Women Books

How fortunate we are to have someone who is actually ABLE to go to the Middle Eastern countries and initiate candid dialogue with normal (under the circumstances) every day people. Reading this book with an open mind and heart can accomplish nothing but - GOOD - in a country so evidently full of evil, ignorance, chicanery, and greed. Would that this were required reading in every American school. Then perhaps those so blinded or tricked by corporate-based propaganda would open their eyes and see what is right in front of them. If the poor grammar, MISspelling, and illiteracy evidenced in the gutless, negative reviews herein are examples of the typical American - the world is in worse shape than I thought. Be VERY afraid. But at least our illustrious author - is NOT

Having worked with Arab and Arab Americans it seems that Samar through her interviews has portrayed the most realistic representation of Arab opinions I have seen from an American author. The diveristy of Arab perspectives, and the commonalities of American and Arab feelings have been very well covered. The idea of dialogue for understanding is so simple yet we still rely on our public leaders to do the learning for us. This book is a great first step for any American to begin understanding who this culture is, that we often times choose to call the enemy.

this book is insightful to all americans who wish to know how arabs view the american world and culture .this will make clear all the mis-judgements americans make of the arab world.its also important for arabs to read this book because it will help them know what questions americans have about the arab people,culture,politics and religion.

This author has been wrongfully slandred and acussed of many things that were all untrue. All pods have been attacked by one individual. If we do nothing our figures will continue to plummet. We must unite, with a retalitory strike, or we will never sell anothr copy. His MO is to write reviws using the authors name and make it look like someone else. The number one POD had to be removed because of this and any one of us could be next. His slandrs have gone from prank to criminl as he thretned
n authr with racsts remaks. I have written in code because Amazn blocks certain words from being reviwed. My name will reval the culprit, my quots will be my emal, please repli. He must be stpped or our boks will suffr.

A must-read. This book is very important for every American to read. I truly wish there was a follow-up book written since the last elections. This is a thoughtful and enlightening book.

kit is too old for nell.
nell is not given a personality, has she ever even spoken to lori for more than 1 minute? there is no depth to this character. all we know is that she is breathtakingly beautiful. that's not enough.
lori barely spends any time with her beloved twins, leaving the child rearing to the exhausted nanny whilst she traipses around the english countryside trying to validate her existence.
other than those minor quibbles, i do love the series, love the premise, and love the mysteries. it is a very enjoyable way to pass the time.

I have loved all the Aunt Dimity books. Somehow they just keep getting better and better. With some series the author tends to become static after several books, but Atherton never fails to draw the reader in and hold on until the final page.

Do you believe in vampires? Well, Lori's twins think they saw one up on the hill and now she's frantic to find out if it's true! She and her friend Kit investigate the history of some strange neighbors who just might be hiding someone up in their attic. As they get to know more about the past, they meet numerous people that all were involved in a mysterious event that occulted more that forty years ago. When the story of that day finally comes out, no one realizes how close to home someone will be affected.

I really enjoyed this book. The story grabs you from the start and you know another good adventure is ahead for Lori. The author adds every day life events and mixes in some mystery, that makes you want to keep reading to the very end to solve it!

Nancy Atherton has done it again with her thirteenth book in the `Aunt Dimity' series. I never get tired of this series about Lori Shephard and the situations she finds herself in. She always comes back to opening her blue book and waiting for Aunt Dimity to speak (or actually write to her from the other side), so she can talk to her about her adventures and get advice.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that wants a good, easy and enjoyable adventure to read. Also, I would read the rest of the series too!
This is one series that will bring a smile to your face and a good feeling after every book!

Shivers up my spine yet again. Such a fun book as were all the others. Can't wait for the next one!

Nancy Atherton is a wonderful author. I have read all of books! Sometimes I wish I could be with and help her solve the mysteries. You have to love a lady who loves her bunny and talks to a ghost, her "Aunt Dimity"! I always enjoy reading Ms. Atherton's books! More please!!!!
I just read here that the next installment of Aunt Dimity is called, "Aunt Dimity Slays the dragon". Great news for us fans.

This is the most update book I have seen. I love the charts and the chapters. It is extremely well organized.

This book is by far the best book that I have read on miscarriage. It helped me to truly understand what was going on with my body during a very scary time. It also gave me hope for the future. It combines real life stories with the scientific data. I recommend this book for anyone the is miscarrying, has miscarried, is pregnant, or wants to get pregnant. 2 thumbs up!!!

This is the book for women who want to take control of their fertility life. This book explains what causes miscarriages, how to test, and what your probabilities are of having different diagnosis or future miscarriages.

Even if you are just wanting to be able to ask intelligent questions to your doctor or fertility specialist, this enables you to have your research done.

No place online - No other book - Nothing I have read has enabled me to feel in control of this situation giving me a direct way to help diagnose myself (to an extent) and give me freedom and ability to question the - "Just go try again." line that you get from doctors.

Strongly recommended to anyone who has had an unfortunate multiple pregnancy loss such as I have.

I was initially a little apprehensive about this book, wondering if it was going to leave me feeling more worried or be full of information that I could do nothing with. It doesn't. This is one of the best books I've read so far and it is so full of up to date information. The author makes it so easy to read, even though it is primarily medical info. The stories that precede each chapter are touching, and a great way to add a personal experience you may relate to. In short, great book, worth every penny, wonderful information. You truly will feel armed with the info you need to confidently experience pregnancy again.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting to have a baby. I wish I had read it before we had a miscarriage and then an ectopic pregnancy. It is reader-friendly and is packed with invaluable information about every aspect of pregnancy loss: physical, emotional, relational, medical. The author speaks from personal experience as well as the experiences of many other couples. Armed with the information in this book alone, I feel confident that we will realize our dream of a healthy pregnancy. I now know what questions to ask, what medical support to request, and when to advocate for my self and my baby.

I don't even know what to say about this book but its great. Ever since reading the book it reminded me of the things that I thought were forgotten.

Anywayz this is a must in have in your collection since all the stories are real. All in all a great read.

Whether you're a woman and are "bi curious" or you're a guy--there's no need to explain why men would like this book--Awakening the Virgin is a mind blowing and satisfying read about women and women. I've only read one other book that comes close to this one, "The Other Woman" by Kim Corum. I hope to find more becuase these stories are HOT.

This book is exactly what the title says, a collection of short stories about first time lesbian experiences. The stories are written by women, usually in the first person, and are filled with flowery imagery. This title takes a deep look, mostly through repetition, at the sensual and emotional sides of lesbianism.

Each story left me with a sense of admiration and respect for the virgins at the leaps of faith they made in order to live out their first experience. Certainly in light of the social taboo and potential rejection a journey into homosexuality has the potential to be a devastating occurrence. The women all know this but follow their hearts into relationships to intensely rewarding ends.

This book allowed me a window into my own wife's past as an experimental teenager. I thought it was amazing how closely her story mirrored some of the stories in this book. I would recommend this collection to anyone who thinks they are a lesbian or anyone who is in a relationship with a lesbian/past lesbian.

One last note of warning, this is not a hardcore/pornographic novel; if you are looking for something like that I would recommend "Penthouse Forum" magazines.

I found this collection to be standard. Like most erotica, this compilation has a few shining stars as well as a few stinkers, with most everything else falling in the middle.

One of the stories was mediocre in its editing: There were a few times where the author's repeated use of the same word distracted from the reading (After reading only 2 pages, I wanted to ring up the author and yell, "Buy a thesaurus!")
Another story was poorly paced: I wanted to sink my teeth into erotica and instead I got three pages of fruit salad recipes.

That said, I must give credit for a few good choices by the editor. One nod goes to the fact that she tried to create a balance of romance themes and hard core sexual stories. A second nod goes to her attempts to cater to a wide variety of sexual tastes and fetishes, from vanilla to S&M.
If you're in the mood for a decent collection of varied erotica to have on your bookshelf, this is a nice choice. If you're just looking for some reading to whack with, I suggest you save your money and surf up nifty dot org or some other web source.

This book was the most awesome book on lesbian relationships I have ever read. The stories are emotional and erotic! I loved every story and highly recommend this book to all women, whether you are straight, bi, or lesbian. This book shows how women relate on all levels, especially sexually. A real eye-opener for the novice or curious.

This book keeps your interest for the whole 180 pages. I bought the book because when I saw the cover it caught my interest. I was very pleased to find out that the book was even better than the cover looked. The text in the book is such that it makes for easy reading. While the story is an autobiography of a girl who spent 12 years in the hospital as a child, it also tells of her life as an adult. The author tells about her life and the treatment she received while she was in the hospital. When I realized that the 12 years the author was in the hospital , is how long it normally takes to begin school and graduate from high school it amazed me. I remember going off to camp for 5 days during the summer, when I was a child, and how I missed my family, especially my mother. This made me wonder how the author survived those 12 years away from home. This author has survived many losses and the way she survived is amazing. The author also tells about the many miracles in her life.

This book is very inspirational, informative, and interesting. I enjoyed this book and the authors writing style. The Baby's Cross, by C. Gale Perkins, is a great book. The book is suitable for all ages and would be a great book for anyone to read. I definitely will recommend this book, and plan to buy copies for gifts.

This story was so riveting that I read it from cover to cover in one sitting. It was fascinating to learn what day-to-day life was like for a child who endured 12 years in a sanatorium as a ward of the state. The incredible revelation at the end of the story wrenched my soul. If you have ever faced or think you will someday face obstacles in your life, read Gale's story and draw courage.

The Baby's Cross is a true story of courage, faith and perseverance despite all obstacles. I cannot imagine going through isolation, countless operations, pain and enormous losses of friends and loved ones at such a young age and coming through it all with such determination! Gale Perkins truly does have the 'heart of a clown' and an inner thread of courage that helped her survive. Love and faith prevented her spirit from being broken. There is also a great lesson in here on the importance of forgiveness. This really is a ten star book, and then some!
Chrissy K. McVay
author of 'Souls of the North Wind'

"The Baby's Cross" was recommended to me by a close friend of mine. She said it was a fantastic autobiography; she had even became very good friends with the author, C. Gale Perkins, after reading it.
As I began to read the book, I immediately saw and appreciated the large print letters; it made it a lot easier to read. I was shocked to find that Gale had spent the best days of her life in a hospital, from the age of 3 until 15. I know, I couldn't have handled going into a hospital setting, at those times, with out my family, and at the age of 3! It made Gale a stronger person, I could see throughout the book.
She faced many challenges, as her life unfolded, never being able to be in the "outside" world and in a car, and never eating a home-cooked meal until the age of 14.
Gale had endured many surgeries, scary nights, and losses of loved ones at that hospital. She had dealt with things, most kids now days couldn't even begin to imagine.
Gale said she had found her faith in God in the book. I knew as the book continued that God was always with her. He got her through the hard times, and was there for all the miracles she experienced.
I was very pleased when I finished this book, C. Gale Perkins, shared her life story with me, as if she was really holding a conversation with me. This well written book deserved the rating it got. This is the type of book I think Oprah would enjoy reading. It's a very touching story, and I'm very glad I read it.

"The Baby's Cross" is an autobiography of the life of C. Gale Perkins, written in a light, conversational type of style that moves at a pleasant pace.

The cover picture depicts young Gale's life, tied to a crib in a body cast after she was thought to have contracted tuberculosis, like so many others in the 1930's.

Appropriately titled, from a poem written about her during the hospital stay by the prematurely deceased mother Gale hardly knew, "The Baby's Cross" that Gale lived, actually began at birth.

Born prematurely and not expected to live, confined to an institution from age three until the age of 15, many surgeries -including one that paralyzed her, doctors telling the young, frightened child she would not live past the age of 16 - and the many losses of loved ones were but a part of the wood that formed Gale's cross.

Perhaps worse than the physical, was the mental/emotional torments that hounded young Gale. Here was a child - a baby - at the mercy of loneliness and fear, typical of any in her situation, in a day and time when feelings were to be repressed, especially those belonging to children and especially those existing in a busy, structured hospital setting. The reigning philosophy was to ignore, stifle and even cover-up the truth of what one didn't find acceptable. One line from "The Baby's Cross" makes this perfectly clear, said after the death of Gale's most important friend in the institution: "I then stopped crying quickly; this was something that we all learned at the hospital."

Like a good fictional book, this true story gives a surprising twist near its ending, explaining the real reason Gale was kept in the hospital for 12 years.

The main reason I rate this book well is in the telling of how this high-spirited life turned the negatives into positives, a quality evidenced to me from the beginning, in how Gale handled the re-telling of what could have been overwhelmingly oppressive memories. It is a story of overcoming obstacles in order to see more clearly, a story of faith and the resulting miracles and a story of strength enabling one to find triumph through all.

It is also a story that serves as a reminder to stop and appreciate the many blessings most often taken for granted. (Imagine an American, not having that first car-ride until being in the "outside world" at the age of 14 or never having known the smells of food cooking until age 14, etc.)

"The Baby's Cross" is an enjoyable book to read and I personally liked the larger-than-standard print size of its words.

"Beauty By The Book" is a surprisingly insightful book by Nancy Stafford of "Matlock" fame. This life-changing read is loaded with scripture to memorize, encouraging stories, and absolute truth as to why we are so obsessed with physical beauty. Nancy tells it like it is from an experienced viewpoint from both sides of the fence. I thank God that I picked this book up on a whim. It has helped me see myself through His eyes.

I am currently a senior in college and before I left for this semester of school, my mom handed me the book to read. As I read the book, I saw so many applications to my life in college. One of the main areas I could see the application of this book was in my sorority. Needless to say, it's a place where outer beauty is more often valued over inner beauty. Last year I started a Biblical discussion group in my sorority and I thought that your book would be a great place to start for topics this semester. So I have been using the book for the past 5 weeks or so in my discussion group along with the online Bible Study.
The conversations that have come out of this series have been unbelievable. So many young women want to talk about this topic! The intertwining of the essense of beauty with the truth of the Bible in this book is great. I just think that the book provides a wonderful bridge between women who are trying to figure out what words like faith and spirituality mean for them and the truths of the Bible. It makes the Christian life so applicable to people who are seeking God! Thank you Nancy for sharing your story and your resources with me and let you know the powerful impact that your book is having for the Kingdom of God.

I heard Nancy speak on Focus on the Family and I immediately identified with her. I have struggled for many years with many of the same issues that Nancy discusses with such honesty in this book. I've come to realize that I'm not alone and that these types of struggles can be overcome. I appreciate Nancy's honesty and transparency about her own struggles. I still have a long way to go, but this book has given me hope that there IS light at the end of the tunnel. This book is for any woman who has ever struggled with these types of issues. This book touched me deeply and I cried many times as I read. A life changing and powerful book.

As a young Christian actress in Los Angeles, I too struggle with many of the self-worth issues that Nancy addresses in this wonderful book. I found immense healing and hope in this book. Nancy's honesty draws you nearer to her story and her struggles. Her hope sheds light on a topic so often "swept under the rug," even by women. This book is not only for actors, it is for all women. I am sending a copy to all of the women in my life.

Like the green glasses in THE WIZARD OF OZ that distort people's view of the Emerald City, our culture and our past hurts distort our concept of beauty and our image of ourselves. Nancy Stafford's book gently lifts that false image and replaces it with timeless, eternal truths. Written with humor, warmth, compassion and vulnerability, this book will bring hope and healing to all who read it. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't gain from what is written on these pages.

A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World is an amazing book.

Ostensibly a book about a woman (author Isabel Losada) who decides to do something to help the people of Tibet (the Chinese should be ashamed of themselves for what they've done to that peaceful country!), A Beginner's Guide is a book for anyone who longs to LIVE life to its fullest. It's a book for people who yearn for adventures, yet never take the first step toward making them happen.

It isn't just for people interested in Buddhism, either. It's a fun-to-read, inspiring book that anyone, of any religious faith, could embrace and enjoy.

Written in a breezy conversational style, A Beginner's Guide is a tale told wonderfully and joyfully. It recounts Ms. Losada's adventures in Tibet, revealing a side to that country's people the Chinese don't usually let people see. If you'd like to see Tibet, but don't have the time or money (or government permission) to go there, A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World is the next best thing.

I wholeheartedly embrace Ms. Losada's desire to help the people of Tibet. I think what happened (and is happening) in that country is just as terrible as anything that happened to the Jews in Nazi Germany. A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World is one woman's attempt to come to grips with the enormity of the situation and to do something about it. (And you'll never believe what kind of things she dreams up to do about it!)

But, again, this book is not heavy-handed or dire. This is one of the most joyful and positive books I've come across in a long time.

I strongly recommend Isabel Losada's book A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World.

I loved, loved, loved this book. It was exactly the right book for me. I almost didn't buy it, though. I'm on a must-resist-book-buying sort of budget, but my husband pointed this book out to me at the bookstore. After reading the "Ten Indispensable Things You Need to Change the World" on the back flap, I knew I had to buy this book. (#1 is "A cupboard. To put your TV in." Something I know I should do but don't.)

The book is structured around the author trying to get a better grasp on the serenity prayer, which she has carried with her for years:
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference."

That first bit is where I get stuck. I feel this immense responsibility to devote my life to "changing the world" but I just end up feeling overwhelmed (duh, can you imagine?) and frustrated when I see that there's no silver bullet solution to anything. This book spoke to me in a way that no one ever has. No matter how many times someone has said to me "There is no silver bullet" or "You can't change the world in a day" or whatever, I nodded in agreement but didn't really agree. Deep down, I truly believed that there is a silver bullet and I just had to find it.

But this book taught me that though there may be a silver bullet out there, devoting your life to finding out what it is isn't nearly important as *doing* something that brings you joy and makes you feel as if you're contributing something to the solution. I don't want to ruin the ending, but I will if I say much more than that.

I just really, really loved this book. It's exactly what I needed to read. Thank you, Isabel Losada, wherever you are.

This book talked much about what we already knew about the plight of Tibet, Tibetans, and Dalai Lama. Still, I'm continuously pilfering through books written about Tibet lest I forget human's propensity to do atrocities against their fellow human beings. Whilst we think that sacrifices made during World War 2 would remind people not to resort to violence to resolve issues, it happens yet again in our lifetime. Examples are everywhere namely Iraq occupation or revolution depending which sides you are on. The irony of the whole thing is that the main power that ended World War 2 would be the aggressor in this instance in the name of profits. From this book, it's obvious that Isabel has a pure heart and she asked quite rightly why we are actually penalising Dalai Lama when he's the one who preached non-violence to overcome obstacles. She also said it quite rightly about fighting might with right. Cynical readers might be worried that this book is one-sided, China slamming. It's actually not like that at all. Isabel pointed out also that the ways activists were dealing with issues might be at the wrong footing or rubbing China the wrong way. Ultimately, Isabel just shared with us her experience of trying to help Tibets, Tibetans, and the Dalai Lama. It's funny, heart-warming, and straight to the points at times. For those readers that want to know about those three main issues and yet, don't want to read a dry book, I guess this is a book that you can try to get your hands on. It's quite an enjoyable read, really.

In A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World Losada decides to devote a year of her life to a worthy cause in an attempt to see whether an individual can make real changes. Her chosen cause is the Tibetan situation. This makes the book sound incredibly serious, but what I like about Losada's style is her way of communicating as if she & you are sitting in the room together & she's chatting to you personally. She is a very witty writer & what could be a dry and depressing topic is actually very funny at times, whilst not losing sight of the serious objectives.

The book is divided into three main sections. In the first part Isabel Losada recounts her decision to travel to Tibet & see the situation at first hand. This reads as an exciting travelogue & paints at times an amusing and then touching picture of Tibet & its People. In the second section back at home in London, Losada contemplates the possible ways she could support the Tibetan cause, culminating in planning a daring publicity stunt promoting the Dalai Lama's peaceful stance against violence at a time when the world had embarked on the `War on Terror'. In the third section of the book Losada is invited to Dharamsala to meet His Holiness himself.

You can expect to experience the full range of human emotion as you read Losada's account. At times she is laugh out loud funny, at others you'll be outraged by the callous treatment of the Tibetan people by the Chinese occupiers. You'll find yourself sharing Losada's frustration in her search for a way to make a difference and her excitement and nerves in mounting the stunt. Then there's the anticipation of meeting His Holiness- I had a tear in my eye & felt I was in the room with them.

(...)

Isabel Losada wears many hats: single mom, writer, traveler, and now newly christened activist. Journey with Losada as she tells of the seemingly endless trials and tribulations as a wannabe activist fighting for the religious freedom of Tibet. Interesting choice. Yet when the author explains her reasoning behind backing this particular cause, readers will fall into her line of thinking with a natural acceptance simply because Losada is so charming and sincere. Her expression of sadness over the rising regularity of terrorism worldwide is so commonly felt, so consistently lamented, that when Losada poses the premise of fighting the war on terror with nonviolence, it makes sense. Who then is the leading proponent of nonviolence? The Dalai Lama, of course. Losada determines that he's the man for her --- and on this basis Losada begins her story, her journey toward social activism.

Making use of the famed serenity prayer, Losada divides her text into three main sections. Part One: "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..." Recognizing that she has never done much besides navel-gazing, Losada decides to invest some time in protesting outside the Chinese Embassy, a not particularly auspicious beginning. Next, the author starts investigating, interviewing, and finally traveling to Tibet. Waking up in Kathmandu, Losada details in comical fashion the advice passed along to her from a girl in the know from Tibet: Never squat down in the bushes on the Nepalese side of the Himalayas. Leeches have a way of attaching themselves. Before you know it, you're pouring with blood.

Sounds enchanting. Not to be daunted, Losada repeatedly hears the warning of altitude sickness, which can kill you. More seriously, though, were the injunctions to take extreme care in how one speaks to the Tibetan people regarding their loyalty to the Dalai Lama. And never, ever, hand out photos of the Dalai Lama as they're illegal. Losada does indeed travel and immerse herself in Tibetan culture where she sees both beauty and evil side by side, incongruously thriving together. Hard to accept.

"The courage to change the things I can..." comprises the second part of Losada's tale as she begins making advances in practical activism without much initial success. From approaching the Free Tibet Campaign organization to requesting and receiving an interview with a member of Parliament, from setting up a company, a website, to delving into the nitty-gritty of fundraising via parachuting for donations, Losada makes even the most dreary activities both humorous and sobering.

Finally, in Part Three, "And the wisdom to the know the difference..." Losada's journey becomes at once more introspective and profound as she receives an invitation to meet with the Dalai Lama. It is this portion of the text alone that will likely bring the most fascination to readers. Losada takes her time to carefully unfold the details of this once in a lifetime encounter and the results are most satisfying.

While Losada communicates with regular dashes of humor and wit, she likewise is serious about making a difference in the world. Even the most socially complacent readers will glean tips on how vital doing "one's bit" is to a better, safer, more peaceful world. As the Dalai Lama so succinctly states, "If the individual acts, society is changed."

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

What a great find! Definately acceptable for your pre-teen to teen daughters! I read the book before passing it on and read it in just a day and a half!

Kudos to Serena Robar on her first book

Colby Blanchard's life changes in a blink of an eye. On the way home from a high school football game, Colby is attacked becomes something that she never thought possible - a vampire. Or rather, a Half-Blood. But because she's not a pure blood vampire, the others in the Undead community are out for some blood - her blood! It's Colby's chance to kick butt and get the guy.

This novel is phenomenal and I devoured it in a matter of hours. Laugh out loud funny and deliciously addicting.

Colby Blanchard seems your normal American teen: a cheerleader, Daddy's girl: but she's also a vampire. When she has to defend her eternal life in front of a Vampire Council which doesn't care for half-vampires, trouble results - not to mention her romance for Thomas, a hottie Vampire Investigator. Humor and irony abound in a very different kind of vampire story teens will relish.

Colby Blanched is the typical sixteen year old, interested in boys, clothing and staying head cheerleader. Her normal life comes to a screeching halt when she is attacked by a man and left in a ravine. When she wakes up, she returns home to learn she has been missing for forty-eight hours. When she smells blood on her mother's hand, she starts drinking it until she is full. Tests by her aunt prove she is a vampire as she has no pulse or heartbeat.

The Vampire Tribunal comes over to serve her with a summons because she is not a vampire but a half-breed Undead because she is too many generations removed to be a full Vampire. Undead have different abilities then vampires and the tribunal looks at them as abominations that must be destroyed. She has to appear before them and make a case that she should not be destroyed but she doesn't have a clue how she is going to manage it.

Aimed at the young adult market BRACED 2 BITE will also be thoroughly enjoyed by adults who like chick lit serio-comic vampire novels. Since her incisors were removed when Colby wore braces her father makes her a mechanical contraption to take their place and some of the funniest bites in the book take place around them. The heroine is strong willed and willing to fight against the injustice of the Vampire Council in their deadly dealings with the undead. Readers will be happy to know that this is just the beginning of a charming, beguiling and totally entertaining new series.

Harriet Klausner

As soon as I began reading BRACED2BITE by new author Serena Robar, I was immediately reminded of another one of my favorite vampire series--the Undead series by MaryJanice Davidson. Both authors have a smart-mouthed heroine, an annoying yet total hottie vampire hero, and a set of circumstances that makes you throw everything you ever thought was true about vampires right out the window. And believe me when I say that this comparison is not a bad thing! Ms. Robar has managed to pen a fun, exciting vampire story that will have you reading long into the night--and the comparison to MJD is nothing but outright flattery.

Sixteen-year old Colby Blanchard is the typical blond-haired, blue-eyed cheerleader. She's also very intelligent, has plans to get hunky Aidan Reynolds to ask her to the Homecoming dance, and, while she's at it, will finalize plans for her upcoming seventeenth birthday party. What Colby didn't plan on, or enter into her BlackBerry, was getting knocked out by the Eastside Attacker on the way home from a football game. Where, she might add, Aidan the slimeball went off with Allison to an after-game party.

When Colby comes to and returns home, she's very surprised to learn she's been missing for nearly forty-eight hours. Even more surprising, though, is drinking her mother's blood and healing her wound when she cuts herself with a knife. Oddly enough, although frightened, it's not until her Great-Aunt Chloe points out the puncture wounds on her neck that Colby realizes something weirder than a nighttime attack has happened to her. Colby is now a vampire, with the pale, pasty skin, yellowish eyes, and thirst for blood to prove it.

Her family seems to take the change in their daughter relatively in stride--Aunt Chloe even had to stake a few vampires years ago during the War when she was a nurse. Her father rushes to help in the only way he knows how (he's an orthodontist) and makes her a hideous headgear apparatus so she can feed, since her canine teeth were removed years ago. So not only is she a freak vampire, she's a mutant freak vampire.

To add insult to injury, two vampires come a-calling, informing Colby that she's been summoned to make an appearance to the Tribunal for, and get this, being Undead without a license. The fact that Thomas, the cute, helpful vampire, wants to help her make her case before the Tribunal is one thing. The fact that he's asked to be her Executioner if the Tribunal rejects her plea for a license is quite another.

BRACED2BITE is a fun, hilarious read. All of the characters are well-rounded, and the fast-paced dialogue makes the book a delight to read. If you like vampire stories with a dash of romance and a whole bunch of humor, this is definitely the book for you. And thankfully, the next book in the series, Fangs 4 Freaks, is already scheduled for release in November 2006.

We beg that you disregard ALL the other reviews on this book. CLEARLY these 'people' are dillusional, as they cannot see past Gwen Bistrow's pathetic attempt at a novel.
By definition CELIA GARTH = selfish, vain, overly confident, flirty, horrible morals (a bad example for any wholesome girl).
If you want to keep your daughter safe, we highly recommend that you stay AWAY from CELIA GARTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like some of the other reviewers, I read this when I was 12..actually re-read my mama's copies to pieces! It was out of print for the longest time, and you couldn't find it in libraries that much. It was so wonderful to see it in a Charleston bookstore (at about $50), and then to see it re-issued and available on Amazon. It's a great mixture of history, romance, great characters (did anyone else want to marry Luke?),and it's still one of my annual summer reads. The history is well-researched, and Bristow captures Charleston so well. Read this, and then go to Charleston. Immediately!

Gwen Bristow's Celia Garth may have been published in 1959, but it is truly a classic that is just as timely today. Charleston is always associated with the Civil War, but most Americans do not realize how much fighting went on in and around Charleston during the Revolution. In fact, there were more Revolutionary War battles in South Carolina than in any southern state.

In Celia Garth, we follow the life of a 20 year old seamstress. Celia goes back and forth between a Charleston townhouse and a plantation on the outskirts of town, and we receive a look at what it was like to live during the Revolution. The book ties in many historically documented facts including Francis Marion and his men, the British bombardment of Charleston, the siege of Charleston, British atrocities to plantations, the rebel spy network, actual battles and many famous military leaders. It is fascinating to read how Charlestonians were forced by Patriot troops to give up all their food supplies (except for rice), causing townsfolk to starve. Life was definitely not easy.

It is also fun to read about sites that are still in Charleston, and how they figured in the struggle. St. Michael's Church steeple was painted black to make it harder for British warships to see. Also, Patriots stored over 10,000 pounds of gunpowder in the basement of the Old Exchange building so that it would not fall into Loyalists hands. The British never did find it-even after they took control of the city and the Exchange Building.

The story itself is riveting, and I found myself staying up extra late to keep on reading. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Although this was written with teenage girls in mind, don't let this be a deterrent. The 300 plus pages and the heavy dose of history make for extremely interesting reading. So, if you can get your hands on this classic, you've discovered a true treasure.

This is the tale of Celia Garth, a 20 year old woman trying to make a living as a seamstress in Charleston, South Carolina during the Revolutionary war. The author does a great job of setting up the scenes of the town and plantations, and the history of the time. We follow Celia and her friends through the seige of Charleston by the British, living through the constant shelling and lack of food until the final surrender.

At first, things seem normal after the surrender and Celia begins to build a new life, but tragedy strikes after the British go back on their promises and Celia must start life afresh. This time, while working as a seamstress she is also a bit of a "spy" for the colonials.

This was a wonderful story of love and courage, with a great dose of history thrown in. I don't know enough about the period to say how accurate it is, but I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in another century for a day or two. This is also a good choice for a younger reader, as the "love scenes", if you can call them that, are extremely chaste.

The book is out of print and readily available used, but I had no problem finding it at my local libary.

O.K., I've never before felt compelled to write a review in defense of a book, but I'm doing it now. Larry Brown's brief but nasty review of Gwen Bristow's "Celia Garth" as an immoral character is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read. Celia is as moral as they come! As a mother and as a Christian, I wouldn't hesitate to reccommend this book, or any of Gwen Bristow's books to my own daughters. In fact, I have. My older daughter has read them all, and my 16-year-old is reading them now. Celia Garth is probably the most moral of them all. I suspect that Mr. Brown never finished the book. A flirtatious smile at a good-looking soldier in the first few pages, and an incident a few pages later where mischievous Celia tries to imagine her battle-ax of an emloyer with no clothes on, are the only things in the whole book that I can imagine, (by a very great stretch of the imagination indeed) to be called immoral. And, yes, Celia, an intelligent young woman, realizes that she is pretty and that she is good at sewing, but I would not call her vain. She wants to be more than a mere apprentice, and struggles to get someone to notice her sewing talents. Perhaps Mr. Brown is one of those antiquated gentlemen who feel that Celia should have married rather than try to have a career. Give me a break. Celia does eventually manage to get a good job sewing for a wealthy but hard-to please woman, but the war is coming to Charleston, and she is in love with a soldier, so the career is on hold. Her romance with Captain Jimmy Rand of the militia is passionate enough to keep any woman reader happy yet chaste enough to suit any mom. They wait chastely to be married, even though she is alone in Charleston with only a maid for chaperone and he may die in the war. Now that's love! When their romance ends in tragedy at the hands of "Butcher" Tarleton and his Tory troops, Celia not has the courage to start over, but to use her resumed sewing job to help spy on the British and aid the American rebels in their struggle for freedom. At last she falls in love again, with Luke, a continental soldier serving under Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox" . After being, yes, chastely married, she helps him send messages to Marion's men, even when she's pregnant and living with Tory relatives where the danger is very great. Cele Garth is an exciting and excellently written piece of historical fiction. I highly recommend recommend it. Ignore Mr. Brown and read it today!!!!!

This is the first book I read about Amy Carmichael's life. It is very interesting and since reading this, I have purchased many many books that Amy wrote herself. My top 3 recommendations are IF, Kohila, and Lotus Buds. However, any of her books are wonderful.

This book by Elizabeth Elliott gives an overview of Amy's life and pictures. If you want to know about her, this is the book to read.

I have read this book twice over the last decade and each time it has given me life principles applicable to the time of life in which I read it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs an example to live by. I couldn't help but think that if God could do such things in Amy Carmichael, He could certainly do the same in me. What a challenge!

Amy Carmichael has been a great model to follow. Her love for the Lord spilled out to those whom she saw as His children worth saving ... even though they were considered worthless in their culture. God uses Amy's ferver to encourage me to continue on in difficult places. Thank you Elisabeth Elliot for using your God-given writing talent to so articulate the life of this precious woman of God. Your labors go hand in hand with Amy's in bringing in more souls for the Kingdom of God. To God be all the glory!

Amy Carmichael is a hero of mine. I first read this book many, many years ago after God broke my heart for the nations. I admire this single woman's faith and "heart like flint" as she left family, comfort and friends to serve the Lord in India. She went out not knowing exactly where she was going (like Abraham) yet trusted in her Father to guide and direct her. Indeed, she lived out Isaiah 54 as she became a spiritual mother to many poor children who were sadly abandoned and/or neglected in India.

With a simple, resolute and steadfast faith, Amy built orphanages to defend the orphan and preach the good news to the poor. Her life was soul satisfying, multiplied and poured out as a sacrifice that others could live and find Christ. Beautiful.

Amy's like will inspire and encourage you to PURSUE the call on your heart and to trust in the Lord for provision, security and guidance.

Regarding Elisabeth Elliot, the author, I had the gracious opportunity to meet her in person.. and she is a sweet aroma of Christ as well. She trusted and followed in her Savior, despite the pain of losing her first love, Jim Elliot, as a martyr in the jungle of Ecuador. Through the death of her husband and four other Christian missionaries, many, many were saved - and many Christians called to the mission field. You can read more about their journey by reading:

Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot

Amy Carmichael is a woman who dedicated her life to serving "the least of these" with a heart focused solely on Christ. A story full of incredible truth and sacrifice in the name of the love of God.