH? they should be speaking Tagalog.

Divorcee Kathryn informs her sixteen years old daughter Caitlin that they will spend the summer on Danbroke Island on the North Carolina Outer Banks because she feels her two children are out of control. Caitlin is outraged as she planned to sing backup with her boyfriend's band while her eleven years old brother Luke accepts a four wheel bribe from his wealthy mother.

After traveling from La Jolla, California the three Rosses reach their destination, the Pirates Lodge, owned by Bill Collins, Kathryn's high school boyfriend. Her two children realize they are across the country because their prescription crazed mother was hoping to renew an old fling. The teen makes friends with an out of place Goth Danielle, but as a hurricane approaches she fears Bill, who always leers at her when he is not "accidentally" touching her. She has no one to turn to as her mom hides behind her drug stupor, her brother continues to be the same lunatic he was on the west coast, and her dad abandoned the family last year.

LOST SUMMER is an interesting family drama starring a beleaguered female teen with no place to turn to except to a degree another isolated peer as Bill increasingly tries to take unwanted liberties with her while her mom pretends all is well. Kathryn and Luke are purposely made extreme out of control stereotypes so that their hedonistic destructive behavior negatively impacts Caitlin especially during the isolated LOST SUMMER.

Harriet Klausner

Lost Summer is the second MTV Books title from author Alex McAulay. He is the author of the book Bad Girls. Bad Girls should be coming to movie theaters sometime in the future. Gossip blogs have been having a field day tossing around names of young starlets who may appear in the screen adaptation of the book.

Lost Summer is a really fantastic read. Alex is a very strong writer and his novels are suspenseful and engaging. Lost Summer is about a young girl named Caitlin who had her entire summer in California planned out when her mother drags her across the country to the remote Outer Banks of North Carolina. Caitlin's mother has issues it would be safe to say and Caitlin is pretty much on her own as far as entertainment. She meets a strange friend named Danielle. Then she meets some cool guys and it seems like the summer might not be so bad after all--until she witnesses a murder. To top things off a dangerous hurricane is headed their way. Lost Summer is an awesome book and hopefully this title will also be adapted into a movie.

Our children want us to keep the beach house in the family. This terrific book explains how to do it and how to avoid fights and bad feelings among the children after you are gone. We still had a lawyer draw things up, but this was an enormous help to us. We bought copies for each of the children and have recommended it to friends with vacation homes.

Good basic introduction, with good insights into the issues that need to be understood and addressed. Tends to be repetitious, and is strong on advocating LLCs (limited liability companies) as the best way forward. Would have been more useful if additional material had been presented on alternative solutions (trusts, corporations, etc.). Would also have been more helpful to have explained the different elements that should be included in LLCs (the elements are listed in an Appendix) in more detail. Bibliography and notes provide a good basis for more research.

All in all, well worth the investment -- learned a lot. Would give it an extra half star (3.5), had it been possible!

This book is a great resource for familites who want to try to keep a family second home over multiple generations. Wish we had read this before putting our family property in a trust- after reading it, we will probably be changing to an LLC holding entity instead! Heartily recommend this book, we got 2 copies and are passing it around.

My wife and I have been wrestling with how to make sure our cabin can stay in the family. This books discusses all the issues and helps you think about the way you would like to manage your cottage in your estate.

Very Informative!

This is a good little book. It is well worth the read for anybody interested in estate planning. People who have a cottage, a vacation home, a farm, a retreat or some other form of real estate that the family tends to enjoy should read this book if they want to keep that property IN THE FAMILY for generations to come. And attorneys that do estate planning work would do themselves a favor to read this book so they can provide the best legal help possible when providing their services. This book is not a form book, but it provides enough information on the topic that any competent attorney can put together the appropriate Operating Agreement templates in order to carry out what this book explains is possible.

I must say I think the author is to be commended for writing this book. Clearly it is a marketing piece for his law practice. But it is not just that - it provides provides value in a niche that has not been written about before. The book is broken into four parts:

I. Cottages at risk (1-3)
II. Choosing the right path (4-7)
III. Cottage plans in action (8-14)
IV. Creating a cottage legacy (15-16)

And the book is comprised of 16 chapters:

1. Trouble in paradise
2. Avoid the worst: A partition parable
3. Plan for the best: Cottage succession goals
4. How to plan helps save the family cottage
5. No plan? Then 600-year old law controls the cottage
6. Other animals in the property law zoo
7. Short-term solutions
8. Choose the right legal entity for your cottage
9. Welcome to the club
10. When and how to organize the Cottage LLC
11. The cottage safety valve
12. Cottage democracy
13. Scheduling and use
14. Renting the cottage
15. Minimizing the federal tax bite
16. The ultimate gift: A cottage endowment

I found the book a bit repetitive. It was not tightly written. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if the problem of partitions had been stated once up front, and then the book could have moved on. Instead I kept hearing about partitions throughout the book.

In estate planning there is much written about how it is nice to put your major assets in a living trust so the courts (probate court) cannot get involved in the estate settlement process. Whenever courts have to get involved in a matter there is such a loss of control by the litigants. In the instant book, the author explains that it is nice to put your cottage, vacation home, or family retreat into a Limited Liability Company (LLC) so family squabbles down the inheritance line typically won't be mediated by the courts. The other nice thing if the Operating Agreement is drafted well is that there probably won't be family squabbles. What the author proposes is really a good idea. When the original owner of the cottage dies, the beneficiaries of the estate will take title to membership interests in an LLC, not ownership interests in real estate. As a result, partition of real estate interests is not an option in a dispute. 4 stars!

This planner & journal was essential in the organization & planning of my trip to Alaska in August 2005. The tabbed sections provided included all necessary lists for packing, plenty of space to record itineraries, and more than enough room to record daily activities and thoughts and impressions. The lists even reminded me of some things I would need...I hadn't thought of them on my own. The pockets in the back were great for storage of postcards & stamps, along with ticket stubs etc.
This is definately the best planner/journal available and I plan on using one on each trip I take. It makes a great memento!

This is the best planner available. It is very well thought out and includes sections tabbed for easy use. It is complete and has suggested To-Do-Tips for lodging, travel alternatives, auto and RV tips; there are tips for what to do before you leave and what items to take care of as far as your house, insurance, medical, as well as a place to include your own things to do; it has suggested packing check lists which include: clothing, general items, toiletries, first aid & medications, beach items, games/toys/recreation items, and vehicle items, plus an area for your own choices for each heading. The activity planner section has room for time, place, address, phone #'s and travel directions or other notes and reminders. This section also includes a place for temperature, weather, highlights of the day, and daily meals. There is a section of regular daily journal pages. There is an address book for important numbers from home as well as addresses of people you want to send cards/emails to along the way. The record keeping and misc. forms section is very thorough. It includes: several blank notepaper sheets, a gift list, film/photo records, mileage record sheets which are meticulous, and expense record sheets which help monitor spending and control budget. The planner includes 3 pockets at the back for assorted items including a pencil/pen. One of the other things I like about this journal is the 'Things to do when I get back home' section. It is a chance to evaluate and give yourself feedback about your next trip. This journal is for everyone who wants to keep a memorable record of a trip. It still amazes me that it is so complete and has all the information I like to keep on a vacation.

During my recent trip to Europe, this book was found to be very helpful. I had purchased one for myself and my travel partner and we both enjoyed the book immensely. I especially liked the pockets in the back to carry postcards and other documents allowing us to keep organized. The Activity Planner was helpful with the daily schedule of events, meals, etc. I highly recommend using this booklet pre-trip, during the trip and post-trip.

I love this item. It has plenty of space to write things down and the format is great! We are planning a trip to Florida soon and this is going to be great. I have looked all over to find something that would have this kind of information in it, but have not had any success until I bought yours. Thank you!!!

I liked the spiral bound format and the ability to create my own cover by inserting pictures from my trip. The "Activity Planner" section has useful prompts for the weather, meals and highlights of each day. Actually, I wish it had a few more prompts, such as places visited, people met or lodging accomodations merely because I didn't have time to expand on all that in the large "Journal" section while on vacation. I needed that info. to jog my memory with after I got home.

The numerous pre-trip planning lists and suggestions were very helpful. Most journals I looked at in stores didn't include this feature...and I really needed those reminders!

It's hard to tell what something is going to be like until you get it, but I was very pleased with you travel journal and would buy another one for a future trip.

This is the perfect book for curling up with on a Saturday afternoon! Gorgeous pictures, interesting text and a wide variety of house styles makes this one of the better home design books I've seen. I highly recommend it.

"The real beauty of these houses lies in the casual, relaxed vacation lifestyle they inspire..." Casual and relaxed...? Vacation lifestyle...?

I ordered this book, expecting it to relax me with images of quiet weekend getaways, tucked snugly among a grove of trees or a cottage on a windswept beach, as the cover and title "Weekend Houses" would suggest.

Instead, it is a collective of million-dollar-plus manses, smugly over-decorated and far more complex than most homes. It screams at you with excruciating 'style' and manufactured charm. I'd be afraid to even arrive in jeans, much less put my feet up.

Here's a challenge--try and find just one that wasn't built or renovated by a metro-turbo doctor, lawyer or television executive. (Of course, lengthy bios are included of each owner--do we care?)...

It's gorgeous photography and the settings are admittedly beautiful, but unfortunately these "Weekend Houses" read exactly like most of their settings--stilted and inaccessible.

I love this book. The photography is beautifully done and it makes you realize what you are missing if you don't have a weekend retreat. It's a great coffee table book, as it's wonderful to pick it up for a few minutes, look at the lovely houses and read about the owners. A very cheerful elegant book, makes me think of summer even on the wettest days.

This book is an inspiring source of ideas. Loved it!

The last reviewer had it wrong! This isn't a just-for-the-rich type book at all. Quite the opposite. There are lots of examples in it of weekend places that are fun but not grand, as well as ones that are palatial and wonderful in that way, too. There's a prefab cabin and several very artistic-looking shacks.

The author says in the introduction that style is "pleasingly democratic." So is this book, which is a real winner, complete with gorgeous photographs and lots of ideas for homeowners. The sailboat-house and sleeping porch, to name just two great structures in here, are really inspiring.

Jo Vincent, a 17 year old Californian surfer girl is persuaded by her parents to take a trip to Colorado with her father and his girl friend, Kate. While Jo looks up at the beautiful scene, which she calls Hunk Heaven, she almost gets hit by a shredder. Luckily for Jo, a ski instructor named "Hans" from Switzerland, rescued her. She falls in Lereve! Eventually, she finds out that "Hans" was joking about his name and his homeland.

This is an exciting, romantic, funny, and at times, touching book. I would recommend this book to people who like romantic comedy.

Jo Vincent, the original California girl (only shorter and with frizzy brown hair), is being forced to spend some "quality time" with her father in Colorado, skiing. At first she doesn't want to go: she's not a snow kind of person. But that all changes when she meets her ski instructor, Hans, and falls madly in lerve (love with a Swiss accent). Hans is perfect. He's so polite, regal, and European. But Jo is pretty sure that sheila isn't a German word... This book deals not only with romantic relationships, but also family relationships. It's a bit lacking in depth, but a fun, quick read.

I thought that her second book Princesses Don't Sweat was better. I thought that this book was kind of boring. Not as much stuff happened and there weren't as many twists and turns. This was a pretty funny enjoyable book all in all though.

Christmas time can be depressing, to many. Being forced to spend it where you don't want to be makes it even worse, as Jo discovers when she is forced to spend her winter break with her dad and his girlfriend in snowy Colorado. She is a California girl who wants to surf, not ski. However, when she lays eyes on Hans, Jo decides that Let it Snow might be a good theme song. Even when she learns Hans is really Frew, he still looks good. Unfortunately, Dad can't stand him, whether he's Hans or Frew or whoever. He's pushing a true jerk, Justin, at her. He can't even call Jo by her name, but insists on calling her Josephine.

*** On the surface, this is a frothy young adult romance, but there are serious points to be made about young love, the changing family make up, and judging others. Many young people are finding themselves having to deal wtih things like Jo faces, maybe this will help. ***

Reviewed by Amanda

This book was a very fun book to read! It made me smile! It was light and upbeat, with romance and a bit of conflict mixed in, including Jo's problem of her father not understanding her. In this story Jo Vincent goes with her dad and his girlfriend to a ski resort in Colorado. Jo lives in California, so she never went skiing before this trip. She didn't even want to go, but her mom said she had to or she would take away Jo's surfboard. It's a good thing Jo decided to go, because while on the slopes she meets an older (German) guy who she totally falls for. Or is he really the guy Jo thinks he is (hint, hint)? There is also the problem of this obnoxious guy staying at the same hotel as them, who eventually causes some major problems. A GREAT exciting read for the wintertime, it is worth buying especially because it is cheap.

Bought this for my husband who is deciding which v. v. he should go on!
thanks

This book was extremely well organized. I was able to quickly sort through for an organization that allowed teens and was for the duration of time we had available. From there, it was easy to go on the specific websites for the pretty pictures. We have just come back from our experience building homes in Costa Rica and can't wait to go again! You will never again feel the need for a beach vacation. It was much more invigorating to give something of yourself.

This book is very informative and easy to navigate. I was able to ready it over a 2 day period on my spare time and breakdown the vacations that would best suit what I am looking to do.

I'm sure you can get most of the information in this book online but there's nothing like being able to curl up with this while dogearing pages and marking it up. It is extremely well organized and indexed in multiple ways so you're sure to find what you're looking for. Once something gets your interest you can contact the organization or look online for more info. One really nice feature is the occasional presence of first person narratives from people who've actually done the vacations.

*****
I bought this book out of curiosity and was amazed at the variety of opportunities available to travel and contribute throughout the world. The book is a compendium of opportunities of every imaginable type, an incredible resource if you're even thinking about a taking a vacation in which you volunteer.

Each opportunity contains all contact information, include web site, the types of projects available, organization mission statements, the year founded, the number of volunteers last year (so that you can see the scope of the program), funding sources, what kind of work the organization does, project locations, time line (when and for how long commitments are made), cost (including arrangements that must be made like medical examinations), how to get started, needed skills, and the specific populations that could qualify.

The book is very friendly to those with limitations (for example, sight limitations, physical agility, etc.). There are also stories throughout the book from volunteers about their actual experiences while volunteering.

There is a section on long-term volunteering opportunities. There are four indexes: by project cost, project length, location, season, and type.

It is a wonderful book to use to explore what types of things you might like to do, as well as to use as a research base to search out specific opportunities. It is a great value, and an organized way to begin your volunteer journey!

Highly recommended.
*****

This is a great book.I'm so glad that the Rupes move in nextdoor to Lewis and Alison.Now thay can spend two weeks together at Yellowstone Park. it's funny beacuse the Rupes have no care on what there kids do so now Alison has to take care of the two kids Bobby and Tyler and she can't enjoy her trip.Trust me i'v been there and understand where she is comeing from. It's a awesome book you should read it and find out all the great detailes.

This book was really fun to read. The plot was great, and the characters were easy to identify with. It was suspenseful, and the ending was fun. I liked how the characters worked together to solve this despite their differences. It was really neat.

The Absolutely True Story� is about two twins, a girl named Alison and a boy named Lewis, that have an unforgettable vacation with their new next door neighbors. Early in July the Rupes, a family from San Francisco, moved in to the empty house across the street from Alison and Lewis. The family included a boy about the age of Alison and Lewis named Harry, his mom, dad, and two younger siblings, Ariadne and Billy. After about a week, Lewis and Harry became good friends with Alison tagging along sometimes but mostly she played with Ariadne and Billy. At the end of July when the boys had grown very close, the Rupes invited Lewis and Alison to drive to Yellow Stone Park with them. They invited Lewis to come along just for fun, but they said Alison must be willing to baby sit the younger kids once in a while. Alison was delighted and said she wouldn't mind at all baby sitting the kids. Right as the Rupes were pulling out of the driveway to drive for four days to get to Yellow Stone Park, two men from the motor home company stopped them. The two men said there Mr. Rupe was so mad that without warning he just backed up and drove off leaving the two men standing in their driveway. After a few days, Lewis and Alison noticed that the two men from the motor home company had been following them. More days pass and Lewis and Alison begin to become scared because they saw the men snooping around the motor home. Each day the twins became more frightened and they had a good reason to be. This simple trip to Yellow Stone Park will turn into a vacation they will never forget.

I feel as though I could be the Alison in this story. I have a brother though he is older than I am, and I have a younger sister. We both have to baby sit younger children. (I baby sit my sister and she baby sits Ariadne and Billy). In the book Alison sometimes feels overwhelmed by her responsibility for taking care of Ariadne and Billy and I sometimes feel the
same way about taking care of my sister. I also relate to Alison because I have a friend, whose mom lets her eat anything and everything she wants, to say it plainly she is very spoiled just like the Rupe's kids.

The Absolutely True Story� is a very good, exciting, and mysterious book. I had a great time reading it. My favorite part of the book is when the two men from the motor home company were following the Rupes and snooping around their campsite. I kept asking myself "What on earth are they looking for?" This was a mysterious, funny, and very frightening part of the book. If I could change a part of this book I would probably change the scenery. I would have the Rupes, Alison, and Lewis take a plane to France to see the sites and have people from the motor home company follow them around Paris where it is more exciting and much larger.

I recommend The Absolutely True Story� because it is a well-written, mysterious, and adventurous book with lots of funny and scary scenes. I�d also recommend it because it actually relates to everyday life in the real world. I'd recommend it to 10-12 year olds because it would be hard for a younger kid to comprehend all the words in this book but the book might be a little boring for kids over 12. The Absolutely True Story� is a very good book. I really enjoyed reading it, and I recommend it to anyone from 10-12 looking for a great, mystery book.

This book is about a very "lucky" boy who gets invited to go to Yellowstone Park with the Rupes! There's just one thing,he doesn't know what's going to hit him! It all begins when Mr. Rupe can't drive worth beans in the 4 parking space long R.V!The things in are normal life probably wouldn't even be close to this but not including that it was a "very very" good book!

This book was very good, and I will be reading more book by this author, Willo Davis Roberts. Lewis and Alison (twins) are invited to go to Yellowstone Park with their new neighbors, the Rupes. There parents argree to let them go. The Rupe kids, Harry, Ariadne, and Billy will be going on the trip with Alison and Lewis. After packing everything they need in their motorhome, a man from the company which they got their motorhome from drives up and says that they need to trade motorhomes. When the Rupes ask why, the man says that another family needs this one because this one has an ice maker and water machine. Mr. Rupe refuses to trade and drives away to Yellowstone Park. Soon, though, Alison and Lewis relize that the same blue car has been following them. They learn that they work at the company where they got there motorhome, and that they hid money in their motorhome (a lot of money). Soon the Rupe kids, Alison, and Lewis are found kidnapped, and they need a plain to escape.